GRAVEYARD

[foundationmods]

[On the instant of your death, you're suddenly outside of your body - probably staring down at the remains it's become.

Yet, you're not alone. For all of you (except Szayel), a young man appears from behind you, his face set into a firm, yet sad, scowl. His shaggy strawberry blonde hair is pretty eye-catching, along with the black and white Shihakusho he wears and the large sword on his back, even as he gently tries to lead you back into the lobby and away from what was once your body. You can still clearly hear and see the living, if you want to try - but they can't see or hear you.

'Welcome to the world of the dead in this Resort,' he says, quietly. 'Looks like you're stuck here with the rest of us.'

He hands you a tablet, just like the one you had before. "You'll need this if you want to keep talking to them,' he explains, looking sad.

It looks like you've passed on, and yet...You still feel like you have a role to play in all of this.]

Comments

Third group

[bladeisme]

[When they see the memories, Ichigo is silent. He's silent even up to the final one, where there's a moment of his eyes widening - seeing that the shadows shot him instead of Gabe - but after a moment, that too fades in a more complicated expression.

And now, everything is on the table. The Whole story of how this happened, why they were all brought here...has been revealed.

And he doesn't know how to feel.]

[duskhound]

[...There isn't really anything Ellie can do to comfort him right now. In the first place, the two barely knew each other as it was... It's best to leave that to someone else, and try to focus on what we can do for the time being...]

...I don't suppose any of us know the details of the medication he was on...?

[bladeisme]

...I don't know. I - never asked.

[He should have, honestly.]

[duskhound]

Well, it can't be helped. That's not something that normally comes up, after all. And I assume that it wasn't in his profile either, or else the bug should have been able to help with that, too...

[This... isn't looking good.]

[bladeisme]

He mentioned that he asked to be experimented on voluntarily. So...I guess that's what that is.

[He falls silent again, and when he speaks again, it's barely above a whisper.]

...I didn't know - it was the shadow that shot me, and not him.

[duskhound]

Considering the situation, it's understandable. Especially since I'm pretty sure he's the kind of person to claim responsibility for it, even if it was due to his powers going out of control. The only reason we could tell here was having the benefit of the Resort's perspective.

[perfeccion]

[Szayel pipes up from nearby]

I don't have Gabriel's file. I've read it, but I didn't exactly commit it to memory. I was only able to customize that bug because there were traces of the Hollow's reiatsu in the wounds it left behind on Ichigo. The other power didn't leave a trace that I could detect.

[duskhound]

...Then, at the very least, for the time being, we're stuck. We don't really have any way to treat him at this point, do we?

[I mean yes, he's incompetent, kind of a jerk, and everything is basically his fault, but... he's also sick, so.]

[perfeccion]

.... No. Not for the moment. I would need... a lot more time to analyze what else is wrong with him and synthesize a drug to help. I know it seems like I can work miracles, but... the truth is I'm usually just overly prepared. I have nothing in my bag of tricks for this.

[it pains him to admit it...]

[dereban]

[ hm



well, Ichigo's going to just get a sudden hug from Inaba because yeah, breaking that silent vow of ignoring him because he needs it, especially right now ]

[bladeisme]

[He takes the hug, silently. But he seems - numb to this, barely moving or reacting.]

[dereban]

[ That definitely doesn't look - or sound too good, but she won't let go of him. It's only when she talks that her voice noticeably wavers a bit. ]

. . . I'm sorry.

[ What is she even apologizing for, she's not even entirely sure right now. There's probably too much to say sorry for and she knows that those two words are probably not even enough for him.

Not when he's like this. ]

[justonezero]

[Hugpile time.]

[bladeisme]

[Thanks, Yoshi, but Ichigo really isn't returning hugs right now. He's - just kind of staring at where the memory was with a grim face.]

[justonezero]

[It's fine. The hug isn't for his own comfort.

He's just going to stand and hug Ichigo so he can feel the fact that he isn't alone.]

[bladeisme]

[That does help.

After all, it's harder to retreat back to how you were when so many people refuse to let you think you're alone.]

[justonezero]

[Leaning on him while he's at it, because he's small enough to do as much.]

...Hey. We're all getting out of here soon, you know.

All of us, together. Okay?

[perfeccion]

... An.... an accident? No...

[not quite. He replays the moment in his mind. Not an accident, but not Gabriel, either]

.... Kurosaki.

[there's something unspoken there, a question Will you be ok?]

[bladeisme]

...Yeah?

[When he looks over at Szayel, he's not even upset or sad.

He's just...Tired. And numb. He's been tired before, when he came back - but this is a new level of that.

This is what he must have looked like, before everyone arrived. Tired and just...accepting what happened.]

[perfeccion]

[bone deep tiredness. The kind of exhaustion that comes not from the body, but from the heart.

There's been a lot of revelations here this evening.

He's more acutely aware that there's nothing he can do to alleviate that exhaustion. So instead he places a hand on Ichigo's shoulder, wordlessly]

[moonlightbeast]

[Okay yeah, one more for the hug pile.]

[bladeisme]

[Heeee fucking needs it pretty badly right about now, even if he's not speaking or reacting to the hug itself.]

[moonlightbeast]

[It's okay Ichigo, Team Support has you!]