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

[blutsauger]

(Ah, crap. There's another one of you.)

Hush.

(And this one's worse.)

[Medic adjusts his glasses and gives Scout a Look[tm]. Scout grimaces back at him.]

Thank you for the help. I'm not surprised that we're barred from giving away too many hints.

(No cheatin' allowed in this fucked up game.)

[perfeccion]

[he grins at being called "worse". Because it's true. It's so true.] At least you won't be alone. [he sighs] Unfortunately, yesterday's trial didn't even come close to tracking down the Jorogumo. Ah well. Maybe next week, hm?

[blutsauger]

It's unfortunate, really. I knew we didn't have much of a chance, but... Well. No use dwelling on the past. At least Bennings survived.

... Speaking of, what do you remember about your own death? I know we can't tell the living anything in that regard, but I'd like to know as much as I can for my own observations.

[perfeccion]

Ah. I remember all of it. Come, let's have some tea downstairs and I'll regale you with the tale.

[he heads down the stairs and gestures for the Medic to follow]

[blutsauger]

[Medic follows, trying to ignore his carry-on baggage along the way.]

(Psst. Doc. He's gonna fucking murder you down there.)

Scout.

(It's like that Casket of Monty-whatever, you're gonna go down there and he's gonna throw some bricks at ya and then lock you up in the walls. And then he'll get you drunk off your ass.)

I'm already dead, Scout. There's not much more he can do.

(He'll, like, double-kill you, I dunno!)

[perfeccion]

I'm not going to kill you, my goodness. If I had wanted to do that, I would have run you through upstairs and been done with it. [he heads to the restaurant and sits down in a back corner where their mysterious invisible teaparty isn't likely to be interrupted. A waiter brings a kettle of hot water, some tea bags, two cups, cream, honey, and lemons. Szayel lets his tea steep and laces his fingers together]

The Jorogumo is Rean. Rean Schwarzer. He laid a trap for me out in the courtyard -- and it was perfectly terrible. He is terrible at this.

[blutsauger]

(He's lyiiiiiing...) Scout, go back into my body. [Scout's face pouts, but he obeys and disappears without a trace.] Hm. Does he have any memory of what happens when he changes into the Jorogumo form- or any influence at all over what happens? What did happen there, exactly? I wasn't able to get a look at your body or the state that it was in, so I had to rely on hearsay.

[perfeccion]

[Szayel rolls his eyes at the peanut gallery before continuing]

Oh, I think he was perfectly aware of what he was doing, and I strongly suspect he remembers it all. I didn't have a chance to get a very good look, but if I were to guess, it's more complete integration than it is a spider-beast wearing Mr. Schwarzer like a costume. Anyway. Are you familiar with the hunting technique of the bolas spider? Instead of constructing webs, these fascinating individuals create a sticky ball of silk and dangle it, then use it -- like a bolas! -- to capture prey.

I walked into it, and I was dragged from my feet and bundled in silk. [he shakes his head] Did you know, Medic? I simply love traps. Even my body is a trap.

[blutsauger]

Interesting... Do you think the same will be the case for the rest of the mafia? That they're acting of their own volition? Spiders aren't exactly my area of expertise, but I think I've heard of them before. Quite clever, really. ... Your body?

[perfeccion]

I do! But I think they are influenced. They must have some sort of motive, right? Even if it's something as simple as, say, hunger.

Yes indeed! You see, I am toxic, and full of microscopic parasites. [it must be the truth, because Szayel is almost beaming with pride as he speaks about it] Usually, any creature that would dare partake of my flesh would then become subject to my will -- a puppet, if you will, thanks to the parasites. However, it seems the Jorogumo was able to overcome my little pets. That's why I have a backup plan. The parasites are also what keeps my poison inactive -- without them, it ravages the body and causes fast, painful, and deadly organ failure! [he loses some of his spark and takes a sip of his tea] But that spider beast is tougher than anticipated. I'm afraid all I managed to do is give him the worst, but unfortunately nonfatal, food poisoning of his life.

[blutsauger]

Oooooh! [Medic looks so fucking enthused. He takes a sip of his own tea before properly replying.] Amazing, my friend- simply amazing. Is that a natural trait of yours, or one you developed yourself? Hmm... Yes, I seem to remember him looking rather pale at the trial. I didn't think much of it, at the time. [He shakes his head.] Hindsight, as always...

[perfeccion]

[he beams again. YES YES TELL HIM HE'S PRETTY COOL AND NEAT] Natural! It was one of the things that got me through my infancy as a fairly weak Hollow. Though, I have improved it over the years with new DNA and spirit energy.

[he stirs some honey into his tea and takes another sip] I'm afraid no one noticed he wasn't anywhere to be found on Friday. He spent it in the bathroom, exploding from both ends. [smile smile smile] But that's how the game is -- I am not surprised that the trial resulted in the death of an innocent. I am sorry, for the living, that it was you. [he laughs] They've truly managed to shoot themselves in the foot! That is why I fear that Mrs. Ripley may be targeted next -- her competence and level-head may prove to be her undoing.

[blutsauger]

Like I said at the trial, I'm not too surprised that some of them would suspect me or want me dead, I just didn't expect it to actually matter. Ah, well.

I hope you're wrong about that- she deserves to make it out of this place alive. Go home to her wife and not have to deal with this.

[perfeccion]

Mmm. Yes. [he seems like he might want to say something else for a moment, then he just takes a few more sips of tea instead] Do you have any other questions that I might be able to answer?

[blutsauger]

Hmm...

What were you doing when you walked into the trap, anyway? I remember we were confused about the presence of the towel, among other things.

[perfeccion]

Well... I knew a murder was supposed to occur on Thursday -- though technically it was the wee hours of Friday, wasn't it? I was... well. Honestly I was just being nosy. I explored until I found that ball of silk in the courtyard, and the rest was history. [mention of the towel makes him laugh] Oh...! You will never believe it... but young Mr. Schwarzer was trying to... ahem.... cover himself with it. [he giggles behind his hand at the memory] You see, his lower body transformed into a spider's abdomen, and I suppose he thought.... Well. He didn't seem to be familiar with his own anatomy.

[blutsauger]

Ah, cat killed the curiosity, ja?

So that was the relevance of the towel... We were all trying to figure out your movements that night based on that. Ah, well. Either way it wouldn't have helped.

[perfeccion]

[he steeples his fingers and chuckles to himself] I may have been the one killed in the end, but I think I made a lasting impression. But our young spider friend is really going to have to step up his game if he desires to kill someone who actually cares about staying alive. But no. The towel was not mine. I was fully dressed for the weather.