Round 4 graveyard

[foundationmods]

[When your character dies, however that may be, they will feel themselves floating. For a moment or two they will linger at the site of their death, hovering just above everyone, watching.

Then they will feel a pull and they will get tugged all the way to the studio, through a wall, through the hall, through a door.

The place they end up in looks to be a backstage area. There is an area for storing supplies, a coat rack full of empty prinny costumes, a lounge area, and a place to rest. All of these areas are marked by a green border between the described rooms and the doors that go elsewhere. You will see prinnies come and go, hurrying around as they do their work for the day. But within those borders, some of the prinnies will take off their suits, revealing the human souls within. Men, women, old, young, there is a large mix. They are all very dead, though, and seem used to being dead.

And among all of the dead is one living girl, one who seems to be running the show behind the set. She can be found giving instructions to prinnies and telling them where to put things, but she will always take time to give everyone who arrives the same warning:]

Hi there! I'm Marona, and this is the backstage area. There's a lot to do yet, so if you could help us out I would really appreciate it.

All the areas with the green on the floor are safe to be in as ghosts. Your souls won't get pulled away as long as you stay in the safe areas. If you want to go outside of there, though, you have to put on a prinny suit. And if you do that, you have to follow the rules of the prinnies: no killing anyone, follow the orders you're given by the living, and try not to blow up too much.

If you have any questions, I'll be here! But you can come and go as you like. Just don't give Mr. Dazai too much trouble, okay?

Comments

[eldritcheyes]

[Watching Silver and Giriko freaking out... that's the other price he has to pay for the deal he made, isn't it? Seeing his best friend sobbing over his body gives Leo the regrettable opportunity to discover that the dead can indeed cry, at least in this reality. He spared Silver from one kind of pain, but it's just dropped the poor hedgehog into a whole other kind of hell.

I'm sorry.... is all he has time to think before his soul is yanked away.

The afterlife is less of a surprise now, since they figured out what was up with the prinnies. Leo knows it's their job to work, but he needs a moment. Marona should understand, right? She seems like a sweet kid. She'll forgive him for sitting in a corner against the wall, drawing his knees up to his chest, hugging his legs, and getting in another good-- though quieter-- sobbing session.]

[visionem]

[ Alcor is good at waiting, patience and all that right? He's not going to bother Leo during his grieving session, but he will swing back later when he's slightly more put together. He's probably hanging out atop some still present mounds of rubble. ]

Hello, Leonardo Watch.

[eldritcheyes]

[And here's a white-haired kick in the ass. Leo instantly goes tense when he hears that voice, but it doesn't last. Quickly enough he's slumping a bit, muttering under his breath.]

Fuck my afterlife... Do you need something, Alcor?

[visionem]

I do not need anything Leonardo Watch, at least nothing you can provide me. [ His posture is entire casual, his knees loosely drawn to his chest, his arms resting on top of them. ]

I feel it is also unnecessary to ask you the same question. I do have a different one to ask you, however. Why are you here instead of Silver?

[eldritcheyes]

[Why does everything that comes out of Alcor's mouth sound so damned condescending? Leo doesn't have the patience for this, but he's too tired to get into a fight right now.

And then Alcor asks that question. Leo doesn't want to tell him the truth. He doesn't feel Alcor deserves it, not when he might question the validity or logic of giving your life for a friend.]

... does it really matter? Someone was going to die. Silver or me, it's still a life lost.

[visionem]

[ Tilting his head to the side. ]

A life lost is a life lost, yes. I would not say it "matters", but I will say I am curious. Is that a sufficient answer?

[eldritcheyes]

Are you gonna make fun of me for my reasons? Try to argue that I'm selfish?

[Even dead, he swears his chest feels hot and tight with anger, but he keeps his voice level. Fuck it, if what he expects to happen actually happens, it will just prove that Alcor can't ever understand the humans he claims to love.]

Because I already know I am. I made a choice, and now Silver's the one who has to live with it. No matter what, one of us was gonna be stuck mourning the other. And that's all because of the morons who put us in this mess because they don't think any of us deserve to live.

[visionem]

[ Maybe it's frustrating, but there doesn't seem to be any rise in Alcor at all, judgemental or otherwise. ]

I did not say either of those things. I also do not derive enjoyment from the anguish of others. [ A pause while he shifts on the rubble. ]

Prior to this game, I would have told you that I do not understand your use of the word selfish in this scenario. However, I believe I do now. I will not tell you whether your actions were selfish or not, but Silver very well might. I will tell you however, that you seem to be assuming many things yourself.

Perhaps that is to be expected, though.

[eldritcheyes]

Well, it's Silver's right to give me a bunch of shit, not anybody else's. I just....

[He feels himself deflating, not having the energy left to be mad at Alcor or anybody else, except himself.]

He already died once, he told me. And dying that way... it was horrible. I didn't want him to go through that. I just wanted to protect my best friend.

[merirut]

[Another two, huh... While adding more dead to their ranks means they have more manpower to explore and pass on information, it's also a reminder of how little they've accomplished when it comes to stopping this game. He's no stranger to feeling helpless, but it certainly doesn't help his mounting irritation with the Foundation and this entire situation.

So he won't approach Leo while he's crying because he's 100% aware that he's not the right person to deal with tears and distress, but he'll come by when the sobs have subsided somewhat.]

...What was that?

[eldritcheyes]

[At least Sandy's not Alcor, even if the two of them are close friends. Sandy might understand Leo's reasons. So he sighs and uncurls a little, rubbing his face tiredly.]

You mean the way the electricity jumped from Silver's space to mine? Probably another bit of "Dazai's" magic. If you mean why it happened... it's because I asked him to.

[merirut]

[His brows furrow at that answer. It's true that Sandalphon gets the sentiment, but he's also not great at tracking who's friends with who here, so it equalizes to something that's half-understanding and half-confusion.]

Showing his hand again, I see... Were you that desperate to die, though?

[eldritcheyes]

No. I didn't want to see my best friend die, especially not like that. It wasn't quick and it hurt like hell. But I made the deal with Dazai weeks ago, in case Silver was ever in danger. I told him I'd take the hit. It doesn't change the fact that I wanted to live, but I wanted Silver to live even more.

[merirut]

[There's some degree of dissatisfaction in his face at the answer, although it's a bit of a toss up as to what part he's actually frowning at.]

...'Weeks ago' meaning when, exactly?

[eldritcheyes]

The start of the second or third week. I don't remember exactly. I think... it was after the first deaths, when it hit me that people were really gonna die. Does it matter? He kept his end of the deal, Silver lived, and I'm dead.

[merirut]

I just thought it'd be ironic if you did this after that trial... but fine.

[He crosses his arms, expression back to something resembling neutral.]

So, what do you plan on doing now?

[eldritcheyes]

I have no idea. Is there really anything we can do on this side? I mean, it's not like we're allowed to offer any help to the living as prinnies.

[He curls up a bit more.]

I don't think Silver will be glad to see me in a prinny suit, either. He was freaking out right before I got pulled here.

[arraignments]

[ Oh...

Goro's expression falters at the sight. It's after a thick swallow, he walks over to simply... sit next to Leo. He won't press, but he will eventually let his shoulder rest against the other young man's.

He's here... ]

[eldritcheyes]

[Leo eventually lifts his head. Yeah, he's been ugly crying for a while and it shows. He sniffles and rubs his face with the back of his arm.]

H-- hey, Goro....

[His voice cracks but he holds it together for the most part.]

slams into this!!!!

[arraignments]

[ His expression falters a tiny bit... but he shifts so he can very gently rest a hand on Leo's shoulder. ]

I... admittedly, rushed off, after Akira, so I didn't...

[ ... does he need to finish that? ]

... I'm sorry. I won't ask for details, but I'm- here to listen, all right?

[eldritcheyes]

[At first, Leo just shakes his head slightly, but it's difficult to tell what the gesture refers to until he finds his voice again.]

It... was supposed to be Silver. I made a deal with Dazai weeks ago, just in case.

[He swallows thickly.]

And he kept his promise.

[arraignments]

[ ... oh. ]

A-ah... [ long... pause... ] That's...

[ He can actually imagine at least some of how it might feel. His expression strains for a moment. It's several long seconds before he slowly wraps an arm around Leo, very loosely tugging him closer, right on into a half-hug.

While he can't offer words, he would at least like to offer this much? Heh, initiating hugs isn't... something he really ever does, but Leo clearly needs this. And... he'll definitely try to ensure Leo can escape. ]

[eldritcheyes]

[Leo doesn't want to escape, though. He's tired, depressed, lonely. The hug is appreciated, so he leans a bit into it and tries very hard not to break down into another bout of tears.]

I... I don't want to keep you from Akira... I know you miss each other....

[He's less important than the bond those two share, he knows that. These few moments of comfort are like the free food offered to him at the diner in HL: appreciated, but ultimately undeserved.]

[arraignments]

[ ... At that, he gently tightens his hold. ]

If I recall correctly, I walked over here of my own free will.

[ He somewhat awkward runs his hand up and down Leo's arm... ]

Besides, I... said I'm here to listen, didn't I? I meant it.

[eldritcheyes]

I know, I just... feel like I don't deserve it. I just put my best friend through hell to save his life. I'm scared it was the wrong choice, but it's too late to take it back. I... I think it broke him....

[Now he's tearing up again.]

I'm such an idiot... but he's already died once before, Goro. I didn't want him to go out again, especially not like that. I-- it was a horrible way to die, and after I saw it happen to Akira first....

[He hiccups and covers his face with his hands. Whether or not Goro saw Akira die, his friend has to be suffering. Yet here he is, trying to comfort Leo.]

I think this... it's....

[He can't finish the thought. It's admitting that he was being selfish, which is repulsive to him.]