August Event

[adsum]

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Please let August be better than July I'm begging

✽ Due to 10+ classes raising their ranks last month, ALL characters have access to the courtyard via the door in the locker area and the windows facing the courtyard.
✽ Characters with 1-10 tallies are not able to get any further past the end of the courtyard before they fall unconscious; characters with 10-20 can get halfway to the pool building before the same happens to them; characters with 20+ tallies can reach the pool building but unfortunately, the door is on the other side. There are no windows on the walls, but from the clocktower, characters can see that it has a glass ceiling, though they are unable to see inside.
✽ Outside, there is no breeze, and it occasionally rains ash.
✽ Characters going up to the 4th floor will feel that the door is warm to the touch, and will occasionally open (see: missions)
✽ The student store opens, with the door propped open with a doorstopper. The npc running the store is currently not interested in conversation, but may be available for threading in the future and is available for threading in the toplevel below. Please see the updated bonus activity page for more information.
✽ Posted on the bulletin board and also handed to each club president before break is the notice that proof of club activity is due at the end of break. Please submit these proofs in the toplevel below.
✽ There is another ad on the bulletin board advertising an exchange student program for the month of October. Applications will be taken until the end of August, and there is a 300 merit point fee. Sister cities include Death City, Devildom, Ishigami Village, Lanling, LazyTown, and Maiami City.

Comments

[commences]

( he didn't even think of it as owing, but trying to understand... sadly talking to people normally is rough too. whatever it is, npc-kun seems to open up about it, and the first things they say... he can relate to it.

not being understood means a lot to them, it's almost like they can keep their guard up. mysterious and such. )

What sort of sin was it?

( he asks, wondering if it's like his own. to be honest, komaeda may not find anything wrong with it knowing him. to call it a sin, to say they had to do it, and he wonders why they see it as a bad thing.

sounds like story time, so he'll get down on his knees, and crosses his arms on the counter. at least he's looking up at them. )

[adsum]

An unforgiveable one.

[ As hard as it is to talk about it, there is no regret in their voice. If they had the choice to do it all over, they think they might have chosen the same.

... ]

I don't want to talk about it. You said you wouldn't do anything that makes me uncomfortable.

[commences]

If I'm doing something to you, I don't think it's uncomfortable at all!

( he thinks, and he wonders, but he sighs softly as if disappointed in the reply. do people really feel this way about their tallies, not wanting to talk about them? komaeda looks at his own, a few of them he doesn't remember, and he cherishes the recent one because of the hope it brought. )

Think of that situation as a stepping stone, what needed to be done, because now you have customers who are willing to pay the price.

( a stroke of good luck for whatever unfortunate bad luck they went through, and komaeda smiles about it. )

Do you have a name associated with it?

( why this sound like... they killed... you know who... )

[adsum]

[ they... you know what... to you know who... ]

You're wrong. I am uncomfortable. [ Komaeda doesn't get to decide how they feel? please

... ]

But you're right that this is why I'm here.

[ There's no name though. Who names these things? """the Gateway""" Only people with bad taste. ]

[commences]

( you tell MEEEE, oh i'm crying. )

Either you killed, died, or did it to yourself... I doubt the third option.

( when has komaeda ever thought of other people's feelings and respected them like human beings, never. )

Money buys happiness, but what did you do to come to that mindset... is it because of that mark? I'm listening...

( he was trying to be cute when he called it the gateway, it's fine, komaeda knows better than to listen to him anymore. )

Tell me, tell me, tell me... who did you kill!

( excited 😊 )

[adsum]

[ Why did anybody ever listen to a word that came out of Rokkun's mouth

... ]

Not telling! If it's something you really want to hear, give me what I really want! If you don't actually care about it, then leave me alone!

[commences]

( don't worry, everyone is starting to realize that rokkun is just insane.

and that he acts out for attention. )

I'll shop here every day, because that's what you want? A returning customer.

( not like npc-kun's friends care. )

[adsum]

[ What friends ]

Something more than that! Guess again!

[commences]

An Ultimate?

( well, nothing's wrong with a guessing game. )

Is that what Young Arata-kun wants? Me too!

( his hands clap together as he learns they have something in common, he doesnt think he's wrong either. who wouldn't want an ultimate? )

[adsum]

An Ultimate?

[ An ultimate what... He can't just leave off on an adjective ]

[commences]

It's something you can't have, but they're revered, and wanted by many...

( he sighs wistfully, his cheeks are dusted pink just a bit. they're good, ultimates are good! )

I can have an Ultimate shop here, if you want... Amami-kun, Ishimaru-kun, Saihara-kun... but only one.

( he doesn't like to share them if he doesn't have to. besides, hope is all he has, and that's what they give by existing. )

[adsum]

[ An Ultimate... It's a person he's talking about, npc-kun realizes. People. Idols? The publicity would help their little shop... ]

That's... not what I want either. That's not enough.

[commences]

Hmmm... Hope! It would do you good, to have something like that would be able to carry you towards the future.

( he sighs, nodding to himself, to have hope is all anyone even needs. that's how komaeda lives, why he's able to smile, and keep up his positive attitude. )

Even if you're alone in the world, hope will always cover you in its radiance.

( that vibrant light so nothing feels dark anymore, to know there's still a chance of seeing every step before them... hope is such a beautiful concept, especially when many people can thrive in it together. his eyes fall upon npc-kun, looking through them, not even realizing they're there until he can feel a warm liquid run down the corner of his mouth, and immediately he raises one hand to wipe it away.

...

he shallows. )

...W- What do you want?

[adsum]

[ ... ... ... ]

Oh.

[ They look away from Komaeda for a moment, and then looks back up at him, hesitant, gears churning. ]

Hope...

[ The way Komaeda speaks about hope... What he means by it...

... ]

I want to meet Hope.

[commences]

( they want to meet hope, and that is more than enough to make komaeda's heart skip a beat. a sensitive subject that he knows all too well, because he too wanted to be useful to Hope, to find the concept he admires so much.

all of his problems slipped away, no longer holding him down (or so he thinks), and to share that feeling of warmth and accomplishment. )

Everyone gets the chance to relish in extravagant Hope.

( he stands up properly as he looks at the surface of the counter, and once again he's pulling himself up to sit on top. he leaves room for npc-kun if they so wish to do the same, but komaeda sits with his legs dangling like an excited child. )

Hope forgives you for all your sins, and some you realize weren't even sins at all! Can you accept the possibility that your previous actions weren't a sin or unforgivable. Overcoming such things is important to meeting Hope, using your past endeavors to strengthen yourself now.

( npc-kun is no ultimate, they have no talent that equates to the greats. but they can learn and acquire some, at least enough to satisfy them by birthing it for others. )

[adsum]

[ Everybody gets the chance, maybe, but they have to wonder if it's still something possible for them, or if they've squandered it already.

...

They go ahead and sits on top of the counter next to Komaeda, ankles crossed and hands loose on their lap. ]

That would be nice... if my sin wasn't a sin. If I could forgive myself for doing what I did. Is it okay? Is everything that happened supposed to happen, for the greater good?

[commences]

( as npc-kun speaks, komaeda knows his own sins, and his search for hope will overwrite all his wrongs. hope is kind, everyone can take part, and maybe that's what makes the concept of it so comfortable. )

Has no one told you? When it comes to hope, it's seen as a positive. When you committed your sin... what was the reason?

( he leans forward, looking up at the other from below. )

Some people are unfortunate and not aware that it was for a reason as grand as hope, because they're afraid and allow despair to consume them.

[adsum]

I know that... With Hope comes forgiveness. If I meant well, my sins would be forgiven...

[ It doesn't matter what the reason was; to them, it was a good one. They're a good kid. Even now, they're trying to do the best that they can, sitting in this little shop, staring down at their hands. ]

I know it in my heart, but getting others to see is different. If they don't agree... I don't know how to convince them. If I tell them, I will be nothing more than a sinner in their eyes.

[commences]

It's hard... When people won't see eye to eye, and it's because they don't understand you.

( that's not bad, though, because it means everything they do will be for a reason that amounts to something for them, and others. )

If you didn't do what you did, would you be here offering little gifts for everyone that passes by?

( are they only afraid of being a sinner, of being shunned? some people don't matter, but there must be people who do for them if they care this much. )

You have nothing to prove to them, because if you want growth... you have to plant the seed, and the way you tend to it will bear fruit later. Whatever you did... ( he'll grab npc-kun's hands, emphasizing with a small squeeze. ) ...was it with these hands?

[adsum]

[ Do they want people to understand them? for people to care? they don't know... people don't matter when they all boil down to the same: customers. Their gifts are wares, their forced personality, their actions, all to that same end.

It didn't always used to be like that.

...

They lift their eyes up from their hands, held limp in Komaeda's, and looks at him.

... ]

It was. Is that my seed...? Or is there something more I need to do?

[commences]

( limp is no good, the lack of strength almost feels like they're willing to give up at any moment. they're searching for some sort of foundation to keep them from falling over. it's a pathetic sight, and yet, if there's this want towards hope being part of their life... )

You embrace it, you don't look down on it, or it would have been for nothing. A seed of hope is a beautiful thing, and there's always more... hope is neverending but...

( he frowns, sighing right after. )

You call it a sin, that it's unforgivable, but first you must overcome that because... it was that life changing, needed for your development... how will you grow stronger if you let it hold you back?

( hm, komaeda's a free spirit compared to npc-kun. so it must be difficult, but one step at a time normally does the trick. )

Can you do that?

( because when they explained it to komaeda, they made it seem like a weakness. as long as they can solidify that between them both, besides it's just them here for the moment. )

[adsum]

[ Can they? Accepting is different from embracing; if it's just accepting, they can come to do so. But being proud of it, that's harder. They can't change the past. What happened was purposeful and necessary. They know that, but still...

... ]

Yes.

[ They think so. In time. With some effort. ]

I don't even know where to begin, but... [ their fingers curl in Komaeda's hands, almost as if silently asking for help, but then they stop and relax again. It's something only they can do, after all. ] I know I can do it.

[commences]

...

( it's for a moment, he thinks. that he feels npc-kun's fingers curl, and the gesture is... easily read, they're new to hope, they want to meet it, obtain it, to be free, and who knows hope better than komaeda who has wrapped their whole life around the idea of it — his dedication, time, and love. )

Don't worry, I love hope, I'd do anything for it... to see how much it'll shine from you, I'll help you as much as I can.

( he's saying that on his own, because it'd be unfair, even if npc-kun has made up their mind that this is a solo endeavor, komaeda still has taken part in nurturing the hope for his peers. the one's who were afraid of moving forward despite having the means to. )

It's funny that you say... you don't know where to begin when it's already started. ( he indicates by squeezing the hand with the tally, ) Instead, you have to continue, ah... I want to give you something, but it's such a shame I don't have one on hand to offer.

( he's a little disappointed by that, but he'll figure something out. )

[adsum]

Continue...?

[ Getting tallies? Is that hope? ]

What did you want to give me?

[ Presents... Doesn't matter if they're actually receiving anything; just the prospect of presents is enough to make them go !! in anticipation. ]

[commences]

Did you think it was over that easily?

( that would be a shoddy hope, one that starts and ends after one simple instance? no, hope should be forever, that way npc-kun can bask in its warmth. )

Hope like that would only be despair, especially if it was only a one time thing. Hope has to stay with you forever, but it's not selfish, hope is what you gain with everyone... like that person, they helped your hope. What a beautiful sacrifice... ah, unless you sacrificed yourself.

( he looks at them, a little curious as he points out their mark. as for the item he wants to give. )

Hope, it's a start, but having it was enough to know that it was real! I tried to collect many of them at one point... before you think hope is just a material item, it's not... hope can be many things, and that's because hope isn't confined into just one appearance... there's a hope for everyone.