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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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Isn't it scarier to say that...

( it's all psychological, if a person is scared of something, then say they aren't... doesn't it amplify the fear, but if they admit to themselves the truth... it because less nerve-wracking, and allows them to be ready for anything? that might be the stuff out of fairytales, but is that not how komaeda also envisions hope? he gently squeezes npc-kun's legs, letting them know that he has a pretty good hold onto them. )

Even though you're with me, it must be terrifying...

( he spins around once, then twice, not too worried about the darkness when there's other things to be concerned about. like the black cat coming for their toes!! )

You wanted to scare people, right? ( like how the darkness plays tricks on people. ) ...You have to use the darkness to your advantage.

[ It does, but also, consider this: they won't ever admit their fears because they're perfect and perfect people aren't scared of the dark like some three-year-old who's just grateful they're here with somebody instead of being left alone.

... ]

Let's go find somebody to scare.

[ Let's walk down the hall and pray the lights aren't out in the entire school and if they come across somebody else then good for them. ]

( oh, npc-kun is perfect alright, how many times does komaeda have to hear this? luckily for them, komaeda's going to keep calling them out on the fact they're scared of the dark. he wants to mention it now, but the suggestion comes first, and he's actually interested in it. )

Who do you think we'll find...

( thank god npc-kun isn't that heavy because komaeda can walk the long hall within the darkness, peeking around the corners even though he can't see himself. there's a way he could scare someone, but it'd be a brief moment if anything... )

I hope we find Chidouin-san, she keeps a gun on her... that would get the adrenaline pumping, you know. ...Or Stephanie, but she might attack us herself.

Why are all your friends feral?

[ If they had some shiny rocks to calm and ground themselves, maybe they wouldn't attack poor innocent shopkeepers and their whatever Komaeda is to them in the dark. ...Actually, if npc-kun had some rocks, they'd feel better. If they had their suncatchers, that never let the shop steep in darkness when they lock up after hours, it wouldn't be so bad.

There's a thump at the end of the hall, which could either be a cat jumping off from a high place, or maybe Stephanie stomping towards them. ]

My what? Anyway... they're like animals, aren't they?

( his what? please don't become confused, komaeda doesn't have many of those, he has like people who put up with him. also people that hate him for how he acts, so he has to accept his L.

walking around in the dark is refreshing, but anything could happen here... part of komaeda wouldn't mind being in the library, it's much more comforting there. things like thumps can't happen, so hearing that noise means he has to come closer to it. he takes in a deep breath to prepare himself: )

Heeeeeeeeeey, is anyooooone out thereeeeee?

( he calls out, wanting it to echo, if it's stephanie and she kicks komaeda in his knee for being loud, it's allowed. whatever made that sound will hate the noise, or make more noise for them to follow, and that's why komaeda stands in place like he's waiting. he doesn't want npc-kun to miss out on the sounds of darkness... )

[ If they made it to the auditorium it would probably echo, but in the hallway all Komaeda manages to do is sound more like a ghost himself than any they might come across— which is comforting, in its own way, like no self-respecting ghost would dare bother them now.

There's a little tap tap tap down the hall away from the noise. ]

I heard it that time. Looks like we scared them.

[ Mission accomplished! Let's go home now. ]

( komaeda can't even see the ghosts without his hacking gun so they're probably floating next to them right, laughing, mocking at living humans that can't open their eyes. everyone else is supernatural, komaeda just has supernatural things happen because of his luck, and so... the ghosts have every right to laugh at him specifically. he's already close to dead, so he'll be laughing with them soon.

as for the let's go home, that sounds... like an option, but one that he ignores. he follows the tap tap tap, wondering if it really is just a cat, or something else. if it is, oh, if it is... he has half the mind to pull out his cat treats to see if it's actually lily may, but...

npc-kun said they wanted to scare someone too, that was all komaeda's doing. ) You didn't scare anything, you were the one scared yourself.

( well, he's going to squat down a bit, giving npc-kun the option to crawl off his back. ) Your turn. ( he sounds excited, like he knows npc-kun can do it... come on, just a little horror as a treat. )

I'm not scared.

[ They're also not letting go, feet touching the ground to give Komaeda's back a break but their arms remained wrapped and locked, brain whirring to find a suitable justification and heart hammering not because they're scared, this is just ...excitement... or something.

... ]

It knows we're coming now. We should try again later when it's let its guard down.

That's the best way to hunt your prey.

( make them know and every attempt they make to get away could be their last, they act without thinking so this gives them every chance to come out on top. that, and komaeda doesn't seem turned away from looking into what they're searching for. it's dark, and he wishes he had something so that he could see better. ah, well, maybe he can get something for them later. )

Besides, if we don't find out what it is now, we'll never know for next time.

( he allows npc-kun to stay wrapped around him, but peeling them off seems difficult. )

Think of this as a test of your hope, it'll protect you as long as you have it... the only thing to fear is people dragging you down. ( he's going to stand back up now, but he does it slowly so that npc-kun isn't caught off guard by subtle movements. )

[ Mm, npc-kun is more of a halibut-type hunter than a lion-type, preferring to blend into the background and appear cute and innocuous until the right moment/business opportunity presents itself and then they strike.

There's a little breath of relief when Komaeda caves and stands back up, but if he doesn't have his arms supporting npc-kun's legs then the only thing they're going to manage is to choke their life support. Okay... Begrudgingly, reluctantly, they get go, dropping down to the ground. ]

...Okay.

[ okok. gotta be brave.

They reattach themselves to Komaeda's arm. ]

Okay, let's go.

( success! he breathes in, breathes out... he's going to be okay. they may be in the dark, and while they have no sense of direction because komaeda's probably going to walk into something sooner or later, he raises his organic hand to check if the gas mask is still properly on npc-kun's face. his mechanical arm will be what's in their grasp, heavy, cold, and just lacks life like the rest of him. )

I'll be with you, so it's going to be fine.

( he'll walk with them, but... he pulls his hand away from their face, and instead he's pushing a few buttons through his sleeve, and there's a soft click.

...

...

...

how far would npc-kun get with just komaeda's arm if he stood there in place? )

[ IS HE FUCKING DETACHING HIS ARM?????

npc-kun is going to scream bloody murder and the arm falls to the ground with a thunk as they scramble to pull the gas mask off their head without undoing the straps and it's not coming off.

The ghost got Komaeda.

Oh my god.

Oh no.

Frantic, they dig into their pockets for an evil eye keychain as their last line of defense but they don't have one but maybe Komaeda still has the one he bought and if looting Komaeda's corpse is what's going to save npc-kun then what else can they do but turn around and blindly reach for where Komaeda last was ]

( one side of his arm is lighter than ever, his jacket sleeve hangs down limp from the nub of his arm — he still experiences phantom pains from time to time. npc-kun must have gotten not too far, because komaeda can hear the muffled screaming coming from down the hall in the dark, and his arm hitting against the ground.

i've seen so many arts where like they make the arm move like it's on adam's family because komaeda plays like that, i wish i could, god... it'd be like that one part of little nightmares 2. he can hear their shoes screeching on the floor from how quick they're moving, must be really desperate to find something or someone —

a little insane of komaeda as he sits down on the floor now, wondering if the other will stop and keep going, or keep frantically running around. he squints trying to see better, as if he'll be able to see them completely in the dark.

...

...

...

as a remnant... which komaeda is... because of despair... what if he just blinks once, and allows his eyes... to glow red... in the middle of the dark. )

[ npc-kun sees red eyes and whips back around, Komaeda is on his own

But no. Red cuts through the darkness and that's all it takes for npc-kun to calm down, it no longer being complete darkness. They hadn't gone very far in the first place, so they soon come back to where Komaeda's arm is and accidentally kicks it but then picks it up and starts running back to those mean evil ghost eyes, whereupon they're going to swing at those eyes as hard as they can with Komaeda's arm. ]

This is for Aniki!!

[ Komaeda is dead and can't be helped, but the least npc-kun can do is take revenge. ]

( WHAT THE FUCK!!!! me and enh laughing about scaring npc-kun, but npc-kun bites back and i'm laughing help!!!

okay, guess komaeda's being whacked with the arm which the first hit really hurts, and then the second, ow ow!! the amount of work souda and hinata put into making this creation is wonderful, and this must be what it feels like to be beat by hope! he accepts it happily with a smile despite getting his in the shoulder, in the head, and he leans to his side as he uses his other hand to try and have that hit too.

he accidentally bites his bottom lip, bleeding, but he makes sure to lick his lip so that none of the blood drops. )

Ahahaha...!! ( he has to remember to breathe! ) Again, again!

( thank you ghost thing for making npc-kun brave and a dps in hitting komaeda, he's enjoying himself! too much enjoyment and when he blinks, his eyes return back to normal... it's not like he has to keep them that way either. at least all npc-kun has to do is keep hitting in the same spot. )

[ crying as npc-kun is unwittingly made into a murderer

There's that evil cackle that Komaeda had wanted them to try, and he's right about it being scary. It's the hall going black again that makes npc-kun freeze up again, gripping Komaeda's arm tight, like they're trying hard not to think about the fact that it's an arm.

... ]

You'd better have learned your lesson! Don't mess with me!

[ They're sparing you, ghost, out of the vast generosity of their heart. aka they're going to run back to their little store and take a moment to breathe before setting the arm under the counter and moving their chair over to the corner so they can take one of the suncatchers off its hook.

It's not as bright as they'd like, but it'll have to do as they poke their head out into the hallway and tentatively go down it again, suncatcher held up like a silver cross, better not be here, ghost, when they get back to Komaeda. ]

( at least he was beat by hope so he's not going to complain, but he hasn't got up off the floor either as the beating stops, or even says anything. he can hear how "brave" npc-kun is handling the situation, and then it's the sound of their feet running off in one direction that komaeda can gauge where they're going. the shop is their safe place, so he'll make sure to stop by after the pain in his body calms down.

he's literally laying on the floor, the coolness of it does nothing for his bones, and then he rolls onto his back as he looks up at the ceiling. yep, he's not going to move from that spot.

the ghost — komaeda — is still there, don't worry, with his other hand placed on his chest, some blood on his shirt, and just in the middle of the hall with his eyes closed. he's taking in the beating that he took... for hope, for hope he keeps thinking about!!

especially with how npc-kun protectedd themselves... it really seemed like they lacked fear, and komaeda's proud of that. for their aniki, which must be about rokkun, that's how he puts two and two together... but did a ghost take him? the discrepancies never make sense.

please don't trip over him, i'll cry. )

[ I wish they'd trip over him but unfortunately npc-kun is going to take the return journey slowly, suncatcher held up like a lantern that they swing left and right to illuminate all the corners, and they're thinking to themselves that maybe they shouldn't have left Komaeda's arm behind. A blunt object for protection would have been nice, but... if Komaeda disappeared completely, without a trace, like Rokkun did... they selfishly want to keep something of his, just to have.

It feels like their heart stops in their chest when they finally do come across Komaeda, seeing him lying on the ground covered in blood and bruises, his eyes closed, oh noooo...

...

What did they even come back for? They knew Komaeda was beyond saving. Tears in their eyes, a lump in their throat, they kneel down next to Komaeda's body and starts looting his pockets. ]

( he doesn't worry about the sound of someone walking close, and he keeps his eyes shut thinking they'll pass by. he sees a small light behind his closed lids, so he wonders if it's... a firefly or something. he finds out soon enough that fireflies wouldn't be digging into his pockets, and he opens one eye first like he's peeking to see who it is.

he doesn't pay attention to the light, but do they still have the mask on... can't even see the tears if so. he remains quiet even though he's being looted... he'll take this as character development since they seemed against it at first. they can grab a few bucks out of his pocket, and maybe the skull chain that's hooked to the loop of his pants, cat treats, hope fragments and — )

Aah! How wonderful, have you changed your mind?

( about looting? )

[ Yesssss their money now, they're going to take that because it's cash, the skull chain because it's shiny, they leave the cat treats, and take the hope fragments because they're shiny—-

They have their fist clutched around a hope fragment when Komaeda speaks up, and they yelp, skittering back and flinging the fragment as hard as they can at Komaeda's face, like there was some involuntary thought process that went "I thought you were dead" --> "I am never wrong" --> "stay dead" ]

( at least it's the hope fragments so he got hit by hope, and there's another audible "ah" that leaves past his lips. he blinks, reaching out for it so that he can hold it up like a shooting star above his head. )

Sorry, sorry... I understand I'd be better off dead.

( it's like he knows, but he turns his head towards where npc-kun skittered off to. )

Should I kill myself, is that what you want?

( and he asks that so easily, like he doesn't mind it. )

[ Oh. He's alive. Oh. Okay.

It's hard to tell because they've dropped the suncatcher, only able to see the side of Komaeda's shoulder and existing arm, but the fact that it moves is enough to relieve them of the thought of disembodied voices aka Komaeda's ghost.

So they pick themselves up and trot back to Komaeda, going ahead and sitting on his stomach and leaning towards his face because it's so hard to see through the mask that they do still have on and can't figure out how to take it off but that's okay, they're not crying if nobody can see their tears. ]

No... don't do that. I thought a ghost ate you.

( are they sitting on his stomach? literally insane, komaeda exhales a puff of air, and he's going to try and survive this. his breathing is slow and deliberate. that way, he doesn't die from something semi-heavy on him, and he looks up to seeing the glare of the gas mask's eyes looking down at him. isn't it going to get hot and foggy in there? not the team on the goggle part of it. )

I wouldn't be a ghost's favorite meal.

( he dangles the hope fragment still, and then brings it down to his chest as he looks up at them again. it's glowing a little, because that's what they are... fragments that glow and sparkle like the sun shining down against the surface of the sea. it's a comforting item, so at least npc-kun can use that as a small light source. )

I believe they're more interested in youths your age, actually...

[ Yeah, being in a gas mask for so long, especially having run up and down the hall, is kind of miserable. But they can't take the mask off so both of them will have to deal with the plastic between them. ]

No way. I'm... [ not allowed to announce their age on the account of Japan's national labor laws ]

It's okay! I scared it away, so it'll go haunt somebody else! You should have seen me! I was very cool.

[ Didn't scream or cry at all. ]

( when they say their age and it's like static on the tv, so komaeda just thinks his head is glitching or something. )

...Is that so. You did put your all into getting rid of that ghost, huh?

( his head still hurts, and his arm, and his nub... maybe he will be looking into that totem that makes the body numb. )

All that screaming that you did really showed them!

Please let August be better than July I'm begging

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