yogen | MISSION 2.B

[ Don't worry Rika, he's not going far. You saved him, he saved you, and it all just goes to show you're probably best off sticking close together so you can have his sleeve - Akira won't pull away. Getting her back is relieving enough to return his focus on what's important - getting out of here - so he dutifully follows Shuichi's lead when he herds them all out of here. He's happy to follow someone with the guts to pull that handle trick. If they had more time he'd pat you on the shoulder for that, Shuichi.

-- Anyway, I guess it's Akira who's got the most surprise when they meet with the wall of flames, since he sure... hasn't experienced anything like this before, and it's hard not to have his heart jump into his throat when Shuichi moves forward through them. But true to his words the flames seem harmless here. As if to test it, Akira raises the arm not being claimed by Rika to wave it through the fire first. He's silent at first beyond a low hum of recognition; a glance to Kokichi, a glance to Rika - before he quietly follows suit after Shuichi, through the wall of flames and to the other side. He can't help but reach up and touch his eyebrows once they've made it across - just making sure they're still there and not burned off. Looks like it's fine in the end. ]

Hopefully Saihara has a few more to spare.

[ Tricks, or hands... well, who knows.

Anyway, he's taking Rika's warning seriously; he's not as familiar with the area so he'll let the repeat visitors here do the leading, and Akira keeps his eyes and ears open especially for any other people. After the ghost run in, it's probably best to be on guard. ]

[ They walk through the fire without any problems, down the hallway with its burnt down doors and skeleton of what might have once been club rooms. At the very end of the hall is the door up to the stairs, and a window. Upon the sill are two stacks of stones, the gorintos Shuichi was expecting.

Instead of a coin atop of each one, however, a thin gold chain is draped around the both of them, and at the end of the chain is a pendant: third of a heart with a tiny blue gem, the center of the metal scratched and filed down so that all that is left are the letters "B FO" inscribed upon it. ]

[ Shuichi... takes note of the chain, but the necklace is more Rika's thing considering she has the others. He'll let her decide what to do with that -- besides, he's more interested in the gorintos themselves. (Me sitting here like, why didn't I try this on that plot clue?? I can't remember but anyway I guess Shuichi didn't know enough back then, it's fine.) ]

Ah... They look a little different from when we saw them the other time, but... these were here before.

[ He's explaining for Akira and Kokichi who weren't with them that time, but his mind starts to work all the same. Those necklaces... regardless of how Rika came to have them, if he remembers correctly, the other two were shown in a meeting once by the person who'd found them first. So there are three pieces, presumably for three different people, but only two gorintos... Was the third one the person who placed the coins at the top? Were they trying to do something about that? Or maybe... they just wanted to see and hear someone dear again.

Just a little, Shuichi feels he can relate to that.

Softly, before he's even really thinking about it, there's a hand coming up and he reaches for the gorinto on the left, brushing his fingers against its topmost stone. If it'll work the same as the others he's tested out with Hinata... he wants to know. Who is it for...? Who were they? ]

[ Shuichi touches the topmost stone and... there's a skip, like he'd nodded off and jerked back awake, missing an undetermined amount of time with no memory of anything. The same happens with the gorinto on the right, but it's a slower transition of falling asleep and waking back up, again without any memory associated with it. ]

[ The gorinto on the right just reminds him of Chiaki stabbing him now to be honest, that can be what he flashes back to in the middle of falling asleep and it jolts him immediately. He wakes up and just holds his side, almost wincing. Speaking of best friends forever, true besties stab the same guy for (essentially) the same reason. ]

...S-Sorry. Hinata-kun and I found out that touching these can sometimes show you... a bit of the person's memory. It's just their last moments... but I suppose these two might be a little too old.

[ Or... you know, the coins were already used. Aiko's gorinto stopped doing anything too once she was gone, and it'd make sense chronologically... in a normal place, but who knows about this school. ]

[ Akira's quiet while Shuichi observes - since it's the first time he's encountered the gorintos, he's not sure... what level of respect he should be giving them. Anyway, it's not like they have time to pay them anything proper, and it doesn't seem like Shuichi got much from touching them. ]

... I guess it's too much to ask for an easy hint from them, huh.

[ The necklace doesn't hold any familiarity either, cut him some slack he's the new transfer student okay... but the letters. They don't actually mean anything to him, but as he quietly stares towards them something seems to click behind his glasses. ]

... I don't know that it's related, but this reminds me. We found something weird downstairs, too. [ 'We' being he and Kokichi, when he kicked down that locker and got blood (and other assortments) all over his shoes. They haven't had time to breathe so he couldn't touch on it - and this is a poor 'safe room' to do it, but he figures they're running out of time. ] A scrap of paper, with scratched out letters... names, I think. Mine was sort of on it, too.

[ His free hand rubs the back of his neck, a little too casual about the whole thing - again, he's new, so it's not like the other names meant a ton to him. And he didn't get a good chance to study it either, because... he's staring at Kokichi now, a phantom thief's eyes upon the thief who stole it from him. He doesn't mind stealing it back if he has to. ]

[ The paper is brittle, dry from the heat and easy to tear and much of it already has. On it are a list of names, copypasted here for my benefit as much as anybody else's:

~~▓▓▓▓▓uki Shirogane~~
Ki▓▓▓ka Ish▓▓▓▓▓
~~▓▓baru Akeh▓▓▓~~
▓▓ede Akamat▓▓
▓na Adams
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓akugou
▓▓▓▓▓▓urusu
▓dd
Ste▓▓▓▓▓ell

The dark spots blotted out with blood or burned through with fire can't be helped, but the names that are scratched out... XXbaru AkehXXXX, XXXXXXXurusu, Xdd... They can speculate all they want, but this list of names isn't going to help them escape, nor does it look like the necklace— whether they decide to take it or leave it be is up to them.

Akira is right, though: this is a poor safe room, with the fire not burning them now but soon the very real one will catch up to them and the further up they run, the less ways there are to escape. ]

( the necklace... it catches her eye immediately, and as shuichi does his thing with the gorinto, and akira mentions the paper, and kokichi presumably shows it to them, she just stares at it, transfixed. finally? the third piece? jekyll had left her the other two when he died...

without much thought, she wraps her sleeve around her hand, just to be safe, and grabs the necklace, bringing it close to her face. )

Wonder what'll happen when I put all three together... ( Very Inchresting ) ... anyway, what's with the gorintos and the paper? Any hints there?

[ Shuichi looks pale as he casts his gaze over the paper, fingers slightly shaky when he holds it for himself. He can recognize... every single one of these names, and that worries him. Why are only some of them striked out? The strikes don't correspond necessarily with the people who disappeared before or are still here, either... He hands it back to Akira as Rika asks, and then shakes his head. ]

There's no doubt that this paper is relevant somehow... I think we should hold on to it. But... I don't think it's related to these gorintos, or the necklace.

[ So Akira can take it back since it was his, or Kokichi can snipe it again, but anyway Shuichi turns towards the window. ]

Sorry, Kurusu-kun, but can you try the door? I'll take the window.

[ Whatever Rika does with the necklace is up to her, but they do need to get out of the building somehow. He maneuvers around the gorintos with care, trying not to topple them in his attempts, but he's going to try to see if the window opens. And in the process, also look through it for any hints of what's happening outside. ]

[ The necklaces will fit perfectly beside one another despite the dents and dings some of them sport, but they fall apart just as easily, no internal magnet or anything of the sort to keep them together.

Shuichi tries to open the window, and while it rattles with his effort, the latch does not move to let the window slide open. When he looks outside, he can see the area past the courtyard: dry grass just down below, what looks like a pond to the left, and past that where the dorms stand, half a building that's in splinters as if bulldozed to the ground. There is not a soul to be seen outside, but with the pounding he'd be able to feel if he presses his hand against the window, it isn't for the lack of trying.

Akira will find that the door opens easily, and that it's easier to breathe— the door at the top of the stairs that lead to the rooftop has been left slightly ajar, and there is less smoke up here. The smell of alcohol continues to linger. ]

[ He'll nod when given back the paper, only fold it once before carefully tucking the delicate scrap away, and wastes no time in following the suggestion and going for the door. There's brief hesitance with one hand laid upon it, then resting on the handle, testing for heat again... but when it seems safe he's pushing it open and stepping onto the first rung. A short breath heaves from his chest - he almost thinks he could taste fresh air, freedom, if it wasn't for the alcohol.

(Not him hoping they can scale the building to escape; bets Rika would love it, he already promised to carry Kokichi down ~~no, he probably can't actually do that~~, and... thinks it would be sure fun to watch Shuichi try it. ) ]

... This way's clear. We can get outside.

[ That strong smell is worrying, but at least the fire doesn't seem to be here and they don't have better options. Akira only pokes his head back once to gesture towards the group with his free hand before taking it upon himself to go first. He'll move up the stairs, hunched at the shoulders in a slight crouch when he gets to the top, and very slowly push the door to the roof open. ]

[ scale the building with WHAT their bare hands and feet, I hope so, I want to see this

It might end up being that way anyways, because when Akira pushes the door to the rooftop open, he's met with an open sky, tainted smoggy brown with smoke with a bright red disk of a sun hanging right over his head. The rooftop is largely empty, no desks or chairs or lunchtime litter to suggest it's a very popular hangout spot, and as with the rooftop they've been able to see from the clocktower, the rooftop here and now also does not have any fencing around the perimeter.

But before they think they've been chasing ghosts, they can spot a lone figure towards the left side of the rooftop, a student in a black hoodie standing with their heels on the edge and toes over it, head bowed and staring down at the courtyard below. ]

[ not the bare-handed scaling... every time something this comes up i just think about this, it haunts me

There's... someone out there. He can see them through the door Akira's opened, while he's still half-inside, in the process of following once the window had given him no hints. He'd thought about trying to break it if they had to, since it seemed to at least rattle from his efforts, but... the only things they could try that with are the rocks from the gorintos, and Shuichi would rather not disturb those like that. So the door is preferable -- and much more certain to get them out, considering it opened. ]

...I'll go. If it's dangerous, it would help if we had someone... ah, more athletic stay as backup.

[ Hidden for the surprise element he means, and he looks away in embarrassment as he mumbles the word 'athletic' because we all know he means he's a useless twink who'd be bad in a fight. Either way, saying that, Shuichi walks past Akira with careful steps. Before he knows it... an image flashes through his mind, of a person perched on a branch of the wisteria tree, a rope around their neck -- and himself and Hinata...

He shakes it out of his mind. It's true that the figure's positioning gives off faintly the same impression, but this isn't the time. He approaches them slowly, ready to stop if it seems like him closing in has the risk of sending them into a panic. ]

H-Hello...? Are you... alright?

[ It's a stupid question maybe, but if he says nothing, they might misinterpret the intentions he's approaching with, considering the state of everyone else. ]

[ Shuichi out here with experience

The student's head lifts just slightly at Shuichi's approach, still looking down at the ground but it's clear that he's caught their attention. There is no panic, no surprise at another person up here, and no apparent intention to do much more than stand and prepare themselves. ]

No, I'm not.

[ It's a quiet voice, calm. Not at all worried. ]

Neither are you. What are you all doing in this memory?

Memory... is that what this is?

[ It sounds surreal to be honest; but if there's anything Shuichi's's learned every time, both in his line of work or the killing game, or from the many things he'd thought impossible that happen in this school... it's that you can't just question someone without listening to them. You have to let them tell their story first. ]

...I'm sorry. I'm trying to understand, so... can you tell us a little more? Is this memory... yours?

[ He stops a short distance away, just a mere few steps from the stranger, and glances over his shoulder behind him. Even if it's too early to judge for certain, it seems like it's safe for everyone to follow; and besides, by the way this person phrased things, they might already know he's not alone. ]

It's mine. This is the day of my death. One of the days, anyways...

[ But it will always end the same. Like Aiko pushing Shuichi away when he touched her gorinto and yelled for him to get out of her head, like Chiaki telling him that she is forced to relive her death again and again, this place is no different, albeit a moment stretched into a day. ]

Sometimes, when I'm feeling hopeful, I die down there. Today I felt like going peacefully. You guys want to leave, right? Why don't you join me?

[ There's just a moment of stunned silence... before Shuichi draws in a breath. ]

Ah... wait. I actually think it's too early to decide if I want to leave. Even if all of this was a memory, what kind of person could just... pass through it?

[ Keep your eyes open. He doesn't know if it's related, or even if that's remotely what it meant, but regardless... those are the words that cross through his mind as he chooses. And it's not only that. But after witnessing what they did as they roamed through the building... the thought of just leaving someone alone to relive it without even asking anything is... ]

I don't know why we're here... but I can't just look away, now that we are. I want to at least know more about you.

[ There's a little tilt of the head, almost as if the person meant to turn around but does not. ]

It's a memory... All of this happened in the past, and there's nothing you can do to change it. If the memory ends with you all still here, I don't know what will happen to you.

[ It's not their memory. They can't even be sure they'll get a second chance when the memory ends— when the person whose memory it is ceases to exist. ]

There's nothing you can do here... Don't waste what time you have.

[ you tell me to shove them off and then shuichi ]

...

[ They don't turn around... but they still meant to, at first. Shuichi doesn't miss that -- and although there are a million other thoughts in his head that mostly all end the same, it's perhaps this small detail he draws his decision from in the end. ]

...You're wrong. It's not a waste of time. And I can prove it based on the things you just told us.

[ His decision, which is to take a single step closer, then hold out his hand. Not to accept what he's offered, but to offer instead -- that if the person takes it, he'll help pull them back from the edge. If even just for what time they still have, because that's all he can do. ]

[ ...

That single step makes them withdraw a little, shoulder hunching and them leaning just a bit further over the ledge— and then rocking back, because for as many times as this has happened, it never gets easier, it won't ever get easier.

With their back still turned, they can't see Shuichi's hand, but they can feel the sentiment in that quiet voice. ]

...How would you prove it?

[ by shoving... ]

Sometimes... when I'm feeling hopeful, I die down there. A moment ago... that's what you told us.

[ It's not an exact reproduction, because this is Shuichi saying it and not them, and he isn't-- he can't be as calm as they sounded. Even if he'd wanted them not to, emotion and hesitation still filter their way through his words. But only through the quote -- the things he himself has to say... oddly enough, sound secure.

Just like the hand that he leaves outstretched, for as long as it takes. ]

Maybe... it's just like you said, and if this is a memory, we won't be able to change how it ends. It's not exactly like there's a precedent we can draw from...

[ The situation of being in someone's memory, in a physical sense, is unrealistic to think of in the first place. It's something that shouldn't be possible, that only happens in books or movies... or maybe manga sounds closer. How can they know what could happen? It's just that... that's not the point. ]

But... you'll remember it, won't you? [ whether they coldly just left them to die on their own after seeing all this, or ] ...I can't just leave, knowing that.

...I'll remember it.

[ All the deaths, from the hopeful ones where they're down there fighting tooth and nail for the possibility of escape, from the hopeless ones where they're standing up here, waiting for the sun to go down so they can enjoy what peace they can get before they go quietly. ]

I remember seeing others before, new faces in the flames. For better or for worse, they don't come back.

[ It's a coin flip between dying and escaping, and maybe it's both. They don't know. They don't know anything of what happens past this day. ]

I don't know what to do to ensure you live to see tomorrow.

But... that in itself is odd, don't you think? If this were really just a memory, then why would the people in it keep changing...?

[ Another step closer, more taken by reflex this time. He joins them in looking at the courtyard below, not technically empty because of the pond and the demolished building... come to think of it, is the wisteria tree still in place? As he remembers that for some reason, Shuichi can't help but check.

But only for a second, before he lowers his gaze to his hand, still outstretched. And he still doesn't take it back. It's a little... embarrassing to be holding it for so long, though. ]

Besides... it's not like that changes the fact you'll remember. You won't forget about what's happening right now... and you can say what you want, but I can't just let someone who worried about me out of kindness be alone.

[ Because there isn't any doubt about it -- whoever the hooded student might be, they're kind. Anyone could have stopped caring after being through all of this; in fact, it might be easier... they've been repeating this, right? This nightmare scene... over and over... and yet they still find it within their heart to want to save total strangers.

Maybe he can't change how it ends. But he can take their hand and not give up on them, and that can stay in their memory. ]

[ The wisteria tree remains at the center of the courtyard, but much smaller than Shuichi would remember, its branches not yet spread from wing to wing and appears to be budding rather than in its perpetual full bloom. ]

...You have no intention of joining me in death. The fact that you all made your way up here tells me that much.

[ It's a nice sentiment, not being alone in their final moments. But there is no way this comfort can be possible when the final fate for everybody here is death— and no pretty one, at that. So, if Shuichi does not mean to jump with them, then...

...

It's a slow turn around, but one without concern for the height nor wobble in their step, as if they've done so hundreds of thousands of times already, just before staring up at the sky and feeling the wind of their back. But this time, the warm brown eyes turn to stare over at Shuichi, to that hand that must be shaking by now but is still stubbornly offered, how long has he been trying to reach out? ... They take his hand, cold with the faintest of tremors, and and lowers their gripped hands for reprieve. ]

Are you sure you want to be here with me? The rest will not be easy to watch, and there is nowhere else to go.

[ Their hand feels cold, from the wind and no doubt from whatever must have been going through their mind as they waited in solitude. Shuichi's is warm, with the fading reminder of the fire they ran from inside the school still imprinted, and ash in his hair, and... the bloodstain on his shirt. He forgot about that. As he rubs the sore muscles in his arm with his other hand, he can't help but think with the tired notes of an awkward fluster, maybe it's for the better they weren't facing him from the start.

There's a pause where he finally sees their face... like he's trying to pull from his memory, but that doesn't stop him from nodding. ]

...Right. I'm sure.

[ Rika will hate it, though. Maybe already hates it and is about to kill him, who knows. But he's not letting go. Not when he knows -- perhaps not as directly, but thoughts about sleeping... forgetting... letting everything find an end on its own. ]

If I'd been by myself... I honestly doubt I'd have made it either. There was just always someone stronger beside me.

[ Even now, there still is. Shuichi looks back at the rest of his friends as he says it, the same sheepish note from his voice on his face. ]

MISSION 2.B

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cw suicide

i said i'd stop tagging this and i'm a liar

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cw burn descriptions, suicide

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1/ cw suicide

2/2 cw suicide