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wake up

You open your eyes. And then immediately squeeze them shut as a cloud of chalk dust gets clapped in your face, the student next to you looking surprised— but the sort of surprised as if they're faking it, barely suppressing a laugh. "What're you dozing off for, transfer student?" they ask, going back to wiping clean the chalkboard you two are standing in front of. "The sooner we get everything cleaned up, the sooner we can go home!" Another classmate tosses a wet rag at the side of your face, laughing as if a joke— if it weren't strangely warm to the touch, with dark red stains smelling strongly of iron.

All characters open their eyes and wake up in one of the classrooms around school. Whatever they remember last, it's lost in a thick, sleepy fog, the drowsiness still wearing off and making it difficult to reconcile the fact that they've never seen this classroom or these people in their lives, but somehow, it feels like they've been here forever. The other students all act familiar towards you, calling you by name and encouraging you to help clean the classrooms as part of observing the Vernal Equinox. Buckets of soapy water are set on the desks around the classrooms, light pink suds spilling over the sides, and both students and faculty can be seen hard of work scrubbing dark, stubborn stains out of the walls and floors. "It must be absolutely spotless," they murmur under their breaths. "All evidence must be erased."

You don't have to stay and clean. You could throw the rag back into a bucket and flip these strangers the bird and exit the classroom. But those who don't help clean even a little will find that they leave sticky red footprints wherever they walk, creating more work for everybody else and becoming very easy to track down and """accidentally""" knock over the backside of the head with a mop handle. Besides, it's not like you can walk out of the school and get back to whatever you were doing before. Your feet may bring you to the front door on autopilot, but the doors do not open for you, and neither do any of the windows no matter how hard you try to pry them open or kick them in.

Careful, though. On some windowsills, particularly on the third and fourth floors, rests a stack of five flat stones one on top of another: a gorinto to those who recognize such a thing, a pile of rocks to those who do not. The stones are all damp with water, topped with a scattering of wisteria flowers, and flanked by cheap packaged snacks. Whether on accident or on purpose, the moment you touch any of it—-

wake up

You open your eyes. The last thing you remember is touching a wet stone or trying to swipe the rice cracker beside it, and in the next moment, you're somewhere else inside the school. Characters who touch the gorinto or its offerings will find themselves pulled into a memory of high school life, one that feels like theirs, although they recognize that that's impossible. There's the feeling of being classmates with the other characters- perhaps two characters are seat partners, or best friends, or rivals, or club members- but despite the familiarity, do not know each other's names or recall ever seeing their faces before. Essentially, live your pre-established cr high school au dreams.

The memories fade in and out of different scenarios, but they all start off the same: You open your eyes.

(tw: implied suicide)

You're standing in front of a window, cold fingers wrapped around your wrist and pulling it away from the pile of stones. Perhaps another character has come to your rescue, or else one student in particular who shakes his head, whispers "don't," and walks away.

wake up

You open your eyes and wipe a bit of drool off the corner of your mouth. There's really no shame, when half the students sitting around you in the auditorium are half asleep as well. As if coming out of a dream, the characters don't remember getting here, just that they are now- sitting in uncomfortably hard plastic chairs in the back rows in the auditorium, the school principal's flat, droning voice reverberating oddly off the walls of the large room. No matter how hard you try, you cannot get up out of your seat.

"...and now, let us congratulate the graduating class," the principal says, stepping back from the podium. A single student rises to her feet and meets the principal at the center of the stage, her long dark hair falling across her face as she bows and receives her diploma. "Congratulations, graduate. May your life be full and prosperous. Please, if you would say a few words..."

The girl straightens and pushes her hair out of her face with one hand— she has no other hand, the entire sleeve of her right rolled all the way up to the shoulder and pinned flat. She forgoes the podium and the microphone, but somehow, her voice rings out clearly and reaches all the way to the back of the room: "Keep your eyes open."

With that parting message, she steps off the stage, disappearing into the mass of students who stand and fill the room with applause, drawing the graduation ceremony to a close. Characters find that they can now get up and move, which is a good thing because the other students are all pushing and shoving to get out of the auditorium and out the front doors, phasing right through the closed doors. Like a sieve, the school empties out, leaving behind the dregs.

wake up

Your eyes are open and the school is quiet. None of the students or faculty remain in the school, and all the staff— the principal, faculty, nurse, and counselor's— offices are locked. A skinny black cat flicks its tail from where it sits on top one of the lockers, where characters can find a copy of the school calendar showing the next two weeks to be spring vacation, with the school being closed for the holiday.

At least, with school vacated, it's clear from those left who's in the same boat and allows the chance for exploration away from prying eyes of the other students and staff. Introductions are probably in order, a discussion of what the fuck is going on, maybe also a plan of attack— or a plan for survival, at the very least, because there is no way out of this school. What ingredients are left in the home economics kitchen is going to have to last everybody the next two weeks. The student store is already empty. The water runs pink. The vending machines don't respond to jostling or being kicked over and brought to the ground, only the last dozen "merit points" on your PDA that you can't earn any more of, with class out of session. The snack you've been hiding in your locker should probably be saved as a last resort. The cats are starting to look tasty.

Hang in there. School will be starting again real soon.

OOC

✽ Characters experience the recurring feeling of drifting in (school life) and out (canon life) of sleep up until the graduation ceremony, after which they will have full awareness and come to their senses. Pre-established cr is possible to some extent, as a varying degree of familiarity may remain, but all characters will be strangers to one another unless they know each other in canon. All npcs will know the characters' names, but characters will not know each other's names until introduced.

✽ The second prompt occurs upon a character touching a gorinto or any of the offerings surrounding it. While touching it, characters fall into a trance and experience different scenes of high school life, with examples given in the prompt but players are free to play out any aspect of normal school life taking place at any time during the school year.

stopit

npc contact page

locations page

✽ As a reminder, all doors and windows leading outside are locked and cannot be broken. From midnight until 6AM, all sound disappears from the world. Characters are free to use their PDA as a network, but it is text (and shitty touchpad art) only and all threads are public.

✽ TDM threads may be used for bonus activity after April AC is submitted.

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...Ah!

[ He's caught up in the scenery outside, watching it by himself, so the sudden contact and someone's arrival has the power to startle a strangled noise out of him near instantly. Though as soon as he sees them, even someone as nervous as Saihara feels soothed as if by miracle, answering with a tiny trace of smile of his own before he knows it. It's shy and almost uncertain, but it's there. If the familiarity weren't clouding his mind as it is, he might have worried about it quicker -- might have wondered why, even though just being with this person makes him feel like he belongs right here and nowhere else, he can't recall his name.

But for now, he's just relieved to see him, and so he answers with a soft shake of his head. ]

No... it's alright. I wasn't waiting for long.

[ He gives the bag a cursory, searching look, observant as always. He's thankful the other remembered his favorite, of course, but he can't help but notice something else as well -- which brings a pang of guilt that he can't feel fully happy for some reason. Or, that's not it; he really does appreciate it, he's honest about that, it's just. ]

But this looks like too much for us to eat on our own... We're going to invite everyone too, right?

[ We, not you. Because his best friend's decision is his own as well, no matter if it's not the idea Saihara got at first. ]

Sorry, did I startle you? [He feels a little bad, but Hinata's still laughing. This is just like him, isn't it?] I'm glad I didn't keep you waiting, though. I think some of the other classes had the same idea, so I had to fight through the crowd a bit.

[Fortunately he's been planning ahead for this, or else today could've been pretty disappointing.

As he talks, Hinata reaches for one of those melon pan and shakes the bag open a bit afterwards so Saihara can reach more easily.]

We can get the others afterwards, yeah. But... [He shrugs his shoulders, a little embarrassed but still smiling.] Today's special, so we get to hang out first for a bit.

[Because it's been hard on both of them, trying to get to this point... but they made it. And Saihara deserves the world, but especially a bit of quiet before they meet up with everybody else.

If Hinata wants his best friend to himself for a bit, too... Well. Nobody needs to know that part.]

[ Oh... so it wasn't just him after all. In a very different way, it's actually a little more difficult to process that as confirmed rather than when he was just wondering about it on his own. ]

R-Right.

[ His face is starting to feel warm from embarrassment... Thankfully, the bag of snacks provides just the distraction Saihara needs -- though it also means he notices the consideration he's being shown. It feels so nice and welcoming that... before he knows it, he's giving up on the slice of matcha pound cake he'd chosen at first, digging out something different instead. It's the same melon pan as his companion's pick, but please don't call him out. He just... kind of felt like sharing the same thing, for no reason. Just this once. ]

I guess I might only be imagining it, but... it almost feels like you've been working even harder this year. I mean, you're always doing that, ▓▒▓▒▓▒-kun--

[ Damn it. What is this...? In an instant, the snack slips out of his hands, its plastic wrapper crinkling loudly where it lands against the floor. Instead, Saihara's hand shoots up to his temple, body tense as if a sudden pang of something had set him on edge. It's not like his head is hurting but... what's with the dread building up in his chest out of nowhere? What was he trying to say in that sentence? ]

[Hinata can be oblivious, but he's always most observant when it counts, so he definitely notices Saihara grab a snack that echoes his own - and is quick to take a bite to hide the involuntary smile that blooms across his face.]

I guess I have a little, since I need to-

[He breaks off in an instant, immediately certain something's wrong even if he can't tell what it is. Something cold coils in his chest as he reaches for Saihara's arm, reacting too fast to even give it thought.

If he did think a little more, Hinata would probably recognize some of what he's feeling as panic.]

H-hey, are you okay?! Do you need to go to the nurse's office...?

[He's tensed, ready to spring into movement for whatever Saihara needs.]

[ He should be questioning this. In another time and space almost, he feels as if the Saihara Shuichi he knows he is, would have questioned it no matter what. He'd never let it go until he knew the truth, but... What kind of guy wants to hurt his best friend? If he told the person beside him he doesn't remember their name--

Like an anomaly correcting itself almost, something that shouldn't have been the case in this scene, he only weakly shakes his head. ]

N-No... Sorry, I'm alright. I just... kind of felt dizzy for a second.

[ His arm comes down a bit, relaxing in Hinata's grip as if it reassures him to have that contact. Because it does... right? The only reason he's been nervous this entire morning is because... ah. How could he forget? He has something important to tell the person beside him -- something the other has worked for and won with his own honest effort. They promised after all, that if his friend beat his score in a test, no matter what that subject might be-- ]

Ah... Is that a person?

[ The topic suddenly changes, as in the middle of everything, Saihara's eyes fall to the scenery outside and he notices something that hadn't been there before. He doesn't recall it at least, from when he was still waiting for Hinata earlier, so he points it out. ]

Look. Over there... in the wisteria tree. I can't tell exactly what they're doing, but...

[ A figure can definitely be seen through the branches, moving upwards as they speak. Climbing the tree has been forbidden for a while, since people were using it for pranks and had caused quite some damage and a bit of a mess, so it's certainly odd to see someone there. Even as Saihara points Hinata in the right direction with a curious finger, whoever it is seems to find themselves a perch as they settle against the trunk, then just stand there to look at the ground. There's something coming out of their pocket; is that... a length of rope? ]

No, it's alright, don't be sorry. As long as you're okay. [The tension that was wound up so tight unwinds, just a bit, but enough to make Hinata almost exhausted with relief.] There should be some water in the bag, do you need some, ▓▒▓▒▓▒-

[Hinata goes rigid, heart skipping.

What.

What the hell.

What the hell what the hell what the hell.

Why... Why can't Hinata say... the one name that's more important to him than any other?

He's never been good with big shocks, so it surprise him when Saihara is able to divert his attention from the inner crisis he's going through. But maybe, considering who it is, that's the thing that's really normal.]

...Huh? Why is somebody in the tree when...

[He trails off.

Even from a distance, it's unmistakable now what the object is. The rope in the students hands, being formed into coils. Perhaps even a knot.

Hinata feels a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck. The skipped heartbeats have become fast, pounding out a hard rhythm against his chest.]

Hey- [His breath catches, feeling his ache at the name his heart remembers but his mouth can't say.] How about we go downstairs?

[ Hinata doesn't have to tell him twice. They don't have time to be thinking about personal matters right now, those can always wait. ~~But can they? ]~~

Y-Yeah, let's hurry! If we're quick enough, we might make it in time...!

[ He's on his feet before he knows it, stopping for only a second to help his companion join him with one hand. He thinks... they've always been like this, maybe? The other's usually quicker, and more athletic than him, but for some reason when it comes to a crisis or something urgent, it's always Saihara who has a clear head first. And as long as he doesn't think too hard about the name, it seems like his head feels fine.

As soon as Hinata's up, he makes a run for it first. ]

Ah...! Be careful of the broken step.

[ He warns back behind him as they start to run down. They both know what he means -- the stairwell in the clock tower is pretty old, and there's a particular portion that almost the entire student body is aware to avoid. There's a giant hole in the middle of one of the boards, where it's weakened completely and someone had stepped through it once. The rest of the stairs around that one feel shaky too, but they've held up... so far.

But will they... ]

[Something tugs in his head. He does want to save the person, but-

But that wasn't the first thought in your head, was it, Hajime?

Because his first thought had been of Saihara. Because his first thought is always of Saihara. And Hinata hadn't wanted him to see-

That hand brings him back to himself, as it usually does. Hinata grips back unthinkingly, allows himself to be pulled along.]

But-

[Whatever he was about to say is lost, because he hears the sound when he steps down too hard.

They're always aware of that one spot. He remembers the first time they'd come up here, and Hinata had reassured him it would be alright as long as they were careful. They've never run here, because they always knew why it would be bad to put too much stress on the steps.

They never have until now... and it doesn't hold.

Thoughts rapidly whirl through his mind. I have to save him. I'll break if I can't. I'm sorry I never got to tell you the most important things.

I have to save you, because you're the only reason I stopped wanting to die.]

▓▒▓▒▓▒-!

[Hinata wants to scream, wants to cry, because that most important name is still out of his reach.

But even if that's been stolen from him for some reason, he still has the feelings in his heart.]

Get back!

[In a single motion, as hard as he can, Hinata throws Saihara behind him and lets him go.

And as he does, the ominous creaking from before morphs into a resounding crack that echoes through the air.]

[ A deafening sound, and a single moment of held breath that feels like fire in his lungs.

That's all he gets. ]

▓▒▓▒▓▒-kun!? ▓▒▓▒▓▒...!!!

[ Even before he's conscious of it in in his mind, before he has a name for anything and much less for the person he wants to scream for but can't, he knows what's about to happen. Or maybe he has been screaming? Maybe all along, a version of himself that's written just out of reach of the present reality, there and yet not, has been saying the very same thing that won't cross his lips. Not even now.

He reaches out, but the body he longs to make contact with more than anything slips away all too quickly, their fingertips not even brushing anymore.

Wait...! Don't--

A world without the person he's about to lose-- that's impossible to imagine.

He should be falling back as intended. He should be slamming into the wall he's been pushed towards and just falling to the ground -- and for a single moment, he knows he'd be safe. If he crumples right here and just gives up... he'll be saved. But there's no way...! He can't do this. He can't do this he can't do this he can't do this. He can't do anything without the person who, even know, is still trying to save him. Damn it. Why doesn't Hinata understand...?

Instead, he launches back forward as soon as he can, uncaring of the stair that twists his ankle at an unnatural angle or of the pain shooting up through his leg while he's falling forward. It doesn't matter if he has to do this on his knees. He can make his way down. And then--

Splatter.

Red and warm, his own blood gushes out and makes a spectacle of the walls, before he's even had time to process the foreign object through his stomach or the gruesome sounds and sensations that accompany the injury. Ah... it's one of the boards that had dislodged from the broken steps, splintered through the middle and angled sharply upwards from the weight of his own body.

And the person he wanted so much to just catch one more time? He only continues to fall, far away from his empty hand. ]

[There's the briefest moment of relief that swims through Hinata, because he can see the movement of Saihara going backwards. He can take reassurance in the fact that it will, actually, be okay.

But that hope is quickly crushed, because he sees Saihara launch himself- and there's something like a wail that builds in his throat, because of course he is. Of course he is. Wouldn't Hinata be doing the same, if it were him?

But then

the board

goes through his best friend.

...Ah. He can feel his brain breaking down, numbness spreading through his limbs. The breath is stolen out of him, broken laughter and tortured screams stolen with it. Aha... That. That board is from where I stepped down. The stair my weight broke. I caused it. I did it.

I killed him. I killed him. I killed himIkilledhimIkilledhimIkilledhim-

It has to be all his fault. It's the last thing Hinata will ever think, and Saihara bleeding out will be the last thing he ever sees.

He finally connects with the ground, and-

"͙̲͖́͌͊͜͝H͚̄è̳̍͢ỳ̺̳͍͌̍,͎͂͋͑̄͢͢ͅ c̖̘͚̞̖̿́̊̍͋ǎ̙͙̖͛̑ṇ̹̋̌ ͈̜̠͙̿͂̀͋͜͡yȯ͎̰͈̘̏̈́̓̕͢ų̞͔͔̇̒̎̐͞ͅ ͍́h͓̑ḛ̰̮͑́̾ar̛̤ ̪͝m͈̰̬͋̏̊e̝̊?̡͆"̱̘̂̕

Hinata wakes up.]

[ He opens his mouth, but no sound comes out.

Instead of breath from his lungs, something warmer and thicker spills through, falling from his lips in red droplets that add to the broken stairs before him, which only lead down to--

I'm sorry.

It's only two simple words, but he can't even say those in the end.

Personal matters can always wait, can't they? His own thoughts from earlier, haunting him with painful clarity as the moment he stood up flashes back through his mind. If he hadn't set the two of them aside, if he hadn't been in such a hurry to try and help someone else... would this have turned any different? I'm sorry for taking you for granted. He'd really thought... they'd always be together, but if there's ever been something like karma in the world, he's certain, this has to be it.

A cough shakes his shoulders, weak and trembling and utterly pathetic -- and something else just as warm that he didn't ask for drips down, running down only once across his face, from the corner of his eye. ]

...

[ Even now, he can't recall it. The name that should be so dear to him and yet feels so far right now -- and the only thing that connects them anymore are the twin pools of red that spread beside them, the last thing they both know they'll see. The image they're dying with.

The world around him flickers, fading into darkness as if the shutter of a camera snaps in silence. ]

Wh-Wah!? Aaaugh...!!!

[ It's his own voice, screaming loudly before he's even able to recognize it as his own. Somewhere in the school, someone's hand on his shoulder, he wakes before a gorinto he vaguely remembers he's touched, what feels like three years ago. ]

Edited (typo DON'T MIND ME) 2021-04-25 10:54 (UTC)

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tdm

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wake up

wake up

wake up

wake up

OOC

ii. version 3 of it because... 2 and v3 (i'm sorry)

NO pls don't apologize... this watered my crops

OK SAME i love... dangan protags so much, this is dream cr

yogen here giving us the chance to make all of our cr dreams come true...

🙏🙏🙏

asdfgh I ended up just copying this unnerving block from your tag, forgive me...

matching creepy blocks for besties only

cw: implied suicidal ideation casually stabs myself ig

the stabbing is no longer metaphorical i guess

I'm on time number five reading your tag and it's still bringing me to tears

wraps this thru my own tears... it's fine. we're fine.