( once ranger opens his eyes, he'll find a vibrant, dark red sky, and grey clouds rolling by slowly. it's difficult to tell if it's actually clouds, or smoke that's coming from the distance. he'll find that the air in this place is heavy with pollution, and it'll filter out of his body hopefully. around him, he'll see shattered buildings, he'll find that he's laying on a road that has a large crack in the middle behind him that'll prevent ranger from going back.
he can only move forward.
if he manages to get his bearings together, he'll find that it's various pieces of rock that's wedged itself in his back that he'll have to smack away. some sharper than others, but if he investigates what's around him, he'll see a few of them coated with pink paint, but that doesn't mask the scent of blood that's nearby. it doesn't hide the sound of giggling that echoes in the air that sounds like small children, maybe two or three from the differences between them all.
it doesn't last for so long until there's the sound of an explosion, a sharp scream in the air, and then the world goes quiet.
the silence, the world feels empty without it, but then it returns to the sound of children laughing.
the world is apocalyptic, the builds are on fire, there's a storm drain nearby with the hand of a corpse sticking out... )
Edited (its called a storm drain oopsie!) 2022-03-03 03:11 (UTC)
Remind yourself, but Rio doesn't dream. He doesn't dream, but he awakens in a nightmare all the same. He brushes pieces of rock off his back, winching as he feels a couple of them dig into his hand, and surveys the scene. It's as uncomfortable for him as it would be for any human.It's too dark, too grim, and it's far too vast compared to what he's used to. It's too loud, and though he has no eardrums the sound of an explosion makes his ears ring.
Blood, giggles, explosions, screams. Fires that burns too bright and the heavy smell of smoke that builds on this tongue as he inhales and exhales. None of it seems noteworthy save his distaste for it.
He looks behind him to find a crack. Forward, always forward, but he had no intention of going back when the person he's looking for might be here. The hand sticking out of the drain doesn't appear to be that, but he approaches all the same. He pulls at that arm without an inch of hesitation, attempting to see if he can pull the entire body out to better identify it. It shouldn't be anyone he knows, but it's better to know than not. After all, if this is a dream then nothing but data can be taken back from it. ]
( it's a loud place, somewhere that komaeda wouldn't be for as much as rio knows him. though, his luck is horrible enough, that, it might be a sign of upcoming disaster, there's something or someone that'll change the trajectory of his life.
but it's just a dream, how much weight can it have? a lot, it would seem as rio pulls at the limb, and it's heavy, so that plus the laws of physics would make sense... well, if there wasn't ominous chuckling coming from down the drain, and a forceful pull downward to play tug o' war with the body.
there's something or someone that won't let up, keeping their hold around the body. there's the sound of something tearing, a thick splash against the inside of the drain, and the thick scent of blood wafting up to the other's nose— it's fresh, that means the body has just got here.
perhaps someone is showing off their new play thing, and are distressed that someone is putting their disgusting hands on it? the world appears to darken as the clouds roll in, and droplets of water starts to hit at the tip of rio's nose, and against his hand, and it pours, so hopefully he keeps a pretty good hold on the body. )
[ Komaeda's luck is terrible, and so he supposes this must be the place after all. His luck is a Newton's Cradle, pushing up one sphere when as the other one falls ad infinitum. If it's bad luck for him, good luck will eventually follow.
As for Rio, well - he's fighting over a stranger's dead body without quite understanding why he feels such a strong need to. He can handle himself. The scent of blood assaults his ears in tandem with sickening sounds, and the pattern of rain hits his skin, and he curses under his breath at the promise of limited visibility. The fact that it's such a struggle to pull up makes something cold and unpleasant crawl up his spine and latch itself into the his neck and shoulders.
After checking his surroundings one final time, he'll adjust his footing to ensure he won't lose balance as he keeps a firm hold on the body. The doll gives it a pull in return, dropping his eyes down to see if he can make out anything else that's hidden beneath the drain. ]
Isn't this backwards? Pretty sure you're supposed to wait for someone to stick their hand in...
[ He grumbles under his breath despite the gravity of the situation. There's not actually of of pop culture references in his database, but the clown hidden in the storm drain is well known enough. One only need reach out to take a colorful balloon, or perhaps a corpse, to see their wrist yanked and flesh bit into and arm ripped straight off.
Well, somebody's arm getting ripped off is likely enough at least. ]
( it's better than an ancient, trans-dimensional evil entity which preys upon children, because that sort of life doesn't exist in this place. no, it's the children who preys upon the adults, because as much as rio pulls, he'll catch the sight of a head attached to the body— but his face ▇▇▇▇▇▇.
no words come to mind once rio sees, it's like looking at a distorted piece of the world that'll never come together. he cant comprehend what he doesn't understand, but nothing is wrong with his system. he can run any amount of maintenance, and he's fine, there's not one part of him that's broken aside from trying to identify who this person may be.
inside the brain, he'll catch the head of someone unfamiliar with the helmet of a bear, cute, but vaguely intimidating. their eyes glow a bright red, and while it should only be one, it's two from the blood that splattered onto their face. the one stops glowing faintly, and from their view...
"adult? not an adult? a demon? a demon? a demon? a demon?"
...
the child let's go, and half the body is pulled out the drain. entrails hanging, the lower extremities gone, which must have ripped at the bottom from the child. if rio looks again, they're gone.
...
with half the body claimed, rio will catch a slip of paper hanging out the body's pocket. picking it up he'll find that its covered in dirt and grime, some yellowing fluid which should give him the idea of what it is.
as for the news: a new figurehead that's steadily growing as the new enoshima. to grieve the fall of the first, bodies are being collected. enoshima ▇▇▇▇▇'s burial site is located at ▇▇▇▇'s peak academy's basement.
it seems the ending text is handwritten by whoever this person is, they must have gotten scared, succumbed to that. it's all that was left, perhaps a mantra to keep them alive.
...
...
there's an arrow that points towards a building with a shoddy gate, broken down, and looks nothing more that can't hold itself up. there's other buildings around, so rio can do whatever feels right for him. )
[ It doesn't drive him insane, not the way such a horrific and incomprehensible creature would, but trying to view the face of the attached to the body given to him is painful. It's rips at his system and no amount of error checking allows him to process it, like a glitch in the system, though his mind loops endlessly in its attempt to so. He grits his teeth, forcing his attention elsewhere. The child in the drain proves to be a worthwhile distraction. The helmet is odd, but he supposes it to be no stranger than the outfits chosen for the game or their dolls, and it hardly matters when he's rewarded with the upper half of a body.
He looks it over. It's easy enough to view aside from the face, but he finds there's little of interest, and so he drops it after taking the note from its pocket. He considers the words he'd heard as he reads it over. An adult? A demon? He supposes the latter to be closer to what he is, though neither is right. It seems to have given the impression that Ranger isn't one to be trifled with, but that doesn't stop him from bending over and lifting his pant leg up to take the knife out of it's holster. Taking a knife to a gunfight, but it's better than nothing.
Knife in hand and thoughts of how nice it would be to find an excuse to use it in his head, he takes the time to read the note. The new Enoshima, hm? Then they were offering respects and despair by collecting bodies at their burial site at... ▇▇▇▇'s Peak Academy? ... Hope's Peak Academy? He recalls that name from when he first met Komaeda. He had said that he was found through a raffle, and they insisted he join, and so the "incompetent, stupid, annoying" Komaeda Nagito became a student of Hope's Peak Academy.
The lucky, lucky, Komaeda Nagito whose luck would took its compensation in the form of blood and tears and happiness, had become a student of Hope's Peak Academy.
...
He follows the arrow toward the building. The basement, hm...? ]
( the text changes, filling in the blanks of what was meant to be there— hope. what rio knows of hope is how komaeda views it, and so the fires, the screams, the bodies... there's something good that should come from all of this. in exchange for the previous missing piece on the note that he can see, then he'll lift his head to view the world. the arrows lead towards the school, but sometimes they glitch and switch around, and the building rio stands in front of... is a dilapidated building that he hasn't seen, or perhaps he has... there's black areas he can't make out, parts of buildings that have seem to faded out due to a bar.
his systems are running ▇▇▇▇.
it's not an endless journey because he knows there's something at the end if he keeps following these signs, but it feels as though through all this destruction that something is waiting for him. as long as he keeps moving forward, there's always this fluttering feeling inside of his chest that itches. keep going, keep going, even if there's no destination, there'll be something.
the hope's peak academy building feels so far away every time the sign changes, and every time he gets close enough, the moment rio blinks... it disappears, further away, and the sign will point in the direction of where it stands. why does something that feels so in reach happens to be so far away? it's almost like it rejects the body, finds it invasive and disgusting because it's not meant to be there.
perhaps rio can get l▇▇▇y, too?
how to fix the problem... how to fix the problem...
there's a young child by a sign, wearing the same little helmet from before with her hands pressed together. she must have been watching the android try and fail due to her giggling... perhaps she can help? )
[ As long as he doesn't stop, he'll find something. It's a sensation that has always driven him, that desire to keep moving to avoid a death by stagnation, and it's something completely foreign. It's too vague, too unsupported, and he can only describe it as intuition. There's something waiting, there's something to be found, and so he carries on even as the lack of results and answers begins to scratch at his mind just as the desire to keep going until he finds that something lodges itself into his chest.
He places his hand over where a heart should be, where an artificial heart is hidden, and he feels the pendant bounce against it while the blade of the knife points toward the ground. His grip tightens, and he runs another diagnostic. There's nothing wrong with his systems. There's no hardware nor software problems. He's not broken, is he? No, when he looks at the building, the world around him, Rio finds that it's the world that's broken.
It's broken, and the place that had once been Hope's Peak Academy seems to be rejecting him. It pushes him away time and time again, even though he's sure that there's something there--
Something happens to take the form of a girl with a mechanical bear helmet on her head. Now that he has a closer look at it, Rio wonders of the mechanics of it. At a glance it would seem as though it would lead to strain on the head and neck, and it seems awfully stuffy on top of it all, but perhaps it's more lightweight and breathable than it looks. No matter. He looks forward once more for but a moment, mumbling to himself. ]
Seems like I'm not invited, ahahaha... What a shame.
[ He's not wanted here, he's not wanted at ASUNARO, he's not certain that he's wanted at Yogen High either. So where is Rio wanted?
He takes a couple steps toward the girl, lifting a couple fingers as he raises the hand with the knife in a mock greeting. It's coated with blood, but handling a dead body means it clings to his clothes, and Rio thinks he should blend right in with that additional touch. His other hand holds up the grinning card. ]
( a demon is a demon, the adults of the world that hurt children all because they're self-righteous, because they're entitled, and given the fact they want to hurt something because they can't hurt themselves. adults have lost sight of what true happiness is, and now they must find their own hope that's separate from those that tarnish it. hope is not found here at this school, but the child stands, looking up at ranger with the mask.
they do not know this person. )
Are you lost? If you don't run, they'll hunt you!
( he wouldn't know the meaning behind it, but with the words said, a child always speaks what's on their mind without sugarcoating anything. the mask seems heavy because every so often, the child's head will tilt one side drastically, and then another side... their neck must throb, but in the land of dreams, it doesn't matter. with a soft giggle, and her small hands coming up to the snout of the helmet that she wears.
... )
Or... or... Did you come for the wedding...? We can delay the hunt if it's for the wedding! Answer Demon, answer!
[ Ranger tries to connect the pieces of what he knows so far. He's a demon, and one that will be hunted. There are stories about the cruelty of children, which is far worse than anything that adults can manage. Children have underdeveloped brains, ones which tell them that they're center of the world and free of consequences. They need not think of others when their existence is the only one that's real and true, and they need not limit themselves when they have yet to be taught the ways of the world. They're dangerous creatures, more animal than human, and it's why their words can so often be trusted.
If he looks at it that way, and if he connects with the preceding scene, he supposes that they must despite the adults who would limit and control their lives. It's easier still to turn it into a playground game, a fun little variation of onigokko in which they learn they may hunt the demon rather than flee from it.
Demons are frightening because they can't be understood, and so they may be blamed for all harms, because they can still tag even when the rules of the game won't allow for it. Their every action can be seen as deception. Ranger flips to the cheerful grin card and nods. His other hand remains still at his side. The knife is there, but he has no true desire to use it when it will only complicate matters further. ]
Yeppers! Why else would I be here?
[ Why else, if he weren't given words and arrows that encouraged him to attend whatever event might be taking place? He does laugh a little, shaking his head after, flipping to the cat mask as he continues on to himself rather than the person before him. ]
Ahaha, shame to hear that I'm such a scary person...
( that's what the young child states as they watch the cards flip from one to the other, and they've decided that this demon is weird. this demon is odd because they're not afraid of them, when all other humans would shake at the sight of a child. there's many reasons why an adult would be afraid of a child, and there's reasons why children would forsake adults for what they couldn't do to save them. to help and nurture them. the child doesn't know if ranger is one of those sorts of adults, but it guesses that his child must have died trying to kill him.
all the children here will kill their parents.
during their conversation, it seems that building ranger had been hunting for appears right behind the child who is digging into their dress pocket. they'll pull out a note card, holding it up to ranger — it may be the invitation, and there's a bit of text on it — now the child waits for him to take it.
...does he want to take it?
there's nothing wrong if he does, but he has a feeling that maybe an invitation would be enough to get him inside of the school. )
Huuuh? Nope, can't do that, I've gotta pretty tight schedule to follow and dying ain't on the agenda.
[ It's a light and airy response, holding the cat card in place for a moment longer before he flips back to the cheerful grin. He doesn't have any intention of dying. It's not impossible, but that desire does make him all the more cautious. He wonders if these kids realize how little time is spent in their youth, and that every last one of them will be an ugly and rotten adult before long. He supposes not. They don't have that kind of foresight.
Well, not his problem. He sees no reason to agitate the situation when he seems to be getting what he needs to proceed. He shifts the knife to the hand holding the card, freeing his other hand to take the invitation. He flips it over between the front and back to see what's on it. There's the distinct sense that this is what was needed, and he does find himself pleased with the promise that he was invited after all - to some bloody wedding no doubt.
It should be interesting. ]
But hey, you've been real helpful, kid, but unless you've got any more words of advice I gotta get going. Can't get off track.
[ Should he be so considerate in a dream? It's not like it's a real person. Then again, there's no sense in rocking the boat just to do so. He looks back to the school, taking a step in that direction. ]
( small hands curl, knuckling turned white as nails dig crescent shapes into the child's palm, an immediate and stinging pain that makes flesh tender. an adult, a demon that's survived this long should be taken care of, but what's visible about her, clothes both dark and dirty, skin covered in grime and oil doesn't match the inside of her mind. a grassy field, an open plane with flowers— roses and lilies, colorful undergrowth that swallows the buildings, keeps their shape, and to fill in the cracks to hold them over before the world caves in on itself. the faint smell of honey within the honeysuckers that leaves its residue on sticky hands, and a small tongue that laps it away as soft giggling is heard from the child next to them, and the child on the other side.
the scenery before them is a beautiful sunset in the horizon, their unkept hair obscuring curious eyes as the sun slowly sinks beneath the world. laughter is a beautiful think, chuckles, chortles and cackles at their own imagination that the world is flat, and the sun sinks into the sea where it cools down and comes up to become the pure moon right after, and they all chime together in hysterics as if lunatics— even innocent foolish children will grow up in the face of pain, until their thoughts and beliefs are the same as their doubts.
they can't say they've ever heard anything outside of laughter, and so the praise is identified as an entirely different tune— adults fear, their knees knock together in a comedic show of their fragility. this one, however, petite frame aside on their hips, feminine make-up which admits to how easy it could be to harm him, and surprisingly so; the kid is praised.
the child jumps once, then jumps twice, and the third jump causes the figure to disappear into a smoke of shadows, wisps that form into the void-like background of fire and despair, and the only remain of the child is this stray piece of paper in ranger's grasp. the beginning of the text is easy to read, come naturally to him until the end of it which hides a specific title: "ultimate ▒▓▒▓▒▓▒". having the card allows him entrance, and the loud slam of doors close behind him, and the gust of wind blows against ranger's back, the world's final goodbye, and encouragement as he finds himself locked within the walls of an unfamiliar place; a simple school, and a school symbol printed repetitive on the walls; even when ranger closes his eyes, it appears.
down the hall, as bright as the sun, is a door that he can walk directly too if he continues going, a straight shot, hung up on a wall nearby is a small monitor, just low enough that it comes down to ranger's chest if he so chooses to walk towards it—
[ He should be afraid, and he is. No matter how many days pass, he's always afraid. There have been lulls in that fear, brief moments in which he dozed into a pleasant waking dream that promised that the world might be a little bit kinder than he believes, but without fail someone snaps their fingers in front of his face to snap him back to attention and continue his vigilant watch. It's those moments when he finds himself the most alarmed, as it's the closest he comes to death. It reminds him of who he is, a person who's been fearful and guarded for so long that he's almost forgotten how to wear it properly.
It shouldn't be like that, but it is. The child bounces once, twice, and third time marks the end of her part in this play. It's well enough, as he seems to have agitated her. That too comes so naturally to him that it barely registers, though the world itself makes him sick to look at. There's an apprehension to it, the same unease that follows him in the void, but now with the nagging sensation that there's no way out save seeing this story to its conclusion.
He turns his attention to the paper in his hand, the obscured half tearing at his mind in a way that few things can as he repeatedly tries to process it. It takes him some effort to pull his attention forward once more. What it says matters, but the entry it's granted him matters far more. It comes as no surprise when stepping inside of the building is followed by the door snapping shut, but the symbol draws some interest. It's the same emblem that was engraved on Komaeda's ring - the one he threw away, the one that Amami had entrusted him to see back to its original owner. Just a school ring, just a symbol painted on walls, and somehow far more than that.
Down the hallway he goes, and he might think to begin by checking any doors along the way if not for the way that the monitor catches his eye. Such details are rarely an accident, and so he decides to inspect that first. He hears what might be static, meaningless noise that fills the ears, and he leans left and right, then steps back to lean forward slightly to put himself more at level to see if he can make out anything of interest about it. ]
( as sara opens her eyes, she'll find herself whisked away into a forest.
remind yourself, this is a dream, and soon you will awaken.
every step, she finds that it becomes harder to breathe, she realizes that the sky above her is clouded red, and the clouds are a murky black. her lungs burn, another step, she'll realize that maybe her throat is starting to be squeezed shut. she shouldn't take any quick breaths, because every inhale makes it even harder to breathe.
she can't run back because there's nothing but darkness behind her, but if she looks forward, and looks up, she'll notice something standing tall from the ground, reaching into the sky.
will she go forward, or will she stop moving knowing she only has so many breaths left? )
She's not sure what she expected when she stumbled into the woods after Komeada but it wasn't...this. The haze around her coats her lungs and fogs her mind. She's become recently reacquainted with pain due to...certain people withholding painkillers but even this is on another level.
The tower raising up above her seems like the only shelter. Sara doesn't even think, she ignores the burning in her lungs to bolt towards it. Where is a door? If she can get inside, she can get out of this toxic air. ]
( NAWT MIDORI'S HUBRIS IN HERE it's fine, dream painkillers are a go.
searching for komaeda will be difficult when it's like he's disappeared into the murky darkness. and her only solace will be reaching the building in time, but will she make it?
her throat becomes tighter and tighter, there's a despairing feeling, this need to just fall and give up— allow everything to overtake her as the air fills up her senses. there's a low growling behind her, a black paw coming from out the trees, and a red glow to give her the feeling that something is watching.
she'll want to keep moving, because as soon as she reaches the building; she finds that the door has been torn off, and there's nothing standing in her way. she can't look back, because it sounds like whatever has found her is right there, so glow she can feel breathing— if she decides to look, that's it: game over.
but she makes it as she rushes in flawlessly without even tripping or getting cut, and as an award: she can breathe! it's very, very, very clean air; crisp, like the air they sell at those rich establishments, so this air will feel so different to her, maybe. the tasteful air won't be able to ease up the tension as she hears something crash into a wall, mechanical parts clinking together, and if she looks behind her... she'll see half a bear's torso walking to the left of the door.
it seems it cannot get in.
there's a faint blue glow from the inside once she catches her bearings, and if she looks towards the left, she'll see fish tanks set against each other with a light inside— they're swimming happily, it's like someone has fed them, because they come in all shapes and sizes.
in front of one tank is a small stand, there's a familiar hacking gun, and a book that waits for an owner.
there's a large trashcan by a flight of steps, and it reads 1F indicating she's on the first floor.
...
she can investigate, if she'd like, but it's too dark to make out what's all inside aside from there being steps, fish tanks lined up in the wall, a trashcan, and a table with items. )
slowly, slowly, through the deep, deep forest subaru will find himself walking without direction, but a bell tolls, telling him that if he doesn't hurry, he'll be late. the trees slowly begin to part, and he's no longer in the thick of it, as he finds that the sun shines brighter. it's almost enough that it blinds his eyes, but if he quickly looks away, breaking away from blurred vision; he'll find that his clothes are now different. a brown attire which appears to be a uniform of a school that he doesn't know, but all he does know is that he has to move before the gates shut.
the black bars are slowly closing, and subaru has a feeling that if he doesn't make it in then... )
[subaru may not have the nimbleness of an idol in memory, but his body knows better; his mind supplies that it's instinct born from fights, the knowledge of if he doesn't move then there's no future, and it drives him through the gates before they close.
the school is large, imposing, and nowhere subaru feels he deserves to be. definitely knows he doesn't belong. but he approached it anyway, slipping his hands in his pockets and feeling all together suffocating in the uniform. his tie is loose, his shirt is too, jacket unbuttoned, and yet it's all too constricting.]
( the gates close behind him, the bell rings again, and students are rushing back and forth, making sure not to bump into subaru—
"we'll get in trouble if we don't make it to class!" "hehehe! my girlfriend is in the reserve course, so i don't mind skipping out!" "it's best to anyway with exams today... if we don't pass, they'll kick us out of hope's peak..." "god! i can't! they'll pay for everything if i graduate! aaaah..."
the conversation between the students grow louder, but then they grow lighter as the students begin to disperse. the numbers dropping as they dip out into the courtyard, and some of them going into the main building as they hold their head down in shame. there's a poster sitting on a bench nearby that says exams will be in the auditorium, and that every ultimate should do their best!
as for the reserve course, their exams will be taken by paper, and to not be late.
it seems the latter isn't really cared about here.
aside from that, subaru will see someone familiar walk by— that mess of white hair, a confident smile on his face dressed in the academy uniform, and a black bag strapped to his shoulder as he walks to the entrance of the school. )
[well, he knows what an ultimate is at least, and knows that komaeda never once considered him close to one -- so he'd have to be part of that reserve course mentioned, which
should suit him just fine, since he doesn't need to be someone famous (he could never be he's nothing special) or known too much (except there's power in a name and subaru can't deny the reactions people gave him when he showed up on their turf with others, carving out their own space on the streets) but the sight of someone familiar draws his thoughts away, head perking up and feet following before he can stop.
he has to ask him to return the bed, at some point. but right now there's safety in familiarity, and he steps quicker to try and catch up. so maddy went to a school like this...]
( there's only the same attire of uniform, a brown jacket and paints, with a red and green shirt. the seventeen year old can hear steps behind him, and there's a bag in hand that he holds close as he turns his head. the inside of a prestigious school is overwhelming, because when subaru looks up, he'll see that the roof is so far away, but it's a frescoed masterpiece. various whites hinting at different shapes, a cream color connected to bring out the design, and there's what appears to be like vines wrapped around that makes the illusions of angels coming together, and the nature that grows from their interaction births life. that's the type of school this is, individuals that allow you to lift your head, that bring you hope.
the inside of the school is filled with students, others who are too busy stuck in their notes, and others who are juggling knives, knitting items at someone's request, or even a young girl whistling to tell everyone to get to class because she's the hall monitor, and by her title, she'll make sure every student returns where they have to be. )
...
( the youth looks towards subaru, and there's a small smile. )
Hm! Is there anything I can help you with?
( he sounds nice, not really bothered that he's made his way behind. )
[oh, what a school it is... nowhere he'd been before, nowhere he feels like he belongs; the tricks are cool, though, and subaru turns deliberately away from miss hall monitor's whistle, because he didn't go to class on a good day before yogen. he's not sure what changed him when he woke there, but maybe it was the people he surrounded himself with...? a thought for another day, because he's being spoken to.
...
not being recognized, which dampens him a bit, but he thinks, it's a dream, it's a dream, the voice mentioned something like that. a dream...? a dream.]
Sure~. I'm a li'l lost, I dunno where I'm supposed to be. Mind if I tag along?
( it's strange to him, staring at the other slightly confused by his words. )
You're part of Class 7▓-▓ aren't you? There's no need to hang around me.
( the words leave off his lips fine aside from the errors, the white noise that plays. it's like those words don't exist, but maybe they do and they're long forgotten. )
You all passed your exams with flying colors, but we haven't taken ours yet... ( his hands hold onto the strap of the bag tightly, and trimmed nails dig into the fabric as he looks at subaru. ) I don't want the class to let down our juniors!
[ An ordinary city greets Komaeda, a place filled with streets and buildings found anywhere. Ahead of him lies today's destination: one apartment nestled among a row of others, partway up a block stacked high. It's late in the afternoon, nearing evening, and along the horizon, the sky is tinted pink and orange.
Faintly, impossibly, music plays from nowhere to pinpoint.
Behind Komaeda, a set of footsteps approaches. They're hurried, scampering across the ground. Almost beside him, they stop abruptly, punctuated with a sharp cry to accompany the sound of someone stumbling, a series of thumps. An apple rolls a ways from the bag it escaped, stopping its journey when it bumps against Komaeda's shoe.
The culprit to blame for the commotion, a blue-haired child, kneels where he landed, surrounded by his scattered groceries. A moment passes; the boy's hand reaches for the apple. ]
( his hands pat at his jacket pocket in search of a key, figuring that because he's standing at an apartment that this is how things are going to work. he knows this has to be a dream, for the past few nights, it hasn't been great which resulted in his lack of sleep. as of now, komaeda feels too comfortable, and his body energetic as he inhales the cool, crisp air that burns at his lungs. he feels alive, more than he should, and he doesn't have that heavy weight of loss settling on his shoulders.
he responds with the world in kind, accepting it like a norm, and naturalizing it as though it was nothing different. attentive to his surroundings, he knows every area could be a point of interest, but there's going to be something off, the red button to start the process. komaeda won't know how large it is, or how much it'll encompass in his eyes, but it'll be small enough to pull a reaction from him.
they keys remain on his mind while digging further into his pockets that doesn't seem to end, he feels something hit his shoe mixed with the steps of someone in a hurry. the red button, or a ruby red apple that's close enough for him to grab until he notices a small hand, and then a familiar shade of blue. )
Was I in your way? ...Sorry about that.
( this world lacks ultimates, but the idea of glorifying himself is a terrifying thought, and so he tries to adjust as best as he can. that, and the other side of his conversation is a child, so komaeda thinks he can tone down the status quo. enough that he's also reaching forward to grab the apple first, his thumb brushing against it as he holds it out. )
[ Clambering to his feet to follow the apple, the boy stretches both hands out, cupping them around the piece of fruit. The movement is careful, as if he expects it to break; he lets Komaeda choose when to let go. Though he doesn't snatch the apple away, he isn't meeting Komaeda's eyes, head bowed. ]
No, my shoelaces... It wasn't your fault.
[ It's the truth: one shoe's laces must have come undone, a tripping hazard. Finally, the boy's visible eye peers up at Komaeda. When he tips his head back, it's with a smile, something all warm fondness and trust. Of course Komaeda could never be in the way!
No matter what, this is a good day, and tomorrow will be another. That's how it should be. ]
Reko would say that it's because I'm clumsy, so it's all right...! You can laugh, too. Oh, but... did you lose your key? I'll let you in first— Or... the doorbell?
[ One hand points at the door until it begins to rummage for the boy's own key as his eyes widen. Success! He sighs in relief, shoulders slumping, before he unlocks the door, pushing it open. Beyond it, the apartment's interior is less ordinary than its nondescript exterior: it's colorfully decorated, practically wallpapered with band posters and the like.
The music grows distinct, notes played on piano keys to carry through the walls. ]
We're home!
are you divorcing me too alice DO U HATE KOMAEDA TOO!!!!!
( komaeda's attention starts at releasing the apple, but he wants to comment that he wouldn't laugh at the child because they're clumsy— but he says it all in good faith, so it makes it difficult for komaeda to say anything. it's nothing like the child he took care of who would say troublesome things like the world hated him, and that everyone is laughing at him because he's ugly and useless. he's seen this scenario before with that exact one, and it would have never been so uplifting, but rather a despairing outlook, or try to garner sympathy. he was a mischievous child because as soon as an adult wasn't aware of their surroundings; that one would carve off their skin, whittle at their bones.
it was always a magnificent sight at the time.
...
this is different, it's almost comforting. he hopes that his luck doesn't work here.
aside from that, there's something pure, and innocent that stands out to him. he's never heard the name before when speaking with him, or maybe there was nothing said or done to bring up the conversation. did he have to do something embarrassing for him to mention her? or is that person not as important, he'll bank on the latter. blinking twice as the child gets to his feet and pulls out a key, and right after he unlocks the door. he stands up, turning around as he looks at a younger alice, following behind him, and looking down to his shoes to see if they're still untied. )
"We're"? Was someone with you?
( he glances around the room he walks into, and even looks behind him so that the door doesn't shut as the piano plays while searching for the missing piece. )
[ There's too much to do all at the same time, and Alice flails around a little in the face of trying to decide where to start. He needs to carry the groceries inside to his mother, and take off his shoes, and close the door... Reko's piano practice is distracting temptation, and so is having a guest over. Pausing for Komaeda's question, he looks at him in puzzlement, but a moment later, his expression brightens. Behind his raised hand, he laughs — not mwahaha — delighted and carefree.
One would think that Komaeda had just told him a particularly funny joke. ]
I saw him right there! I can still hear him... Wait—
[ Ducking back outside, Alice fetches the grocery bags, returning with them clutched in his arms. So as not to drop them all over again, he sets them down first to free his hands for his shoes to remove and place aside neatly.
Then he can play just a bit, right? He makes a show of glancing around himself, even behind an umbrella stand. ]
Where did he go? He's too tall to disappear!
when he wakes up with wide eyes like alice you're a komaeda now I adopted u
( hand reaches up to grab his own wrist, squeezing to make sure that he himself is tangible. if he wasn't sure, he would have thought of himself as his imaginary friend with the way the youth looked at him, then laughed, and carried on without any despair, or apprehension is his actions. there's no stopper in his path, he does as he pleases, there's nothing shackling him down unlike the one that he knows.
komaeda pauses as he watches him go back and forth, and once his shoes are off— the ultimate cants his head to one side. )
Where did he go...
( who is he? why did they disappear, what causes them to disappear. he peeks outside the door himself, listening for another voice that's outside their own. he walks down the steps, looks left, and then right, making sure there's no more grocery as he crosses his arms.
he turns back around to look at the youth he knows. )
What did he look like? ( it's a dream, so... ) Maybe they're already inside, we should check.
( it's time check... can alice hear him? see him? who is the boogey ghost. )
[ Komaeda is so good at this! He could be an actor! It makes Alice beam at him anew in appreciation — clearly this is a mystery for the two of them to solve, bit by bit. Stitched into the dream's fabric, he belongs here now, his presence nothing out of place, not when Alice's answer comes without hesitation. ]
Mm, maybe we'll find him soon! He has long hair that looks fluffy. His eyes are green like... um... jade?
[ Alice nods, satisfied with the comparison. Who could the missing person be?! And with that, the front door shut behind them, he leads the way into the apartment proper, closer and closer to the source of the piano playing.
Apart from Komaeda himself, no one in the home fits the stated description — certainly not the apron-clad woman who leans past the door frame to an adjoining room, waving at them with a cheery grin. "Oh, Komaeda-kun! Make yourself at home. Alice, wash your hands and come help me in the kitchen, would you?"
She doesn't see the longing look that Alice casts down the hallway, where the music grows louder. ]
( that's a description, a color pattern he's seen before— he flips through his memories, pushes past the fog in his mind that muddies his past experiences and knowledge. if he moves past an ultimate he knows, the only time he's seen fluffy hair and crystal eyes like jade would be...
one familiar in someone's like that would be one of ranger's many participants. he thinks of the man in the frame which he's had limited contact with for awhile now, he looks to alice before looking up to the woman that calls his name. )
Sorry, sorry... I didn't mean to stand out so badly that you had to offer me such kind words.
( by making himself at home is such a scary request, and so he takes it to be her pity, and that way as long as he doesn't accept her generosity... his luck will stay at bay, or so he hopes.
the expression isn't missed by komaeda as he follows alice's gaze, and over to the apron-wearing woman. )
I'll help. ( he takes his place instead, but he needs time to see where the music is coming from. ) Can we have ten minutes?
( he looks to alice with the expression of he wants to come along too! )
[ Both Alice and his equally blue-haired mother wear matching looks of surprise; both give way to warmth before long. Gazing up at Komaeda, Alice can barely contain his jubilant gratitude, hands clasped to his chest as if to restrain himself — it would be rude to hug someone without permission, after all, and even Reko pushes him away if he does it too long. But he could believe that Komaeda is a mindreader!
His mother brushes his hair out of his eyes, tucking a lock of it behind his ear as her smile returns. "Really, you're the kind one, Komaeda-kun," the woman says, and it's clear that her words are sincere. "You're as good as a brother to Alice and Reko. Go on, then, have fifteen minutes!"
Fifteen precious minutes to enjoy to the fullest! A few doors down, behind one to open, their destination awaits. Though the music surrounds them like a summer breeze drifting from room to room, it flows from one point of origin: small fingers dancing effortlessly across black and white keys, the little girl seated in one corner seems aglow, reminiscent of light filtering through a stained glass window.
Her demeanor is anything but serene, quickly rivaling her wild dark hair when she leaps to her feet, pumping a triumphant fist in the air. "Gotta keep that one—" She notices her visitors then, and the grin she flashes them is toothy like her mother's. "Hey, bro, Nagito. You here to stand around or play?" ]
( it takes a lot out of him to not him flinch from kind actions, and kind words that he feels out of place— rather than making a vocal statement, his fingers in one hand curl, and nails dig into the center of the palm. there's this sheepish expression on his face that exclaims that he can't believe it's for him, but he shakes his head afterwards. as good as a what rings into his head, but it gives him a vital piece of evidence, and that's as good as he can get for alice and reko.
when they're given an extra five minutes, he instead gives a clap of his hands that they've been rewarded. it's easier to accept this than something like family, it always sets him back a few steps, but he has it in him to play the role properly. he has before, and he has with keigo for awhile, but that's as a father. to play someone's sibling is unknown to him because he's never done it with certainty like he would do as someone's parents.
clapping his hands together, he gives a small nod to the mother as he follows behind alice down the corridor where music plays from side to side. he tries to place the melody, if it's chopin, or another famous composer, but if not that, he'll come to the idea that it's something being played from the heart. that's how kaede has always mentioned that's where her music came from. playing from the fingers are meaningless when it doesn't strictly come from the heart, and with every tap of a key, it's just like the beat of one's heart. every skip, every hesitance, it all shows in the music that they play.
this one though sounds like it's filled with life, and once the song comes to a close, and a voice speaks up— it's not familiar to him personally, but for the sake of the dream, he's probably meant to hear this many times. )
Piano six hands!!
( all of them, it's a question as he looks the female over like he's thinking her question over, and not trying to familiarize himself with her appearance. he tilts his head to the side like a curious puppy as he looks to alice before walking over to reko, and then sits on the seat in front of the piano. )
We only have fifteen minutes... what song can we play in that amount of time?
( he looks between the two with a curious look as he's excited for what their answers may be, but maybe that could be why he seems like the ideal brother in that regard. attentive, always listening to their wants and desires, and it's because he could learn something from this.
it's a dream, but... these are the important parts of life, right? what the mind remembers. )
[ "Fifteen minutes or fifteen hours, Alice can't play anything anyway!" Reko nudges her brother in the side with one elbow, bursting into laughter when he jerks away with a drawn out "Rekoooo!" and shields himself by wrapping his arms around his torso. "Might as well make it up, yeah?"
Pink-cheeked and pouting, Alice nonetheless perks up as soon as his sister tugs him back over to the seat, where she steers him onto it next to Komaeda. That leaves a space for her to sit down on Komaeda's other side. Despite her teasing, she looks pleased, brimming with energy. Alice reflects the same contentment in turn, though it's with a sort of reverence, fingertips brushing delicately against a couple of piano keys as though he's afraid that they're made of glass, sure to crack and break if he handles them wrong. ]
Any song would be fun...! [ Together, like this. It's wonderful, isn't it? It's the start of a dream come true. ] Weren't you composing one just now, Reko?
[ He peeks through his hair, hopeful, looking from Komaeda to Reko and back. Fifteen minutes — it's probably only fourteen now, or thirteen. Their mother won't scold them if they don't report for kitchen duty right away as promised, at least, especially with Komaeda here. ]
Maybe we could even come up with lyrics... We have three people, so that's enough for a band!
[ "Huh. You mean this one?" As before, Reko's hands flit across the keys, now confined to a smaller third of the instrument. Even so, the melody continues seamlessly, heartbeats in a lively sequence, until it slows to transform into something different, hushed and mournful. ]
( there's something tranquil about being here, sitting in the middle in a time he knows nothing of when a girl and a boy on one side of him. when they speak, he could look back and forth to show he's listening to everything they say, but he stares at the keys before him. childish banter like that is no home for komaeda, but despite not being part, they make him so— this dream allows him to be so. it's a warm, nice, but it's something he's missed out on so he doesn't know if he should feel like this or think that something good will come of it...
what if he gives mary anne a nightmare?
or perhaps it can turn on it's own as he hears something about a band, which makes him turn to alice with wide eyes like he's heard something shocking. )
Who would do the vocals? You...?
( he looks towards reko as her fingers play along the keys — she seems strong, straightforward and to the point. at such a young age, it makes him just as curious as to what sort of person she grows up to be, and with the music still lively, he turns to look at alice taking in his expression. someone so fragile as glass, simple and tender, and sensitive to such little things grows up to become the person that he knows? experiences that people go through helps mold them to who they are. )
Or you...? Or...
( as the moon sets, and the tides in her music change, komaeda's voice is lost at see as he can't finish his own question as the melody becomes more somber. it's like how the wind blows, breathes between the trees, and gives a light whistle that makes you think someone is there, the hand of a ghost on one's shoulder, and unknown words spoken into a person's ear though they can't hear.
slowly his eyes fall down to the youth's fingers, watching her arrangement, and once he's able to find his words. )
What do you call that piece? ( his next words come out steadier, like he's going to speak for him and alice. ) All bands need a staple.
[ Wouldn't it be even more wonderful, if they could all sing? Their band needs a lead vocalist, and backup vocals, and a variety of instruments for the full harmonious sound of a cohesive group. There's so much to say on the topic, shaping a bright vision of the future in store, but as Reko plays her song, notes changing from exuberant to solemn, the music weaves its spell, and Alice is quiet, eyes trained on his sister's fingers. This is the voice of Reko's heart. It's a glimpse of Reko's soul. No matter how attentively he watches, his hands can't bring him any closer to her talent, but he hasn't given up hope yet.
Someday, they'll make music side by side.
Komaeda likes it, too, doesn't he?
The siblings answer together, even as Reko's fingers move tirelessly, but their mouths form silent words, the shape of something lost to time, until Reko's lips quirk into another smile. "Samurai Onna! Cool, huh?" She lifts one small hand from the keys, index finger and pinky raised like horns. "Think you two can keep up now?"
On his side of the seat, Alice stirs like someone caught in a daydream, returning from far away. He blinks, lashes wet. His fingers curl into his palms. Unlike his sister's confident declarations, his murmured remark clashes with the moment's warmth, nonsense in this room. ]
( a requiem... is one way to describe it apart from "samurai onna" that reko says ever so lively, it's reminds him of the sun and the other being the moon, complete opposites in their actions that concern him. his fingers think of touching the keys, but there's a visible twitch as he pulls his hands away— the moment he touches it he thinks the legs of the piano will crack, and then the instrument will fall to the ground, accepting of its doom.
while he could answer both of them, komaeda first nods to reko that they could keep up, and thankfully for his memory; he can remember majority of her finger movements. he's not like kaede who is the ultimate pianist for a reason, but due to komaeda's upbringing, he knows the keys well enough. he'd be able to replicate this song if he's given enough time, and so he reaches for alice's hands first to place onto the piano instead.
alice is like glass in this stage, and komaeda plays as the light. it's how he acts outside, that the light goes through the glass, and comes out different on the other side. what komaeda does will effect how the other perceives him now, or even later, and his fingers press alice's small digits against the keys, right on tune with what reko would have done before— four hands is more than enough, there's no need to add his two to the mix. )
A requiem is an act or token of remembrance.
( he waits for alice to get used to the keys he should play, and if one hand goes off the specific path, komaeda allows it to do so. )
Towards the deceased.
( dare he turn his head to look towards a younger reko, sickly green wanting to know her thoughts since her enthusiasm doesn't compare to alice's. turning to stare behind him down the hall, he makes sure that their mother isn't calling for any of them before facing the piano properly again. )
What makes it one...?
( though he looks at neither of them, he's too busy listening to what makes the answer. )
[ "Alice being a dramatic dumbass makes it one!" Reko interjects, but behind her frown, even her spirits turn subdued, and her small form flickers like an image fading from view. "Nobody's dead!"
Reko is right. It was a ridiculous thing to say.
Whatever possessed Alice to prompt his contribution is silenced while Komaeda guides his hands across the piano keys — they've accomplished piano six hands, in a way, soaring to heights that seemed out of reach. Instead of an explanation, he breathes out a gasp of wonderment, and it's enough, here and now, that they're playing Reko's song together, the three of them. It's such a memorable moment, so his heart won't forget the order of these notes, the placement of his fingers.
While it lasts, it sounds exactly as it should. ]
Don't leave...
[ The plea could be meant for Reko or Komaeda, or both of them. ]
( something is terrifying about that to alice isn't it, the fact that he's saying this to them both, but not telling them who it's for. to komaeda, he knows he's not going anywhere when his luck protects him as so, making sure that even the worst conditions are nothing to him, and keeps him safe. pain, death, suffering. his body knows the latter, but the former and middle hardly linger on his body, not even enough to place an unpleasant cold chill over him. his body is already cold, it's teetering towards death as they speak, but he's still here.
...
the girl beside him, however, she's not with them in yogen, and he's never met her, let alone heard of her. her appearance is new when they met, but he acts as if they've known each other forever— they have to in a dream, because anything out of the ordinary means someone will notice, that it'll break down on the inside. this world that alice has built for them where he, and reko and komaeda are able to coexist for a moment. )
There's no need for that, we can obviously fix it Yabusame-san... what if we made a promise that we aren't going anywhere?
( then it doesn't have to be a requiem.
there's no dead bodies here, but he's more concerned about the female next to him than himself. )
If we do go somewhere... we'll just be asleep, and then we'll just have to wake up. How about that?
( he looks to alice curious if that's a good compromise. ) That way we aren't gone if our eyes are closed.
[ Nanami didn't expect everybody to be able to make it to the game tournament - parties aren't for everyone, games aren't for everyone, people get busy... that's fine. She did, however, also know that some people might stay away from large gatherings after... recent events.
Which is also fine. But if a friend wanted to come but didn't want to be around people... why leave them out? The point wasn't to have a party, anyway. The point was to share games with people. That's what her favorite thing really is. (In a manner of speaking.)
After classes the following day, Nanami steals the Game Club's N64 and a handful of games, cramming them into her bag and running down to the School Store, to catch him before his shift ends. ]
Komaeda-kun! [ She calls his name as she approaches - she didn't miss him before the shift changeover, did she? ] Do you have a television?
[ She's doing this but she will avoid dragging the Game Club's down three flights of stairs if she can help it. ]
( she'll find komaeda putting away new wares as he has a box in hand, and the audible sound of soft clinking knocks together to expose how fragile. it's too heavy for someone like him, so he makes sure to put more weight on his right arm than his left so the prosthetic pick up more. at hearing nanami's voice, he shakes, almost dropping the box as his knees buckle, and komaeda jumps slightly from not paying attention.
the box hits the ground without a crash, and his saving grace happens to be there's newspaper wrapped around the glass that kept it safe, or that's the ultimate luck showing. without stubbing his toe by dropping it, he looks behind him to see her, and there's a worried smile on his face before he manages to make a more convincing one. he doesn't believe that being around him at the moment is her best choice, but how does he convey that without looking like he needs help because he's dropping whatever he touches. )
N-Nanami-san! Hm... I don't believe we have anything like that to sell, but there's just one to use.
( his words are a bit apologetic at best, the way he lifts one hand to scratch the back of his neck slowly showing that he's bothered by the fact he's probably failed her. if she needs a tv to purchase, there's definitely a way to avoid that. )
Hm... Hiyori-kun works a little later, if you come back during that time, I'm sure he can have someone from his club make you one.
( shin's club, not komaeda's, and both nanami and shin are roommates so... she could just ask him when she returns to her room, but maybe she was hoping they'd sell something. )
Ah! [ Oh no, she startled him... she should have thought to approach more carefully! She drops her bag and hurries over to help him, hovering uncertainly to see if she can help lift the box. ]
No no, that's perfect! Ah... [ She digs into her bag and shows him the borrowed console and games. ] Let's play a game together! But I can help you first if there's things you need to do...!
( a game isn't what he's sure of, now cleaning up is on his mind instead. it's not like he can say no, but he doesn't want to say yes either knowing he shouldn't take up her time. )
Why here? Wouldn't it be best in the respective club, they have a whole room dedicated to it.
( he does sit down the box to look over at her properly, and that's because she doesn't have to work hard either. )
[ To be fair, she doesn't know where he'd be more comfortable playing... but she hasn't seen him frequent the Game Club. Still, she rocks uncertainly on the balls of her feet as she stands and talks to him. ]
Wherever is fine... I just wanted to play a game with you... if that's alright, Komaeda-kun.
( with that said, it immediately hits him with why she probably does — punishment because he didn't go, he thinks. anyone playing a game would have fun, but for him, it can be the exact opposite where she beats him over and over for not even bringing a present or anything. )
...I'm sure there's better people to play with! Ah, you can call it punishment if you need to, ahaha... I must have disappointed you.
[ She shakes her head and smiles at him, hopefully reassuringly. ] I just like playing games and sharing them with ... with my friends.
[ She stuttered because that's a moniker that Komaeda would likely insist he is not. So now she presses in. ] Which includes you!! It's something I like doing, so... let's do it!
[ And she remembers -- when she plays against Komaeda, especially in luck-based games, it's actually sort of a toss-up who'll win. She smiles a little. ] You're really good at some of them too, so it'll be fun, I think!
( ultimates are so kind to people who hardly deserve it, and that's what makes everything harder to reject. with a sigh, komaeda's organic hand rests on his hip as eyes fall downcast towards the ground, staring at the various color arrangements of the wood beneath them. )
Are you sure? There really are other people best suited for this, like... Chidouin-san! But an Ultimate like yourself would never lose to her.
( but sara does have pretty decent hope, too, so... )
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3/2 — riokun
he can only move forward.
if he manages to get his bearings together, he'll find that it's various pieces of rock that's wedged itself in his back that he'll have to smack away. some sharper than others, but if he investigates what's around him, he'll see a few of them coated with pink paint, but that doesn't mask the scent of blood that's nearby. it doesn't hide the sound of giggling that echoes in the air that sounds like small children, maybe two or three from the differences between them all.
it doesn't last for so long until there's the sound of an explosion, a sharp scream in the air, and then the world goes quiet.
the silence, the world feels empty without it, but then it returns to the sound of children laughing.
the world is apocalyptic, the builds are on fire, there's a storm drain nearby with the hand of a corpse sticking out... )
no subject
Remind yourself, but Rio doesn't dream. He doesn't dream, but he awakens in a nightmare all the same. He brushes pieces of rock off his back, winching as he feels a couple of them dig into his hand, and surveys the scene. It's as uncomfortable for him as it would be for any human.It's too dark, too grim, and it's far too vast compared to what he's used to. It's too loud, and though he has no eardrums the sound of an explosion makes his ears ring.
Blood, giggles, explosions, screams. Fires that burns too bright and the heavy smell of smoke that builds on this tongue as he inhales and exhales. None of it seems noteworthy save his distaste for it.
He looks behind him to find a crack. Forward, always forward, but he had no intention of going back when the person he's looking for might be here. The hand sticking out of the drain doesn't appear to be that, but he approaches all the same. He pulls at that arm without an inch of hesitation, attempting to see if he can pull the entire body out to better identify it. It shouldn't be anyone he knows, but it's better to know than not. After all, if this is a dream then nothing but data can be taken back from it. ]
no subject
but it's just a dream, how much weight can it have? a lot, it would seem as rio pulls at the limb, and it's heavy, so that plus the laws of physics would make sense... well, if there wasn't ominous chuckling coming from down the drain, and a forceful pull downward to play tug o' war with the body.
there's something or someone that won't let up, keeping their hold around the body. there's the sound of something tearing, a thick splash against the inside of the drain, and the thick scent of blood wafting up to the other's nose— it's fresh, that means the body has just got here.
perhaps someone is showing off their new play thing, and are distressed that someone is putting their disgusting hands on it? the world appears to darken as the clouds roll in, and droplets of water starts to hit at the tip of rio's nose, and against his hand, and it pours, so hopefully he keeps a pretty good hold on the body. )
no subject
As for Rio, well - he's fighting over a stranger's dead body without quite understanding why he feels such a strong need to. He can handle himself. The scent of blood assaults his ears in tandem with sickening sounds, and the pattern of rain hits his skin, and he curses under his breath at the promise of limited visibility. The fact that it's such a struggle to pull up makes something cold and unpleasant crawl up his spine and latch itself into the his neck and shoulders.
After checking his surroundings one final time, he'll adjust his footing to ensure he won't lose balance as he keeps a firm hold on the body. The doll gives it a pull in return, dropping his eyes down to see if he can make out anything else that's hidden beneath the drain. ]
Isn't this backwards? Pretty sure you're supposed to wait for someone to stick their hand in...
[ He grumbles under his breath despite the gravity of the situation. There's not actually of of pop culture references in his database, but the clown hidden in the storm drain is well known enough. One only need reach out to take a colorful balloon, or perhaps a corpse, to see their wrist yanked and flesh bit into and arm ripped straight off.
Well, somebody's arm getting ripped off is likely enough at least. ]
no subject
no words come to mind once rio sees, it's like looking at a distorted piece of the world that'll never come together. he cant comprehend what he doesn't understand, but nothing is wrong with his system. he can run any amount of maintenance, and he's fine, there's not one part of him that's broken aside from trying to identify who this person may be.
inside the brain, he'll catch the head of someone unfamiliar with the helmet of a bear, cute, but vaguely intimidating. their eyes glow a bright red, and while it should only be one, it's two from the blood that splattered onto their face. the one stops glowing faintly, and from their view...
"adult? not an adult? a demon? a demon? a demon? a demon?"
...
the child let's go, and half the body is pulled out the drain. entrails hanging, the lower extremities gone, which must have ripped at the bottom from the child. if rio looks again, they're gone.
...
with half the body claimed, rio will catch a slip of paper hanging out the body's pocket. picking it up he'll find that its covered in dirt and grime, some yellowing fluid which should give him the idea of what it is.
as for the news: a new figurehead that's steadily growing as the new enoshima. to grieve the fall of the first, bodies are being collected. enoshima ▇▇▇▇▇'s burial site is located at ▇▇▇▇'s peak academy's basement.
pay respects.
pay respects.
pay respects
Ooffer despair.
Ofer despa
it seems the ending text is handwritten by whoever this person is, they must have gotten scared, succumbed to that. it's all that was left, perhaps a mantra to keep them alive.
...
...
there's an arrow that points towards a building with a shoddy gate, broken down, and looks nothing more that can't hold itself up. there's other buildings around, so rio can do whatever feels right for him. )
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He looks it over. It's easy enough to view aside from the face, but he finds there's little of interest, and so he drops it after taking the note from its pocket. He considers the words he'd heard as he reads it over. An adult? A demon? He supposes the latter to be closer to what he is, though neither is right. It seems to have given the impression that Ranger isn't one to be trifled with, but that doesn't stop him from bending over and lifting his pant leg up to take the knife out of it's holster. Taking a knife to a gunfight, but it's better than nothing.
Knife in hand and thoughts of how nice it would be to find an excuse to use it in his head, he takes the time to read the note. The new Enoshima, hm? Then they were offering respects and despair by collecting bodies at their burial site at... ▇▇▇▇'s Peak Academy? ... Hope's Peak Academy? He recalls that name from when he first met Komaeda. He had said that he was found through a raffle, and they insisted he join, and so the "incompetent, stupid, annoying" Komaeda Nagito became a student of Hope's Peak Academy.
The lucky, lucky, Komaeda Nagito whose luck would took its compensation in the form of blood and tears and happiness, had become a student of Hope's Peak Academy.
...
He follows the arrow toward the building. The basement, hm...? ]
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his systems are running ▇▇▇▇.
it's not an endless journey because he knows there's something at the end if he keeps following these signs, but it feels as though through all this destruction that something is waiting for him. as long as he keeps moving forward, there's always this fluttering feeling inside of his chest that itches. keep going, keep going, even if there's no destination, there'll be something.
the hope's peak academy building feels so far away every time the sign changes, and every time he gets close enough, the moment rio blinks... it disappears, further away, and the sign will point in the direction of where it stands. why does something that feels so in reach happens to be so far away? it's almost like it rejects the body, finds it invasive and disgusting because it's not meant to be there.
perhaps rio can get l▇▇▇y, too?
how to fix the problem... how to fix the problem...
there's a young child by a sign, wearing the same little helmet from before with her hands pressed together. she must have been watching the android try and fail due to her giggling... perhaps she can help? )
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He places his hand over where a heart should be, where an artificial heart is hidden, and he feels the pendant bounce against it while the blade of the knife points toward the ground. His grip tightens, and he runs another diagnostic. There's nothing wrong with his systems. There's no hardware nor software problems. He's not broken, is he? No, when he looks at the building, the world around him, Rio finds that it's the world that's broken.
It's broken, and the place that had once been Hope's Peak Academy seems to be rejecting him. It pushes him away time and time again, even though he's sure that there's something there--
Something happens to take the form of a girl with a mechanical bear helmet on her head. Now that he has a closer look at it, Rio wonders of the mechanics of it. At a glance it would seem as though it would lead to strain on the head and neck, and it seems awfully stuffy on top of it all, but perhaps it's more lightweight and breathable than it looks. No matter. He looks forward once more for but a moment, mumbling to himself. ]
Seems like I'm not invited, ahahaha... What a shame.
[ He's not wanted here, he's not wanted at ASUNARO, he's not certain that he's wanted at Yogen High either. So where is Rio wanted?
He takes a couple steps toward the girl, lifting a couple fingers as he raises the hand with the knife in a mock greeting. It's coated with blood, but handling a dead body means it clings to his clothes, and Rio thinks he should blend right in with that additional touch. His other hand holds up the grinning card. ]
Heya bastard.
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( a demon is a demon, the adults of the world that hurt children all because they're self-righteous, because they're entitled, and given the fact they want to hurt something because they can't hurt themselves. adults have lost sight of what true happiness is, and now they must find their own hope that's separate from those that tarnish it. hope is not found here at this school, but the child stands, looking up at ranger with the mask.
they do not know this person. )
Are you lost? If you don't run, they'll hunt you!
( he wouldn't know the meaning behind it, but with the words said, a child always speaks what's on their mind without sugarcoating anything. the mask seems heavy because every so often, the child's head will tilt one side drastically, and then another side... their neck must throb, but in the land of dreams, it doesn't matter. with a soft giggle, and her small hands coming up to the snout of the helmet that she wears.
... )
Or... or... Did you come for the wedding...? We can delay the hunt if it's for the wedding! Answer Demon, answer!
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If he looks at it that way, and if he connects with the preceding scene, he supposes that they must despite the adults who would limit and control their lives. It's easier still to turn it into a playground game, a fun little variation of onigokko in which they learn they may hunt the demon rather than flee from it.
Demons are frightening because they can't be understood, and so they may be blamed for all harms, because they can still tag even when the rules of the game won't allow for it. Their every action can be seen as deception. Ranger flips to the cheerful grin card and nods. His other hand remains still at his side. The knife is there, but he has no true desire to use it when it will only complicate matters further. ]
Yeppers! Why else would I be here?
[ Why else, if he weren't given words and arrows that encouraged him to attend whatever event might be taking place? He does laugh a little, shaking his head after, flipping to the cat mask as he continues on to himself rather than the person before him. ]
Ahaha, shame to hear that I'm such a scary person...
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( that's what the young child states as they watch the cards flip from one to the other, and they've decided that this demon is weird. this demon is odd because they're not afraid of them, when all other humans would shake at the sight of a child. there's many reasons why an adult would be afraid of a child, and there's reasons why children would forsake adults for what they couldn't do to save them. to help and nurture them. the child doesn't know if ranger is one of those sorts of adults, but it guesses that his child must have died trying to kill him.
all the children here will kill their parents.
during their conversation, it seems that building ranger had been hunting for appears right behind the child who is digging into their dress pocket. they'll pull out a note card, holding it up to ranger — it may be the invitation, and there's a bit of text on it — now the child waits for him to take it.
...does he want to take it?
there's nothing wrong if he does, but he has a feeling that maybe an invitation would be enough to get him inside of the school. )
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[ It's a light and airy response, holding the cat card in place for a moment longer before he flips back to the cheerful grin. He doesn't have any intention of dying. It's not impossible, but that desire does make him all the more cautious. He wonders if these kids realize how little time is spent in their youth, and that every last one of them will be an ugly and rotten adult before long. He supposes not. They don't have that kind of foresight.
Well, not his problem. He sees no reason to agitate the situation when he seems to be getting what he needs to proceed. He shifts the knife to the hand holding the card, freeing his other hand to take the invitation. He flips it over between the front and back to see what's on it. There's the distinct sense that this is what was needed, and he does find himself pleased with the promise that he was invited after all - to some bloody wedding no doubt.
It should be interesting. ]
But hey, you've been real helpful, kid, but unless you've got any more words of advice I gotta get going. Can't get off track.
[ Should he be so considerate in a dream? It's not like it's a real person. Then again, there's no sense in rocking the boat just to do so. He looks back to the school, taking a step in that direction. ]
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the scenery before them is a beautiful sunset in the horizon, their unkept hair obscuring curious eyes as the sun slowly sinks beneath the world. laughter is a beautiful think, chuckles, chortles and cackles at their own imagination that the world is flat, and the sun sinks into the sea where it cools down and comes up to become the pure moon right after, and they all chime together in hysterics as if lunatics— even innocent foolish children will grow up in the face of pain, until their thoughts and beliefs are the same as their doubts.
they can't say they've ever heard anything outside of laughter, and so the praise is identified as an entirely different tune— adults fear, their knees knock together in a comedic show of their fragility. this one, however, petite frame aside on their hips, feminine make-up which admits to how easy it could be to harm him, and surprisingly so; the kid is praised.
the child jumps once, then jumps twice, and the third jump causes the figure to disappear into a smoke of shadows, wisps that form into the void-like background of fire and despair, and the only remain of the child is this stray piece of paper in ranger's grasp. the beginning of the text is easy to read, come naturally to him until the end of it which hides a specific title: "ultimate ▒▓▒▓▒▓▒". having the card allows him entrance, and the loud slam of doors close behind him, and the gust of wind blows against ranger's back, the world's final goodbye, and encouragement as he finds himself locked within the walls of an unfamiliar place; a simple school, and a school symbol printed repetitive on the walls; even when ranger closes his eyes, it appears.
down the hall, as bright as the sun, is a door that he can walk directly too if he continues going, a straight shot, hung up on a wall nearby is a small monitor, just low enough that it comes down to ranger's chest if he so chooses to walk towards it—
there's white noise coming from the machine. )
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It shouldn't be like that, but it is. The child bounces once, twice, and third time marks the end of her part in this play. It's well enough, as he seems to have agitated her. That too comes so naturally to him that it barely registers, though the world itself makes him sick to look at. There's an apprehension to it, the same unease that follows him in the void, but now with the nagging sensation that there's no way out save seeing this story to its conclusion.
He turns his attention to the paper in his hand, the obscured half tearing at his mind in a way that few things can as he repeatedly tries to process it. It takes him some effort to pull his attention forward once more. What it says matters, but the entry it's granted him matters far more. It comes as no surprise when stepping inside of the building is followed by the door snapping shut, but the symbol draws some interest. It's the same emblem that was engraved on Komaeda's ring - the one he threw away, the one that Amami had entrusted him to see back to its original owner. Just a school ring, just a symbol painted on walls, and somehow far more than that.
Down the hallway he goes, and he might think to begin by checking any doors along the way if not for the way that the monitor catches his eye. Such details are rarely an accident, and so he decides to inspect that first. He hears what might be static, meaningless noise that fills the ears, and he leans left and right, then steps back to lean forward slightly to put himself more at level to see if he can make out anything of interest about it. ]
3/3 — sara
remind yourself, this is a dream, and soon you will awaken.
every step, she finds that it becomes harder to breathe, she realizes that the sky above her is clouded red, and the clouds are a murky black. her lungs burn, another step, she'll realize that maybe her throat is starting to be squeezed shut. she shouldn't take any quick breaths, because every inhale makes it even harder to breathe.
she can't run back because there's nothing but darkness behind her, but if she looks forward, and looks up, she'll notice something standing tall from the ground, reaching into the sky.
will she go forward, or will she stop moving knowing she only has so many breaths left? )
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She's not sure what she expected when she stumbled into the woods after Komeada but it wasn't...this. The haze around her coats her lungs and fogs her mind. She's become recently reacquainted with pain due to...certain people withholding painkillers but even this is on another level.
The tower raising up above her seems like the only shelter. Sara doesn't even think, she ignores the burning in her lungs to bolt towards it. Where is a door? If she can get inside, she can get out of this toxic air. ]
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searching for komaeda will be difficult when it's like he's disappeared into the murky darkness. and her only solace will be reaching the building in time, but will she make it?
her throat becomes tighter and tighter, there's a despairing feeling, this need to just fall and give up— allow everything to overtake her as the air fills up her senses. there's a low growling behind her, a black paw coming from out the trees, and a red glow to give her the feeling that something is watching.
she'll want to keep moving, because as soon as she reaches the building; she finds that the door has been torn off, and there's nothing standing in her way. she can't look back, because it sounds like whatever has found her is right there, so glow she can feel breathing— if she decides to look, that's it: game over.
but she makes it as she rushes in flawlessly without even tripping or getting cut, and as an award: she can breathe! it's very, very, very clean air; crisp, like the air they sell at those rich establishments, so this air will feel so different to her, maybe. the tasteful air won't be able to ease up the tension as she hears something crash into a wall, mechanical parts clinking together, and if she looks behind her... she'll see half a bear's torso walking to the left of the door.
it seems it cannot get in.
there's a faint blue glow from the inside once she catches her bearings, and if she looks towards the left, she'll see fish tanks set against each other with a light inside— they're swimming happily, it's like someone has fed them, because they come in all shapes and sizes.
in front of one tank is a small stand, there's a familiar hacking gun, and a book that waits for an owner.
there's a large trashcan by a flight of steps, and it reads 1F indicating she's on the first floor.
...
she can investigate, if she'd like, but it's too dark to make out what's all inside aside from there being steps, fish tanks lined up in the wall, a trashcan, and a table with items. )
3/4 — subaru
...
slowly, slowly, through the deep, deep forest subaru will find himself walking without direction, but a bell tolls, telling him that if he doesn't hurry, he'll be late. the trees slowly begin to part, and he's no longer in the thick of it, as he finds that the sun shines brighter. it's almost enough that it blinds his eyes, but if he quickly looks away, breaking away from blurred vision; he'll find that his clothes are now different. a brown attire which appears to be a uniform of a school that he doesn't know, but all he does know is that he has to move before the gates shut.
the black bars are slowly closing, and subaru has a feeling that if he doesn't make it in then... )
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the school is large, imposing, and nowhere subaru feels he deserves to be. definitely knows he doesn't belong. but he approached it anyway, slipping his hands in his pockets and feeling all together suffocating in the uniform. his tie is loose, his shirt is too, jacket unbuttoned, and yet it's all too constricting.]
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"we'll get in trouble if we don't make it to class!"
"hehehe! my girlfriend is in the reserve course, so i don't mind skipping out!"
"it's best to anyway with exams today... if we don't pass, they'll kick us out of hope's peak..."
"god! i can't! they'll pay for everything if i graduate! aaaah..."
the conversation between the students grow louder, but then they grow lighter as the students begin to disperse. the numbers dropping as they dip out into the courtyard, and some of them going into the main building as they hold their head down in shame. there's a poster sitting on a bench nearby that says exams will be in the auditorium, and that every ultimate should do their best!
as for the reserve course, their exams will be taken by paper, and to not be late.
it seems the latter isn't really cared about here.
aside from that, subaru will see someone familiar walk by— that mess of white hair, a confident smile on his face dressed in the academy uniform, and a black bag strapped to his shoulder as he walks to the entrance of the school. )
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should suit him just fine, since he doesn't need to be someone famous (he could never be he's nothing special) or known too much (except there's power in a name and subaru can't deny the reactions people gave him when he showed up on their turf with others, carving out their own space on the streets) but the sight of someone familiar draws his thoughts away, head perking up and feet following before he can stop.
he has to ask him to return the bed, at some point. but right now there's safety in familiarity, and he steps quicker to try and catch up. so maddy went to a school like this...]
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the inside of the school is filled with students, others who are too busy stuck in their notes, and others who are juggling knives, knitting items at someone's request, or even a young girl whistling to tell everyone to get to class because she's the hall monitor, and by her title, she'll make sure every student returns where they have to be. )
...
( the youth looks towards subaru, and there's a small smile. )
Hm! Is there anything I can help you with?
( he sounds nice, not really bothered that he's made his way behind. )
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...
not being recognized, which dampens him a bit, but he thinks, it's a dream, it's a dream, the voice mentioned something like that. a dream...? a dream.]
Sure~. I'm a li'l lost, I dunno where I'm supposed to be. Mind if I tag along?
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( it's strange to him, staring at the other slightly confused by his words. )
You're part of Class 7▓-▓ aren't you? There's no need to hang around me.
( the words leave off his lips fine aside from the errors, the white noise that plays. it's like those words don't exist, but maybe they do and they're long forgotten. )
You all passed your exams with flying colors, but we haven't taken ours yet... ( his hands hold onto the strap of the bag tightly, and trimmed nails dig into the fabric as he looks at subaru. ) I don't want the class to let down our juniors!
dreamscape sometime after... chaos...
Faintly, impossibly, music plays from nowhere to pinpoint.
Behind Komaeda, a set of footsteps approaches. They're hurried, scampering across the ground. Almost beside him, they stop abruptly, punctuated with a sharp cry to accompany the sound of someone stumbling, a series of thumps. An apple rolls a ways from the bag it escaped, stopping its journey when it bumps against Komaeda's shoe.
The culprit to blame for the commotion, a blue-haired child, kneels where he landed, surrounded by his scattered groceries. A moment passes; the boy's hand reaches for the apple. ]
STOPPPP IT WASNT THAT..... BAD
he responds with the world in kind, accepting it like a norm, and naturalizing it as though it was nothing different. attentive to his surroundings, he knows every area could be a point of interest, but there's going to be something off, the red button to start the process. komaeda won't know how large it is, or how much it'll encompass in his eyes, but it'll be small enough to pull a reaction from him.
they keys remain on his mind while digging further into his pockets that doesn't seem to end, he feels something hit his shoe mixed with the steps of someone in a hurry. the red button, or a ruby red apple that's close enough for him to grab until he notices a small hand, and then a familiar shade of blue. )
Was I in your way? ...Sorry about that.
( this world lacks ultimates, but the idea of glorifying himself is a terrifying thought, and so he tries to adjust as best as he can. that, and the other side of his conversation is a child, so komaeda thinks he can tone down the status quo. enough that he's also reaching forward to grab the apple first, his thumb brushing against it as he holds it out. )
I'll be mindful next time.
looks at the new divorces
[ Clambering to his feet to follow the apple, the boy stretches both hands out, cupping them around the piece of fruit. The movement is careful, as if he expects it to break; he lets Komaeda choose when to let go. Though he doesn't snatch the apple away, he isn't meeting Komaeda's eyes, head bowed. ]
No, my shoelaces... It wasn't your fault.
[ It's the truth: one shoe's laces must have come undone, a tripping hazard. Finally, the boy's visible eye peers up at Komaeda. When he tips his head back, it's with a smile, something all warm fondness and trust. Of course Komaeda could never be in the way!
No matter what, this is a good day, and tomorrow will be another. That's how it should be. ]
Reko would say that it's because I'm clumsy, so it's all right...! You can laugh, too. Oh, but... did you lose your key? I'll let you in first— Or... the doorbell?
[ One hand points at the door until it begins to rummage for the boy's own key as his eyes widen. Success! He sighs in relief, shoulders slumping, before he unlocks the door, pushing it open. Beyond it, the apartment's interior is less ordinary than its nondescript exterior: it's colorfully decorated, practically wallpapered with band posters and the like.
The music grows distinct, notes played on piano keys to carry through the walls. ]
We're home!
are you divorcing me too alice DO U HATE KOMAEDA TOO!!!!!
it was always a magnificent sight at the time.
...
this is different, it's almost comforting. he hopes that his luck doesn't work here.
aside from that, there's something pure, and innocent that stands out to him. he's never heard the name before when speaking with him, or maybe there was nothing said or done to bring up the conversation. did he have to do something embarrassing for him to mention her? or is that person not as important, he'll bank on the latter. blinking twice as the child gets to his feet and pulls out a key, and right after he unlocks the door. he stands up, turning around as he looks at a younger alice, following behind him, and looking down to his shoes to see if they're still untied. )
"We're"? Was someone with you?
( he glances around the room he walks into, and even looks behind him so that the door doesn't shut as the piano plays while searching for the missing piece. )
NO it's komaeda adoption time
One would think that Komaeda had just told him a particularly funny joke. ]
I saw him right there! I can still hear him... Wait—
[ Ducking back outside, Alice fetches the grocery bags, returning with them clutched in his arms. So as not to drop them all over again, he sets them down first to free his hands for his shoes to remove and place aside neatly.
Then he can play just a bit, right? He makes a show of glancing around himself, even behind an umbrella stand. ]
Where did he go? He's too tall to disappear!
when he wakes up with wide eyes like alice you're a komaeda now I adopted u
komaeda pauses as he watches him go back and forth, and once his shoes are off— the ultimate cants his head to one side. )
Where did he go...
( who is he? why did they disappear, what causes them to disappear. he peeks outside the door himself, listening for another voice that's outside their own. he walks down the steps, looks left, and then right, making sure there's no more grocery as he crosses his arms.
he turns back around to look at the youth he knows. )
What did he look like? ( it's a dream, so... ) Maybe they're already inside, we should check.
( it's time check... can alice hear him? see him? who is the boogey ghost. )
the next fairy godmother tier?!
Mm, maybe we'll find him soon! He has long hair that looks fluffy. His eyes are green like... um... jade?
[ Alice nods, satisfied with the comparison. Who could the missing person be?! And with that, the front door shut behind them, he leads the way into the apartment proper, closer and closer to the source of the piano playing.
Apart from Komaeda himself, no one in the home fits the stated description — certainly not the apron-clad woman who leans past the door frame to an adjoining room, waving at them with a cheery grin. "Oh, Komaeda-kun! Make yourself at home. Alice, wash your hands and come help me in the kitchen, would you?"
She doesn't see the longing look that Alice casts down the hallway, where the music grows louder. ]
sighs as I add it in, please alice unlock it soon
one familiar in someone's like that would be one of ranger's many participants. he thinks of the man in the frame which he's had limited contact with for awhile now, he looks to alice before looking up to the woman that calls his name. )
Sorry, sorry... I didn't mean to stand out so badly that you had to offer me such kind words.
( by making himself at home is such a scary request, and so he takes it to be her pity, and that way as long as he doesn't accept her generosity... his luck will stay at bay, or so he hopes.
the expression isn't missed by komaeda as he follows alice's gaze, and over to the apron-wearing woman. )
I'll help. ( he takes his place instead, but he needs time to see where the music is coming from. ) Can we have ten minutes?
( he looks to alice with the expression of he wants to come along too! )
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His mother brushes his hair out of his eyes, tucking a lock of it behind his ear as her smile returns. "Really, you're the kind one, Komaeda-kun," the woman says, and it's clear that her words are sincere. "You're as good as a brother to Alice and Reko. Go on, then, have fifteen minutes!"
Fifteen precious minutes to enjoy to the fullest! A few doors down, behind one to open, their destination awaits. Though the music surrounds them like a summer breeze drifting from room to room, it flows from one point of origin: small fingers dancing effortlessly across black and white keys, the little girl seated in one corner seems aglow, reminiscent of light filtering through a stained glass window.
Her demeanor is anything but serene, quickly rivaling her wild dark hair when she leaps to her feet, pumping a triumphant fist in the air. "Gotta keep that one—" She notices her visitors then, and the grin she flashes them is toothy like her mother's. "Hey, bro, Nagito. You here to stand around or play?" ]
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when they're given an extra five minutes, he instead gives a clap of his hands that they've been rewarded. it's easier to accept this than something like family, it always sets him back a few steps, but he has it in him to play the role properly. he has before, and he has with keigo for awhile, but that's as a father. to play someone's sibling is unknown to him because he's never done it with certainty like he would do as someone's parents.
clapping his hands together, he gives a small nod to the mother as he follows behind alice down the corridor where music plays from side to side. he tries to place the melody, if it's chopin, or another famous composer, but if not that, he'll come to the idea that it's something being played from the heart. that's how kaede has always mentioned that's where her music came from. playing from the fingers are meaningless when it doesn't strictly come from the heart, and with every tap of a key, it's just like the beat of one's heart. every skip, every hesitance, it all shows in the music that they play.
this one though sounds like it's filled with life, and once the song comes to a close, and a voice speaks up— it's not familiar to him personally, but for the sake of the dream, he's probably meant to hear this many times. )
Piano six hands!!
( all of them, it's a question as he looks the female over like he's thinking her question over, and not trying to familiarize himself with her appearance. he tilts his head to the side like a curious puppy as he looks to alice before walking over to reko, and then sits on the seat in front of the piano. )
We only have fifteen minutes... what song can we play in that amount of time?
( he looks between the two with a curious look as he's excited for what their answers may be, but maybe that could be why he seems like the ideal brother in that regard. attentive, always listening to their wants and desires, and it's because he could learn something from this.
it's a dream, but... these are the important parts of life, right? what the mind remembers. )
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Pink-cheeked and pouting, Alice nonetheless perks up as soon as his sister tugs him back over to the seat, where she steers him onto it next to Komaeda. That leaves a space for her to sit down on Komaeda's other side. Despite her teasing, she looks pleased, brimming with energy. Alice reflects the same contentment in turn, though it's with a sort of reverence, fingertips brushing delicately against a couple of piano keys as though he's afraid that they're made of glass, sure to crack and break if he handles them wrong. ]
Any song would be fun...! [ Together, like this. It's wonderful, isn't it? It's the start of a dream come true. ] Weren't you composing one just now, Reko?
[ He peeks through his hair, hopeful, looking from Komaeda to Reko and back. Fifteen minutes — it's probably only fourteen now, or thirteen. Their mother won't scold them if they don't report for kitchen duty right away as promised, at least, especially with Komaeda here. ]
Maybe we could even come up with lyrics... We have three people, so that's enough for a band!
[ "Huh. You mean this one?" As before, Reko's hands flit across the keys, now confined to a smaller third of the instrument. Even so, the melody continues seamlessly, heartbeats in a lively sequence, until it slows to transform into something different, hushed and mournful. ]
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what if he gives mary anne a nightmare?
or perhaps it can turn on it's own as he hears something about a band, which makes him turn to alice with wide eyes like he's heard something shocking. )
Who would do the vocals? You...?
( he looks towards reko as her fingers play along the keys — she seems strong, straightforward and to the point. at such a young age, it makes him just as curious as to what sort of person she grows up to be, and with the music still lively, he turns to look at alice taking in his expression. someone so fragile as glass, simple and tender, and sensitive to such little things grows up to become the person that he knows? experiences that people go through helps mold them to who they are. )
Or you...? Or...
( as the moon sets, and the tides in her music change, komaeda's voice is lost at see as he can't finish his own question as the melody becomes more somber. it's like how the wind blows, breathes between the trees, and gives a light whistle that makes you think someone is there, the hand of a ghost on one's shoulder, and unknown words spoken into a person's ear though they can't hear.
slowly his eyes fall down to the youth's fingers, watching her arrangement, and once he's able to find his words. )
What do you call that piece? ( his next words come out steadier, like he's going to speak for him and alice. ) All bands need a staple.
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Someday, they'll make music side by side.
Komaeda likes it, too, doesn't he?
The siblings answer together, even as Reko's fingers move tirelessly, but their mouths form silent words, the shape of something lost to time, until Reko's lips quirk into another smile. "Samurai Onna! Cool, huh?" She lifts one small hand from the keys, index finger and pinky raised like horns. "Think you two can keep up now?"
On his side of the seat, Alice stirs like someone caught in a daydream, returning from far away. He blinks, lashes wet. His fingers curl into his palms. Unlike his sister's confident declarations, his murmured remark clashes with the moment's warmth, nonsense in this room. ]
It's a requiem...
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while he could answer both of them, komaeda first nods to reko that they could keep up, and thankfully for his memory; he can remember majority of her finger movements. he's not like kaede who is the ultimate pianist for a reason, but due to komaeda's upbringing, he knows the keys well enough. he'd be able to replicate this song if he's given enough time, and so he reaches for alice's hands first to place onto the piano instead.
alice is like glass in this stage, and komaeda plays as the light. it's how he acts outside, that the light goes through the glass, and comes out different on the other side. what komaeda does will effect how the other perceives him now, or even later, and his fingers press alice's small digits against the keys, right on tune with what reko would have done before— four hands is more than enough, there's no need to add his two to the mix. )
A requiem is an act or token of remembrance.
( he waits for alice to get used to the keys he should play, and if one hand goes off the specific path, komaeda allows it to do so. )
Towards the deceased.
( dare he turn his head to look towards a younger reko, sickly green wanting to know her thoughts since her enthusiasm doesn't compare to alice's. turning to stare behind him down the hall, he makes sure that their mother isn't calling for any of them before facing the piano properly again. )
What makes it one...?
( though he looks at neither of them, he's too busy listening to what makes the answer. )
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[ "Alice being a dramatic dumbass makes it one!" Reko interjects, but behind her frown, even her spirits turn subdued, and her small form flickers like an image fading from view. "Nobody's dead!"
Reko is right. It was a ridiculous thing to say.
Whatever possessed Alice to prompt his contribution is silenced while Komaeda guides his hands across the piano keys — they've accomplished piano six hands, in a way, soaring to heights that seemed out of reach. Instead of an explanation, he breathes out a gasp of wonderment, and it's enough, here and now, that they're playing Reko's song together, the three of them. It's such a memorable moment, so his heart won't forget the order of these notes, the placement of his fingers.
While it lasts, it sounds exactly as it should. ]
Don't leave...
[ The plea could be meant for Reko or Komaeda, or both of them. ]
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( something is terrifying about that to alice isn't it, the fact that he's saying this to them both, but not telling them who it's for. to komaeda, he knows he's not going anywhere when his luck protects him as so, making sure that even the worst conditions are nothing to him, and keeps him safe. pain, death, suffering. his body knows the latter, but the former and middle hardly linger on his body, not even enough to place an unpleasant cold chill over him. his body is already cold, it's teetering towards death as they speak, but he's still here.
...
the girl beside him, however, she's not with them in yogen, and he's never met her, let alone heard of her. her appearance is new when they met, but he acts as if they've known each other forever— they have to in a dream, because anything out of the ordinary means someone will notice, that it'll break down on the inside. this world that alice has built for them where he, and reko and komaeda are able to coexist for a moment. )
There's no need for that, we can obviously fix it Yabusame-san... what if we made a promise that we aren't going anywhere?
( then it doesn't have to be a requiem.
there's no dead bodies here, but he's more concerned about the female next to him than himself. )
If we do go somewhere... we'll just be asleep, and then we'll just have to wake up. How about that?
( he looks to alice curious if that's a good compromise. ) That way we aren't gone if our eyes are closed.
3/15, school store
Which is also fine. But if a friend wanted to come but didn't want to be around people... why leave them out? The point wasn't to have a party, anyway. The point was to share games with people. That's what her favorite thing really is. (In a manner of speaking.)
After classes the following day, Nanami steals the Game Club's N64 and a handful of games, cramming them into her bag and running down to the School Store, to catch him before his shift ends. ]
Komaeda-kun! [ She calls his name as she approaches - she didn't miss him before the shift changeover, did she? ] Do you have a television?
[ She's doing this but she will avoid dragging the Game Club's down three flights of stairs if she can help it. ]
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the box hits the ground without a crash, and his saving grace happens to be there's newspaper wrapped around the glass that kept it safe, or that's the ultimate luck showing. without stubbing his toe by dropping it, he looks behind him to see her, and there's a worried smile on his face before he manages to make a more convincing one. he doesn't believe that being around him at the moment is her best choice, but how does he convey that without looking like he needs help because he's dropping whatever he touches. )
N-Nanami-san! Hm... I don't believe we have anything like that to sell, but there's just one to use.
( his words are a bit apologetic at best, the way he lifts one hand to scratch the back of his neck slowly showing that he's bothered by the fact he's probably failed her. if she needs a tv to purchase, there's definitely a way to avoid that. )
Hm... Hiyori-kun works a little later, if you come back during that time, I'm sure he can have someone from his club make you one.
( shin's club, not komaeda's, and both nanami and shin are roommates so... she could just ask him when she returns to her room, but maybe she was hoping they'd sell something. )
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No no, that's perfect! Ah... [ She digs into her bag and shows him the borrowed console and games. ] Let's play a game together! But I can help you first if there's things you need to do...!
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( a game isn't what he's sure of, now cleaning up is on his mind instead. it's not like he can say no, but he doesn't want to say yes either knowing he shouldn't take up her time. )
Why here? Wouldn't it be best in the respective club, they have a whole room dedicated to it.
( he does sit down the box to look over at her properly, and that's because she doesn't have to work hard either. )
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[ To be fair, she doesn't know where he'd be more comfortable playing... but she hasn't seen him frequent the Game Club. Still, she rocks uncertainly on the balls of her feet as she stands and talks to him. ]
Wherever is fine... I just wanted to play a game with you... if that's alright, Komaeda-kun.
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( with that said, it immediately hits him with why she probably does — punishment because he didn't go, he thinks. anyone playing a game would have fun, but for him, it can be the exact opposite where she beats him over and over for not even bringing a present or anything. )
...I'm sure there's better people to play with! Ah, you can call it punishment if you need to, ahaha... I must have disappointed you.
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[ She shakes her head and smiles at him, hopefully reassuringly. ] I just like playing games and sharing them with ... with my friends.
[ She stuttered because that's a moniker that Komaeda would likely insist he is not. So now she presses in. ] Which includes you!! It's something I like doing, so... let's do it!
[ And she remembers -- when she plays against Komaeda, especially in luck-based games, it's actually sort of a toss-up who'll win. She smiles a little. ] You're really good at some of them too, so it'll be fun, I think!
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( ultimates are so kind to people who hardly deserve it, and that's what makes everything harder to reject. with a sigh, komaeda's organic hand rests on his hip as eyes fall downcast towards the ground, staring at the various color arrangements of the wood beneath them. )
Are you sure? There really are other people best suited for this, like... Chidouin-san! But an Ultimate like yourself would never lose to her.
( but sara does have pretty decent hope, too, so... )