R1 DEADLAND

[lockdownmods]

[it’s strange, for the people who were already dead, the shift in scenery is sudden and complete. For those who have just arrived? It’s like you’re back where you left?

How strange.

But if you ever need her, you can always reach out to the guardian of this place.]

LOCATIONS
Note: locations lag a week behind the living counterparts

Comments

[preconstruction]

It always helps me relax, when I’m feeling upset.

[ he won’t directly point out that she sent all of that, not in front of everyone, but it should be obvious to her from his statement. ]

[throwabookatit]

[ Feeling a little more confident, now that she doesn't have to sift through her own memories, she straightens her shoulders and takes his hand. ]

Lay it on me.

[throwabookatit]

Huh...? O-oh!!

[ Immediately, she tries to withdraw. ]

C-Connor, I'm sorry, I- I didn't mean to- no one should see that, I knew- I knew it was a bad idea for me to try this--

[foo_bar]

[IF HIS CODE CAN HANDLE IT???]

I will definitely need his help.

[he finally looks over at Hank.]

But he already fixed me yesterday.

[foo_bar]

No, I just-- you know.

Fuck that guy. [he says emphatically]

It wasn't your fault. Don't apologize like it was.

[devotingly]

Ugh.

[ waver groans, dragging his hands down his face at the mere thought of having been killed for such a stupid motive. ]

And now we’re... damn it, I don’t know. I’ve got no idea what to do now.

[devotingly]

[ waver holds back whatever smartass comment he has, though he certainly looks nervous about whatever connor’s going to show him.

but... he trusts him, if just a little, so he’ll place his hand in connor’s ]

[devotingly]

Thanks.

[ he’s obviously suspicious of her, considering that he’s never met her before in the school, but he’ll... try to keep that to himself for now. ]

I think... this is just a lot to take in. Too much.

[photomode]

That's understandable.

[she studies him]

... Would you rather talk to the people you know?

[12d3]

[After having Waver yell at him for a little while, 2-D returns to going to do... something. He can't remember now, but it doesn't matter much because it doesn't take long for him to run across Mitarai. And when he sees him, part of him wants to go find Waver again and report his sightings but... well, he's kind of interested in Mitarai's side. Not because he's been a murderer and understands what he's went through to an extent, but it's always better to listen to both sides of one story before throwing judgement, he thinks. And he remembers Mitarai crying during his trial and later execution, and saying something about talent being wasted...

He slowly approaches Mitarai, his (now) blue eyes staring with apprehension more than anything else.]

...are you alright?

[devotingly]

Traumatic? That wasn’t traumatic... it was pathetic!

[ no, the weight of his death hasn’t fully settled on his shoulders. not how he tried to fight off mitarai or how he had to struggle back to his room, aware that he was dying. that his only consolation was that he was able to die close to something that belonged to his most important person.

the one who told him not once, but twice, to live for him. ]

I’m... I’m so fucking pathetic. No wonder I died like that.

[throwabookatit]

Waver Velvet, you are a lot of things, but you are not pathetic.

[ Rebecca shakes her head and takes a step closer. Don't move him, go to him. To hold him. ]

[starswink]

[He did NOT have time to reach the chairs!! Yoosung had only just started to think "full name again?" before Mitarai shot up from his seat, startling him out of it. He raises his hands, not sure what he'll have to do - block him from running past him? But Mitarai is fast, and that he would be running toward him was the last thing he expected. He's caught in an embrace before he can understand what's going on. Mitarai is crying his heart out onto him, and Yoosung's hands are still hovering awkwardly at his sides. As his jaw hangs open, he asks himself a serious question. Is it possible that I have amnesia?

But then the specific apology comes, and it's... about this, this thing that Yoosung never understood in the first place, could never have it explained to him. Even so, do these words mean he really was thinking all along about this unfulfilled pledge he made to him, a total stranger? What could have been so important... that Mitarai, who was supposed to have seen hundreds of bodies, would grieve the loss of it so much? To Yoosung, it seems so unbelievably gentle... He's still really confused, but he hesitantly moves his hands to steady his quivering shoulders. All he can think of to say, is:]

Why...?

[It's not eloquent at all. But he's so lost. Why does Mitarai do anything that he does?]

[lovedanime]

[A lot of feelings are surging through Mitarai, truly complex reasoning implemented into the simulation, and he's barely capable of verbal expression any less simple than the physical expression he's chosen, this desire for human closeness. He didn't reach him with anime, and he should have reached him like a normal person, the way Yoosung tried to do through the board too... And he's doing it right now, breathing in close quarters, offering his hands that just make Mitarai hope for physical reassurance even more.

Mitarai has reached him now but for the worst reason possible, getting executed after murdering someone. He really doesn't want to get into that even just mentally, and he's set on continuing to embrace, but he clearly has to answer this question somehow, and therefore he lifts up his face from the shoulder so they can look at each other reasonably.]

Well...

[It's not so broad he can't answer, but he's not giving many clues to refine the answer to his tastes. Is Yoosung... Surprised that he's even sorry? This seems like a decent enough jumping off point.]

At the trial, everyone thought I hated you and wanted to kill you. Terra talked things out with me... And I... I realized I should have listened to you and worked together with you... Not left us both alone... All along, I was supposed to...

[This is where the sobs have thoroughly overtaken his voice, because reality is starting to catch up with Mitarai. Repeatedly he thought that Kim-kun would never approve of murder. Max and Terra, the mutual friends who impressed this welcoming view of Yoosung into his mind, both soundly struck him at this trial. He may have finally reached Yoosung with his arms, but at a moment's notice his mind could be turned against Mitarai. Maybe it's even inevitable like the reactions to the motives. Still, he has to be honest in the time he has - it's the first person he's ever wanted to hold onto - so he gets his chin up and looks into Yoosung's eyes all the more striking against unpainted skin.]

Be your friend!!!

[lovedanime]

[Mitarai looks up at 2-D and adjusts to his presence slowly. At first the change in eyes leads him to stare for one thing. He's also not sure that the man actually knows what happened, and he's tempted to deceive him even though Waver is obviously here to make long term deception impractical. But most of all... Mitarai had a very specific image of 2-D as the deafened musician in the tightening noose of the administration. That case was the lynchpin of his theory. And virtually everyone rejected his theory as disrespectful even to the culprits for being too black and white, presumably including people who had known 2-D much more than Mitarai ever did. Going by statistics, it also seems guaranteed 2-D will be very disappointed in Mitarai's recent actions.

At the same time... What does he have to risk by shutting him out? Like Mitarai always thought, 2-D appears to be a kind person.]

I'm pretty much fine. How are you?

[Perhaps fine is an unusual description of someone who took a good thirty seconds to actually answer.]

[12d3]

[Honestly, if he knew the extent of what Mitarai had done, he would be disappointed as much as he's disappointed in himself for what he'd done to Maya. But he'd be a hypocrite if he treated Mitarai the same as others had, so he's not really here to beat him down. Plus he.. yeah, really doesn't know the full extent of what happened.]

Me? Well, I'm alright. Better today than yesterday, but I'm worried about how I'll feel tomorrow.

[The musician walks over to take a seat in a nearby chair, crossing one of his legs over the other.]

You, uh... did somethin' to Waver, didn't you? He was yelling at everyone, askin' if they'd seen you and he looked hopping mad.

[starswink]

Mitarai...

[That's all he can react with at first. Yoosung honestly is really surprised by this. He'd never seen himself as anyone to Mitarai but an opponent, someone he wanted to prove a point to. It makes him emotional that Terra would try to reach out and change his mind about him.... he's still looking out for him even in death. Now that's a friend.

As for being friends with Mitarai... he can see how this means a lot to him. Yoosung understands how painful it is to die with regrets. Even now, his failures form the fear that forces him forward to places he has never belonged in for the chance to do them over, right this time. He feels like he gets it... but it doesn't feel right, to be such a source of guilt for someone he barely knows. It feels strange, in this moment, where he knows that Mitarai is here because he just died. Why isn't he focusing on himself? There must be some heartbreaking reason.

Yoosung moves his arms to wrap around his back and actually hold him. It really doesn't feel like this should be him. But if Mitarai formed a bond with Terra, he's sure this is what Terra would want.]

It's okay. You don't have to worry about that right now. Just... calm down, all right?

Needles m

[lovedanime]

Um...

[Mitarai is put at ease by the musician's amicable and whimsical manner. The question is a question, though, and he feels a little bad that he can't help but answer in a tone like 2-D asked him for directions to the store to get milk.]

Yes, I murdered him.

[He just sits there in silence for a moment.]

I attacked him with a syringe I'd filled with different poisons for days. I also planted gloves on the scene hoping to frame someone larger than me. I had an altruistic reason, though it wasn't received well at all! I mean, I knew people would feel that way, or else I wouldn't have tried to frame someone... But that just shows how thoroughly I betrayed the group.

Waver Velvet-san really has the right to hate me for as long as this simulation continues to run... As painful as that is for me.

[12d3]

[Ah.

Ah..

That's. That's a bit much to just take in honestly, and by the way 2-D's eyebrows raise and his eyes widen it's pretty obvious how striking it was to hear that. He did know about the murder part but the way he did it -- and how he seems so calm about talking about it -- just... it's unsettling. And he sits up a little bit straighter, clearing his throat before speaking.]

What... what does "altruistic" mean?

[That's what ends up coming out of his mouth without really thinking, because he's not sure how to actually approach all of... That. So let's start somewhere easy.]

[starswink]

[Well, at least if Yoosung goes through with something on this level, Mishima can consider this an extra incentive to excel in his sharpshooting lessons.

To a point he's approaching this with the mindset that he's willing to sacrifice himself, if not wholly then merely a portion of his humanity, for the sake of those he wants to defend. Of all of them, though, Yuuki is number one. Hearing him express the same sentiment back at him, he feels a pang of guilt intermingled with a rush of warmth that makes him turn his face away for a moment.]

I... I understand.

[Well, at any rate, if Mishima's right about this... losing the gamble would mean he wouldn't be able to be there for him anymore. With that in mind, he really should have been considering his options more carefully. It's lucky his co-guildmaster has a good head on his shoulders - when it comes to keeping him in check, at least.]

[devotingly]

[ his chest rises and falls quickly as waver tries his damn best to keep himself from crying. the last thing he wants is to cry in front of someone— that vulnerability is something he doesn’t want to show again and yet...

and yet rebecca hugs him. she hugs him and assures him that he is not nearly as pathetic as he thinks he is. the same way so many people have done, but waver has refused to believe due to his own stubbornness.

but now, in this weak state, he can’t do anything but accept the words of comfort. burying his face in rebecca’s shoulder, waver sobs, uncaring of how ugly it sounds in his own ears. ]

I couldn’t— I couldn’t— My promise—

hall

[supportrole]

[ Mishima was just happily heading back to his room with a leftover piece of purple cake. Stepping off of the elevator to angry yelling is not what he expected. (Although maybe he really should have; it is Saturday, after all.) ]

Oh, shit--

[ As he instinctively jumps back, he has to scramble to keep the fork from falling off the plate. ]

I-- Who??

[lovedanime]

...

[Mitarai isn't sure what to make of this. It's honestly disarming to encounter the gaps in 2-D's common knowledge again. You know what, he feels a sudden rush of guilt about the time he wrote down in his notes that 2-D clearly did not know much about some things like stabbing people. When the others speculated about the intelligence of someone who would set up a cocktail of poisons, it was not very fun for Mitarai.]

Basically, a good reason. I thought... I could save lots and lots of other people's lives. I know that may seem totally backwards, but it's true. It was still totally wrong to wrap Waver-san into that, though. He was unwilling... Everyone was... I lied through my teeth to everyone for my plan......

[His voice has pitched up a little. Discomfort. It was easy to rattle off the facts of the case after the trial where they were discussed, manner of fact, so many times, but this more abstract acknowledgement of his pathetic, cowardly, utterly antisocial approach makes him feel more uncomfortable.]

[12d3]

[bold of you to assume 2-D knows anything about anything

Hearing that has the blue haired man settle back in his chair a little bit, his eyes squinting at him. Not from suspicion, but because well. It was kind of funny, honestly. Mitarai killed someone because of something seemingly selfless, and 2-D murdered someone because of the exact opposite. Yet 2-D seemed.... more sorry for what he'd done, compared to this cool composure Mitarai was sort of keeping. Maybe he's just assuming, though. Murdoc constantly hid underneath a horrid, awful persona but he's suffering in his own way underneath there too.

At least, that's what 2-D thinks to make everything he's done seem okay.]

...were you gonna tell everyone about your plan after someone else got executed in your place?

[donotlick]

[ Hank smiles. The memory is bright—things are happy. He's in a pretty nice looking pet store, puppies lined up around him. Hank is weak to dogs, always has been, but he's especially excited for this one.

Cole is gonna love this, he thinks to himself. Sure, Cole is just barely able to walk, but if he's lonely what could be better than a pet? Hank, who looks pretty different from how he does now, if you manage to catch his reflection, bends down and goes over each and every breed they have. Pomeranians, poodles, retrievers... he briefly considers a beagle until he spots the most adorable puppy he's seen in his while life: a Saint Bernard.

That one. That one for sure. What's his name? He asks the shop attendant, who shakes her head like the name is stupid. "Sumo," she says.

Sumo. Hank smiles. Cole is gonna flip. ]