Don't have an account yet? 
Forum Thread
Danganronpa Roleplay [PRIVATE]
Forum-Index → Roleplay → Private RP → Danganronpa Roleplay [PRIVATE]
Posted: Wed, 22/02/2023 19:43 (1 Year ago)
Kubo Atsushi
"Stab them? Stab them- Of course I stabbed them!"
Kubo marvelled at the way Setsuna gripped his hair. That had to hurt- but from the wild look in his eyes, you could tell he didn't feel a thing.
"WE WERE GOING TO DIE, YOU BASTARDS! I had to save everyone- I had to save Mei and Sutaraitsu and- and-"
Oh, he'd stopped. Shaking again.
"I just- I just wanted to protect everyone important to me. Mei wasn't supposed to be there... she was supposed to be sleeping in her dorm, but- but-" His vizor was shiny Was he crying? "I didn't... want to hurt her. I never wanted anyone hurt... I swear."
Setsuna slumped down on the table. He could hear his sobs. Definitely crying.
Kubo put his gloves back on again. There didn't seem to be need of them.
"Why the hell you wanna protect Mei, anyway?" Miyako muttered. She was standing there- facing away from Setsuna, her hands shoved in her pockets. "She would've stabbed you if she got the chance. You stabbed her."
Kubo turned back to Setsuna. Things had just gotten interesting. He had an idea of what might make them more.
And thus, he played his trump card. "In addition, Setsuna... you also tried to frame her."
Setsuna's head snapped up. "What?" He sounded bewildered.
Miyako Hiroto
Ugh, Setsuna- this kid was, quite frankly, pissing her off. If you stabbed someone, you stabbed someone. There was no morality to be found within immorality- you hurt someone because you wanted to hurt someone, not for a noble cause.
People tried to justify their crimes. Some blamed the victim. Some said they had to to protect someone else. Maybe they thought he would go on to hurt somebody, or she would seduce their boyfriend.
But at its heart, pain was dealt for pain.
Setsuna didn't hurt someone because he wanted to help people- he wanted to lose something inside him that was long broken. Something that made him think hurting people was okay. And yet he still tried to justify it. That long drawn out spiel of pleas and begs-
That was why Miyako couldn't forgive him.
Because on top of being a murderer, he was a liar.
He wasn't naive- he played at it, but he was experienced. He knew how to stab, he knew how to frame.
He's as innocent as I am.
Miko's face flickered at the edges of her vision. She closed her eyes and willed the hallucination to vanish.
As innocent as a killer can be.
Posted: Wed, 22/02/2023 20:06 (1 Year ago)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"WE WERE GOING TO DIE, YOU BASTARDS! I had to save everyone- I had to save Mei and Sutaraitsu and- and-"
...Sorry Setsuna.
She couldn't even look at them shaking, screaming out of pure hysteria, that wild look in their eyes. She had to force herself to look up. She had to force herself to breathe.
She looked Setsuna dead in the eyes, her blank face somehow coated in an emotion it did not know.
"I just- I just wanted to protect everyone important to me. Mei wasn't supposed to be there... she was supposed to be sleeping in her dorm, but- but- I didn't... want to hurt her. I never wanted anyone hurt... I swear."
...Important to him. Didn't want to hurt anyone.
Sorry, Setsuna.
She took a deep breath and sighed, looking over at Kubo.
"In addition, Setsuna... you also tried to frame her."
...
"In addition, Setsuna... you also tried to frame her."
...Sorry, Setsuna.
And all she could do was sit there.
"Why the hell you wanna protect Mei, anyway? She would've stabbed you if she got the chance. You stabbed her."
Yeah, Setsuna, why?
Why?
See, Mei? No matter how hard you try, can't get everyone to hate you! Can't get everyone to wish you were dead! Guess you have to try harder~
...Why?
Why couldn't these people see it? Why couldn't they just want her dead already? It... It made things more interesting, right? Made things more... Fun? Right? She bloomed in the acid that fell from the sky, and withered in the clear blue water, that's how she always wanted it. Acid always killed everyone else, and she would be left standing alone. Standing proud in a field of rotten flowers. Standing in a graveyard of those too weak to survive.
...So...
Why?
Akari
...Why?
Setsuna
. . . Why?
Lucian
. . . Why...?
Idris
. . . Why . . . ?
Setsuna
. . . Why . . . ?
I'm so sorry. . .
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
...Sutaraitsu?
Akari looked over at the pink-haired boy who had just recently failed to get into a chair. He had been sleeping most of the time, hadn't he?
He was worried, not just about them, but for everyone involved.
...But Mei?
Someone like Setsuna cared about Mei?
Akari couldn't wrap his head around it. He looked over to her and froze upon seeing the condition she was in. Why wasn't she laughing? Why wasn't she mocking everyone? Why wasn't she agreeing with Miyako?
...The hell?
He sighed and looked back to the floor again, knowing any input he gave would be useless. The whole "framing" think Kubo pointed out was a shocker, though.
how does one write akari
Posted: Wed, 22/02/2023 20:16 (1 Year ago)
Lucian Arbred's POV
Setsuna… the awkward boy in the glasses, who was so willing to have himself voted rather than have someone else meaninglessly die. Who had unexpectedly struck the first blow, and stabbed two people. Saying that he didn't want anyone else to die.
"Luke, you know what I wanna be when I grow up?"
"What, Kathryn?"
"I want to be a doctor! I'm gonna save so many people, Luke! And then… no one else will have to…"
A sad look came over her face. And as Lucian looked in admiration up at his older sister… he couldn't help but think about… how much he wanted to be like that.
He wanted to be someone who could help and comfort people. Who could save them, even at the cost of his own life.
But… the life of a therapist was far more peaceful than some occupations dealing with that. Lucian's whole life, he had been trapped in an environment of chaos, uncertainty, and torment. He wanted to help other people out of their own hells.
But he wanted to be in… a safer, more stable place to do that. Where you invited people to sit down for a chat and a cup of tea. Where no one asked you what your story was.
Because Lucian didn't want to tell them the answer. He didn't want them to know the whole story of what his family was like.
The truth of why they moved around so often. The truth of why he suffered so much in his lifetime, and the truth of why all his loved ones, lived every day, risking their lives.
And as Lucian saw Setsuna there… he couldn't help but think of himself. "...Miyako. Stop it."
He slowly walked over to Setsuna, and then suddenly threw his arms around him with tears in his eyes.
"...it's not your fault, Setsuna. It's mine! I'm so sorry. If… if you had told me, maybe I could have jumped off the bridge… it could have been me, you all could have gotten away from here…"
His eyes fluttered closed, his knees shaking. "...then everything could have been alright. You… didn't have to do this. It should have been me. I'm so sorry, that I couldn't protect you."
Darcy Harper's POV
But something struck him, as he stood there, petrified into silence. His mouth opening and closing, but letting out nothing but dwindling air.
Setsuna had killed in the name of love.
And what Darcy didn't like…
Was that it was something…
He could relate to.
Sawyer Laurens's POV
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
"Everything is going to be okay."
Posted: Thu, 23/02/2023 18:00 (1 Year ago)
Kubo Atsushi
Lucian was talking to Setsuna. That was fine. Setsuna didn't have a weapon or anything- it was all fine.
So why do I want to stab that murderous bastard?
"You put her on the right wing of the ship," Kubo said calmly. "Then you fused the dorm door- you wanted to frame her, and you did so by tying her directly to the crime scene."
He narrowed his eyes at him. There was only one thing he didn't understand- but he could figure that out later.
Setsuna threw his arms around Lucian at that moment.
Kubo went rigid. White-hot fury clouded his vision- his hand twitched futilely for the gun he no longer carried on his hip.
"I'm so sorry, Mei," Setsuna sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Futatabi- I- I-"
"Puhuhuhu~ I guess that means we're ready for voting time then? Ah, the sobs of the Blackened- I haven't had this since Hisogay! I really thought we'd need more homo for it to happen. I guess loser single people can produce the same results!"
Yes, Kubo thought, glaring at Monokuma. I suppose so. Now get on with it.
Posted: Thu, 23/02/2023 18:49 (1 Year ago)
Lucian Arbred's POV
Enough tears, enough people begging, pleading for their lives. But the bullet released, and the gun let out it's merciless, bone-chilling BANG.
Lucian would always drop a gun. He'd never let anyone get killed. He didn't want anyone to hurt. And he saw someone hurting here... Someone pleading for his life.
Kubo explained how Setsuna had framed Mei.
...
It was a horrible thing to do. In that moment, however, Lucian couldn't care less. He didn't want another person to die.
What could he possibly say to save this doomed man?
Lucian was once again reminded of the embrace of his sister. The way that Kathy shook, the way she sputtered out, "I-I-I'm scared... Lucian... Please... Don't go... Don't leave me alone..."
And how he had thrown his arms around her, and promised, "...I won't."
Setsuna was going to die. It was going to be horrific, painful. Undeserved. And there was nothing Lucian could do about that in this cruel, cruel game. This cruel, twisted, sadistic game they were all trapped in. That played upon everyone's hearts like a toy. Like a musical instrument.
Even Mei's... Mei, who seemed to be shocked into silence. Maybe it was her injuries. Maybe it was that. Lucian wasn't sure...
But he knew, there was only one way, that he could comfort Setsuna.
And it might not have even been enough.
Lucian was the Ultimate Therapist. He was Charon, he was the farer of people. And then, of spirits, to the afterlife. To help them to let go of their grudges, of their negative feelings. To help them to move past their fears. To save them from themselves... And in some cases, someone was already doomed. But you just comforted them anyway, with all the love and feeling in your heart.
You told them everything they needed to hear, to make the journey a little less painful.
And that was what Lucian Arbred did.
"...it's okay, Setsuna. It's okay," he whispered to him, patting him gently on the back. "...I forgive you. We... All forgive you. And we'll never forget you. I'm so sorry... Just... Know this. You won't die in vain. We'll all do our best to overcome every challenge that we face, for you. Okay...? You won't die in vain. I forgive you. ...I forgive you, even if no one else does. I forgive you."
Darcy Harper's POV
Was God seeking to punish them all? Was He not really here?
Or maybe, a voice inside Darcy's mind whispered, God is seeking to punish me. For what I did. ...please, God. Don't drag these other people into this, even if they aren't practicers of your preaching. Of your holy teachings...
Tears stirred in Darcy's eyes, as he uttered a hopeless prayer, for God to stop this. For God to please save them all. If Darcy had done anything right in his life, he pleaded, not for his own life, but for everyone here.
"I DON'T CARE IF I GO TO HELL! JUST NOT ANYONE HERE! DON'T LET THEM SUFFER!" he shouted. His hands flew to his mouth, as he accidentally uttered the words aloud. He turned to Monokuma, his eyes empty.
"...yes. I- suppose we're ready to vote."
Sawyer Laurens's POV
What fun, wasn't this? It was so much fun. So, so, so much fun! Because what else could it be?
Well, it was... Certainly not...
That was so strange. Why was there a gap there?
What was it that they were thinking of?
Sawyer Laurens looked around the room, and it took them a moment to even remember all these strange and peculiar faces. Shadows crept up in their vision, and blackened blood splattered beneath their...
...blackened blood?
What was blood?
No, it was ink. Of course it was ink. Squids were fun.
What else could it be?
Space. The final frontier.
...
No, everything... Everything was a blur.
Who were these people? What were... They all doing here?
...a... Killing Game. Dream. Right. Like Hunger Games, or Battle Royale.
That was it. That was what this was, wasn't it?
There was something blurry beneath the... Sand...
Sandpaper. Glass.
What?
Why weren't the puppets dancing?
Dancing... Puppets. Funny.
Where had they seen...
Oh. The mannequin!!
Jumping rope...
...
Right, that was...
Setsuna, over there. Was that his name?
Sawyer wasn't sure if they could remember correctly anymore.
There was this blurry... Presence. No, voice.
...a bear.
A robotic bear.
Vote?
Vote for what?...
The president?
No. The execution.
Salem witch trials, huh?
"Sure! I guess we should vote. Who... Couldn't float?"
Setsuna? He was getting all the attention. Was he the witch?
Harry Potter...
Sawyer missed Harry Potter.
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
"Everything is going to be okay."
Posted: Thu, 23/02/2023 19:21 (1 Year ago)
Kubo Atsushi
"W-What?" Setsuna didn't move out of Lucian's grip, but Kubo had the feeling he was trying to look at him. "What are you talking about-? I didn't try and frame Mei..."
"Then why did you leave her alive?" he questioned. "You could've pushed Mei, like you pushed Futatabi off, if you wanted to cover your loose ends. The only reason to let her live was to throw shade off yourself."
"I didn't push Futatabi!" Setsuna protested. "She must've fallen on her own! I left as soon as I could!"
"Impossible." Kubo shook his head. "The streak of blood you can see in the bridge room- it implicates that she was pushed. She didn't roll, or there'd be clean spots."
"I didn't push her! Why would I lie about that at this point?"
Kubo's fists clenched. "Go to hell, Setsuna." He stared at the kid as he spoke. "Monokuma, you know my vote."
Setsuna faltered, finally falling out of Lucian's grip. Something about him seemed so vulnerable at that moment. As if, for a second, he was innocent.
Like hell. Kubo turned from him.
Posted: Thu, 23/02/2023 19:32 (1 Year ago)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Mei watched everything go down, sighing before giving a sad smile and tilting her head. It was all so...
Odd.
Sorry Setsuna.
...So, it was voting time, huh? Vote for the killer, the blackened, the one who killed Futatabi. She took a deep breath.
It was no longer hard to breathe.
She smiled, her sad expression somehow... relieved.
"He's telling the truth, y'know." She announced, raising her voice so everyone could hear. She took another deep breath, then looked over at Setsuna.
"Sorry, Setsuna. I forgive you. I just hope you can forgive me."
She looked over at Idris, but couldn't find the words to say. She tried to open her mouth to apologize to him as well, but she couldn't. It hurt so. much.
I'm so sorry Idris...
"He didn't push her off. I'm surprised you didn't catch it, Kubo." She spat, but she didn't seem bitter.
The silence was suffocating. It hurt. But she could breathe.
"So, is it finally coming together? You wanna know who did it?"
She pulled the lever and it flicked to her little icon. She voted for herself.
"I bet you can figure it out."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
idk
Posted: Thu, 23/02/2023 19:52 (1 Year ago)
Lucian Arbred's POV
Setsuna pushed her. Setsuna didn't push her.
It blurred, it all blurred...
But Mei seemed so serious, and Kubo... So insistent.
He didn't want to argue with the person he loved.
He heard Mei, Mei of all people... Tell Setsuna she forgave him.
"I believe you, Setsuna," he choked out. "...but in the end, it doesn't matter if he's lying or not. We're probably all going to die here anyway."
With shaking hands, Lucian couldn't bring himself to vote for Setsuna Jun. He knew he had to. But...
...
There was only one person that he could possibly vote for.
Himself.
"...regardless of the truth of the matter, it's not Setsuna's fault. It's mine. Because if I had jumped... Futatabi would still be alive. Setsuna could still survive. All it would have costed was my PATHETIC, WORTHLESS LIFE!"
Lucian almost craved the gun at this point. "IT'S NOT HIS FAULT! IT'S MINE!" he shouted angrily, fighting to keep the tears out of his voice. "I'M THE MONSTER HERE! BECAUSE I COULDN'T SAVE- A SINGLE- GODDAMN..." He huffed, gasping for breath.
"...person."
Lucian didn't care about the definitive truth anymore.
He just didn't want anyone else to die.
...
But just as Lucian was about to vote for himself, he heard Mei's words. He... He saw her... Vote for herself.
"...M-Mei? What are you... Implying? Did... Were... You the killer?" he whispered, in complete and utter shock. "How?! Why?"
Darcy Harper's POV
He grimaced as he...
As he--
Wait.
"Mei?! What are you... Saying? What are you voting for... Yourself... For?"
His eyes widened. "Wh-wh..."
Did... Did she...
No, she... Couldn't have, could she?
Sawyer Laurens's POV
...
But it seemed like the truth, was there. At the back of their mind.
In those little crevices you couldn't quite reach.
There was something there, but you reached and...
Nothing?
Why did the rainbows have no end to them?
Sawyer blinked. There was... A thing. A thing near them. A thingy, with funny photos. What was... Up with that?
...
What was... Going on?
...Setsuna was not the witch. What was the witch? What did the witch do?
Mei was the witch? Who was... Mei?
Why is it so hard for me to remember... Anything?
"Will somebody please tell me what's going on?" Sawyer asked, with a confused tilt of their head. "Who... Are you people? What am I doing here? I feel like I know you all, but..."
But... But what? Who? What...
WHAT WAS GOING ON?!!
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
"Everything is going to be okay."
Posted: Fri, 24/02/2023 19:46 (1 Year ago)
Title: Shi
Posted: Fri, 24/02/2023 20:00 (1 Year ago)
Miyako Hiroto
"Yeah." Miyako gave her hand a squeeze. "I'm just fine." She continued to stare at Mei- unable to comprehend what she'd just said. What she'd revealed-
It was nothing like what Miyako had thought. If it wasn't Setsuna, then...
"Shi," she whispered. "Take me away from this place. Get me out of here- I have to go. Please." She buried her face in Shi's chest. "I- tell me it's going to be all right, at the very least."
That the ringing in my ears will stop. That Mei and Setsuna and Futatabi all deserved it. That I'm better than them- enough to only hear this and not my own blood squelching, knife going through my chest-
With a trembling hand, she felt for her own heart. She couldn't find it. She fancied there was nothing there- and never had been.
Kubo Atsushi
Kubo tried to say "what?" but nothing came out. His lungs had frozen in his chest. Frost was creeping up his neck- making it's way to his throat, wrapping around, cutting all air off from him.
"What?" he got out. "The hell you talking about, Mei?"
"Puhuhuhuhu~ A plot twist! This is what your donations go to, kids! Fantastic twists and turns and beartiful moments of realisation as the characters find out they suck at this investigating thing! I absolutely love it when this happens!"
The bear was grinning. Kubo couldn't smile- couldn't even think.
"But the suit- it couldn't be you because the suit was bloody and yours was too, and-" His mind spun. "Oh- oh shit. Setsuna. Right. You both were there. So..."
"Mei...?" Setsuna breathed. Kubo'd almost forgot he was there. "What do you mean? Of course I killed her. Of course I-" His voice broke off. "Did you... why...?"
Posted: Fri, 24/02/2023 20:23 (1 Year ago)
"No...no....nononononoNO-" Idris yelled.
Not like this. It wasn't meant to be like this. Not now. Not ever.
This is all some weird dream, right? Things will get better when I wake up...right?
Right?
This is all some...weird joke. Twisted. It's not real.
"...mei...why...please-" He whispered.
"I bet you can figure it out."
I don't want to figure it out.
"...why..." Was all he could whisper.
Not Mei. Anyone but Mei. Please. Please. Please.
He glanced at Mei.
Why?
Why did you have to kill-? Why did you have to do this? Things were going so well, we could've escaped this place, if you just waited a little and had a little faith in me. Why didn't you see that?"
He shuffled over to Mei.
At first, he said nothing.
Then, he whispered-
"...things could've been different, Mei. We could've gotten out of here. I don't understand why you killed, and I never will. I just-" He sighed.
"If there's an afterlife or something, heck, if hell exists, save me a spot there, alright? Just hope the execution isn't too bloody. Or extremely, if that's something you're into." He joked but his voice was hollow and his eyes were watering.
He shuffled a little closer. "I never told you but-" Idris whispered something to Mei. "...yeah. Explains a lot, right? Means things would've been different, I'm sorry. You can't change the past, can you?"
I wish I could.
His arms opened a little.
"For good luck? Y'know, with the execution and all that?"
He didn't care how much it hurt.
It was the least he could do.
Posted: Fri, 24/02/2023 21:57 (1 Year ago)
ılı.lıllılıı.ıllı
↳ currently playing ;;
[ Dearly Beloved ]
[ Yoko Shimomura ]
1:15 ———•——————— 4:20
↺ << ll >> ⋮≡
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: ——•——
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
She looked over to Kubo and smirked, trying to put on a provoking look. "Kinda disappointed, y'know? Would've been much better if you guys just figured it out, honestly..." She groaned and sighed, shrugging as she shook her head.
It hurt so much, but she had to keep doing this. She couldn't snap now.
She couldn't look at him now.
Just keep it up Mei, you won't have to for much longer.
"But oh well, guess you dumbasses needed to be hand-fed the answer like the babies you are..." She chuckled a bit, but it sounded hollow. A cough was let out afterwards, she was obviously struggling with her injuries.
"Yeah, I did it, surprised? Thought Kubo of all people would see what I did, but I guess not." She muttered, shrugging again.
She looked over at Lucian, at Darcy, at Sawyer, at Miyako, at Setsuna, then back at Kubo.
She did it for a reason.
...But Kubo didn't figure it out for a reason.
She wondered why.
It was obvious, no?
...Must be because she was involved.
Of course an "outsider" wouldn't see it, right?
...Right?
...
"No...no....nononononoNO-"
Her head snapped back up, but she immediately regretted it. Her eyes flew to Idris. She wasn't supposed to look at him. She wasn't supposed to acknowledge him. It would've made it worse if she did.
...But that makes you selfish, doesn't it?
Idris.
Her body began to shake, her breathing got worse. Her head started racing but she couldn't reach for a single tangible thought.
No no no no no... Not now... Not now, Mei, you can't snap now...
"...mei...why...please-"
"...Sorry, Idris." She whispered back, looking at him with eyes she so desperately wanted to cry with. There was so much pain and regret in her eyes, but they were too empty to even shed a single tear.
You can't break now, Mei.
"...things could've been different, Mei. We could've gotten out of here. I don't understand why you killed, and I never will. I just-"
Goddammit.
"...I know, Idris, I know... I- I'm sorry... I-... I didn't know... I don't know why I-..."
She couldn't think straight, she didn't even know how to react. She wasn't in control anymore, she couldn't do anything.
"...It's funny... I- I could've just... Let Setsuna do it... He would've been cast to the dogs instead, but..."
"...F**k I-... I'm sorry..."
She said that to Idris's face, but it sounded like it was directed to everyone.
"I- I'm a hypocrite, I know, but... It's for the better, isn't it...? I... I got attached, and... I couldn't let that happen, I'm sorry... " Her voice seemed to be breaking up, but not because of tears that didn't exist.
"...Y-You don't deserve this... I-... I'm so sorry..."
She turned away from Idris for a brief moment, facing the rest of the podiums. She tried to clear her throat to hopefully speak normally again, but the effort was futile.
"You guys are better off without me, you all know that, right? Don't make the same mistake I did, don't feel bad for me, I got what I deserved in the end. It was aaaaallll gonna come back to bite me at some point, I accepted that a long time ago." She didn't know where she was going with this, she wasn't in control anymore, she couldn't think straight.
"If there's an afterlife or something, heck, if hell exists, save me a spot there, alright? Just hope the execution isn't too bloody. Or extremely, if that's something you're into."
She turned to face him again, a broken smile plastered on her face. Her eyes still couldn't produce a single tear. It was agonizing, but she couldn't.
"...You have my word, Idris." Was all she could say. She didn't want to say what she was thinking.
"An executioner deserves the worst punishment of all.
A fate worse than death."
She looked at him with broken eyes, a broken smile, as he offered his arms. She sat there for a moment, doing nothing, trying so hard to stop herself.
But she wasn't in control anymore.
She couldn't stop herself as she fell into him, closing her eyes and holding back sobs that weren't even there.
It was getting hard to breathe again.
"I never told you but-"
. . .
"...yeah. Explains a lot, right? Means things would've been different, I'm sorry. You can't change the past, can you?"
...But Mei couldn't say anything. It was too hard to breathe. What Idris just told her...
...Interesting.
Guess she'd take it to the grave.
There was something she wanted to tell him too, but she had faith he would figure it out.
...
Can't change the past...
She wished she could. Maybe then her father would be alive. Maybe then she would never be here. Maybe then the desperate man could still be alive, able to see his daughter grow up. Maybe then she couldn't have been Mei.
"For good luck? Y'know, with the execution and all that?"
"..."
"Thank you..."
"Thank you so much..."
"Idris..."
She didn't want to let go, she wanted it all to happen here. She almost wanted to beg Monokuma to just end her right here, but she knew that bastard wouldn't. Even if he did, she didn't want Idris to go through that.
"I-... I don't want to... I don't want to leave but I-..."
Stop it, Mei. Hold it together. You knew this was coming. You wanted this to happen. Don't start trying to go back now. You know you deserve this, you know this is the present fate had hiding for you under the tree. It's Christmas now, let the red snow fall in a sea of all the bodies you walked upon, let the lights on the bloody tree sparkle in your wide eyes. Mom and dad said they won't be home today, so go ahead. Open your gifts, Mei. Make some hot cocoa out of all the brains you spilled, wrap up in the blanket covered in blood as you sit in front of the fire that engulfed everything you ever knew.
She pulled away and swallowed a lump in her throat, then began to pull something out of her pocket.
It was an opened pocket knife. The blade was dull. It looked handmade, old, heavily used.
One with her name engraved on it, one with a piece of paper jammed in the handle.
Rairakku
It oddly looked like the piece of paper given to them at the motives pool.
She handed it over. She gave Idris the knife she so dearly kept close to her.
"...For... good luck. Someone..."
...Who was it, Mei?
Who engraved those words, who gave you this knife?
"Someone... important gave this to me. Take good care of it, alright?" She whispered, before getting closer once again and leaning into his ear.
"...You better win alright? Don't do anything stupid, just... Win."
"For me."
"...Can you do that? ...Please?"
She bit her lip and took a deep breath.
"I don't care if you're somehow involved in all this, I just... I want you to win. Please... Don't do anything dumb..."
She pulled away once again and smiled, walking away and looking at everyone else. She struggled to do so, given her injuries, but she managed to do it.
"My words probably don't mean anything, but... Don't be so hard on yourselves, alright? Stop doing stupid s**t, stop saying stupid s**t and just... Use the time you have left wisely, got it? You sure as hell don't have a lot of it."
She looked Lucian dead in the eyes. "Hey, dumbass. Shut up and quit your blabbering, you wouldn't be a "hero" if you jumped, you'd just be another useless dead body. Stop being such a wimp, alright?"
She looked at Darcy, then at Sawyer. "That goes for you too."
Sorry for what I said back there, Darcy.
But her mouth ran dry. She couldn't say it. So instead she looked at Sawyer. A weight seemed to drop in her stomach. Something was clearly wrong with them. She shouldn't feel bad, she didn't even know why she was saying anything at all.
"You guys better not do anything dumb, but I guess that's not saying much when that's the only thing that's been happening, huh?" She chuckled, but she immediately stopped.
"...Sorry. Sawyer I-"
Her throat went dry again. She groaned.
"F**k..."
"Kubo? I might hate your guts, but everyone else here seems... Fine with you. Don't let em down, alright?"
She looked over at Miyako and Shi and chuckled. "Hope things go well. Gonna miss you, Miyako~" She said, half-jokingly.
She looked over at Solaro and Akora. "Thanks Akora." She said simply.
She looked at everyone else, unable to find the words for all of them. She didn't even bother with Saeko, they'd probably laugh their ass off. She didn't care. Oh whatever. Last one left was Akari.
She threw something at him, and he caught it, staring at it quizzically. "...How did you-"
"S'pose I should return the favor. Thanks for fixing me up back there, even if you did a s**tty job." She chuckled a bit, shrugging. "Chin up, Akari. Stop being such a baby, you're not as bad as you think you are."
She sighed and shrugged once again, laughing a little too.
"Oh whatever, I've never been good at this BS. Well..."
She looked over at Idris and smiled.
She shed a single tear.
"See you guys at graduation. I'll be missin' you."
She sighed with a shaky breath, barely able to keep herself standing. If she took another step, she'd just collapse.
"...Well, Monokuma? Guess that's your cue. I would apologize for keepin' you waiting with all this sappy BS, but nah, a bastard like you don't deserve it." She smirked, glaring at the bear with pure hatred in her eyes. She was pissed that she couldn't do more, but she couldn't change it now.
"At least in return you could give me a good execution, a'ight? Better not be boring, I'm countin' on you~"
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
might edit stuff in
Posted: Sat, 25/02/2023 01:21 (1 Year ago)
Title: Shi
empty promises, empty promises
Posted: Sat, 25/02/2023 07:00 (1 Year ago)
Lucian Arbred's POV
…
No. No. No.
He barely heard Kubo's theorizing. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe–
Mei had done it. She HAD done it. And how? Why?
"Kinda disappointed, y'know? Would've been much better if you guys just figured it out, honestly..."
Lucian swallowed. Why was she confessing? She could have… gotten away with it. Unless… that wasn't the kind of person she was. Unless, it wasn't her aim.
Disappointed, because it was all a game. Or Mei told herself it was all a game.
Sometimes, people did that. People told themselves whatever they needed to believe to keep going. People did whatever it took to keep going.
And as Lucian heard Sawyer's delirious confusion, as he thought of Idris and his self-destructive habits, as he thought of Darcy's hopeless prayers for God, as he looked at Miyako, clinging to Shi, as though she were a lifeline…
And of himself, who saw so much hope and so much potential and so much light in all these people, even in Mei… as she was confessing to this murder.
…
"Kaoru," the name slowly formed and left Lucian's lips, the tears he hadn't realized he had falling off the edge of his face.
She had clung. She had clung to HIM, she had clung to her faith, and maybe she had had that same hope. That things could be better.
…
Setsuna, Setsuna had hoped that he could sacrifice himself, and save everyone here.
Everyone had hopes. Everyone had those hopes in their hearts that they clung to.
Because without those… what the hell did you have?
"But oh well, guess you dumbasses needed to be hand-fed the answer like the babies you are..."
Lucian stiffened. As someone who was so immature in nature, she was one to talk about calling people babies.
Still… he couldn't dwell on a single thought of anger in that moment. Not a puff of it. After all… she was confessing. She was saving them all from their mistake. The question was… why?
"Yeah, I did it, surprised? Thought Kubo of all people would see what I did, but I guess not."
. . .
Lucian found himself gazing over at Kubo, and then his eyes flickering away. "...to be honest, I… thought so too. He has been good so far at guiding us to the truth."
And I have a sort of unnatural faith in you… and in all of us. Why…? Why have I been so…
…
Have I been blind? Or…
Lucian saw Idris, the hurt in his eyes. In his words. The croaking, the cracking, the sobbing…
A certain sadness overcame him. He was immediately reminded of him with Kaoru…
"Lucian… I don't hate you. I just think you're a fool."
…
"...come back," he whispered, pinching lightly at his arms. "...please, come back."
"...sorry, Idris."
…
"...I know, Idris, I know... I- I'm sorry... I-... I didn't know... I don't know why I-..."
"...It's funny... I- I could've just... Let Setsuna do it... He would've been cast to the dogs instead, but..."
"...F**k I-... I'm sorry..."
A realization occured to Lucian. Had… Mei intended… to protect Setsuna?
…oh god.
"I- I'm a hypocrite, I know, but... It's for the better, isn't it...? I... I got attached, and... I couldn't let that happen, I'm sorry... "
"...Y-You don't deserve this... I-... I'm so sorry..."
…
"You guys are better off without me, you all know that, right? Don't make the same mistake I did, don't feel bad for me, I got what I deserved in the end. It was aaaaallll gonna come back to bite me at some point, I accepted that a long time ago."
Lucian shook his head. "...no. NO. Absolutely not," he choked out, his voice cracking. "...we won't be. We… won't…"
He inhaled sharply. "No matter what you did… you didn't deserve this. You didn't. You really didn't… b…"
He was about to say "because", but the word didn't quite leave his mouth.
Because… what?
Because no one deserves this?
Yeah, right… like Mei needed to hear that. The sort of implication that that had was that Mei WAS that horrible of a person.
"...you don't deserve this. You really don't."
"If there's an afterlife or something, heck, if hell exists, save me a spot there, alright? Just hope the execution isn't too bloody. Or extremely, if that's something you're into."
Lucian, under any other circumstance, would have been almost amused by Idris Kallikrates's words. But if there was an afterlife… Lucian didn't want Mei to go there.
How could he explain it? He couldn't. He just cared for her. That was all there was to it…
Such were the mysteries of the human heart.
You couldn't explain it, maybe it was a presence you grew used to.
Like a familiar, comforting melody.
Like a particular star, shining brightly.
Mei may have been Mei, but maybe that was it. She was her. And he couldn't help but care for her.
(Anyway, Dorky was too lazy to quote the rest of Mei and Idris's conversation.)
Lucian watched the heartfelt exchange between Mei and Idris, feeling an ache in his own heart as though he were in their situation himself. He did not know the nature of their relationship, whether they were close friends, or perhaps lovers, but in the moment, it really didn't matter.
They held each other in high regard, with deep love and incredible care.
He couldn't help but wonder what they had said and exchanged.
…and he couldn't help but wonder, if… that had been him and…
Lucian blushed. Oh, god, he didn't want to right now. And the very thought… was unthinkable. And it petrified him to his very core.
He would not want to be either of them. Not the one holding the bloody knife, nor the one having to live with the death of the one closest to them.
And he knew, in his heart, that it was an impossibility to hope that he would ever, ever be that close to Kubo Atsushi.
…and frankly? He really almost didn't care right now. Mei…
Mei was going to die…
He almost didn't hear what she had to say next.
But he would never forget those words, or the look on her face. It would haunt him until the day he died.
"Hey, dumbass. Shut up and quit your blabbering, you wouldn't be a "hero" if you jumped, you'd just be another useless dead body. Stop being such a wimp, alright?"
"I-"
His first instinct was to sputter out an indignant response. This instinct was immediately smothered, however, as it always was, because Lucian Arbred…
Lucian Arbred… did not matter.
In the long run, the Ultimate Therapist was just a life. Not even a life. Not of any significance or real importance.
But Mei… Mei was right.
"...you wouldn't be a "hero" if you jumped, you'd just be another useless dead body. Stop being such a wimp, alright?"
The words echoed in his head.
But he…
"...but I…"
He was already…
"...I'm already…"
Just a useless dead body…
"Just a–"
The last three words didn't form.
A hero…
Lucian didn't want recognition. He didn't desire to be loved and adored and noticed by many. Quite the opposite, actually.
He just wanted to help people, and then scratch himself out of the picture.
Because he loved to see people happy. And, because, Lucian Arbred did not matter. Lucian Arbred was a dead man. Lucian Arbred was a ghost.
"you'd just be another useless dead body."
"...no, no… you're right…"
…
What was he thinking?
Lucian was of more use alive. Alive, and breathing.
If he was dead…
"Stop being such a wimp, alright?"
He had been able to help others because he was alive. Because he had eyes to see them, ears to hear them, a shoulder to offer to cry on. A body that could help him to speak the words that moved them. A mind to figure out those words, and those actions… that would help them.
He was a therapist. Not a dead body.
And if he had jumped… what guarantee was there, that everyone would make it out?
He had to make the most of his life.
For everyone.
I am Lucian Arbred, the Ultimate Therapist. Though I have accepted that I am dead… in a way… I am alive. And I know what I'm going to do now.
"...okay. You're right. …thank you, Mei. For helping me realize the truth."
I'm going to find a way to save everyone. Or… at least, as many people as I can. No matter what it takes.
"That goes for you too."
What did she mean by…?
"You guys better not do anything dumb, but I guess that's not saying much when that's the only thing that's been happening, huh?"
…
Was she referring to everyone? What was… she talking about? The murders?
"...Sorry. Sawyer I-"
…Sorry… for what?
Lucian looked at Sawyer, and all at once he understood. …They were becoming hopelessly lost in their delusions, weren't they?
"Kubo? I might hate your guts, but everyone else here seems... Fine with you. Don't let em down, alright?"
…
Well… that seemed more in line with the Mei Lucian knew.
Right. Seems… "fine" with him. Lucian's heart fluttered, and he couldn't help but laugh quietly. …god… feelings were so weird…
"Hope things go well. Gonna miss you, Miyako~"
Lucian's heart sank, as he looked over at Shi and Miyako clinging to one another.
Was that going to last? Would… they be okay? Would Shi keep her promise?
She doesn't have to. I'll figure something out…
"Thanks Akora."
Lucian wondered what Mei had thanked her for… either he knows and Dorky is a forgetful idiot (as usual), or he doesn't.
"...How did you-"
"S'pose I should return the favor. Thanks for fixing me up back there, even if you did a s**tty job. Chin up, Akari. Stop being such a baby, you're not as bad as you think you are."
He couldn't help but wonder what was going on with that exchange between Mei and Akari. What had Mei handed him?
He thought momentarily, of when he had handed Kaoru the book…
Kaoru… I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you now, okay? Horatia, Futatabi, Mei.
"...it's okay. No one will die. Never again," he told himself. Partially, he felt like he was saying it to everyone else too.
"...no one… will make the same mistake, Mei. It'll be okay."
"Oh whatever, I've never been good at this BS. Well..."
"See you guys at graduation. I'll be missin' you."
Tears stirred in Lucian's eyes. He walked over, and gave her a playful punch in the arm.
(Editor's note: It wasn't a punch, however, as he was scared of affecting her injuries, despite the execution that would soon occur. He merely curled his fingers into a fist, and then tapped Mei on her arm with it. I'm not exactly sure if it's appropriate, or in-character, but I feel like Lucian would do this to say goodbye, as he had hit Mei before and she had accepted his apology for it. So… in short, I guess this is a signature friendly way of saying goodbye that is kinda tied to the two of them in a way?)
"I'll… be missing you, too, Mei. We all will. I think…"
He couldn't resist the urge to hug her.
…
They hadn't… exactly been friends. Really. Or enemies, either.
But Mei definitely meant SOMETHING to Lucian, and…
He didn't want to let her go.
"...hey… I hope they're… not too hard on you. In the Execution Room. I'm sorry. But– Mei? I promise… I'll try my best to follow your advice. And maybe… we can all figure out a way out of this game. So nothing like this has to happen again."
He inhaled sharply, and slowly let go of her and backed away.
"...Well, Monokuma? Guess that's your cue. I would apologize for keepin' you waiting with all this sappy BS, but nah, a bastard like you don't deserve it."
"At least in return you could give me a good execution, a'ight? Better not be boring, I'm countin' on you~"
…
Lucian grimaced, as he too awaited Monokuma's answer. What was it going to be?...
Darcy Harper's POV
Was this… really real?
"Mei?... Mei, I-"
The words wouldn't come out. Everything seemed blurry now.
What could Darcy even say?
He wasn't… even all that surprised.
And yet… he was upset.
Don't get yourself killed, he had told her.
"Heh… why does it not surprise me? You never listen. That's just not you."
She didn't deserve it, Lucian said.
Darcy turned. It all seemed to go by so fast…
Mei's confession. Idris's hugging her and sobbing. Their intimate exchange of words, that brought tears to their eyes.
Will and Erica.
Idris was Mei's Erica.
Except… it wasn't Darcy's fault. But now they were going to be apart.
Forever.
Because someone ruined their life.
Someone who made this damned courtr- game.
She deserved it. Darcy knew she deserved it.
So why did this feel… so horrible?
Like something that no one should put upon anyone?...
"That goes for you too."
…
Right. Quit being such a wimp.
You're supposed to be perfect, Darcy.
He was so sick of hearing that.
Why wouldn't Will go the hell away?
…
"YOU REJECTED ME FIRST. SO GO TAKE YOUR GODDAMN LEAVE!"
…
Darcy panted, clapping his hands to his mouth.
Oh, god, the piano was playing.
WHY DID SHE HAVE TO–
Stop. Not the goddamn piano.
WHY WAS SHE SO GOOD AT IT?
WHY WAS SHE SO GOOD AT EVERYTHING?!
WHY COULDN'T HE–
Darcy wanted to scream, but no sound came out.
Stop it. Stop it. STOP. IT.
Why did… she always have everything?
Darcy wanted to vomit.
And as he looked over at
Could he really say he would miss
"Please… please go away. I don't want to play dress up anymore."
…
"It's never enough. It's never enough."
…
"...can the bells just toll already? I don't quite recall what they were for."
Were they for the funeral, of a wedding I prevented?
Sawyer Laurens's POV
...sorry?
Sorry for what?
Who was…
What was…
Noise. Why was there so much noise?
What did it all mean?
Mei. Mei. Mei. That seemed a repeated noise.
It was all meaningful. It was all meaningless.
A cacophony
Of endless
Sounds.
Sawyer turned. Crying.
Why was there crying?
Why wouldn't it stop?
They blinked. It was all so strange.
Why did the stars cry? What did they have to cry about?
"...I miss her. I miss my mom," Sawyer found themself saying. They did not quite know why.
What happens when a star dies?...
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
"Everything is going to be okay."
Posted: Sat, 25/02/2023 09:05 (1 Year ago)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
It was getting hard to stand. She couldn't keep doing this for much longer. Her limbs were starting to give out, and her cold fingers ached for the knife she had just given away.
She always found comfort in the adrenaline rush, found it easier to stay sane when it clouded her head. If she just had it, if she had just done it... Could she keep standing? The rush of adrenaline would keep her upright, right?
But all she could do was beg herself to keep standing, don't let her weak and vulnerable body collapse under her own weight. She tried her best to take slow, deep breaths, but all that came from it was pain. She didn't get enough rest, even with the treated wounds she was still incredibly weak. It sucked being like this, but there was nothing she could do.
It sucked being like this, but there was nothing she could do.
Well, she was damn right about that.
...
"Kaoru."
Mei slowly turned her head back over to Lucian the best she could, giving a small sigh upon hearing that name again. An almost... Disappointed look fell upon her face, but she didn't say a word.
"...to be honest, I… thought so too. He has been good so far at guiding us to the truth."
She shot a short glare to the idiot in bright blue pigtails, someone who looked straight out of a quirky children's book, before looking back at Lucian. Her momentary hardened expression then softened once again, but the tone she spoke with almost made it seem like she was spitting the words.
"Uh huh... He sure has..."
Maybe you should stop clinging to him like the hopeless little child you are... Always relying on him, making him do everything... Geez...
As much as she hated Kubo, she felt a little bad that those thoughts were directed at Lucian. Well, at least she didn't say it.
"...come back. ...please, come back."
...There he was again, on about Kaoru.
...Kaoru.
Mei never understood it, really. She found it stupid.
But she admittedly felt a little bad, bad enough that she tried to open her mouth to apologize about the crude jokes she made, but...
She couldn't. Probably best she didn't bring it up right now anyways. Lucian was already going through it.
...
"...no. NO. Absolutely not. ...we won't be. We… won't…"
"No matter what you did… you didn't deserve this. You didn't. You really didn't… b…"
"...you don't deserve this. You really don't."
Her gaze softened once again, and she smirked. And she laughed. She laughed as much as she could, which wasn't much. Her laughs didn't even sound like laughter anyways.
"Oh, but you should, Lucian. Everyone should. No need to try and paint me as a good person, trying to mix a color with pure black doesn't end well anyways."
Was she trying to be edgy or something? Acting all cool and quirky by using a phrase like that? Damn, sorry Mei, you're officially a Cringe Character™, if you weren't already.
Her smirk slowly faded into a sad smile, the gleam slowly leaving her eyes, only pain taking its place.
...
I'm tired, mama.
Can you read me a story?
Sing me one of your pretty songs?
They don't like your songs, mama.
But I do.
Can you sing me one?
I'm tired.
So tired, mama.
...
"..."
Her expression darkened, she looked away but she still tried to have a soft demeanor.
"...Don't tell me that. Tell that to everyone else in this room. Tell that to the hundreds who have died by my hand. You have no clue what I deserve, Lucian."
Calm down, Mei.
"...Quit lying to yourself, Lucian, it's just gonna be a pain in the ass in the future. Don't feel bad about it. I'm fine with it, I've lived every day of my life knowing exactly what I deserve. I've accepted it. I'm fine with it."
I'm...
I'm fine with it.
"I-"
"...but I…"
"...I'm already…"
"Just a–"
"..."
"Shut up, Lucian."
She didn't know what to say, and she kinda regretted those words being the ones she spoke, since it was pretty harsh, but she couldn't go back now.
"...no, no… you're right…"
Mei jokingly scoffed and tried to cross her arms, but she found it very hard to do so.
"You doubted me? I'm offended." She tried to smile, give a light-hearted chuckle, something, but she was struggling.
"...okay. You're right. …thank you, Mei. For helping me realize the truth."
...Lucian was using that word a lot lately. Mei didn't like it. She, like many liars, were allergic to that word.
...Truth.
...White hair.
...Clearly not doing alright.
...
Oh my god this guy was just straight-up Nagito.
The horror.
ANYWAYS
"...it's okay. No one will die. Never again."
"...no one… will make the same mistake, Mei. It'll be okay."
Mei shrugged as her expression turned more neutral, acting like those words didn't really impact her.
"...Eh, didn't really have that much faith in you idiots anyways... Oh well, guess you can try. I'm not gettin' my hopes up, but..."
She looked back up at Lucian, tilting her head to the side. "Guess I'll be countin' on you."
Her head was spinning. She couldn't see all that clearly anymore. Her legs were so weak they were numb, she didn't even know how she was still standing.
...
...Huh?
She felt a light tap, and when she focused enough to see the one behind it...
...Lucian?
...Huh.
She smiled and chuckled, giving a weak punch back before her legs gave out. She immediately went to find something to lean on, the fact that such a small movement was enough to knock her like that was frustrating, but she had to deal with it. Just like she had to deal with the fact that she almost collapsed multiple times on her way to the podium she was now putting all her weight on. Thank god she wasn't too far from one, this was still hella embarrassing though.
"I'll… be missing you, too, Mei. We all will. I think…"
Mei jokingly rolled her eyes and scoffed once again, looking over at him with a smile.
"Oh you... better not... Don't be all... sappy on me now... A'ight?"
She sighed before speaking again, hating how much of a struggle it was to keep going.
"Don't...Speak for everyone when you... Know that ain't... True, heh..."
...There was Lucian again. He had walked over to her and given her a hug. Mei tried to recoil at the touch but she couldn't move. Her chest had tightened and her muscles tensed up, but the usual flash of annoyance or hatred didn't come upon her face this time. She simply sat there and held her breath as Lucian wrapped his arms around her, not exactly sure what to do.
Once he let go, she took a deep breath and looked at him, not exactly sure what to do. So instead, she said nothing.
"...hey… I hope they're… not too hard on you. In the Execution Room. I'm sorry. But– Mei? I promise… I'll try my best to follow your advice. And maybe… we can all figure out a way out of this game. So nothing like this has to happen again."
...She paused. Why was everyone so insistent on this? Why didn't they understand that this was exactly what she wanted?
"...Thanks, I guess..."
That was all that she could say.
So nothing like this has to happen again.
...So nothing like this has to happen again, huh?
She smiled.
She smiled, for she knew.
She could finally rest.
...
"Heh… why does it not surprise me? You never listen. That's just not you."
...It was Darcy this time, wasn't it? Things were starting to get muffled, and it wasn't like she could see him anyways in the position she was in.
"Heh... Never did, Darcy... Never did..." She laughed momentarily.
"Please… please go away. I don't want to play dress up anymore."
"...can the bells just toll already? I don't quite recall what they were for."
Mei's smile faded, her face dimming. It wasn't out of hurt or anything, it was more out of worry and disappointment.
"Tell that to... Monokuma, not me..." She grumbled.
...But Mei couldn't hear Sawyer.
Just like she couldn't hear her mother's lullabies.
...
They don't like them, mama.
I couldn't hear you, can you sing it again?
...
But...
...
Mama?
...
What if they come tonight, mama?
I... I can't sleep without a song, mama...
...
I'm scared...
Please don't let them come tonight... Please... I wanna hear your song, mama...
...
Mama?
...Don't leave me...
...
But she could finally rest.
They won't come tonight, Mei. I promise.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
...Mei?
She did it?
But how-
But why-
He looked up at her, confusion was the only thing on his face.
Why did she confess? She could've gotten away with it, right? They were all about to vote Setsuna, they were all about to die, but then...
Why the hell didn't she just stay quiet? The sick bastard she was wanted to get out of here, right? She wanted to kill them all, laugh as she watched them all fall, feeling nothing as it all happened, right? She was heartless, wasn't she?
...So why did she do it?
He watched as Mei and Idris talked, standing silently as so many questions flooded his head.
He still couldn't process it. Setsuna... All the evidence pointed to him, right? And Mei... She was knocked unconscious, how the hell did she drag herself to the other side of the ship if Setsuna didn't even know about what she did? She was obviously injured before she left the bridge room, since she was attacked, so how did she not completely collapse before reaching the room they found her in? It was all so...
He couldn't believe it.
Everything he touched died, some way or another.
You can't save anyone, Akari.
Never have, never will.
And they all died knowing what you did.
You can't escape it, Akari.
Sacrifice all you want, mourn and pray all you want, nothing will save you from it.
He watched as Kubo stared in shock, then finally accepted whatever Mei had said. He watched as Lucian talked with her too, his eyes filled with pain too. He looked over at Miyako and Shi, then Sutaraitsu, then Setsuna.
...Setsuna could've easily been the murderer. With no interference, he could've been the blackened. Someone like Setsuna...
...Really?
...Guess Akari shouldn't be surprised. He knew better than most that nobody was exempt from the possibility of being a killer.
..But Mei stepped in last minute, taking the blame for the kill, leaving her to be the blackened. It was a good plan, it almost worked. She could've been the single student that graduated, the killer who got away scot-free while everyone else perished.
But she confessed. She made sure everyone knew she did it. She saved them all from that fate.
...But why? She acted like she would do everything in her power to mess up the game, killing them all. She acted like she didn't care about anyone, she acted like this was all just a game.
...So why would she do this?
As much as Akari hated her, found her incredibly annoying and dangerous, he couldn't help but to feel... bad.
He looked down at the object Mei had thrown at him, then stuffed it in his pocket.
...Who the hell was she? How could she put on so many different masks like she was?
It all made no sense to him. He still didn't understand her. He wasn't even sure how to react to all of this. He wasn't sure about how he should feel about Mei.
Did he still hate her? Did he have a little respect for her? Did he feel bad for her? Did he pity her?
Akari wasn't sure.
"S'pose I should return the favor. Thanks for fixing me up back there, even if you did a s**tty job."
"Chin up, Akari. Stop being such a baby, you're not as bad as you think you are."
...Mei? Returning favors? This wasn't like her. Especially the part where she was apologizing for her bulls**t and thanking the class. This was not the Mei this game began with.
Was it her injuries messing with her? Was it the oxygen slowly fading away? Was it the fact that she was put into unusual circumstances?
He looked over at Idris. Everything about the two seemed so... genuine. She even warmed up to Lucian, Miyako too.
...Well, he had a sneaking suspicion that the latter was instead a mutual hatred, but whatever.
But now that Mei would suffer a similar fate as Kaoru... He wondered how much it would hurt. Kaoru seemed nice and genuine, everyone seemed to at least tolerate her, so her death meant at least something to everyone, excluding Mei, in this room.
...But Mei? He wouldn't be surprised if half this room was glad that she was gone. Even if she did a complete 180 right before her death.
...Honestly, he was a little mad at himself that he wasn't relieved. He knew she would cause them all agony if she stayed alive, he absolutely hated her, and-
...But did he really?
He took a deep breath and looked at Mei, straight in the eyes. It hurt to do so, but he did.
...Akari didn't hate her, really. If he did, he wouldn't have endured doing that for her. Sure, he could use the excuse that he did it exclusively for Lucian and Idris, since they wanted her alive, but...
He couldn't think about it too much. There wasn't much time left, Mei was going to meet her demise soon.
"Chin up, Akari. Stop being such a baby, you're not as bad as you think you are."
Stop being such a baby.
Goddammit Mei. He glared at her for a moment before sighing, telling himself it wasn't worth it. Wasn't worth getting mad about, wasn't worth thinking about. She may have sounded like everyone in his life at that moment, but he couldn't let it get to him. Not now, not ever. Just brush it off, like you do with everything else.
. . .you're not as bad as you think you are.
He paused, the only thing he could hear was his blood rushing in his ears.
She didn't know anything.
...
"...Cya, Mei."
"Good luck."
He glanced over at Sawyer, who he just now noticed somehow. He had been doing his best to block everything out, ignore all the words and screams and yells coming from everyone
"Sawyer... You ok?"
Posted: Sun, 26/02/2023 21:50 (1 Year ago)
Akora was twitching like she was being tasered, and was scratching at her sleeves unhappily. Mei... thanked her? Akora tried to forget it, but she couldn't help but feel pity for Mei... Why? She felt like her mother would have said something like: "It's because you're nice." And chuckle. Akora disagreed. Because she was pitiful, that's why. A softie.
An overwhelming fear shot into her like a snakes bite injecting poison. Who'd be next? She frowned, and then stiffened. No, no no. It wasn't time to be scared. She felt like the real meaning of this place hadn't already sunk in to her, in a way, but now fear was creeping around her like fog, and she was choking on it.
...
Someone tapped her, and she shied away quickly, before noticing it was Solaro. Frightfully bright orange snapped her out of her cringy-episode and she tried to blink away tears immediately. It wasn't good to imagine anything. She'd live. She'd live for her.
solaro :)
Akora looked deathly pale. Actually, when wasn't she pale? Whatever. Extra pale. She poked her shoulder, and Akora recoiled slightly, but looked at Solaro and began blinking. Weird. Was it because of someone dying? (i'm sorry i legit can't remember)
Huh. Akora wouldn't be fazed by that. After all . . ?
She sighed. Another death. Pity.
Ooh, but she was confused!! Mei or Setsuna?
She stamped on her train of thought, growling. What the h - e double F**K? What in the hell is her PROBLEM, ARAGAHS.
Solaro sighed. Her stupid hyperactive brain liked to imagine she had a friend! As said, such friend was weird. Like she had a bit of Moon with her.
Solaro knew she wasn't real. Maybe. But she liked to talk!! Lots of people call Solaro annoying b'cuz she likes to talk. Alot.
Stop narrating my life.
Nah, don't think I will.
I roleplay, my main characters are Solaro Makasu named after myself,
Koda Starikuma, named after my sister (who we nicknamed bear), and
Akora Menx named after my cat, Akira, who is a manx.
Posted: Mon, 27/02/2023 06:54 (1 Year ago)
Lucian Arbred's POV
Why?...
"Uh huh... He sure has..."
Lucian couldn't help but feel like Mei's voice was reeking with sarcasm, to the point it would have made him flinch, had he not been used to it. A certain overwhelming tiredness seemed to be taking its toll upon him, like the sort of misery that sometimes comes from getting drenched by the rain. You always felt so cold…
Mei didn't like Kubo. Heck, she probably even hated him! 'Didn't like' was being generous…
Mei was opening her mouth. As though she was trying to say something…
But nothing came out.
The look on Mei's face, the smirk, he heard the jibing laugh that came out…
His eyes widened.
"Oh, but you should, Lucian. Everyone should. No need to try and paint me as a good person, trying to mix a color with pure black doesn't end well anyways."
"Mei…," he responded, very quietly, and very gently. His voice was almost cracking, struggling to keep out the fact that he was trying not to burst into sobs.
"The fact that you've told us of your guilt… instead of just letting us all die. The fact you took the fall for Setsuna… I think you've proved there's good in you somewhere. And I- I don't believe that! I just don't. No one is completely a bad person. Some of us… are just messy. We all have issues. There are no bad people. Sometimes… people just wind up in situations… where they're… forced to do bad things. No one is–"
Lucian had never recalled being told this before.
…but he swore, he heard her say it.
He heard his mother say it.
"Can I tell you something?
Have you heard, of that place, where those executions were held, so long ago?
They're still held today, but… they're not quite so legal now.
I could show you, if you want.
Some people say that it's cursed."
Lucian was cut off by her next words.
"...Don't tell me that. Tell that to everyone else in this room. Tell that to the hundreds who have died by my hand. You have no clue what I deserve, Lucian. ...Quit lying to yourself, Lucian, it's just gonna be a pain in the ass in the future. Don't feel bad about it. I'm fine with it, I've lived every day of my life knowing exactly what I deserve. I've accepted it. I'm fine with it."
"...h-hundreds?" he whispered. Suddenly, he paused, with wide eyes. He could see the face of his dad. Fiddling with the gun by his hip.
Lucian shivered. He could almost taste the blood on his lips. He could almost feel the dryness of his throat.
The struggling to breathe–
Lucian shook his head, slowly at first, then much faster. "no… Nononono… NONONONO! It… it doesn't matter. People can change, everyone can change. Everyone has good inside them, Mei, don't you see that? Even you do! The… The fact you're even saying this right now…"
Lucian trailed off. He couldn't stop the hiccuping sobs.
"...Quit lying to yourself, Lucian, it's just gonna be a pain in the ass in the future. Don't feel bad about it. I'm fine with it, I've lived every day of my life knowing exactly what I deserve. I've accepted it. I'm fine with it."
"l-lying… to myself?" he choked out. A saddened look came upon his face. Almost inaudibly… "...no… it's… not me I've been lying to."
He inhaled sharply. "And– and I- I can't help it, okay? I can't help but feel bad! You're a person too, Mei, you're human too, Mei! You're-"
He was shaking all over. Lucian let the breath out of him.
"...you're… fine with it? You're really fine with it? Mei… I'm sorry. I'm… so sorry."
"Shut up, Lucian."
Lucian flinched, and he closed his mouth.
Right. Of course. Be silent, Lucian. Before I cut your tongue out and make you.
"You doubted me? I'm offended."
He flailed his arms. "N-No! Not at all! Of course not! I–" He went silent. He was supposed to shut up… right?
"...Eh, didn't really have that much faith in you idiots anyways... Oh well, guess you can try. I'm not gettin' my hopes up, but..."
"Guess I'll be countin' on you."
Lucian looked at her, with stars in his eyes, and nodded. He had a hope in his heart, that he could make things better. He could find a way to get everyone out of here. He'd do his very best.
He made a pinkie promise with himself, and showed it to Mei. He smiled sadly at her, and held his index, middle, and ringman finger up to the lower half of his face.
(Editor's note, Hunger Games reference, "The Three Finger Salute is used by District 12 residents when they have to say thanks or just to show that the person is loved and respected by them. It's a gesture of admiration, gratitude and saying goodbye to someone you love.")
"Oh you... better not... Don't be all... sappy on me now... A'ight?"
Lucian's eyes shifted around the room.
"...alright…"
"Don't...Speak for everyone when you... Know that ain't... True, heh..."
Lucian didn't know quite what to say to that. He merely looked at her with sadness in his eyes.
"...Thanks, I guess..."
He smiled sadly at her once again.
"You're always welcome, Mei."
"Heh… why does it not surprise me? You never listen. That's just not you."
Lucian flinched. What was… Darcy talking about?
"Heh... Never did, Darcy... Never did..."
He looked at Darcy worriedly. Oh god.
"...Darcy… stop it…"
The other thing he said.
…you rejected me. So just take your leave.
It seemed like Darcy was remembering something unpleasant. Someone… rejected him, and…
Was he associating Mei with that person?
Either way, Lucian winced. He didn't want them all to make this any more painful for Mei than it already would be.
"Stop… what?" Darcy asked, turning to look at Lucian and blinking rapidly.
"Please… please go away. I don't want to play dress up anymore."
"...can the bells just toll already? I don't quite recall what they were for."
…Go away. Playing dress up.
Darcy was tired of playing pretend. And it seemed his mind was articulating it in a sort of nostalgic way, that sort of longing to be a child again.
The bells…
Bells.
Bells tolling. It made you think of recess, of church, perhaps, of marriages and of funerals. Lucian was wondering what those bells could possibly be referring to.
Darcy even said he couldn't remember what they were for.
It even almost reminded Lucian of a book he might've not even canonically read, but Dorky did.
(-cough- -cough- the line is there in the spoiler, read if you dare)
Show
hidden content
One little soldier boy left all
alone… how did the last line go again? Oh, yes. He got married, and
then there were none.
"Tell that to... Monokuma, not me..."
Lucian stared at Mei, his eyes wide.
A decisive shift occurred in his mind. The words sorrowfully glided from his lips.
"...funeral bells," he murmured.
Darcy Harper's POV
It was so ironic…
So, so ironic…
"I…I don't know… what I'm saying. But, hey, Mei? If I do go to Hell… you BETTER BE THERE!" He put his hands on his hips, he tried to be mad, but he just couldn't. He just burst into hysterical laughter.
Oh god. He was losing it.
Little Miss Perfect was falling off her throne.
He was laughing, but he was also crying. He was laughing, but he was also crying. He was laughing, but he was also…
"Sawyer… I'm so sorry. Mei, I'm so sorry. Lucian, I–"
It was getting hard to breathe inside the helmet. Oh, god, how the tears stung against your cheek. They stung like the lies that slipped from your lips.
The sinking pit in your stomach as you sank ships.
As you burned bridges.
As all your hate and bitterness, all your desperation, concentrated itself into three words–
…
"Just press the goddamn Respawn button, Mei. Press the goddamn Respawn button."
Oh, god.
It sounded a lot more like… something Sawyer would say. Didn't it?...
There… there was no Respawn button. That was silly. This wasn't a game.
This was…
This was real, wasn't it?
"...please. If- if you can."
He could see the alarm on Lucian's face. "Darcy…"
He shook his head. "It's… it's fine. Nothing's wrong. I'm okay."
He was… okay.
Mei… was not going to be okay.
"...Cya, Mei."
"Good luck."
Good luck… with what?
He smiled sadly over at Akari.
"...Good luck, Mei. With… whatever happens," Darcy sputtered. He wasn't even entirely sure what he meant.
Under the old chestnut tree…
I sold you, and you sold me…
Sawyer Laurens's POV
Sawyer?...
Who was… Sawyer?
Whose… name was…
Sawyer blinked.
The speaker seemed to be addressing them.
Sawyer… that's, me, then, right?
"Of course!" they chirped. "I'm- fine, it's just… I don't remember… things. I don't know who I am, or… what I'm supposed to be doing here, or… what this place is. What's… your name? Is… Sawyer my name? You seem to be… calling me that."
There was a most confused look on their face. They tilted their head.
…Sawyer Laurens was blocking out almost every detail of their life.
"Who is… "my mom"? Why was I remembering a…"
…
Who was that?
They felt like there was something comforting and familiar about it. They weren't sure what it was.
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
"Everything is going to be okay."
Posted: Mon, 27/02/2023 19:39 (1 Year ago)
ılı.lıllılıı.ıllı
currently playing:
[ Beach House -- Space Song ]
1:15 ———•——————— 4:20
↺ << ll >> ⋮≡
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: ——•——
It was late at night
You held on tight
From an empty seat
A flash of light
He gripped the knife tightly. Rairakku.... Lilac. He was never fond of the colour until now.
He turned away from Mei. No tears threatened to spill, he just wasn't like that. Idris felt...hollow. Dull.
Nothing much expect from a low buzzing in his ears.
It will take a while
To make you smile
Somewhere in these eyes
I'm on your side
"...Mei-" He gasped.
"...You better win alright? Don't do anything stupid, just... Win."
"For me."
"...Can you do that? ...Please?"
A small pearly tear ran down his face. "Yeah....I will. No matter the cost. I'll make it out of here, I will, I promise. I promise you I- I-"
You wide-eyed girls
You get it right
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
"I don't care if you're somehow involved in all this, I just... I want you to win. Please... Don't do anything dumb..."
"..when have I ever done anything dumb?" He cracked a small smile.
But it wasn't enough. His heart ached and his head hurt and the air was leaving his lungs as-
Tender is the night
For a broken heart
Who will dry your eyes
When it falls apart?
....
"...take this-" He handed her his motive. "...you want me to get out of here, right? I never want to see that bloody thing ever again, okay? Take it with you."
Idris sighed.
"I was so tempted. The motives really are motivating, huh."
"...I almost-....
...-then we met and the motivation was less.
...but now-"
What makes this fragile world go 'round?
Were you ever lost?
Was she ever found?
He bit his lip.
"Just take it, please. Carry my motive and secret to the grave, alright? You'll promise me that, won't you?"
Somewhere in these eyes
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
"i wish i could've told you more and i wish we could've spent more time with each other but i guess i can't blame you, the scenario we're already in
another world and another place maybe things could be different
maybe in hell the devil is kinder
i'll get out of here, okay? with my knife and the rose-tinted glasses you gave me
...
okay?
...Σε αγαπώ, Μέι..."
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into place
Fall back into-
Posted: Mon, 27/02/2023 21:15 (1 Year ago)
ılı.lıllılıı.ıllı
↳ currently playing ;;
[ Dead Letter & The Infinite Yes ]
[ Wintersleep ]
1:04 ———•——————— 4:08
↺ << ll >> ⋮≡
ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: —•———
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I think I think I think a little too often
That's what my therapist said
We're alone in this wilderness
Left to choke on the pills and to feed on the viruses
I think it's coming, oh and it comes so fast
"...You're hopeless, Lucian... There's-... There's no good in someone like me..."
"Accept it, trust me, it won't hurt... as much..." She coughed once again, looking over at Idris sadly.
I think it's coming and it comes so fast
I'm hearing whispers of an infinite yes
Our bodies are dead, why you look so sad
"...h-hundreds?"
Mei smiled the best she could, loving over at Lucian. "...Yeah. W-what, surprised...?" She chuckled. She couldn't even respond to the rest of Lucian's words, she had already said what she wanted to say. She would only be repeating nonsense that went in one ear and straight out the other. It didn't matter anyways.
"I…I don't know… what I'm saying. But, hey, Mei? If I do go to Hell… you BETTER BE THERE!"
"maybe in hell the devil is kinder"
She looked up at Darcy and tried her best to give a smirk, but it was hard. "...Maybe... I can bribe the devil to... save you a spot... Right?"
"Just press the goddamn Respawn button, Mei. Press the goddamn Respawn button."
...She couldn't say anything to that. Even if she could, she didn't know if she would. Did she really want to go through that again? Did she really want to live again? Her life was already hell, she wouldn't wish this fate on anyone.
"...Good luck, Mei. With… whatever happens."
"...You too, Darcy."
I found a letter that read
"Our existence has serious side effects."
Turned on, turned on the television
And it's telling me the world is collapsing
...Idris.
"Yeah....I will. No matter the cost. I'll make it out of here, I will, I promise. I promise you I- I-"
She gave a smile, but only a smile. The floodgates were open, but there was no water to pour out. She was just as empty.
"..when have I ever done anything dumb?"
Mei gave a small laugh, one that just hurt. "...All the time."
I think it's coming, oh and it comes so fast
I'm hearing whispers of an infinite yes
And I don't know why it is
Our bodies are dead, why you look so sad?
Our bodies are dead, why you look so sad?
Why you look so sad?
She extended her hand to take the slip of paper, her smile fading and instead turning into a sad, more neutral expression.
"I was so tempted. The motives really are motivating, huh."
She glanced over at the knife in his hands, the slip of paper she had stuffed in it.
"...I almost-....
...-then we met and the motivation was less.
...but now-"
"...Yeah. G-Guess they are..."
Mei didn't succumb to the temptation. She did it for an entirely different reason. ...Right?
No, she did this to finally be free from hers. She had lived with it all of her life. All of her many lives that she had lived. She did this to take away the weight that she had learned to live with. Her death was the only thing that could save her now, and she made sure of it.
...But-
"Just take it, please. Carry my motive and secret to the grave, alright? You'll promise me that, won't you?"
...
"...Only if you'll take mine."
"...Deal?"
Mei tried to smile, but it was so hard. It was so hard when everything hurt.
...
Secret, motive, and real talent time? Thought you'd never ask.
Everything she wanted him to know was written on that simple paper slip. Or at least, somewhat.
The motives slip. The one that would motivate her to kill. She had added a few things, over her time here. She knew she wouldn't make it out alive, she didn't want to. She thought ahead, as much as it hurt to do. It only hurt worse after each and every night when she stared at it in her free time. When she was alone.
The contents on this paper?
"Everyone will know what you did. Everyone will know how much of a hypocrite you are. Everyone will know how the Ultimate Psychopath rose above all else."
Then, on the other side of the paper read in scribbled writing.
"이드리스, 나는 당신이 나만큼 거짓말쟁이가 아니라고 믿습니다. 이 글을 읽고 있다면 그것을 증명할 것입니다. 그래서 놀랐어? 궁극의 사이코패스, 바로 나야. 쇼커 맞지? 어쨌든... 이 칼 손잡이에 열쇠가 있습니다. 내 베개 밑에 책이 있다. 나는 당신이 무엇을 해야할지 알고 있다고 믿습니다. 내 기숙사에 들어가려고 노력하는 재미를. 자물쇠에 관해서는 아카리 가 매우 도움이 된다고 들었습니다. 또는 Shi에게 물어볼 수 있습니다. 그것은 중요하지 않습니다."
"And... Sorry. I'm probably dead if I'm giving this away, which means you'll be left without me. It's for the better though, and I'm sorry for letting this happen."
"사랑해요"
...
I think it's coming and it comes so fast
I'm hearing whispers of an infinite yes
Our bodies are dead, why you look so sad
"i wish i could've told you more and i wish we could've spent more time with each other but i guess i can't blame you, the scenario we're already in
another world and another place maybe things could be different
maybe in hell the devil is kinder
i'll get out of here, okay? with my knife and the rose-tinted glasses you gave me
...
okay?
...Σε αγαπώ, Μέι..."
Our bodies are dead, why you look so sad
Our bodies are dead, why you look so sad?
Why do you look so sad?
...Why do you look so sad...?
She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't say a word. Her voice wouldn't work, ever limb seemed to be failing her, her eyes burned. All she could do was lower her head. Let the waterfall of the world crash down on her. Let the waterfall of the things she could never know all crash down on her at once.
I wish I could too, Idris. It's the only thing I've been certain of in this goddamn world. I deserve all the blame, I deserve it all.
...For once I wish I lived a different life. For once I can't bear the weight of my sins, and it's all crashing down on me. For once I wished I wasn't who I am. I deserve this, you don't. You deserve that different life you talked about, one where I'm not me. You...
...Why can't you see it...? You don't... You don't deserve this. You deserve better, you... You're better off without me. Please... Forget about me?
...So many words she wanted to say. She couldn't say any of them.
"...Σε αγαπώ, Μέι..."
...She couldn't say any of them.
"...Thank you..."
She looked up to the golden throne the bear perched upon, no longer having hatred in her eyes. "...Monokuma?"
I think it's coming, oh and it comes so fast
...I think it's coming, oh and it comes so fast
I'm hearing whispers of an infinite yes
...I'm hearing whispers of an infinite yes
And I don't know why it is
...And I don't know why it is...
Our bodies are dead, why you look so sad?
...Our... bodies are dead...
Why you look so... sad?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Akari looked at Darcy, at Lucian, at Idris, at Akora, at Solaro, at Sawyer. All he could do was sigh. He was too overwhelmed to think straight, his ears were ringing, his vision blurred at the edges.
...Was it really this bad?
...
"Of course! I'm- fine, it's just… I don't remember… things. I don't know who I am, or… what I'm supposed to be doing here, or… what this place is. What's… your name? Is… Sawyer my name? You seem to be… calling me that."
...What the hell was going on?
"...Darcy?" Why did he look over at Darcy? Was it because Akari hoped he would have a clue about whatever was going on with Sawyer?
...Why did he care? Akari... Akari wasn't the type of person to care. He wasn't even sure on what to say in reply. He simply sat silently, bowing his head as he desperately tried to get the ringing out of his ears. God... He was hopeless, wasn't he? Absolutely useless in this entire thing. God... this sucked... Thanks Daiko for not being able to write him well.
He looked up, just as Mei called Monokuma's name. He had heard pretty much everything between her and Idris, as much as he didn't want to. The ringing in his ears should've made it impossible, but somehow he still did.
...Mei's death wasn't going to be the last, was it? Curse his pessimism, but... Lucian's promise only hurt to hear. Nobody was guaranteed a way out of this. Monokuma would probably find a way to make the game continue. It was pointless. He felt awful about it, but...
He sighed, glancing over at Idris. He admittedly felt bad, he knew the pain. He knew what it was like. But... That felt a little insensitive, didn't it? Akari would never know what Idris felt right now, even if he had lost someone like Mei once too. He just hoped Idris wouldn't make the same mistake he did.
Without even thinking about it, he walked closer, but didn't get too close. He couldn't even look straight on at him, he instead let his eyes hang to the side. "...I'm sorry, Idris. I-..." He couldn't say anything else, he didn't know what to say.
Posted: Tue, 28/02/2023 00:58 (1 Year ago)
Lucian Arbred's POV
Lucian's eyes widened, and he shook his head, over and over again. No words left his mouth, but his eyes said it all.
"...no one is truly hopeless, Mei."
"Accept it, trust me, it won't hurt... as much..."
Lucian smiled sadly at her.
"No. Mei, no. It doesn't matter if I hurt or not. But… is that… what you want? Would it make you feel better if I did?"
Would it make you feel better if I lied?
Oh, the Ultimate Therapist. A kind word, a pretty lie, to hide the bitter truths beneath.
The skeletons, buried deep within the snow.
It was so strange, wasn't it? How when blood stained the ground, how when screams polluted the air…
The earth rebuilt itself.
The rain washed away the blood and tears.
Earthy ground and snow moved to cover the dead bodies.
Everything merged together, into its coherent whole.
And Lucian was like the human embodiment of that idea.
Of nature rebuilding itself, as time went on.
The people that mattered to you came and went.
They all lived for a while,
and then they died.
Are you, are you… coming to the tree?
They strung up a man,
They say who murdered three,
Strange things did happen here,
No stranger would it be,
If we met up at midnight,
In the hanging tree…
Lucian closed his eyes. He could almost hear that song…
It was like a bittersweet lullaby.
Everyone dies. That was the truth of the matter.
The lines blurred. When you saw enough deaths, every death was the same.
Another dead body, another ruined family.
More hurting, and more grieving, and more tears.
In the end, everyone came to the tree, didn't they?
"...Yeah. W-what, surprised...?"
Lucian gave her a good, hard, long look. He thought deeply about it.
"...well… no. Not really. You seem an awful lot like them." He paused. "...like… a killer, I mean…"
He fiddled with his hands, empty space where there could have been an object.
Are you, are you comin' to the tree,
Where dead man called out for his love to flee?
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree…
He could almost see Kaoru. He could almost hear her. He could almost feel her.
…she was there. At the tree.
It was too late.
…
Everyone wound up there, eventually.
He would wind up there, eventually.
"...we're all ghosts," he murmured, mostly to himself.
And it was Mei's turn.
Two lovers, tragically separated…
You really had to make the most of people while they were here.
Hold them as tightly as you could.
"...Mei…"
Are you, are you comin' to the tree
Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free?
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree…
"...I'm… not going to hesitate anymore, okay? I'm… going to try everything. I'm going to say all the things I could never say, I'm going to do all the things I could never do… and… maybe, everyone else here… can live happily. I'll help everyone, somehow. It'll be okay. We'll all get through this."
He still held onto that hope.
"...and… maybe… I'll even tell him how I feel."
You only lived once, right?...
Are you, are you comin' to the tree
Wear a necklace of hope, side by side with me?
Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be
If we met at midnight in the hanging tree
"...and maybe, we'll meet again, one day."
Lucian, in his mind, thoughtfully tied a noose to the tree. Ever so carefully.
…He'd take his spot there one day.
But not yet.
Not just yet.
"I just hope… that you'll be able to walk out of this world with a smile."
Lucian watched Mei and Idris embrace, he heard their exchange of words.
Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free…
"...Idris… I hope you'll be okay. I'll be here for you."
But… what words of comfort could he possibly offer him?
He saw Darcy's tearful face, and heard the way his voice cracked.
And it was in that moment, he realized.
…
Mei had meant something to Darcy. But…
Not in the typical sense.
In a way… he saw… someone else.
That he was desperately holding onto.
And as he saw Idris there…
It burned brightly in his mind.
You won't die, Idris, okay? …no one else will have to. We'll all figure something out. I promise.
Darcy Harper's POV
Darcy didn't know how to respond.
…he… he didn't… want to go to Hell…
Did he?
Did it… matter?
He laughed. "What would… you bribe him with, exactly?"
I'm… already doomed, aren't I?
"Guess I'll see you there… if that's the case…"
"...You too, Darcy."
"...I'm… going to miss you, Wi- Mei. I'm going to miss you."
He inhaled sharply.
…god…
What was with him?
Why was… Mei so much… like…
It was like watching the same person walk out of your life once again.
Except the worst part was, you'd watch them die.
She went and got herself killed.
Then, his eyes widened.
"Of course! I'm- fine, it's just… I don't remember… things. I don't know who I am, or… what I'm supposed to be doing here, or… what this place is. What's… your name? Is… Sawyer my name? You seem to be… calling me that."
"...Darcy?"
Darcy headed over, a look of extreme shock upon his face. Puzzlement was written all across Sawyer.
"Oh, God," Darcy whispered. "Sawyer… do you… do you… remember anything?"
They got like this. Sometimes.
Darcy remembered that day…
Sawyer Laurens's POV
The angel's? face flushed, and he coughed. "Sawyer… now is not the time for Star Wars references. Is… it happening again?"
What… was going on?
"They get like this… sometimes, Akari. But… never this badly. Sometimes, Sawyer mentally alters their memories to be something that they prefer, or… they completely forget something altogether. Sometimes… they remember it, though. And other times… they never do." He swallowed nervously.
"Star Wars references?" Sawyer blinked. "Anakin… was that… something from him?"
The person looked relieved. He put his hand to his chest. "Yes! Sawyer, it's… it's me. Darcy. Don't you remember me? You've… known me almost your entire life."
Sawyer blinked. "Oh, that's… a nice name. You look like a Darcy. No, but… you… seem familiar."
…?
What were… all these blurry images?
Sawyer thought there was something there, and they reached for it. But they couldn't quite recall.
Darcy inhaled sharply, and grabbed Sawyer by the hands. "Sawyer… it's me! I– I…" He breathed in and out harshly.
"Why do you seem so stressed? You okay?" Sawyer chirped.
"I'm… fine. Do you remember Akari? We were… going to hang out with him."
Sawyer tilted their head, but no realization seemed to come across their face. "Has anyone ever called you 'Karster?"
"Okay… okay, this is fine. They should remember eventually. But my god… what a time to forget everything…" There was a faint sound of sobbing from him.
Why did Darcy seem so distressed? What was wrong?
…???
Confusing… so confusing…
Voices… people… everywhere? Who were they?
What was… going on?
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
°*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪ °*•★ • ° ★ : ; . • ° ★ : . ; ° ♪
"Everything is going to be okay."