The Fifteen Strangers Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
strangerpeople) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
15strangers2018-07-21 09:35 pm
strangerpeople) wrote in 15strangers2018-07-21 09:35 pm
WEEK 2
[A week has passed. There's been no body, no investigation, no trial. No deaths. Congratulations!
Now the question is, will it last? At the moment, the Commander seems content with forcing people to do petty and mean-spirited errands in return for a mere shower. On the one hand, it's just for showers. On the other hand, what if the demands start to get more extreme? Would caving in encourage her? Is anyone willing to try and find out?
Honesty, with all the strange dates and information floating around from what's been uncovered, the only one in this place who's probably not worried as the time slips into its next movement is Sir Riprazor McRockfang. That's right, he's a sir. A grumpy sir, yes, but still a sir. No one's going to mess with him, regardless of what his true origins may be. And if they do, beware - he bites. Omnom. Good luck, everyone.
There are fifteen strangers - and one alligator - in this place.]
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YEEEEES~?
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You can take this, and you can take your offer, and you can shove 'em both wherever the Sam Hill you fancy. If this selfish jackass ever DOES crawl out from Hell, I'LL SEND HIM BACK THERE MYSELF, YOU HEAR?!
[Boy, this'll be awkward to explain later if anyone else overhears...]
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SEE, I’M ACTUALLY OFFERING YOU A FAVOR! YOU JUST GOTTA SCRATCH MY HEAD, HMM?
[that is not the expression but whatever]
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[He throws the printout at her feet, or... tries to. It doesn't really have much of an impact... and falls about like you'd expect crumpled paper to when thrown, unimpressively.]
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OH MAN YOU...YOU SHOULD LOOK AT YOURFACEIT'SHILARIOUS!! AHAHAHA HA!
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accessoriesdescendants do not live terribly long, as a rule. (Christopher and Simon are outliers who both, looking at Actual History next to the timeline they're from, apparently survived at least one plague outbreak each and thus should be excluded from the pool on the basis that Death apparently had to catch them old, decrepit, and sleeping.) Theirs is a bloodline which burns with a recklessness that serves its carriers well only when facing down vampires. When facing down Space Jailer... esses... Jalitrices? loud gingers with too much power for one person, let's go with that, it is far, very far from useful.Jonathan doesn't think. He can't think, at this point. He hasn't been sunk this deep into a rage-fit in years, usually someone who isn't here stops the feedback loop before it starts running too quickly. He just acts. There is no thought behind the fist flying towards Marie, just frustrated rage.]
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He, uh... doesn't have much time to question just what in the fuck she even means by that??? Because he's quickly approaching, since... Jonathan is clearly having trouble finding chill... ]
!!
[ Annnnd just like Jonathan, Akira isn't hesitating. He's moving quickly to grab the other young man's entire arm. ]
Hey-!
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Akira?
[He almost goes limp, then, his free arm dropping to his side as he stumbles back a bit, glaring at Marie again. It's not escaping anybody's notice that he isn't exactly trying to pull away, is it... the simple fact is that he can't trust himself right now, not while that harpy still has her door open and he can still see her face.]
You got lucky.
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Yeah, have some raspberries you baby.]
1/2
[ Incredible Spoiler: That's not to Jonathan. ]
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His expression is that kind of serious that might imply he's barely keeping himself together right now, so.
Please??? just go anywhere that isn't here, with him. ]
How about some coffee? [ talking in a not-exactly-steady voice, but also trying his hardest ] Or... ice cream?
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[He's not sure there's really room for anything in his stomach besides what feels like pure rage in the form of a half-gallon of molten lead, right now, but Akira isn't angry with him, and that's enough to get him to trust the suggestion.
He'll go where he's tugged, for now. Marie won this round, but... her luck will run out eventually. And when it does....]
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[ Since Jonathan is coming along willingly, Akira will release his arm for now. There are a few reassuring pats to his shoulder before he lets his hand drop to his side. ]
You deserve better... Way better than what could have happened, if you'd managed to hit her, you know.
[ He releases a tense breath. ]
In... the mall... [ a distant look enters his gaze as he continues guiding Jonathan to the Mess Hall ] A few of the people who died, didn't die from an execution, or from being murdered by someone caving to a motive.
[ One hand tightens into a fist. ]
They died from a punishment. From fighting back... recklessly. [ finally looking directly at Jonathan ] I don't want to see that happen to you.
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It wasn't... I don't want to die, if that's what you're worried about. I didn't realize you'd... lost people to doing what I did.
[He draws a deep breath. The Girl Back Home doesn't judge him for this, but she'd watched John's decline just as he had to.]
The picture she gave me was my father, Akira. When people talk about him, or bring him up like he was some wonderful guy, I just snap. If she brings him up again, I can't say this won't just happen all over again. I don't like that I'm like this, but I can't figure out how to turn it off.
[He bows his head, and when he speaks it's in a very small voice indeed.]
I'm sorry. I got all stupid and melodramatic and almost... God, Akira. I don't want to die. If this happens again, I... you'll stop me again, if you can, right?
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If I'm there, I'll do everything in my power to stop you, no matter what. [ small, reassuring smile ] Promise.
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He nods, and does his best to smile back. When he does answer, a few seconds later, his voice cracks.]
Thanks. And... you don't seem like you're anywhere near as hotheaded as me, but... if it comes down to it, I've got your back.
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Well, the truth is... I spent more time in the mall with an injured hand, than not...
[ His gaze is distant as he says that. He can't even remember the full reason he was so angry over the second week's motive... ]
I appreciate that, though... [ there's a warmth to his smile as he sets the tea aside for steeping ] And...same. You can come to me for anything, all right? Even if it's just because you need somebody to talk to.
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[Later, he'll think back on saying that, and grit his teeth, and hide a dry-eyed wrenching sob behind the sound of his fist hitting a wall. If he'd known, if he'd just gone and talked to him, for no reason even, if he'd just said something, then maybe - but no, it wouldn't have been any different, in the end. Akira died so the rest of them could live. He made his choice. Maybe he'd made it even then.
But in the moment, they're both alive, no thanks to Jonathan's reckless temper. A very unsteady little laugh escapes him, quiet amidst a huff of breath.]
I gotta admit, it's hard picturing you acting as stupid as me. You've been... wait, no, I'm sorry. You went through a lot there, huh....
tw: implied suicide, clear signs of trauma
And, really, it's strange... Should he already be forgetting what Kurama's voice sounded like on a normal day? During the trial, it... hadn't sounded quite the same as the voice he'd grown to love...
"Yes, I killed Sanzashi-san. I swapped his cigarettes when I helped him set up the party. And gave myself that one last night to be your friend.
"Akira, don't do this. Not for me."
... The Akira, in that place, had been so much more determined... So much stronger...
"Shut up!
"We're not only doing this because we care, but because enough is enough. No more people being backed into corners. No more watching each other die.
"You don't want me to do it for you? Fine... I'm doing it for all of us. The sooner we find a way to stop one of these things, the sooner we can get everyone home."
And in those final moments... Kurama's voice had sounded... even more different...
"I knew I might die again here today. I also knew I would never make poor Nyaf-ya do it."
...
"Kurama, don't-!!!"
He knew who he was, back then. Even in the face of all that loss, even after watching Kurama die, he'd had... so much more within him.
... Who is he, now...?
Akira doesn't know how long he was trapped in thought, but he's a tad bit paler than normal as he looks back to the tea. Thanks to having lost track of time, he's actually not even sure if it's ready... but... he quietly slides it over to Jonathan. ]
Not as much as some people...
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Hey, don't... I don't think that's the kind of thing you should try to rank. What was - where'd you go just now? You looked like you were... well, in another world, almost....
tw: outright suicide mention
... Maybe a little surprised he's there?
A few more blinks and it should be clear he's finally realizing what even happened here. ]
It was- [ gently, wryly smiling ] ... Sometimes-
[ Deep breath... calm down... ]
Sometimes, I get stuck in those trials, as though they're happening all over again. I lose track of time or forget what I was doing, altogether. Well...
[ There's the hint of something bitter surfacing. ]
It's really only one trial, since... I can only remember one, clearly. The trial that ended with the person I love-... [ ........... ] -dying.
[ He's tense now. ]
Voting wrong in the mall meant everyone but the true culprit dying. And, because he was the one who'd wound up killing in an attempt to save his mother and friends... [ unsteady breath ] ... I chose to fight it, because three weeks had been more than enough anyway. [ gritting his teeth, briefly ] And everyone just... followed along, just as prepared to die. So Kurama... he...
[ He doesn't seem to notice his hands are trembling. ]
... chose to take his own life, to keep us alive.