15strangers | (no subject)

W̡͜E̶EK ̵̕2̕͠

[The blight would not stop.

The world's leading experts have been trying to find a cure, to no avail. Th blight keeps changing, keeps foiling all attempts at being fully understood. It's almost sentient, or at least more sentient than any disease that's been encountered before. People fear the disease jumping from what's left of the grapes into other plants, into animals, or even humans.

You can only watch as entire economies and ecosystems collapse. You can only bury your head in your hands as your own business comes to its end. The destruction of the clusters of grapes has not simply destroyed the wine industry, either-other businesses are being destroyed by the plague. Food, transport, retail, nothing is untouched.

You look on your own vineyard, its yield almost entirely blackened and dead.

This can't keep going on.

-

A week has passed since everyone's arrival. No one has died, yet. But surely no one is holding their breath to see if they would survive this unscathed. They are veterans of the game, and they must know that whoever it is that is in charge demands their pound of flesh. The question is when it will happen.

It is the second week, after all-and when the second week of the game comes, death is not far behind. Not even when you wake up, feeling something different in your mind as you remember the truths you originally woke up with, deep in your mind. You feel...lighter, somehow, when you realize there is a change.

Even so, there are 15 strangers left in this place.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He doesn't even watch the whole thing. Just long enough for the "kill and get away with" routine before he walks off.

Instead of looking upset, however, he just looks... tired. How shocking.

For a while, he isn't paying close attention to his surroundings, so he could easily be overheard saying things like: ]

As if anyone could give what I want most...

[ Or: ]

Damn it...

Just remember they're doing this to try and get in our heads, Akira.

[ Yup. Guess who'd been nearby and kind of intending to stick close to you right now, Akira. He has all reason to considering things. Though he does pause after a short moment before finally adding on: ]

They couldn't give me what I want most, either.

[ He scrubs a hand through his hair and nods. ]

Yeah... they'll always jab where it hurts most, right? [ deep breath that eases into a sigh ] Don't worry... I'm keeping my promise no matter what, okay? I'm not the Akira that--... Vita knows.

[ Just resting a hand on Karma's shoulder and looking at the ground. ]

One week at a time... We'll show them we're stronger than any offer they could ever make, right?

[ He nods, and the concern on his face shifts back to his usual expression as he smiles once again. ]

Exactly. You're not that one. Not by a long shot. [ A chuckle and his smile shifts to more of a confident grin. ] and I know you'll keep your promise.

Yup. They're going to learn they shouldn't mess with Phantom Thieves.

[ Hey it counted since he was unofficially one anyway, right? ]

And... What's that?

[he's not exactly being quiet, so Eric assumes he's talking to him, as he's pretty out of it himself. He's looking rattled, although to be fair, he usually does.]

[ It'll be obvious he hadn't realized he was talking out loud, at least. He's quiet for a moment... ]

Undoing all of the Reaper's Game... By getting rid of Sho, stopping all of the Noise, and making it so none of that ever happened. So none of this ever had to happen.

[ He just gives a distant kind of smile. The kind of smile that feels practiced, rather than genuine. ]

Pretty sure my order's way too tall for them.

Edited 2020-02-06 10:59 (UTC)