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

New ways of organizing with tools I had never even heard of in my time. They're very useful. Though some of them would be too difficult for people like you to use right now.

["people like you."

HM]

...You're probably right. [he links his fingers behind his head] I only recently learned how to use a smartphone.

Oh, those sorts of things will look like child's play once you've joined us.

[this again... the hosts wanting the strangers to join them must be a running theme here]

Look, I'm not saying this place is bad, or anything. I'm just having trouble believing that you guys abandoned everything to stay here. Why would ya do that?

Because "everything" didn't make us happy.

[Wow, Hiyori had been letting them do their thing for a good minute or two there. He must be pretty serious about this.]

[well. Osomatsu can understand that. he's not very happy, either. even in Cartesio, he wasn't satisfied. he ended the "game" realizing that he was not who he thought he was. none of them were. what kind of happy ending was that supposed to be?

so Osomatsu understands. at the same time, he doesn't know if living here will make him any happier. he's lost everything, he's at rock bottom, but he's still pushing through, believing that something good will come out of this if he survives]

Don't you think about the families and friends you left behind?

[Hiyori looks Osomatsu straight in the eyes. His shoulders are like rocks.]

What we left behind could not make us happy.

Ooooh. I see.

[a pause as he tilts his head, never breaking eye contact]

A real world, with real friends and real family couldn't make you happy.

[Hiyori's brow furrows much harder.]

Tell me, Osomatsu Matsuno. Do you think people in this "real world" are all happy? Most or even some of the time?

Eh, probably not. There are a lot of people in the world. The chances of everyone being happy are pretty slim.

I can... certainly agree with that much... but I mean more like people who are deeply unhappy. Who have to work sixteen hours a day and then barely sleep, or getting extorted, things like that.

Is the real world making them happy?

[there isn't even just one world, now that Osomatsu thinks about it. all these strangers, from various worlds and timelines. certainly not all of them are...]

...

[he glances down]

Maybe not. Especially if they are alone.

Exactly!!!!!!!

[He looks like he practically wants to clutch Osomatsu's hands.]

But when you're part of an organization like this, you never have to be alone! Ever again!

[please don't]

But I wasn't alone! [his head snaps back up] I've never been alone.

[he is alone now, though. he's all on his own, he can't trust anyone but himself!!!]

I don't belong in this place.

[Hiyori shrugs, lightly, trying not to push into his space anymore.]

Well, I was. I guess that's why I do.

[hm... HMMMMMMM.

he sighs. things are getting too Real over here]

I see. Well, I am glad you're... happy.

And everyone I cared about is long dead or equally unhappy. There was no space in that world for me anymore.

It's better here.

[now he seems to be getting a fuller picture. and, you know what? there is some truth to what they are saying. at the same time, Osomatsu is not completely sold yet. he's glad they could talk about this, but he doesn't trust the Hosts entirely. not yet. he doesn't exactly trust anyone yet...]

Well, if it's better for you, then, that's fine. You should always take care of yourself and make sure you're happy. Self-care is very important!

[He seems a little thrown by the term for a moment, blinking rhythmically, before he recovers.]

I also want to make everyone else feel happy. For once, I am at peace and I want everyone else to feel that, too.

[ah. Osomatsu nods. of course Link wants to share his happiness. he would, too...]

I just think kidnapping people is the wrong way to go about it, though.

We're not kidnapping you. We're saving you and making you comfortable.

[um]

Saving us... from our old lives?

Of course. Were you really happy there?

[NO. he wasn't! this is hitting too close to home.

he doesn't answer, but his expression tightens]

I wasn't happy in my old world. Perhaps less war than poor Link experienced, but it was like a planet without the right amount of oxygen.

[Just adding some color and detail during the lull, not even aimed too directly at Osomatsu. This just came from his soul.]

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