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.]

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[ He makes a bit of a face and shakes his head. ]

Almost like a mental time machine... [ reaching out to gently brush a finger over the Light Bright ] ... Which, to be fair, I might still consider something like this the ravings of a madman. Whoever's behind it can't be sane, right? And... pretty sure none of us are sane, after dealing with this.

[ He shakes his head. ]

No, just... I only stopped here because it was a good distraction. I came in here to... see how I'd handle it.

Either they’re insane, or the most powerful sadist we’ll ever meet. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was either. Or both.

[And he’s not responding to the other part, since it just goes without saying that no one here is sane, most likely. At the very least, not completely.]

Well, if you need a distraction, you can use the Light Bright if you want it. Just gotta ask you for something in return.

[ After only a short pause... ]

I'll put my money on both, yeah.

[ He pauses at the next part, and then offers a small smile and shake of his head. ]

Maybe another day? When I have something to offer. Thank you, though.

[ Some part of him just feels weird borrowing things in this kind of situation, given you never know who'll wind up dead, next. One moment, he was talking to someone, and then the next? They were gone. ]

Are you sure? I can part with it for a day. You could even use it now, if you wanted.

[He really doesn’t mind.]

And...I didn’t mean a physical thing.

[Probably should’ve been clearer about that...]

Edited 2020-02-06 22:36 (UTC)

[ He blinks, and then he lets out a quiet laugh. ]

Fair enough... What would you want in return then?

Just to talk about...a certain person here.

[There’s a bit of resentment in his tone, but he swallows it down.]

Vita, specifically.

[ Ah. Well. He can't say he didn't, for lack of better wording, see it coming.

There's a pause of several seconds before he finally nods. ]

Okay. What about her?

Well, first things first, I’m on your side here on how she treated you. She was literally taking her anger out on someone that didn’t even know her, and that was the second most childish thing I’ve seen from an adult during one of these things. She should’ve at tried to be more of an adult about the situation.

I think we can agree on that?

[ He studies his own hands for a moment, though they're still - like the rest of him, for the most part. ]

... If it had been me, I don't entirely know, for sure, how I would have done. But, I could have done better at handling it, too, right? Maybe try to understand more about how she feels... [ just releasing a tense breath, muttering: ] But... maybe it reminded me too much of Tokyo. Who knows?

[ Anyway, ]

Either way, yeah... the whole thing sucked.

[He won’t question the Tokyo thing. It’s his business, probably.]

Maybe, but she was the one that decided to act that way first. I would’ve probably been the same way, trying to defend myself from someone I didn’t know in the slightest.

Second, while I don’t think you’ll do anything, I can understand her argument, at least a little bit. Apparently, she and Jonathan met two different versions of you, and they both killed for the same reason. I can see why both of them would be worried about what you might do here.

But, if you don’t hate me yet and are willing to listen to me, I think I know of a way to make both people happy here. Are you willing to listen?

[He’ll wait for an answer.]

[ He's quiet as he listens... and then he nods. ]

Yeah... I am.

Edited 2020-02-07 00:30 (UTC)

[He lets out a small sigh of relief.]

Alright.

My idea is just...if a motive comes up that feels tempting, or after any motive is released, maybe talk with Karma or Kurama. It’s not much, I know, but there’s one good side about people we know coming in here with us. They can talk us down from doing anything stupid.

[The way he talks about it...it almost seems like he’s gone through that.]

If you just do that, I think Vita might feel a bit more...at ease, I think the term would be. She wouldn’t be so suspicious of you because you’re talking things out, instead of jumping ahead before the better judgement gets to you.

Again, I know it’s not much, but...something like that could do a lot.

[ Ah... to that, he just gives a dim kind of smile. ]

I already promised Karma I wouldn't be giving in to any motives of this game - just like I didn't with the last one. I don't willingly break promises.

Either way, if she's set on believing I'm that Akira, I doubt just talking things out with someone who's already loyal to me would do it. Besides... anyone could say they won't do something.

Only a history of actions prove the difference between the truths and the lies.

Alright, good to hear that. But...at least keep it in mind, okay? If your feeling desperate or anything, there are people you can talk to.

[He think he can trust that Akira won't do anything, but...he's still worried, nonetheless.]

That's...actually the thing? I talked with Jonathan and I think they know you're not the same Akira, or at least he realizes it. He might be able to get her to realize it too.

I'm hoping she'll listen to reason.

Yeah... I'll remember that.

[ He nods. ]

Jonathan's been the more reasonable one since we met. From the sounds of it, though, he was friends with the first version of Akira that they met. He at least sounded like he's trying pretty hard to believe I'm not the same one, but I'm not sure if it'll be enough.

Fear can do some crazy things to a person's perspective and willingness to even listen to loved ones.

[ Take it from the heart thief. ]

Yeah, you're...definitely not wrong.

[He's definitely not the person to deny that...]

But...we have to at least try, right? We can't just give up with knowing our odd. Heck, we may even be lucky and he'll convince her.

…but, if he can't...the only other thing I can think to suggest is getting away from her as soon as you see her, or vice versa. It's not the best solution-at all really-but it's guaranteed to keep either of you from fighting.

[He's got experience with this stuff, even if the situation was different.]