15strangers | (no subject)

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[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

[ That was the complete opposite of what he'd been expecting. So it takes a moment for him to process that, and yet it also just makes him even more curious. ]

Clearly that didn't work out since you're still here. Didn't think human cloning actually existed.

[ At least in his world it didn't. Not making any comments about Oso's world but assuming it was okay. ]

Yeeeeah... I didn't think it existed either. But, here I am. An abomination. I couldn't even carry out Sarge's orders properly.

[not that he wanted to]

I don't mind it too much, anymore... except when I go to think of a memory and realize it isn't mine. That shit screws you up.

[ There's just oh so many questions here, but he's mostly focusing on the main two things that seem the most important over everything else. ]

Going to assume 'Sarge' was the name of the one who ran the last game you were in?

[ Since he didn't know about Oso having been in TWO of these things already, it was a normal assumption to make. He's also not going to be a jackass and ask him something like 'how do you know you're a clone?' or something stupid along those lines. ]

I can imagine it would. You've got a lot of other memories of your own to make up for it, so that probably helps.

[he shakes his head in regards to the first question. as if the clone secret wasn't bad enough, here comes the next one!]

The Sergeant ran the, uh... "game" in Cartesio. He's the one who created me.

[by now, Osomatsu's smile has faded completely. he looks quite solemn]

It was not unlike these other ones, except there were more than fifteen strangers. I think, in Cartesio, it was closer to thirty? Went on for a long time! But it was the same principle; people from different worlds were gathered together and told to murder each other in exchange for prizes, or motives. Then there were trials, and different puzzles you had to solve that would help you figure out the mystery. In the end, we found out that we weren't the original people, just clones he'd made filled with the memories of the originals, so we'd think we were them.

...The only memories that I know are mine, are from Cartesio, and the Mansion.

[ WHAT. ]

[ That definitely blindsides him and honestly he doesn't have anything he could say to that initially, shock clear on his face. All of that was a lot to take in, but after a few short moments he did exhale a soft sigh and smiled slightly. ]

Clone or not, it doesn't matter to me. You're still Osomatsu.

[ He chuckled a bit, musing on something briefly. ]

Far as I'm concerned, you're the real one as I got to know you first. I don't see anything about you that sets you apart from any of us here.

[hmmmm doubt. but at the same time, it feels good to hear that. so when Osomatsu raises his head, he's smiling gently]

I don't... know how much Arthur or Ambrosine know about Sarge and the clones, but you're the first person here I've told about Cartesio. It's kind of a sore subject with me. But it's the truth.

[ Ah. So this is what it felt like earlier.

To know something personal about someone else that nooone really knew. It was weirdly heartwarming and he almost laughed at the fact that he was bonding so well with people more in these games than he ever did when he was back home. ]

By the sounds of it, I can see why. Either way, I believe you and appreciate that you were willing to come out with it and tell me.

[ Sure he could be something of a brat at times and quite flippant, but he also knew when to take things seriously and now was one of them. ]

[hey, Karma shared, too! he even cried in front of Osomatsu. that was a big deal to him. also, he feels like relieved]

Yeah, thanks for letting me get it off my chest. [he rubs his nose] And also, if you ever wanna talk more, just come and get me. I'll be around.

[who knows for how long, but he'll stick around for as long as he can!]

[ Long as the other never told a soul about him crying in front of someone else, they'd totally be good. It'd totally ruin his pride and/or reputation so it was important that it didn't get out. ]

No problem. Couldn't have been easy keeping that to yourself all that time, so i'm glad to help.

[ Considering he'd been doing the same - keeping things all to himself - regarding Koro-sensei's death, so he totally gets it and can relate. ]

Sounds good. Next time hopefully we can talk about some less depressing things, yeah?

[ Getting to his feet, Karma can't help but flash Osomatsu a smile. ]

I'll see you around, then.

[it's nice to see that smile. Osomatsu nods]

Of course!

[they can talk about literally anything else!]

See you later.