FINAL WEEK

[strangerpeople]

FINAL WEEK

[This round really has been different.

The beginning of the week brings memories once more, as everyone finally falls asleep, and soon enough it will become apparent that a new wing has opened up, laying bare the entire mall for the survivors. Still, it is no small comfort. Not when the residents have also been updated, bringing home the very sobering fact that over half of those who arrived here are dead.

There are so few left. The Fabricator has been exposed, and somehow that is hardly a victory. It's clear that whoever is running this intends to hold whatever cards they can until the bitter end. Theirs isn't the first time this Game has been played, after all. They can easily outlast their charges on their home turf.

Yet, there is a strange hope. Maybe there is a way out. The question now is finding it and going on the offensive, before those in charge make their next move. Because they will eventually. There is no doubt. Time is not a luxury the remaining Titled can waste anymore and everyone knows it.

So don't waste it - because the clock is ticking. Prepare yourselves.

There are seven strangers left in this place.]

Comments

[comesaround]

Hm?

[ He looks over, reaching a hand over to pick up the pin to look at it while the other is taking his phone out from his pocket. Just what's going on now? ]

[strangerpeople]

[A message appears on Karma’s phone as he picks up the pin.]

PLAYER PIN UPLOADED. TO SCAN, FOCUS YOUR MIND IN A ROOM OF YOUR CHOOSING.

[comesaround]

[ Ah. Well. Isn't that interesting?

Deciding to test it, he affixes the pin to his jacket and attempts to scan the Cafe itself. If only just to see how this whole thing works. ]

[strangerpeople]

[There are many lights sitting at booths, and in line. However, there is only one light which materializes fully.]

[ ............... ]

[comesaround]

[ Given that it's all on it's own, he's going to zero in on it.

What's going to happen when he does? ]

[1/2]

[strangerpeople]

[For a moment, nothing seems to happen.

Then, suddenly, Karma found himself...somewhere else.]

[2/2]

[strangerpeople]

"So...you betrayed him?"

[The first thing which hits Karma as he comes to in this strange thought is the smell of coffee, upon hearing the words. The second is sunlight streaming through large glass windows.

This is not Cafe MYJL.

The viewer looks down at their cup, milk swirling within.

The one with the memory, after a few moments, speaks, looking up at a fuzzy silhouette. It seems like they have wavy hair, whoever they are.]

This all...in the end, I don't understand. Why did you do it?

[The silhouette let out a chuckle.]

Heh heh heh. Which part?

[A pause.]

The end. Why did you hurt him like that?

[The silhouette drinks their coffee.]

I had to. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have known my final answer for sure.

Did he ever forgive you?

...I haven't talked to him since. But you think I should, don't you? Even after all this time?

I know it's not my place to say. But...I think you should...at the least, he should know how you really felt back then. Why you really made the choices you made.

Is that so?

Of course!

And what about you?

What--

You're breaking your cup.

!

[They look down. Their hands have indeed tightened around their cup, with spider vein cracks beginning to leak brown liquid onto their fingers.]

...I...oh, I'll pay for the cup--

You can pay him back by answering my question. So.

Who was it that betrayed you, Pigtails?

[The memory keeper lets in a breath, closing their eyes, and instantly Karma is back in the cafe, as if no time has passed.]

[comesaround]

[ Of all things he expected to happen, this wasn't one of them.

Everything seems so incredibly vivid and sharp, the scent of coffee reaching his nose reaching him as it became inherently obvious he was seemingly in someone's actual memory. From what he was able to pick up, was that the person whose memory he was experiencing, had been betrayed by someone and was speaking to another person who seemed like they'd had to hurt someone to get an answer.

The one seemed distressed enough since they were unintentionally breaking that cup, and it was clear that wherever this was? It wasn't at the Cafe. There'd been a lot of details to take in, but the second he realizes he's back where he was before? Going to flip open to some blank pages in the notebook, jotting down some details that he was able to take from that whole experience. ]

...Just what the hell is going on here?

[ Even if nobody would hear him, it hadn't stopped that reaction nonetheless. Considering going to some of the other restaurants nearby to see if they had anything interesting to pick up on. ]

[strangerpeople]

[Indeed.

Want to try again?]

[comesaround]

[ After he's done jotting down those details, he's going to set down the notebook on the table and attempts to scan the Cafe at least once more.

If that doesn't work or there's nothing new?

He'll go elsewhere but focusing on this first. ]

[strangerpeople]

[The light transforms into another thought:

[ ............ ]]

[comesaround]

[ Alright. Bracing himself this time, Karma focuses on that thought.

He's ready for this. Bring it on. ]

[1/2]

[strangerpeople]

[Suddenly, that sensation of being elsewhere returns—]

[2/2]

[strangerpeople]

[They are back in the cafe. Another cup of coffee, with the silhouette in front of them. Or rather, silhouettes.]

So...the man who started all of this. That was you?

[The newer-looking silhouette laughs. They sound older than the other, who simply chuckles.]

Heh-heh-heh.

Guilty as charged, Pigtails. I gave him the knowledge he needed for his plans, in order to save the place. That marks me as a criminal for the rest of time.

So...when he used the sigil to restore himself...it changed him. Made him strong enough...even to cross universes, unharmed...

[Nodding. Meeting with first-hand witnesses was helping to paint a picture that explained the severity of the situation now.]

...and meet with others who thought like him!

I admit I hadn’t expected that side effect to happen…

But, then again, we can both concede that he was always unpredictable. That’s what made the Incident - really, all the stuff he participated in before - that much more interesting. Of course he'd figure out something like that so unexpectedly with such information..

[Tilting their head towards the older figure.]

Though, I didn’t know of his involvement until the cavalry came knocking.

And...even knowing why he did it, you forgave him?

[A long pause. The two silhouettes look at one another, the atmosphere becoming more subdued before the smaller spoke.]

...someone else put how I felt best, Pigtails.

“Even if I can’t forgive what happened, I still trust you.”

!

[There’s a sensation of surprise, and then--just like that Karma is back in the mall, as if nothing happened, once again.]

[comesaround]

[ Just like before, it was another memory but this time there was a bit more information.

This time there was the one from before, along with that same silhouette and another, older one. Seemed as if there was some kind of incident that happened and someone who managed to do something that would allow him to cross universes. Was that the threat that was here somehow?

It took a second to process that before jotting down the details of what he'd learned with that memory. That one quote seemed important at the end, so it was included. The one person whose memories he was picking up on, it was enough that he was almost wishing he could contact them... or something along those lines.

Exhaling a breath, Karma tried one more time. Even if he can't pick up on any more memories, he's trying to see if that one light that bore those thoughts/memories was close. That would decide what he did next. ]

[strangerpeople]

[They are behind the counter in this cafe, actually...]

[comesaround]

[ Huh. So it's the one working as a barista?

That gives him a definite idea. He's going to open to a new page in his notebook, writing something in it before tearing the section out and moving to stand up, walking over to the counter. He folded the paper in two and placed it there when he put his hand down.

Making sure to give a request for a simple hot chocolate this time but leaving the note there, which reads clearly:

Hey. You wouldn't happen to be the one known as Kana-chan, would you? If you are, give me a sign if you're able to.

There. He even went to sit back down in order to wait, seeing if this would even work. After all, this was just a hunch he had about the identity of the person whose memories he'd seen. ]

[strangerpeople]

[........................................

Karma's phone pings.]

[comesaround]

[ That was fast.

He's quick to pull his phone out to see what caused it to make that noise. ]

[strangerpeople]

[It's a text]

Akabane-san?

[comesaround]

[ Even better than he'd been expecting. He can't help the small grin as he shoots back a text right away. ]

Well. Hey there. You must be Kana-chan. Glad you got my message so quickly.

Got a minute?

[strangerpeople]

I




I suppose so. What's up?

[comesaround]

I just had a couple things I wanted to ask.

Names, mostly. I... picked up on a few memories of yours unintentionally. Do you know the names of the two you spoke to about a certain incident? One had wavy hair and the other seemed older but I couldn't make out his face. Called you 'pigtails'.

Do you know their names at all?

[strangerpeople]

Oh you go



I see. I do. But I'm not really allowed to tell who they are. At least, I don't believe so...

[comesaround]

I don't see how it would hurt any, but that's just me. Even just one of their names would be great.

Same with you. Surely you don't just go by Kana-chan. Have a full name that you can give me? I'm honestly curious. If I have to promise to keep it more or less a secret for now, so be it.