[WEEK 1 GY POST: Bring out your dead]

[purrtagonist]

[he awakens with a start in his bed in the House of Hearts, long after the investigation has concluded. the first thing he does is bolt upright, hand flying to the side of his head where Croix's blow knocked him unconscious, then to his right eye which is. . . huh. completely whole again. his heart hammering madly in his chest is evidence enough that he isn't dead (he. . . thinks?), so after one or two steadying breaths to reorient himself, he slips out of his bed and through the front door]

[he meanders for a bit. everything in the Hare's Abode looks exactly the same, and there are people milling about everywhere, talking about the evidence they found, the bodies they found. it's probably a good thing he has yet to go to the market and see his own, uh. head, honestly. but no matter who he runs into, no matter how hard he shouts and waves his hands, no one seems to notice him, which is. . . well. disconcerting.]

[for the fellow dead? Akira can be found standing outside the Timeshare, staring at the bloody footprints as he twirls his cat mask around his finger. look ma, no mask!!]

[his expression is blank. unreadable. shoulders tense, posture stiff. let's dead person party guys!!]

Comments

[nonidentity]

[When Ferim awakens, he assesses the situation, determines it peculiar, and moves on. This dimension is beyond his jurisdiction; he has no understanding of its mechanics. And as someone whose existence is tenuous and fragile, the alterations of his consciousness mean less to him as they might to a human.

He makes no attempt to interact with the living, observing silently (as he has for years, really). Though his mask is off, his face is still covered by his hood, because. Yeah.

When he sees Akira, however, he pauses.]

[purrtagonist]

[Ferim notices Akira first, since his attention is mostly focused on those bloody footprints right now. yeup]

[but then he tilts his head and catches sight of another person-- someone who doesn't look quite as. . . ghostly and spirited as the others-- and he's immediately swiveling on his heel to face him, expression going slack in surprise]

. . .

Hoodie?

[can you hear him!!!]

[nonidentity]

[...]

I had thought that with your determination, you might surpass the obstacles of this place, but I suppose overcoming death is a challenging feat.

[so yep, can definitely hear akira.]

[cheerfulgoth]

[The first thing Esther feels when she wakes up is that her head is clearer than it had ever been before. No voices, no constant feeling of being watched...just peace]

What did I do now...?

[She remembers going out at night, following a voice. How could she have been so stupid? Dazed, Esther exits the house she belonged to, looking around. There are a lot of wispy forms. Knowing from experience approaching ghost-resembling stuff can't lead to anything good, she stays away from those]

...Akira?

[It's him? For a moment she forgets the silly nickname. What's going on now? She approaches Akira, hurrying]

Tell me I didn't get myself killed, please. I can't believe I could have been so stupid...

[purrtagonist]

[he stops, because that is someone calling his name. someone actually noticing him, for the first time since he woke up]

[he whirls around]

Esther?

[he also forgets the "dark" before her name]

I-- [h. . . hm. how does he answer that] What happened?

[cheerfulgoth]

I...okay, no time for panic. Let me think.

[Remember what she did...]

I think what happened in that smoking place messed up my head, because I was hearing voices. I heard one of someone I know, so...I went to look for them. Stupid, right? [She's really upset with herself. She should know better than putting herself in danger, what's wrong with her?!] So I went to that small library, and in there...

[...]

...someone attacked me from the back. I couldn't see who it was. I'd like not to talk about what happened next.

[It was Mejojo. He attacked her and left her to get pelted with books because getting hit with an axe freaking sucks, so of course she was going to scream]

[headingsouth]

[Croix doesn't seem to be interested in talking to Akira, or doing anything at all --- when she awakens, she spends the next few minutes clutching herself protectively, particularly at her chest. The air of confidence she'd been displaying from day one is absent -- even her hair is drooping]

[if Akira or Ferim or anyone want to confront her, she'll be watching Ursula, her expression morose and---- something else?]

Chariot.....

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[that--]

[that voice. . . that semi-solid form. . .]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . hahaha holy shit]

[there are a few things that keep him from rushing her immediately: the fact that she's here, like this (which means she. . . died, right?), the morose expression, the way she watches Ursula mourn outwardly and openly. he's angry, but he isn't cruel. if anything? Croix is lucky this is how they met again after. . . well. she knows]

. . .

[there's a little thing called karma, and he can tell but wonder spitefully if it was at play, here. but even then? for everything she did, it wasn't as though he wanted her to die, too]

I take it things didn't go as planned.

[he addresses her coolly]

[nonidentity]

[Huh.]

This is unexpected.

[As passive as ever.]

[headingsouth]

[There's the other boy -- creature too-- and even here, even now, he barely seems to be reacting to anything. She'd almost laugh, if she could find it within herself.]

[But she feels too empty right now.]

Mmm. It turns out I'm not the worst threat here.

[Her head droops. She's still staring at Ursula]

SATURDAY TRIAL

[purrtagonist]

[idk about anyone else but Akira is following everyone into the Timeshare to popcorn.gif the proceedings. he is. . . also, dutifully ignoring his head on display because hahahaha. please don't mind he way he gently brushes his hands over his neck as his gaze scans the area]

[also he is going to sneak behind Kira and use his fingers to give him bunny ears because he FUCKIN' CAN]

[cheerfulgoth]

[Esther can't avoid looking at her dead body. She cringes when she sees how mutilated it is]

Okay, now that was uncalled for!

[Did you have to split her chest open to take her heart out, killer?]

[headingsouth]

[she's just going to stand next to Ursula :(]

I wonder if they'll figure it out.

[she doesn't sound hopeful]

They should know that she isn't guilty, at least.

[nonidentity]

[After eating some ice, Ferim says to Akira:]

It seems you were beloved.

[purrtagonist]

[well. . . there's this,. and Akira is facepalming]

Too complicated--! Keep it simple, guys. . . !

[headingsouth]

[While this is going down Croix clenches her fists and yells]

[SHE AT LEAST DOESN'T TRY TO DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL because she's not that stupid but]

You idiots! You don't understand anything!

[purrtagonist]

[THROWS HIS HANDS IN THE AIR]

Too complicated! Again! Keep it simple guys!

JUST BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING SO WELL

[mcmurderer]

[ Before they know it, the White Rabbit presses the button on his stop watch. Time around them all pause and instead, the White Rabbit is the only one moving. He hobbles, hops and points to the dead ghosties in the timeshare, watching everything unfold. ]

Very fast! Not a second to pass. None, never any! Hurry, listen to me: the next week something awful awaits!!! The rabbit hole will appear soon. Very soon! I will seek you out shortly, but I must have you prepare yourselves to face your worst fears. Can you — can you do this? The - the Queen knows not of this! This is the only w-w-way for you to be revived. Y-Your incentives will be attributed, your wishes made, but without overcoming — you s-s-shall perish here in Wonderland.

[headingsouth]

.... Rabbit. I fulfilled my end of the bargain -- but I want to change my incentives before we go forward.

[....]

If you let me do that, then I will face what's ahead.

[purrtagonist]

[it's a bit surreal when everything freezes around them, but Akira is used to strange things happening like that?? so he just. swivels to face the rabbit (he was in the process of mimicking flicking Mejojo's ears) and tiles his chin up]

-- tell us what you need from us. I'm ready.

[nonidentity]

And if we fail?

RESULTS............

[nonidentity]

[well then]

... Wrong one.

[cheerfulgoth]

...so who's going to break him the news of who actually did it?

[Who here wants to make Kira Yoshikage explode in a geyser of salt?]

[headingsouth]

Only four people were smart enough to catch on.

[SALT]