graveyard.

[foxhounds]

You remember dying. In fact, you remember the exact feeling and fear of how you died, and yet in the next moment, you're suddenly standing in a cold room. You're not sure how you got here at all, but it's as if you were suddenly put here the moment after you died. As you look around, the first thing you'll notice is that you're standing in front of an open casket. And you're inside. The corpse inside the casket is definitely you, and it's also definitely dead, which certainly makes this confusing. Luckily, here's someone here to explain. When you wake up, there's footsteps walking closer, and then a familiar face appears. Iván is here, or someone that looks very much like her is. All she starts off with is two simple words— "You're dead." Which would seem obvious, but she explains that you have been before you ever arrived to the island. The shipwreck and the island are't real, after all. This is purgatory, and the Hunt is a way to judge the souls of the living. People show their true nature when they're put in a stressful situation, so it was deemed that this was the way that these judgements would be passed. She explains that you'll know your fate when the game ends, but if you really can't wait that long, you could always ask, but hope isn't lost. After all, the "killers" are on your side. If they can win the game, then everyone can come back to life. They know this, and it's why they're fighting so hard to win. It's a shame that the odds don't seem to be in their favor, but that's also part of the Hunt. — Exploring your new surroundings, you'll realize that you're likely at the bottom of that giant sinkhole, at least if that light far above you is any indication. You no longer feel the need to eat or sleep anymore (technically, you never did, but the habits of being alive are hard to break), so it's a good thing there's enough to do while the game continues. You can watch the proceedings of the Hunt in one room where there's plenty of comfortable couches to sit in and lounge, as well as a fully stocked bar, if you feel like indulging. Another room offers a game room with cards, billiards, and any other games you'd like to play in a group. If you ask your host nicely, she might provide more, but for now, there's not much to do other than to watch and wait for the Hunt to end.

Comments

[snackoosniper]

If the Fox can't produce a better target by the end of tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if Ivan found herself on the chopping block.

[ And the thought of the mob choosing to kill someone who can hardly even defend herself makes Ema sick by principle. Of course, there's that ability to overturn a vote, but it only works once... ]

How would the choices of the remaining players affect us already dead? I thought we were already graded and ready to be shipped off to the appropriate afterlife. You excepted, that is.

[liven]

I doubt it. [ A lazy shrug. ] ...Though I'll keep it in mind for future reference.

[ How much she does or doesn't say when she's about to die. She's rarely helpful around then. ]

As to that, of course their choices effect everything. You can be brought back to life, you can die and pass on, or you could end up like me. Or even more options...I wouldn't worry about it too much for the time being. You're the sort to go to heaven; even if the hunters lose, you'll have a good ending. For being dead, I mean.

[snackoosniper]

[ ... Man. She's silent for a moment. Purgatory is so weird. ]

Which religion predicted that purgatory would be a twisted murder game, anyway?

[ WHO WOULD WANT TO JOIN THAT RELIGION... ]

[liven]

[ An irritated sigh. ]

Not one I ever heard of. I was hoping that death would bring an end to existing, myself.

[ BUT OF FUCKING COURSE THAT'S NOT THE CASE she's still mad about this, and has been mad about it since her very first game. god ]

[snackoosniper]

[ Oh, right. She was supposed to be like... 900 years old... Ema is dead and sitting around in the afterlife, yet still skeptical about non-human beings. SCIENTIST TO THE CORE ]

Well, maybe there are still... options. Like your soul ascending and dispersing into the aetherial plane, or some nonsense like that.

[ She wiggles her fingers mystically. Bullshit like that probably exists, why not. Why not anything. ]

[liven]

Not this round, unfortunately.

[ A sigh. She's apparently just 100% sure she's going to wait this thing out and then play again with a new batch of losers. Presumably leaving Kouichi to go to Heaven or Hell and/or go back to life? Well then. ]

How have you all been getting along down here, anyway? [ They seem mostly relaxed, but then again Shijima's the only killer unlucky enough to have made it down here so far. ]

[snackoosniper]

Oh, all right, I suppose. Earl boy is usually off being a nuisance, Princess Charming is off being dramatic, and Sensual K and I are usually watching the proceedings.

[ That sounds so questionable and why doesn't she just call them by their names, they're literally shorter and more convenient in every way. ]

My conclusion overall? Boring. Probably for the better, but still a little dull.

[ The scientific investigator in her still wishes she could be there finding evidence and fingering suspects. Alas. ]

[liven]

[ ...Wait, hold on. ]

"Sensual K"...?

[ Who the fuck is that she got the other ones but is Sephiroth Sensual K

Why is he Sensual K

Where did that come from ]

[snackoosniper]

Some music fad the young girls are into nowadays.

[ She waves a hand. She also means VISUAL KEI and Sephiroth explicitly said he's not a singer but what else is she gonna call him. Sephiroth?? Please. ]

Lots of men with long hair, makeup, belts, and ridiculous gothic clothing. Don't ask me what the appeal is.

[liven]

[ oh good lord. okay, shijima is just going to start cracking up now. ]

Oh, I like you! [ please make up dumb names for everyone, k thnx ] It's really too bad you "died" first.

[snackoosniper]

[ Is she being made fun of... Now she's pouting, look what you did. But she's also pouted harder in her life. ]

Hmph. If I'd known we were about to be thrust into a game like this, I never would've revealed I was a detective. I was never even really a great detective, to be honest.

[ Because she never... tried tried to be one?? If she were to be completely frank with herself... ]

[liven]

[ No Shijima genuinely thinks she's hilarious and wishes she had lived longer...though now that Shijima is "dead", it does mean she gets the benefit of Ema's hilarious company. ]

That is admittedly probably why they targeted you...to see if the detective was the Detective...well, a Fox. So how did your death actually go?

[ She's curious. ]

1/2

[snackoosniper]

My death? Well... Their hounds sniffed me out. I tried to throw off the scent by scattering my things around and making a getaway, but after all of 20 yards, it felt like I'd been drugged. I couldn't run anymore, so they caught up with me.

[ She still feels a little cheated. She would've liked to go down fighting a little more than she did. ]

It was that red-headed man and one of those samurai crazies. Long black hair, yellow eyes. Creepy smile.

[ In short, Orion and Hijikata. ]

2/2

[snackoosniper]

[ And then her eyes go hard, remembering. ]

The samurai only slit my throat, but it was nearly worse. Much worse. If his partner hadn't been around, he would've taken all the time in the world to kill me.

[ She is dead, and it takes the edge off the trauma, but it was humiliating. She will not forget it. ]

I'll always be thankful to his partner for at least being a decent man.

[liven]

Say what you will about me, at least I usually make the death itself quick. How troubling...

[ Well, she'd chatted with Reimu for a few seconds, but that was about it. Sometimes she gets lonely. ]

Who knows, you might get to thank that guy in person sometime, you know? So that's three...

[snackoosniper]

Three? Who's the other one?

[ she needs to step up her eavesdropping game, apparently ]

[liven]

Gi-ne, according to Stocking.

[ PROBABLY, since if she were eavesdropping in the right place she'd know who had mutilated her corpse and why...Shijima's not the most forthcoming, but she doesn't seem inclined to keep any secrets from the brother she'd chosen to leave the game with. ]

We might get to find out more of them next time someone dies, if they shuffle who kills again.

[snackoosniper]

Really! Gi-ne? She was so... helpful!

[ SNEAKY WOMAN... Ema can't even be mad about being duped. ]

Well, that's a beacon of hope for the General, at least. I doubt she's a suspect to most everyone.

[liven]

Mm, same here! Orion is usually helpful, too, although I found him sanctimonious...

[ He kept lecturing her about being cold. ADMITTEDLY, THIS IS WHY SHE GOT CAUGHT, but still!! ]

I never talked to the other guy you mentioned. Is he one of those swords? I know at least one or two of them has to be on the General's side...

[snackoosniper]

I'm not certain he's a "sword" in the way some of the others claim to be, but he does seem to have ties with them.

[ She's been trying to pay closer attention to him, but... ]

I hadn't talked to him either. He seems to keep to himself more often than not. In the end, that might be his downfall.

[liven]

Eh...well, I guess we'll just have to keep count. Not that it matters, but it'll give us something to do, you know?

[ It can get boring being dead. Take it from her. ]

At least a Fox wasted two nights on me rather than anyone else, even if that did get them confirmed to the game at large...

[snackoosniper]

Matt and the Fox have a solid set-up. This will be a big thorn in the General's side, I have no doubt.

[ It's actually a little impressive... never mind that almost a quarter of the participants are double-dead already. ]

[liven]

Mm. The Rainsford is almost assuredly going to protect Matt...we should hope.

[ If they want team Mafia to win, anyway, which Shijima seems to be on board with even though the overall outcome doesn't bug her. ]

Hopefully the General is much better at acting non-suspicious than I am. Otherwise it'll be finished.

[snackoosniper]

... In the end, it might boil down to how many friends he can make on his own. Even if his Foxhounds make allies, it could be for naught if the General himself has none.

[ She holds up an illustrative finger. ]

Let's say there are ten people left. The General, Psycho Samurai, is under suspicion along with Gi-ne. Based on the way they've conducted themselves so far, I think I can safely predict that Gi-ne will have a much bigger pool of support than Psycho Samurai. Even if Gi-ne wants to sacrifice herself to save the General's skin, how can she? In this case, Gi-ne's friendliness would backfire on her and get the General voted off before her.

[ She crosses her arms, shrugging lightly. ]

If the General is going to win, I'd bet on him winning through sheer numbers and the folly of the innocent rather than through any brilliant maneuvers of his own.

[liven]

Yes, but friends will only get you so far - especially with so many people who are logical rather than emotional. There are the emotional sorts, of course, but...

[ Look, she's pretty sure they would have hung Gi-ne if the Fox had investigated that woman, instead. ]

All it takes is one little investigation to topple the General. The Hunt has to take out the opposition's roles before that can happen. I wouldn't count on the folly of the innocent too much longer...