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

2/2

[snackoosniper]

Thank you. For not letting it be worse than it had to be.

[wartorns]

--Ah.

[Right, yes. In the midst of all this hotheaded anger at being taken out, he almost forgot about that first night with Ema. He feels foolish now and only turns his head a little.]

You need not thank me. We all agreed to make the deaths swift and painless. Hijitaka was just being a no good bastard - I'm glad I was there to stop him.

[He hates this twisted game and no one should have to experience a painful death. Well, second death.]

[jyoshu]

Hijikata-san was no such thing.

[Cutting in, flatly, and uninvited. The information is appreciated but, sorry, but Horikawa can't stand for that kind of talk when it regards his previous master, regardless of what had been done to him. HE DOES, however, seem to squint with a trace of doubt in his features when he backtracks.]

You agreed to make them... painless?

[wartorns]

Yes we did. Although considering the company I was in, I suppose not everyone was all too keen on keeping up the decision. I am a man of honor though.

[Fucking murderfam.]

[jyoshu]

Ah...

[He's quiet for a moment, as if trying to process this information. He understands why now that he's finally arrived here but even so...]

No, they weren't. Tsurumaru got to enjoy telling me just how painful it would be, and... [He trails off. Bites his lip.] Regardless, I think that at least he should wind up here before he gets another chance to do that again.

[wartorns]

[He shuts his eyes, angered at what he's hearing and sighs.]

Well I assure you, are group will give them a tongue lashing tonight. We don't approve of such morbidity. What happened to Ema and Stocking's bodies was done after we killed them, not during. Perhaps they thought it'd be clever to keep the gruesome note on.

[jyoshu]

That's hardly a punishment proportional to what he's done. [Horikawa wants Tsurumaru dead with them here. It's fine.] Though, it's better if everybody else didn't have to go through the same thing.

[wartorns]

[He nods.]

I apologize for the end you received. Though I cannot wish his death considering the circumstance, I understand why you would want his demise for what he did to you.

[The Generals better not let those two go out together again dammit.]

[liven]

...Ehhh, at least my kill was clean.

[ What's with all the sadistic killers on the home team this time. Granted, Shijima isn't an innocent flower or anything, but that makes two killers who apparently need keepers. ]

[jyoshu]

Mm, that's true. Really, I'm sorry that you were voted off, Shijima-san.

[Innocent flower or not you just have to be less totally life-ruining than Tsurumaru, and you're good. He offers a (very weak) smile to accompany his words.]

[liven]

It's fine...it's a little earlier than I usually get caught these days, but apparently the mafia got told about my role.

[ A shrug. She will just have to do better next time, though she obviously has never done well enough to win. ]

Unlike most of you, it's not my first time around.

[snackoosniper]

[ Ohhhh, no. DON'T YOU FIGHT HER. ]

He was going to torture me! I was defenseless and drugged, and-- and that jerk was going to make a game out of my death!

[ What she wouldn't give to apply all the chemicals in her bag directly into Hijikata's eyeballs. ]

[inspiritus]

How am I not surprised he's being defended here as well, despite what's been revealed about him?

[liven]

That makes two sadists on our team of "heroes".

[ GO...HOME TEAM...? ]

[wartorns]

[#NOTALLGENERALS]

[liven]

[ SHIJIMA CAN'T REALLY TALK, SINCE SHE WAS THE ONE BRUTALIZING THE BODIES, BUT AT LEAST THEY WERE SUPER DEAD WHEN SHE DID...

she kind of glances his way, though. ]

Your meetings must have been fun.

[wartorns]

Not really. [HE didn't have fun >:( gosh] We mostly talked about who to kill and then decided who would go out. No one enjoys it...well, except for those two bastards.

[And yeah HE STILL HASN'T FORGIVEN YOU FOR CHOPPING UP EMA AND STOCKING AND HAVING EVERYONE BLAME IT ON THE GENERALS. Thanks cat.]

[jyoshu]

[MOMENT OF SILENCE... He has to fight her.]

Hijikata-san does what he has to do. Not everybody has to agree with him, but he must have had a reason.

[#HijkataApologist. Sorry, but Horikawa is more than used to (being used in) Hijikata's torture and killing methods.]

[snackoosniper]

[ MOMENT OF SILENCE... for the third death he's about to suffer under the laser beam fury of her stare. ]

I'll give you a reason. He's sick! A sadistic torture fetishist!

[jyoshu]

[IT'S FINE, he deserves this. He's looking back with about as much interest as if he's watching paint dry, and shakes his head.]

Hijikata-san isn't an entirely bad person. He's doing this for everyone here, after all.

[snackoosniper]

[ At the thought of Hijikata, Ema's smile instantly turns into a scowl. ]

Really, what's that guy's problem?! I hope for everyone else's sake that he isn't the last one standing on his side. Well -- our side, technically.

[ But he will always be the enemy to her. If they end up losing, Hijikata can go straight to Hell. It's not like she's been fuming while watching him be nice and kind to his friends, either. No, never!! ]

[wartorns]

I have no idea. He seems pretty mellow and then suddenly he starts acting like a psychotic. Can't understand why he's even allowed to go on hunts after I told them about what he tried to do to you.

[He TATTLED because fuck that dude.]

[snackoosniper]

[ FUCK YEAH BLOW THAT WHISTLE, BRUTHA. But having someone else to trash talk with is amazingly therapeutic, and the heat in her anger cools to a simmer almost as quickly as it came. ]

I hope his future partners are as effective as you were at reining him in. How did you all decide on who would make the kill?

[wartorns]

Someone would usually just volunteer. There are a couple people in our group who don't like the idea of killing at all, so we don't let them go out. That lowers the pool to only a select few.

In fact, I wager the three people that have been seen by all of you will be the ones to continue it. I would be the fourth, if I wasn't here.

[snackoosniper]

So you were still looking out for each other as best as you could manage.

[ Except for certain people that shall not be named!! ]

In the end, that's smart from a strategic standpoint as well. The less involved those few members are, the easier time they'll have acting innocent.