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

[unrecked]

Maybe. If you like the thought of "losing" whatever game this is. I don't think the others would be happy knowing I helped if they knew the truth. [He peers over Yams a moment.]

Hey. Don't hate Royce, all right? He didn't accuse you of being guilty, only having a gun. Everyone else was too quick to throw you under the bus without any evidence.

I'm not saying he's flawless. Just... looking out for himself. He didn't have anyone else.

[yasusada]

I really don't mind what happens in the end, I'm content with how things play out. As much as I want others to leave this place.. maybe hoping for the General's is a good thing. I wonder if I can still take my judgement, even if they do win. .. Wasn't that your goal in the beginning, to kill them and now the truth comes to light and things change.. [ He raises his view towards the other and waits patiently for what he has to say. The name, it's familiar and he looks off to the side for just a few moments. Of course, it was his accusation that brought Yamato to his death but. ]

.. Why do you think I hate him? [ He sighs just a bit. ] I don't hate anyone.. I just lost faith in humans in general. He was right, I did have a gun but it's the fact of how many people have believed us swords to be bad — that we were creepy, it only made me realize how quick they were to get rid of us. I don't mind being voted because everyone just wanted to protect themselves. It just hurts to be a sword, that protects humans and have to be .. shunned for it. [ Honesty! He's having an honest moment. He knows that Royce didn't fully do any wrong and even now, he's okay with what happened. ] So I don't hate him, he didn't do anything wrong but give a couple of words — no one had to agree with him but.. ahaha, it's fine now. Besides, you knew the truth anyway, didn't you? You didn't vote for me.

[ Wait! ]

Ah! I'm sorry if I spoke too much, I probably bored you with what I said.

[unrecked]

I voted for myself every time because I was a Fox, because the only people we had checked turned out to be innocent. There was no evidence to convict anyone, and I had no evidence of anyone guilty. [A shrug.] I believed Royce. I figured you had a gun, and then I found out who he was, and I knew you probably did.

But I didn't think you were guilty. Royce never said you were guilty, even when I talked to him in private. He never said you killed anyone. Just that you had a gun.

Your friends took up for you, though, so that's what matters. They believed you. I think, when they found out, they were upset you had to die, but were glad you were innocent.

You died instead of one of them, protecting them a little longer. Letting them live, so hopefully they can see the game end. You're not such a bad sword in the end, are you?

[yasusada]

[ He's silent at his words, taking it all in and he contemplates as to what he wants to say next. Maybe an "I don't care." or "It doesn't matter they voted for me anyway." will leave from his lips when the chances arises. Yet, there's nothing for him to say though he's still bitter at the few who would go along with things just because a name was given. How dare, this HUMAN speak to him like this? How dare he and yet, Yamato shakes his head just a bit. It seems like this one and even Royce, they both hold good intentions.

It's kind of hard for Yamato to frown for so long, even at the mention of his friends is enough to make him feel better just a bit. He's glad that some of them are okay and even though after his death, many of them have fallen but at that time during his sentence they were alive. ]

How dare you speak to me in such a manner and you aren't even my master. It kind of.. makes me glad, that at that time it was me and not them. Though, I lost someone important and maybe I did lose my head [ nOT THE PUN TO MAKE AT THIS TIME YAMATO ] at the time but you're right. I was happy that the others were okay, even now it seems like they're falling one by one.. I hope that the Generals win that they at least get to go back home.

[ He gives a small grin, though his faith in humans IS GONE, lord let me tell you some of them cannot be redeemed — he feels slightly okay speaking with those one and perhaps Royce as well. ]

I'm not mad at either of you so it's fine. I think knowing this makes things a little better.. for you two. But how did he know, is he the supposed gunsmith that makes his own choices? ... Thank you, for doing what you did when you were alive. You and him really did try your best for the entire village even when they had their [ lynching ] slips. But there are some humans I really can't forgive in the batch.. but for you, I have no qualms.

[unrecked]

Yeah. He was the gunsmith. [Simple. Honest. Jason has nothing to hide here with the people who have fallen like him, or the people who were voted to fall by the rest of them, thinking they are doing the right thing, thinking it's all for good, for an end.] I don't know more than that. I don't know who he gave guns to, or who he held them from. I didn't know until right before I died.

[For a moment, he's quiet, looking over Yamato a little, then looking away.] Fair enough.

I understand. How you feel, I mean, about forgiving others. There's a lot of fuckers back home I can't forgive, even some that... [Some that he cares a lot about. (Or thought he did?) He can't say that, though. Hurts too much. Feels too... like he's betraying himself.] Anyway. There's more than some I can't forgive, so I don't blame you.

[yasusada]

It all makes sense what that lady meant when she said the gunsmith never listened to her and that he made his own decisions. [ It's understandable of him being the gunsmith though it does make him wonder about the gunshots of the newest set of victims. He probably won't bring them up seeing it's more village related shots than General's doing it but then again Tsurumaru is another story. ] It makes me wonder why he decided to give me a gun.. I wish I hadn't had used it, I removed away someone that could have saved us.

[ He's silent too once it happens, waiting and once words are spoken, he gladly speaks up again. ]

So it's fine to be this way, upset at a few people because of what they did. I understand that we swords can never be like the humans, even with this physical form but our feelings for some people are the same. I really can't forgive them after what they've done, I feel like I'd be lying to myself if I do. [ It's kind of saddening that he's been through some tough times, it's enough to make Yamato frown. ]

You'll never forgive them, right? So I could do the same.. and it's understandable? [ Human stuff is weird, he's not like Kashuu and he can't fill the quota of understanding their emotions but he does try. ]

[unrecked]

[For a while, Jason is quiet, thinking. Never forgiving people... Yeah, he's done that. He's still doing that. It's hard to forgive Bruce for not being there, for letting him get tortured by a psycho, for not living up to that Batman promise. And Jason sure as hell won't ever forgive the Joker. Never. He won't forgive Dick for being perfect, setting the bar so high, one he can't reach. And he won't forgive Tim for being his replacement. And he won't forgive Damian for being the blood son, for being the one Bruce has learned to give more of a damn about--more than the other Robins.

But Bruce would tell him differently. To forgive. Don't hold onto it. From experience, is what Bruce would say. Jason doesn't give a damn what Bruce says. Alfred, though. Alfie. He would say that same thing, and that stings a little bit more, sits a little bit heavier in his stomach.] When you're ready, you can forgive them. [That's the happy medium, right?] If you're never ready, that's okay, too. When you're ready, you should forgive them. Don't forget, but maybe forgive. [It hadn't been Bruce's fault, in the end, had it? Bruce had tried... And Dick, he was just trying to prove he wasn't worthless. Tim was just smart, head-strong. Damian didn't have anything to do with what happened.]

Does that sound fair? Forgiving when you're ready.

[yasusada]

[ He wonders if he can hold onto these words, if they truly have any other meaning behind them. He's a sword, he's never really had to deal with forgiving or being forgiven based on his actions. He followed the code of his squad and acted out how his master would want him to be. So having such a weight of being able to forgive someone, having that choice — how did humans not suffer like this. His thoughts on the matter is that he doesn't want to forgive many of the humans that he's met so far, he doesn't want to forgive them because of how him and his friends were treated. What he really can't forgive is that someone part of the Shinsengumi had taken refugee as a General — going as far as to desecrate another being part of that. By Hijikata's actions to break the rules of the Shinsengumi by killing his own sword and the fact that he is human — he should have been different but it seems many human's blood run stone cold.

It's these thoughts brought together that makes him not want to forgive that human or any others. So hearing that it's okay he feels this way makes him crosses his arms before his chest and he glances off to the side. ]

I'll forgive then.. when I'm ready. [ He's pretty set on the few that he doesn't want to ever forgive, he won't forget what they've done and he also sent Kashuu a letter to not hate any of them.. so maybe he cares just a little bit for them (humans). ] I don't think I'm able to forgive but I won't forget.. It goes hand in hand.

[ There's a smile on his features as he accepts that, this information that's important to him. ]

You know this better than me so I feel as though I can trust what you're telling me.