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

[jyoshu]

[No... no!! Uugh Horikawa just can't do anything right, can he? At least, that's the kind of thought that starts to run through his mind when he sees Yamato's tears well up, running down his cheeks even worse than before he had moved. He can feel the guilt coiling in his stomach, but all Horikawa can do is bite his lip and shake his head at Yamato's apologies. It's not his fault. It's not his fault.

So he's understandably hurt when Yamato steps away from him again, and it shows on his face. Opening his mouth to speak, but too late to get a word in edgewise as Yamato takes his opportunity to continue on with what he's saying. Horikawa wants to be here with Yamato, and he's just as happy to see that the other is alright, but these kinds of words ー these kinds of actions... All Horikawa can feel is guilt.

He drops to the ground just as quickly as Yamato, and he can feel his eyes start to burn too. Half-heartedly, he pulls at Yamato's kimono in an effort to convince him to get up.]

It's not your fault, Yasu-kun. It's not! You don't have to apologize to me, so please, please raise your head. You aren't the one who chose me, and you aren't the one who did this, either. Nothing that's happened has been your fault, we've all just been doing our best. So please, don't apologize.

[He can't bear to see Yamato like this because of him.]

[yasusada]

[ Hands that are pressed against the ground under them slowly clench into fists, he shakes his head only because he doesn't think this is right. He's happy, of course he is to see that Horikawa is alright but it still hurts him he couldn't protect him from this fate. To hold back tears is something he can't do anymore, the cough that leaves from his lips from his emotions is quickly covered by one hand. With the pull of his outfit, he doesn't dare try to stand up. Asking for forgiveness, for not being there to protect Horikawa — he didn't want that to be their last moment.

The tears that hit the ground are noticed by him as he wishes he could stop the flow but they're here now. ]

If I hadn't gone that night, I didn't even go to eat anythin- [ A hic that follows with a cough. He's just really sad. ] If I hadn't killed Orion that night, would you have still been alive. [ He finally looks up towards him, there's an amount of feelings swelling through him. Happiness and sadness isn't something that can be chosen right now. ]

Our best? I should have done mine. My best.. I should have protected you. I said I would protect you. I want to protect you even now.. I want to do everything I can but.. I don't understand why they hurt you. Why did they hurt you! Why did they take you from me?!

[jyoshu]

[Once Yamato has raised his head, stubbornly, Horikawa uses the palms of his hands to try to rub away the tears that stick to his own cheeks ー a difficult task when they won't stop running. At least he does seem to have an answer, something definite for Yamato's questions. They may be rhetorical, but it hurts Horikawa to see such reactions from him, and it hurts him not to know what to do in a situation like this. It hurts that he was thrown away. It hurts that he caused Yamato to have these kinds of feelings, and caused him to blame himself like this. But despite that, he isn't necessarily thinking about any consequences of his honesty at the moment; grasping at what he has, Horikawa just wants Yamato to stop crying, to stop hurting so much if he can give him the answers he wants.]

That's because... I was useless ー because Hijikata-san found a sword that he thought served him better than me. It's because Tsurumaru wanted to make sure I knew just how worthless I was to him, before he killed me. [And because, as far as he could tell, Tsurumaru wanted to take everything from him.]

[Maybe he deserved to be thrown away and he can't argue with that, a broken blade as he is, but everything that happened to him because of it was too far. It was too much, so it's clear that he says Tsurumaru's name with more venom than his master's, even through the shaky breaths and sniffles that force him to pause. His next words are spoken more earnestly, both of his hands holding tightly onto the ends of Yamato's sleeves.]

I... I'm glad you weren't there. It's better, Yasu-kun. You didn't have to see them, and they couldn't hurt you. It was... very kind of you to protect me, but it isn't your fault that you didn't... If I'm a capable sword, I should have been able to protect myself, and I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt because of me.

Right now, just being able to see you again is nice.

[yasusada]

[ He wonders if that's fair, for Horikawa to cry too — he shouldn't have to because he shouldn't be in any pain. Sadly, he was in more pain that Yamato could ever realize, pain that he couldn't understand to fathom. For him, his own had been being left behind by the two closest in his life but for Horikawa — Yamato is speechless, the hics are what he tries to hold back as he listens to this tale spoken to him. One that doesn't fit in one of those morbid stories that the uchigatana likes to read because this isn't something amusing to him. He's baffled, shocked by what's being said to him and the tears that fall down his face hardly want to stop. A hand is raised albeit shaky, he pressed it against the cheek of the male before him. Thumb wiping at the tears that fall and noting the warm of Horikawa's cheeks that at this moment, these tears and even him are real.

That his story is honest and his heart drops to the bottom of his stomach. ]

Wh.. What..

[ No! It wasn't too long before where Hijikata and Gi-Ne were all around Horikawa's body, Hijikata had mourned and even afterwards — Yamato had gotten down on his knees for him. It hadn't been long since both him and Tsurumaru — with each and every sword agreed to watch over each other because they all wanted to make it back to the Citadel. ]

What are you saying? Wh—

[ He thinks back a minute, Shijima had said the same thing before he came here — as much as he wanted to think that "Oh, that can't be true." It's actually the truth. There's a pause as he tries to take in this information, his eyes falling back down to the ground and he sizes up the other and his appearance. They did that to him? The body now is perfect, no scars and nothing to show pain but when they were "alive" — they hurt him? They hurt him?

They hurt him.
They hurt him.

Even his master? Had hurt him. ]

I.. [ He doesn't know what to say, being part of the Shinsengumi — this isn't something he'd expect from a person who is considered the Vice Commander. As much as Okita Souji had cared for his own blades, going as far as to fix Kashuu .. instead for Horikawa, Hijikata joined with Tsurumaru and killed him? ] No, no.. they can't do that because you aren't worthless.. they aren't allowed to do something like that not too long ago we were all together.. not to long ago did Hij.. Not too long was he at your body and felt sadness for what happened to you. .. As much as you've done for each and every one of us .. they did that? They can't do that, there's no way they could do that because it's them.. they're our comrades and..

[ His hands that are hidden inside of his sleeps do grab onto Horikawa's hands, holding onto them as he's trying to keep him close. ]

And if they aren't I'd still protect you from them .. I.. They did that to you.. they sent you here and you had so much going for you.. is this how they repay you for everything you did for them, for everyone else.. [ for me? ]

No. No. Don't say that! Why wasn't I there why was I an idiot and not there why couldn't I see that the people that I thought was close to us were liars. Why didn't I know that in the end as comrades as close as the Shinsengumi.. that the promises we made to each other meant nothing. If someone like Hijikata Toshizou would do something like that and break one of it's many codes. One of them are engaging in private fights and I didn't know and I let them hurt you and Hijikat.. He knew better, why did he hurt you.. you aren't useless you been by his side until death and even now .. and...

I didn't protect you at all, I wasn't capable of doin— [ His words begin to break and his tears never stop but.. ] Of doing just that.. I should have been there.. I.. I should have known.. I.. Is that why they were listed on that sheet.. if I had chose one of them.. could I have saved you from that fate.. I.. Horikawa I.. I'm so so sorry.. I..

Why wasn't I there, I should have been there!

[ Taking his sleeves back from out the other's grasp, he slowly wraps his arms around Horikawa's neck. A hand then positions to the middle of his back, nails digging into his shirt and holding him rather closer than before. Chin resting against his shoulder and the muffled cries are probably louder than they were before considering how close Yamato is now to his ear. With a sniffle and his other hand raising to grip at some of his black locks of hair, he holds what's important to him. ]