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

[ossifragant]

[He laughs.]

Well, I guess I can't say no, now that our lives aren't on the line.

[meatery]

They sort of still are, but it's out of our hands. So we may as well have some fun!

[ossifragant]

[He grins.]

I wish I could show you a trick of mine, but I guess we'll have to settle for things not being as interesting as they could be.

[meatery]

Eh, I'm missing a lot of my tricks too. [More than she's willing to admit...] Maybe we can come up with some new ones between us.

[ossifragant]

[He's probably still fast, even if he's lost a lot of his speed among other things.]

How good are you at hand-to-hand?

[meatery]

I'm a saiyan.

[Gi-ne, that means nothing to anyone here but you.]

We learn to throw a punch before we learn to talk.

[ossifragant]

Well now.

[He looks intrigued.]

Sounds like we have a little in common, though I'm not a usual case, myself.

[meatery]

Are you calling me weird?

[ossifragant]

[He laughs, shaking his head.]

No, I was calling myself weird. I'm not human.

[meatery]

That's not really weird. Before I got here, I'd never met a human before. Being human is weirder than not.

[ossifragant]

[He flashes a friendly smile.]

I guess it's just unusual for people only used to humans, then.

[meatery]

[Starts to head towards the snacks because she is what she is.]

What are you then? Something strong?

[ossifragant]

Yeah, I'm pretty strong, if I say so myself.

[He follows her, if only because he's not going to turn down a glass of scotch.]

I'm a homunculus, a created human.

[meatery]

Huh.

[Pauses. Thinks about this.]

Are- [...] Are normal humans... not created?

[ossifragant]

Well, they're created in a... biological sense, I suppose.

[He doesn't.... really want to talk about sex, though.]

Homunculi are born when a person attempts to raise the dead.

[meatery]

[Oh, good she was confused.

Wait what]

Like what we're doing? Are we going to make a bunch of new people by coming back to life?

[ossifragant]

[His head shakes.]

No, this is different. This isn't what I'm familiar with.

If the Generals succeed... I think people will be brought back without the problems homunculi have.

[meatery]

Ah... Okay then.

[They don't need anything more to worry about tbh she's glad]

Well, in that case, I guess you are pretty strange after all. [No judgement though.] I've never heard of anything like that.

[ossifragant]

Yeah, I guess I am. It doesn't bother me, though. Not exactly.

[He can't help what he is. Having the memories of the dead, though... that messes with him.]

Even where I'm from, homunculi are more legend than reality.

[meatery]

Ah? That's a kind of cool legend though. Not as cool as a Super Saiyan, but a strong person born from death~

Doesn't that sound really interesting?

[Gi-ne, you're the strange one here.]

[ossifragant]

[He laughs.]

It's unusual, I'll give you that.

[...]

What's a Super Saiyan?

[meatery]

The legendary warrior! The Super Saiyan is the strongest fighter in the universe!

[Laughs a little.] It's an old saiyan legend, basically. Every one thousand years an incredible warrior will be born, or something like that. There hasn't been one for centuries, but we still have a few stories about the last one. There's also the "Super Saiyan God", but that one really is a fairytale, no one talks about it anymore.

[ossifragant]

[He gives a good natured smile.]

Well, they do call homunculi legends, so maybe the Super Saiyan is real. It can still happen, right?

[meatery]

Oh, I'm sure it's real. [Mostly. It's not something that really concerns her, but all saiyans treat it like something real.] Everyone's sure the prince will become one, but he's still just a child.

[ossifragant]

The prince, huh?

[That sounds about right, actually.]

Sounds like the kid might grow up to be one hell of a fighter.