the general - day zero.

[foxhounds]

THE GENERAL day zero Ivan has told you what you're meant to do in the coming days, and she's also told you that there's an hour before other souls will start washing up on the shores. She has to leave to prepare, but you're all together in the lobby of the mansion. Take it as a chance to meet each other and get to know the people you'll be working with.

Comments

[hopefragment]

Look...

[Alright, time for Hinata to shine... or something. As far as he's gathered from speaking to everyone else individually, he is so far out of his element. Like he's been cast out to sea and left to drown. Or tossed into outer space and just expected to survive!]

Do you guys seriously believe what this Ivan person told us? Like... does anyone remember having died?

[Okay, Hijikata is the exception, because Hinata is absolutely certain he's dead, but it's also possible this guy is just a really dedicated cosplayer. He's seen weirder from his classmates.]

What if she's lying?

[meatery]

[Gi-ne stares Hinata down for a moment before she glances away.] I don't remember dying.

... But I'm pretty sure I know how I did.

[hopefragment]

What, really-?!

[Crap, he wasn't expecting anyone to actually be able to answer that. He has his suspicions as to how he could have died, as well, but for someone to be more certain.]

[meatery]

[Nods, still avoiding eye contact.] It was kind of inevitable, once we decided to fight back. I'm probably not the only one, either, so... I'm going to believe her. It sounds about right.

[hopefragment]

Right...

Still, this whole business about judging the dead souls... no matter what, that definitely sounds like something out of a manga, right? There's no way it's real.

[meatery]

Judgement after death is a pretty common story around the universe, actually. I always hoped it'd be something like reincarnation, but this isn't so out there. And it'd explain why there are people from different places, right? The afterlife is for everyone.

[But yeah, she sounds mostly like she's guessing. This is weird and she's not sure she understands.]

[hopefragment]

Well... yeah, I guess.

[I just never thought I'd be mixed up in something like this!]

But I mean, people like us doing the judging?

[He really means, "people like him." Ordinary people.]

[meatery]

[Hey, Gi-ne's just a nobody too. A saiyan nobody, and the mother of Shounen Jesus, but still.]

I got the impression we were more like the tools for someone else to do the judging.

[hopefragment]

Even still, do you think you're right kind of person to be a part of that?

[meatery]

... I can think of better people.

[People who would make better use of a second chance at life than her, perhaps. And definitely better at ruthlessly killing strangers.]

[hopefragment]

...Yeah, me too.

So how does it make sense that we're the ones who are stuck in this position? I don't know if I can believe everything Ivan's said, too. That we have a chance to come back to life...

[That's just Hinata's Overly Suspicious Nature, though. Ignore him.]

[meatery]

Maybe we all died at the exact same second or something, and they picked people from that moment in time? Or... They picked weaker people to give the prey a chance...

[... Sigh.] Yeah, I don't really get it. But if there's a chance of it being true, I'm going to take it. If I'm right about how I died, there's- there might be people that will need my help.

[hopefragment]

No way. If that guy, [glances toward him,] is really Hijikata Toshizou, he definitely died more than a hundred years ago.

[Don't... ask him for an exact date, though. Hinata's lucky he remembers that much from school.]

But... people who need your help, huh? I guess it's good to have that kind of goal.

[unrulyprincess]

[This isn't the topic Clarine wanted to legitimately have to think about...!! But she grimaces a little, even as she ducks her head, bangs falling to cover her eyes.]

... Do you truly think such an elaborate set-up would be a lie?

[hopefragment]

It could be. It just seems strange, you know?

Like, why did we get picked as the ones who pass judgement? We don't have anything in common.

[Hinata less so than the others, it seems-!]

[unrulyprincess]

Well, no... we do not. Except that we are all dead.

[That much...she's pretty sure of.]

Regardless, I truly don't see dithering as an acceptable alternate form of action that we could take.

[not that she doesn't share his concerns, but...there's only so much of a choice they have.]

[hopefragment]

Yeah, that's what she says, but... do you remember it? I don't remember dying at all.

[But... he could see how it could have happened. On Jabberwock Island, at least, there were a whole bunch of ways to die.]

You're just going to... go along with this, Clarine?

[unrulyprincess]

Yes... I do believe I am.

Because I do remember dying.

[She's quiet, solemn, because this manages to mostly shut even her up... all it took was a stray arrow, an unfortunate fire emblem level... anything can happen in a battle.]

[hopefragment]

O-oh.

[Oh. Well done, Hajime. He can almost hear Komaeda's bullying a girl... not cool, Hinata-kun.]

Sorry...

[Though really, should he be apologizing for something like that when they're both dead? Come on now.]

[unrulyprincess]

[Yeah you'd better be sorry!!!

Okay no, even Clarine can recognize that he didn't do anything.]

Don't...apologize. It is not your fault. I was... on a battlefield. I was in a war. I knew the risks...when I left...

[hopefragment]

[Well, at least her explanation means he doesn't need to ask the awkward question, "so how did you die, anyway?" which is kind of nice.]

You don't look like you're that old. To have been on a battlefield, I mean.

[unrulyprincess]

I am not a child!

[She's been saying that a lot lately, but she does have to prove herself all over again now... she's not very happy about that.]

Besides, when I heard that my brother was out there, I had to at least try to find him.

[A beat.]

And I was of great use to my allies! S-so don't think otherwise!

[hopefragment]

That's not it.

[Jeez, does she take offense to everything!?]

I just meant... where I'm from, usually people our age aren't soldiers. I mean, you look like a teenager.

[Is he wrong? He could be wrong. He doesn't know!]

[unrulyprincess]

[Silly Hinata, all FE armies are filled with child soldiers.]

That does not mean that I am not capable of fighting to defend my country. [She looks remarkably serious at that.] Klein has always fought, but I... I too should have the right to do so.

So I do not regret that I did.

[hopefragment]

[Oh, that's fine. Child-soldiers is fine...]

I wasn't saying you weren't capable, don't worry.

You must admire Klein a lot though, huh?

[Lighter... topics, maybe.]