15corpses | WELCOME TO THE GAME.

WELCOME TO THE GAME.

[You have died. When you awaken, it's in your body back to the shape it was in before whatever it was that killed you - but not all is right. Nothing surrounds you but darkness as far as the eye can see. A girl's gentle voice speaks to you from seemingly nowhere. It is a voice you probably haven't heard before.]

It's all right...it'll be all right.

Please forgive me for this, but, you're in the True Game now. As you're now here, on this plane, I...took something from you. Something important. The thing dearest to you. It has to be taken, though, as it's your entry fee - it's one of your means of surviving this!

I promise, we don't mean to do anything terrible to you! But this Game is important, and you getting through it is, as well. You'll receive missions, and for the missions you complete, you'll be given points. The more points you earn, the closer you'll get to leaving this place. And then, when you do finally leave, perhaps you'll understand why you were brought here. You'll regain what you lost, and you'll know the truth.

So please...please survive! I have faith in you! You'll be all right!!

[Sure enough, as soon as she's done explaining and collects your fee, something important of yours is missing. It might be memories, an object, or even a person (that's not a Titled), but they are your collateral now. Your motivation for continuing your existence in this world. You black out, and when you wake again, you're back in the mall, in the bedroom you'd been assigned. You remember everything you'd forgotten while you were alive, although you might have re-forgotten it if that was your entry fee. At least everything here seems mostly the same.

However, there's a few new things to discover... your cell phone now lets you read the surface thoughts of everyone that's living, and imprint thoughts into their heads (except for Croix, The Chance. Maybe it's because she didn't have a power? Who knows.) You also have all the items and money you had when you were still alive, which will be useful, because you still get hungry and, we'll say you still need clothes, but that's actually debatable because you are invisible. Not to other dead people, no, but to the other people in the mall.

Yeah. That's a thing. This version of the mall is full of random people who are using the mall as a mall, and even working the registers - oddly enough, there's this one girl with pink hair who seems to work at all of the restaurants at different times. But no one can see you, except for the shopkeepers of food and clothing stores specifically. (Luckily, the Barcade counts as food.) The Titled can be seen going about their business as well, and you can follow them around and watch them, listen to their conversations. However, nothing you say or do can be perceived by them. Even using your powers goes unnoticed, no matter what you try to do with them. It's like you're in parallel worlds. So that's a little spooky.

Speaking of spooky things, there are also monsters in this version of the mall, though the living seem as able to perceive them as the Titled can perceive you, and even to you they are only barely visible unless you focus on seeing them clearly. But these monsters attack people - they attach to the mall-goers like parasites, however for now, they seem to be leaving the living Titled alone... they prefer to attack the dead Titled, and only the power you gained here seems to truly damage them. They also seem quite difficult to defeat on your own. If one of them happens to come for you, you'll need to find the others, fast. At least if you checked your phone, your first mission told you where to go!]

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[For a split second, the Yuuri that Akechi knew before shows through, in uncertainty and shock flickering through his eyes. Then he hardens again, though the rage has cooled. He lets go of Akechi, staring down the taller youth, his voice once again calm but lacking the earlier edge.]

When you care about someone, you're supposed to trust them. I know you cared about Akira, that wasn't an act. You can't fake that.

[And then his voice softens further, sad and hollow.]

How horrible was your life, that you never learned what people will do when they love you?

Edited 2017-12-11 01:46 (UTC)

[He moves to smooth his shirt after Yuuri lets go. He left his gloves with Akira, leaving his hands bare for once.]

Simply put, Akira is the first person who ever loved me. The first person to ever really care, past the public image I put up.

[Yuuri just stares at Akechi for a long time, silently. The detective will be able to see the sadness growing in the skater's eyes, like ink spreading in water.

Those... those are tears....]

I can't even imagine that. You must've been so lonely....

[Akechi is like Yurio in some way, angry at the whole world and hiding all vulnerability behind a wall of hatred and violence. For someone this young to be without family, a killer, is unthinkable.

Yuuri understands a little better how fortunate he is, even with all of his problems. If he'd lived Akechi's life, would he have become just as bitter, or would he have taken his own life long ago in despair?]

... Victor's here. My idol and coach. My friend, too, I guess. He saved me from my own fears. I know he'll be angry with you, but... I'll talk to him. He won't bother you. As for me, I should hate you, but I... I don't know if I can. I don't like the person that hate was turning me into.

[Hate. He blinks, as a thought occurs to him. When he spoke of Shido, he...was disgusted with how people had treated him, with himself for what he'd become because of the man...but none of it had been directed at his father. In fact, when he thinks of Masayoshi Shido now, he feels...nothing.

He shakes his head, looking disoriented for a moment. Then he turns his attention back to Yuuri.]

Don't bother arguing for my sake. There's no more point in hiding from the consequences of my crimes.

[Yuuri shakes his head. He might be soft and scared at times, but he's also incredibly stubborn.]

I think between your execution and beating yourself up mentally right now, you have enough consequences to deal with. And all of us here have to play this Game to return to life, which means we really need to work together this time.

[Yuuri takes a deep breath, clearly debating something with himself, only to nod once as he comes to a decision.

He steps close again, this time not to grab Akechi in anger... but to draw him into a gentle hug. Victor really has rubbed off on him, hasn't he?]

Kurusu-san's not here, thank the gods, but... I'll do what I can to show you that you're not standing alone. All I want is for you to prove that the Goro Akechi I thought was my friend wasn't an illusion.

Edited 2017-12-11 02:29 (UTC)

[He goes immediately tense at the feel of arms that aren't Akira's around him. It's pretty clear he's not used to being hugged, especially not by people who have every reason to hate him. But at hearing assurance that Akira isn't here, he does relax slightly.]

...Why?

[That's the only word he can muster, but there's enough desperate confusion, enough pain that sounds as if a less stubborn man would be broken down in tears, for volumes.]

Because I don't think you could convincingly pretend to be a good person if there wasn't even a fragment of an actual good person in you. That's the part of you that needs to grow.

[He'll hold on until Akechi pushes him away or returns the hug, even though it feels odd to be embracing the person who killed him. If he wants Akechi to believe what he's saying, Yuuri knows he has to believe it too.]

Maybe this is paying forward what Victor did for me.

[Most of them didn't hate him, either. Even after finding out the full truth about him. They hadn't given up on him. They'd fought for him, tried so hard to save him that they'd even faced down certain death by his side...

After a moment to remember how to move after the shock of the hug, he does push Yuuri away...but his movements are gentle, not wanting to hurt him.]

You're sure Akira and Shuuichi-san are still alive?

[The gentleness is a good sign. Yuuri gives him space now, nodding.]

Maybe I should show you. It's weird... we can see the living Titled, but we can't really interact with them much. There's this "Reaper Creeper" game we can use to answer questions, and Victor told me we can imprint thoughts sometimes. But when I was exploring earlier, I saw both of them. They're still alive, just....

[Yuuri's sad expression should be very telling.]

Heh...

[It's a mirthless laugh as he runs his fingers through his bangs.]

They're probably blaming themselves for not being able to save me. Akira especially is a fool like that.

Because they care about you. I... I tried not to get too close to anybody there. I trusted most of you, but I was still scared. So... you're more missed than I am, I think.

[Yuuri shrugs like it doesn't really mean much, but that earlier sadness hasn't left his eyes. It just has a different focus now.]

Kurusu-san was in the food court, the last time I saw him. You should go see him, but don't stay so long that you start torturing yourself.

He won't even know I'm here...

[His voice is tense, unsteady. The idea of Akira there, but just outside of his reach...it hurts more than he could put into words.]

[Yuuri rests a hand on Akechi's shoulder. Love, torn apart by violence and death but still genuine, will be what saves the younger man.

He hopes one day to have a love all his own.]

If you see him go to the toy store, follow. There's a board, like an Ouija board with a coin, that lets us answer yes or no questions. You can let him know you're okay.

[His breath catches in his throat, and something finally enters his eyes: the vaguest hint of hope.]

...Thank you. And...hah...I guess it would be tactless to just say I'm sorry.

... we're both dead, Akechi-san.

[Back to polite honorifics. That's a good sign.]

There's not much more you could do to me now, unless you tried to sabotage Victor and I and keep us from escaping. But I know you won't. So... apology accepted.

[He shakes his head.]

I had nothing against anyone here. [Pause.] Aside from Dio, but even he wasn't someone I wished death on. If there really is a way to for you to come...go back to life, I'd help you as much as you're willing to let me.

And the same goes for you, Akechi-san.

[Yuuri drops his hand to his side again with a sigh.]

You need to find a Partner, though. Victor and I have already made a Pact, he told me it lets us fight the monsters here. You can't touch them without a Partner, but they can still hurt you. So find someone and be careful.

[He vaguely recalls something, from his execution. Akira welcoming Kurama to the team, and a flash of light. But they'd been knocked out so quickly, he hadn't had a chance to see if it did anything.]

How wonderful, I'm sure it'll be easy finding someone who's eager to have a mass murderer as a Partner.

... if I wasn't already Partnered, I would help you. I'm sorry.

[He actually does look a bit guilty.]

If you need to stay close to Victor and I, we can do our best to protect you until you find someone.

You don't need that constant reminder of how you ended up here.

[He makes a sound somewhere between a huff and a humorless chuckle.]

Besides, I've caused more than enough trouble for you.

Being here is a constant reminder, you're not making it worse. I thought you would, but I'm... I guess I'm stronger now with my memories restored. And you getting killed or whatever by those monsters won't make me feel better about any of this.

[His lips twitch into a faint grimace, and he has to stop himself from spitting out something venomous about how lucky Yuuri is that his memories were good for him. Remembering must be his punishment...]

So what? You're trying to tell me you want to protect your own killer? It won't bring you down to my level if something happens to me, you know.

[Yuuri's still calm, just gazing impassively at the younger man.]

... Akechi-san, do you want Kurusu-san to hate you? Really hate you, tell you he never wants anything to do with you?

[...Is there even any point to lying, anymore?]

It would rip my heart to pieces, but I wouldn't blame him if he did. Especially with what I remember now.

[And Yuuri smiles at him, gentle and warm, like the kind of smiles he showed Akechi before everything went to hell.]

Someone who really is cold and hateful to their core wouldn't care. Losing that love wouldn't mean a thing to you. And if you really can love, then you deserve a chance.

Maybe. Yuuri's trying to show understanding, because that's who he is.

Akechi doesn't understand this...

(cw suicide mention) That's why it falls to Yuuri to teach him, since Akira (thankfully) isn't here.

He will be so confused.

Oh I'm sure this will confuse him even more

...You might have broken his brain a little.

If it's broken, then it can be rebuilt. Kintsugi.

He just needed to reboot.

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