GRAVEYARD ✨

[probe]

POPULATION: GHOST TOWN

You die - and then you wake up.

For a second, it feels as though you can't breathe, and then your head breaks the surface. You crawl out of a pool of blood and into a large, crystalline room. Moving images play across the crystal walls, and if you watch close enough, you'll realize that you're seeing the land of the living; a familiar space station with familiar faces. You can watch these images for as long as you'd like - there are several very large benches (as in, you have to climb them to sit on them) around the room for you to rest on while you do.

Regardless of how you died, it seems as though you're not quite gone completely. You're in one piece, at least. That's good news. However, your surroundings are not exactly what you remember.

When you exit the first room, a bleak, empty city sprawls out ahead of you.

The city itself is large. The framework of it seems to tower higher and higher than you can see, up into the black opal sky that shivers and curls every so often. A river entirely made of blood runs through the city, winding around buildings and ending at the crystal room. The most noticeable thing about the buildings themselves is the fact that thorny vines made of pure white steel dig into the walls and floor, cracking the foundations.

The residential building is worn down and old. It's two floors, and has a few small studio apartments built for one or two people to live in. The beds are extremely uncomfortable. It has a communal area downstairs, but the TV is broken, and the couches are torn apart. Sometimes, this building feels obscenely hot in temperature, and smells like rotten eggs.

The grocery store is your typical convenience store. There's a large selection of food in this area, but it all tastes the same - like chalk. On top of this, every so often there will be bloodstains on the walls, the floor, and the displays. They change in size and location, each time you enter the store.

The clothing store is thrifty in nature. All the clothes here are uncomfortable and scratchy, and don't fit quite right. While you're here, time feels... weird. Distorted, almost dreamy. As you're picking out clothes and trying them on (no money needed, just take what you want), you swear you can hear a gunshot in the distance.

Enjoy your time in this city, and remember...your story isn't quite over yet.

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Comments

[commedia]

...

[JUST SHOOTING FUKUDA A DUBIOUS LOOK]

Where am I?

[holeful]

Some sort of afterlife.

[More importantly;]

What's wrong with you?

[commedia]

[JUST BITTERLY:]

What isn't wrong with me...?

[holeful]

[He just stares for a long moment. He would feel bad but Douman said they don't want pity and also they killed Omi so suffer I guess.]

... Which is the real you?

[commedia]

...I am.

[They say, after a moment.]

But that...vile demon is what I am to be, I suppose.

[holeful]

[Well. He doesn't really understand how that makes any sense, but then he doesn't really get the whole summoned spirit stuff, so?]

... So are you properly human, then?

[commedia]

[A nod.]

Yes, I am.

[holeful]

I'm guessing the demon is the one who said those things about Aoi and killed Omi...
[So he can't be mad about those things.]

And now you're just going to look at me the same way everyone else did.
[So the GOOD parts of the Douman he knew are also gone.]

[commedia]

Yes. I wasn't in control.

[Just sighs.]

Well, you are a little scary...

[holeful]

So you don't believe me.

[How many times does he have to say he's DONE with noncon drilling.]

[commedia]

I believe you! I just...after having to witness that...my fascination with you because of it, excuse me if I...don't want to think about it.

[A beat.]

Thank you for telling myself off, though. They were quite mad...

[holeful]

I just said how I really felt. Because I care about Aoi.

["I didn't do it for you."]

[commedia]

I know you do. They didn't...care for her, really. So comparing her to them made them...especially mad.

[Though they think Fukuda realizes that.]

[holeful]

They're the one who compared her to them in the first place.

[commedia]

[A low huff.]

I know. It would be funny, if it wasn't just...upsetting.

[holeful]

... So you're the real Ashiya Douman, then.

[He's still taking this in.]

[commedia]

Yes. I am.

[Unfortunately.]

[holeful]

That means you're still an existence that's only defined by being second best. Never good enough.

[commedia]

[They...wince at that.]

...I don't want to think about it like that.

[holeful]

But is it true?

[commedia]

[Just hanging their head.]

[Not answering, until they murmur:]

I don't want it to be.

[holeful]

You don't want to be friends either, I suppose.

[commedia]

...

I don't think even someone like you would like being with someone like me. I can't even judge you. The one of the future...will murder many more.

[holeful]

I don't know anything about you, so I don't know what you're basing that on.

[commedia]

[THEIR OWN SELF-HATRED THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE BASING IT ON]

...You don't need to know. I wouldn't be surprised if you felt that way, that's all.