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]

[They let out a low, exasperated groan.]

See? That's what I said before. You wouldn't want to be friends with me.

[holeful]

What does that have to do with it? Omi and Satoru are friends with me even though they don't understand how I think.

[It does make him a little sad but Douman's already sad so it's fine?]

[commedia]

Can you really call those "friends", though?

[A frown.]

The only so-called friend I had didn't...understand me at all. And it just made things worse.

[holeful]

[He wilts a little at that.]

Well, I've never really had friends before...
[So he wouldn't know!!!]

But they were still willing to look at me and talk with me and comfort me after they found out what I was... so even if we're not friends I'm happy with that.

[commedia]

...

Do you just want to be friends with me for your own selfish needs, Fukuda? Or do you really want to get to know me?

[holeful]

Well, you already look at me like I'm strange and terrible.
[So he doesn't see himself getting much out of it???]

But you seem sad and I want to help. I don't know if you hate being pitied too, but I still feel that way when I look at you.
[He just thinks friends help any situation because he is very lonely all the time.]

[commedia]

[Douman lifts their head and is silent for a moment, before slowly moving to a standing position.]

[They don't look at Fukuda.]

...Show me around this place.

[holeful]

[Well! He's not sure where that leaves them. In any case...]

.... Ah, I guess I can?
[It does sound like a lot of work but... friends???]

Well here's the room where you can watch the living.
[He gestures at the crystal "screens" before heading out of the room.]

[commedia]

[Just offering a look to the screens as they follow.]

...I see. And I guess we can't communicate with them?

[holeful]

No. We can text the avatars and anyone here but not the people who are alive.
[Not that he has.

Anyway they step outside and Fukuda points to some of the still standing buildings in sucession;]

Clothes. Groceries. Beds.
[That's it, tour over.]

[commedia]

[Just. Deadpan at this extremely extensive tour.]

...You're really bad at this.

[holeful]

[HE SIGHS.]

I'm really tired this week.

[commedia]

Is that really an excuse?

[holeful]

You know where everything is now, don't you?

[commedia]

I guess, but the buildings all look the same?

[holeful]

Yeah?

[And??? Going over there won't make them look less the same?]

[commedia]

[FROWNING and just muttering.]

Some friend you are.

[holeful]

[This is emotional manipulation, bastard confirmed.]

... Fine.
[He sighs, and then starts walking over. Lets go.]

[commedia]

[yeah fukuda you're getting the Bastard Lite out of Douman, congrats]

...Thank you.

[Following!]

[holeful]

[Still.... at least friend confirmed. He's still not sure how he feels about this new Douman but he likes friends.

I'm saying they come to the clothing store first.]

So did you want to go inside, or....

[commedia]

[fukuda is friend (derogatory)]

Why not. Lead the way.

[holeful]

[I do not like this. Good thing they will have to become friends for real week 4. Anyway he will go inside.]

It's a bit of a strange atmosphere... and the clothes aren't very comfortable, but we don't have laundry here, so...

[commedia]

[They frown.]

No laundry? Is there a river or body of water nearby, do you think?

[holeful]

I think there's just the blood river?

[Fun and neat!]