probe | GRAVEYARD ✨

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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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't know who's been working the longest, but Envy didn't ask the other Avatars. Uh... that was a few weeks ago. But he's also not the type to ask a lot of questions in general.

Seems like you don't need to do the one you're aligned to, at least. [There are... options?]

Nothing hurting us from asking. We don't have much to worry about.

[ except being vored but eeyyyyy... ]

Good for that; I'll take the small victories where you can find them.

Getting eaten is a big concern.

[But he says it so calmly.]

Are you feeling one in particular?

[ just.

out of reflex...sorry??? omi???? HE MEANS THIS IN THE BEST WAY. BUT YOUR REPUTATION WHILE YOU WERE STILL LIVING??? ]

Steven.

[ cough. ]

I mean—I haven't thought that far but it shouldn't matter as we indulge in something right?

[Slow blink- oh right.]

Congratulations. [His smile is just... a little left of being entirely sincere. But these circumstances aren't good and he misses his own boyfriend.] I don't want to take you from him.

But something like... sharing our deep dark secrets, should work for 'despair'. Fighting for Wrath. That kind of thing. It's not like we can die again, even if it hurts.

[ yeah... that's...valid. law was on that side of things just a few days ago so (pensive). or even worse on some levels but they can talk about that another time. either way, he's side stepping the congratulations for one reason or another.....

(he's a tsundere.) ]

Yeah, as long as it's purposeful. [ hmmm. ] I'm not in the mood to talk about my dark secrets or anything despair related. I've felt bad enough about myself longer than I've needed to.

[Tsunderes are from Summer, not from Autumn. Omi has had some experience, but usually from a distance. Now he gets to observe first hand.]

That's fair. [He's simply not the pushy type. And he also doesn't particularly enjoy sharing his history. But hey, that's part of despair.] Wouldn't mind a fight some time this week.

[ hmmm. ]

Douman might be an easy person to fight and get a win over for a Pride indulgence.

[ which is also kind of mean?? but we can't all beat on vlad. ]

Or I should say sparring, I guess.

... I'd feel kinda bad about it?

[Are you sure we can't all beat up Vlad? He's right there.]

[ i'm laughing so hard. poor fucking vlad. ]

Yeah, it wouldn't feel right.

[ vlad tho. ]

He's not even the same guy that poisoned me.

[Which makes it very difficult to want to fight him.

His gaze does land on Vlad though. That's a satisfying target.]

No, they're not.

[ law will also look over at where vlad is and just. concede. do we want to think about what law did to vlad the day he arrived???? we really don't.... some people are just. very good to smack around. ]

[Let's never speak of that first day again.

He gives Law a little nod.]

I'll see if I can get a hold of Envy and see if he knows about the ship food.

[ nothing happened. law was perfectly fine and well behaved. no crimes were committed that day..... ]

Thanks. I wonder if he can get us nicer food while he's at it.

[ ...the last one is a joke. ]