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ain-t-bovvered · 5 years ago

Text

15x02 commentary

bunch of tired and caffeinated Europeans ( plus a sleepy American) scream together, and then die and try to get on with their day ( lol AS IF)

Hello and welcome:

@purpleskiesandcherrypies (Nat)

@dean-winchesters-bacon (Kat)

@waywardbaby (Zee)

@ain-t-bovvered (Giulia)

Nat : ready?

Zee: Yes

Zee: No

Giulia: Yeah yeah YEAH

Nat : go

Giulia: GOD

Nat : NICE

Zee: Not jack dying again

Giulia: Can they stop making me see Jack dying again

Giulia: That must be a real tiny ass town tho

Nat : Ah, something's gonna happen

Zee: I read tiny ass and was trying to figure out what it meant

Zee: Really?

Giulia: The fuck is she doing

Nat : Ah Rob

Nat : Is that still in that town?

Zee: That ain’t rob bitch

Nat : Ah yeah

Giulia: There are ALWAYS people who don’t evacuate

Giulia: PRIORITIES

Nat : Why is she not at the school

Nat : Woo? Woo girls being stabbed and it sounds like this?

Zee: Because she dum

Nat : Who is this

Giulia: AH LOL

Giulia: spelling bee

Nat : An academic ghost

Giulia: thank you NAN

Zee: Nice

Giulia: The chains are already there

Zee: Louder Sam

Nat : lol Sammy

Nat : sHorTlY

Zee: Say it like you mean it sam

Giulia: Shut up

Zee: Cas’s “we're fucked” look

Nat : I'm not their favorite

Nat : snorts

D: So you were a dick to 'em in Hell, huh?

B: No, I did my job. It's Hell. It's not a day spa.

Giulia: well he’s not wrong

Zee: Crowley whiplash

Zee: Poor dean

D: Why are you helping?

Giulia: YEAH why

I told you, I like Hell the way it was. I'm a good soldier.

Can I direct you to Dean’s “surprised” eyebrows at the ‘ I’m a good soldier?’ I think that tell a lot.

Giulia: ESCAPE ATTEMPT

Nat : Dangerous ghosts

Nat : Touble T?

Zee: Jack the Ripper

Nat : Great

Giulia: OH GREAT COOL

Giulia: cool cool cool

Nat : How is Jack the Ripper in the US tho

Zee: Because that’s where the Winchester’s challenged Chuck Nat

Giulia: Idk man...americans likes to have everything

Nat : Claiming ghosts that are not theirs

Giulia: AND of course there must be the stupid humans

Nat : Ah, this reminds me of something

Giulia: Oh look a ghostmeeting

Zee: Claiming ghosts, raising hell. The hell business

Giulia: OH that’s Jack the ripper then

Nat : Apparently MYSTERY SOLVED

Giulia: Where’s the accent

Nat : He apparently adapts

Nat : Wow, that's a great idea to sneak in

Giulia: AH sneeky humans

Zee: WHY?

Giulia: Hope u get killed Stupid fucks

Nat : I can't get over the weird ghosts

Zee: Look at that close up

Giulia: you are so pretty Charles

C: I just think we need to tell the family something. I mean, we found his wife's body.

S: Cass, we will. When we can.

C: When we can?

he’s so done. lol

Nat : The squint of Cas eyes tho

Giulia: always

R: KNOCK KNOCK

Zee: THE QUEEN

R: Am I interrupting something juicy?

Zee: Samuel

R: Castiel ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)

Giulia: I LOVE THEM

Nat : As if she doesn't want to help

Nat : SAMUEL NO

Giulia: Samuel nou

Zee: Them bow legs

Nat : Dean's hair

Giulia: That stare is so not normal Sam. Please get on with the program

Nat : I am not entirely happy with these ghosts, honestly

Giulia: Well The ripper is not that bad

Zee: Ketch

Giulia: KETCH

Nat : Ugh

Giulia: what’s that horrible suit tho

Nat : Dean's happy though. He just doesn't know how to show it

I know! he looks a bit happy lol.

but also

I mean...

Nat : Yeah, but that's about it

Giulia: Ketch looks tanned

Giulia: Oh COME ON, can we not

Zee: Asking for single malt whiskey in the middle of the apocalypse. What a queen

Nat : Eyefuck

Zee: Is this awkward or not?

Giulia: They gonna fuk

K: Jack?

B: Um no, I get that a lot

Nat : I get that a lot lol

Giulia: OH SHUT UP

Zee: Now I’m under jacks

Giulia: Oh does ketch knows him

Giulia: OH

Nat : Oh, he is a treat you just don't know it yet

Giulia: Yeah

Zee: What?

Giulia: OH

Nat : Is that Amara

Giulia: HELLO

Nat : Ah

Giulia: AAAH

Zee: WHAT THE FUCK?

Giulia: smite

Nat : I think it's probably the other way round

Nat : He's the darkness

Zee: Game of thrones ending ! Lol

Giulia: NO IT WAS NOT PRETTY GREAT FUCK OFF

Asshole: You said you'd keep us safe.

Zee: Take a deep breath Cas

Giulia: DON T TRY WITH CAS

Nat : The dimples of discontent

R: So, uh, tell me about Arthur Ketch.

Giulia: ROWENA FOCUS

Dean’s not really having it today lol

D: Rowena, we have ourselves a crisis on our hands, okay? Find yourself another boy toy.

Nat : Boy Toy

Giulia: BOY TOY

Zee: Don’t I ?

Giulia: AHAHAHA

Nat : hey

Giulia: no ok but she really don t

Nat : H E Y

Giulia: AWKWARD

Zee: Dropped the puck

Giulia: oh.......Are we doing this

Nat : Ah great to remind him Cas. Well done

Giulia: Yikes

C: I didn't tell you about Jack, and then after what happened with your mother...

Zee: Yikes

Zee: Shut up

Giulia: YIKES

C: You're angry

Nat : Dean bb

D: This mess... all the messes. It turns out that we're just hamsters running in a wheel our whole lives. What do we have to show for it, huh? Tell me you don't feel conned. God's been lying to you, Cass, forever. You bought into the biggest scam in history.

Giulia: HAMSTERS well he right

C: ou don't think I'm angry? After what Chuck did? After what he took from me?He killed Jack. But that doesn't mean it was all a lie

Zee: Mourning dad

Giulia: Oh no Cass

Giulia: Well he’s not wrong

D: really?

C: Chuck is all-knowing He knew the truth, he... he just kept it to himself.

Nat : Awe Cas

D: Well, now that his cover's blown, everything that we've done is for what? Nothing?

Zee: Dean is about to snap tho

C: Even if we didn't know that all of the challenges that we face were born of Chuck's machinations, how would we describe it all? We'd call it "life". Because that's precisely what life is. It's an obstacle course, and maybe Chuck designed the obstacles, but we ran our own race. We made our own moves. And mostly, we did well with that.

Giulia: Bb

Nat: Great speech

Giulia: I love it

D: Did we? I'll tell you what we do know. Nothing about our lives is real. Everything that we've lost, everything that we are is because of Chuck. So maybe you can stick your head back in the sand, maybe you can pretend that we actually had a choice. I can't.

Giulia: DEAN

Nat : I can see Demon!Dean a little

Giulia: dean is MAD

Giulia: M. A. D

Zee: You shut your mouth

C: Dean. You asked, "What about all of this is real?"

We are.

Zee: WE ARE

Nat : WE ARE

Giulia: WE ARE

Giulia: MY GOD

Nat : SOBA

Giulia: I HAVE CHILLS

Zee: Ok. I love him

Giulia: GREAT SPEECH

Giulia: *clapping *

I can’t believe that actually happened right in front of my salad

Nat : It's not really ME

Giulia: Oh ok

Nat : snorts

D: You guys didn't come up with a cool weapon for Him, did you?

K: No

K: So, um... Tell me about the witch.

Giulia: NO STOP THAT

Zee: Trouble. Ya think dean? You’re in a town filled with idiots

Giulia: im still in cas’ speech tbh

Zee: Focus

Giulia: IT WAS A GREAT SPEECH

Nat : So can we move away from ghosts in the next ep

Giulia: Yeah I’m already tired of them

Nat : I'm salty we waste two episodes on them

Giulia: what

Zee: What?

Giulia: OH

Giulia: OOOOH

Nat : AH

Zee: Aaaa

Giulia: KEVIIIIIN

Giulia: BB

Giulia: MY BABY

Nat : Hello smalls

Giulia: MY BEAUTIFUL STRESSED BB

Zee: Advanced placement

Giulia: wasn’t he in HEAVEN

Giulia: oh great

Giulia: BITCH

Nat : DEAN IS PISSED

Giulia: FUCK HIM

Nat : Dean? I try

Giulia: NO GOD

Giulia: FOCUS NAT

Zee: God’s a dick

Nat : GOD CAN SUCK MY DICK

Giulia: well Amara seems calm

Nat : Ah, that's the oriental room we saw once on IG

Nat : She's not

Zee: She really isn’t

Giulia: Oh look he wanna tap out

Giulia: AHAHAHAH HE ANNOYED HIS SISTER

Nat : It's not you. She knows

Zee: He’s buttering her up

Nat : I thought she was lil sis?

Giulia: Oh what if he needs her for his new project

Zee: The cogs are turning

Giulia: OH HE IS HURT

Nat : I hope that they won't fuck

Giulia: what

Giulia: HEY COME ON

Zee: Nat!! Ffs

Giulia: IT’S 8:30

Zee: It’s not a time thing Giuls

Nat : We are watching SPN at 8.30 what does that say about us.

Nat : We will be salty the whole da

Giulia: we like pain

B: I guess I just assumed you two pros woulda wrapped it up by now.

Nat : Whiny Kevin?

Nat : Shut up

Giulia: Typical millenial

Giulia: ...WHAT

Giulia: omg

Nat : No, it's actually Gen Z

Zee: What?

Giulia: NICE

Zee: Bitches focus

Giulia: but also

Giulia: ....I DON T LIKE THAT

Nat : Ah great

Nat : Like we all don't worry at all

Nat : So sick of ghosts UGH

Giulia: oh remember those scenes in the season trailer with dean being conflicted and sad with the colt?

Nat : U

Nat : G

Nat : H

Giulia: SNORTS

Zee: Yeah. Don’t !!

Nat : stop

Giulia: they all know Kevin Tran

Nat : I think it's universal that ghosts knows each other

Giulia: Sam and dean

Giulia: US

Giulia: Our chat is hell lol

Zee: Thanks

Ketch and Rowena flirting again

Giulia: I DON T CARE ABOUT THOSE TWO. UGH WHY IS THERE ORG CHEM

Nat : I AM CONFUSED

Zee: Is this gonna be Ketcena?

Giulia: HATE THAT. Hate all of that. So much

Nat : I swear if we are still stuck in the ghost town by ep 3 I'm gonna flip a fucking table

Giulia: Is this flirting

Zee: Dean is cockblocking for once

Nat : He knew

Giulia: he feels these things

Nat : Ah, they know each other

Giulia: WHY THEY ALL KNOW EACHOTHER

Also Rowena needs to revaluate her standards

Giulia: what is this

Zee: We’ve established that

Nat : Hey, don't insult Marry Poppins you fuck

Nat : Great

Giulia: ....

Nat : Have I mentioned that I hate ghosts

Giulia: Wow that was lame

Nat : What is this episode

Giulia: Ghosts

Nat : It's lame

Giulia: Why can he do that

Giulia: This is the last we see Kevin

Giulia: Just realized

Giulia: I don t wanna

Giulia: Awe Dean

Zee: Excuse me while I drool a bit

Nat : Meh

Zee: What?

Giulia: Of course

Zee: Oh fuck

Nat : I saw that he wasn't wearing the chain

Giulia: How they took it out tho

Giulia: GREAT

Nat : I'm so not into the episode

Giulia: yeah It s weak

Nat : Both of them were tbh

Giulia: WHY DO I HAVE ADS

Giulia: FUCK

Zee: Yah me too

Nat : This might be unpopular opinion

Giulia: well it’ll pick up

Nat : Idc

Zee: But is the ghost thing over?

Giulia: 🤷🏼‍♀

Nat : But it makes me mad that we waste 2 episodes

Giulia: Tiny smile

Giulia: KEVIN

Nat : The eyebrow

Giulia: IM SO ANGRY

Nat : Look at the eyebrow

Zee: Relax your forehead Sam

Giulia: SANGRY

Zee: Is that eyebrow stuck?

Giulia: can relate

Giulia: IMMA CRY

Nat : Shut up Belphy

Nat : LOVE YOU GUYS

Giulia: KEVIN BB

Giulia: LOVE U GUYS

Giulia: SOBS

Giulia: SOOOB

Giulia: I love you kevin

Giulia: OH NO

Zee: Oh fuck Oooooffff

Giulia: IS THIS THE FIRST OF THE GOODBYES?

Nat : I feel Amara Amara is my spirit animal

Giulia: You sing backup

Giulia: Oooooooh burn

bUT HEY , maybe Amara will be one of those rare females on spn to not die

Zee: I kinda like her now

Giulia: I’m done chuck

Zee: Petulant

Giulia: Petulant narcissist

Giulia: Oh can Amara seal his ass away

Giulia: AH SUCKS FOR U

Nat : We'll still be stuck in ghost town next ep aren't we

Zee: Ya think Rowena ?

Nat : Ugh eyes twitch

Giulia: Well it is the major problem

Giulia: TRAILER TIME

after

Nat : Yeah

Nat : GREAT

Giulia: ...

Giulia: OH NO

Giulia: NOPE

Giulia: NOOOPE

Giulia: NOPE

Giulia: SAM CRYING

Giulia: NO

Giulia: I HATE IT

Zee: WHAT WAS THAT?

Giulia: I HATE THIS

Giulia: FUCK OFF

Zee: Like

Giulia: NO

Zee: WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?

Nat : I'm salty

Giulia: IM ALREADY CRYING

Giulia: Please, It’s too soon for Rowena come on

Giulia: Nat

Giulia: HARD NOPE

Zee: Fuck off

Giulia: HATE IT

Giulia: HATE IIIIIIIT Next episode is canceled

Zee: Like, get in the mood for next ep

Giulia: What next ep?

Zee: We both know we’re gonna be there

Giulia: The next one is 15x04

If you want to get tagged send an ask HERE or to @waywardbaby or a smoke signal, idk whatever I’m tired af.

TAGS: @wayward-angelgirl @destiel-honeypie @mariekoukie6661 @dragontamerm @closetspngirl @rainflowermoon @mattiecat @bunnybaby121115 @aliaitee2 @jacks-word-of-the-day @4evamc @dammitsammy @legendary-destiel @winchesterprincessbride @destielhoneybee @castiellover20 @jacks-word-of-the-day @ravenhg @evvvissticante��

#supernatural 15x02 #spn 15x02 #15x02 spoilers #15x02 commentary #spn commentary #raising hell #15x02 Raising Hell #spn gifs

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lena-haloways · 5 years ago

Note

omg but lets not forget Jackson Avery and those beautiful eyes everyone say ty to GA for casting him, one thing GA did right I'll give them that - they can cast beautiful people and give us free serotonin/ (eye candy)/ happy moments - then take it all away why did this ask start out positive then end angsty argh ffff u GA - protect Jo or die by my sword GA writers choose, (Jolex, Slexie and MerDer having happily ever afters? - now das a wonderful world to live in 🥰 - angst endings who?)

Ahahahah this ask is full on rant about greys I APPROVE bc we need our baby girl Jo protected at all costs and also you're right all of them are still happy together!!! Destroying them and JAPRIL? We don't know her.

Also if jackson would also come to that bar then I would def call our girl @eleincanti to come and take her soulmate ashjsjak

#wifey #ask

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apriumjam · 6 years ago

Text

Satsuten Yankee Gakuen Drama CD Script

@jae-ha was kind enough to send me the audio for the Yankee Gakuen Drama CD and asked that I translate it! So here it is, the script in its entirety. She’ll be making a video for the CD soon, so keep a look out for that as well! It’s extremely fun to listen to.

E: Argh, no, no, you good-for-nothing savage!

Z: Hey, what are ya doin’, shithead?!

E: I’m so much better for her…!

Z: Don’t get full of yourself, brat! For someone so tiny, ya sure are noisy from the morning…!

E: Ah, ow! You savage! Why do I have to listen to you?!

Z: Shut up! Yer a delinquent just like me.

E: You might be strong, but your head’s totally empty. Don’t compare me to you. You can’t even use the school card key right!

Z: Shut up!

E: Ow! Why is that girl with someone as stupid as you… I’ll remember this!

Z: Shit! What’s up with that brat?! Huh? Tch…rain, huh. Can’t help it. Guess I’ll get somewhere dry.

Z: I just got to the school gate and it’s becomin’ a real storm. Huh? The chimes… Classes are so lame. But bein’ in the rain like this is pissin’ me off, too. Maybe I should go to class today…

(puppy whining)

Z: Huh? What, a dog… Yer out here even though it’s rainin’ this hard…and in this beat-up box, too. You must be cold. C’mere.

(puppy whining)

Z: Huh, looking closely at ‘im, doesn’t seem like he’s hurt anywhere… Hey, are you all right?

(more puppy whining)

Z: Huh? Whoa, hey, stop – Hey! Damnit, he’s not getting away…tch…guess I can’t do anythin’ ‘bout it…damn it – Oh, it’s Ray.

(puppy barks)

Z: Hey – stop it.

R: Good morning, Zack. You shouldn’t bully puppies.

Z: Huh?! Don’t say stupid crap! He just won’t leave me alone!

R: I see. Ah, Zack, you look hurt. You got into a fight without even going to class, huh?

Z: Shut it. Yer face is sayin’ ya don’t plan on goin’ anywhere either. Yer totally late.

R: Huh? This little puppy is hurt, too…

Z: What? Don’t try to trick me – oh, he really is…

(puppy whining)

Z: C’mere, let me see. Huh? This is…a burn?

R: A burn…show me, too.

(puppy barks!)

???: This puppy is mine…

R: What is this…?

???: This puppy is just going to become mine.

R: Stop…

???: This puppy…is my ideal…puppy…

R: Stop it…!

Z: Ray? Hey. Ray! C’mon!

R: Ah…Zack…

Z: Ya got kinda weird.

R: I wonder why…I felt really strange…maybe they were memories of my past life…

Z: Huh? I don’t know what yer talkin’ about…but this rain’s gettin’ bad. We gotta get this guy some place where he won’t get wet.

R: Yeah. You’re right.

D: Now then, let’s proceed to the next page of the textbook. Human eyes have three parts. First, are the sclera and cornea, located outside; inside is the choroid, a layer of tissue – oh.

??: Hey, hey, Zack, did you take in that dog?

Z: Huh? I guess so.

R: Zack, that’s enough, just come to your seat.

Z: Huh? I get it, shut it.

D: Well now. Rachel, Zack, you’re both so calmly coming into my classroom even though you’re late…if you don’t obey the rules, I’ll have to make you both into my specimens. Especially Rachel…those rebellious eyes of yours would be quite fetching…

(puppy barks!)

D: Oh my, this dog has pretty good eyes, too. – Ow!

Z: You’re disgusting, te-a-ch-er.

(puppy whimpers)

R: Well, I guess it’s okay since you were protecting the puppy…

D: Oh…class has ended. Honestly…Zack, Rachel, I’ll have to ask you both to come to the staff room later.

Z: Tch…how annoying.

Z: What an annoying asshole…

R: Zack! You shouldn’t say stuff like that. But…he really might be a little scary when he talks about eyes…

Z: He’s not scary, he’s gross. Damnit…

(puppy barks)

Z: Ah…come to think of it, what d’ya wanna do about him?

R: Let’s look for his owner?

Z: Owner? He’s all burnt, and he was in that nasty-lookin’ cardboard box. Ya think he even has an owner?

R: But –

E: Argh, Zack! How dare you!

Z: Huh? What, yer doin’ this again? Shut up, ya damn brat!

R: Good morning, Eddie.

E: Oh! G-good morning, Rachel! Eheh...um…I was wondering…why are you with Zack again?

Z: What’s with him? He’s actin’ totally different.

R: Um, Zack found a puppy by the school front gate. When we took a closer look, we saw he was hurt…

(puppy whines)

E: Oh…it looks like he’s got burn scars…I can take care of him far better than that violent, useless brute…come here, little puppy.

(puppy barks!)

R: Oh…he really doesn’t want to leave Zack.

E: But…

Z: Hyahahah! That means ya got rejected! Hahahah!

E: What are you trying to say?!

Z: Huh? Yer pointin’ that shovel at me…wanna go again? Aren’t you the violent one? Hahah!

E: Don’t compare me with you!

R: Look out!

Z: Ray!

E: R-Rachel!

(puppy whines)

R: Ow…Zack, Eddie. This puppy is injured, so don’t play around like that.

E: Oh…sorry…

Z: Are you okay? Ya fell down…and hit yer head.

R: I’m okay. It just stings a bit.

Z: So you’re not okay. We’re goin’ to the infirmary, Ray.

R: All right.

E: Um, me, too! I mean, I can accompany you to the infirmary far better than this absurdly strong, empty-headed guy.

Z: Shut up, you shithead!

E: Ouch! Ugh, I’ll remember this!

Z: Seriously…c’mon. Ray, can ya stand?

R: Yeah. But Zack…you shouldn’t be violent.

Z: Shut up…I know.

(puppy barks)

C: Oh my! Isn’t it Zack! What could a delinquent like you be doing here? You haven’t even been called in. Did you get hurt in a fight? How slovenly!

Z: It’s not me. Ray hit her head.

C: Oh! She’s the one who was in a fight? She really is lively. Come now, Rachel. I’ll help you out, so lie down there.

R: Okay…I’m more worried about the puppy Zack’s carrying than my head. Doctor? That puppy kind of seems like he was burnt.

C: Puppy?

(puppy whines)

C: Oh! Such an adorable puppy! Why do you have something a puppy? This doesn’t fit your image at all.

Z: Shut up! He just started following me on his own!

R: He was abandoned in front of the school gate.

C: Hmm…in any case, these are some terrible burns. Someone must have done this to him.

(puppy whines)

C: He does seem a little down…all right! Tah-dah! My specialty – vitamins! If we give him this, with my extra-large vaccine, he’ll be good as new! He’ll be able to run all around the school!

Z + R: Stop.

C: Oh, okay. Hmm...anyway…he does seem to have become quite emotionally attached to you, Zack.

R: He seems to be afraid of everyone else.

C: Huh, is that so? Come! Shake!

(puppy whines)

C: Oh, my…this puppy is quite lovely…I kind of…just want to…discipline him!

Z: Hey.

(puppy whines)

C: Oh…I suppose I lost my composure…it’s all right, just leave him to me. I’ll train him properly for you. Don’t worry, it’ll be completely normal.

Z: Is this all right…?

R: Zack…I’m feeling kind of sleepy…

Z: Huh? It’s fine. Just sleep. If she tries anything weird, I’ll stop her.

R: I’ll leave it to you.

(puppy yipping)

R: Huh…?

Z: Oh, you woke up? This is amazing, Ray, watch!

C: Shake!

(woof!)

C: The other one!

(woof, woof!)

C: Beg!

(more barking!)

R: Wow…you really trained him…

C: This is easy! If only impertinent children like you and Zack could be disciplined like this…ahahah!

(puppy barks!)

Z: Hey, it’s nighttime now… Oh, what happened with looking for his owner?

C: That’s right…it’s just about time for the school gate to close. Rachel looks fine now, so you two should take this little guy and go home.

R: Okay. Thank you, doctor.

C: Yes, yes. Keep the fighting to a minimum…and if you absolutely have to use your fists, just come here. I’ll discipline you! Ahahahah! – (cough cough)

Z: Tch, we’re not comin’ back. Let’s go, Ray.

R: Yeah.

(puppy barks!)

R: The rain stopped at some point. What a pretty sunset.

Z: Yeah…

R: So…what are we going to do about this puppy?

Z: What to do…hey, you. Can ya live singly without parents or an owner, like us?

R: It’s not singly, it’s alone…right?

Z: Shut it!

(puppy whines)

R: Oh…that tickles…eheheh…

Z: Hey…looks like he’s gotten attached t’ ya, too. Well, it’s too early for him t’ live sing – ugh, alone. *

R: Ah, it’s the principal.

G: Rachel, Zack. I’ve seen you both clearly today.

Z: Ah?

G: I’ll take care of that dog. He has neither parents, nor anyone to turn to…and that road is relentlessly harsh.

(puppy whines)

G: All the children here have had to live on their own…indeed, even the teachers are the same. Danny and Cathy both became adults after overcoming such sadness. This school is meant to save its students from befalling such a fate. If I were not to take such beliefs to heart, what sort of principal would I be?!

R: Principal…!

Z: I don’t really get it, but…yer gonna take care of him, right? Yer lucky I found ya!

(woof!)

R: Please take care of him, principal!

G: Yes. I won’t do anything bad to him. I shall take responsibility for him.

Z: All right.

(barking!)

Z: Then I’ll leave ‘im t’ you, principal.

G: Indeed! Well then, let us meet in good spirits tomorrow!

R: Yes! Good bye!

Z: I’m sleepy…

R: Zack, good morning.

Z: Ah, yer not late today. Huh? What’s that?

R: Oh! It’s…!

(puppy barking!)

Z: It’s the dog from yesterday! Hey, he’s keeping him on the school grounds.

R: Good for you, Zack.

Z: Huh? Well, it’s not bad…but aren’t you the happier one?

R: Eheh…he even prepared a doghouse. I’m really glad.

Z: Huh? That shithead’s by the doghouse.

R: Oh, Eddie.

E: Good morning, Rachel! Look! Isn’t this amazing?

R: Yeah. It’s very nice.

E: Ahem! Principal Gray asked me to make it, and I did it in a flash!

Z: Heh, pretty good.

E: Zack, this is something you can’t do.

Z: What was that?

R: Stop, you two.

(puppy barking!)

E: Sorry, Rachel…oh, right. Principal Gray asked me to do one other thing. He told me that if I see you and the violent brute, I should give you guys this. Here!

Z: Say my name, you damn brat! Huh? What’s this?

R: Dog food…it’s his breakfast.

E: Principal Gray said that you two should feed him.

(puppy barking!)

Z: Oh, are ya hungry? Then wait just a second…heh…

R: Zack! Don’t put cola in the dog food –

Z: Huh? Why?

R: It’s a puppy…at least give him milk…

(woof, woof!)

* TL note: this is a joke that’s sort of “lost in translation”. Zack uses a counter for people (一人) to refer to the puppy. Ray corrects him to the counter for small animals (一匹). Later on, he starts to use the counter for people again, but corrects himself.

#satsuriku no tenshi #satsuten #rachel gardner #isaac foster #edward mason #daniel dickens #catherine ward #abraham gray #drama cd #mine

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scarlettlawyer · 5 years ago

Text

Part 10 of my reaction/commentary to the Phantoms & Mirages fanfic series by @renegadewangs

(Chasing Phantoms): Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

(Haunted Specters): Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

(Vanquishing Mirages): Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9

So moving forward, as I continued to read on, there was a backdrop of salt, apathy & hurt overshadowing everything as established in the previous post. But I was still reading on because “might as well see what happens I guess”. Starting Vanquishing Mirages chapter 20, I was also nervous & intrigued. Nervous about how the narrative was going to go about this and what the result was going to be… So I read on kind of with bated breath.

And it just remains in that interesting stage for a little while, the uncertainty stage where I don’t really know where it’s gonna go, for those first few paragraphs, as I’m waiting and reading on to see how it turns out… and then it takes a downturn when the negative emotions just start POURING in tsunami style and everything just starts crashing down horribly. I go quickly from nervous/intrigued to kind of horrified as it strikes me just. How. Traumatic and overwhelming the entire experience would be for someone who has never really had to deal with emotions of much severity their entire life. I’m just oh no… oh no…….. oh nooooo….. I didn’t foresee this at all, so distracted by so many things up until this point, and yet it makes perfect sense. But it was a real punch huh. This was awful, what a disaster. This was not good… Which is basically what Simon says:

What a mess. What a complete, total and utter mess. […] Perhaps this was punishment for playing god. Perhaps they’d flown too close to the sun. Perhaps they were Frankenstein, responsible for giving birth to a failed creation.

Me:

[hides away in a corner because I think we broke him lads]

Vanquishing Mirages, Chapter 21

The Phantom blinked, shedding a few more tears as he did so. Perhaps he hadn’t quite processed Simon’s words. Perhaps he hadn’t quite processed the situation in general. He swallowed and sniffed, then tilted his head backwards.

Am I meant to be picturing this in anything less than stunningly beautiful and fluid animation? Because I am not picturing this in anything less than gorgeously rendered animation.

Whatever it was that’d held Bobby back from touching the Phantom before, it was gone now. He placed a hand atop the Phantom’s clenched fist, hoping it might soothe him. “Whoah, it’s okay. It’s fine.” “It’s not fine! How dare you claim that it’s fine?! YOU did this to me!”

AAAAAAND WE’RE BACK LADIESANDGENTLEMAN HELLO THERE NARRATIVE FRAMING OF HIM AS A CHILD: ACTIVATE

HELLO! this is exciting and new!

“Calm yourself.” “I can’t! I CAN’T!”

He really wouldn’t know how to or be able to!

AND THEN AT THIS POINT IT JUST HIT ME

THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE

HE ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE THE EMOTIONAL MATURITY OF A CHILD BECAUSE HE’S NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MATURE EMOTIONALLY, DUH, CAUSE HE LACKED EMOTIONS SO MUCH, THIS IS BRAND NEW TO HIM H

Narrative framing of him as a child during Haunted Specters REALLY paying off even more right now! We’ve already reaped so much from those seeds. But now! Oh boy!

“We would not honor such a request even if it were within our capabilities. Congratulations, Phantom. You are now free to tussle with emotions just like every other human.”

MY FEELINGS/REACTION TOWARDS THIS WHOLE SITUATION CHANGED SO FAST IT WAS LIKE:

“Oh noooo… this is so awful and terrible for him this is too much I can’t handle th… W-wait. Phphhw. Heh. Hah. HahahaHAHAHA MUAHAHA YEEEES ONE OF US ONE OF US DEEEEEEEAL WITH IT HAHAHA SUCKERRRRRRRR!”

The Phantom’s wide eyes followed Fulbright out the room. Apparently, his departure served to rile the man up even further. “Get back here! Bobby Fulbright! You get back here and end my suffering RIGHT NOW!”

This is just so good this is just so good hohoooh!

The Phantom sniffed and huffed. Flinched and scrunched his eyes shut, his breathing turning to more helpless sobs. Tears continued to run down the side of his face, disappearing into locks of hair just above his ears.

Hey yeah just saying it again. This is nothing but pure unadulterated animation mode for me. With REALLY GOOD animation. A really gorgeous 2D anime style.

Simon hesitated for a moment, then placed a careful hand atop the Phantom’s closed eyes. They felt soggy and unpleasant to touch. “Focus on the sound of my voice and nothing else. Focus on my voice and breathe.”

IT’S WEIRD CAUSE LIKE. I HAD VERY FRESH PHANTOMQUILL WOUNDS AT THIS POINT OF READING BUT. Right up until The Kiss prior to the surgery I had been very firmly in the parental-child dynamic mindset camp and thoroughly enjoying myself. It was the kiss and stuff that I found jarring at first BECAUSE of that before getting up and moving over to phantomquill mode, only for it to turn out to be fake phantomquill. You’d think it might actually be hard for me to go back to “Oh the phantom is a child and Bobby and Simon are his parents” after the phantomquill fiasco but in terms of mindset, it really wasn’t difficult because I’d only been in Phantomquill mode comparatively VERY briefly before it got destroyed. I was already thoroughly versed in the ways of the parent-child dynamic heh and had spent waaaay longer enjoying that lens. Being so used to it, it was easy enough to switch back over to it.

Do NOT get me wrong, I was still VERY upset over it, yet somehow I could still deeply enjoy the familial dynamic between Simon and the phantom in this moment.

So I basically was still grumbling angrily about phantomquill under my breath while somehow simultaneously excitedly going “OMG SUPPORTIVE DAD SIMON!!!”

Me: yeah. Yeah. You’re really just Piling On that family dynamic after that huge mess with the kiss and the baiting??? Just showing me blatantly to my face how wrong I was to ever read romance into anything? You have the gall to?

Also me: …I still love the parent-child dynamics from this series so FIIINE I do appreciate this scene. I appreciate it a lot, actually. HMPH

Talk about being of a conflicted mind. But there’ll be more mention of that to come.

…Oh, and yeah, I have still been referring to him as the phantom, haven’t I? Well that’s simple: it’s what the narrative is still calling him, so I continue to call him by that title until it is dropped by the narrative itself

Besiiides, for all intents and purposes, during this small gap of time until it changes, he is NOT quite Lex yet, because he has not yet accepted the name and nor has the narrative itself.

So we get this awesome little window which is just, he’s still “the phantom” if that’s the only title we have before “Lex” is accepted and taken on. Pure, unfiltered “Phantom” + Emotion and it’s sooo special. Which… yes… Phantom + Emotions = becomes Lex but… argh, it gets confusing very quickly for me. :P

The question seemed to startle the Phantom for some reason. … No, not the Phantom. It was Lex, now. That notion still felt foreign. Perhaps Alexander would be more suitable. More formal. Less personal.

I WAS SOOO THANKFUL FOR THIS ON FIRST READTHROUGH. I was thankful for how jarring Simon was finding it too (because in that respect he certainly wasn’t alone lol – I wasn’t alone). I was thankful that the narrative hadn’t immediately switched over to saying “Lex” after he woke up from surgery. Oh, and I’d even been thankful waaay back when his name being Alexander Luster Jr was first revealed that the narrative switch hadn’t been made then either. I mean, it wasn’t for OBVIOUS reasons but like… Technically that’s his name. So the narrative could have tried making an attempt at it and I was just glad he was still always “the Phantom” even when we knew what his name was when he was born. Cause he sure as hell didn’t accept the name back then.

But I was SUPER thankful for Simon deciding to call him “Alexander” too. It was kind of a real godsend BECAUSE LIKE. The name “Lex” was so heavily entrenched and still attached in my mind to that super mean bald dude that got killed off. It was a name that therefore felt “ugly” that had been attached to a man with an “ugly” personality. And whoever this man was that woke up from the surgery, it sure as HELL didn’t feel like his name. I was kinda like “buddy. If you want me to start calling this character “Lex” you’ve got another thing coming.” So having “Alexander” instead was a relief that helped A LOT at the time lol. It was sooo much easier to switch to. And Simon going for the more formal variant is such a Simon thing to do anyway. XD

Also???? Alexander… Alexander Luster… felt like such a pretty name actually???? BUT I MEAN. I am the first to admit that I am probably extremely biased on that front. And that I’d probably just. End up thinking just about any name applied to him was “pretty”. LOL.

But yeaaahhh although I kinda had a hard time with the “Lex” business at first, after a little bit of time it became easy to accept, as it usually goes with these things. Now I’ve got 0 problems with it. Lex is Lex!

“That makes you nothing more than an ungrateful child,” Simon grumbled, finally stepping away from the window to take his own seat.

Every time the narrative makes a DIRECT reference or draws a DIRECT parallel to him being a child it feels like it adds another 3 years to my lifespan.

“Ahahahah! I-I c-can’t! Hahahahah! Ahahahahah! Irony!~”

…

MEOWZY. YOU. YOU. DID THIS. YOU MADE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION TO PUT A TILDE THERE. H.

You did that. You did that on purpose. What did you doooooo. What’s HAPPENING

I can’t… I… just needed to point this out and take you to task over it. GOSH

The i-intent… the intent of this in the narrative

As if to say,

Look… Look at how… endearing

As if to say,

“Yes, you not only can, but SHOULD find this endearing”…………

Ohooooh it’s too much IT’S.

It’s death by tilde is what it is. You didn’t. Need to. You could have just left the words and such as it was. But you threw it in, intentionally showing off how we’re supposed to take this just in case there’s any mistake.

You’re under arrest.

Vanquishing Mirages, Chapter 22: Epilogue

Still, as he raised the headphones to his ear, he heard enough. It was indeed playing music- and what horrid music it was. “-When skies are grey. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” “Where the devil did you get this?” he demanded, virtually throwing it into Alexander’s lap.

BRO THIS IS SO UNREAL.

The sheer image of the (former) phantom listening to music was so wild and then it jUST

Alexander’s fingers began to play with the headphones, twirling them around in his hands as he spoke. “You know, it’s funny. I’ve listened to music before, but it’s like I’ve never really heard it. …Does that make sense?”

OH MY GOOOOOSH. THIS REALISATION HIT ME LIKE A TRUCK. THIS HAD NOT OCCURRED TO ME… AT ALL! BUT IT’S SO…! :D HE CAN LISTEN TO AND ENJOY MUSIC NOW. Get immersed in it. That was the most fantastic realisation to me. No, you don’t understaaaand, you see, as a child, getting immersed in listening to music was so central to me that as a kid I’d come up with a bunch of story ideas involving things like other planets/alien creatures that would revolve their entire society around music, or alien creatures that have no concept of music and get introduced to it and subsequently immersed in it for the first time. This just hit so close to hoooome, oh my goodness, I hadn’t remembered or thought about those memories/story ideas that kid me had for maybe a good ten years, and this fic suddenly reminded me with the headphones business. It’s really not related to the fic to mention but I’d looong forgotten about all those scenarios I’d thought about and it was so cool to be reminded. :’D

BUT ANYWAY BACK TO THE FIC-

Me like three chapters ago: WAAAAH, NOTHING THIS SERIES COULD EVER DO COULD EVER MAKE ME HAPPY AGAIN!

Me reading this chapter not too long afterwards: HMMM OKAY I AM KIND OF VERY HAPPY RIGHT NOW.

Oh and it just occurred to me: my guess is the person who “overslept her own execution” was Cammy Meele!

And now, I’m gonna start talking about Lifting Spirits! But at least just for this post, I’m gonna change things up a little and not segment my comments chapter-wise or comment on little things, but rather talk about stuff pertaining to the earlier parts of the fic as a whole. This is necessary because my thoughts were an unbelievable mess and were so terribly bunched together – that is, thanks to reading through it relatively fast, I guess everything got kind of mixed together, so individual reactions to individual parts of it are a little less well-“defined” than was the case with the prior fics at the point of reading.

...I don't know if I could ever do Lifting Spirits justice. I CERTAINLY don't do it justice in this post. Believe me, I want nothing more than to just sit down and gush endlessly about it because that's what it warrants, but for the time being this post seems to be too busy trying to outline just how much my own disposition threatened to botch and ruin it for myself. XD

But it will get better in future review posts, I promise!

Yeah, my thoughts were a contradictory, convoluted, conflicting mess. There was SO much going on at once for me with regards to how I was responding to the text on first readthrough. It’s hard to know even where to begin. So let’s try and tackle some things in Lifting Spirits:

1 - The Transition from The Phantom to Lex

…It does such a number on my brain on multiple levels. XD. IT MESSES WITH ME SO MUCH, it’s a straightforward concept enough in theory but my brain overloads and threatens to shut down when I try to wrap my head around it. XD

I love the phantom, so my instinctive bias at first was to try and cling to the label of “the phantom” as long as I could until it’s finally surrendered.

So, I’ve said already that I was kinda nervous about how this transition was gonna be pulled off. There’s always SORT OF a risk involved when going ahead and giving the phantom an identity and making them no longer the phantom – it kind of wanders straight into the Original Character zone. This New Character who used to be the phantom, in such cases, does get a bit of a complimentary “boost” of my investment in them by virtue of having been the phantom, but beyond that, the new character in the phantom’s place must learn to pull their own weight in the story. They cannot purely rely on having been the phantom – they must develop on their own and give the audience due reason to be invested in the new character. And/or, they must still have some ties connecting them back to having been the phantom too, even with their new characterisation and personality.

So yeah, I had literally no reason to be even remotely nervous. Lex is fantastic. And can very VERY easily stand up in the narrative on his own accord. Not only that, but it’s just… genius… the extremity of his emotions is, ironically, the very thing that connects him back to having been the emotionless phantom…! Because it drives home repeatedly that he really has had NO experience with this level of feeling due to his past. It’s a total pendulum swing to the other end of the spectrum and I love it SO damn much.

Regardless of whether he’s Lex or the phantom, he’s still my favourite character.

1.1 – The phantom as Lex/the phantom becoming Lex

Man, this fic.

I swear to god.

I keep trying to type out my thoughts and it’s so hard to be coherent about it.

Lex is… “the (former) phantom”. So I’ll use this phrasing to really drive the point home. Because such a huge amount of what happens, of what’s going on… derives its impact from this very important fact. From the unbelievable contrast. The seeming absurdity of EVERYTHING given who he was.

The former phantom laughs at stupid jokes, gets given a stash of sweets and a Jokes & Riddles book thanks to Bobby, gets goofily absorbed in a phone game………… The list just goes on.

You are doing this. You are making me read all this stuff involving the former phantom with my own two eyes, I… I…… This flippin’ portrayal. Almost feels like it should be illegal xDDDD

1.1a - YOU ARE WHAT IS KNOWN AS AN ENABLER

I have been… a fan of the character known as the phantom for many years now… I started playing through the Ace Attorney games in December 2014, and played Dual Destinies in the first half of 2015. I’ve had years to jokingly talk about the phantom ironically in an “awwww just look at them, awwww how innocent/”cute”” way, obviously knowing damn well they’re not.

And I basically went into Chasing Phantoms with, on some level, an attitude of “haha you can TRY to make me hate the phantom, I know you will, but I won’t let you”

Big mistake, to head into this series stubbornly guarding a totally opposite area of phantom perception compared to what I SHOULD have been guarding against.

And then you just

Came along and took the character

And did this.

It was fine at first in like, Haunted Specters and then Vanquishing Mirages. It was a big joke that everyone was in on. It was a joke and it was funny and I was laughing along with it. Albeit. An evolving joke.

And then Lifting Spirits just

It jUST

All of a sudden I had to be like wait a minute. I was just like whoa, whoa. Hold up. You can’t – WAIT a minute. No WAIT

I walked into this trap with no defences prepared. I’d walked into this series going “I’d like to see you try and make me truly hate this man, but it won’t work, I’ll make sure it doesn’t work out of spite” and now all of a sudden this was all happening at once and I had to suddenly try and backpedal dramatically out of the trap and be like wait wait wait no this is, this is, he was?? A bad guy was he not? Wait what are we-

The scales were tipping too far for my liking – too far in a direction I was ALREADY biased and predisposed towards and I wanted to stop it but what defence did I haaave

It’s like the narrative was poking me and going “Hey. So. Your favourite character. He’s pretty great, right? Right?” and I’d shake my head and try my best to go, “No… No! He isn’t – this isn’t right! What! There has to be some kind of mistake! This is a thirty-seven year old man who has killed people WHAT IS GOING ON”

And this is also, at the same time, set against a backdrop of me still stubbornly trying to cling to a mindset of not wanting this man to be able to cheat death or the finality of execution.

So here’s the first of many contradictory feelings I was having at once:

“This man must be punished and therefore I can’t abide by such a lighthearted portrayal” vs “I love this man so much and every single moment of this lighthearted portrayal is GOLD and I love it sooo much”

2- The Phantom VS Lex

The portrayal of my favourite character was making me rather pleased, but it felt way too good to be true on three different fronts. Firstly, the amusing absurdity in and of itself made it hard to process this was Really Happening, the levels of it feeling “unreal” were so much and I was so stunned and I was sincerely struggling to process it at first. Secondly, it just felt so catered to me (LOL) and “too good to be true” that I felt like. Like. The narrative surely couldn’t be doing something so great. A similar kind of inability to believe this was “really happening” which had cropped up during Haunted Specters. And this was heavily fuelled by, THREE… My pesky little reactions to our old friend, Fake Phantomquill.

The hurt that I was feeling over the phantomquill unfortunately seeped into and tainted my perception of other parts of the story and caused me to get irrationally defensive in many respects at the time. See, as I’ve implied, part of what was so very appealing to me about Legit one-sided phantomquill coming to fruition just before the surgery is that it felt like the final step in taking the phantom further down from his pedestal and that much closer to “joining the ranks of humanity” just in time for surgery that would have “the phantom” cease to be altogether and allow him to make the full transformation. It wasn’t so much about phantomquill itself as it was about the notion of the phantom being attracted to someone and causing such a big, stupid mess as a result, of being a fundamentally flawed human being but flawed in a vulnerable-

who claimed to be made of nothing but pure logic only to, in his final moments as the phantom act in the most illogical-

It’s silly, I know. First of all, if anything, it can be kind of arophobic, depending on how it’s done, to use “attraction to another person” as a proof or demonstration of a character’s core humanity. It’s just… That’s what I’d tricked myself into thinking the set-up was for, I guess. So when the set-up got so thoroughly negated and didn’t come to fruition, it felt like it had intentionally done the opposite with a bait and switch, and that instead of showing that even the phantom can fall from his pedestal in his final moments before “the phantom” ceases to be, it then seemed the goal was to demonstrate with a great sense of finality that actually, he is despicable and will never be anything but despicable and that we never should have expected anything more up until the very end.

Except… it was silly of me to feel like this first of all seeing as the phantom had already demonstrated during the narrative plenty that he very much does have the capacity to care about other people in his own very odd way. He DID go through character development. Just because none of the feelings he demonstrated were based on attraction doesn’t diminish what he did demonstrate. The Fake Phantomquill Kiss in and of itself is proof of caring because he was ultimately trying to protect Bobby.

But at the time it was hard for me to see that through my hurt. It’s an irrational perspective to take but I wasn’t being rational because of that hurt, and I was distrusting as a result. So, strangely enough, the phantom “dying” as the “filthy criminal he is” after the little show he put on, and then becoming Lex and waking up from the surgery with all these emotions kinda felt to me almost like it was throwing “the phantom” and all the progress as a character he’d made under the bus – of all the potential he’d shown prior to surgical interference.

There was just so much emphasis in the narrative on separating “the phantom” from “Lex” which was fair enough, but it felt to my irrational wounded self like “the phantom” was suddenly being characterised as “Pure Evil” in order to further the ends to which Lex could then be set up as “good”, when we’d previously spent around 2 fics delving into how, while the phantom is very much a villain and none of his crimes can be negated, there is more to him, and he’s, at the very least, not Evil 24/7. Almost like “the phantom” and “Lex” were being pitted against each other which I realise is stupid because c’mon, how can Lex as a character throw the phantom under the bus when Lex was the phantom? When he is merely another huge step – leap – in the character’s evolution? The transformation into Lex can’t negate any of the character development HE made prior to that point, prior to the surgery.

Another important thing to note, which I am extremely grateful to the narrative for, is that Bobby cared about the phantom not only before the surgery, but before the bone sliver was even discovered in the first place. And Simon had also been slipping back then, although he was not nearly as far-gone as Bobby was. But such a thing really helps acknowledge the phantom as a character… and does help reiterate that he wasn’t completely worthless and/or “not worthy of anything” prior to becoming Lex.

I did come to realise that I was, in fact, just needlessly worrying over pure semantics and that there was no point in doing such a thing. Regardless of how one might construe it, this man, Lex, was the same person in the sense that he has all the same memories. There is still a continuity of existence. The "death" of the phantom was only the death of the label itself, the mindset, but the man who had carried the title had still lived on. It allowed, helped that man to shed the worst of what had been part of him before and opened up so much for him.

It's just, the notion of a character actively striving to be good and overcoming themselves vs a sudden fix that gets externally applied, and it felt like any previous striving, however miniscule, threatened to be rendered obsolete by it.

But this was a misplaced notion of mine if there ever was one because not only does it not override previous character development, but the previous character development was necessary for not only making the surgery and its outcome possible, but also a crucial part of the character's arc that can't be overlooked narratively speaking. It is not Lex that characters like Bobby and Athena abruptly start believing in. They'd already believed in him before he was Lex, and they are who campaign for the surgery in the first place. And it is the phantom himself to give the final push and the go-ahead to make it happen through his consent, a vital component to it being made possible. It wasn't erasure, it was never about erasure. It was about continuity and expanding and developing on what was already there. (And I know as well as anyone that the extent of the outcome, and this progress wouldn't have been possible without some form of external interference. It was necessary.)

Whenever I did manage to reconcile it, it was just about the best thing in the world haha.

So yeah, most of this was basically me outlining my distortion of the text and then debunking myself…

I swear my opinions/thoughts/feelings had just about splintered in a million different directions mostly thanks to the shadow cast by my stupid phantomquill pain. XD. My mindset almost threatened to regress to harbouring that foolish unfounded sense that the author didn’t truly care about “the phantom”, and only cared about the person who woke up after that surgery instead. Which is nonsense because Haunted Specters & Vanquishing Mirages clearly indicate otherwise. Why bother spending two entire fics focusing on the phantom so much if the author didn’t care about the phantom? If they wanted to just do away with the phantom and replace him with someone new that they did care about, there were way shorter ways to go about it. I mean, I knew that it was the dumbest concern and that it was incorrect to even consider at this point, but that didn’t stop me from foolishly wasting time on it. It was so hard to believe & trust the story was so attuned to me after being “betrayed” that I semi-adopted/saw the more “hurtful” interpretation as the more “realistic” one.

But reading Lifting Spirits over again so far only reiterates what I realise was the case back then: I only had myself to blame, I was the one vastly exaggerating the perceived distinctions that were being made between Lex and the phantom in the text not only because of my own latent concerns but because of how personally mindboggling I was finding it.

And all the while, I’m SIMULTANEOUSLY borderline scolding the text for how seemingly soft it’s being on the (former) phantom and thinking that the author’s phantom bias is showing. Talk about doublethink!

I had been thinking this entire series that I was perfectly safe to “gush” over this man, because at least the author knew what was what, at least the author still had her senses about her and wouldn’t let it go too astray or let it get out of hand. IF THE AUTHOR IS TREATING HIM LIKE THIS AND I’M TREATING HIM LIKE THIS… THEN WHO’S DRIVING THE PLANE?!

And keep in mind too that I read through Lifting Spirits… Rather quickly. So I’ve got all of these tangled thoughts I’m trying to process at once meanwhile I’m just breezing through the chapters, not really giving myself any real chance to sort through my thoughts and untangle the messes that had formed.

I was somehow managing to feel overwhelmingly thrilled and yet hurt by the narrative at the same time. AAAAALLL the contradictory thoughts and feelings. Contrarian mode was on, it seemed, as I tried to juggle so many opinionated stances and arguments at once that cancelled each other out:

“The phantom was a human being too, with his own issues and he ALSO had (limited) feelings DON’T IGNORE THIS” vs “how dare you portray someone who used to be the phantom, a remorseless killer unworthy of a second thought, in such an endearing manner” vs “ohhhh I love this endearing portrayal so much it’s pure SUSTENANCE to me it’s so entertaining & amazing & makes me so happy” vs stubborn attempts to still cling to “make sure that execution goes ahead, this man still isn’t allowed to escape death” with a slight backdrop of that phantomquill salt-fueled apathy & denial. I was somehow now on the defensive and trying to argue that the phantom hadn’t been 100% despicable and yet also trying to retain the stance that the man in his place still needed to die because the phantom had been 100% despicable. YEP. Walking contradiction. Absolutely wild.

Oh also I just loved Lex in his own right too on top of all this, not just because he used to be the phantom. But because he’s LEX.

It’s all very confusing, I hope I didn’t confuse you too much. XD

Oh, also:

When it came to me feeling that the phantom – or rather, the person who used to be him – was being portrayed too lightly by the narrative given his history – Chasing Phantoms renders completely obsolete any possible argument about the series “skewering one’s perception of the phantom too far off-base”. It renders completely obsolete any possibility that the author was not “aware” of the true depths of his despicableness when going for this angle.

Chasing Phantoms’ existence, to me, makes Lifting Spirits all the more awesome, and strengthens its power. “The Phantom that Lex used to be was ruthless and terrible and awful and caused so much damage and destruction” is not just an offhand acknowledgement that gets referenced back to – it was portrayed firsthand in the first fic, in the series itself. It’s like it goes out of its way to drive home that undeniable fact that the phantom REALLY sucks, and yet Lifting Spirits exists anyway, even with FULL acknowledgement of that. I love that sooo much. It just straight up embraces it and doesn’t try to hide a damn thing. This was who he used to be. This is who he is now. That’s just how it is.

As already established, Chasing Phantoms felt like another universe when I read Lifting Spirits – way before then, even. It was SO hard for me to remember that, he was in fact, actually portrayed in a negative light. It’s actually really great to me that the series didn’t start with Haunted Specters – it did not seek to make the phantom sympathetic or whatnot from the start. He gets to clown around as the villain he truly is for an entire fic before any transition over to protagonist even begins to take place. The story doesn’t briefly go “yeah so we all know the phantom is bad and all obviously but…” and moves straight on, it spends a LONG time elaborating on HOW bad the phantom is back at the very start before proceeding on to anything else.

By the way, I’m aware it would be stupid to make arguments about “not knowing the full extent of how sucky the phantom is” purely on the basis of it not being demonstrated firsthand if that was the case, because like, everyone already knows, so we don’t need to be shown. But I’m merely pointing out how cool I find it that this series does demonstrate it firsthand anyway, because it just further crushes such potential arguments.

If Chasing Phantoms did not exist it would be almost easy to trick oneself into thinking that the full extent of the phantom’s villainy was not truly being acknowledged by the story, given Lex’s portrayal by the narrative (despite him being a “new person”, the fact remains that he was the phantom.) The Phantom is – was - very much a villain, and we know very clearly that the current portrayal of that man who used to be him doesn’t minimise that.

There was another big thing I wanted to talk about connected to much I’ve discussed in this post, but I’ll have to leave it for the next one! I had to cut sooo much from this I’m sorry, I actually did have a bunch of small comments from the beginning of Lifting Spirits. Well, until the next post, which will also get to the middle of the fic too. ^_^

#long post #if this is all over the place it was because my thoughts were all over the place sdjsdnkjsdkj #ghhhh

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fire-emblem-heroes-supports · 6 years ago

Text

Hector/Ike C-A Support

Written by unfo11owmep1z

C SUPPORT

Hector: Bah! Eliwood is spending way too much time with Roy nowadays…So does Lillina! What am I to do with them…I might aswell be dead to them, right?!

Hector: …I’ve had it. I need to get my mind off of things…Enough of this! Tell me….is there anyone in this castle willing to fight me?!

Hector: …..

Hector: Grr, of course this isn’t going to work. I should probably take a calmer approach…

Ike: (…I heard shouting. Is there some kind of commotion going on..? No…I probably shouldn’t interfere. I’m sure the veterans around here could quell it. I can’t afford to dawdle around if I am to meet with the others…)

Hector: …Hm? Hey you—! uh, I mean…Hello. Care for a good one-on-one figh—…I mean, uh….chat?

Ike: …? Oh. I’m sorry, but I must be elsewhere. I have people waiting for me.

Hector: Well if it isn’t just my luck—Fine!! It’s not like I needed anyone to….Huh? Hey, wait—! let me just take a look at you for a second…!

[Hector lunged at Ike who was walking away, tugging at the back of his collar.]

Ike: Ack–!? Wh..Wha…?

Hector: Y…You…! You look familiar…Aren’t you…That legendary guy that commander Anna once told us about….?

Ike: …Don’t grab onto me like that. I frankly have no idea what you’re talking about, and I don’t really have the time right now either. So if you’ll excuse me, I must take my le—

Hector: Hey! not so fast!

Ike: Argh—!!

Hector: There’s no need to be humble you know!! I think I remember. You’re a rather recent recruit aren’t you? If you’re from one of the newer worlds we’ve been to, then you must be from the World of Radiance. I should welcome you! The name’s Hector.

Ike: …You have quite a grip don’t you..? I’m Ike. Commander of the Greil Mercenaries. And this very “commander” is about to meet with his mercenaries, so I must hurry…Until then.

Hector: Geez….this guy wants to play a cold game with me, eh? But I’m not really in the mood for that. There’s one last thing I still need!

[Hector grabs onto Ike’s cape this time around, and pulls him with even greater force.]

Ike: Whoa—! What the—?!

Hector: …Hey. I know you’re busy and all, but Anna said something about you being the Radiant hero, the strongest from all worlds, and I’m intrigued. You’re kind of smaller than expected, but intriguing nonetheless! You could at least let me know when you are—-

Ike: …Alright. You have dragged me back for about three times now…

Hector: ….Eh?

Ike: Look. If you are so insistent on keeping me here, then I think I should oblige. I can’t afford to get pushed around like this. Let’s get this over with. Draw your weapon…or run while you can.

Hector: Hey….from the look on your face, it seems to me like you’re up for more than just a spar…

Hector: …Heh! That’s more like it! This is just what I needed. A little bit too much is just enough for me. Now…Bring it on!!

[Hector and Ike have reached support rank C.]

B SUPPORT

Hector: …Hey, Ike! Over here!!

[Hector frantically waves at Ike.]

Ike: …You called for me?

Hector: Yeah! it’s me, Hector, remember? Uh…listen…I…should apologize for my behavior from last time…I might’ve gotten carried away, so, uh…Sorry for being so pushy.

Ike: …No, maybe I should be the one to apologize. I lost my patience, and…we….really got the scoldings of our lives from Titania and Soren….

Hector: Ha! I guess so. I must admit, that tactician of yours sure is something! He’s such an eerie looking guy. How and where did you even get to know a fella like that?

Ike: Uh…well. The war just costed him a bit. I knew him from when we were young. He can be a hardy one I’ll admit, but he’s been invaluable to the Greil mercenaries. Please, be easy on him.

Hector: Really? Huh…Friends at a young age…Was he a spooky creeper like that back then too I wonder…?

Ike: Hey. I heard that. I just told you the war costed him, didn’t I…?

Hector: Ha ha! Sorry, I’m just messing around. If anything, I’m impressed that you were able to befriend a guy like that! I wouldn’t have been able to crack open such a cold shell in a life time…

Ike: ….And that should be a compliment? Right. I think I’ll take my leave. Goodbye.

Hector: W-Wait–Ike! Blast!! I’m sorry okay!? I just needed to apologize to you–I won’t say anything about him again, honest!

[Ike, just after turning around to walk away, stops to look Hector in the eye. Then calmly proceeds to speak the following words:]

Ike: …..Fooled ya’.

Hector: W-What!? Why you…!!

Ike: …Heh. Are you satisfied now..?

Hector: Hey…That’s a smile if I’ve ever seen one! It’s the first time I see you smile like that.

Ike: …I seem to hear that one a lot. It sure has been quite the eventful day, hasn’t it? We started on a rather rough note, but uh….Nice to meet you. Hector, was it?

Hector: Yeah! Well met, Ike.

Ike: Likewise. I’m glad we could meet under better circumstances. I also never knew you were a noble, actually. The way you were so eager to fight would make me think that you were a knight or even another mercenary….

Hector: Ha! Guilty as charged. I’ve always preferred swinging an axe over diplomacy. I’ve never been much of the sophisticated nor the refined type.

Ike: I see…Well, that’s fine. I’ve never been good with fancy things or fancy people either way…Such is the life of a peasant sellsword like me, I guess.

Hector: …You talk as if you’ve seen it all. But on the other hand, you’re on high demand and get challenged a lot by others, don’t you?

Ike: I suppose. I can’t deny that I had a lot of soldiers come up to me. Sometimes for advice. Sometimes for a fight. Sometimes just to test me.

Hector: Test you? in what way?

Ike: Yes, Well… I went through a long time where I was practically looked down upon. It took a while to gain some respect. I was told that I looked like a rookie. Well, can’t say I don’t agree with them.

Hector: Huh. And yet, here in Askr they can only brag about you. So what’s the truth?

Ike: Well. I remember there being this woman once ago, who came bragging to me about her powers and skills, and how suited she would be for our army. She eventually asked to see the army commander, so she could be granted permission to join us. Not knowing that the army commander at that time…was actually me.

Hector: Oogh. That’s rough.

Ike: Ha, yeah. But it gives you an idea on how overlooked I was. Not that I mind, I’ve never been much for popularity.

Hector: Oh? Is that so…?

Ike: Yeah. Although now, I suddenly walk around getting praised and requests from many who look up to me…It all just feels strange to me. Might also just be part why I prefer to train alone. I focus a lot better, but it also just feels more…natural.

Hector: You don’t say….Is that why you wanted to run away the first time we met? You could’ve just said something.

Ike: …I was preoccupied with duties, Hector. Anyway…even though we were both heated, I really enjoyed our fight. You have so much power…And I was rather surprised to see you handle an axe so well.

Hector: Hey, I taught myself by often sneaking out to fight in the ring, so I’d better be good at it! But I guess you don’t see many axe lords walking around here, huh.

Ike: I applaud it. The way you swing your axe about is making me nostalgic…My father used to wield an axe too, you know. Urvan.

Hector: Really? Well, who would’ve thought!

Ike:..Ah, he wielded a sword before that however, before he s—…oh….nevermind.

Hector: What was that? It felt like you were really onto something, don’t shy away now!

Ike: No, It’s nothing….

Hector: Why would you bring it up like that, then?! Hey…Don’t tell me… Do I per chance…resemble your father…?

Ike: W-what!? ….Uh….Well….That’s quite the claim….But that’s certainly not the case. You…couldn’t even compare to him.

Hector: Hey! What’s that supposed to mean!?

Ike: M-My bad, I’m just trying to say that the two of you look very different, that’s all. Though no matter how I look at it, no man could match to his caliber. He was stern, but ever so benevolent. He’s a great man.

Hector: Bah! I could act the part too! And I mean…don’t I look like you, though?

Ike: Uh, I’d say….you look more like…….

[Ike suddenly falls silent and closes his eyes for a moment.]

Ike: …..Mother……..

Hector: ………..

Ike: …….

Ike: …..Wait– no–! It was just–! your hair and—! I only meant by the eyes and hair color!! S-sorry, I’ve only just realized how weird it—! Ugh, it came out a lot worse than I thought it would….

Hector: ……Phhfff….heh…..Ahahahah!!!

Ike: Don’t laugh! Stop…please forget what I just said…

Hector: Haha–! No no, it’s fine! If anything, I’m…just laughing because I’m…! I…I can’t help but picture a very muscular mother!!! Haha–!! Oh, I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time!!

Ike: W-what!?! You!! …And here I thought I ought to feel bad and apologize to you for blurting out something like that…! If you’re just going to keep on laughing then I’m just going….to go!

Hector: Ha-haa–W-wait..! Ike–! Come back!!

Hector: snrrk!…Well well… I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ike so red before…I can’t tell if he’s either angry or embarrassed!

[Hector and Ike have reached support rank B.]

A SUPPORT

Hector: …Hey, Ike! Good job out there. You really held it down on the battlefield.

Ike: Ah…Thank you. You too.

Hector: ((Oh. Finally decided to speak to me after pairing up so many times…))

Hector: Uh… say… are you still mad about last time…?

Ike: ….I was never really mad.

Hector: Really? You’re saying that with such a serious face though….

Ike: Oh, sorry. I’ve been told that I frown a lot. It’s a habit that never went away…But really, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.

Hector: Then, if all is well…Tell me. Why did you…mention your mother like that?

Ike: ….I can’t even recall how we got to her in the first place since it’s been a while. Why? Do you suddenly feel insulted because of what I said?

Hector: No! It’s just…I couldn’t help but notice that when you spoke about your mother, you had this kind of…heavy look on you. It wasn’t until you decided to start a panicked frenzy, that I started laughing it off, thinking you were just embarrassed about loving her too much or something.

Hector: But…There’s more to it, isn’t there.

Ike: …Huh. I didn’t think you were capable of paying that much attention to detail.

Hector: Hey, don’t change the subject!

Ike: …….I’m sorry.

Hector: Wha–? Don’t apologize! Although…I wouldn’t mind hearing more about this, you know?

Ike: …That’s why I’m apologizing. I can’t tell you.

Hector: What?! I practically came all this way to get an explanation though!

Ike: …Well, I…even if you wanted one, I couldn’t tell you even if I tried. I…don’t really remember much of her either way, and…the things I know about her, I don’t want to believe.

Hector: Woah, what? Wh…What is that even supposed to mean?

Ike: …..

Hector: Hey….Did your mother….die…?

Ike: …..Yes. And it’s the way she died that I don’t want to believe…

Hector: What?…How did she die, then?

Ike: …It’s complicated. And truthfully, It…it hurts just thinking about it. Part of me refuses to look back on it. But perhaps it’s better that you don’t know. I…Out of respect for my parents, this is something I should keep as a trademark secret between the Greil Mercenaries….I’m sorry.

Hector: …Sheesh. A family secret? You mean to say it’s really that heavy…?

Ike: ….I’m sorry.

Hector: …Alright. Enough apologizing. If it really hurts that much, I won’t ask anymore. I just wanted to let you know….you’re not the only one.

Hector: …My parents…they died too. Their illness took them before I got to grow up….

Ike: ….That’s just the thing. I always thought my mother died of illness while I was young, too. Until I learned about her real death through another source. From a hired assassin.

Hector: ?!?…She was assassinated?!

Ike: No… It’s not that simple. He only came to deliver the story. He was never behind it, in fact, it was only aft—- I…I’m sorry. I’ve…said way too much already…I’m so pathetic.

Hector: …Hey, no need to blame yourself. I don’t know what’s going on, but I guess I shouldn’t have asked. Although I also had to deal with shady assassins in my own continent and what not….

Ike: ….I suppose I’ve heard something about it. And…that you wield a curse….

Hector: …? Oh. You mean Armads, don’t you. Yeah…Guess It’s no secret by now…..

Ike: …..My father…….H-He……He’s……..

[Ike begins to tremble. He bows his head and exhales sharply.]

Hector: …..Ah, geez—-Stop it before you end up crying!!

Ike: ……

Hector: ….Blast. And here I thought I could make up with you…To think I’d be seeing you in such a sorry state…Kind of unlikely from the Radiant Hero, don’t you think?

Ike: …Of course I’m nothing like that. And If you’re uncomfortable, you can just leave. Unless you find it amusing to see me like this….

Hector: What are you saying!? Sure, I may look like a brute, but I’m not heartless! And as gruff as you are, I know that you are just as vulnerable as anyone else. That’s why I came to see you.

Ike: ….I see….Sorry. Maybe…it’s best you’d leave me be for a bit….

Hector: Hey, come now. I just told you I came to see you, didn’t I? And then you’d want to chase me off?…No more of that. Lift your chin up. Please.

[Ike stood around silently. Then after letting out a deep sigh, he proceeds to face Hector.]

Ike: …You know…Most people would just let them be when someone asks that they want to be left alone…

Hector: …Well, I guess I ain’t like most people then. But the things we’ve been through are unlike most people either…Although mine’s probably not as bad as yours from the looks of it, but still.

Ike: …Are you really that concerned about me…?

Hector: …Again, you’re acting like I’m some kind of monster! I mean…why wouldn’t I be…? I might not be the best at comforting, but there’s no way I could leave you alone after seeing you so pained.You need to be looked after. So I absolutely refuse to go away.

Ike: ….Thanks. But there’s no need to worry. I can’t afford to let this wear me down. I’m still standing on my feet, so honestly…I’ll see it through. I’ll be fine.

Hector: ….Well, you’re the boss then. But listen, I only wanted to say…I’m sorry for what happened to your parents. I know how awful it feels without them, but you can depend on me when the going gets tough. I mean…I’d hate to see anything happen to you. When my parents died, I only really had my brother and Eliwood to talk to. I don’t know where I’d be without them. So…I want to be there for you, too. I get how you feel, but don’t push yourself.

Ike: …I’m not…Though I can’t just be expected to stand still and keep on dwelling, can I? I’ve got responsibilities to hold, and for that I must be strong…Sure, looking after the Greil Mercenaries gets tough sometimes, but… There’s no place I’d rather be. Besides, I still have Mist, and the mercenaries treat each other like family, despite having no blood ties. It’s not so bad…But I appreciate it, Hector…Seriously, I’d say you’re doing too much for me.

Hector: …It’s nothing. If you ever decide to sulk, I’ll give you a shoulder to lean on. Hell, I’ll even let you cry in my arms if you need to. I’ll make sure nobody gets to see you break down. I’ll keep you safe.

Ike: ….Heh. Alright. I’ll keep your offer in mind. But I already feel a lot better after talking to you. I…It’s good that you decided to stay with me. Guess I owe you one, huh.

Hector: …Hey, It’s no trouble.

Ike: …Ha. I have a lot on my plate, it’s true. But if you know my appetite…you know I’ll finish it.

Hector: …Heh. Good on you, Ike.

Ike: Either way…Let’s leave it at that. It’s been long enough don’t you think? I find that there’s no need in moping around any lon—-Woah! Hec—!?

[Hector is seen hugging Ike, burying his face into Ike’s shoulder.]

Hector: …Well, even if you don’t need it, I sure need it. You know…the time my parents died, I wanted to do nothing but cry. But I couldn’t cry in front of anyone. Even alone, I still couldn’t. I just couldn’t. So…just grant me this favor. In return, I’ll pretend nothing happened today. We’ll put all of this beside us, and fight along side by side like we usually do. How about it…?

Ike: Hector….

Ike: …Alright…If you insist, I trust that you can keep your word. Promise me you will.

Hector: …That goes without saying, Ike. This goes…for both you and me…and for both family we have lost and family we have left.

Ike: I….Thank you, Hector. You have my gratitude.

Hector: ….Ha. I thought I’d never hear you say it.

[Hector and Ike have reached support rank A.]

#fire emblem the blazing blade #fire emblem path of radiance #male heroes #hector #ike #hector x ike #ike x hector #submission

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darke15 · 2 years ago

Text

Hello Anna! @itsarussian

first reaction was shock and tears, second and third is ANGERY

oof….oops

this. Motherfucker.

🤣🤣🤣

thats how it all started?! he was a douchie from the start!?!?!?

yup

but look at how cool the description of this rat spying and trying to steal shit is

🤣🤣🤣

nahhh it wasnt his fault, of course not "All he wanted was to get aerocell out of his labs and transfer it into Hydra's hands without anyone finding out he had a part in it" IT LITERALLY IS YOU DUMB DUMBO che odio

loooooolllllll

im hating ollie the more i know things argh AND TO THINK I LIKED THE TECH GUY

yessssssssssssssssssssssss

how can one be so dumb but also genius.. i hate you so much ollie

Lol beat him up anna

"One he didnt have to worry about" BOOOOOYYYY i hope you fall face first into ghost knee

He will…eventually

YES BARTON THIS DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE TELL EM also i forgot this "Bucky frowned to himself, trying to keep everyone’s story straight as Clint added something else he noticed in Prague—no—Paris." from ch71 WHAT DID HE NOTICE?! TELL ME WOMAN

😏😏😏

Ollie does have a point saying Nat and Clint prbably talked about ghost and how she was hiding something.. BUT i know i hope with that many times being with ghost, they will notice the difference between ghosts (lol) and probably come up with the answers before Bucky at thius point.. i need clintasha to be wary of ollie, to not fall for the charade, i need them to be the smart ones in the group lol

😈😈😈

I was mad at ghost for not telling bucky the truth, but now imma start getting mad at bucky too WAKE UP SOLDIER BOY somebody anybody hit him in the head and recaliber his little brain thank you

🤣🤣🤣

"If the soldier knew, what had he missed?" sigh..

mi cascano le braccia a leggere di Bucky..

😬😬😬

NO TONY! AGENTS CAVANAUGH IS OKAY THIS IS FINE EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY ffffffffffffuuuuuuuck

I sorry

"you remembered it so vividly" dont tell me it didnt even happen and they freaking implanted the memory AHAHAHAH oh god, now im gonna start thinking of conspiracy and ufos while searching for answers

hehehehehehehehehehe

I REALLY missed her smashing people

Same tho

im so fucking scared for boone ffs CALL AN AMBULANCE, CALL AMBULANCE but not for boone or dune.. for me thank you 😀

Oof saaaaammeeeeee

MY BABIESSS THEY RE HERE why just you two thou THEY RE MOSTLY OKAY-

yay!

poor stevie but hey dont worry she obviously pulled a nick fury and shes gonna jump out of this corner, or that... at any moment ... we just have to wait....... and that body bag is just ehm is just for the vibe-SHUT THE F UP OLLIE

🖤🖤🖤

ollie getting mad ghost and co. dont get his-ace genius AH!

He’s such a drama queen

WAIT HOLD ON WHAT DOES HE HAVE IN MIND FOR DUKE !?

😈😈😈

"even if he knew that was impossible, he could still hop" duke hopping around while tied to the chair AHGSHSAHG can you imagine lol thank you typo

Pfffffffttttttt he’s just hopping away, down the stairs, through the streets. Ollie’s running behind him all annoyed

"Yeah. I really appreciate how you played Cairo. And Prague.” “No. No. No.” Walsh waved him off with a disappointed huff, “Ah. You’re so naive."

WAIT WAIT WHATT

and he so proud of himself QUESTO STRONZO ROSSO DI MERDAAAAA

🤣🤣🤣

i wanna hug Belov so freaking hard AHHHHHH these boys

same

oh hey Rook :) two evil mastermind playing together, how cute

Love that he was able to make a come back

of course it had to be ollie to shoot weston in the back OF COURSE

Of course 😔

I still hate you for what you did to Boone, but.. thank you for those punches mr Rook.

He’s the real hero of this chapter

it wasnt really a gunshot, ollie was just joking.. they're having a pool party, that sound was one of those waterguns.... they're all best buddies......

Uhhhhhhh yeahhhhh for sureeeeeee

sigh.. my head hurts.. and my stomach, my heart, my eyes, my brain.....

I’m sorry

When i said i hoped for a dune vacation, i was NOT hinting at a vacation from life, darke.. just saying.

… oh … you gotta be more specific next time

Chapter 72 // SMOKE AND MIRRORS

To all my live reactors,

Please, please, please, hide your reactions under a Read More cut. I don’t want any spoilers floating around.

To all my Anonymous Avengers,

If you want to react in my asks, feel free. However, I won’t be answering any of them until at least Wednesday if they contain spoilers.

Thank you,

Darke

┍━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┑

Duke would know what to do. He’d know about one of Boone’s safehouses in the city or he’d have a way out.

He always did.

You relaxed back at the thought until you turned the corner and your eyes widened.

There was a veritable army surrounding Duke’s building.

No.

You blanched, panic began to build through your body as you backed away.

He knew. Wraith knew everything.

He knew everyone.

He’d done it.

He knew where Duke was. He knew where Boone was. Hell, he probably knew exactly where every single person on Alpha Two was.

You were alone.

You were isolated.

He’d won.

Your heart dropped, dread dripped through your veins.

It was an ambush.

┕━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┙

Chapter 72 // SMOKE AND MIRRORS

✪ Bᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ Sᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ : Aғᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ

♜♠ Tʜᴇ Sᴏʟᴅɪᴇʀ & Tʜᴇ Sᴘʏ

⧗ Tʜᴇ Rᴇᴅ Rᴏᴏᴍ» Jᴏɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋᴇ sɪᴅᴇTᴀɢʟɪsᴛ

@thexbookxnerdx // @autumn-em // @fadingbakeryfarmoperator // @rhymingtree // @itsmeatballworld // @kippykasey // @turtleedovee // @kamalymaly // @onewithnomightypowers // @y-napotat // @riahmcq // @thequeenofthefallen // @jesuswasnotawhiteman // @fnnshelbys // @knowyourworth-sellyoursoul // @banbananas // @beans-and-toast // @violetvictoriabarnes // @oikawasblueearbud // @itsarussian // @mrsbarnesinmyimagination // @oopsiedoopsie23 // @luhuhzy // @heyimjustlaura12 // @moonlightreader649 // @petalren // @sighbuckybarnes // @soldat-petala // @useless-creature-213 // @aftermatharchives

#chapter 72 // smoke and mirrors #battle scarred aftermath #reactions

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blitzthestars · 4 years ago

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Holy shit okay so I haven’t actually watched many shojo animes... Not exactly a fan of it tbh idk why. But Horimiya just got hyped up so much that I decided to join the bandwagon and watch the first episode, and girl am I hooked... Also I watched it with my little brother so fam moment right there lmao. So. Anyway. Long post ahead.

As with all shojo animes I’ve watched, we show off with some good random background shots, which, eyyyy you’ve captured my attention. I definitely liked my animes well drawn because eye candy. Also Japanese schools are very pretty to look at, so spacious, greenery is always present, no loiterers around it so yeah they’re very much my aesthetic. But summer vacation is always a hassle. I’m not a beach-lover except at night time. The heat always makes me cranky af.

But then we follow it up with an asshole sensei-character. And an idiot Ishikawa. Not really liking this... especially the jab at flat-chested girls, as I am one myself lmao but yeah gonna put it past them because it’s only the first episode anyways.

And now we get to the female lead, Hori! I like brunettes ehehehehe also plus points for the line “He didn’t have the guts to ask me himself, so no. Turn him down.” because, yeahhhh. Also kudos to Yuki-chan because she asked for permission to give it away instead of just going ahead. My girl friends need to learn from her.

Enter the male lead, Miya (or Miyamura, I can’t just call him Miya, it feels weird). He looks... insignificant. Totally the unforgettable character in the typical setting. Gloomy-looking, doesn’t really talk to people, only talking when necessary, that kinda guy. Oh hey we vibe. Maybe this is why I am attaching myself to him at first sight. OTL

Aaaaaand surprise! Our girl Hori is actually a housewife!! Or, well, housewife material LMAO. I am now vibing with her too for her sense of responsibility. My mom is always present at home, but I do try to help out with the chores as much as I can. Also having a younger brother to pick up is always a hassle. I went through it myself, and having myself surrounded by actual parents while waiting for the children to come out leads to me overthinking that these people think I am actually the mom...

Oi heyheyhey there’s mah pretty boy look at you all dolled up. He just looks so pretty all fixed up hnnggghhhhh Also I’m a sucker for pretty eyes. And he’s also kind despite that rebellious look. And he has that soft voice ARGH UCHIYAMA KOUKI STOP MAKING ME SOFT.

LOL Hori realizing they’re actually classmates... JDJKGFJASKDFH God my stomach. It’s a popular trope of course, but I don’t tire of it lmao yeah yeah laugh it up I like it okay don’t rain on my parade.

Also pretty eyeeeeeesssssss I wanna pluck them out.

His kind side also... *pounds table* Why is he so kind. Someone give him a hug, preferably me, but I can’t reach out through the screen okay. Also give a hug to the misfits of schools. Slight drama here but bear with me: Kids that look out of place (so transferees, the ones who look average/ugly, unpopular kids), they actually want to talk to someone. I am one of them, and I preferred myself as a wallflower, only butting in when I feel like I have to contribute or something, but I would have definitely appreciated school a lot more if I had a close friend to talk or confide with. Miya finding it in Hori? Definitely hitting me in the kokoro. /shot

And now they start to know each other better. I definitely want a Miya so that I have cake. I’d tutor you in exchange for cake okay.

Murphy’s law strikes!!! You really shouldn’t have mentioned that, Hori. LMAO but Miya to the rescue. What a convenient errand-boy. And lmao the egg-time line cracked me up okay. He’s athletic, definitely. And more pretty eyes. Miya stop seducing me.

Oi. We’re only in episode 1 right??? Dangerous lines right there girl. But yeah you’re already parenting Sota with Miya as the step-father so go on, get.

(Sota be the wingman. Go on little man.)

Miya trying to complement Hori... And Hori being awkward and violent with it LMAO Such a tsundere. “Baka, baka, baka...” in repetition... LMAOOOOOO

The swimming problem AHAHAHAH This is like Toradora in a way. I thought they would invest in waterproof body paint and have Hori do it to him but I guess my mind was going too fast JDAIKLSJFJD

Also Ishikawa don’t try to get in between them GRRRRR. It’s your fault for not confessing earlier you idiot. But hey looook. Mah boi Miya making more friends XD Is this a reverse Kimi ni Todoke or what?

Hori is cryyyiiiiiiing oh my god. Well, even I would have been hurt thinking that without hearing about Miya’s side. I totally get what he’s thinking, since Hori is a popular character in school. But true friendship transcends that and all that shit about friendship. Also she’s really a tsundere lmao.

Hori hinting if Miya likes Ishikawa... and Miya answers her with “I don’t think we’d make a good couple” eyyyyyyy bi represent! Or, well, that’s what I think. Society has to deal away with a male being paired with male and automatically assuming it’s gay. That’s toxic, boys.

Also the scene after the ending song cracks me up LMAOOOO Ishikawa looking wrecked and Miya trying to comfort him... And the two girls having the wrong idea. God all of them are dorks.

So yeah. I definitely enjoyed watching this. I’d probably be reading the manga maybe later or tomorrow, depends on what I feel like doing.

#Horimiya #Miyamura Izumi #Hori Kyoko #shoujo anime #episode 1 #me passing the time with watching anime again #adding this to my weekly anime #i definitely vibe with the domesticity in this anime #sota best boy #pretty boy miya #pretty boy + pretty girl

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ilkkijangege · 5 years ago

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118

Welcome to another episode of the Chad Chronicles, Season 2, Are You Flirting With Me or Not?

Grabe so much episodes na, kalurkey. If nothing happens to us talaga, I will delete these entries so I can move on.

Today, we were both wearing black hoodies yieee couple clothing nanaman, spirit connection CHOS but cmon Chad, when are you gonna wear the shirt I gave you??? 😭

Firstly, he was early, as per usual. So when he saw me, he waved at me. Then said, "The NBA is cancelled indefinitely." He looked sad so I said "Aww, E3 has also been cancelled."

Then I heard he was into D&D lately lol

Then later on, like after lunch, I had my earphones on and idk why but he started waving at me above his computer screen. So I raised my head and he ducked down and stared at me with his eyebrows scrunched and he was playing "hide and seek" with me behind the computer screens. He is actually so weird and random, but totally my type.

Then he was like 'I wish this was a standing desk so I can raise it up.' Then the guy beside him (to his left) was like 'You are not above everyone!' Then I go 'But he is! (referring to the fact he won 1st place yesterday) we should get him a his own chair, his throne!' Then he was messing around like bow down to the King kinda thing. Then the guy beside him said 'he's special', then he was like 'I'm a special boy.' Aigoo Chad, iba tlga tama mo sakin!!

Then on our team chat, our TL asked, if anyone on the team has children (because of school closure) and he replied '2' then our QA was like 'are you for real?' then he said '2 boys' hahhahah Love you Chad 😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣 his children's name are Jamie and Charlie ok

Then S came over with seaweed snacks, she forced Chad to eat it, he wasnt a big fan. He said 'I've never had seaweed before, what if i am allergic and break out in hives?' Then i go 'I have antihistamines' then S said: 'there you go!' Then he gave me an annoyed look and saidd, 'that was supposed to be my excuse!'

Then he had a debate with this other guy on our team about, this whole toilet paper hoarding issue.

The guy asks me, "Bianca, if toilet paper becomes a currency, what would you choose, quality over quantity?" The Chad goes "Don't answer it!!" So I said "Hmmmm, quality all the way." Guy goes to me, "Chad said quantity!" But then he thought about it again and changed his answer to quality. Hahah.

Then he kept whispering my name with the other guy on our team at the lockers but I was confused with what they are saying. I said "What?" And Chad goes "nothinggg" Argh. Then as we were walking to the kitchen, he commented on my umbrella (on my bag) and how it is my post apocalyptic weapon ahahahah OKUR 🤣

Grabe tlga, we are getting more comfortable and comfortable each day. Ewan ko kung matutuwa ako or maiinis eh 🤣 He doesn't seem to act like this towards other girls, not even MF and they're super close! Ano ba kasi Chad, let's take a chance and don't ever look back!

UPDATE: 16 MARCH,

I just realized something... It's either he has a really good memory or he thinks about our conversations but I'm just looking back at when he told me about the NBA being postponed.. I really don't want to overthinking but did he think of our conversation or did he just remember it when he saw me? Aaaahhhhhgggghhh

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madeofcc · 4 years ago

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CHAPTER 10 : What now ? (part 1/2)

Beginning / Previous / Next

[transcript]

One Month Later

LEÏLA :Seriously ?!!! But I thought you bought the house !

SORAYA : Oh no, we couldn't afford such a big place sweetie. I saved some money for your studies but the rent is so high … Denise's offer was too interesting. Plus, the house was too big anyway

LEÏLA : If you say so … I can't believe you're going to live in Mrs,Bailey's house though ! Are they leaving soon by the way ? They asked me to help them moving out but I forgot the day already

CHESTER : It's in three days …

LEÏLA : Already ! Argh ! University stressed me so much I forget everything I swear !

CHESTER : What about Hiro by the way ? I thought I'd see him today . It's been a while since prom night ...

LEÏLA : He's doing fine. I mean, better. He started an intership before starting med school, he left last week …

SORAYA : So he really went to Foxburry huh ? I hope you'll manage to see each others enough sis'

LEÏLA : Yeah he did, and I think so. Now that I got my licence I could visit him sometimes. Actually we already planned to visit him with Des just before we start at Windenburg. Right Des ?

LEÏLA : Destiny ?

DES : Huh ?! Oh sorry, I was overthinking. What were you saying ?

LEÏLA : Windenburg ! And we're visiting Hiro in two weeks at Foxburry

DES : Oh yeah ! I forgot …

SORAYA : Are you okay Destiny ?

DES : Yeah yeah, don't worry … I guess I'm a little nervous about university and all …

CHESTER : It's a big step after all ! But you begin with an advantage, you got you're bestie beside you ! I swear, it will help you both a lot to not be lost in there.

LEÏLA : Come on Chest, Windenburg isn't that big

CHESTER : But all universities can be tricky … You'll see when you'll be there ! Ahahahah

SORAYA : I'm so happy to know you're going to live together ! I mean, it reassures me to know that you'll both be safer that way. Is the flat far away from your classes and your job ?

DES : Not sure yet, I still have to get one …

LEÏLA : I'll ask my boss if he's hirring don't worry. He seemed pretty cool during our interview.

DES : Thanks, otherwise I don't know how I'll manage to pay the rent there …

SORAYA : Is your dad okay by the way ? Leïla told me he came back home

DES : Yeah he's fine . I mean, he still have to rest so he has to use a wheelchair and with the sell and all … Everything is finally working out the way we kinda want so …

CHESTER : Do you know where they'll go next ?

DES : Not yet, we still have to talk about that … But I'm sure we will tonight, they said they had something important to tell me. I hope they're not going to Windenburg though, I want to be free !

LEÏLA : Oh me too ! I can't wait to finally do whatever I want !

SORAYA : As if I was a mean sister !

LEÏLA : Ahahaha ! I'll finally be able to binge watch my favourite shows without you screaming at me

SORAYA : It was for your studies Leïla ! But I admit that I'm happy to have a sister like you. With all those crazy events happening in our lives you still managed to stay calm … I don't know how you did it. I was so affraid that your burn the house or something sometimes

LEÏLA : Chest and Halette helped me both a lot to be honest … I hope we could still learn even though we're not close to each other

CHESTER : We'll try our best Leïla. But as I already told you before, magic is mostly a personnal feeling and accomplishment. You and only you can discover and know what you're capable of. And I'm pretty sure that Des won't let you loose your shit

DES : You can count on me for that !

#Destiny Harbour #DH #DHBB #DH FINAL #DH EP10 CH10 #ts4 story #sims4 story #ts4 DH #sims4 DH #enjoy #the season is almost over I swear #the last chapters are very similar #yeah I'm putting the transcript below the cut as it's huge

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apriumjam · 6 years ago

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Satsuriku no Tenshi Light Novel Volume 1 - B3 (Part 1)

Satsuriku no Tenshi - Until Death Do Them Part - B3 (Part 1)

Story by Makoto Sanada, written by Chiren Kina, illustrations by Negiyan, translations by me.

If you want to help out with translations, feel free to contact me!

Prologue | B7 | B6 | B5 | B4 (Part 1 / Part 2) | B3 (Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4) | Zack’s Memory || Index

“Hey, Zack…make sure to kill me after we get out of here, just like you swore to God.”

Ray looks up at Zack as if in prayer as they ride upon the elevator taking them to B3.

As long as we get out of here okay, I’ll be able to get Zack to kill me…

To Ray, that is her last…her only beacon of hope.

“Ya…don’t gotta say that over’n’over again. I get it.” Zack’s voice is intermingled with a sigh as he gazes into the girl’s eyes. Her persistence never ceases to amaze him.

The elevator doors swing open. Ray has to squint her eyes against the dazzling light.

(It’s bright…)

The floors until now were dim and gloomy. This one seems to simply have an excess of light. Looking up at the ceiling reveals that an abundance of fixtures have been installed in it.

“B3, huh. Even though we could just go all the way t’ the top, it’s gotta stop every damn time. I guess we gotta find another elevator,” Zack grumbles irritably.

“That’s right.” With a quiet hum of acknowledgement, Ray steps out of the elevator. In front of them is a wall of iron bars, blocking their path. Gently, she reaches out a hand to fiddle with the door.

(It’s locked…)

Ray’s expression trembles slightly beneath her apathetic face. If this door won’t open, they won’t be able to proceed further.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Zack looks puzzled as he stares at her standing there motionlessly.

“I wonder if you’ll understand even if I tell you…probably not.”

“Ah?! Just say it anyway, ya don’t know if I’ll get it or not!”

“All right. …This door is locked,” Ray answers quietly.

“Uh, I might be an idiot, but even I know that.” Though she likely had no ill intent, Zack’s lips curve slightly at her words.

“Do you?”

“…Anyway, ain’tcha good at openin’ locked doors? Good luck.” Given yet another cruel response, the man’s lips twist unpleasantly, and he urges her forth, content to leave the work to her.

“Yeah, I’ll do my best…” Ray nods, despite being at an utter loss.

The room they’re locked in together is a little over nine square metres. No matter where she looks, she can’t see anything else in it. It doesn’t look like she’ll be able to find any clues for unlocking the door just by searching.

(I have to be useful to Zack. But, what can I…?)

Ray slips a hand into the purse slung about her shoulders, looking for some kind of tool she might be able to use. Inside – are her sewing tools and something wrapped in a handkerchief.

(But, this is…)

Upon suddenly touching that thing, she takes a deep breath.

(I can’t…use this…)

Exhaling slowly, Ray once again uses the handkerchief to cover that thing up with her slender fingers.

“Did ya find something?”

Unable to go on waiting, Zack attempts to peer into her pouch from behind her. A little startled, Ray turns to face him.

“Uh, thread, needle, and – ”

“Oh? Can ya pick the lock with that?” he asks, interrupting her.

“No. And this door doesn’t have a keyhole.” Ray shakes her head softly.

“So there’s no point in havin’ a needle or thread! Move, I’ll smash it open!”

“These are iron bars, so I don’t think you’ll be able to…”

“Shut up. We won’t know ‘till I try it!”

(Ah…)

Paying no heed to Ray’s warnings, Zack vigorously swings his large scythe at the iron bars. But, of course, the door doesn’t move even an inch. All he’s managed to do is cause a small mark.

“Shit, it’s hard!”

His hands grow numb from the recoil.

“…It’s iron.” Ray stares at Zack with an expression as if to say I told you so.

“Then ya shoulda said somethin’ sooner! My hands feel all nasty!��

“…I told you they were iron bars,” Ray says, her voice full of exasperation.

It’s at that moment that, before they can even react, a dazzling beam of red light envelops the room.

“…”

“…What?!”

In contrast to Ray, who stands there in disinterested acceptance of her situation, Zack cautiously looks around the room.

Before long, an ear-piercingly shrill beeping sound resonates around them.

“Hey, get back!”

Coming to his senses, Zack grabs a hold of Ray’s arm, pulling her toward him as he leaps out of the way of the door. He has the feeling he heard a soft noise…like a click from the ceiling, as if something had moved.

And, the next moment, just as he had suspected – a countless number of guns fire at precisely the spot Ray had been standing in.

She feels like her eardrums might rupture. Trembling slightly from the terrible sound, Ray unconsciously presses her face against Zack’s chest for just a moment.

“…Tryin’ t’ make ya into swiss cheese or somethin’…” Zack mutters dumbfoundedly as the guns cease their fire. Turning his gaze up to where the bullets had come from, he sees that numerous firearm muzzles poke out from the ceiling where previously there had been nothing out of the ordinary.

(…Bullets.)

Ray slowly takes a step back from him and takes in a short breath. Her heart is restless. The blue moon from that night faintly comes to mind.

The red light flickers out. Instead, a spotlight so strong the two of them can hardly open their eyes shines upon them.

(It’s bright…)

Ray squints her eyes.

((Ahahahah!))

The shrill, mad laughter of a woman bounces off the walls of the room that still echoes with gunshot fire.

((Hiii! Sorry about the late welcome! You were just so slow that I accidentally took a nap! …But…good job on not dying for now. You pass!))

Even though there is no one else in the room, the walls nearly shake with the forceful sound of loud applause.

(So loud…)

It’s truly unbelievably noisy.

((Especially you, Zack! I wonder just how wonderful your instinct really is! To tell the truth…I’ve thought for quite a while that you would make a splendid sinner. I was all sleepy just a moment ago, but now I’m wide awake!))

(A splendid sinner…?)

The woman simply sounds disparaging to Zack, and it vexes him. He looks toward where her voice seems to come from. But she is nowhere to be seen.

This is because the woman speaks to them through speakers installed all over the floor, elegantly watching them on a large monitor within a room through her surveillance cameras.

“I don’t give a single damn if yer sleepin’ or awake! More importantly, open the damn door already!” Within the spotlight so vibrant it seems it might melt the two of them, Zack snarls out an order and kicks the iron bars.

((Yes, of course. You’ve both passed, so I’ll grant you that boon. But I still haven’t finished putting on my makeup. I was asleep, after all! So how about you prepare to receive your punishment, while I finish up over here?))

“…Hah? Prepare?” Zack’s expression twists in confusion as he listens to the woman speak.

((Yes. Sinners have to take some steps before they can accept their punishment. It just feels better that way, don’t you think? Yes…when you talk of sinners…you obviously need a good mugshot. So go on, chop chop! I’ve left a door open for you.))

After speaking, the woman uses a complicated-looking machine panel to open the door.

“…What’s a mugshot?” Zack asks, looking down at Ray.

Ray opens her mouth to reply, but the woman’s voice rings out as if to interrupt her.

((A picture of your face, Zack. You’ve never had one taken before, have you? How wonderful! I’ll treasure it dearly.))

“…”

Ray stares up at the camera with a displeased expression. Both Zack and she must surely be reflected to that woman through that camera.

((That’s right…Rachel, you too. Make sure you both have your nameplates. If you don’t do as you’re told, you won’t be able to proceed to the next room.))

The woman stares steadily into the monitor as Ray stares back with an utterly unreadable expression. She has no idea what that girl is thinking.

(Rachel…)

Hearing a woman she doesn’t even know say her name feels rather odd.

((Heheh…I am the condemner…oh, you sinful evildoers! I’ll punish you until you’ve been forgiven. Because I am the one who has been permitted to do so!))

The woman speaks rapidly in an enthusiastic voice, as if having been given a part to play. And then the broadcast cuts off.

“…Argh, seriously, what the hell was that?! Her voice is so damn annoyin’, and she just blabbers on about whatever she wants…why the hell do I gotta be punished?! Leave the sleep talk for when yer asleep!” Zack grumbles, clicking his tongue.

“…Sinners…” Ray murmurs to herself, as if unable to hear him.

“Hey, Ray. We don’t got time t’ listen t’ that crazy bitch. Let’s go already.” Huffing out his breath in annoyance, the man proceeds through the door.

“…Yeah.”

(…Sinners…)

People who have committed a sin…

As Ray follows after Zack, that word echoes and whirls over and over within her heart.

▲▽

…Serial killer.

As Ray looks up at Zack’s face as they walk, she suddenly recalls what she had read in his profile.

(Zack’s killed a lot of people…)

“Zack, why did you start killing?:”

“Ah? What’s this all of a sudden?”

“…I’m a bit curious,” Ray says. If she says she’s not truly that interested, it might wind up being a lie. But he doesn’t need to answer. She simply wants to talk – it might not matter about what.

And, the word that woman had said, “sinner”…it still clings to her heart, difficult to dislodge.

“Dunno. But there are tons of worthless people that can be killed, right?” Zack replies as he walks. He’s never really thought deeply about whose life he ends. But, the first time he’d killed someone had probably been because he had thought they would be better off dead than alive.

But since then, I think it’s been different…I just kill ‘cause I want to.

“So you kill those sort of people, Zack…?”

“Not really. I just kill when I want to kill.”

(Because I want to…)

I wonder when he thinks he wants to kill someone…I wish he would think that way about me…

▲▽

The pair walk into the room that had been indicated to them by the woman.

It’s a room exclusively for taking mugshots. The back wall is white with a black border.

(I guess we’re supposed to take a picture in front of this…?)

In front of the wall is a polaroid camera. Beneath it, on the floor, are what appear to be numerous discarded photos, likely taken by that camera.

Ray kneels down to pick them up. All the people in the pictures hold nameplates, probably their own names. And each and every one of them have expressions of despair, as if foreseeing their own deaths.

(I feel like I didn’t see any of these people in the profiles…they might still be alive…)

Where are they…?

Feeling a bit of an uncomfortable chill, the girl stands up and looks around the room. Upon a desk are a set of strings and two white, seemingly blank plates. Quietly picking them up and turning them over reveals that they each have hers and Zack’s full names written upon them. These are likely meant to be hung around their necks.

“…Zack, I think you’re supposed to hang this on your neck,” Ray says, picking up the plate that says Isaac Foster and holding it out to him.

“Yeah.” Not thinking of anything whatsoever, the man takes the plate and hangs it upon himself as she told him to.

“…But…why the hell do I gotta get my picture taken…this is so stupid.” However, he quickly becomes angry at himself, perceiving his actions as bending to that woman’s orders. Having become an adult, he has absolutely no intention of adhering to anyone. But she had said that they wouldn’t be able to go further until they took their mugshots.

“…Haah.” Zack sighs at his situation. All he wants to do is get out of here, but it seems like he’s just being tossed around by each of the other floor masters.

“…Do you not like pictures?” Hearing the sound, Ray turns to ask him this in concern.

“I don’t care. I’ve never taken one or had one taken before. I never wanted to, either.” He sounds like a rebellious teenage boy.

“I see…but, we have to do this if we want to go to the next room.” Ray’s expression is somewhat troubled as she speaks.

(I don’t really want to annoy Zack…)

Though she thinks this, on top of both being sacrifices, it seems that actually getting out of this building is somewhat tricky. There are many traps, perhaps to prevent people from running away. Though she still doesn’t know what sort of system this building operates on, seeing those pictures on the floor makes her believe that they aren’t the only sacrifices here.

“…Argh, shit, I get it! We just have t’ take ‘em, right?!” Cursing angrily, Zack goes to stand in front of the bordered background.

“Yeah…then, I’ll start.” Closing one eye, Ray peers into the camera’s lens.

“Yeah, yeah. Hurry up.”

(Ah, this is annoying…)

Unable to disguise his frustration, Zack fidgets and bounces. It’s difficult for the camera to focus.

“Um…please don’t move. It’s all blurry.” Ray earnestly cautions the man.

“What the hell, why are you so serious?!”

“Yes, like that.”

For an instant, Zack’s frenetic movements cease, and Ray presses the camera’s shutter.

A picture soon emerges from the polaroid camera. And a short while later, Zack’s face appears on the film. Though his expression is displeased, the picture isn’t blurry at all.

(It took a good picture…)

Ray is a bit happy. Somehow, she’s having enough fun to forget that she’s being treated like a criminal.

Putting the picture into her purse, Ray picks up the nameplate with Rachel Gardner written on it and hangs it over her neck. Her movements seem to say that she is enjoying herself.

“Take mine next.”

After speaking to Zack, she walks to stand in front of the white background. Her footsteps are light and cheerful, and don’t match with her cool expression.

“Yeah…so I just push here?” Since this is his first time touching a camera, the man feels somewhat uneasy.

“Yeah.” Ray gives a small nod. So Zack simply presses the button thoughtlessly.

“Ah…”

(He wasn’t even looking into the lens…)

“Heh, I really just had to push the button,” Zack says happily as he investigates the picture the camera prints out. “It’s kinda fun. ‘N easy, too.”

“…But it’s blurry,” Ray complains blankly.

“Aah? Yer the one who told me all I had t’ do was press the button.”

“…”

Ray sinks into silence upon hearing his simple counterargument. She unconsciously begins to pout due to her poor mood.

“Ya got the picture, so it’s fine, right?” the man mumbles, perhaps sensing this.

“Yeah, you’re right…” Ray nods. Though she’d been having fun, they’re only doing this to abide by the woman’s instructions so that they can go to the next room.

“It looks pretty good anyway.” Zack’s expression is rather satisfied as he looks down at the film with Ray’s delicate features. He doesn’t especially like having his picture taken, but taking pictures is unexpectedly fun. And it’s the first time he’s ever touched this sort of machine.

“It’s not.” But Ray quickly shakes her head. After all, the picture is blurry. But perhaps, seeing as she is unable to smile, she wouldn’t have a good picture no matter the situation.

As she’s enveloped in a strange feeling of disappointment, there’s a click in the room – surely the sound of the next door opening.

“Oh, it’s open!”

“Okay.”

Though she doesn’t especially like her own picture, she places it into her pouch as well, and chases after Zack. They proceed to the next room.

▲▽

Opening the door reveals a room with an extremely white, pristine floor. There’s not even a speck of dirt.

(…It looks a bit like the room I woke up in.)

In the centre of the space is a transparent box that almost looks like a shower room. It’s about as large as a telephone booth. Affixed to the entrance is a small plate.

(There’s something written there…)

Drawing nearer to it, Ray scans the mocking message.

You sinners must disinfect those sinful bodies of yours! Make sure to do it properly, or else the next door won’t open~ ♪

She reads aloud in a monotonous voice.

(Did that woman write this…?)

“Disinfect, huh?” Zack’s expression twists in confusion. Being honest, he doesn’t have much of an idea of what that could mean.

“Yeah. It says the next door won’t open until we do.”

“…Another one of these, huh. What are we supposed to do?”

“Maybe we should go inside this thing?” Ray suggests. Though she doesn’t know what to do either, other than “disinfect” herself, the machine in the middle leaves her no other ideas.

“What’s ‘disinfect’?”

“I don’t know…” Ray tilts her head a little. The only thing that comes to mind is something she’s seen in a television drama – a bright light that exterminates bacteria, or something.

“Well, whatever. It’s pointless to stand around here thinking. Let’s finish this.” Zack sighs as he enters the box. It doesn’t sit right with him to do things so slowly.

“Okay.”

Ray enters the machine as well. That next instant, the door locks, as if someone is operating the device from somewhere. Letters scroll along the inside of the door. It says, “disinfection start”. A stream of liquid, reeking of alcohol, flows from the ceiling.

“Hah?! The hell is this?!”

(Heavy rain…)

It’s been years since he’d started living in this building. He can’t remember the last time he heard heavy rain. Feeling like he’s about to become overwhelmed by memories he doesn’t want to remember, he reflexively hits his hand against the door. But it’s locked, and won’t open that easily.

(…I didn’t hear about this…)

Having had her expectations completely trounced, Ray once more falls into silence. It goes without saying that she feels displeased.

After about a minute of raining down upon them, the stream finally stops, and the doors open after a message of “disinfection complete” scrolls along the panes.

“Haah…haah…this is way above gettin’ disinfected…!” Immediately after getting out, Zack takes in a series of harsh breaths. It had been nearly impossible to breathe underneath that harsh rain.

“…”

Still silent, and utterly soaked, Ray exits the device as well. With a sudden start, she recalls her purse, and slips her hand into it. It’ll be a problem if the things inside get wet. But the artificial leather has done a good job of repelling the liquid, and nothing has gotten soaked.

(…Thank goodness.)

Once more, that high-spirited woman’s voice reverberates throughout the room.

((Hiii! It seems you’re all well and prepared for your judgement!))

“Hey, bitch, stop screwin’ around! Stop bein’ all lively’n’crap!” Zack raises his voice angrily, as if he has no intention of losing to that woman. His pants had just finally gotten dry from when he had been in the pool on B4.

((Ahahah, you seemed quite dirty, I think it’s fine.))

The woman replies pleasantly. She feels extremely delighted just looking at how soaked the two of them are through her cameras.

(…I want to dry my hair.)

The alcoholic liquid drips from Ray’s platinum blonde hair. Feeling truly annoyed, she lifts a small hand to gather the liquid from some of the strands.

((Well, now that you’re ready, I’ll give you two a bit of a choice!))

“Hah? There’s somethin’ else?!”

((Yes, Zack. This is just the beginning. After you leave this room, there will be maaany painful punishments awaiting you both! So…how about just going to jail? You can take as much time as you want thinking back on all the sins you’ve committed. It’ll be quite valuable to you, I think. And if you do, you’ll have a splendid life ahead of you as one of my pets! So, what do you say?))

The woman crosses her legs and applies mascara to her long lashes as she looks at the two of them through the monitor. They both look so annoyed.

“Who would willingly do somethin’ like that?” Zack snaps. If he’s going to be kept as a pet in some jail and die slowly, he’s better off just stabbing himself.

“So it’d be for my whole life…I wouldn’t just die immediately…?” Imagining herself imprisoned in such a jail, the girl finds herself asking the woman this.

(Aah?!)

Zack glowers at the girl. She had been this way on Eddie’s floor, too. He doesn’t especially like her attitude that anyone can kill her, even if it isn’t him.

((Oh, my…Rachel, you’d like to go to jail? You can of course enter on your own.))

The woman giggles, and urges her on. It will certainly be entertaining to see the girl die as a doll within one of her cells, all alone.

“She’s not goin’! Hey, Ray. Don’t react t’ what she says! Let’s go!”

Annoyed by the girl’s indecisiveness, Zack grabs one of her slender arms and pulls her toward the now-open door.

(Hmph…)

To the woman, this is not an especially interesting scene.

(But, that promise – I should do this while I can…)

((I see…how unfortunate. And I thought I could keep you forever. Well, if you feel like going to jail, just tell me, all right?))

Thinking of all the things that might occur in the future, the woman laughs boldly.

“Shut up!” Zack shouts angrily as he tugs Ray along.

▲▽

(Does that mean she wanted to go to jail?)

Even though she asked him to kill her, she acts like anything goes so long as she gets to die. Ray’s wishy-washy attitude causes the man ceaseless irritation as he proceeds down the hall.

(Well, it’s not like I wanna kill her…with such a boring face…)

In order to quell the strange, murky feelings welling up within him, Zack opens the next door. He’s greeted by a strange scent that flows through the air, like the smell of something burning.

(What is this?)

Feeling rather uneasy, Ray warily steps into the room, looking around. Inside is a raised portion that almost looks like some sort of stage. And on that stage is an ominous-looking chair, attached by chords to complicated-looking machinery on both sides.

“…”

The girl fearfully approaches the chair. It doesn’t appear to be functional at the moment, but it does seem to have restraints.

(This chair…is probably…)

I’ve seen this in a movie once.

Recalling that cruel scene, the girl takes a small gulp of air.

(But…what are these dolls?)

In front of the strange chair, assembled like an audience, are a series of faceless, childlike dolls – there are sixteen in all, all sitting upon chairs of their own.

“What’s up with those?” Zack asks dumbfoundedly as he stares at the mysterious sight.

“I don’t know.” Ray stares at the dolls silently, trying to figure out what they might be for.

“They’re damn ugly, too.”

“…Are they?” Ray tilts her head a little upon hearing his frank judgement. Ray doesn’t see those dolls as creepy or ugly. On the contrary, seeing them all lined up like this is rather nostalgic and pleasant.

“…Ya got bad taste.” Zack scowls slightly, seeing how different their taste in aesthetics is.

“Is this the first judgement room?” Ray suddenly remembers the woman’s statements.

“Who knows,” he replies nonchalantly. It’s not that he had been ignoring her – he simply can’t be bothered to remember so many things.

Click. An unsettling noise sounds from the entrance.

(…Was it locked?)

Ray rushes to the door and turns the knob.

“Zack, it’s locked.”

“Ah? What is it with everyone here and lockin’ doors and talkin’ t’ people…”

“I think she’s watching us through the cameras,” Ray replies, looking up at one of the cameras in the ceiling. She’s seen them everywhere since she woke up on B7. It’s easy to guess that the woman must have been watching them all this time.

“Hah?! Seriously?! That’s creepy.”

“You wouldn’t do that, Zack?”

“No. There wasn’t anything like that in my room, anyway. Well, even if there were, I don’t got such gross hobbies like that.”

Zack continues speaking, somewhat listlessly,

“Anyway, let’s get outta here already. Just loiterin’ around…ain’t gonna let us move back or forward. This kinda stuff tires me out the most.”

Zack lets out an enormous sigh as he looks around the room. And then, as if to take a break, he promptly sits upon the eerie chair.

“Hey, Zack…I don’t think you should sit on that…”

Ray urges him to get away from it. She remembers a wicked scene she had seen in a movie once. A person, slowly burning to death as they suffer in that awful chair…

“Ah? Shut it. I’m damn tired.”

But Zack relaxes even further upon the chair, crossing his legs.

“…You should get off. I think that chair is…” The girl pales as she looks up at him.

“Huh? What about this chair?” He glares at her. From Zack’s perspective, her expression doesn’t appear especially panicked. He doesn’t know what she’s thinking at all. All he knows is that her eyes are dead.

And, with those dead eyes of hers, Ray stares at him – completely oblivious to any danger he’s in, with a stupid look on his face – and says in a small voice:

“…An electric chair – for executions…”

And then, as if someone somewhere had pressed a button, the restraints on the chair fasten around Zack’s body.

((Ahahahah!))

At that moment, the woman’s laughter reverberates around the room at a pitch so high it seems like it could kill insects. An enormous monitor descends from the ceiling. On it is a beautiful woman with medium-length blonde hair, the tips of which have been dyed pink. Her eyes are catlike.

((Hiii! Sorry for meeting you like this through a screen. I am this floor’s condemner. Please burn me in your memory. Oh my – Zack is the one who sat down!))

(…How wonderful.)

The woman chuckles to herself. A most marvellous scenario has clicked in place within her mind.

“Hey, you bitch, let me out of here!” Zack snarls at the woman. The restraints jangle uselessly as he struggles. The cuffs won’t break simply from his ridiculous strength.

((Zack, what are you saying? I can’t just let you go. What kind of condemner wouldn’t give punishment to a sinner? Sinners must compensate for their sins until their lives end.))

The woman cheerfully bounces in her seat. She can hardly contain her excitement at the prospect of hurting Zack with her own hands as much as her heart desires.

(…I’m so happy, I might kill you right now, Zack.)

Filled with great joy, the woman happily operates the machine at hand. A violent current passes through the chair for several seconds.

“…Ugh…!”

Zack’s form writhes on the chair.

(…!)

Ray’s eyes widen as she stares at that painful sight.

“Zack…” As the current stops, Ray approaches the man and calls his name in a voice tinged with anguish.

“…”

But Zack gives no response.

((Oh, my. Zack?))

The woman also seems somewhat uneasy. But she isn’t worried. She simply thinks that it’s boring that Zack should die from something like this.

“…That hurts! You sadistic bitch!”

But Zack wouldn’t die from that. His furious voice fills the air.

(…He’s alive.)

Seeing him so full of vigour, Ray sighs, and presses a hand to her chest in relief.

((How amazing! He’s alive, he’s alive! A murderer, a monster, he’s practically my ideal sinner!))

The woman’s voice is full of excitement, having witnessed Zack’s inhuman immortality with her very eyes.

“Shuddap! Don’t get so happy! I’m gonna kill you! Let me go, damnit!” Zack attempts to break his bonds as he shouts. But he can only manage to move his limbs and torso only slightly.

((Heheh, of course…then how about this: I’ll have that chair send toooons of electric volts through your body…all the while Rachel Gardner tries to turn it off. If it all goes well, I’ll let you through.))

As she speaks of such dreadful things so cheerfully, the woman tilts her head slightly.

(…All the while?)

“…Stop. He’ll die,” Ray says calmly.

This electric chair is used for executions. Even Zack would die from being kept in that chair. Anyone could make this conclusion easily.

((Wouldn’t it be fun to see…just how much of a strong-willed, monstrous sinner Zack is? Oh, Zack…my heart is just pounding! I simply can’t wait to see how much of my punishment a monster like you can handle!))

Of course, the woman has no intention of stopping. On the contrary, she’s impatient to begin the torture immediately.

(I want to see his face warped in agony…)

((Now then, everyone! The judgement will now begin! Please enjoy this wicked sinner’s suffering as he squirms in pain!))

The woman calls out in a strange voice.

Suddenly, the heads of the dolls in front of the stage begin to shudder and shake left and right.

Seeing that strange spectacle, Ray’s body shivers in disgust and grows stiff. It doesn’t seem as if the dolls are being controlled – it looks as if they’ve suddenly been granted life.

((The spectators gaze hatefully at the sinner…and it is in these gazes that the sinner’s death has merit. Here, the onlookers’ eyes pass judgement… Now, start ♪))

The woman’s words are utterly mysterious. And, as she flicks the monitor feed off, her gaze meets Ray’s, and she gives her a strange wink.

The eerie chair Zack sits upon soon gives out an extremely loud sound – and a rush of electricity even harsher than before courses through it.

“…!”

Unable to hold back a groan, Zack’s form twists on the chair. His entire body shakes. It seems he might lose consciousness in a matter of moments.

“Zack…!”

Ray can’t come close to him because of the violent current.

“…Hey, Ray! What ya gotta do now, is keep our promise…! Do it! Ya said…ya wanna be useful…! But…let me kill…that sadistic bitch…!!” Zack musters all his strength as he snarls, even as the electric volts course through him. A normal person wouldn’t have been able to bear it.

“…Okay, I’ll try.” Ray’s expression becomes grim as she stares at that far too cruel sight. She gives a small nod.

“You know…what’ll happen…i-if I die, right?!” Zack asks, his expression full of pain.

(I don’t wanna die…and I’m not gonna let that psycho bitch kill me.)

But it’s true – that he’ll die if this keeps up.

(If Zack dies…)

I don’t want that…I have to stop this somehow.

“…If you die, you won’t be able to do anything. That’ll be a problem.” Composing herself, Ray answers him.

“If you understand…then do something…quickly!”

“Okay.” Gazing firmly into his eyes, she nods.

“The spectators gaze hatefully at the sinner…”

(Are the dolls the spectators…?)

Ray feels that the woman’s final words must have been a hint to unravelling this puzzle – and sinks deep into thought as she considers them.

(The spectators gaze…that must be it…)

The sixteen dolls gazing at the electric chair…

The dolls’ heads rock in mirth as they stare at Zack.

(…?)

Ray abruptly realises that some of the dolls’ heads are not moving. She draws nearer to those dolls.

“It is in these gazes that the sinner’s death has merit.”

(Their gazes give the sinner’s death merit…so I have to take that merit away…maybe…I have to turn their gazes away from him…?)

Ray grips the motionless heads and uses all her strength to twist them around. Upon doing so, it seems like the electric current coursing through the chair lessens slightly.

(It got weaker…?)

“…Zack, how is it? Is it better?” Ray asks, trying to ensure that her plan is working.

“Aah?! Are you joking?! It fuckin’…hurts! Do something!” But Zack’s body hasn’t ceased writhing just from that. His entire body shakes, as if he’s trying to relieve himself of the pain.

“…I’ll hurry. …I’m trying.”

(I must hurry…)

Ray’s fingers ball into fists.

(So I’ve figured out that I have to turn the dolls’ faces away…)

But the remaining dolls’ heads tremble left and right furiously, and it’s difficult to twist their necks.

(…I have to cut them…)

That’s the only way she can help Zack now.

“…Hey, Zack, could you throw your scythe over here?” She wholeheartedly wishes to stop the electric current.

“Hah?!”

“Lend it to me, I need it,” Ray declares as she gazes at him.

(She’s…tryin’ to order me around when I’m about t’ die? Just what does she take me for…?!)

Despite the fact that it feels like his intestines might rupture, he manages to throw the scythe toward her. He doesn’t know what she might need that for, but he has no other options – if he wants to be saved, he has to count on her. Though…rather than having thrown it, it’s more accurate to say that he’d nudged the scythe along the floor.

“…I can’t reach it,” Ray mutters without thinking.

“I can’t…do anything! It’s up to…you!” Zack feels as if his consciousness is drifting further and further away.

(…Shit…)

He feels like his eyes could close at any second.

…No.

“Zack…?” Ray anxiously calls his name.

“…” Though Zack retains some amount of consciousness, he can’t speak. For some reason, he tastes stale bread on his tongue.

Why didn’t you come back…?

Like a spinning kaleidoscope, he sees his child’s self sad expression whirling through his mind.

“…It doesn’t matter if you’re loud. If you’re alive, say something,” Ray says, staring into his slightly open eyes. She wants to confirm that he’s alive.

(…What do you mean, say something…)

He feels unbelievably irritated by Ray’s attitude. She seems to have no consideration for someone on the brink of death. And it’s at that moment that his child self vanishes from his mind.

“Yer so…selfish! I’m gonna die!” Zack snaps, opening his eyes as if to give proof of his survival.

“…Thank goodness.”

(He’s alive…)

Ray’s voice is full of relief.

Zack can’t die – …after all, he’s the one who’s going to kill me…

Ray gently begins to lift Zack’s scythe. Though it must weigh somewhere around ten kilograms, she somehow manages to heft it up. She almost can’t believe Zack had been swinging this around so easily.

(It’s really heavy…but I have to try.)

Ray cuts down the dolls’ heads as quickly as she can. A strange red thing flows from the dolls’ necks. She has no leisure to wonder whether it might be thread, cotton, or something else. The instant she cuts all the heads off, the electricity flowing into the chair stops. The restraints binding Zack to the chair come undone at the same time.

(It stopped…)

Is Zack okay…?

Dropping the scythe to the floor, Ray rushes to his side.

“…Zack, are you okay?” she asks, peering into his listless face.

“…”

But he doesn’t respond. His eyes are closed. However, she can see his eyelashes fluttering faintly between the layers of bandages.

“…Zack…?” She calls his name once more.

“…”

Once again, no response. Nothing but silence flows between them. And Ray simply stares at him intently.

She has no idea how much time passes. It feels like a long time. But the man suddenly stands, enraged, from the chair, and shouts as if brought back to life,

“T…took ya long enough! How much d’ya think I can take?!”

“…You’re alive.” She stares up at him, looking slightly surprised. The moment she heard Zack’s voice, she somehow also felt as if she’d been revived.

“Aah?! Of course I am!”

“…I don’t know what I’d do if you were dead…” Ray’s words come from the very bottom of her heart.

“Hah? I’m not gonna die that easily, stupid.” Zack’s expression is full of pride as he boasts. He doesn’t seem as if he’d just been shocked by an electric chair.

“…Amazing,” Ray murmurs. His vitality can’t seem to be encompassed in that one word.

The large monitor lowers from the ceiling once more. The woman guffaws with laughter as usual.

((How truly amazing! I never thought you’d live through that…the toughness and vitality of monsters truly is fascinating! Oh…you truly are my ideal sinner, Zack. I did look forward to seeing you die…but I’m kind, so I’ll recognise that girl’s efforts…I’ll let you pass through!))

The woman winks gracefully. Ray hears the sound of a door opening.

((And there’s no such thing as only one punishment…there are as many as you have sins. Isn’t that wonderful?))

The woman reapplies bright red lipstick to her mouth and smiles. Before either Zack or Ray can speak, the monitor flickers off.

“That sadistic psycho-bitch…her voice is seriously annoying! I can’t stand that laugh! I’d kill her right now if she weren’t in some screen!” Zack kicks at the floor, trying to relieve his stress, and clicks his teeth.

“…”

Ray’s gaze flicks toward the ground.

(Kill…her…)

For some reason, a thorn pierces Ray’s heart as she hears the word Zack so carelessly directs toward that woman.

(…I don’t think Zack wants to kill me.)

When she thinks this, her chest prickles painfully. She can’t really explain what this feeling is. Because, after all, this is the first time in her life she has ever felt this way.

I don’t know…

She doesn’t know why, but for some reason the idea that Zack would want to kill someone else other than her is extremely unpleasant.

“Anyway, what is this? This looks like a damn murder scene…what were ya doin’?” Zack asks, having finally surveyed the room. The heads of the dolls are scattered about the floor.

“It seemed like the dolls were a part of the mechanism, so I cut their heads off,” Ray replies matter-of-factly.

“What the hell…that’s creepy…this is the worst….ya used my scythe for somethin’ weird, I was on that stupid chair…” Zack grumbles under his breath.

“…Half of it is your fault.” Ray sounds a little exasperated. Thinking back on it, Zack had sat in that electric chair of his own accord, so it’s easy to see where everything had started.

“Shut up, ya should’ve warned me!”

“…I did.”

“Ah? I didn’t hear anythin’ like that,” Zack retorts, his eyebrows furrowing. But it isn’t that he’s angry or upset. Because of the harsh electrical shocks, he can’t quite remember how they ended up in this situation.

“That’s your fault…”

“Well, ya saved me, so it doesn’t matter, right?!” His voice rises in defiance against the girl’s sulky tone.

“But, you might have died…and if you die, you won’t be able to kill me.” Ray’s expression is meek as she speaks. All Ray wishes for – is a future where Zack kills her.

“Ugh, yer really stubborn! You’ll become the worst ghost ever.”

“You said ghosts don’t exist.”

“Oh, shut it! Anyway, I’m not gonna die that easily.”

“…Really?” Ray looks up at Zack with eyes full of prayer.

“Yeah. I’m not gonna die. Anyway, that chair’s dangerous, so let’s get goin’!” Zack begins to walk briskly away, as if to escape Ray’s ever-present “wish”.

Even now, strangely, he can’t muster the desire to kill her. He can’t want to kill her. He’s never met anyone like this.

How does it feel to kill someone you don’t want to kill…?

Zack thinks quietly to himself. But it’s not as if he can’t kill her. He doesn’t want anyone else to kill her, either. Perhaps, if she shows him her best smiling face, he won’t be able to stop himself from ending her life.

(…This is a weird feeling.)

“…I won’t sit on it,” Ray says as she opens the door.

“I ain’t sittin’ on it, either!” Annoyed, Zack puts the room behind him. Ray follows him.

▲▽

The hallway now is lit-up by bright fluorescent lights. It feels a little strange.

“Zack, how much do you know about this building?” Ray asks as they walk.

“Huh? Didncha ask me a question like that already?”

“Yes, but…I was wondering how much you know about the other people here.”

“Not much…just that they’re all creepy,” he replies nonchalantly.

“Really? But you called Doctor Danny by name…and that boy in the grave.”

“Well, I knew their names, but I never really spent much time on their floors…sometimes I saw their faces, but they weren’t normal, so I never talked much t’ ‘em.”

(Who the hell is Doctor Danny, anyway…?)

Zack feels uncomfortable, hearing Ray talk about him in that manner.

He isn’t interested in anyone but himself. And if he did find interest in someone else – it’s because he’s uncomfortable seeing people go about their daily lives, and wants to see their expressions turn to despair. That’s all.

“Not normal…so, did you want to kill them?” Ray asks, though it almost sounds like she’s talking to herself. The word Zack had said to that woman still remains stuck to her heart, unable to be removed.

“Ah?” Zack isn’t aware of any complicated feelings Ray might have. After all, he quickly forgets the words he says when he’s unaware of them. Or perhaps it’s better to say he never remembered in the first place. He isn’t constantly itching to kill people, anyway. It’s an impulsive, transitory feeling.

“…Nothing.” Ray shakes her head in order to withdraw her earlier statement.

▲▽

After a short while of walking, the pair find themselves in front of yet another door. It’s marked with a plate that says “warning: danger”.

(Danger…)

Ray comes to a halt in front of the door, like a robot whose power has been cut off. That word seems ominous.

“Hey, what are ya doin’? Not goin’?” Zack peers into Ray’s face from behind, trying to urge her on. He’s completely unable to read the sign.

“It’s obviously dangerous,” Ray mutters. If that woman had gone to the trouble of writing that – there is likely some kind of trap waiting on the other side of this door.

(But if we want to go forward, we have to go through here…)

What should we do…?

“Hah? There’s no point in thinkin’ ‘bout whether it’s dangerous or not. We can’t go anywhere if we’re all scared’n’crap!” Zack seems to run out of breath as he shouts, irritated at seeing Ray fumble with the doorknob so indecisively.

“But, because of what happened before…I think we should be a little more careful.” As Ray speaks, she recalls that horrid scene – Zack’s body, struck by those volts of electricity, his eyes closed.

If I had been just a little too late, Zack might have died…

Just thinking this causes her to be more and more hesitant about entering the next room.

“Ah? It’ll be faster if we just go instead of screwin’ around,” comes Zack’s immediate reply.

Being on death’s door is now nothing more than something in the past to him.

It’s one of his principles to not look back on the past, ever since long ago. Perhaps more than simply being a principle, it’s a necessity. There is not a single memory he wants to look back on. Ever since he had been born, his life has been nothing more than the embodiment of unhappiness. So he’s not particularly afraid of difficulties or sorrow. Rather, he’s more frightened of being happy.

“…Zack, it’s okay to cross a stone bridge after hitting it,” * Ray points out sharply. Zack’s sense of danger is too dull.

“Hah?! But it’d break! How is it different from goin’ fast?!”

“…It is different, and that’s not what I meant.”

“What?! That’s what ya mean when ya talk ‘bout hittin’ stuff! Stop talkin’ about crap I don’t understand. Let’s get going!”

“…I feel like talking with you just confuses me…”

The punchline is lost to Zack, and the two cross into the “dangerous” room, talking amongst themselves.

* This is a Japanese proverb that means “to do something cautiously”. It’s often used to describe someone who is very careful.

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