#if someone has already done this im sorry

[shurisneakers]

unsolved (ix)

Summary: Bucky doesn't even believe in the paranormal. So who the hell thought it was a good idea to stick him in a series about everything haunted for the internet's amusement? With his loose-canon of a teammate who has no concept of subtlety or shits left to give, to make things even worse. (Buzzfeed unsolved AU)

Warnings: swearing, frustrated bucky, obnoxious reader, groups of people that believe in the paranormal

A/N: im sorry i disappeared i am employed now and also i am depressed. anyway pls lemme know what u guys think i love reading comments and screaming and everything you have to say MWAH. next one is a big one boys

Previous part || Series masterlist

Bucky wakes up to a weary, bone-deep sense of dread.

Not the kind of dread that means a sniper is lurking outside his window. No, this is a very specific kind of dread that sets in suddenly, altogether at once.

He knows exactly what it means. 

You are about to ruin his day.

His eyes flicker open, adjusting to the light filtering through his windows. 

The floor is quiet. Too quiet, almost. 

Alpine is curled on the windowsill, tail flicking idly. But he finds her staring at him already with mild judgment, as if she knows exactly what’s about to happen.

Bucky rubs a hand down his face, exhaling. He doesn’t know why he feels like this, because you’d taken to simply texting him the location these days, and then banging on his door. 

It was routine. He’d come to expect it. Like it, even, the way someone likes mundane sounds such as the buzz of the microwave heating up their lunch everyday. 

Except there’s a sudden, loud slam against his window.

Alpine launches off the windowsill, scrambling away with a hiss. 

Bucky is out of bed before his brain catches up. Years of instinct launch him into motion as he grips the knife under his pillow, pivots toward the sound– 

And sees you.

Hovering. Three stories up.

Waving.

Bucky full-body recoils and it takes everything in him not to launch his fucking knife at the window. 

He glares at you, barely awake, trying to process the absolute absurdity of this moment.

You tap your wrist like a watch, mouthing, "Video shoot."

Bucky turns around and launches a pillow at the window, furiously mouthing back, “I hope you fall.”

You grin.

His furiousness turns to raging annoyance at best. Which, in turn, makes him angry again. 

Just as he’s about to throw something heavier, FRIDAY dims the window until you fade from view. He doesn’t know who FRIDAY is protecting. 

Bucky collapses back onto his mattress.

He contemplates ignoring you again, but experience has taught him that only makes things worse.

Five minutes later, he’s stomping down the stairs. 

Bucky yanks open the car door and slides into the passenger seat.

Wordlessly, he shoves a coffee in your direction.

You blink at it. “How do you know my coffee order?”

Bucky grunts. “Do you want it or not?”

You take it, narrowing your eyes as you watch him chug it like it’s water. “Coffee doesn’t even work on you. Why do you drink it?”

He pauses mid-sip.

You tilt your head. "Do you even like the taste?"

Bucky slowly stares at the coffee like it personally wronged him, because no, he’s coming to realise that didn’t really like it. 

“…No,” he allows slowly. 

“Then why are you drinking it?”

His grip tightens around the cup. He doesn’t have a good answer, so he doesn’t look at you.

“Bought it,” he grumbles. ‘M gonna drink it.” 

“Sunken cost fallacy, right there,” you hum. “You bought it, so now you have to suffer through it. That’s a weird thing you do, y'know.”

Bucky exhales sharply, already done with this conversation. “It’s just coffee.”

“It’s just coffee,” you agree, watching him out of the corner of your eye. “And you just can’t let yourself pick something else. You a glutton for punishment?”

He scowls, taking another sip of the stupid beverage he didnt expect to be having a crisis over in the evening. 

"Whole world of warm drinks out there, Barnes. You ever tried chai? A matcha? You could be a matcha guy."

"No."

"You could be drinking hot chocolate. I think you'd like that. Marshmallows and everything.”

Bucky grips his cup harder.

"Hell, even warm lemonade would be a better choice."

Bucky scrunches his nose at the thought of warm lemonade and chugs his coffee out of spite.

You shake your head. “Whatever. Drink your hot bean water then.”

Silence stretches. The car hums down the highway. The weight of whatever he’s been avoiding lingers in the air between you.

Only five minutes later does it occur to him to ask.

“Where are we going?”

You shoot him a wide smile. “To make you some friends.”

Bucky closes his eyes. “I have friends.”

“You have Sam. And Steve.”

“Sam and Steve are enough.”

“Sam and Steve are legally obligated to be your friends.”

Bucky side-eyes you. “That’s not how friendship works.”

“You’d be surprised.”

He groans, dragging a hand down his face. "Is this another haunted house? ‘Cause if it is, I'm staying in the car."

"No haunted house."

"Then what?"

You drum your fingers on the wheel. "We're going to check out the fastest-growing paranormal club in the city."

Bucky exhales through his nose, mentally preparing himself. 

"What’s the scam?" he deadpans.

"No scam." You pause. "Well, maybe a little scam. But I’m choosing to believe in the inherent goodness of humanity."

Bucky glances at you. “What kind of scam?”

“Maybe you’ll find yourself today, y’know? Maybe you’ll even be a treasured member of this club.” 

Bucky leans all the way back in his seat, shutting his eyes before he has an aneurysm. 

The location is exactly as sketchy as Bucky expected.

Which, to be clear, is very. 

A run-down community center at the edge of the city, sandwiched between a failing laundromat and a storage facility that definitely has bodies in it. 

The parking lot has three cars, two of which are missing doors. The third is a white van with no plates.

Bucky stares at it. “I’m staying in the car.”

“No, you’re not.”

“You can get your organs harvested. I’m not in the mood for that today.”

“We are not getting our organs harvested.” 

“We are about to walk into a situation that requires a white van with no plates.”

You tap the steering wheel. “You’re focusing on the wrong details.”

“Oh? What fuckin’ details should I be focusing on?”

You refuse to make eye contact. “I will not be taking questions at this time.”

A sign by the door says:

WELCOME, SEEKERS OF THE TRUTH.

Bucky points at it. “What the fuck is that?”

“They’re just seekers, Buck.” You unbuckle. “They’re seeking. Let them seek.”

“That’s not what that means.”

“They have over five hundred members in their Facebook group.”

Bucky rubs a hand down his face. “The Boogeyman fan club has eight thousand, so what?”

“Okay, but to be fair— Boogeyman’s hot.”

Bucky stares at you.

You stare back, unblinking.

“Do you want me to respond to that?”

“Only if you agree.”

Bucky inhales slowly, counting to ten.

Still, he gets out of the car. Because he always does.

The guy at the door looks exactly like someone who would be enthusiastic about this kind of thing. Whatever it was. 

Late twenties, cargo pants, black t-shirt, and… a cape. He stands in the doorway like he’s personally responsible for deciding who gets to know the truth.

Bucky is already exhausted.

You, however, are delighted.

“Hi!” you chirp, walking up to him. “We’re The Gra–”

Instead, the guy squints. “Hold on. I know you. You’re from TV.”

“Uh, yeah, he is–” you glance at Bucky, who glares at you for throwing him under the bus, but it’s not like you had been set up for interviews just yet or had any major public saves like the Battle of Earth. You operated on a scale similar to Spiderman until now. The Avengers were really just your first big corporate job. 

“No, I recognise you,” he looks pointedly at Bucky, before narrowing his eyes. “You got no reason to be out here–”

A few years ago Bucky’s shoulders would have tensed immediately, already bracing for the inevitable Winter Soldier comment.  

“Hey now,” you force a smile onto your face. 

“--showing your face in public,” the guy continues, gearing up. 

“Okay,” Bucky says, because he’s dealt with enough of public vitriol to really have it faze him anymore.

You prepare to take a step in front of him, body stiff. “Now let’s not get–”

“After breaking her heart like that? Shame on you.”

Bucky blinks. You also blink, steps halting.

“I’m sorry, whose heart?” he asks, looking between you and the guy.

The guy snaps his fingers.  "You're the one on that show. Love Island, aren’t ya?”

Bucky’s entire soul exits his body.

He blinks. Once. Twice. 

He processes the words and does not fucking understand them.

The guy nods, like he’s just cracked a case. “Yeah. My girlfriend fucking hates you, bro.”

Bucky opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it again.

You, on the other hand, look like this is the greatest single living moment of your life. “Oh my god, Barnes.”

Bucky looks to the sky for help. None arrives.

“What the fuck is a Love Island?”

The guy crosses his arms. “Deny it all you want, man. But we all saw what you did to Lulu.”

“I was literally a prisoner of war for seventy years.”  

“And yet,” you say, eyes twinkling with evil delight, “you still had time to emotionally devastate a woman named Lulu on national television.”

Bucky turns to you, betrayed. “Who the fuck is Lulu?”

The guy shakes his head in disappointment. “Shame on you, man.”

You clap the guy on the shoulder. “You’re so right– what’s your name? Troy? You’re so right, Troy. Bucky here thinks just because he has a pretty face and a rockin’ bod, he can break hearts without consequences.”

“What the fuck is a Love Island?” Bucky asks in despair. 

“Ashamed of what gave you your fame?” You click your roof to the top of your mouth. “People would do anything for the opportunity to be shirtless on a beach for three months–”

“Someone tell me what the fuck a Love Island is.” Bucky drags a palm across his face.

“It’s not you? Oh.” Troy deflates, glancing at you instead. “Are you the one from Love Island then?”

“I wish.” You pull your lips into a straight line. “Some people just aren’t grateful for the chance they’re given.”

“Oh wait. I recognise you, you're from that ghost show.” He brightens up again, wagging his finger at you. “My niece loves you.”

You nudge Bucky in excitement at the news, as if you hadn’t induced fifteen years worth of self-hatred into him twenty seconds ago. “Tell your niece she's got great taste.”

He nods briefly. “So, what are you doing here?” 

“We heard this is the fastest-growing paranormal group in the city. Just wanted to check it out.”

The guy perks up immediately. “Oh yeah! The Ghost’s energy is real strong tonight. Dennis said he’s been slamming Monster Energy all day, so the vibes are there, man.”

Bucky’s expression does not change. “Who is Dennis?”

“Our medium.”

You nod sagely. “Of course.”

“He’s got a newsletter. You wanna subscribe?”

“Gee, I sure do,” Bucky says dryly.

You elbow him. “We wanted to join the club first.”

“Alright,” he chirps. “I’m sure Dennis won't mind. Meeting starts in ten minutes. You can grab your cloaks by the door and head on in.”

Bucky stops. “Cloaks?”

“Yeah, it's imperative to the Ghost that we dress the same.”

“Absolutely fucking–” 

“Don't worry about him, he's only upset that he didn't get to bring his own cloak,” you interject immediately. “It came free with his coffin and some sunscreen.”

Bucky steps on your foot. You give him a small kick.

“Alright, well, you can have ours. It’s usually five bucks each but I’ll let it slide if you sign something for my niece,” Troy says. “If you're filming, please keep the flash off.”

“You got it, boss,” you salute.

The guy shrugs. “Meeting starts in ten. You can drink from the chalice and head on in.”

Bucky immediately locks onto that second part. “The what?”

The guy pulls out a black goblet filled with dark red liquid.

Bucky immediately takes a step back.

The guy holds it out. “It’s the Ghost’s essence. Dennis prepares it before every meeting.”

Bucky and you stare at it.

You lean in, sniffing inconspicuously. “What ingredients are in the Ghost’s… essence?” 

The guy shrugs. “Dunno. Dennis just goes into a room, talks to the Ghost for a bit, and comes back with this. It’s different every time.”

Bucky’s stare is flat. “Oh yeah. That’s normal.”

“Here, try.”

Bucky does not move. “I’m allergic.”

“To what?”

“Yes.”

The guy frowns. “You haven’t even tasted it–”

“I’m allergic,” Bucky repeats. “Real bad. Death and everything.”

You nod solemnly. “I already had some.”

The guy blinks. “You did?”

“Yep, just couldn't help myself. Found some around here and I felt the Ghost really call to me.” You beam rather convincingly. 

“I think it’s calling to you again, you should try some more,” Bucky tells you.

“Nope. Had plenty. Gotta save some for the others,” you say loudly, kicking his foot again. “It was great, though. Ghost tastes great– I mean, got great taste.”

“Well in that case, here’s your cloak and you can head on in,” he smiles at you before turning to Bucky. “You’ll have to pay, though.”

Bucky’s face scrunches. “I’m in the fuckin’ show too.”

“So you are from Lo–”

“I was not on Love Island,” he declares definitely.

“Right,” he drags, like he doesn’t quite believe him. “Five bucks.”

Bucky stares at him. Troy smiles right back.

Bucky grumbles, relenting as he reaches out into his pocket to shell out five dollars.

Bucky had taken the mandatory black cloak with all the enthusiasm of someone being handed a parking ticket.

You, on the other hand, are already swirling yours around your shoulders like you’re about to perform a monologue.

“Personally, I’m not too fond of the silhouette, but it’s fine for a last-minute fit, I guess.” You adjust the hood, pulling it low over your eyes before striking a pose. “Do you think I look cute?”

Bucky blinks. He wasn’t expecting the question. His brain short-circuits almost immediately. 

You tilt your head, waiting.

He cannot figure out what to say, so he simply lets out a grunt. It’s extremely embarrassing. 

"I'll take that as a yes."  

Bucky makes a face. 

Instead, he moves to something else entirely. Flips his cloak over his shoulders, tying it into a perfect, military-precise knot in two seconds flat. 

You raise an eyebrow. “Well, that was fast.”

“It’s a knot. Not rocket science.”

You step in closer, reaching out to tug lightly at the strings of his cloak. “Did you go full Boy Scout at some point? Or was that just, like, a super useful skill in your assassin era?”

Bucky does not move. “Are you done?”

You grin. “Nope. I like being all up in your space. You’re even hotter up close.” 

He immediately steps back.

“Coward.”

“Don’t want you ruining my knot.” Bucky tugs it tighter, then glares down at your very haphazardly tied cloak. “Jesus. That’s a disaster.”

"I was going for a more casual look."

Bucky rolls his eyes. “Give it.”

“Oh, so now you want to touch me?”

Bucky freezes for half a second, until you laugh and then it turns into a half-hearted glare. 

Then, without reacting, he reaches out and untangles your mess of a knot with infuriating ease.

You watch him carefully as he ties it. He’s surprisingly gentle, fingers working quickly.

“You’re being very careful.”

“You’ll find a way to strangle yourself otherwise.”

“Is this your version of caring?”

Bucky ignores you.

“Oh, it is.”

“Just– shut up. Five minutes. I’ll pay you.”

Bucky steps back, hands off. The knot is perfect. He gives it a quick tug to test it, then nods.

You stare at him.

Bucky raises an eyebrow. “What?”

“Oh, nothing.” You grin, pulling the hood over your head. “I just think it’s adorable that you want me to live.”

Bucky mutters something unintelligible under his breath and gestures toward the meeting hall. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”

The room is set up like a middle school talent show.

Rows of metal chairs, some folding, some clearly stolen from a diner, all arranged in a rows in front of a small, elevated stage. The stage itself is haphazardly draped with black fabric, trying to give the illusion of magic but mostly looking like a supermarket Halloween clearance aisle.

There is, for some fucking reason, a fog machine in the corner, already hissing out an unnecessary amount of smoke. The whole room smells faintly of lavender essential oils and burnt plastic.

"I gotta say, I expected more," you hum, adjusting your cloak as you scan the room.

“Like what?”

You shrug. “I dunno. Maybe some candles? You’d think they’d at least have, like, a bowl of blood or something.”

Bucky side-eyes you. “Not everything has to fuckin’ theatrical all the time. Just ‘cause you’re floating around 23 hours of the day, scaring the shit out of everyone.” 

You grin. “Oh, so you do think my theatrics are effective.”

Bucky realizes his mistake immediately. “That is not what I said.”

"No, no, I heard it," you smirk, nudging his shoulder as you lean in slightly. "You're saying that my supernatural entrance at your window was extremely well-executed."

Bucky glares at you. “I am saying nothing.”

"You're saying I have a flair for the dramatic. That my execution is flawless. That you—"

Bucky reaches over and yanks your hood over your face.

"Mmph—" You flail immediately, dragging it back. "Rude."

Bucky hides a smile to himself but doesn’t say anything.

You narrow your eyes. “You know, you should consider a little showmanship yourself.”

"No."

"I mean, look at you," you gesture vaguely at him, ignoring him. "You've got the sexy ex-assassin, current caveman aesthetic locked down. I’m imagining a trench coat. Maybe a few monologues in the rain. You’d be unstoppable.”

Bucky pinches the bridge of his nose. “What do I have to do to get you to shut up?”

“Put your tulips on my tulips–”

He gets up and moves one seat over, away from you and the heat blossoming on his face. 

You follow right behind him with a grin, satisfied.

Mercifully, something your attention is drawn to the people entering the room before you notice his face flushing. 

The crowd is a mix of true believers and people who are clearly just here for the novelty of it. Some attendees look fully committed, hoods drawn, faces solemn. Others are whispering and pulling out their phones, probably posting about this on some platform.

You, however, are too busy fiddling with your cloak.

"This fabric is trash," you mutter, pulling at it. "What is this, polyester? It’s so staticky."

"That’s the real issue here," Bucky mutters.

"It is when I keep getting shocked," you say, rubbing your wrist where the fabric clings.

Bucky watches you for half a second too long when you tug at it with annoyance, brows pulled together.

Maybe he should’ve been honest earlier when you asked how he thought you looked. 

Instead, he clears his throat and looks away.

More people take seats. 

The atmosphere changes suddenly when a man in his late thirties walks up to the podium. 

He wears a deep purple cloak, slightly different from the ones given at the door. His hair is combed neatly back, his expression calm and composed.

He raises a hand. The murmurs in the room die down almost immediately.

You lean toward Bucky slightly. "Okay, so we have our medium."

Bucky doesn’t respond, but his jaw shifts slightly.

The man smiles. "Welcome, seekers of truth."

A few people nod reverently.

Bucky leans toward you. "You owe me five bucks."

"What?"

"I bet you earlier that he was going to say ‘seekers of truth’ within the first two minutes."

You peer at him. "I don't remember making that bet."

“We absolutely did.”

“You’re just trying to get back the five bucks you spent on the cloak.”

On stage, Dennis continues.

"Tonight is special," he says smoothly. "The Ghost’s energy is stronger than ever."

A few people murmur in agreement.

Bucky leans in again. "If I start screaming, do you think they'll kick me out?"

"Fuck around and find out, babygirl."

Instead of responding, he reaches over and yanks the knot he had tied securely for you loose. 

You glare at it. Then at him.

"If you wanted to take my clothes off, you could have just asked," you whisper. “At least buy me dinner first.” 

 "I hate you."

"You don't."

"I’ve never hated anyone more."

"You don't," you say, tapping his knee lightly. "You like my company, even if it causes you physical pain. That’s why it sucks even worse for you."

Bucky makes a sound that is a little too like a growl. 

The speaker, oblivious, raises his hands again.

Then, with a slow, practiced movement, he turns back toward the stage.

The room settles. The tension shifts.

Bucky doesn’t like it.

Not because it’s weird, exactly– he’s been in weirder places. But because he knows a performance when he sees one.

Dennis moves deliberately. Every step, every gesture, designed for impact.

And then, in a voice as smooth as a radio host’s, he speaks.

"The Ghost moves among us tonight," he says, pacing slowly across the stage. "I felt it earlier. A shift in the air. A whisper."

Bucky leans toward you.

"Did the Ghost also tell him to crank the fog machine to maximum?"

You bite back a grin. "It adds ambiance."

"It adds a fucking fire hazard."

You both glance toward the corner of the room, where the mist machine continues pumping out thick, curling fog.

It’s a lot, and smells faintly chemical and like no fog Bucky has ever smelt before. It spills along the floor, reaching all the way to the back row of seats.

Dennis stops, tilting his head.

"The energy here is special," he murmurs. "Do you feel it?"

A few people murmur in agreement.

Bucky does not murmur.

Instead, he tunes in, watching the room, the way people react. Watching the way Dennis pauses just long enough to let silence work in his favour.

It's polished. Which means it’s bullshit.

You’re half-listening, half-scanning the room. Not just in the way you usually soak in information, but in a subtler way. Like you’re looking for something.

Bucky notices. He wonders if he should ask. 

Dennis closes his eyes briefly, as if receiving a message.

"Some of you are new," he says suddenly, his voice shifting slightly. "Some of you have never been here before. You’ve been drawn here. Led here. Perhaps by curiosity, or fate, or something deeper. Whatever the reason, you are here now."

And then Dennis gestures to the audience.

A few nods in the audience. Someone exhales softly, like they’re already halfway into a trance.

Dennis begins to pace. Slow, measured steps, his fingers twitching slightly as if he’s channeling something.

"The spirit has whispered to me once again." His voice lowers. "I have seen visions."

A murmur spreads through the audience.

Dennis stops. Closes his eyes for effect.

"Dark visions. Visions of the Great Ghost of Nickasta’s past."

Dennis opens his eyes, gaze sweeping the room. "Tonight, we will consult with– is someone filming?"

Every head snaps around, straight toward you and Bucky.

Bucky doesn’t move.

You blink. Then, very slowly, you look down at the camera in your hands.

“Uh, yeah. Hi.” You raise your hand slightly, like a student in class. “We're new. The Graveyard Shift here to witness the—”

You dig around in your pocket, pulling out a folded-up flyer, squinting at it in the dark.

"—transformative power of communicating with ghosts."

You fold it back up and look at him expectantly.

Dennis’ smile tightens. "Recording is not encouraged." 

Bucky raises an eyebrow. "Why?"

Dennis stares at him. With just a touch too much hesitation, he says “It disturbs the Ghost from reaching full power.”

Bucky’s head cranes.

"Keep that thing on," he tells you as if you had any plans of shutting it off, before raising his voice. "Why not? Don't you wanna get your message out there? Help people?"

Dennis' clasped hands remain tight.

"It is not my message," he says smoothly. "It is the Ghost’s. I am merely a vessel."

Bucky’s lips press together. "Great. Free publicity for the Ghost."

"Yeah, we're doing pretty well on YouTube," you add, twirling the camera slightly in your hands. "Could be doing better on Instagram, but this guy refuses to go live."

Bucky glares. “It’s not gonna happen. Let it go.”

Dennis’ jaw tightens slightly. His gaze does another quick sweep of the room.

Then, finally– 

"No." He plasters on a tight smile. "You may continue. But know this—some things cannot be captured by a device so primitive as a camera."

"I’ll take that risk." Bucky leans back in his chair, smug, before adding under his breath to you, "He’s definitely scamming."

You snort. "Give him a chance."

"I gave him five bucks."

"And you got a very hot cloak out of it, which your shoulders look incredible in."

Bucky glares ahead.

"What visions were you having?" someone in the crowd shouts, following it up with a strange laugh. 

Bucky’s eyebrows pull together. 

Dennis claps his hands together, a smooth pivot away from the interruption.

"Ah, yes, the visions!" he announces, voice swelling with importance. "The Ghost has revealed to me a story of great suffering! Of betrayal! Of a spirit trapped! A mighty beast who could not be contained!"

A few people in the crowd gasp, others burst into tiny giggles. Bucky wonders if others were here for the shits and laughs too. 

"How big?" someone in the crowd shouts.

Dennis' eyes light up. He lifts his arms wide, stretching as far as he can.

"He was... huge!" he exclaims, pacing the stage, cloak billowing slightly behind him. "Larger than life itself! And he was trapped, my friends."

A few people gasp softly.

Dennis cries out, "Trapped in chains by the very people who claimed to ‘love’ him!"

Bucky’s face remains blank.

"His mighty beast was strong, yes, but he was misunderstood. He wanted to be free, to live among the people in peace. But no! They took him, they made him fight, and then they... they trapped him!"

Dennis throws himself against the table, inhaling deeply like he’s just been hit by divine revelation. "They made him climb a tall tower!"

He wonders if it actually hurt the guy, all the throwing himself around that he was doing. 

"They paraded him for all to see, mocking him!"

Bucky's eyes close briefly, as if in pain. "Okay."

Mist grows stronger around the room, almost like he’s stuck in a room with a bunch of vapers.

His nose scrunches up immediately, eyes stinging lightly as he blinks.

“What the hell is that smell,” he blows the air in front of him.

“Chemical, with undernotes of sweetness,” you note. “Is that what the Ghost smells like or is it a creative interpretation?”

“It's gonna give me a migraine.”

“Breathe through your mouth, then,” you say, raising the camera up and zooming into Dennis doing… whatever.

Bucky just shrugs the stupid cloak off his shoulders and ties it around his face in a makeshift balaclava.

“I feel it,” Dennis announces, throwing his hands in the air. “It is here.”

“What is?” the crowd cries.

“My migraine,” Bucky answers.

You shove at his knee with yours.

Someone stumbles to their feet. “The beast... the spirit... it’s... it's all so beautiful!”

People around him burst into giggles.

“I can feel it, it’s... inside me!” someone in the front laughs loud enough to drown out the music.

“Yes! Yes! The Ghost is in all of you!” Dennis shouts, pointing. “We are all like the beast, misunderstood and bound by chains, but we must rise above it all—

“I am rising,” the same cloak guy from earlier chuckles, knocking the chair behind him to the ground as he stands up. “I see the Ghost.”

“Oh,” you comment, looking around to see everyone with their hands up in the air.

Bucky's arms stay firmly crossed over his chest as he sits slumped in his miserable little chair, staring at the crowd around him around him.

“Everyone's doing something,” you observe through all the loud laughter.

“I can see that,” he says, noticing that your knee continues to brush against his after you shoved at him before coming to a rest. His throat constricts in a way that makes talking a little more difficult.

He pulls the stupid cloth tighter around his face because whatever the smell was, it clearly was giving him a physical reaction.

“I’m having FOMO.”  

“By all means, do not let them make you feel that way,” Bucky grumbles, in what he thought was a tone dropping with sarcasm.

“You're right,” you say, dumping the camera on him before standing up with your hands in the air.

Great. Now he was responsible for this thing too.

“They tried to tear him down from his tower,” Dennis shouts.

“Who?” you shout back like it’s a fucking improv show.

“The Witch! The righteous witch, walking along her path of gold!”

“What?” you stop immediately. “The fuck does that mean?”

“It’s the pink lady from Wizard of Oz,” Bucky says casually.

You turn to him, eyebrow raised.

“His great beast is King Kong. Tower, beast, misunderstood, made to fight,” Bucky replies. “Nick and Asta are characters from The Thin Man.”

You lean toward him. "What?"

“He’s bastardizing movies from the 20s.”

You squint toward Dennis, who is still in full Shakespearan mode.

"Can you feel the injustice, my children?" Dennis exclaims. "Can you see the Ghost at work?"

You grin. "Are you telling me you sat through movies in the ‘20s?"

"I was alive in the ‘20s, what the fuck else was I supposed to do?"

Dennis continues, "We are all on a journey, a journey just like those travelers in the great dust storm– oh yes, yes, the spirit shows me! We must keep pushing forward, even when the sand storm rages!"

Bucky grimaces immediately. "Grapes of Wrath."

"What?" 

"Saw it when it was released. Thought it was boring as fuck."

You try to stifle a laugh. "You look so young, sometimes I forget you were childhood friends with Adam and Eve."

Bucky glares at you. 

Dennis throws his arms out. "Another! Another in the room with us! This mechanical Titan with a heart of gold! They saw him as just a machine, but no, no! He was so much more! The spirit showed me! He was a reflection of the true power within us all—"

"Metropolis," he mutters. “Thea von Harbou's novel."

“Bucky, you fucking nerd.” You tap his shoulder, grinning. “Look at you, busting scams and quoting movies made during the dawn of time. Do you know how hot you are?”

“What?”

“I said, are you single? I’m asking for a friend.”

“Uh huh,” he replies, when the mist pumps into the room.

“I’m the friend.”

“Got that,” he replies, focusing on literally anything else.

Dennis continues without missing a beat. "But wait! Not all of you have followed the spirit’s true path!"

The room goes quiet. Dennis' eyes scan the crowd before he points suddenly.

"You! Yes, you!"

For a second, Bucky thinks he’s pointing at him.

"You betrayed the spirit, didn’t you? You–"

You poke Bucky. "Did you betray the spirit?"

"Only when I felt like it," he mutters.

However, the man in the row ahead of you suddenly lets out a panicked noise.

"I– I needed to go to the bathroom so bad!" he cries. "The line to the club was so long, and the bouncers weren’t letting anyone in, so I just cut ahead–"

Dennis gasps. A few others in the room let out soft, horrified whispers, as if the man had committed a felony. 

"No!" Dennis shouts, pointing like he’s passing divine judgment.

The poor guy visibly withers in his seat.

"You have broken the trust of the divine!" Dennis booms. "You must atone!"

The man trembles. "W-what should I do?"

Bucky mutters under his breath. "Is everyone here on drugs?"

Dennis softens slightly, his voice taking on a careful, patronizing tone.

"The spirit demands retribution," he says. "But the Ghost is merciful. And today, so very generous. For a small donation, you will have the chance to cleanse yourself from the darkness."

Bucky watches the guy scramble for his wallet. "Is he selling forgiveness?"

The man hands over thirty bucks.

"This is literally how the Church split,” he mumbles.

You suppress a laugh. "Did it affect your Sunday plans?"

Bucky shoots you a dry look. "I was born in 1917. The Church split four hundred years before that."

"Oh, right." You nod seriously. "I just assumed you were there when Martin Luther nailed his stuff to the door."

Bucky exhales, pressing the heel of his palm into his temples.

The fog thickens.

Dennis' voice rises. "Everyone quiet! The Ghost is speaking!"

You turn to Bucky. "The Ghost is speaking, Buck."

Bucky groans. "You mean till now he’s been freestyling?"

Dennis throws his hands up toward the ceiling. "I feel it! It is here!"

Bucky’s nose twitches. The smell is stronger now, almost becoming hard to see through– 

A split second later, you both realize.

Your eyes widen. "Is that–?"

"Nitrous oxide," Bucky confirms, standing up.

"Pumping laughing gas into the room, are you fucking kidding me?" you curse. “We need to air this place out.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Bucky turns sharply, scanning the room. He watches as shoulders slump, as people laugh for no reason. A guy near the front sways slightly, blinking like he’s forgotten where he is.

Someone else lets out a dazed giggle.

Bucky’s focus zeroes in on the mist machine, still hissing. There are small metal canisters stacked neatly beside it, refilling the room.

Bucky crosses the room in four steps.

Dennis barely has time to turn and register the movement before Bucky grabs one of the small pressurized canisters, gripping it in one hand.

"Hey! What are you—"

Bucky doesn’t answer, instead throwing it straight through the window.

The glass explodes outward, scattering onto the pavement outside.

A rush of cold air floods in.

The sound shocks the room, pulling some people out of their haze. Others are still too fogged up to react.

Dennis' face twists in outrage. "What the fuck?!”

"Show’s over," he mutters, chucking the second one too.

It slams into the glass and tumbles outside, hissing as it empties into the night.

Dennis looks like he might actually explode. "You’re ruining–"

"You can talk to the great Ghost through your one phone call in jail," Bucky interrupts, brushing glass off his sleeve.

Dennis lets out a furious noise, grabbing the stupid silver chalice from the table beside him and hurls it directly at Bucky’s head.

Bucky barely tilts his head to the side but finds that there’s really no need.

The chalice stops midair. Hangs there. Slowly floats back to the table, settling back into place.

Dennis' rage turns into something closer to panic.

"Let’s not get pissy now," you remark, voice syrupy sweet.

"Fuck you," Dennis snarls.

And then, in an act of desperation, he grabs a knife from the altar.

It’s cheap plastic. It’s definitely a prop. This guy was fuckin’ nuts.

Still, he lifts it like he’s going to lunge at Bucky.

Except his own cloak yanks tight around his arms.

Dennis lets out a choked sound as it wraps, pulling his limbs against his sides.

The curtain behind him rips off its hooks, swirling around him.

In seconds, he’s bound to the chair behind him, like some kind of villain in a medieval play.

The room stares.

You smile, pleasantly.

"Enough," you say, voice cooler than it should be.

Dennis glares daggers at you.

Bucky glances at you, mouth twitching slightly. 

Only then do you notice silence has fallen. 

You look at the crowd, only to find them watching you.

Someone in the back lets out a horrified whisper. 

"The spirit is here."

The crowd erupts.

"Where?" you ask, genuinely confused.

"The Ghost!" someone screams. "It's you!"

You blink. "Oh, me?"

They nod fervently.

A few drop to their knees.

You process this for a moment. Then grin like you just won the lottery.

"Oh, right. Yeah. Of course it’s me." You lift your arms slightly. "Hey, y’all." 

The crowd gasps. 

“Guide us.”

Bucky groans. "Some fuckin’ role model you’ve got there."

You pretend not to hear him. Instead, you do what you’ve seen Wanda do a million times, even though it really did nothing for you. 

You lift your hands slightly. Let your feet rise just a little off the floor. 

The room erupts in gasps.

"Fuck’s sake," Bucky mutters, dropping his head into his hands.

You clear your throat. "Yes, it is I. Spirit of Stick Blasta."

"Nickasta," Bucky corrects.

"Nickasta," you confirm. "I have traveled a long time to be here."

"Twenty minutes."

"Twenty millennia."

Bucky watches as you fake-peek through your half-closed eyes.

"I have some wisdom to share," you announce.

The crowd leans forward.

Bucky leans back.

"First!" you bellow. "Do not listen to anyone who stands on stage and says they've got a spirit moving through them. They're lying."

"But you’re doing that," Bucky heckles.

"Except me. I’m legit," you add quickly.

Bucky watches as you subtly flip him off with one of your raised hands.

"Second!" you continue. "Do not pay people for forgiveness."

You pause. "Unless that person’s name is Prosecutor and you’re bored of how long the case is being—"

"Next one," Bucky interrupts loudly.

You wave a hand dismissively.

"Third…" You falter. "I don’t know. Does anyone have suggestions?"

The crowd stares.

Bucky facepalms.

"Right. No suggestions." You clap your hands together. "Meeting adjourned."

The room is silent.

Then, someone whispers, "What… what do we do now?”

You land lightly on the floor again, brushing nonexistent dust off your cloak.

"For realsies, though, I suggest you get any money you paid this guy back. And then sue him into oblivion.” 

Dennis makes furious muffled noises from under the curtain still binding him.

You glance at him.

With zero effort, Dennis gets dragged backward, vanishing backstage.

The crowd stares.

Bucky pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Everyone out," Bucky orders.

The crowd obeys instantly.

Still dazed, still giggling from the leftover gas, they shuffle toward the exits.

Bucky looks at you. "Are you fine?"

You ignore him. 

Instead, you call after the crowd, "And call someone to pick you up!"

They nod vaguely.

"I already called the paramedics, they'll be here in a minute!" you shout. “Don’t go anywhere.” 

Bucky’s expression tightens.

"Are you fine?" he repeats.

You wave it off. "Oh yeah. It takes way more substances to get me high. All this was covered under the Leviathan Weapon of Mass Destruction starter kit.  What about you?"

"Me too." Bucky shrugs. After a pause, he clears his throat. "You didn’t have to tie him up."

"He was annoying,” you say flippantly. 

"I wasn’t actually in danger."

"I know."

"It was probably grape juice."

"I know."

"I didn’t need help."

"I know."

Bucky narrows his eyes at you. "What’s your play here?"

"My play?" You scoff. "I know this emo lone wolf thing is something you’ve been cultivating carefully for years, but sometimes, people can do things for you and have it not be a play."

Bucky stares. "Like what?"

"Like-- I don’t know– trying to protect you even if you don’t need it." You turn on your heel, hopping down from the stage. "Or like checking to see if you’re still breathing when you’re lying face down on the table."

Bucky does not respond, feeling his fingers get all fidgety. 

 “C’mon,” you tell him, halfway out the door. “We’ve got some explaining to do.”

He clears his throat, rolls his shoulders back and starts behind you.

“We’ve got all the footage. So that should be good." You turn to eye him. "But you know what’ll really help our case? You keeping that cloak on.” 

Bucky groans, yanking at the fabric that hung across his neck like a bath towel. "I’m gonna set this thing on fire."

"You won’t. You are the cloak now.""

"I will."

“You’re still wearing it. I think you actually like it.”

Bucky grinds his teeth. "I’m leaving."

"In the cloak?"

"Shut up."

"I think it makes you look distinguished."

Bucky storms toward the exit.

You follow, grinning the whole way.

here’s my ko-fi if you’d like to support my writing!

to know when this fic updates, please follow @shurisneakersupdates and turn on post notifications! it's the only way tumblr will let me have a taglist and i don't post there at all except for fics </3

[obarona]

literally them

[chaotic-goodsir]

So I heard about Joey's cast reveal for the new musical...

[im-fucking-baalin]

happy pride!!!!

[disorganised-bagel]

"i'm gay" "i'm straight" "i died on the cyclone" okay???? it's clear i'm the top of this class????? these folks here?????? well?????? they pump the gas?????????

[tommygotwrittenoff]

i just think if roles were reversed and buck was the one saying those gay ass lines to eddie, eddie wouldve proposed like four seasons ago

[harvestmoth]

melia rejuvenation who let you into pokemon masters

[talentisntgenius]

Holyshit this new Charli xcx album is crazy

[unar-mage-ddon]

focus group test q&a (and the stuff before it)

i decided to sit down and translate all of 蒼's tweets about the focus group test to have them all in one spot, since i haven't seen them all anywhere. i've also copypasted their exact words in jp so that if anyone who knows more than me wants to double check the wording, you can do that easily (also there's one specific answer that i just don't understand. i got a friend to help me but i left a note on it just in case)!

also excuse the formatting, it's awful but tumblr won't let me do anything on shift-enter'd lines

under a readmore because it's super long:

Lead Planner: Shirokami (白神さん) Character Designer: Yamashita (山下さん) Brand Manager: Aida (間さん) And of course: Nomura (野村さん)

But first, the stuff before the Q&A:

—About Remus: designed by Yamashita; "he's a guy who helps pull Player along, so he's a reliable older brother type" (タレ目 just means drooping eyes) —レムスは山下さんがデザイン。山下さん「プレイヤーを引っ張ってくれるお兄さんなので、頼れるタレ目のお兄さんに」

—The designers check in with Nomura when deciding on characters —野村さんと相談しながらキャラクターを決めていく。

—There are plenty of other characters outside of who's shown in the closed beta, along with other Societies —CBTで出てる以外のキャラもいっぱいいる。結社も他にいっぱいある。

—Aside from Nomura, there are three other character designers —キャラデザのデザイナーは野村さん他3人、みんなでやってる。

—Freya was designed with the image of a cat in mind because she does navigation, and her hair is also designed with that in mind; OP's comment says "so basically Chirithy!" (メッシュ means hair highlights i think??) —フレイヤはある猫ちゃんをイメージ。ナビゲーションしてくれるから。メッシュもその子の柄を意識している。（チ○シィじゃん！）

—About avatar outfit coordination: "The person who designs weapons also designs the outfits" -Nomura —野村さん「武器職人が衣装職人やってる」武器のデザインやってた人がコーデデザイン

—There are a bunch of outfits modeled after different jobs, like Fighter, Hunter, Wizard, Healer, variations of Soldiers, Hunter(again), Black Mage, and White Mage —いくつかジョブをモチーフにしている衣装がある。ファイター、ハンター、ウィザード、ヒーラーは、それぞれ戦士、狩人、黒魔道士、白魔道士をイメージ

—There are also outfits designed to look like Scala civilian wear, like the ones working at the reception desk or the Top Hat outfit. "The order called for 'People from Scala'" -Yamashita —スカラの街の人っぽいデザインも。受付の人やシルクハットのコーデ。山下さん「オーダーが『スカラの街の人』だった」雑、と（笑）

—There's also one that looks like a flower shop owner —お花屋さんっぽいコーデも『スカラの街の人』っぽいデザイン。

—Other job motif outfits that haven't been shown; a Thief design that's predominantly black and green, includes goggles; a Dark Knight that has a sword accessory —ジョブモチーフ衣装、まだ出ていないものも！シーフは黒と緑の衣装、ゴーグルつけてる。暗黒騎士は使えない飾りの剣もついている

—The Red Mage outfit is predominantly black and red, with a cape on left shoulder; "To me it doesn't really look that red, just black" -Nomura —赤魔道士は黒と赤の衣装、左肩のみ肩マントつけてる。野村さん「俺から見ると赤くない、黒い」

—The Dragon Knight outfit is very spiky. The design for the hat is having trouble coming together so just that part is under revision —竜騎士はトゲトゲな衣装。帽子がまだしっくり来ていなくて帽子だけ監修中。

—The designers all have their opinions so there'll be a lot of different clothes —色んなデザイナーが関わっているから色んな服が出る。

——About the Guide Moogle: —Yamashita: They got their own new clothes, too —Nomura: (about the clothes) I was asked if the Guide Moogle could wear those outfits early in development, so that's why you see them in these outfits. Then I was asked if there could be one in each Society, which had to be turned down.* —山下さん「モグちゃんにも新しいお洋服を」 —野村さん「（ガイドモーグリの服について）開発から着せていいですか、って言われたから。結社一つモーグリでもいいですか？って言うから、それはダメだよ、って言った」 *(take this with a huge grain of salt. these two sentences are the most confusing lines i've ever read in my life. i have no idea who's saying what to who. help me)

—There are other Moogle designs too, such as flower shop and cafe employee outfits, and others can wear crowns and top hats; they mostly wear different hats and aprons —モーグリのデザイン、他にもあり！お花屋さん、カフェ店員さん…王冠かぶっていたり、シルクハットかぶっているのも！ほとんど帽子をかぶりエプロンをつけている。めっちゃかわいい。

—Outfit revealed for a character who can't be shown yet, outfit is mostly dark colors; "I can't say if they're an enemy or an ally yet. A name has been decided on, but I can't say that either. They aren't the only one" -Nomura —まだ出しちゃいけないキャラの服も公開！黒い衣装。野村さん「敵か味方かも言えない。名前は決まっているが言えない。…一人じゃない」

—There are subspecies of Behemoths, and one kinda looks a little like leopard print; "The closed beta testers are seeing them more often than their parents' faces" -Nomura, when looking at the Behemoth —亜種もあり。ちょっとヒョウ柄っぽい。 野村さん「（ベヒーモスを見て）CBTやっている人は親の顔より見てる」

—Scala was designed after the image of a main street at night; "It turned into the view of my childhood home…" -Nomura —スカラの街のイメージ資料。大通り（夜）。野村さん「実家��化した…」

——About the Dive Station: —Nomura: It went through a lot of name changes —Nomura: After the first time we showed it on Twitter, people thought maybe it was under construction, but like it was mentioned in the closed beta prologue, it's a place that's no longer in use —Nomura: Something that happened back when the cranes were still in use… You'll understand once the live service starts —野村さん「名前何回か変わった」 —野村さん「（ダイヴステーションについて）Twitterで初めて画像上げた後、建設中かなーと言われたけど、今回のCBTのプロローグでも言っていたように、今はもう使われなくなった場所」 —野村さん「クレーンを使っていた頃の何がしかは…正式サービス開始時にわかる」

—About the scenery of Scala: Since the design is the basis, it's been drawn with care by the same person who did the background scenery for Union Cross; "Everyone is living here now" -Nomura —スカラの全景。デザイン画なのでしっかり描かれている。このデザイン画はUχの背景を描いていた人が描いている。野村さん「皆さんはここに住んでいます」

Now to the actual Q&A section (where Nomura says, "You guys wrote way too many questions"):

—Q: Will Guilds or Friendlists be added? (a lot of this same question) —A: If possible. Stay tuned. —やれたら。お察しください。ご期待ください。

—Q: Is there compatibility with the Apple Watch, like being able to use it in hands-free mode? —A: With the step counter, yes. We'll see what we can do with the hands-free mode. —歩数で連動しています。ハンズフリーは善処します。

—Q: Will other raid bosses like the Guard Armor be added? —A: I can't say for all of them, but yes, there will be more. —全部とは言えないけど、出ます。今後増えます。

—Q: Will we be able to obtain more Keyblades such as Kingdom Key? —A: There will be more Keyblades, but I'm not sure about adding Kingdom Key. —キーブレードの種類は増えます。キングダムチェーンが出るかどうかはわからない。

—Q: Will Pieces have voices or BGM (like some medals did in KHUX)? —A: We're discussing it with Disney since the game is Global. Please be understanding. —ディズニーと相談中。お察しください。グローバルなので。

—Q: Is it possible to rollback a material you've already used? —A: That'd be difficult because of the Strengthening Record. —強化レコードの関係上難しい。

—Q: Will there be more clothing options and/or Pieces? —A: For clothing options, like we revealed earlier, there are ones that haven't been added and ones that we still can't show. They will be added gradually. The rest depends on our effort. —アバターはさっきお見せしたようにまだ出していないもの、そしてまだお見せしていないものもある。順次増える。他は頑張り次第。

—Q: The music is beautiful, so I was wondering if there would be an album release? —A: We still don't have many songs, so that will depend on if service continues. —まだ数曲しかないので、サービスが続けば。

—Q: What are Glow Pieces? —A: Special pieces that shine. Please wait for live service. (laughed at that one ngl) —光ってる特別なピース。正式サービス開始をお待ちください。

—Q: Do you recommend any specific Pieces or skills for battles? —A: (Shirokami) "The King. He can sweep the map in one shot." / (Nomura) "For me, it's Gothel. Though I feel a little bad when everything on the field gets Slow'd." *(edit: i just realized i misread this and it doesn't say "slow," it's "through," but i genuinely have no idea what that even means in the gameplay sense nor have i seen someone use gothel. maybe it takes aggro off of you??) —白神さん「王様。一発で一掃できる」野村さん「俺はゴーテル。みんなフィールドでスルーするからかわいそうだなって」

—Q: Will there be an easier way to save specific colors on clothes when you want to change them to something else temporarily? —A: That's under consideration. —やりやすくするよう改善を検討中です。

—Q: Since you can share raid boss URLs, are there any plans to create an official community? —A: If Disney's alright with it… —ディズニーがよければ…

—Q: If the game can be played at home, then is there a reason for it to be a mobile app? Wouldn't it be better to just make it a console game at that point? —A: (Nomura) "Staff have told me that mobile games nowadays can be made with the same quality as console games, so I thought it'd be worth a try to bring the normal KH experience to mobile. I wanted to use the hardware features that can only be accomplished on a smartphone, so I went with a location-based concept. Console games can accomplish different things. And, well, if we did make a console game that would be a separate thing, while this is its own thing." —A: (Shirokami) "With Party creation, for example, it's more interesting because you're interacting with the people around you and showing them this fun new thing and getting to play it together, which makes it a bit easier for you to expand outside of already existing communities." —A: (Nomura) "Keep joining more and more raids." —野村さん「今のスマホは家庭用のクオリティでできるとスタッフから言われて、じゃあスマホで据え置き並のKHやってみよっかと。ハードの機能を使いたいから位置ゲーに」 —野村さん「家庭用は家庭用で別にやる。まあ、今後家庭用で出してもそれはそれ、これはこれ」 —白神さん「パーティー機能など、リアルの近場の人だからこそ、これ面白いよ、やってみようよ、と既存のコミュニティから飛び出していく内容」 —野村さん「どんどんマルチ入れて」

—Q: What's something that you had the most trouble with during development, but actually ended up working out pretty well? —A: (Shirokami) "Getting the Pad function and the GPS function to coexist. It's hard to set up servers for that." / (Nomura) "Getting the vertical and horizontal orientations to coexist. It's ridiculous. Doing checks on it was even worse." —白神さん「パッド機能とGPS機能の両立。サーバー置いたり大変」 野村さん「縦画面と横画面両立。正気じゃない、狂気。チェックも倍」 縦横画面の両立でメニューなどコントローラーのこと追いついていない。

—Q: If someone disconnects and reconnects during a raid, are they able to continue? —A: Since it's in real-time, they can't continue. —リアルタイムなので継続はできない。

—Q: The miasma is so dark that I can't find the Area Enemy within it. It wasn't that strong during the prototype test. —A: I agree with that, and we tried to fix it after the closed beta started but it wouldn't work. It'll be fixed in the final release. —確かに濃すぎてCBT中に直したかったけど直せなかった。正式リリースでは直します。

—Q: Will there be costumes of characters such as Sora and Riku like there were during KHUX? —A: That kind of thing usually happens because the main producer brings it up… so if they do, then we'll do it. —野村さん「そういうのやるときはプロデューサーが話を持ってきたときだから…プロデューサーがそういう話持ってきたらやる」

—Q: Is there anything specific that you really like and want other people to pay attention to? —A: (Shirokami) "The Lock mode uses a seventh of the battery, so it's great to use to defeat enemies while in the car or on the train." —A: (Yamashita) "The scenery is pretty so please take a look at it. I'd like if you could climb the walls and look down every nook and cranny." —A: (Aida) "GPS games usually have some regional disparity, but this doesn't." —A: (Nomura) "There's a big reason why I wanted to use GPS, but I can't say. People have been speculating about it, right? On social media and whatnot." —白神さん「ロックモードはバッテリー消費7分の1になる。ロックモードは車や電車でも敵を倒せる」 —山下さん「背景が綺麗なので見てほしい。壁を登って隅から隅まで見てほしい」 —間さん「GPSゲーは地方格差あるけどこれはない」 —野村さん「GPSを取り入れようとした大きな理由があるけど、言えない。みんな書きますよね？SNSで」

—Q: I wish it was easier to collect jewels all in one place outside of checking the mail. —A: That will be addressed accordingly. There will be other ways to receive your items besides checking the mail from the Astral Plane. (Nomura: I find it annoying too) —順次対応します。メールがアストラル界以外でも受け取れるようにします。野村さん「僕もこれめんどくさい」

—Q: Will the Pieces be made into figures? —A: (Matsushita, present and in charge of merch) I wanna make them! I'll see what I can do! —イベントに立ち会ったグッズの松下さん「作りたいです！善処します！」

—Q: Can you make parties with the story characters? —A: There will be opportunities in the story to be joined by other characters, like Remus in the prologue. However, there are currently no plans to create parties freely with them. —ストーリー内では今回のレムスのように機会があります。自由に、というのは今のところ考えていない。

—Q: What Disney worlds will be in the game? —A: That's a secret. —秘密。 - They're shown anyway at the end of the Q&A: the player is seeing running through a forest, in a cave, on a shoal, near a beach, and finally Olympus (the only one OP was able to identify) - Disney worlds will work like they always have; they're places you can visit, have their own stories, and you can meet the inhabitants. There's one other thing, but OP can't say what it is - Other descriptions: A large lake? The ocean? Mountains, a moon in the night sky… A townscape from afar that you can see the lights from, and a boat on the wharf (Nomura: The colors were adjusted to get them as close to the original as possible)

—Q: Will there be a way to rewatch cutscenes within the game? —A: We're thinking of a theatre mode. (Nomura: There are people who skip cutscenes because they don't have time to watch them, so to make sure they don't miss out, it'll be added.) —シアターは考えている。野村さん「やってて今見てる時間なくてって飛ばしたい人もいるので、飛ばしたらもう見られないってならないよう、入れてもらいます」

—Q: Will there be time-limited events? —A: Meetings about events have already been arranged, but we can't say anything about the details. —イベントはもう打ち合わせ済み。内容はまだお答えできない。

—Q: How much of the story will be available when service starts? —A: Since there are so many characters, the modelers can't keep up, and aside from that, it's voiced with animated cutscenes. While we're trying to fix up the structure, we don't intend of making it more compact. It'll be about the same as a traditional Kingdom Hearts game. —新キャラばっかりでモデルが追いつかない。声もついてるしムービーも出る。構成見直し中だがコンパクトにする気はない。従来のKHと同じくらい。

About the pacing of story releases: (Nomura) "How many months did it take for KHUX? Nowadays that pacing is unacceptable."

—Q: Will Scala get any bigger? —A: Yes. —広がっていく。

—Q: Who are the staff's favorite characters? —A: Since there have only been two new characters shown so far, this is about Pieces instead. (Nomura: Gothel) —キャラは2人しか出ていないから、ピースを。野村さん「ゴーテル」

—Q: Will cutscenes look like the prologue instead of the text-based cutscenes that KHUX had? —A: If all the cutscenes were on the same level as the prologue, they would take a year to come out, so not all of them will. They'll be more lightweight than the prologue, but they will be voiced. All the cutscenes for the live service release have already been shot. There are very little to no cutscenes that are text-based like the KHUX ones are. —すべてを今回のプロローグレベルにすると出るの一年後になるので、すべてがそうではない。プロローグより軽量になることはあるけど、ボイスは入る。正式リリース時のカットシーン分は撮り終えてる。Uχみたいなテキスト送りイベントになることはよっぽどない。

—Q: Since Freya wears a skirt, are there any outfits that are gender-restricted? —A: (Yamashita) "Outfits are unisex. There's no restriction against what you can wear. Just like how the player can freely change bottoms, this is simply how Freya decided to coordinate her outfit." —山下さん「コーデは男女兼用。男性用、女性用と区別はなく、どちらも着られる。プレイヤーがボトムを変えられるように、フレイヤがそういうコーディネートをしているだけ」

—Q: Are Navigators different from Keyblade wielders? Are there others across the different Societies? —A: They are Keyblade wielders, but they just don't use them. Navigators don't exist in other Societies; Freya is the only one. By the way, you can't select a Society to join like you could with Unions in KHUX, the choice is fixed." —野村さん「キーブレード使い。使わないだけで。ナビゲーターは各結社にそれぞれはいない。フレイヤだけ。ちなみにUχみたいに好きな結社選ぶとかなく、プレイヤーが入る結社は固定」

(scenes in the closed beta are very cut, like with freya suddenly being friends with the player. the conversation with freya as seen in the closed beta is a discarded cut. that conversation will be in the final release, but the cut is different. / CBTのイベントはかなりカットしてる。フレイヤと突然仲間になってる。フレイヤの会話シーンはCBTのみの捨てカット。リリースであの会話はあるが、カットは違う��)

—Q: Is the Guide Moogle part of a Society? —A: We said earlier that they weren't, but maybe just that one is. —先程モーグリ結社はないと言ったが、このモーグリだけはどこか所属するかも。

[maybecoffeemixed]

Is this that WaPeach y'all are talkin' bout?

[bbrabbits]

systems that stream openly as a system, hear me out

vtuber model for the system where alters each have their own toggles/outfits so they can be properly represented as they front

it'd obv be a lot of work but it'd be so rad

[cheesesubmas]

moth submas concept art

[gemharvest]

Hate thissss I feel like I haven't been properly productive today (somehow posting two art things Doesn't register properly in my mind) so I wanna stay up to get as much as I can down, but I also need to go to sleep in case I'm called in tomorrow because fuuuuuck going to work on little sleep that shit sucks. But also, the possibility of being called in makes me wanna stay up even more, so I can finish art in case I don't have time tomorrow. So now I'm sat up at 12:30 tired as shit but unable to draw or go to bed. The never-ending cycle of hell.

[james-spooky]

this is a test

[deus-ex-mona]

up next on chapter 36 of idol sengen… _(:3 」∠)_

[britneyshakespeare]

My toxic trait is that I like how my incomplete drawings look better than the finished things