-
Last Night
"That's right...Do that little whimper of pain again." The chess grandmaster said with a twisted smirk, holding the boy by his blonde hair that had been soaked with blood.
"...I-I..." Finn tried to speak up and defend himself, attempting to use the depleting strength he had to properly stand up. But Ryoko just pressed her heel against his back to keep him in place.
"I said..." her grip grew tighter as she clenched her teeth, getting mad. "Do it again!" Ryoko yelled, slamming down his face against the wooden table once more.
Finn began to cough on his own blood that was stuck in his throat, his nails digging into the table as the crimson substance dripped down his face and nose, distorting it. Through the choking, Ryoko smiled.
"Yess, yes! That's it...I'm going to remember that sound till the very day I die." She giggled.
"W-W...Why...?!?"
"Hm?" Ryoko paused, glancing down at her victim. "Did you say something? I couldn't hear you through all the struggling."
"I'll...I-I'll do anything." He pleaded, trying to reason with her. "I-I won't tell!"
"Oh please!" She then cackled. "Do you really think I care if the others know about this or not? In fact, I hope they do...The look of disgust on their faces will be so worth it."
"Then...I-I'll do whatever you want! Just...P-Please let me-"
"That's even more pathetic!" Ryoko exclaimed. "I don't need people to do stuff for me! Not when I can do it myself without the help of some...pawn. And just stop begging. It's making you seem even more pitiful!"
"T-Then...Then why?!?" He barely spoke.
"Hm?"
"Why are y-you like...this?" He weakly asked.
Ryoko fell silent for a moment or two, trying to process Finn's question with a blank expression. She then began to shrug.
"I don't know what you mean. I've always been like this." She firmly replied, losing a bit of the usual teasing nature of her voice. "If you ever thought the way I act was a joke, then you'll be well mistaken."
Ryoko then took a second glance at Finn's limp body and chuckled. "Well...I suppose you knew that already, considering the position we're in."
"No...N-No! I know deep d-down there somewhere...there has to be some s-sort of humanity. You...Y-You weren't always like this...Were you, Ryoko?!?" He argued.
Ryoko froze at the sudden defiance and weakened her grip for a moment, yet Finn was too frail himself to even try to move.
"I...I suppose you're right."
"H-Huh?!?"
"I said you're right, Finn." She spoke, losing all the manic laughter from earlier. "I wasn't always like this, was I...?"
"E-Exactly." He tried to appeal to her. "Just...stop. Maybe you can-"
"I've become something much better!" Ryoko realised. "I'm the best version of myself!"
"W...What?!?"
"I no longer live a life of boredom or expectations. Because...I get to have fun now!" She laughed, seeming to forget Finn was in the room as she went on about herself. "I get to set the expectations now! It's...It's amazing! A life truly worth living!"
"R...Ryoko..."
"It's just that the killing game is now an excuse for me to really...be myself and thrive. To have fun after such a mundane and pointless existence! Ah...wouldn't you agree, Mr Grey?"
Instead of getting a clear reply from the boy, she noticed fresh drops of what seemed to be water and more trembling noises coming from him.
"Hm...What is it now?" She sighed, annoyed with how he dodged the question. "You're starting to sound more irritating than entertaining."
"I..." Finn held himself up by the hands as much as he could and lowered his head, shutting his eyes tight so no more tears could flow. "I-I don't want to die."
Ryoko paused, pondering his suggestion. "My...Now what is this..." she shook her head.
"I...I don't want to die! Please..." he continued pleading despite her reply. "I...I want to live and-"
"It's quite ironic, don't you think?" Ryoko asked him.
"...Huh?"
"Someone who used to have no resolve or care for life. Someone who didn't even have a reason to live...now holds the power over someone who holds life in such high regard. Someone who really cherished every second...Now, do you see how it's ironic?" She explained.
"I-I..."
"Besides." Ryoko forcefully grabbed a chunk of his hair, digging her nails into his scalp with a blank expression, her eyes piercing into his own. "It's a bit too late to be pleading, don't you think? And I'm getting a bit tired of hearing your whimpers anyway...So how about we end things here?"
"N-No...! Please-"
Before Finn could even finish his sentence, Ryoko slammed his face into the table. However, this time she didn't stop. She kept going, hitting again and again until Finn's face was something more than a bloody mess and his body ceased to move. And the whole time, her empty expression did not change one bit.
Ryoko began to pant heavily and took a step back. Then, she finally smiled once again when she admired her work of the now presumed dead boy.
She then looked down at her bloody hands. "Looks like my job is done. And what a fun job it was...All I need now is a change of gloves."
Ryoko was about to stroll away before she remembered the capsule of pills in her pocket. Taking them out and examining them, she then looked back at Finn.
"However...Maybe I could add some finishing touches." She smirked, returning back to the body, medicine in hand.
-
Purgatory
The sailor awoke, surges of pain echoing throughout her body. Her leg and torso had been damaged while her whole body was covered in scratching and bruising.
Overall, she knew it was not a pretty way to go out.
When Kairi gradually opened her eyes, she was momentarily shocked. Seeing the blue skies and sea that she had seen in her last few seconds alive to now seeing...a dimly lit void.
As she slowly and weakly stood up, Kairi became even more confused as she heard...talking?
She raised her head to see familiar figures in the distance. Two appeared to be bickering while another tried to mediate the situation. The others just watched, with one sitting away from them alone but quickly stopped once they caught someone breaking away and approaching Kairi.
The figure who was mediating the situation began to panic and chase after him.
"Aki...P-Please wait! Let us at least explain things to her before you get mad!" They said.
Once Kairi heard the name and the voice, she realised why they were so familiar.
The figures were her dead friends, with Akihiro quickly approaching her and Akemi scrambling behind him.
Kairi didn't back away from the boy, standing her ground firmly in place with her arms crossed. She lost the rigidity of her pose once Aki came to a stop in front of her, his face clearly annoyed.
They stayed in awkward silence, staring each other down while being unsure of what to say. During this, Kairi made out the still bickering voices to be Tatsuo and Yukari, with a stressed Shunsuke taking over as mediator.
"You guys have been at it ever since the two of you got here...You fight every damn minute! So may you cease just for a moment so we can welcome our latest guest?" Shunsuke asked, although, by his mad tone of voice, it sounded more like a command.
The two begrudgingly fell silent, sending glares at the other.
"He started it," Yukari mumbled under her voice.
"You know very well I didn't." Tatsuo clenched his fists. "This was all your doing after all."
Kairi opted to ignore those two and focus back on Akihiro, who has yet to talk.
Akemi finally arrived, wearing similar wounds to when Kairi had last seen his body. He was followed by Hidemi, who too retained her injuries from a painful death.
Through all the chaos, Kairi realised that the final figure who was sitting alone in one of the chairs was Finn, deep in thought.
"Kairi!" Akemi rushed as he greeted her. "Please don't listen to anything Aki says! He-"
"He hasn't said a word yet." She brushed him off.
"O-Oh...Right."
"Akemi..." Hidemi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we should leave them be and let them discuss things themselves. I'm sure they have something to say to each other."
"Well, y-yeah...You're probably right." He sighed, looking down. "I just don't want them to end up like Tatsuo and Yukari..."
"That's understandable." Hidemi weakly smiled in an attempt to cheer up the clearly stressed boy who seemed to be the leader of the group.
Kairi ignored those two and focused back on Akihiro, realising she'd have to make the first move.
"...Yo."
"Yo yourself." He said, unfazed by the short greeting.
Kairi just bit her lip at her terrible attempt to be friendly and took a deep breath. "Look...I get it if you're pissed at me. You can shout and insult me all you want."
"P-Please don't!" Akemi voiced his concern.
Akihiro hesitated at Kairi's words, before shaking his head. "Nah...I think I'll keep my right to be annoyed to myself, thank you."
"So you are pissed..." she rubbed the back of her neck. "But I get it. I did kill you after all...so you get to be pissed. It's common sense."
Akihiro just fell silent once again.
"I...I'm sorry. I was just a complete...selfish asshole. I shouldn't have killed you...Or anyone, for that matter." She tried her best to apologise, yet struggled to find the words in front of the guy she killed.
Akihiro properly spoke up, ignoring her apology without ever clarifying if he accepted it.
Although, Kairi assumed he didn't due to his unchanging expression. His face never shifted from an unamused and clearly ticked-off resting face, yet he managed to keep what he really wanted to say to her on the inside.
"I don't want things to get ugly." He said. "With all the stuff I want to say to you, things easily could spiral out of control. But...since my whole life on the internet, I know that's not the right move at all." Akihiro sighed. "But you know...You are pretty selfish."
"No duh. That's what I just said." She replied.
"Focusing on yourself...You're not the only one I'm pissed at. I'm pissed at myself."
"Hm?" Hidemi interjected. "Why is that, Akihiro?"
"I'm pissed that I died so easily. That's why."
"Right..."
Hidemi backed off, not used to seeing the once always upbeat and charming Akihiro now be cold, distant and irritated.
"Hey...I wouldn't say 'died easily.' I put a lot of work into that trap." Kairi mumbled, though Akihiro still heard.
"Exactly! And I should have known better than to fall for it...I mean come on!" He exclaimed, his voice rising. "How...Stupid was I to just walk under it? I should've properly checked my surroundings or been more careful. I should have doubled checked everything...Because now...N-Now..."
"Y-You don't need to worry about him, Aki-"
"No!" Akihiro yelled. "You guys may think he's fine but...You guys weren't the ones making sure he was ok or bringing him supplies. You guys weren't the ones bringing him food, keeping his cover or talking to him every night because...y-you were worried he was lonely." Akihiro's lip trembled. "That was none of you...It was all me! I know Shimura better than everyone here and know that I'm gone...H-He's alone."
Kairi just stood there, confused and clearly being the odd one out.
"Shimura...?" She repeated the name, realising that the guy wasn't present at all in this little dead person club she had yet to know the name of. "Is he alive or something?!?"
Akihiro ignored Kairi and just carried on. "I...miss Shimura. And in the end, I was a shitty partner! I let him down! He must be thinking I'm pathetic or something."
"Are you kidding me Akihiro?" Akemi jumped in. "You should be proud of yourself. What happened to the loud narcissistic Aki?"
Akihiro just ignored the question.
"Akemi is right. I haven't been here for long and still am a bit confused but...you were able to keep Shimura a secret. You helped him when no one else would. And he'd never think that you were pathetic." Hidemi said.
"For real. The broadcast earlier showed the opposite actually." Akemi weakly smiled trying to channel some optimism. "He...misses you too, judging by his tears."
"...I'm still a disappointment though, aren't I?" He sighed.
"That is not true!" The theorist said. "And...he's not alone. The broadcast also showed Chiyo finding him. She's got him now."
Akihiro just took a deep breath, raising his head back up. "She...better look out for him."
"Of course, she will." Hidemi offered him a warm expression.
"Ahem..." Kairi cleared her throat, putting everyone's focus back ok her. "Are you all in the loop except me? Is Shimura alive or something?"
The other three fell silent, until:
"I'll explain," Akihiro spoke up, volunteering as tribute.
"H-Huh? Are you sure?" Akemi asked.
"Someone has to do it...I couldn't care less."
"If you say so." Kairi shrugged.
Akihiro led her away towards where the main group was. Although, he was clearly still irritated at her. Akihiro continued to try his best as to not show his annoyance, yet it seemed like he had lost the light in his eyes.
Hidemi then glanced back at Akemi. "Well...looks like we should go too."
"Right." He nodded as they began to walk. However, Akemi paused in his tracks and grabbed Hidemi's wrist. "W-Wait!"
"Hm?" she turned back around, tilting her head a the boy. "Akemi? What's the matter?"
"I...never got the chance to do this back when I was alive. And now that you're here, I have the best opportunity to do so." He took a deep breath. "I wanted to apologise to you personally for how I treated you when I was alive. I-I was such a dick, and I can't stand to see that side of me anymore. Especially after all the dumb stuff, I said to you...I must have made you uncomfortable. So I'm sorry!"
Hidemi was shocked at the sudden apology, but her face formed a warm smile as she chuckled. "It takes a lot of courage to admit you were wrong. And I'm glad you're getting better. I'm proud of you, Akemi."
Akemi's mouth hung agape. "Really?!? Y-You're proud...of me?"
"Yes? Why are you so shocked?" She wondered.
"Um...No one's ever really been proud of me except for Chiyo and my brother." He admitted, sighing as he lowered his head. "I'm...barely proud of myself."
"Well, let's change that." She grinned. "And besides, you've been doing a great job here with everyone. You're essentially their leader. Now that's something extremely admirable."
Akemi just grinned and hid his face, hiding how nervous he got under that genuine praise.
"Besides, there is one thing we both have in common." She then said.
"H-Huh...?" Akemi replied. "What do you mean?"
"We both are rooting for Chiyo to win and get out of here with the others, aren't we?" She reminded him.
"Yeah!" Akemi cheered, getting pumped up when he realised what Hidemi's meant. "I'm...glad at how this turned out between us."
"I'm glad too. Not for this situation, but for you." She concluded. "Now, let's go back for real before Tatsuo and Yukari burn this strange space down with their arguing."
"Good point."
The two of them eventually returned to the others. Kairi and Aki were now sitting in the rows of chairs as the influencer explained mostly everything to her.
Tatsuo and Yukari were still arguing as per usual with Shunsuke in between them before things turned unpleasant.
"It's not my fault he's fucking stupid! He deserves to be here!" she yelled.
"Are you serious...How many times do I have to remind you that you tried to kill me?!?" he disputed.
"You two..." Shunsuke shook his head.
Akemi nervously smiled when he saw the group, yet his face fell once he noticed Finn who was still alone in the distance.
The theorist greeted everyone before jogging across the void to see Finn. Once he was next to the blonde-haired boy, he slid down and sat on the floor against the other in an attempt to console and sympathise with him,
"I can tell something is bothering you," Akemi said, initiating the conversation. "It's not very Finn-like to isolate yourself from others. Turns out, the opposite was typical Finn."
The conspiracy theorist lightly chuckled in an attempt to get the other to speak up with a lightened mood after his terrible joke but failed.
"Ok seriously..." Akemi sighed. "Why are you being like this? This isn't like you at all. Are you still confused about purgatory or..."
"Why did she have to kill me...?" Finn finally spoke, looking down at his hands. "I mean...I-I was just a bit weak at that time. It's not like I was evil so...Why did Ryoko have to kill me? I even tried to appeal to her humanity! But turns out...she has none."
"...This probably doesn't help at all," Akemi attempted once more. "But...I think she just killed you 'cause she was bored."
"Huh?!?"
"H-Her words! Not mine...!" Akemi reassured Finn. "She said it earlier."
Finn fell silent thinking about what Akemi had told him.
"That's what I get for trusting people too easily." He sighed. "I just...Didn't want to die. Not to my illness or anyone. I wanted to fight back but...look at how that turned out with Ryoko. I was weak. And weak is the last thing I want to be seen as."
"Finn..." Akemi frowned, trying to think of what to say. "I don't think you're weak at all, you know. Just because you died does not mean you're some puny guy. I believe you're the complete opposite."
Finn replied with cold silence, making Akemi nervously chuckle again.
"And besides, in my opinion...there are too many of us here." The theorist then said.
"W-What...?"
"Wait. Shit...I should've worked that differently." He shook his head. "What I mean is that...There shouldn't be eight of us here. Hell...No one should be here. None of us should be dead but..."
"But what can we do about it?" Finn took a deep breath, finishing Akemi's sentence for him. "I just wish...I got to see the people I truly care about one last time."
"I think everyone wishes that." The theorist added. "But again...we can't do anything about it now."
Finn paused, glancing over at Akemi.
"I...Think you're a good guy."
"Wait, what?" Akemi froze at the sudden compliment.
"You know how I am. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. When we were both alive, I tried to do the same with you...But deep down, you were always off to me." Finn admitted.
"Yeah...That's understandable." Akemi agreed.
"But here, it's been like a complete one-eighty. Now you're compassionate and caring...And that's a great thing." The other boy weakly smiled.
"Woah...Thanks." Akemi rubbed the back of his head and awkwardly turned away after more compliments with a nervous chuckle. "I-I mean thank you! Not just thanks!"
Finn then laughed and shook his head. "Nah...I'm the one who should be thanking you, Akemi. So thanks for looking out not just for me, but for everyone else stuck here too."
Akemi took that final praise to heart with a smile, pleased with himself and what he had become. "You're welcome..."
-
The Woods
Shouko surveyed the woods one last time, sliding her goggles over her eyes and preparing each of the devices she had carried over with a trolley. On the top was a massive metal board with different switches and readings all flaring up and flickering between different values.
She made sure she was in the right spot again after finding it with Chiyo, nodding at the big circle on the map.
"This is it. I'll be able to see them again...I'll see Akihiro again."
Shouko checked the level of activity in the area and grinned once she saw the number increasing and dilating at a flickering red.
"Yes...It's time!"
Then she ran over to the mess of switches and wires and pushed all of them up to the highest possible value.
After a period where absolutely nothing happened, Shouko lowered her head.
"That's...not right." She sighed.
Then suddenly, a similar sensation of reality shifting before her happened. The bulbs and lights of the machines flickering constantly, some even bursting.
The ground began to shake around her as the trees swayed from side to side, leaves falling everywhere while the space in front of her split open, wider than last time.
The glow that emitted from the void was blinding at first, but once she readjusted to the light, she grinned.
"A-Akihiro!" Shouko exclaimed once she saw her former best friend. He had his arms crossed and seemed to be staring someone down across from him, yet Shouko couldn't tell who it was.
Though, her smile faded once the vacuum split once again right down the middle, all the activity causing it to go even further.
Instead of Akihiro, she now saw...some sort of boy with black hair, piercing golden eyes and a mole under his bottom lip, pacing around the room with an expression which seemed to be a mixture of distress and annoyance. He held a phone up to his ear while his free hand rubbed against his temple.
"H-Huh?!?" Shouko stepped back. "Who the..."
The broken space soon collapsed into itself, sending a pulse of wind in every direction and blowing Shouko's hair. She took off her goggles and just stared around in shock.
"What the...Wait! I recognise that guy..."
Shouko then remembered something and rushed to the trolley, pulling out a magazine which Akihiro had left behind when he was going on about some of the clothes he had wanted to buy once he got out. She desperately skimmed through the pages and came to a stop on a double page displaying one particular model, his pose and calm expression being a complete juxtaposition to the panic she saw on his face prior. Her eyes landed on his name.
"Kei...Shizuka..." she read out loud, just feeling even more confused.
What would some random rich guy have to do with all of this...?
Shouko knew that her experiment had come out a success, though she'd have to repeat it a few more times. But she left the endeavour with more questions than answers.
-
8/16