Realistic or Modern New Oasis: Thirteen Peaks

[The One Eyed Bandit]

NEW OASIS

THIRTEEN PEAKS

CS THREAD

Lil' John

"Howdy there! Hope the trip didn't take too long!"

• XXXXXX1

• 「 BASICS 」
  The Descent

  Steel lurches.
  
  The sun becomes distant.
  
  One year.​

  
  

​

「 BASICS 」

OST 1 — MAIN THEME

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Spoiler: Post Code

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[/comment][justify]Eleventh Year CS Code

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[The One Eyed Bandit]

THIRTEEN PEAKS REHABILITATION CENTER

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

Begin Again

It was along winding, gravel roads that the final stretch of your journey took place. The rest of the trip had been long, but never quite so gruelling. Cool, mountain ate through the walls of the utilitarian transport into which you'd been packed like sardines into a can. Comfort was a luxury in these vast, untamed parts of the world, and your affordance of it had been thin. Only an old, sputtering header provided any semblance of warmth, just barely enough to keep any sneezing and sniffling at bay.

Through narrow, slotted windows, the great Ruthenian wilderness rolled by. A tundra, fresh and green after the spring thaw. Great, towering peat, shrouded by cloud. Forgotten, dingy villages, well used to the sight of ominous government transports. Each passed by after the other, all so tantalizingly close yet impossibly distant. The outside world. Even before you had been packed into this shameful box on wheels, it had been a faraway thing, kept from you by concrete and bars and shackles. But now the keys were being dangled. Liberation was in sight. They'd painted hope on your lips.

A second chance. Had there ever been a more auspicious lantern?

It was hours after the last sign of civilization that the much-touted facility came into view. It looked tiny, nestled away as it was, and even as you descended from those mountain roads and the transports wheels finally reunited with sweet, smooth cement, it still seemed minuscule, at least for a place which touted enough power to steal one away from the other side of the planet. Cabins, a mess hall and a garage lined a neat strip of road, simple furnishings in the face of the crown jewel of the site. At the strip's head, a dome of grey, unyielding concrete sat. Compared to the rustic surroundings, it was an abnormal blip of brutalism, a stark sight against the otherwise tranquil backdrop of pine forests and grey peaks.

~~~
​

"One after another, let's make this easy." The driver's voice was tired, as he unbolted the rear of the transport and ushered you from it. A concrete maw lay beyond, flanked on either side by a pair of bored-look, but nonetheless alert guards. A few stray glances were cast your way as you funnelled out of the transport and into the lobby of the concrete dome, and within moments, the great majesty of the Ruthenian wilderness was wiped away, replaced by a sleek, modern interior.

Bright eyes met you there, paired with smiles and warm welcomes. The hard part was over, you'd finally found a place you could call home. A proper home, not that barren cell you'd been expected to dwell within. A place of warmth and redemption, not coldness and punishment. Such sweet assurances spilt from the lips of a neatly dressed doctor, all while they, accompanied by a band of stony-faced security officers, guided you deeper into the facility. Through one checkpoint after another, and finally into the gullet of that concrete beast.

It was sparse, the elevator that ferried you into the facility proper. Not much more than a disc of polished steel, clearly a relic of some old, forgotten purpose that the facility had once served. It creaked and groaned as it began the descent, refurbished, yet still haggard gears struggling to life. It only took minutes after that. A slow, but steady plunge into the earth, a more secure prison than any human hands could ever build on their own. They'd said that only a year lay between you and freedom, but they'd never mentioned that thousands of tons of dirt and stone would too.
"Hello hello!" A woman, thin and sloppily dressed, was the first to greet them once the elevator had finished its descent. The retinue of guards that had served as your escort quickly ushered you forward, off of the elevator and your feet met with cool, green linoleum. Your journey was finally over.

"How are we all feeling? It's been quite a terrible trip, I bet." A blunt greeting, spoken through a toothy smile. A hint of a Ruthenian accent clung to her words, and an id card which read 'Yelizaveta' dangled from her neck. "So let's not waste any time, shall we? You'll find that your accommodations here are much nicer than whatever it is they've had you shacked up in. Follow me." A quick turn on her heel, a wave over the shoulder, and then she started off.

"Don't worry about those terrible fellows with all of the guns and imposition. They'll buzz off in a mo'." And then, right on cue, the guards exchanged a look with one another and went on their way. The elevator began its ascent, noisily crawling its way back up the shaft.

"And so the gate is sealed! Don't worry, though, we've got pretty much everything we need down here." For someone surrounded by a crowd of convicts, the woman seemed markedly unconcerned. Perhaps it had something to do with the cameras that lay at every corner, or perhaps this had all just grown mundane to her long ago. "You'll have your own quarters, for starters, and aside from being locked in after curfew, you'll have free reign of your living area, so long as you behave."

The hall led to another elevator, which plunged you even further down into the earth. A panel of seven buttons shone brightly on the wall of the cabin, of which Yelizaveta thumbed in the sixth. The second plunge was quick, the elevator in question sleek and modern, and this time the doors parted to reveal a smaller, carpeted space, flanked by a quartet of hallways which led off into deeper depths.

"You lot'll be staying in Block C." She gestured towards the hall labelled as such and wandered inside. Two floors of doors lined an open courtyard, some of them labelled with names, and the others with purposes. "This is where you'll be spending most of your time, outside of sessions. Aside from your rooms, there's some communal spaces and whatnot. Little Library, a game room... Nothing too special, but I bet it sure beats concrete and iron bars, right?"

"So, here's home! Your rooms are already labelled up if you wanna give them a gander. We've got a bit before your scheduled for your initiation session, so feel free to have a nose around." Her tour finally over, Yelizaveta reclined against one of the pieces of sturdy, plastic furniture that filled the yard. "Or if you've got any questions, ask 'em. It's not often I get to chat with the patients like this."

 

[gxxberkit]

KINGSLEY PRINCE

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Sin, Block C

Begin Again

For the beginning of the trip, dulled eyes of gold were glued to the metal floor. Slivers of light through the thin windows managed to miss her completely. She was freezing despite whatever effort the heater was attempting to put in. Regardless, only two things were on her mind. The promise of freedom, and the fact that the bench she sat on was really uncomfortable. Much more uncomfortable than everything else.

The jingling of handcuffs echoed through the small cart, though one pair seemed to be making more noise than necessary. Her head tilted slightly upwards, following her irises to a black haired man that sat across from her. She stopped at his oddly marked hands, staring blankly as they were made into animals. Reaching her hands up, she rubbed one of her eyes. What was he doing? Why was he doing that?

She frowned, looking at her own hands and then back to the stranger on the other side of the truck. The freckled girl wasn’t quite in the mood for any of this, but she couldn’t lie. It was a little funny. Hesitantly, she used her fingers to make a wolf— or a llama, depending on who you asked. The sad little hand wolf bounced around a little, before ceasing to exist faster than it came to life. She rested her arms on her lap, still observing the man before her. She was more content to watch.


The vehicle eventually came to a complete stop, and Kingsley eventually made it out and into the crowd of fellow inmates. She stretched while she could. Those benches really were uncomfortable.

—Fear pinged in her heart at the sight of the concrete facility. Her hands pulled into herself, her eyes quickly lowering to the ground. She didn’t like the look of this place, including the interior— which she never actually saw, as through the trip inwards, she never looked back up. She didn’t even acknowledge any of the hellos that came the crowd’s way, only mumbling apologies to no one.

This place would never be a home. It was only a pit stop on her way back to heroism.

Down the creaking elevator to meet a lady Kingsley had no intention of getting to know, she barely listened to the information given. She shuffled slightly only at the mention of a little library. Did they have...?

Immediately after the tour ended and they were let go, Kingsley wandered away. As the distance between her and anyone else grew, she looked up, finally seeing another side of the building for the first time.

…Where am I? It didn’t look anything like what she saw the last time she looked up.

She scanned the area until her eyes settled on the library. With a grunt, she made her way towards it.

Nobody Special @/everyoneelse

 

[Sei Shonagon]

Giselle Tsuda

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Bumps into Rey San mention of Professor, Block C

Begin Again

A coffin without a lid, a funeral without any mourners and a prayer to a faceless god. Giselle was the undertaker, the widow and the deceased in this one-man show. The one that was performed on a metal stage with bars for scene drapes and to the tune of a hymn that was nursed un solo. The sound carried lilting through the air, unfettered unlike its owner but still doomed to die at the hands of metal all the same. A single flap was made of the bewinged syllables, then it crashed right into the iron wall of the truck. Broken wings and splattered imaginary innards and all. The masked woman sent them to their early graves without pause during their journey through the different acts of grinding wheels.

The other prisoners must’ve tired of her ceaseless elevator musings at some point. They had been stuck in there for quite a while, after all. Presumably hours at this point that she would have counted on her fingers, were they not bound by the straitjacket. Speaking of the straitjacket, it itched between the border of the turtleneck beneath the jacket and the lookalike fencing mask that she wore. Not voluntarily, of course, but it had been squeezed onto her head regardless along with coveralls.

The second coming of the michelin man shimmied in her seat upon the bench. Her shoulders jerking up and down as she tried to relieve the prickling sensation, and for a second it struck her that the mask was a pet cone in disguise. The next second the truck lurched forward over a bump and so did she. Her warm body was barely felt through the layers of clothes, but the impact against her neighbour was unmistakable. Literally, as their arms rubbed against each other. Giselle might have flashed an apologetic smile then, which translated into nothing more than a mute stare by the black netted mask that obscured it.

“Oops.” Was she rambling? Yeah, yeah she was.

The wheels turned for the final 14049237th time that she had actually not kept count of and chugged to a halt. Then the doors creaked open and cuffed chimes rounded up her humming with a jingling applause. Giselle made a silent cheer in her head as actual elevator music hauled them down the path underground and into the bunker. The shuffling felt cathartic after being still for so long and she might have swayed a bit through the steps. Any pep or swaying quickly stagnated, however, as she spotted that familiar back amidst the rest. A cameo of a certain Professor of hers, one might say.

From one infirmary to another. How many people would he be able to save this time? The Michelin man twisted her face back to the- Giselle leaned forward and studied the name on the id- tour guide Yelizaveta. “Ah- I have a question if you don’t mind. Or a request really-” She appealed softly and her arm moved in the straitjacket as if to raise her hand, which, predictably, didn’t come very far. Giselle craned her head back to expose the itchy part of her covered throat.

“Could you itch this spot for me? I think I might die otherwise." She paused and added, "Of itchiness. -Also when do I get to shake hands with everyone?”. It was a valid question, was it not?

 

[Elenion Aura]

BAUK

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

BEGIN AGAIN

Bauk was going for a ride.

When he was a child, he liked to go for rides into town with Mother.

They would take the car.

Until Bauk got too big to ride.

Then Bauk walked.

Then Mother was gone and Bauk walked some more.

The Mask was hugging his face.

He was glad they didn't take it.

He had worn Mother's Mask since he was a child.

When it got too small, a man in town made it bigger.

He remembered it used to itch.

But he remembered always liking it.

Because it was from Mother.

Where was he now?

Nothing looked familiar.

Unfamiliar faces.

Speaking unfamiliar words.

When could he go home?

Metal creaked when he stepped.

Old metal.

Bauk stopped moving.

He was going down.

He could see the top of everyone's heads.

Bauk stopped going down.

Metal creaked when he stepped.

Then Bauk walked.

And listened.

But he did not understand.

Then something happened.

And people walked away.

But Bauk had nowhere to walk.

He sat down.

 

[Damafaud]

FRANCIS ELESTIEL (Misogynistic Sardine)

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

Begin Again

Francis had a good nap until someone lurched at him. The sudden weight shocked him awake and soon turned to displeasure. He glared at the masked figure. Were it not for the code of conduct of fellow sardines, he would have jumped forward at this point and declared himself a misogynist.

He huffed- and huffed again as he felt a feather tickling his nose. His glare at the winged woman intensified.

"Bastard..." Francis muttered with the wronged tone of a devoted wife. He knew it! All women are bastards. They will not give him peace! He had to think of a way to live in a separate man-woman facility again. Yes, he had to!

As the gears of his head turned in fantasy, the wheels drove without halt. The villages were gone. The streets were, too, and Francis stopped glaring because his mind now wandered toward dinner. This would be his first time skipping dinner since... before West Fork Correctional Facility? That place was almost like home.

Francis shifted into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes again. His orange uniform was noticeably new. They fit him snugly, too, like custom-made to his proportion. Oh, the inner lining also had fleece mixed in, so he was warmer than the others. Seriously, Warden Osborne was really considerate. Their fifteen years together were not in vain.

Francis was awakened again when the engine died. This time, he jumped off with the rest of the sardines (it's in the code of sardine conducts) and looked around curiously. This place was cold and weird. He grinned at the cold-faced guards. They reminded him of his first day in West Fork. Three months later, the same faces ate caviar and deconstructed gelato and played Monopoly with him.

The sardines got deeper into the facility. There were a lot of guards (like West Fork), a lot of security (like West Fork), and the actual facility was underground (not like West Fork but it reminded him of a lab he accidentally bombed in the past). Francis' first impression was 8/10. Interesting, good execution, but not novel.

A woman greeted the sardines at the bottom of the elevator. Francis wondered what a misogynist would do in this situation, but as a sardine, he did not act on any of that. He just made way for misogynistic thoughts like 'why is a woman here instead of the kitchen' and 'when is dinner'. He was hungry.

Unfortunately, dinner didn't seem to be soon. Instead, they continued deeper into the facility. Francis furrowed his brows. Were they really planning to release them after a year? This was too deep.

Of course, Francis didn't plan to do anything. He was a sardine-

"Carpet!" He gasped. Good carpet! Of course these sardines didn't understand what a clean carpet mean!

Housekeeping!

"Yes, yes, question!" Francis raised his hands and the shackles that followed. "When can these come off and where can I find the janitor?! Also can I have a roommate?"

That last question, he glanced at the giant man. He ignored the woman leaving and the woman asking question.

 

[Nobody Special]

SIN TESTA

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Kingsley, Block C

BEGIN AGAIN

Dog. Spider. Eagle. Moose.

There was nothing fun about the moving cage Sin and his fellow do-badders. It was bumpy, dark, and way too quiet– for his liking, at least. And, to top it off, the little purple girl sitting across from him looked so sad!

His attempt to lift her spirits had finally caught her eye, and the dark-haired convict shot a friendly smile in the girl’s direction. And when she lifted her own tightly-cuffed hands to take a crack at the fun little charade, he brightened up even more, gently clapping his hands. Cheer up! He foolishly attempted to telepathically project his thoughts into her mind. Things aren’t all that bad!

But then, the frail little wolf the purple girl made seemed to lay down in the snow and die just as quickly as it had been born. He glanced at the poor girl’s face, only to see the deep despair that had planted itself in her muted, golden orbs. For a moment, he couldn’t help but wonder how bright they must have been in the past.

… Oh well! Back to his hand animals. Fox. Butterfly. Rabbit…

–

Sin was… annoying, admittedly, once the group of inmates departed from the transport vehicle. From the back of the group, a myriad of ooh!’s and aaahhh!’s randomly shot out from his mouth as he examined the architecture and layout of the facility, waving to the guards with an innocent smile on his face as he passed by them. Despite the circumstances, how could he not be excited? He got to sleep in such a nice place, and his plans were finally kicking into action!

He listened offhandedly to the tour the woman leading them around gave. That was, until the word ‘library’ came out of her mouth. After hearing that word, he was fully alert and attentive to every word she had to say– in hopes that listening would make her little speech end faster.

And, it did. The moment the woman had set them free, Sin bolted to the library. “Amazing!” he cooed, examining the shelves with a bright glimmer somehow shining in his pitch-black eyes. So many books he hadn’t read yet! He loved this place already. He would have a great time here!

Just as he had selected a novel (and the perfect seat to read it in), the sound of gentle footsteps prompted him to turn his head to see who had decided to join him. When he finally registered who it was, his smile somehow reset– regaining its charm as if it hadn’t been stuck on his face for the last few hours.

“It’s you again!” He exclaimed, opting to remain in his seat and not approach her any further. He struggled to open the book to its first page thanks to the handcuffs, but he still managed to do so.

“You should turn that frown upside-down, my little friend! It’s the first step to fixing your mood.”

 

[San]

Reynard Kisaragi

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Giselle, Francis, Block C

Begin Again

No more bottles of beer on the wall, no more bottles of beer. Go to the store and buy some more, 99 bottles of beer on the wall. 99 bottles of-

...It was only until the scenery changed that his attention shifted away from his numbing repetitive thoughts, one that was accompanied by some stranger’s incessant humming. The perception of time had long since waned away for him, in fact, he was never told in his previous confinement details of what was happening outside. So, like a bird taken to the outdoors since ages, he could’ve taken this as cruel. To still be locked inside a cage, yet able to see what could’ve been explored. What a shame it was, considering what lay before him was a beautiful green. Spring wasn't necessarily his favorite season, but how he longed to be out there.

With that, the convict’s eyes closed for a moment, wondering how long ago was that autumn night that he ended up turning himself in. Yes, he could’ve chosen to run instead, face his parents, and accept the grim reality. No, that wouldn’t do. Even death would have been better than to accept such devastation. The life of a fugitive would’ve been more humiliating, but who could say that this route was any better? Resignation was a poison of its own.

The usual hyperactive thoughts in his mind quieted as he contemplated about his own life so far, and so too did his awareness of the present. Dark red orbs absentmindedly staring at nothing as they continued to trudge through the changing terrain. Although the dissociation left as quickly as it came when the transport hit a bump. Unfortunately for him, bodies collided, and someone smacked right onto him. With silent glaring ruby eyes, they pierced through the unintentional aggressor. He titled his head as if to mean it wasn’t a big deal, but perhaps the way he conducted himself in the moment made it look like he would surely hold a long-time grudge—nah, he wasn’t that petty.

Reynard heard them say something, although to him it was an incomprehensible gurgle of words. Was this person emitting a death rattle? He wondered if it was normal for people to die during a trip such as this.

He softly shook his head. Did they not make sure prisoners were in good condition before sending them out like this? Horrible negligence, but his last institution was no better to him. In fact, on top of his hands being cuffed, they were wrapped with heavy bandaging. What was more peculiar to him was the fact that the innermost layer were a pair of dirty socks, one for each hand. He recalled the fiasco where in his previous prison, the assumptively rookie wardens assigned to him hurriedly tried to find just about anything to cover his extremities. They were too panicked from seeing a patch of their skin turning into flowers that they thought socks would be a satisfactory item.

He scoffed at the memory just as he realized they had stopped. The doors opened. They were finally here. Wherever 'here' was. A lopsided smile was on his features as he took in his new surroundings, well what he thought was going to be. It was too good to be true, and it was.

They filed in formation, rounded up like sheep. The lot of them were hobbled inside the imposing dome. Truthfully, he could’ve cared less about the reception and just looked back at the fanfare with a blank stare. Optimism was an insidious killer, so he fought back with a flat yawn as they were taken into an elevator. Down, down they went, plummeting even deeper into unknown territory. He knew the gorgeous, wooded surface was just to get some convicts’ hopes up—brutal—he surmised.

A quick glance around him, and he couldn’t tell if some put on a brave face at the newfound realization that they were essentially buried underground. The silver-haired man wondered just how long some of his fellow undesirables will last; in a twisted sense, maybe some were faking fear.

•••
​

After the short spiel from ‘Yelizaveta’—a lady of frankly zero importance to him, Reynard scanned his new ‘home’. Despite mostly tuning her out, he picked up quick the rules of this new playhouse just for them. His voice was hoarse, and what came out was raspier than he intended, “Block C…” Not too shabby. The courtyard was something he was looking forward to if it is what it actually is.

Oh, where was his manners? Should he say thank you, and ask if he could just kill her? Sidling up right next to a small group of two convicts, the one who bumped him earlier and a rather noisy one, he faced their 'tour guide'. She seemed unwaveringly secure in the fact that no harm could be done onto her. Cameras. One, two, three too many. His shoulders drooped, perhaps he shouldn’t say anything too blatantly risky…for now. Instead, he lightly scratched the tip of his right ear and listened to what the others were saying.

A toothy grin lined his expression, dried blood covering the upper half of his face served to accentuate his eccentric enthusiasm, “I’d love to shake hands with everyone as well!” gesturing to his mummified, cotton-candy boxing gloves for hands, urging her to take all these annoying layers off him.

“In fact—I’d love to show my earnest gratitude with such a heartfelt gesture, Ms. Tour Guide. It’s only natural to be grateful for being given an opportunity like this.”

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

BEATRIX BLUE

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Kingsley, Sin, Francis (mentioned)

BEGIN AGAIN

Beatrix Blue had the fortune of getting the seat right against the door; the spot where, through dots in the metal, she could watch the world she knew fly away. She kept to herself with a stern expression, unable to pull her gaze away. Trying to cross her handcuffed arms, she rolled her eyes. This was wrong—she knew it, and she was sure everyone knew it. This arrest was definitely part of someone else's scheme. It couldn't have been Kyle; he might have hired the goons to harass her boyfriend, but if he loved her, he wouldn't have done this. Was it Wendy?

Jealous bitch. She thought Wendy was done with these games. But this? This was too far! Her boyfriend and friends would definitely catch on. Maybe she'd give Wendy a sock on the nose for her pathetic stunt.

Beatrix stayed like that until the car stopped.

Getting out, she didn't look any less upset. Unable to stuff her hands in her pockets, she opted walking with them on the back of her head. There, they were met by their to-be guide Yelizaveta. Already, Bea knew she was in cahoots with Wendy. Otherwise, Beatrix wouldn't be here!

Any chance she may have had at giving props to the building's interior was ruined by some jerkoff's obnoxious ooh!’s and aaahhh!’s by one man, and the unusual excitement of some select others.

She wasn't meant to be in a place like this...

As soon as she could Beatrix, wordlessly left the group—stumbling around a blonde guy asking for the janitor and roommates as he almost swung his shackles into her! Bea called him many expletives under her breath as she distanced herself. Men are bastards.

She needed to calm down, and what better place than a library? Known for their enforced quietness and study sessions in school? Yet, it wasn't to be.

Two people had beaten her to it: one she recognized as the girl directly beside her in the truck—hot damn, she's ripped! And the other... "Oh shit, it's the ooh!'ing aaahhh!'ing guy!" And that girl; since when did she look so miserable? Was this guy...? Beatrix clenched her fists.

Stomping over to the duo, Beatrix inserted herself between Kingsley and Sin. "What the hell, dude?! Does it look like she's in the mood for your creepy flirts? Would it hurt you to keep your dick in your pants for one day? Hm? Also, you're just creepy, sorry not sorry. No one would ever want to go out with you, anyway."

It always fell to her to dish out righteous justice.

gxxberkit Nobody Special

 

[gxxberkit]

KINGSLEY PRINCE

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Sin, Beatrix, Block C

Begin Again

A gentle hand rested on the doorframe as she neared it, tilting her head at the guy that had noticed her before she did him. He had already sat down with a book.. I guess she was a little slow. Her hollowed eyes trailed from the book he was just about to open up to his face. She hadn’t realized that his ear-to-ear grin hadn’t faded any time she’d looked at him.

She gave a quiet, incoherent mumble in response, looking down to the floor. She wrapped her hand around her other thumb. She.. she didn’t think she looked that sad. Was it that obvious? She couldn’t be sad, she’s a hero… A hero… That’s why she had to return, to save her people.

She managed to quirk the corner of her mouth up into a smile. She was a hero, so she should act like one. “I’m—”

STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP!

Kingsley’s mouth fell agape in absolute horror. This blue girl— what was she doing? What was she doing!? Was.. was Kingsley being saved? By a civvy? She didn’t even need saving! She was supposed to be doing the saving!

Had The Amethyst Fox fallen so far that she needed some unknown civilian to help her??

Tears pricked at the fox’s eyes. She was supposed to be the hero here. She looked between the black-haired man and the blue-haired girl before she settled on her own hands. A sniffle, and then black as she buried her face into her hands. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She wasn’t supposed to be the damsel in distress. She was a hero! That stranger was a criminal, a criminal she says! THEY HAD TO DIE! SHE—

She stopped crying. She remembered. In the magical girl manual that she had written herself, page 357 code G:24 line 12, written in gold: big girls don’t cry.

She also remembered that this poor man was being bullied! She could be the hero!

Reaching out with both of her hands, she placed one on the blue girl’s shoulder. She couldn’t bring herself to smile gently, instead opting for a sweet, stern, concerned look. What a hero she must look like! “He’s.. he didn’t do any of that.”

Haha! She probably looked so heroic with her sunken eyes, frown, gloomy aura— it all tied up in rattling, silver handcuffs. What a WIN!

Nobody Special AriAriAbabwa

 

[angel doe]

miriam

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Kingsley, Sin, Beatrix, Block C

Begin Again

Hand animals.

Cute.

Miriam watched, intrigued, as a dark-haired man created animal shapes with his hands. He seemed to be trying to get the attention of the girl with purple hair that sat beside her, miserable as can be. The girl seemed to reciprocate for a moment, making what looked like a llama with her hands before it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

A frown flickered across Miri's lips, but she didn't linger on it any longer, opting to look at the man still making hand animals. She started mimicking what he did, glancing down at her hands resting on her lap to ensure she was doing it right, before looking back at the man.

"How amusing..." Miriam's voice was hardly above a whisper, a small smile forming. This certainly helped pass the time.

_

Exiting the vehicle and entering the facility, Miriam decided she would follow the purple-haired girl. Something about her piqued Miri's interest, but she wasn't sure what.

Thankfully, the little tour didn't last long and as soon as they were free to go, Miri walked to the library. She had seen the purple-haired girl walk this way so, of course, she would tag along.

She wasn't the only other person there, however. The man with the hand animals was there, sitting with a book open in his lap. Just as Miriam was about to open her mouth to say hello, her gaze having shifted back to the one with purple hair, another joined the party.

This one was blue, and too loud for Miri's liking.

Miriam didn't allow her expression to change despite the annoyance she felt, keeping a calm demeanor and soundlessly approaching to observe the situation. Ears pricked when the blue girl spoke, inserting herself between the man and the purple-haired girl and going off on him- Something about keeping his dick in his pants? That blue one seemed to have misjudged the situation.

My, what a presumptuous little thing~

Miriam allowed herself to laugh, a sweet sound paired with a smile and dimpled cheeks. She didn't say anything more, though, as this strange confrontation continued. The purple-haired girl started crying at some point, but swiftly stopped and stepped in to stand up for the strange man.

Goodness, she looked pathetic, but at least she was trying. It was more than Miri had seen from her on the drive here.

Despite the handcuffs, she still managed to move without making noise as she slowly approached. She was a ghost.

A couple more silent steps and Miriam was behind the smurf, then at her side. That was too close for comfort, so Miri took an extra step away from her.

Eerie, pale gray eyes stopped once they found the other girl.

Such beautiful golden eyes, but so dull... I hope one day I get to see them shine.

Miriam hoped the purple-haired one would see her first.

AriAriAbabwa gxxberkit Nobody Special

 

[Wxnter]

SERAPHINE LUXE

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

Begin Again

How long had it been since freedom was lost in the wind? It could have been three years now, perhaps less. Time didn't move the same within the prison's concrete walls, where every passing second felt like an eternity. She'd learnt that hoping for freedom was akin to traversing quicksand. Impossible, and therefore, pointless. Only a fool would believe the promise of liberation they'd been offered, and yet, to a prisoner who had been sentenced to life, it sounded sweet all the same. There's always a catch.

The vehicle met its destination, its engine halting as they were ushered out like cattle. They called this place a Rehabilitation Center, but to Seraphine, it was prison all the same. The more glamorous something seemed on the surface, the more rotten it was in its core. They would provide them with just enough comfort and luxury to lure them into a false sense of freedom and security, but at the end of the day, they were worth no more than confined lab rats. Escape would be impossible within that concrete dome, and her instincts rattled with every step she took closer to it.

As the elevator took them deeper down into the earth, freedom felt further away. A myriad of thoughts swam hazily through her head, but her face remained hard and unchanging. When would her eyes behold the blue sky once more? Feel the ocean breeze on her face? Seraphine had no answer of her own, but a nagging voice within her seemed to say: never. The elevator doors opened, pulling her away from her thoughts.

Purple eyes scanned the area with little interest, and even much less as she peered at her companions. He doesn't seem right in the head, thought Seraphine as her gaze briefly settled on the yapping blonde man asking for a roommate. Prison does that to you. With a light shrug, she walked several steps away and took a gander at the open courtyard. Everything was neat and in order, nothing was out of place.

Home, the woman had called it. Seraphine suppressed a sardonic smile from making its way onto her lips. Home was not thousands of feet underground. Home was outside, where she could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin, unshackled. But she'd humor the idea for now.

One day at a time, Seraphine.

Without freedom, having a lofty goal in itself was worthless. But having small goals one could tackle every day kept her mind sharp. It kept her going. She needed to get her bearings together and formulate a plan, whatever that entailed. Without a word, Seraphine veered away from the group and began to wander the hallway in search of her room.

mentions: Francis Damafaud
Interactions: None​

 

[simj26]

MIHALY

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

Begin Again

Dreadful silence. His eyes were shrouded by the small amount of light that seeped through the shuttered windows of the transport. He found no joy in speaking, and he found no reason in hearing the others in the same metal caravan speak. And yet, he spoke, within his own mind. Two shades of himself standing across each other in a surgeon’s workroom. To bide the time, he let them argue. It was better than speaking. To search within himself, to weigh the good and bad, he posed himself with questions, and let himself argue to the qualities of his actions, and the actions of others. The lights turned off with a heavy sound, leaving only two spotlights upon the two Mihaly. The one on the left of the operating table started first.

“They are happy to see us free, Mihaly- we have done no wrong. We will survive this year, and we will be free to serve the people once more as their hero.”

“But the blood on our hands. Do you not see that we are cursed, Mihaly? You claim to be a saviour, one who brings the dying back to life, but all you have done is harry people to their hell.”

“And what of it? They deserve it. Kill one, to save hundreds. Kill hundreds, to save a million. We should not be shamed and punished for doing this world a service.”

“You are a fool, Mihaly. As long as humanity lives, evil exists. If we abide by your logic, then we must eradicate the human race.”

“That is not what I am saying, Mihaly. If we are presented with the opportunity to bring a murderer to justice, we must take it. Evil must not stain this world. We must not serve evil–”

“They are PEOPLE, Mihaly! We’ve seen them change. We’ve seen them become better people. They deserve a chance.”

“So you say. Then who is to blame when they ultimately, like addicts, return to the same life we thought they have left? A man’s heart changes as well as a leopard his spots.”

“Your cynicism makes a poor opponent of you.”

“Hark. Do you not hear that? We are arriving.” He looked up. They were arriving.

“Very well, we shall postpone this for another time.”

Mihaly straightened up, the lights of the stage dimmed, and he returned to the present.

As he bowed his head and extricated himself from the transport, he said nothing. As he followed the entourage across his new home’s grounds, he said nothing. As his eyes scanned the environs, taking in everything that he passed by with mathematical accuracy, he said nothing. As Yelizaveta, or so her name was implied to be, spoke, he said nothing. When queried for queries, he said nothing. He registered each and every face that was with him as he said nothing, and once one of them broke off from the group to, presumably search for her accommodations, he did so as well.

There was nothing and nobody of interest for him here. Hunched over from the invisible weight on his back, he followed the woman in front of him quietly, about several steps away, searching, too, for his cell. A dark hole to retreat to, where he would live out one more year of his punishment.

Perhaps, then, he could figure out if a man could change his heart better than a leopard could its spots.

Wxnter

 

[BluEndings]

CHARIDY GARIN

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

BEGIN AGAIN

A howl. A bellow. A yawn.

The blonde woman lagged behind the bulk of the group in her lethargy. She had been soundly asleep on the trip to, in a perplexingly vexing array of snores. In her state especially her comprehension of the unraveling plot was laughable, but cognizance wouldn’t have been enough to fill her in anyway. She was hobbly and wobbly like a thoroughly shaken penguin who had just been transported to a blazing desert. Yet her eyes lacked any light of intrigue, muddled instead with sullen chagrin.

“Whaz’all this about?”

Her effort to make it to the front was entirely negligent. She pushed aside some of the idle bodies, or just squirmed around those who failed to budge. There wasn’t even the smallest bit of consideration for conversations she may have crudely walking between. All the while her jumbled, mumbling persisted, but rapidly deteriorating into nonsensical bleating. Once she had ceased, there was nothing of substance to garner.

“A bit is… how long?”

Her head craned to the walls, but found no clock.

She tottered to one side.

“This... 'initiation'”

—she wasn’t even looking at the right person—

“any food?”

“...Before then.”

 

[Nobody Special]

SIN TESTA

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Library, Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Kingsley, Beatrix, Miriam

BEGIN AGAIN

The sudden accusations that spewed out of the short blue lady’s mouth made Sin jump out of his chair like a startled cat, and he immediately threw his hands up in surrender as though he were actually guilty of the sexual harassment allegations.

“Flirts?! I– dick!?” He stammered and tripped over his own words, pacing away from his stern accuser until he had backed himself into the nearest wall of the library.

“B-But I didn’t! I was just trying to– ’creepy’?!”

He wasn’t! He would never! Even back home, the guys had always taunted him for how respectful he was towards girls, so why would he suddenly start now? Did it truly seem that way to a bystander from afar? Was he really creepy?

Sin glanced over to the purple girl as a cry for help, only to see tears streaming down her face. At that point, his eyes were practically bulging out of his head. Wahh! He made her cry!

“Ahhh!! Please do not cry, my friend! I swear to you that I had no intention of–” She was just smiling a few seconds ago! He took a step forward in an attempt to console her, only to immediately back up again thanks to the threatening gaze of the blue-haired woman who stood between them.

His smile was replaced by a guilty frown. He didn’t fully understand, but if she was hurt enough to sob with her hands over her face, he had obviously done something wrong. This was a different nation, with different values and a different view of manners, after all. He mentally bashed himself for his behavior. Sexually harassing a young woman on your very first day here? Shame on you, Sin Testa! You deserve to live out the rest of your sentence and rot away in a freezing cold cell! Disgusting! Revolting! Trash–

He was just about ready to offer his already-cuffed wrists for a second set of metal bindings, but before he could do so, a new voice spoke up in the library.

“He’s.. he didn’t do any of that.”

Immediately, Sin’s eyes switched from glum to surprised. So he was innocent?

…

WHEW!

Thank you, lord! A relieved exhale escaped from his lips, and he took a moment to really lean against the corner he had been backed into, catching his breath and letting the anxiety that came with this whole situation slowly leave his body through his lungs. He was so focused on calming down that he didn’t even notice that there was a new face in the room.

AriAriAbabwa gxxberkit angel doe

 

[AriAriAbabwa]

BEATRIX BLUE

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Kingsley, Sin, Miriam

BEGIN AGAIN

What the hell is going on?!

Okay, maybe she acted a bit too quickly, but it wasn't her fault for trying to be good.

Even so, the desperate plea from Kingsley paused the rampaging stampede that brought Beatrix between them. That, and Sin's very overwhelmed response made the girl feel a tinge guilty. Anger turned to pity. "Whoops!" she said with a laugh. "I'm just used to guys acting all lovey-dovey wishy-washy, so I usually think they're up to no good." She offered a smirk to Kingsley. All better!

She approached Sin. "Sorry, my bad." Beatrix extended a hand with the same smirk. Now that everything was definitely and totally resolved, she already knew the next step. "By the way, I have a boyfriend, so no need to fall in love with me over this, okay?" she said confidently. No way would she let it happen again; that love triangle was a mess! Good thing she always learned from her mistakes!

She glanced at her hand, only to remember her phone was taken away. What a bummer.

Looking up, she noticed someone else had entered the room.

Beatrix didn't like the look of her. The black hair, sharp eyes, she looked just like Wendy! The way this was going, that stranger girl was going to start harassing her because she misunderstood the situation and became super jealous because she thinks Beatrix is trying to steal her man! She probably has a crush on this dude; better to stop it now. "Yo, you over there, I'm not trying to steal your guy, okay?! I literally have a boyfriend already, so eat your heart out!"

Beatrix rolled her eyes. God, she couldn't wait to go back home.

gxxberkit Nobody Special angel doe

 

[gxxberkit]

KINGSLEY PRINCE

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Sin, Beatrix, Miriam, Block C

Begin Again

Her hand lifted off the girl’s shoulder with a curt nod. She saved the man! And look at him, he seemed so relieved. Just another day’s work… This rehabilitation center was working already!

Her eyes shifted to the lady that silently stood beside the blue-haired girl, and Kingsley’s face dropped. How long had she been there…?

Eyes of a ghost met eyes of gold. No one else had seemed to notice her. She had a soft smile that made Kingsley… uneasy. Was this her sins coming to haunt her? She frowned with furrowed brows. She kept her eyes on the other, studying her. She quivered. You were supposed to be dead.

“Y—!”

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the blue girl—who’d gone to the other side of the room and back—noticed the girl in front of her. Relief washed over Kingsley.

So this wasn’t a ghost!

Kingsley’s gaze softened, anger —fear— leaving her sad eyes.

Whatever the blue-haired girl was saying seemed a little tense, so Kingsley raised her hands next to her head and clasped them together. She was going to say something cheerful, something to ease the atmosphere, but something prompted her to stop. A voice in the back of her head. An overwhelming cold feeling in her chest. These were criminals. She shouldn't associate with them. She shouldn't even be here! She lowered her arms again, looking down to the floor.

Pressing her lips together, she looked around the library and wandered off.

AriAriAbabwa Nobody Special angel doe

 

[angel doe]

miriam

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Kingsley, Beatrix, Sin

Begin Again

Miriam's gaze stayed locked with those sad golden eyes, her own expression unchanging despite noticing the way the purple one looked at her; it was as if she knew her and was clearly not happy about it.

Miri couldn't recall a time she had ever seen or met this girl, so perhaps it was more because she resembled someone else. She was curious as to who it might be, but asking something like that was far too personal a question for their first meeting.

Just as Miriam would open her mouth to greet the younger girl, the blue one spoke directly to her. All Miri could do was stare.

"Yo, you over there, I'm not trying to steal your guy, okay?! I literally have a boyfriend already, so eat your heart out!"

At her declaration Miri giggled, her expression brightening as her smile widened, although her gaze remained on Kingsley, "Oh, sweet girl, I haven't a clue what you're talking about," she let out another soft laugh, "He is not 'my guy'."

Blue seemed to be a bit delusional.

Watching golden eyes, Miriam noticed how her expression had softened once the blue one had spoken to her. Goldy looked ready to say something, but stopped and turned away from them.

How curious.

Flashing a small smile at the blue girl, Miriam walked past and began looking through all the books, lingering near the purple-haired girl but not getting too close. Miri didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but she still wanted to converse.

"Excuse me, dear, I am so sorry to bother you," Miriam's voice was gentle, if not a little hesitant as she spoke, "Would it be alright if I asked your name?"

gxxberkit Nobody Special AriAriAbabwa

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

THIRTEEN PEAKS REHABILITATION CENTER

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

Begin Again

"Oh!" Yelizaveta's eyes fell upon the woman in the cloth sarcophagus like she'd seen the truth of the universe. "I knew I was forgetting something. Where are my manners?" It was easy to ignore, the rhythmic jingle of the cuffs that bound each of the patients wrists, but an entire swaddle of bindings and padding? How had she missed that? Maybe this was why they usually didn't let her play meet-and-greet with the new charges.

"Here, here." Coarsely, she seized the entombed woman by the shoulders, and undid her bindings. Keys jangled as she moved from each lock and latch that contained the woman, and Yelizaveta couldn't help but feel like this was all a bit dramatic. She'd read the other woman's profile, of course, but was all of this really necessary to restrict a touch-based Potentiality? If it was her, she simply would have-

"There! Right as rain." Yelizaveta smiled as the last of Giselle's bindings fell away. "Now let me get the rest of you before we've gotta go."

A few moments passed, and then one of the tables that laid within the courtyard was piled high with cuffs.

"As for handshakes, we can do that later." Or maybe not. She didn't really care much for the gesture. "There's some fresh clothes in you guys' room, by the way. It ain't anything too fancy, but it sure is comfy. I use the sweatpants as pyjamas, sometimes." At least there should've been. She hadn't checked. It was the Care Sector's join to take care of all of that housekeeping-type nonsense. She'd never had much of a head for it herself.

"Now chit-chat! You guys should be bonding with each other, not your lovely tour guide. I reckon we've got a solid ten minutes before initiation- There's no food there, by the by-" She quickly addressed the blonde. "So make good! Form some cliques. Those ones up in the library have the right idea. Follow their lead!"

 

[Damafaud]

FRANCIS ELESTIEL

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Charidy (popcorn buddy), Reynard and Giselle (hand-shaky friends), Bauk (roommate)

Begin Again

"Ah, finally!"

The second the shackles fell off Francis, a gust of warm air engulfed the sparkly-eyed man- or it supposed to. Instead, nothing. Francis pouted. He wanted a jacuzzi. Still, he rubbed his wrists, loosening circulations to his hands, feeling more relaxed and less misogynistic.

"I'll go first!" He grinned at his two hand-shaky friends, his silent roommate (to-be), and the hungy blondy. He spoke with a falsetto and the tone of a coquettish office worker gal from HR, "so I'm Francis but you can call me Francis." Francis let out a falsetto giggle, a hand fakely covering his smile. "I'm a savior of humanity, my hobby is karaoke and cooking, my favorite food is popcorn, and my age is a secret. Popcorn?"

Francis offered Charidy empty air. His palm was open like holding a bowl, but there was nothing there. Then, he looked at the two hand-shaky friends with a thoughtful look. "So why don't you two like... assert dominance and see who's the alpha and the ligma?"

Alpha fights?! If the guy hand shaky and the gal hand shaky fought, he could get a 10 minutes show to watch with his new popcorn buddy!

Tag: BluEndings San Sei Shonagon Elenion Aura

 

[Sei Shonagon]

Giselle Tsuda

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Rey, Francis, Bauk, Charidy and Block C

Begin Again

A new cage and a new stage, Giselle wasn’t particularly concerned about the details that made up the current circumstances. Instead, she focused on the sensation of all the layers that were peeled off her. One petal at a time until all that remained was a denuded smile and a seemingly normal young woman in the most basic of prison uniform attire. “Puh!” She surfaced from the mask with a resounding gasp and threw her head back. Brown locks cascaded down her back in the effect of a waterfall and gave way to the eyes that fluttered open, truly this time.

Unfiltered retinas processed the facility anew through sheepish blinks until the lap was completed and she was back to the finish line. The one that was now missing a couple of figures. “Hmm~” Giselle mouthed a small thank you to the tour guide and relieved the itch on her throat by herself. Oh well, she would probably get plenty of opportunities to become acquainted with them at a later time. A brief glance was sent trailing down the corridor for their living quarters before Giselle focused on the individuals in front of her. One, two, three and four seedlings.

The suggestion from the carpet man garnered a chuckle of amusement from the Siren. “Assert dominance, you say? I’m not really much for fights, though…” Giselle cradled her arms as if to emphasize their size difference and let her voice simmer to a low hum as she studied her opponent. Her unlucky seatmate. “Alright then, what do you say about a staring contest, hm? Sounds easy enough, does it not?” Her eyes perused his features freely after a response, sculpted jaw and dried blood and all. Curious. The latter caused her to quirk a brow alongside the polite smile, two conflicting pictures that she added no explanation to.

 

[San]

Reynard Kisaragi

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Giselle, Francis, Bauk, Charidy, mention of library group, Block C

Begin Again

While his expression remained steadily neutral during the uncuffing, the silver-haired man looked at their tour guide with an appreciative gleam in his eyes—a simple 'thank you' left his lips once it was over with.

As much as he would’ve liked to go down the other route, he decided he wouldn’t mess with 'Yelizaveta' any further. It probably wouldn’t have offered much in return anyhow; not to mention, he had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to go far if he tried attacking her.

“Really? Such a shame…” Reynard shook his head disappointedly at her statement on shaking hands, but whether he actually meant it or not was a mystery of its own.

His hands now void of all the nonsense piled up on it, he moved his fingers wistfully as if he was playing piano. Light, and free. Something, however, felt amiss. Using his index, the convict licked it, and pressed his finger on his crimson pool of a forehead. A dash of blood. Not his, someone else’s. It had splattered on him and subsequently dried during a scuffle in his old prison.

On the outside, it might just be plainly because someone of his stature has bad hygiene habits. However, there’s always been a reason ‘bloodied’ was a reoccurring look for him. It's so he can check at any time. But what exactly?

With his thumb, he rubbed the tips of his fingers.

Nothing was happening…wait nothing was happening.

From his chest, a tiny ember slowly transformed; the silent snicker he meant to repress gradually spiraled into a deep resounding laugh, loud enough for those even in the library to pick up on. “This certainly makes things a little more interesting,” he then muttered to no one in particular about how amusing it all started to become.

Was he frustrated with such limitations? Not at all. In fact, there was something inviting and thrilling about this whole situation. It’s been far too long since he could finally feel somewhat normal. Simply human.

Reynard shifted his attention back to their little group, now having increased a bit in numbers. A giant of a prisoner, and a quite lackadaisical blonde. The noisy one took advantage once more of the pause in conversation. His eyebrows went up when it looked like he was one of the people being addressed.

“Francis? A pleasure—I think I’ll let you keep your larynx for now since I find you so entertaining, now what’s this about dominance?”

He hadn’t realized his cloth-clad bumper buddy had vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a seemingly normal young woman in its place. Although everything about her appearance seemed to have been straight out of a time capsule.

Ghostly, and sunken, yet all the while charming; like a preserved ancient wonder on display for the whole world to see. The man walked ever closer towards the phantasmal figure, closing the gap between the two of them; not minding the fact that she could probably hurt him knowing he’s surrounded by society’s ‘most dangerous’. No matter how old some of them were, there was good reason he concluded why they were stuck underground with someone like him.

“Hmmm…a staring contest?” he rubbed his chin, the ends of his mouth slowly curving upward, “To play it off as easy sure, but only because there’s nothing at stake. If we want to add a little more excitement, tell me, what are you willing to bet in this little game, miss?”

Sei Shonagon Damafaud

 

[Sei Shonagon]

Giselle Tsuda

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Rey, Francis, Bauk, Charidy and Block C

Begin Again

Was this in the line of bonding? He was sure standing close enough to ‘bond’, rugged and pale and towering over her as a ghost incarnate. A whiff of something rancid wafted over her face and pushed smiling eyes to crinkle. “A bet…” Mindless wonder overtook her as she poked at her bottom lip and rolled her eyes yonder. “There’s not much to bet on in here…Well I suppose I could bet the usual like my life or something…” But that would surely land her in trouble and she wasn’t very keen on having the cocoon reinstated.

Her gaze descended over the man that was untouched by the usual swirling colours that wrapped the people in her surroundings. What nice even skin he had. Giselle made a mental frame of his face. Maybe just a tiny bit of trouble was okay. The guards back at her old prison were rolling in their graves as she fell back into old habits. “-A favour. If you win I’ll do you a favour of any kind.” It was simple and straightforward. Perhaps even slightly daring with the additional demure beam she sent his way. Giselle turned to the carpet man. “Will you be the judge then, Francis? You have to tell me immediately if you see him blink, no cheating~” She wagged her finger and added in a not so quiet whisper "Psst, you might want to cover the eyes on the little one. It's not gonna be very kid friendly~". Giselle nodded to the seated creature who looked to be less than mentally present before she straightened up and faced her opponent anew.

"Your turn, Mister Socks". She had seen it alright and two could play the title game.

 

[Elenion Aura]

BAUK

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

BEGIN AGAIN

Bauk's hands were free.

He did not remember when they had been bound.

He did not remember...

Bauk listened as people started to talk.

He did not understand much.

But they seemed excited. Who were they?

Staring... Contest? He had heard them say.

Bauk remembered staring at clouds.

He had liked that.

Bauk could stare for a very long time. No blinking.

It reminded him of home.

He missed home.

He missed the wood.

He wished he could go back.

Bauk did not know what to do.

So for a while he listened.

And remembered.

He remembered day with Mother.

Gorsko Selo, mountain town, small and quiet.

Bauk and Mother had lived in the woods.

Bauk liked the woods. They were quiet. Except when people would come walking down his road.

He remembered watching them as they walked. From bushes, trees, shadowy places.

He had not meant to scare them.

But then, seeing his eyes in the dark, someone screamed.

Bauk was just curious. He remembered after that Mother said to him, "Bauk, no stare."

Then she held his hand. Then she patted his head.

Bauk remembered feeling warm. He remembered feeling safe.

Bauk stood up abruptly. The floor creaked a little.

He wanted to play Staring Contest.

He was already showing them how good he was.

Bauk could stare for a very long time. No blinking.

 

[FabulousTrash]

Sakurai Kamiko - "Chrysanthemum"

CS Link

SCENE:

Begin Again

LOCATION:

Wilderness > Thirteen Peaks Rehabilitation Center

PARTICIPANTS:

Block C

Begin Again

Her welcome wasn't as warm as the others.

Kamiko continued to walk forward, only the jab of a gun barrel to guide her where to go. Behind her was an escort of guards, all identical and faceless. Why was she late? Well, you could ask the two guards she attacked en route to Thirteen Peaks. But they aren't exactly in a position to talk.

Her steps followed the same ones everyone took, she rode the same elevators they did, until Kamiko arrived in Block C. Her eyes scanned the area, seeing that everyone was moving about, exploring. Her ears could hear the faint sounds of conversation. One of the guards came around with a key in hand, fiddling with Kamiko's restraints. The other guards stood ready, making sure she wasn't going to try and attack them again. But seeing how deep the facility ran, Kamiko knew that it getting out wouldn't be as quick as she imagined.

Once her hands were freed, she massaged her wrists as the guards retreated without a word, the doors shutting behind her. Her head tilted in one direction as a small crack could be felt in her neck. With one foot forward, she began to explore for herself.

One year. Compared to the punishment she would've faced, this was like getting a second chance of life. But Kamiko knew better. As soon as she was free, she was going to simply return to what she usually did. If the people that ran the facility knew that, then this was more than a rehab center. Therapy alone would not stop her from being who she is.

Kamiko wandered down the side of the rectangular room they were in, looking for her personal room. Each door had a nameplate beside it. She wondered if they used her real name.

The answer to that question wasn't on the first floor of rooms. But instead, Kamiko saw a face that she recognized. It had been some time since they first met, but she never forgot that face, more so those eyes.

Kamiko didn't actually know her name. Their one and only interaction was brief with little details exchanged between one other. But, she'd learn it sooner or later. Her attention briefly shifted to the older man that she was talking with, who Kamiko didn't know like the rest.

For now, she simply walked past and went up the stairs, continuing the search for her room.

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