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[Well he'll be.
Richie smiles, small and humble for once. Whether Mizu would actually follow through is one thing, but he'll have mercy tonight. He knows he wears on his patience, and they've had enough tribulation for one weekend.]
Fair enough. [he tips the cigarette in a casual, one-handed salute and makes to turn away.] Take it easy, Mizu. We're knee deep in it now, and who knows what's waiting for us around the bend?
Richie smiles, small and humble for once. Whether Mizu would actually follow through is one thing, but he'll have mercy tonight. He knows he wears on his patience, and they've had enough tribulation for one weekend.]
Fair enough. [he tips the cigarette in a casual, one-handed salute and makes to turn away.] Take it easy, Mizu. We're knee deep in it now, and who knows what's waiting for us around the bend?
[he's from the au where mizu didn't kill him]
...You wouldn't be talking about a receiving a little mystery message, would you?
...You wouldn't be talking about a receiving a little mystery message, would you?
That I did. Got a book from the library to transcribe it, even.
[meanwhile i, kabby, fully lost sight of it once baby aus hit. Runs to go sleuthing on my break help]
[meanwhile i, kabby, fully lost sight of it once baby aus hit. Runs to go sleuthing on my break help]
I did. For all the good it did me.
It reads "Knock knock". Which is either a precursor to a children's joke, or a reference to a Guns n' Roses song — Knocking on Heaven's Door.
It reads "Knock knock". Which is either a precursor to a children's joke, or a reference to a Guns n' Roses song — Knocking on Heaven's Door.
... Hm. Is this the same sound?
[plays the voicemail for him, but we already ooc confirmed it is so this is just for ic confirmation.]
Gamaliel seemed disturbed when I shared it with her. Said it should have been impossible for someone outside of this zone to call us.
[plays the voicemail for him, but we already ooc confirmed it is so this is just for ic confirmation.]
Gamaliel seemed disturbed when I shared it with her. Said it should have been impossible for someone outside of this zone to call us.
[SCREAMS TWO MORE SECONDS OF GOOGLING LATER AND I REALIZE IT'S ORIGINALLY BOB DYLAN AND GNR DIDN'T COVER IT UNTIL 1990...PRETEND HE SAID BOB DYLAN FIRST I'M LOSING IT
He listens with a frown.]
It seems to be. Same word, twice in a row.
And no offense to Gamaliel but a voicemail from the great beyond is a little less surprising than a murderous quarantine enforced by invisible hands.
He listens with a frown.]
It seems to be. Same word, twice in a row.
And no offense to Gamaliel but a voicemail from the great beyond is a little less surprising than a murderous quarantine enforced by invisible hands.
[hmmm... hate that! mizu is quiet for a moment, lips pressed together in a fine line.]
Perhaps there is some truth to that. [drums fingers against the cushion, thinking.] Perhaps there is a god or a devil who has decided we are escaping our punishment by being participating in this program, and they have decided to take matters into their own hands.
Perhaps there is some truth to that. [drums fingers against the cushion, thinking.] Perhaps there is a god or a devil who has decided we are escaping our punishment by being participating in this program, and they have decided to take matters into their own hands.
[we also hate that.
Richie lets his head roll to better look him over. He's weary of course, but even then oddly reserved. Mulling over something with dire implications.]
Could be. [Seems to be. Even so, the idea doesn't sit right with him.] Have we all sinned so much we're deserving of this?
[This being their wounds. The salt poured into them, the lunacy and the weekend ballyhoo. A rug pull just when they though there was a helping hand to reach for, flicking the off switch on the guiding light.]
Maybe you or me. Sure. By some divine force's measure, maybe we need to get raked over the coals. I can't imagine someone like Koharu has earned that kind of judgment.
Richie lets his head roll to better look him over. He's weary of course, but even then oddly reserved. Mulling over something with dire implications.]
Could be. [Seems to be. Even so, the idea doesn't sit right with him.] Have we all sinned so much we're deserving of this?
[This being their wounds. The salt poured into them, the lunacy and the weekend ballyhoo. A rug pull just when they though there was a helping hand to reach for, flicking the off switch on the guiding light.]
Maybe you or me. Sure. By some divine force's measure, maybe we need to get raked over the coals. I can't imagine someone like Koharu has earned that kind of judgment.
Edited 2025-02-27 04:02 (UTC)
I'm sure it's the phantom voicemail in combination with the quarantine enforced by invisible hands that makes it so alarming.
[like a fucked up jenga of things that should not be happening.]
... Claude received one as well. I wonder if Taair did, too.
[like a fucked up jenga of things that should not be happening.]
... Claude received one as well. I wonder if Taair did, too.
[Hm.]
Maybe our being plucked out from the masses put us in touch with something we wouldn't have otherwise been able to. We could check with Taair.
[Immediately gets babied after this for two days and then Taair public posts about it.]
Maybe our being plucked out from the masses put us in touch with something we wouldn't have otherwise been able to. We could check with Taair.
[Immediately gets babied after this for two days and then Taair public posts about it.]
I am a murderer. I'm not surprised to be punished for my deeds in life. But there are others who are... soft. Kind. Children, like Koharu. [a sigh.] I was told we didn't make the cut for arbitrary reasons. I assume the same applies to those like her, too.
Roger that. I'll rustle the kid for answers.
[The way Taair is younger than Mizu in his head. It's the disney princess energy.]
What do you make of Gamaliel, by the way? Now that we have a face to the names.
[The way Taair is younger than Mizu in his head. It's the disney princess energy.]
What do you make of Gamaliel, by the way? Now that we have a face to the names.
[It's not as if he thought Mizu carried the sword for show. Even so, it's a blatant admission. Not even couching it in self-soothing words to ease his ego. Less high-minded morals than a lot of others maybe, or just realistic enough to know it doesn't matter.
Richie, on the other hand, is forever outclassed and outdone by his fellow souls. If you wanted to squint at the issue, you could call him a killer. You'd catch him more handily on vice, but since when did that warrant being literally eaten alive?]
...I suppose if making the cut is arbitrary, then maybe punishment is too.
[Not looking forward to that. Seeing kids pay for things grown folks would shudder to pony up for.]
Why did you? Kill, I mean? [He's feeling a little woozy from the day. It's a bad one, and he'll need to rest soon, as will Mizu no doubt, but he's got a mind to chase a few threads before he goes.] You're free to tell me to go fuck myself for asking, by the way. I'd get it.
Richie, on the other hand, is forever outclassed and outdone by his fellow souls. If you wanted to squint at the issue, you could call him a killer. You'd catch him more handily on vice, but since when did that warrant being literally eaten alive?]
...I suppose if making the cut is arbitrary, then maybe punishment is too.
[Not looking forward to that. Seeing kids pay for things grown folks would shudder to pony up for.]
Why did you? Kill, I mean? [He's feeling a little woozy from the day. It's a bad one, and he'll need to rest soon, as will Mizu no doubt, but he's got a mind to chase a few threads before he goes.] You're free to tell me to go fuck myself for asking, by the way. I'd get it.
For revenge. I've made no secret of it.
[sometimes... you even tell multiple people on the intro mingle and the npc intro post about it. acknowledging you're a murderer and feeling remorse are two very different things.]
I have killed many men. And I will kill many more if I am sent back. [very bluntly.] I made a vow. If god expects me to abandon it as part of my redemption, they will be sorely disappointed.
[sometimes... you even tell multiple people on the intro mingle and the npc intro post about it. acknowledging you're a murderer and feeling remorse are two very different things.]
I have killed many men. And I will kill many more if I am sent back. [very bluntly.] I made a vow. If god expects me to abandon it as part of my redemption, they will be sorely disappointed.
[richie is still ten years older than taair. also he calls his own peers kid, no one escapes]
That it does.
She told me she's about 35 but choosing to look like a teenager. Whatever that means. I'm not going to denigrate how they run things based on what they look like, but it does tamper a few expectations.
Though there's a lot kids can do that old shits like me can't. Especially ones from other times and places.
That it does.
She told me she's about 35 but choosing to look like a teenager. Whatever that means. I'm not going to denigrate how they run things based on what they look like, but it does tamper a few expectations.
Though there's a lot kids can do that old shits like me can't. Especially ones from other times and places.
[Richie is quiet a moment. Out of his time, out of his depth, even out of his damn mind.
He could ask what for. He can imagine things. Wrongs to be righted, slights, family members cut down, Shakespearian betrayals. It won't be pretty, and it might sour whatever small concession is being made to have this conversation. Either for Mizu's patience or his own morals.
If you told him you were a stone cold killer back in Los Angeles,
he'd be looking for an exit and calling the cops. Here?
Richie sighs and shakes his head.]
My goodness, Mizu. You really are straight out of the myths of old. Nobody commits to the bit so hard in my day — not with such a cool head, anyway. I can think of maybe two: the one is only after a single target, and the other is nuttier than a sack of peanuts. One-man-armies are hard to come by in peace times.
[He shrugs.]
Hell, maybe there is a legend about you somewhere. I'll check the library if I ever make it back.
He could ask what for. He can imagine things. Wrongs to be righted, slights, family members cut down, Shakespearian betrayals. It won't be pretty, and it might sour whatever small concession is being made to have this conversation. Either for Mizu's patience or his own morals.
If you told him you were a stone cold killer back in Los Angeles,
he'd be looking for an exit and calling the cops. Here?
Richie sighs and shakes his head.]
My goodness, Mizu. You really are straight out of the myths of old. Nobody commits to the bit so hard in my day — not with such a cool head, anyway. I can think of maybe two: the one is only after a single target, and the other is nuttier than a sack of peanuts. One-man-armies are hard to come by in peace times.
[He shrugs.]
Hell, maybe there is a legend about you somewhere. I'll check the library if I ever make it back.
Edited (Rephrasing ) 2025-03-01 15:00 (UTC)
[sometimes, the guy who has been threatening to kill you as a joke for weeks is, in fact, a serial killer. mizu watches his reaction carefully for a moment, before scoffing.]
Hah. I doubt it. Even if we both came from the same worlds, centuries apart, there is no man out there who would record my deeds. A creature of shame would be considered better off forgotten by history.
Hah. I doubt it. Even if we both came from the same worlds, centuries apart, there is no man out there who would record my deeds. A creature of shame would be considered better off forgotten by history.
[And yet, he will continue to not take a single threat seriously....meet me in the murder doc quynn]
Oh, you'd be surprised. People love a bloody sensation.
[He tilts his head though, eyes closing a moment as a wave of dizziness pulses through him. He grimaces and puts his hand to his bandaged shoulder. Keeps a pressure there. Steels himself through the wave of pain.]
...I don't get what's so "shameful" about you, though. Or "creature"-like, for that matter.
Oh, you'd be surprised. People love a bloody sensation.
[He tilts his head though, eyes closing a moment as a wave of dizziness pulses through him. He grimaces and puts his hand to his bandaged shoulder. Keeps a pressure there. Steels himself through the wave of pain.]
...I don't get what's so "shameful" about you, though. Or "creature"-like, for that matter.
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