((Maxim Kehlenbrink continues from Another Story Must Begin))
"In an...I think I should say interesting decision Junko Kurosawa attacked Jeremy Frasier for 'giving up'. You can insert your own finger quotes as needed. Ironically, this awakened Jeremy's desire to survive and he shot her in the chest to do so. Well done Miss Kurosawa, that worked out well for you."
The events of yesterday morning made even less sense than they had back then. But it was of no matter. The only thing left of Junko Maxim had to concern himself with was the hammer nestled in his waistband, and how he was possibly going to use it if it came down to it.
It was those kinds of thoughts that prevented Maxim's mind from circling back to the things that made him sick. He needed to spend more time planning and concerning himself with logistics and playing out impossible scenarios in his head. He needed to plot what would happen if somebody were to trap him on these docks and his life depended on the tiny hammer. He needed to figure out if he could ward off such a thing from occurring in the first place if he just put aside his ridiculous principles and got that stupid bow out. He needed to plan out the conversation days ahead of himself if he were to run into Kimiko Kao and he finally asked why she had killed his best friend. Anything else aside from the fantastical stories playing out in his head and Maxim became ill, light-headed, and at this point he could no longer afford to do that.
Most of these scenarios envisioned Maxim trapped by himself in a dark room, waiting as the days go by, and if today had been another day it probably would have been the case. But as he was making his way from the hospital to the storehouse, he was drawn away by something in the distance.
A tall plume of smoke, originating from the island he was currently standing on, was towering over them all from the other side of the island. Maxim could...vaguely recall that part of the facility being declared a danger zone before he went to sleep last night, but he wasn't sure of the specifics. Now, he guess he knew. Someone was especially responsible today.
So there he sat, on the edge of the dock, as the smoke rose higher and higher into the sky. Maxim's head rest on the dock post, bag to his side, as a library burned. An unknown body lay behind him, his useful belongings sitting alongside his own.
All he could do right now was hope neither Benjamin nor Lili were in there.
The Wicked Die Alone
morning of day 6, open
[[Fiyori Senay, continued from Santa Sangre]]
"It's quite the sight, isn't it."
Fiyori had, after careful deliberation on her own all alone, decided something important. She wouldn't surprise people. As in, she would announce herself. Her presence would be, by default, be clear to those she visited. Back in Kingman she had come into the habit of sneaking up on people. Her father hated it. He'd joke that Fiyori was trying to give him a heart attack. Her mother hated it too. She'd say the same, but she'd be serious.
Either way. Fact of the day, Fiyori got a habit for sneaking up on people and that was something she would work on. Oh, it was a useful skill. Especially for the fact that she did not hone it as one would learn for school or train for a sport. But it was also rude. And given the circumstances, also dangerous.
She would not have wanted for Maxim to turn around and shoot her with a handgun, just because she startled him.
"You know what's up with that, Max?"
"It's quite the sight, isn't it."
Fiyori had, after careful deliberation on her own all alone, decided something important. She wouldn't surprise people. As in, she would announce herself. Her presence would be, by default, be clear to those she visited. Back in Kingman she had come into the habit of sneaking up on people. Her father hated it. He'd joke that Fiyori was trying to give him a heart attack. Her mother hated it too. She'd say the same, but she'd be serious.
Either way. Fact of the day, Fiyori got a habit for sneaking up on people and that was something she would work on. Oh, it was a useful skill. Especially for the fact that she did not hone it as one would learn for school or train for a sport. But it was also rude. And given the circumstances, also dangerous.
She would not have wanted for Maxim to turn around and shoot her with a handgun, just because she startled him.
"You know what's up with that, Max?"
Gervais Frans Lambotte 
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
((Brendan Harte continued from Santa Sangre))
There he was.
Well, two people that Brendan was seeing. One dead, one alive. He knew that he should be used to seeing bodies but he couldn't help feeling sick and horrified at seeing anyone dead. He wondered if he could ever get over the sight of corpses. No, he would never get over it. He didn't want to say anything about the body yet. He didn't want to ruin the current mood. He was feeling like he should just be glad that Maxim was alive and well.
So why wasn't he?
Brendan was standing beside Fiyori's side, noticing the smoke as well. Right, there had been a fire at the library. He missed being back at the library at home, being absorbed in his books. Being in his own little world. How he wished he could have those days back. Sadly, this was reality and there was no going back to a time like that.
He needed to speak. He needed to get Maxim's attention as well as Fiyori's.
"Makes you wonder what the person who did it was trying to achieve."
Brendan hoped that was good enough for his friend to hear for now.
There he was.
Well, two people that Brendan was seeing. One dead, one alive. He knew that he should be used to seeing bodies but he couldn't help feeling sick and horrified at seeing anyone dead. He wondered if he could ever get over the sight of corpses. No, he would never get over it. He didn't want to say anything about the body yet. He didn't want to ruin the current mood. He was feeling like he should just be glad that Maxim was alive and well.
So why wasn't he?
Brendan was standing beside Fiyori's side, noticing the smoke as well. Right, there had been a fire at the library. He missed being back at the library at home, being absorbed in his books. Being in his own little world. How he wished he could have those days back. Sadly, this was reality and there was no going back to a time like that.
He needed to speak. He needed to get Maxim's attention as well as Fiyori's.
"Makes you wonder what the person who did it was trying to achieve."
Brendan hoped that was good enough for his friend to hear for now.
In all the days he'd been out here, Maxim had thought about his friends.
Well, all except for one.
As he got to his feet to turn around and face his peers, he didn't know what made Brendan slip his mind. Maybe it was the fact that he'd been so preoccupied with Cristo's death that his energy was completely sapped, or the fact that he spent hours upon hours trying to justify so many conflicting mindsets to himself, or maybe it was the fact that for some reason, some ridiculous little reason that was slipping his mind even now, he could only associate Brendan with negativity. Sure, what they had shared at the dance was confusing and special, but all he could think about was the way he couldn't get to spend any more time with him before losing him to Alba. Or the fact their entire friendship formed over Maxim becoming flummoxed about a book. It seemed false. Like everything was formed by the wrong kind of chance.
There was something Maxim was missing, but he didn't know what exactly was missing from the equation of relations in his mind.
Brendan was not the only one there, though. There was a girl with him, the one who initially startled him and drew his attention to them. Her name was Fiyori, Maxim knew that much, but to draw anything more from the aether of knowledge that was the essential facts about Maxim's class was a fool's errand. She was not essential in his life, and she would not be essential in what remained of his life, so there was no point trying to conjure up memories of how they once knew each other.
Maxim leant on the post, bag straps dangling weakly in his fingers. He was still vaguely aware of the other boy's body laying near him, but after the experience with Junko and the offices of the dead that lasted the entirety of yesterday, Maxim was no longer sensitive to them. On any other occasion, that might have been cause for concern, but Maxim knew he was learning essential skills. What other essential skills would he pick up today? Perhaps he could learn how to fire his bow, or swing his hammer.
He became quickly aware that he wasn't speaking. He was staring at the two before him. He was relaxed, for the first time in days. Brendan may have slipped his mind as he hid and crept, but here he was. The negative memories slipped away, and all he could think of was the fact that irregardless of who the other girl was, Brendan would never hurt him. Brendan would never hurt anyone. He could finally rest.
"I don't know. I know it would not have happened if I had anything to say about it."
He smiled.
"There is nothing worse than burning a book."
Well, all except for one.
As he got to his feet to turn around and face his peers, he didn't know what made Brendan slip his mind. Maybe it was the fact that he'd been so preoccupied with Cristo's death that his energy was completely sapped, or the fact that he spent hours upon hours trying to justify so many conflicting mindsets to himself, or maybe it was the fact that for some reason, some ridiculous little reason that was slipping his mind even now, he could only associate Brendan with negativity. Sure, what they had shared at the dance was confusing and special, but all he could think about was the way he couldn't get to spend any more time with him before losing him to Alba. Or the fact their entire friendship formed over Maxim becoming flummoxed about a book. It seemed false. Like everything was formed by the wrong kind of chance.
There was something Maxim was missing, but he didn't know what exactly was missing from the equation of relations in his mind.
Brendan was not the only one there, though. There was a girl with him, the one who initially startled him and drew his attention to them. Her name was Fiyori, Maxim knew that much, but to draw anything more from the aether of knowledge that was the essential facts about Maxim's class was a fool's errand. She was not essential in his life, and she would not be essential in what remained of his life, so there was no point trying to conjure up memories of how they once knew each other.
Maxim leant on the post, bag straps dangling weakly in his fingers. He was still vaguely aware of the other boy's body laying near him, but after the experience with Junko and the offices of the dead that lasted the entirety of yesterday, Maxim was no longer sensitive to them. On any other occasion, that might have been cause for concern, but Maxim knew he was learning essential skills. What other essential skills would he pick up today? Perhaps he could learn how to fire his bow, or swing his hammer.
He became quickly aware that he wasn't speaking. He was staring at the two before him. He was relaxed, for the first time in days. Brendan may have slipped his mind as he hid and crept, but here he was. The negative memories slipped away, and all he could think of was the fact that irregardless of who the other girl was, Brendan would never hurt him. Brendan would never hurt anyone. He could finally rest.
"I don't know. I know it would not have happened if I had anything to say about it."
He smiled.
"There is nothing worse than burning a book."
Brendan commented first. He wondered what a person would try to achieve by setting the library ablaze. Fiyori thought her part, and replied with a mere murmur.
Fiyori gave Brendan a brief glance. She then returned her focus to the library for a few more moments. Then she turned to Maxim. There was a body nearby, but Fiyori did her best to ignore it. She would have liked to say that it smelt, but she actually didn't sense anything of the sort. Maybe the sea was trumping the stench, maybe she was just used to it. So it was all too easy for Fiyori to not acknowledge the corpse.
Maxim took his time. He stared at the pair, and at some point Fiyori wondered if he was broken. Like a talking doll whose electronic circuits were lost.
"...So-" Then he spoke. Maxim said that he would have made sure the library wouldn't burn. If he had any say in it. The next thing piqued Fiyori's interest.
"Aye, burning books is terrible."
It was a curious statement. Caged on an island, surrounded by endless sea and dark clouds, where over one hundred people were dying piece by piece, day after day. And yet Maxim believed that the burning of a book was the greater sin. Whether he meant it in jest or not, it was a judgment call. He placed value, and Fiyori - odd enough - felt something like admiration.
"I'd hope it was just books burning though." Fiyori clicked her tongue, and threw her hair to the side. "Exceptions notwithstanding."
Fiyori gave Brendan a brief glance. She then returned her focus to the library for a few more moments. Then she turned to Maxim. There was a body nearby, but Fiyori did her best to ignore it. She would have liked to say that it smelt, but she actually didn't sense anything of the sort. Maybe the sea was trumping the stench, maybe she was just used to it. So it was all too easy for Fiyori to not acknowledge the corpse.
Maxim took his time. He stared at the pair, and at some point Fiyori wondered if he was broken. Like a talking doll whose electronic circuits were lost.
"...So-" Then he spoke. Maxim said that he would have made sure the library wouldn't burn. If he had any say in it. The next thing piqued Fiyori's interest.
"Aye, burning books is terrible."
It was a curious statement. Caged on an island, surrounded by endless sea and dark clouds, where over one hundred people were dying piece by piece, day after day. And yet Maxim believed that the burning of a book was the greater sin. Whether he meant it in jest or not, it was a judgment call. He placed value, and Fiyori - odd enough - felt something like admiration.
"I'd hope it was just books burning though." Fiyori clicked her tongue, and threw her hair to the side. "Exceptions notwithstanding."
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Brendan couldn't help the next thing that came out of his mouth. He had needed to feel more better at some point. Especially if it was about some books. Right now, he could even start on an idea for a story just because of a library being burnt by someone who must have had a good reason to do so. He was getting more distracted just thinking about it. He guessed in a way it was better than getting into a tense situation with people he was hoping not to see again. Especially Jae. He was still resentful over what Jae did to him. He wondered if he could ever talk to Jae again without things going to complete hell. He doubted it.
While he was having these thoughts, he was laughing a little. Mainly because everything felt so normal. Like they were just three people having a very normal conversation. Even if Michael's corpse was right there. He wondered if Michael was judging him right now, wherever he was. The afterlife?
Brendan wiped a tear from his eye as he had been laughing a little longer than he thought he had and then he took a few breaths to calm himself down. "Sorry, s-sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. I just.... This feels so normal. Like we're just having a conversation at home without all of.... this." He said simply as he pointed behind him with his free hand and then his smile faded a little. "I wish I could have gone to the library at some point. I would have loved to see what type of books were there. I missed my chance at saving some books."
He paused as he thought about it more.
"I just hope that no one had died in that fire. That.... That would be too much."
His gaze returned to Michael's body. Has Jonathan seen Michael like this? He did feel a little sad and a tad angry. Mainly because Michael had to go and die like that. Leaving Jonathan behind. Brendan wasn't trying to blame Michael for what happened. The person to blame was his killer.
"....So...."
He turned his gaze back to Maxim, blinking a few times.
"How have you been, Maxim?"
While he was having these thoughts, he was laughing a little. Mainly because everything felt so normal. Like they were just three people having a very normal conversation. Even if Michael's corpse was right there. He wondered if Michael was judging him right now, wherever he was. The afterlife?
Brendan wiped a tear from his eye as he had been laughing a little longer than he thought he had and then he took a few breaths to calm himself down. "Sorry, s-sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. I just.... This feels so normal. Like we're just having a conversation at home without all of.... this." He said simply as he pointed behind him with his free hand and then his smile faded a little. "I wish I could have gone to the library at some point. I would have loved to see what type of books were there. I missed my chance at saving some books."
He paused as he thought about it more.
"I just hope that no one had died in that fire. That.... That would be too much."
His gaze returned to Michael's body. Has Jonathan seen Michael like this? He did feel a little sad and a tad angry. Mainly because Michael had to go and die like that. Leaving Jonathan behind. Brendan wasn't trying to blame Michael for what happened. The person to blame was his killer.
"....So...."
He turned his gaze back to Maxim, blinking a few times.
"How have you been, Maxim?"
There was something so scathingly normal about what they were talking about, but Maxim couldn't help it. Brendan was a slice of his past life. He knew there would need to be a point where he stopped trying to reminisce about the times in his life he actually enjoyed, but it wasn't while Brendan was here, standing alive in front of him.
But the other question remained. How exactly was Maxim going to sum up the past few days?
"Well...I guess I woke up. There were other people around, a few girls, didn't really know them. I moved on, I ran into...ran into Benjamin Fields, you know him? I tried offering him a team-up, but he would not take it. Eventually I ran into a better Ben, Ben Lichter. And also Lili Williams. We stayed together for quite a while, and...the next morning, I found out Cristo died. Lili disappeared. We tried looking for her, but all that happened was that I lost Ben as well, and... I was alone."
Maxim paused.
"I thought I could find other people, but after a while, I just stopped looking. I do not think I met another person for... three days, three days I think. I ran into this girl. Junko was her name. I offered to team up, to help her, but she ran off and got killed. And... then I ended up here. I came to see the smoke. And I believe that is it."
Maxim met Brendan's gaze.
"I wish I had a more exciting story to tell. Maybe one where I was caught by some big killer, and had to beg for my life, or use my wits to escape. But... well, considering where we are, I think I'm okay being boring for now."
It all came back to Maxim's scathing normalcy, didn't it? What did it really care how good of a story his experience on this island made? It didn't matter much. The only story that mattered was the one being told right now, the one that saw him surviving another day. That was a story he had control over, a story he could write himself. And if that story so happened to end with his own survival, well, then being boring was okay. Life was not a storybook, filled with twists and climaxes and dashing heroes with swords and capes. If Maxim could take his hand and tell a story so daring it led to him surviving this island and the people on it, well then he would do so, he would make himself a hero to be admired, but that was not how it worked. There were always more heroic people than him.
Then again, some of them were probably dead.
"So... what about you? And who is your friend here?"
But the other question remained. How exactly was Maxim going to sum up the past few days?
"Well...I guess I woke up. There were other people around, a few girls, didn't really know them. I moved on, I ran into...ran into Benjamin Fields, you know him? I tried offering him a team-up, but he would not take it. Eventually I ran into a better Ben, Ben Lichter. And also Lili Williams. We stayed together for quite a while, and...the next morning, I found out Cristo died. Lili disappeared. We tried looking for her, but all that happened was that I lost Ben as well, and... I was alone."
Maxim paused.
"I thought I could find other people, but after a while, I just stopped looking. I do not think I met another person for... three days, three days I think. I ran into this girl. Junko was her name. I offered to team up, to help her, but she ran off and got killed. And... then I ended up here. I came to see the smoke. And I believe that is it."
Maxim met Brendan's gaze.
"I wish I had a more exciting story to tell. Maybe one where I was caught by some big killer, and had to beg for my life, or use my wits to escape. But... well, considering where we are, I think I'm okay being boring for now."
It all came back to Maxim's scathing normalcy, didn't it? What did it really care how good of a story his experience on this island made? It didn't matter much. The only story that mattered was the one being told right now, the one that saw him surviving another day. That was a story he had control over, a story he could write himself. And if that story so happened to end with his own survival, well, then being boring was okay. Life was not a storybook, filled with twists and climaxes and dashing heroes with swords and capes. If Maxim could take his hand and tell a story so daring it led to him surviving this island and the people on it, well then he would do so, he would make himself a hero to be admired, but that was not how it worked. There were always more heroic people than him.
Then again, some of them were probably dead.
"So... what about you? And who is your friend here?"
Maxim thought his story was boring. Fiyori thought it was quite the ride. She raised her fingers, and chewed a bit on her knuckles. It wasn't a tale of 'boring', it was a tale of 'futile'. Maxim tried. He met people. He searched for allies. And all of that was for nothing. Well, he survived. Thus far. But even that was pointless. Maxim's people died. He'd die. That was all.
...no. No that wasn't her truth anymore. She had once thought like that, but the few days of SotF had changed Fiyori. Things weren't just 'futile' anymore. Things were just 'different', in an unknown but exciting way. Fiyori couldn't put all her fingers on it, but there was something bigger. Something beautiful, that destroyed the notions of 'boring' or 'useless'.
She tasted a bit of blood, so she stopped chewing on her knuckles.
"The name's Fiyori Senay, but I guess you already know."
Fiyori Senay, she knew she cut an interesting figure. Black, tall as shit, and blessed with piercing blue eyes. People did see her alright, and what they saw was in the end all the same. A thug, a mantis, a predator, a monster, a devil... something that did not belong into the world, to put it briefly.
"I am not a player, but I'll make sure I'll see two people dead. One for the sake of my dead friend. And the other one for the sake of my friend who'll... live."
...no. No that wasn't her truth anymore. She had once thought like that, but the few days of SotF had changed Fiyori. Things weren't just 'futile' anymore. Things were just 'different', in an unknown but exciting way. Fiyori couldn't put all her fingers on it, but there was something bigger. Something beautiful, that destroyed the notions of 'boring' or 'useless'.
She tasted a bit of blood, so she stopped chewing on her knuckles.
"The name's Fiyori Senay, but I guess you already know."
Fiyori Senay, she knew she cut an interesting figure. Black, tall as shit, and blessed with piercing blue eyes. People did see her alright, and what they saw was in the end all the same. A thug, a mantis, a predator, a monster, a devil... something that did not belong into the world, to put it briefly.
"I am not a player, but I'll make sure I'll see two people dead. One for the sake of my dead friend. And the other one for the sake of my friend who'll... live."
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Brendan just listened silently as Maxim told him what had happened over the last days before and Brendan couldn't help but feel glad that Maxim had not gone through a lot worse than him. It was a selfish thing to think about but Brendan wanted to be honest about what he thought. Maxim hadn't become a killer like him. And Maxim hadn't became a victim to anyone. So in a way, Brendan was relieved to hear what Maxim said. Well, not the parts about Cristo and Junko being dead. Those parts were awful to hear and he hated remembering their names on the announcements. It hurt to hear people's names. Even people that he didn't know at all. It still made his heart ache. He also wondered if he could help Maxim search for his allies. How would they react to him? Knowing that he was a two-time killer? He wasn't going to become a player but if he had no choice in the matter, then.... Whatever happens will happen.
Maxim was asking about him and who Fiyori was. He didn't even get a chance to introduce Fiyori to Maxim as she basically did it herself. Then she was talking about wanting to see two people dead. Was he one of those two people? He had made Bernadette die by accident. But not everyone was going to see it that way. Accidental murder. One person who he considered too dangerous was Isabel Ramirez. She needed to be stopped. She was going too far with how many people she had killed. Eight people? That terrified him. But he was getting a little paranoid about what Fiyori said. He needed to say something, but he was going to hold back what he wanted to ask her.
"I can agree with someone who needs to be stopped, Fiyori. I think that person is Isabel Ramirez. She's killed too many people and someone needs to take her down." Brendan gave a small nod towards Fiyori and then he glanced back at Maxim, sighing softly. ".....I haven't been great, Maxim. I've done a lot of things that I regret. A lot of mistakes were made because I didn't think things through. And now Jerry and Bernadette are dead because of me and there is nothing that I can do about it. But I'm glad to have Fiyori and ....Alba...."
Wait, where was Alba?
Brendan turned around to look for her, his breathing was getting a bit hollow. He couldn't see her anywhere. Hadn't she just been behind him and Fiyori a few minutes ago? He needed to calm down. Maybe she was trying to catch up to them. Or maybe she is in danger and he wasn't there to protect her.
"Alba...?"
Maxim was asking about him and who Fiyori was. He didn't even get a chance to introduce Fiyori to Maxim as she basically did it herself. Then she was talking about wanting to see two people dead. Was he one of those two people? He had made Bernadette die by accident. But not everyone was going to see it that way. Accidental murder. One person who he considered too dangerous was Isabel Ramirez. She needed to be stopped. She was going too far with how many people she had killed. Eight people? That terrified him. But he was getting a little paranoid about what Fiyori said. He needed to say something, but he was going to hold back what he wanted to ask her.
"I can agree with someone who needs to be stopped, Fiyori. I think that person is Isabel Ramirez. She's killed too many people and someone needs to take her down." Brendan gave a small nod towards Fiyori and then he glanced back at Maxim, sighing softly. ".....I haven't been great, Maxim. I've done a lot of things that I regret. A lot of mistakes were made because I didn't think things through. And now Jerry and Bernadette are dead because of me and there is nothing that I can do about it. But I'm glad to have Fiyori and ....Alba...."
Wait, where was Alba?
Brendan turned around to look for her, his breathing was getting a bit hollow. He couldn't see her anywhere. Hadn't she just been behind him and Fiyori a few minutes ago? He needed to calm down. Maybe she was trying to catch up to them. Or maybe she is in danger and he wasn't there to protect her.
"Alba...?"
Her answer had been sparse with details. Details were important. They signalized the movement from the abstract to the concrete. A thing that has details ceases to be a vague idea, and instead becomes a true reality. Fiyori had sword to see people dead. And yet she still preferred to keep her oath one step removed from her sense of reality. If she thought about Isabel, Fiyori began to hate. And when she began to feel, all she could see was Danny's lifeless body hanging somewhere out there.
Fiyori didn't want that. The death of her friends, as inescapable as it was, shouldn't be thought about any longer than what was absolutely necessary.
Brendan didn't knew of the details either, but he was attentive. Or perhaps it was too obvious. When he looked at her and mentioned Isabel, she gave him an affirmative smile. He didn't know about Georgia Lee. And that was better, to be honest. GLD was a bit more of a complicated matter than Isabel. Hell, Fiyori herself couldn't understand all of it. No way she'd be able to explain it to Brendan.
"Alba? Oh, I thought you had noticed as well. She went off on her own, couldn't quite get where though."
Fiyori shrugged. But she could feel a bit of anxiety rising in her. "Hehehe, but y'know. Alba got the gun, she'll be fine."
She looked out to the sea once again. The sun was barely shining, and a breeze crossed her face. The was a dark cloud forming on the horizon. Before Fiyori could take note, it had expanded and engulfed all. The wind was howling, louder and louder until her ears were drowning with the cacophonous hymn. The gales carried a thousand shards of glass, and as thunder struck, so did the storm. Fiyori felt her skin being shredded into pieces,
and she stumbled back.
"...I'll go look for her. I'll be at the crematorium at sunset, got that?"
[[Fiyori Senay, continued in Die Anywhere Else]]
Fiyori didn't want that. The death of her friends, as inescapable as it was, shouldn't be thought about any longer than what was absolutely necessary.
Brendan didn't knew of the details either, but he was attentive. Or perhaps it was too obvious. When he looked at her and mentioned Isabel, she gave him an affirmative smile. He didn't know about Georgia Lee. And that was better, to be honest. GLD was a bit more of a complicated matter than Isabel. Hell, Fiyori herself couldn't understand all of it. No way she'd be able to explain it to Brendan.
"Alba? Oh, I thought you had noticed as well. She went off on her own, couldn't quite get where though."
Fiyori shrugged. But she could feel a bit of anxiety rising in her. "Hehehe, but y'know. Alba got the gun, she'll be fine."
She looked out to the sea once again. The sun was barely shining, and a breeze crossed her face. The was a dark cloud forming on the horizon. Before Fiyori could take note, it had expanded and engulfed all. The wind was howling, louder and louder until her ears were drowning with the cacophonous hymn. The gales carried a thousand shards of glass, and as thunder struck, so did the storm. Fiyori felt her skin being shredded into pieces,
and she stumbled back.
"...I'll go look for her. I'll be at the crematorium at sunset, got that?"
[[Fiyori Senay, continued in Die Anywhere Else]]
Gervais Frans Lambotte Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern
||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears Martini-Henry Rifle MkIV Pattern||Selection|Clicks|Lonely|
Fiyori Senay. She sounded familiar, but Maxim couldn't place her. Her thesis statement for the situation they found themselves in was certainly interesting, though. Kill someone for someone who's died. The fact that this solution involved death answering for more death seemed like something that should have gone against Maxim's own creed, but his own curiosity overrode that. It was certainly something.
But that wasn't even the most interesting thing that had come out of either of their mouths. Brendan said that two people were dead because of him. It was such an ambiguous wording. Because of him. Did he kill them? Maxim hadn't even bothered to note who had appeared in the announcements - after the first one, it was all far too much to remember. But those words could have meant anything. Did he murder them in cold blood? Did they die because he abandoned them? What was going on here? He could have been a little bit clearer, Maxim wasn't the master of reading between the lines.
And then they discussed Alba, who was apparently supposed to be with them, but wasn't. Alba. Now Maxim remembered her. She was Brendan's date to the dance. She had occupied herself while Brendan and Maxim kissed unknown to her. And then the black girl walked off to look for her. And then it was just Brendan and Maxim alone on those docks, nobody but the body of the boy Maxim had burgled.
He looked up to the other boy.
"So what shall we do, Brendan?"
Much like Brendan's own statements about the other dead teenagers, Maxim meant for that to be as open ended as it came. Did he mean what should they do in the immediate moment, or what should they do further on down the line? That was all up for Brendan to decide.
And Maxim would agree with it, whatever it was.
But that wasn't even the most interesting thing that had come out of either of their mouths. Brendan said that two people were dead because of him. It was such an ambiguous wording. Because of him. Did he kill them? Maxim hadn't even bothered to note who had appeared in the announcements - after the first one, it was all far too much to remember. But those words could have meant anything. Did he murder them in cold blood? Did they die because he abandoned them? What was going on here? He could have been a little bit clearer, Maxim wasn't the master of reading between the lines.
And then they discussed Alba, who was apparently supposed to be with them, but wasn't. Alba. Now Maxim remembered her. She was Brendan's date to the dance. She had occupied herself while Brendan and Maxim kissed unknown to her. And then the black girl walked off to look for her. And then it was just Brendan and Maxim alone on those docks, nobody but the body of the boy Maxim had burgled.
He looked up to the other boy.
"So what shall we do, Brendan?"
Much like Brendan's own statements about the other dead teenagers, Maxim meant for that to be as open ended as it came. Did he mean what should they do in the immediate moment, or what should they do further on down the line? That was all up for Brendan to decide.
And Maxim would agree with it, whatever it was.
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Brendan was sure that Fiyori was right about Alba being able to take care of herself. He believed that she could protect herself. Although, he felt like he owed Alba for defending him against Jae the other day. He just felt uneasy and a little scared of being separated from her. He didn't want to think that he was the clingy type, just the type that is determined to make sure that his remaining friends were safe. The next thing that he knew was that Fiyori was going by herself to look for Alba and then she set up a location for them to meet up at. He honestly didn't want to go back to the crematorium but he needed to as he wanted to see his friends again. He didn't even get a chance to say anything to Fiyori as she walked away from him and Maxim.
Then Maxim was asking him about what they should do. Brendan was a little surprised by being asked. He wasn't the guy to normally lead the way, he was more of a follower. But right now, he had to change that for the better. He couldn't hide away or run away from his problems anymore. He had to do something good for a change. He couldn't continue to make mistakes.
He glanced down at Maxim with a serious stare. "I think that we should get moving ourselves. We have to go and look for anyone who can help us out without attacking us and I would like to look for Alba, Jonathan and Candice. I have to make sure that they are okay. I want to help you look for Ben and then we can head for the crematorium like Fiyori suggested." He paused for a moment. "How does that sound to you, Maxim?"
Alba was honestly his top priority at the moment. He didn't want to lose her. She was more understanding than anyone else right now. She was basically his voice of reason, his rock, his.... girlfriend...?
Stop thinking about her like that, Brendan. You will make sure to hug her once you see her again....
Then Maxim was asking him about what they should do. Brendan was a little surprised by being asked. He wasn't the guy to normally lead the way, he was more of a follower. But right now, he had to change that for the better. He couldn't hide away or run away from his problems anymore. He had to do something good for a change. He couldn't continue to make mistakes.
He glanced down at Maxim with a serious stare. "I think that we should get moving ourselves. We have to go and look for anyone who can help us out without attacking us and I would like to look for Alba, Jonathan and Candice. I have to make sure that they are okay. I want to help you look for Ben and then we can head for the crematorium like Fiyori suggested." He paused for a moment. "How does that sound to you, Maxim?"
Alba was honestly his top priority at the moment. He didn't want to lose her. She was more understanding than anyone else right now. She was basically his voice of reason, his rock, his.... girlfriend...?
Stop thinking about her like that, Brendan. You will make sure to hug her once you see her again....
Brendan's answer was for the short term. Maxim was okay with that now. It didn't seem like Brendan had been thinking as much over the inevitability they all faced as Maxim had, but then again he liked Brendan and did not want him to have to think like that. It was necessary, but not a state of normalcy. He had his own people, Maxim had his. Eight they made, including Fiyori. Together, they could do anything, or at least that's what Maxim wished. What kind of anything could they get up to on an island like this?
But either way, it was something. And having something was better than going forward unprepared and unawares.
"That sounds like something I can get behind."
Regardless of how futile it all seemed, Maxim was going to trust Brendan. At this point there couldn't have been much more than half of the student body left alive, and their survival, and the survival of the ones they had traveled with, had to have meant something.
Something. What did that word even mean anymore?
"Would you lead the way? You know this island much better than I do."
((Maxim Kehlenbrink continued elsewhere))
But either way, it was something. And having something was better than going forward unprepared and unawares.
"That sounds like something I can get behind."
Regardless of how futile it all seemed, Maxim was going to trust Brendan. At this point there couldn't have been much more than half of the student body left alive, and their survival, and the survival of the ones they had traveled with, had to have meant something.
Something. What did that word even mean anymore?
"Would you lead the way? You know this island much better than I do."
((Maxim Kehlenbrink continued elsewhere))
-
Primrosette
- Posts: 1033
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:58 am
- Location: In the Dark Abyss
Brendan was glad that Maxim was going to follow his plan for now. In the future, he knew that they had to get more serious in order to survive this ordeal. Well, one person had to make it back home and he wondered who that might be. Will it be a player? A non-player? Someone he didn't know at all? He didn't know the answer to that. As much as he didn't like to think about it. All he wanted to think about were his friends and doing the best that he could to find them and protect them. Those were the only things he was willing to do for now.
He glanced down at Michael's body and he was trying not to cry. He couldn't afford to get emotional right now. He had to move on and look for Jonathan. He had to make sure that Jonathan wouldn't go down a path that he will regret for the rest of his life. I'll find him, Michael, I promise. It was the less that Brendan could do. Especially after what he did to Michael's ally.
"Alright then. Let's get going, Maxim."
((Brendan Harte continued elsewhere))
He glanced down at Michael's body and he was trying not to cry. He couldn't afford to get emotional right now. He had to move on and look for Jonathan. He had to make sure that Jonathan wouldn't go down a path that he will regret for the rest of his life. I'll find him, Michael, I promise. It was the less that Brendan could do. Especially after what he did to Michael's ally.
"Alright then. Let's get going, Maxim."
((Brendan Harte continued elsewhere))