((Noriko Nakagawa continued from GTFO))
Noriko's journey through the night was hasty and full of errors. Sometimes she stumbled, sometimes she ran too fast and had to take a few breaths standing still. Sometime twigs wiped into her face or she ran straight into bushes, not exactly caring where she went as long as it was far away from the crime scene she had created. During all of this, she still grasped the weapon as if her life depended on it. One time she even accidentally shot into the ground, only barely missing her leg.
It was only when she found another sign of civilization that Noriko felt her legs becoming too heavy to resume. She wanted to keep running, to run from Megumi's corpse and her classmates and the program and this entire island, but in the end she could only enter the shrine and sit down against, defeated by the limitations of her mortal form.
Every breath she took seemed to take ages to enter and leave her lungs. It was as if time was stuck, constantly replaying the moment of Megumi falling to the ground in her mind.
Noriko wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face in her knees, but she had already wasted all tears for tonight in the classroom. A part of her still refused that the newest events had happened. After all, it didn't make any sense. Why would she shoot one of her friends? Why would she shoot anyone? It would be easy to say that she had just panicked, but that wouldn't explain why she had drawn her gun in the first place. Hadn't she told herself in the classroom that no one in her class would even think about playing this game.
In the end, telling yourself something and actually believing it were two completely different things.
Eventually Noriko found herself staring out of the shrine's sliding door that she had left open. From her position, she could see a good portion of the sky.
The stars were beautiful tonight.
A Sky Full Of Stars
Open (what else?)
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DerArknight
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DerArknight
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Noriko didn't answer.
She wasn't even sure if the voice was real.
She wasn't even sure if the voice was real.
Satomi had never considered herself religious. That hadn't changed now. Sure, she'd go to the shrine, leave a couple of offerings, but she couldn't make herself believe like her mother did, especially not now that she was here. With a fork.
Satomi reasoned that at least it wasn't a plastic one, as she continued making her way through the island. This way, it shone in the moonlight. Still wouldn't be much more useful than maybe poking someone if they got close, but she still held it tight in her hand. It was something to build off of, and she knew that she was going to need every little something she could find out here. A little scrap, a little nibble, to scratch and claw at whatever she needed to climb to the top.
Sounded awful, it did, bestial, but that was what they wanted them to do here. Eat each other up like dogs in an alleyway, fighting over the little shred of hope that they would be the ones coming on their own two feet instead of a body bag. Terrible, really. Classic usage of coercion (trapping them on an island and giving them weapons) combined with a promise (that the one who survived would live) to achieve a desired result (that they slaughter one another).
It would've been easy to scoff at it, but Satomi knew that even if most of her classmates were too tenderhearted, someone was going to crack. Maybe one of the delinquents, maybe someone that desperate to go home to their families. Maybe it didn't matter. What mattered was that someone would take the bait, pull the trigger or swing that knife, and that first spray of blood meant that the heat was on.
The shrine stood out like a flame in the night. It was almost garish in it's coloring, a sharp contrast to the rocks around it. Obviously a poor place to hide, but staying out seemed like a dumber idea than any other. Besides, there was a figure just inside who looked strangely familiar.
"Noriko."
Maybe she could have smiled, but Satomi knew she wouldn't have meant it.
Satomi reasoned that at least it wasn't a plastic one, as she continued making her way through the island. This way, it shone in the moonlight. Still wouldn't be much more useful than maybe poking someone if they got close, but she still held it tight in her hand. It was something to build off of, and she knew that she was going to need every little something she could find out here. A little scrap, a little nibble, to scratch and claw at whatever she needed to climb to the top.
Sounded awful, it did, bestial, but that was what they wanted them to do here. Eat each other up like dogs in an alleyway, fighting over the little shred of hope that they would be the ones coming on their own two feet instead of a body bag. Terrible, really. Classic usage of coercion (trapping them on an island and giving them weapons) combined with a promise (that the one who survived would live) to achieve a desired result (that they slaughter one another).
It would've been easy to scoff at it, but Satomi knew that even if most of her classmates were too tenderhearted, someone was going to crack. Maybe one of the delinquents, maybe someone that desperate to go home to their families. Maybe it didn't matter. What mattered was that someone would take the bait, pull the trigger or swing that knife, and that first spray of blood meant that the heat was on.
The shrine stood out like a flame in the night. It was almost garish in it's coloring, a sharp contrast to the rocks around it. Obviously a poor place to hide, but staying out seemed like a dumber idea than any other. Besides, there was a figure just inside who looked strangely familiar.
"Noriko."
Maybe she could have smiled, but Satomi knew she wouldn't have meant it.
She never prayed before.
Maybe will die before she tried this whole religion thing out.
She held on to her pistol. Like a lifeline.
Maybe will die before she tried this whole religion thing out.
She held on to her pistol. Like a lifeline.
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DerArknight
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The second voice made Noriko look down again.
Haruka. Satomi. Two classmates she called her friends. Two classmates she would otherwise be happy to see.
But not here. And not after what just happened.
Still, Noriko tried to act as normal as she could.
"H-hi there. I am glad to see you two are fine."
Then she gulped.
Haruka. Satomi. Two classmates she called her friends. Two classmates she would otherwise be happy to see.
But not here. And not after what just happened.
Still, Noriko tried to act as normal as she could.
"H-hi there. I am glad to see you two are fine."
Then she gulped.
"So am I."
What else was there to say? That fine was only good for as long as they were still breathing? That would've been the correct thing to say, in the factual sense, but Satomi wasn't coldhearted enough to think that was the correct thing to say in the social sense.
Didn't mean she could muster up anything more than a decidedly neutral look, but that was fine. Particularly when Haruka had that gun in her hands, and she still only had a fork. Her fork.
No sudden movements were key, to avoid startling Haruka. Avoid startling Noriko too, who didn't seem in much better mental shape. All chilly ways to regard her friends, but dying because she accidentally made one of them a bit too trigger-happy was not the move. Satomi was better than that. Smarter than that.
"Mind if I were to come inside?"
It would've been nice to have a conversation like back home, but this wasn't home, and she wasn't going to pretend like it was.
What else was there to say? That fine was only good for as long as they were still breathing? That would've been the correct thing to say, in the factual sense, but Satomi wasn't coldhearted enough to think that was the correct thing to say in the social sense.
Didn't mean she could muster up anything more than a decidedly neutral look, but that was fine. Particularly when Haruka had that gun in her hands, and she still only had a fork. Her fork.
No sudden movements were key, to avoid startling Haruka. Avoid startling Noriko too, who didn't seem in much better mental shape. All chilly ways to regard her friends, but dying because she accidentally made one of them a bit too trigger-happy was not the move. Satomi was better than that. Smarter than that.
"Mind if I were to come inside?"
It would've been nice to have a conversation like back home, but this wasn't home, and she wasn't going to pretend like it was.
WE ARE ALL CORPSES YET TO ROT
("Oh, hey, Noriko! Satomi!"
"Glad to see that you two are... alright.")
LET ME TELL YOU A STORY.
ABOUT A GIRL IN A WAR. 1945, JAPAN. EVERY DAY SHE WOKE UP AND SHE PUT THE BANDANNA OF THE RED SUN ON HER FOREHEAD. EVERY DAY SHE PRAYED THAT SOMEONE WILL DROP BOMBS ON THE AMERICANS AND MAKE THEM ALL GO AWAY. EVERY DAY SHE HEADED TOWARDS THE FACTORY AND MADE GRENADES THAT THE TROOPS WILL THROW AT CHILDREN. AND THEN THE AMERICANS FIREBOMBED THE CITY AND MURDERED HER. SHE WAS THIRTEEN. HER NAME WAS HARUKA. SHE LOVED HER COUNTRY. SHE WOULD DIE FOR IT. SHE WOULD DIE FOR THE EMPEROR. SHE WOULD GO OUT AND KILL ALL THE WHITE PEOPLE IF SHE COULD.
DECADES LATER, A WOMAN ASKED HER FATHER WHAT TO NAME HER SWEET BABY, WHO LIKED THE COLOR BLUE AND NEVER CRIED. AND HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE HARUKA TANIZAWA THAT DIED IN 1945, WHOSE CORPSE STILL WORE THE BANDANNA, WHOSE LAST MOMENTS WERE FULL OF HATE TOWARDS THE WORLD, THE WAR, AND THE WEST. AND HE SMILED, AND SAID, "HARUKA," BECAUSE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS HE STILL FORGETS THAT HIS TWIN SISTER WAS PULLED AWAY FROM HIM. WHEN HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL HE LOOKED BESIDE HIM TO SMILE AT HER AND SAW AN EMPTY SEAT.
IN 1997, JAPAN, HARUKA TANIZAWA HELD A GUN AND THOUGHT ABOUT HOW MUCH SHE HATED THE DICTATOR RIGHT NOW. SHE LOVED THIS COUNTRY BUT, FOR A MOMENT, SHE FELT LIKE SHE WOULD DIE TO TEAR IT DOWN. FOR A MOMENT, SHE HATED THIS COUNTRY AND EVERYTHING IT STOOD FOR AND HOW IT BETRAYED HER.
("Oh, hey, Noriko! Satomi!"
"Glad to see that you two are... alright.")
LET ME TELL YOU A STORY.
ABOUT A GIRL IN A WAR. 1945, JAPAN. EVERY DAY SHE WOKE UP AND SHE PUT THE BANDANNA OF THE RED SUN ON HER FOREHEAD. EVERY DAY SHE PRAYED THAT SOMEONE WILL DROP BOMBS ON THE AMERICANS AND MAKE THEM ALL GO AWAY. EVERY DAY SHE HEADED TOWARDS THE FACTORY AND MADE GRENADES THAT THE TROOPS WILL THROW AT CHILDREN. AND THEN THE AMERICANS FIREBOMBED THE CITY AND MURDERED HER. SHE WAS THIRTEEN. HER NAME WAS HARUKA. SHE LOVED HER COUNTRY. SHE WOULD DIE FOR IT. SHE WOULD DIE FOR THE EMPEROR. SHE WOULD GO OUT AND KILL ALL THE WHITE PEOPLE IF SHE COULD.
DECADES LATER, A WOMAN ASKED HER FATHER WHAT TO NAME HER SWEET BABY, WHO LIKED THE COLOR BLUE AND NEVER CRIED. AND HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE HARUKA TANIZAWA THAT DIED IN 1945, WHOSE CORPSE STILL WORE THE BANDANNA, WHOSE LAST MOMENTS WERE FULL OF HATE TOWARDS THE WORLD, THE WAR, AND THE WEST. AND HE SMILED, AND SAID, "HARUKA," BECAUSE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS HE STILL FORGETS THAT HIS TWIN SISTER WAS PULLED AWAY FROM HIM. WHEN HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL HE LOOKED BESIDE HIM TO SMILE AT HER AND SAW AN EMPTY SEAT.
IN 1997, JAPAN, HARUKA TANIZAWA HELD A GUN AND THOUGHT ABOUT HOW MUCH SHE HATED THE DICTATOR RIGHT NOW. SHE LOVED THIS COUNTRY BUT, FOR A MOMENT, SHE FELT LIKE SHE WOULD DIE TO TEAR IT DOWN. FOR A MOMENT, SHE HATED THIS COUNTRY AND EVERYTHING IT STOOD FOR AND HOW IT BETRAYED HER.
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DerArknight
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It felt weird hearing them answer. Familiar voices belonging to familiar faces of familiar classmates in the most unfamiliar place imaginable.
And over all of it loomed the picture of Noriko shooting Megumi, replaying in her mind over and over again. Sometimes fading in the background, but never leaving Noriko completely alone. Was this something she would always carry with her?
"Sure, you can both come in. It's probably safer here than outside." Noriko heard herself replying.
Safer here than outside?
This reminded her that she was still holding the Beretta in her hand, so she stood up with some deliberately large movements, tucking the weapon into her handbag that was still open from the time she took out the cookies for Shuya.
Back on her two feet, Noriko found nothing to do for her hands, so she awkwardly folded her fingers together.
"Did you meet anyone on the way here?"
And over all of it loomed the picture of Noriko shooting Megumi, replaying in her mind over and over again. Sometimes fading in the background, but never leaving Noriko completely alone. Was this something she would always carry with her?
"Sure, you can both come in. It's probably safer here than outside." Noriko heard herself replying.
Safer here than outside?
This reminded her that she was still holding the Beretta in her hand, so she stood up with some deliberately large movements, tucking the weapon into her handbag that was still open from the time she took out the cookies for Shuya.
Back on her two feet, Noriko found nothing to do for her hands, so she awkwardly folded her fingers together.
"Did you meet anyone on the way here?"
"No, I just kept running until I got here."
The way Noriko asked that made it definitely sound as though she had definitely met someone before this encounter, but Satomi thought it would be a little wiser to get inside the offered shelter first before prying any further. And, of course, for the other gun to be tucked safely away. The definite arms disadvantage was something that nagged at her, even if nothing was currently being pointed at her.
Even if they weren't planning anything now, circumstances dictated that if anything were to shift, Satomi was outgunned on both ends. That musing meant she kept the fork in hand as she stepped into the shrine, finally back in some sort of shelter. She couldn't have been outside for long, but each minute she spent out in the night was another spent as a walking target. At least here, she'd probably have the privilege of seeing whoever was attacking her.
"I...Well, how are you feeling?"
Satomi had never been great with social graces, and that wasn't something that had changed here. This would've been a normal thing to ask had they not been consigned to death, but here, she could already feel the words falling flat as soon as they flew out of her mouth. It was something to do, and something that felt better to do than thinking about the fact she was now in an enclosed space with two firearm-equipped people.
The way Noriko asked that made it definitely sound as though she had definitely met someone before this encounter, but Satomi thought it would be a little wiser to get inside the offered shelter first before prying any further. And, of course, for the other gun to be tucked safely away. The definite arms disadvantage was something that nagged at her, even if nothing was currently being pointed at her.
Even if they weren't planning anything now, circumstances dictated that if anything were to shift, Satomi was outgunned on both ends. That musing meant she kept the fork in hand as she stepped into the shrine, finally back in some sort of shelter. She couldn't have been outside for long, but each minute she spent out in the night was another spent as a walking target. At least here, she'd probably have the privilege of seeing whoever was attacking her.
"I...Well, how are you feeling?"
Satomi had never been great with social graces, and that wasn't something that had changed here. This would've been a normal thing to ask had they not been consigned to death, but here, she could already feel the words falling flat as soon as they flew out of her mouth. It was something to do, and something that felt better to do than thinking about the fact she was now in an enclosed space with two firearm-equipped people.
''Terrible'' she said, which was kind of a lie because she still felt really really numb.
''And I just woke up, so...''
(Three days ago she was thinking about what ring to wear to graduation)
(One of her hands still kind of clung to her pistol but it was only pointed at the ground.)
(Idly she thought about how they could all kill each other in about ten seconds flat.)
(She kind of wated to cry.)
(She missed her friends.)
''And I just woke up, so...''
(Three days ago she was thinking about what ring to wear to graduation)
(One of her hands still kind of clung to her pistol but it was only pointed at the ground.)
(Idly she thought about how they could all kill each other in about ten seconds flat.)
(She kind of wated to cry.)
(She missed her friends.)
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DerArknight
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A sigh of relief escaped Noriko when Haruka answered in her place. She was unsure what her reply would have been.
The stars were still beautiful. If Haruka were to raise her gun and shoot both Noriko and Satomi, they would still be beautiful. If Satomi drew whatever weapon she had and killed Haruka and Noriko, they would still be beautiful.
It didn't matter what happened to the three girls who were staying in the shrine right now. The sky would be there even after them. And so would the island.
Suddenly, Noriko felt very irrelevant.
But if that was the case, didn't that mean that her murder of Megumi was irrelevant as well? That there was no reason for her to be beaten up about it?
She hated this thought, so she tried her best to banish it.
"Do you have..." Noriko began before realizing she had no clue how this sentence was supposed to continue. For four long seconds it hang in the air, but then she grabbed a random thought and ran with it.
"... any interest in trying to find more people?
"This game that we are asked to play is simply unacceptable. We can all agree on that, right? So I believe if the whole class gets together, we will come up with a way to get out of here without bloodshed."
These were words she would have wanted to hear after leaving the classrooms. Words she would have believed back then. Words she still wanted to believe.
Words that rang hollow in her head, always being underlined with the picture of Megumi hitting the ground.
But would Satomi and Haruka believe them?
The stars were still beautiful. If Haruka were to raise her gun and shoot both Noriko and Satomi, they would still be beautiful. If Satomi drew whatever weapon she had and killed Haruka and Noriko, they would still be beautiful.
It didn't matter what happened to the three girls who were staying in the shrine right now. The sky would be there even after them. And so would the island.
Suddenly, Noriko felt very irrelevant.
But if that was the case, didn't that mean that her murder of Megumi was irrelevant as well? That there was no reason for her to be beaten up about it?
She hated this thought, so she tried her best to banish it.
"Do you have..." Noriko began before realizing she had no clue how this sentence was supposed to continue. For four long seconds it hang in the air, but then she grabbed a random thought and ran with it.
"... any interest in trying to find more people?
"This game that we are asked to play is simply unacceptable. We can all agree on that, right? So I believe if the whole class gets together, we will come up with a way to get out of here without bloodshed."
These were words she would have wanted to hear after leaving the classrooms. Words she would have believed back then. Words she still wanted to believe.
Words that rang hollow in her head, always being underlined with the picture of Megumi hitting the ground.
But would Satomi and Haruka believe them?
That wasn't going to work.
That was what Satomi could have said, put this little fantasy out of it's misery from the get go, but instead all that came out of her mouth was this:
"Well, how would we go about convincing people?"
A small part of Satomi desperately wished this could work, but most her didn't just believe, most of her knew that wasn't going to be the case. All it took was one person wanting to win their way back home, and everything would fall to pieces.
She wasn't quite sure if she was at that point already, but if nothing else, she was certainly looking for ways in which to live. And in the short-term, that meant staying on the good side of two people with guns.
"If we want to make something like this happen, we need a plan."
Plans were always useful, but making one on a project like this felt like the equivalent of spinning their wheels. It was a way to pass the time, which wasn't technically bad, but it also meant another way of sticking their head in the sand.
That was what Satomi could have said, put this little fantasy out of it's misery from the get go, but instead all that came out of her mouth was this:
"Well, how would we go about convincing people?"
A small part of Satomi desperately wished this could work, but most her didn't just believe, most of her knew that wasn't going to be the case. All it took was one person wanting to win their way back home, and everything would fall to pieces.
She wasn't quite sure if she was at that point already, but if nothing else, she was certainly looking for ways in which to live. And in the short-term, that meant staying on the good side of two people with guns.
"If we want to make something like this happen, we need a plan."
Plans were always useful, but making one on a project like this felt like the equivalent of spinning their wheels. It was a way to pass the time, which wasn't technically bad, but it also meant another way of sticking their head in the sand.
(Words could barely express the sheer overwhealming emotion pushing into her brain.
There was a sense of nothing-will-ever-be-the-same-again, and a sense of unbearable numbness, and grief, and hope, and her brain had locked itself up to shut all of those feelings down.
She couldn't really think. Couldn't really speak in a way that she spoke, the words alien and inhuman, pushed out by some automatic machine, by something in the back of her mind that was able to reconcile "classmate" and "opponent" and "ally." In a few minutes, she would be furious and hopeful, and everything will rise up like a phoenix from its ashes, but something has wired itself into her brain's mainframe and told it to break apart.)
"We don't have to convince people," she said, "We just have to find the people who think the way that we do, and keep ourselves safe."
Convincing murderers won't change what they are. Convincing the government didn't prevent this. The protests, the hushed whispers in the bathroom of disagreement and dissent, opinions shared like secrets. Survival isn't bought with peace. Animals stay alive by eating each other. Peace isn't the answer. Peace will get you shot and tortured and imprisoned.
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DerArknight
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"I believe that makes sense," Noriko lied. "If we can assemble enough people, the rest should follow along.
"There are many in our class who would never participate in this game. Like Yukie. Or Fumiyo. Or Izumi. And let's not forget about Shuya and Shinji."
Slower than she would have liked, Noriko stood up. Cowering on the ground had become too awkward and probably made her look less convincing.
"So I propose we... split up and direct anyone we find to come to this shrine. It is, like, good to see from afar and should be easy to find. Then in a few hours when it is dawn, we three can return here and see how many are now with us. And then we can work on a solution together."
Even to herself, it was obvious there was no real plan. Only the promise of getting people to maybe come up with a plan. The promise of doing something that feels like progress towards a goal. Something else than just sitting there and waiting for things to happen. Noriko felt that if she kept waiting, she would lose her mind.
"So... are you in?"
"There are many in our class who would never participate in this game. Like Yukie. Or Fumiyo. Or Izumi. And let's not forget about Shuya and Shinji."
Slower than she would have liked, Noriko stood up. Cowering on the ground had become too awkward and probably made her look less convincing.
"So I propose we... split up and direct anyone we find to come to this shrine. It is, like, good to see from afar and should be easy to find. Then in a few hours when it is dawn, we three can return here and see how many are now with us. And then we can work on a solution together."
Even to herself, it was obvious there was no real plan. Only the promise of getting people to maybe come up with a plan. The promise of doing something that feels like progress towards a goal. Something else than just sitting there and waiting for things to happen. Noriko felt that if she kept waiting, she would lose her mind.
"So... are you in?"