Yukiko did not know how long they had run, or how far. Trees whisked by, buildings too. Sounds echoed about, and Yukiko could swear that she heard gunshots in the distance. She kept her hand close to Yumiko and prayed to her heart's content that where they were going was safe.
Eventually, even terrain disappeared. Replaced with slopes and a blanket of sand stretching as far as she could see in the dark. Despite the sand coating their shoes, they kept going. They ran by pieces of driftwood, and shells that called this place home. Eventually, once they hit the water the two of them stopped. They stood still watching the waves crash against the shore, Yukiko thought that she could see something out there in the water. She could not place what it was right now as she was catching her breath, and the more pressing matters of what were they going to do, but... It was a beautiful sight with the light reflecting off of the tide.
"Um... So..." Yukiko tried to start but did not know how. There was an errant worry inside her head about her hand being too clamped while holding Yumiko's.
"How are you holding up?" She finally got out as she dropped her bag on the ground.
Kill our friends? Sounds stressful and we're busy!
Moderator: BRAU2 Director
Yumiko had taken the lead at first as they trundled through the darkness. It was hard to do, and at one point she nearly poked her eye out on an errant tree branch, but she was doing her best. She kept a tight grip on her gun and a tighter grip on Yukiko's hand. At some point, Yukiko pulled ahead, and Yumiko let her choose the direction they were running in.
Eventually, they reached a beach. Yumiko quickly noted that when she and Yukiko started running, they'd also been within spitting distance of the sea, so she thought that meant they'd either somehow crossed the entire island already, or they'd gone parallel to the coast. She let Yukiko lead her onto the sand. Whenever the other girl was ready to stop, Yumiko would be ready too.
And so when Yukiko stopped, she stopped alongside her, turned her head back over her shoulder to look and see if they'd been followed, and then turned back forward and stared out into the sea.
Yukiko asked how she was doing.
"...," Yumiko said, and then shook the cobwebs out of her head. She gave Yukiko's hand a squeeze of acknowledgement. "I - I don't know, really. I'm not sure. It doesn't really feel real, does it?" She said quietly.
Eventually, they reached a beach. Yumiko quickly noted that when she and Yukiko started running, they'd also been within spitting distance of the sea, so she thought that meant they'd either somehow crossed the entire island already, or they'd gone parallel to the coast. She let Yukiko lead her onto the sand. Whenever the other girl was ready to stop, Yumiko would be ready too.
And so when Yukiko stopped, she stopped alongside her, turned her head back over her shoulder to look and see if they'd been followed, and then turned back forward and stared out into the sea.
Yukiko asked how she was doing.
"...," Yumiko said, and then shook the cobwebs out of her head. She gave Yukiko's hand a squeeze of acknowledgement. "I - I don't know, really. I'm not sure. It doesn't really feel real, does it?" She said quietly.
Yukiko watched as her reflection swayed in the water. The darkness obscured parts, but she could see herself so clearly. She still looked like herself, but the whole thing should have been wrong. She wanted to kneel down and reach into the water to make it go away. It was telling her something that she already knew, something she did not want to be true. Something her friend was experiencing the same as her.
"It doesn't- it didn't feel real when I woke up and I saw everyone around. When saw you from across Yoshitoki. When I felt this," She reached up with her empty left hand and lightly touched the metal that covered her throat. Yukiko had to stop and swallow before continuing.
"As that man kept talking. When Sh- when Shuya almost got... shot. "She did not want to think of the possibility of what would have happened if Mitsuru did not do what he did. It was the scariest thing to witness, and she was not sure where he was. He had been after her, but she could not wait for that. Not even for him.
"None of this should be real," Yukiko added with a bitter tone and a sigh. Apart from her wanting to cry, she could not muster the effort to do so anymore, and she did not want to add to Yumiko's plate. It was enough as is that they almost did not find each other, she could not add more on top of that.
"It doesn't- it didn't feel real when I woke up and I saw everyone around. When saw you from across Yoshitoki. When I felt this," She reached up with her empty left hand and lightly touched the metal that covered her throat. Yukiko had to stop and swallow before continuing.
"As that man kept talking. When Sh- when Shuya almost got... shot. "She did not want to think of the possibility of what would have happened if Mitsuru did not do what he did. It was the scariest thing to witness, and she was not sure where he was. He had been after her, but she could not wait for that. Not even for him.
"None of this should be real," Yukiko added with a bitter tone and a sigh. Apart from her wanting to cry, she could not muster the effort to do so anymore, and she did not want to add to Yumiko's plate. It was enough as is that they almost did not find each other, she could not add more on top of that.
The crossbow quaked in Tadakatsu Hatagami's (Male Student No. 18) grip like a jackhammer. He kept low on one knee, holding steady behind the inconspicuous and coincidentally placed rock formation on the sandy beach near the intruders despite the unease shooting through his knee touching the sand.
There had been gunshots earlier; people were already killing. People that probably got caught with their pants down. Tadakatsu wasn't gonna end up like them.
He could do this. He could do this.
He steadied the crossbow on his bent knee. His forehead dripped buckets of sweat. He had to calm the fuck down.
He'd keep eavesdropping. He could do this, but he'd keep listening for now. Until he could do it.
There had been gunshots earlier; people were already killing. People that probably got caught with their pants down. Tadakatsu wasn't gonna end up like them.
He could do this. He could do this.
He steadied the crossbow on his bent knee. His forehead dripped buckets of sweat. He had to calm the fuck down.
He'd keep eavesdropping. He could do this, but he'd keep listening for now. Until he could do it.
"Yeah..." Yumiko said quietly, a slight resignation tinging her voice. She exhaled shakily, and glanced over her shoulder once more.
It shouldn't have been real, but... well, it really was real, wasn't it?
...
...they were probably going to die, weren't they? The entire class. Her and Yukiko and Shuya and everyone else. She wasn't sure. She couldn't really know. Everybody always seemed so nice, even Hardcore Souma, even that slimy Mimura boy, even Kiriyama's gang. Maybe "nice" wasn't quite the right word. But they didn't seem like killers, and, but - but - but... well, that was probably how most of the classes who went into the Program seemed. And even if someone in the class came up with a plan to get out, not everyone was as brave as Shuya - and that wasn't even considering the soldiers who would try to kill everyone if it worked, and - so, so, so... mmm, she just didn't know. She didn't know. She hoped the class would be different than the others. But she didn't know.
...
"... do you think they were shooting at us because they were trying to kill us, or were they just scared?"
It shouldn't have been real, but... well, it really was real, wasn't it?
...
...they were probably going to die, weren't they? The entire class. Her and Yukiko and Shuya and everyone else. She wasn't sure. She couldn't really know. Everybody always seemed so nice, even Hardcore Souma, even that slimy Mimura boy, even Kiriyama's gang. Maybe "nice" wasn't quite the right word. But they didn't seem like killers, and, but - but - but... well, that was probably how most of the classes who went into the Program seemed. And even if someone in the class came up with a plan to get out, not everyone was as brave as Shuya - and that wasn't even considering the soldiers who would try to kill everyone if it worked, and - so, so, so... mmm, she just didn't know. She didn't know. She hoped the class would be different than the others. But she didn't know.
...
"... do you think they were shooting at us because they were trying to kill us, or were they just scared?"
There was a slight tremble in her hands as she contemplated the question. Yukiko wanted to believe, if anything, that no one in her class was that willing to play along with the Program that fast.
She really wanted to believe.
"I-I hope they were..." She said. Yukiko reached her left hand up, still holding Yumiko's, and folded her right hand on top as the water splashed about in the dark; Yukiko listened to the waves go back and forth from the beach to the sea.
"What... What do we do now?"
She really wanted to believe.
"I-I hope they were..." She said. Yukiko reached her left hand up, still holding Yumiko's, and folded her right hand on top as the water splashed about in the dark; Yukiko listened to the waves go back and forth from the beach to the sea.
"What... What do we do now?"
((Kaori continued from I Am The Ocean, I Am The Sea))
"Junya, Junya, where are you..."
Eyes fixed on the ground, Kaori shuffled along the beach, eyes flickering rapidly behind her glasses.
Come on! It—he—had to be here, right? Kaori hadn't gone to all that many places and she was sure she hadn't taken off her locket like, much. (Well actually at all but Junya wasn't here so obviously she must have taken it off at some point but she couldn't think where and he'd DEFINITELY been here at least for a little bit so something was screwy).
(Maybe it was her).
Kaori just, she really needed the support! This was really, really rough. A friendly face, even one that she'd cut out of a magasin, would be really, really, really, good right about now! That'd been a nice poster too and she didn't know when she'd get another one like that, and she wasn't waaas not thinking about how that could possibly just be never. Because she'd be de—
Okay nope, no thank you. No. She'd thought a whole bunch of times about how she could shot or stabbed or shot then stabbed and. she was doing it again.
aaa
Kaori still couldn't see Junya anywhere around here, and maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to keep trying at night, but this was a beach and the tide would come in and out, and if the locket went into the ocean it was definitely gone forever, so she was not-really-wanting-that.
Maybe somebody could have seen him?
Kaori looked up from the sand.
That boy with a crossbow hiding behind those rocks and aiming was somebody!
Wait
"Junya, Junya, where are you..."
Eyes fixed on the ground, Kaori shuffled along the beach, eyes flickering rapidly behind her glasses.
Come on! It—he—had to be here, right? Kaori hadn't gone to all that many places and she was sure she hadn't taken off her locket like, much. (Well actually at all but Junya wasn't here so obviously she must have taken it off at some point but she couldn't think where and he'd DEFINITELY been here at least for a little bit so something was screwy).
(Maybe it was her).
Kaori just, she really needed the support! This was really, really rough. A friendly face, even one that she'd cut out of a magasin, would be really, really, really, good right about now! That'd been a nice poster too and she didn't know when she'd get another one like that, and she wasn't waaas not thinking about how that could possibly just be never. Because she'd be de—
Okay nope, no thank you. No. She'd thought a whole bunch of times about how she could shot or stabbed or shot then stabbed and. she was doing it again.
aaa
Kaori still couldn't see Junya anywhere around here, and maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to keep trying at night, but this was a beach and the tide would come in and out, and if the locket went into the ocean it was definitely gone forever, so she was not-really-wanting-that.
Maybe somebody could have seen him?
Kaori looked up from the sand.
That boy with a crossbow hiding behind those rocks and aiming was somebody!
Wait
Beads of sweat dripped down Tadakatsu's brow as he kept his ears and most of his eyes on the girls from behind his hidey-hole. Their voices were drowned out by the ocean battering against the shoreline, but it sounded like they might've been the ones being shot at in the first place.
Tadakatsu looked down again at the loaded crossbow, still tembling in his grip. He felt like he could vomit any minute, despite not eating for God knows how long.
The last time he felt this pressured was back in middle school, during the baseball season. It was the final inning, and Tadakatsu's team was down by two. Two outs, but second and third were loaded. Tadakatsu was up at bat. All he had to do was not strike out.
He wouldn't again.
Tadakatsu looked down again at the loaded crossbow, still tembling in his grip. He felt like he could vomit any minute, despite not eating for God knows how long.
The last time he felt this pressured was back in middle school, during the baseball season. It was the final inning, and Tadakatsu's team was down by two. Two outs, but second and third were loaded. Tadakatsu was up at bat. All he had to do was not strike out.
He wouldn't again.
...
"What... What do we do now?"
Yumiko was quiet for a moment. She could feel her own heart pounding in her chest like a jackhammer, but her hand wasn't really in a good place to feel Yukiko's pulse, even though it was sandwiched between both the other girl's hands. She thought she might have felt them shaking.
She took a slow breath in. Her throat felt all dry, like right after softball practice. The gun in her other hand felt completely alien in concept. She didn't even want to think about it.
"I guess... I guess we should find some kind of shelter, shouldn't we?" She said. "- Oh! Actually, both of us should have some water before we do anything else, though. We're probably dehydrated."
"What... What do we do now?"
Yumiko was quiet for a moment. She could feel her own heart pounding in her chest like a jackhammer, but her hand wasn't really in a good place to feel Yukiko's pulse, even though it was sandwiched between both the other girl's hands. She thought she might have felt them shaking.
She took a slow breath in. Her throat felt all dry, like right after softball practice. The gun in her other hand felt completely alien in concept. She didn't even want to think about it.
"I guess... I guess we should find some kind of shelter, shouldn't we?" She said. "- Oh! Actually, both of us should have some water before we do anything else, though. We're probably dehydrated."
Yukiko could hear a sharp intake of breath from her friend. She could feel it in a way through Yumiko's hand wedged between hers despite the slight shake of her hands that she wanted to hide.
Her question had been unfair to her, putting her on the spot to decide everything for them. She almost wanted to take it back and maybe put the burden on them both, but selfishly she stayed quiet and let her friend ruminate on the issue instead.
Water and shelter. That was the idea that she had. That was all Yukiko needed to focus on for now. Away from the reflection and away from those that would give in to the...
"Oh! You're right, better have some before we go." She said as she let go of Yumiko's hands- she did not want to let go, but if she were to get any she'd have to get from her own bag- knelt down to her bag and fiddled with the zipper a bit. And while she rifled through to get water, she found something else that caught her attention.
"Yumiko, what is this?" She asked aloud as she pulled an object out. It had a distinctive shape to it and it had something on it.
Dots.
Her question had been unfair to her, putting her on the spot to decide everything for them. She almost wanted to take it back and maybe put the burden on them both, but selfishly she stayed quiet and let her friend ruminate on the issue instead.
Water and shelter. That was the idea that she had. That was all Yukiko needed to focus on for now. Away from the reflection and away from those that would give in to the...
"Oh! You're right, better have some before we go." She said as she let go of Yumiko's hands- she did not want to let go, but if she were to get any she'd have to get from her own bag- knelt down to her bag and fiddled with the zipper a bit. And while she rifled through to get water, she found something else that caught her attention.
"Yumiko, what is this?" She asked aloud as she pulled an object out. It had a distinctive shape to it and it had something on it.
Dots.
Quick, Kaori, think of something fast!
"Uh. Um. Hi?"
Something better than that!
"Uh. Um. Hi?"
Something better than that!
((Do not adjust your monitor. Tadakatsu has been adopted))
By some miracle Tadakatsu managed not to squeeze the crossbow's trigger as he nearly jumped out of his skin. "Gah!"
What was he supposed to say? That he wasn't doing anything wrong? That he wasn't planning on shooting? She'd caught him dead to rights here.
He turned towards her, pointing the crossbow at the girl, swallowing hard as he tried to keep it straight. "Hold it right there," he breathed, trying to keep his voice as low as possible to avoid spooking the other two. "And throw down any weapons you've got."
By some miracle Tadakatsu managed not to squeeze the crossbow's trigger as he nearly jumped out of his skin. "Gah!"
What was he supposed to say? That he wasn't doing anything wrong? That he wasn't planning on shooting? She'd caught him dead to rights here.
He turned towards her, pointing the crossbow at the girl, swallowing hard as he tried to keep it straight. "Hold it right there," he breathed, trying to keep his voice as low as possible to avoid spooking the other two. "And throw down any weapons you've got."
"Yumiko, what is this?"
Yumiko paused the gulp of water she was taking and glanced at Yukiko. She took a step closer and saw that she had something held in her hand, which Yumiko guessed must have been her assigned weapon. She couldn't really see it super well in the moonlight, but she could make out the dim glow of some kind of screen. On it, there were a pair of dots very near together close to the center of the screen, and then another pair that were a bit spaced out from one another a little bit off to the side.
"I'm not sure... maybe it's one of those handheld gadgets, like that thing Akamatsu always has?" she said, and then considered the question for a moment. A brief gust of sea wind ruffled her hair. "Does it... does it say anywhere on it what it is?"
Yumiko paused the gulp of water she was taking and glanced at Yukiko. She took a step closer and saw that she had something held in her hand, which Yumiko guessed must have been her assigned weapon. She couldn't really see it super well in the moonlight, but she could make out the dim glow of some kind of screen. On it, there were a pair of dots very near together close to the center of the screen, and then another pair that were a bit spaced out from one another a little bit off to the side.
"I'm not sure... maybe it's one of those handheld gadgets, like that thing Akamatsu always has?" she said, and then considered the question for a moment. A brief gust of sea wind ruffled her hair. "Does it... does it say anywhere on it what it is?"
"Um..." Yukiko could not see on the device what it was supposed to be, even turning it around to see if there was anything on the back of it. Could it really be what Akamatsu always had on him? Not that she knew much about it, but it looked different, kind of? From what she could tell of the color of it, might have been green? It was small enough to fit in her right hand. Sure, maybe Akamatsu's gadget did too, but... This couldn't be it, right?
There were, as Yumiko said, two dots next to one another, and a few further away. Yukiko looked up from her friend and to the device, back and forth for a bit before settling on the device again. She had a few ideas as to what that could be, but she wanted to be certain.
Yukiko quickly crouched down and dove back into her bag, rummaging past the supplies they had given to her until she found what she wanted.
She stood back up, flashlight in her left hand while holding out to Yumiko so she could see.
"I-I think this is the manual for it. Can you see what it is?" It was plastered behind the device, the weight of it containing it to her palm.
She was sure this was a manual... They would have to give them a manual for this, right? They wouldn't give them empty paper and make them wander around blindly without knowing what these things are... right?
She clicked the flashlight on and aimed it at the paper.
There were, as Yumiko said, two dots next to one another, and a few further away. Yukiko looked up from her friend and to the device, back and forth for a bit before settling on the device again. She had a few ideas as to what that could be, but she wanted to be certain.
Yukiko quickly crouched down and dove back into her bag, rummaging past the supplies they had given to her until she found what she wanted.
She stood back up, flashlight in her left hand while holding out to Yumiko so she could see.
"I-I think this is the manual for it. Can you see what it is?" It was plastered behind the device, the weight of it containing it to her palm.
She was sure this was a manual... They would have to give them a manual for this, right? They wouldn't give them empty paper and make them wander around blindly without knowing what these things are... right?
She clicked the flashlight on and aimed it at the paper.
Oh no.
Ohhh no oh no oh no.
That was actually the worst thing that could happen in response to her already bad thing (though if she thought it there was an even worse thing but she was not going to think about that, nope uh uh, oh crap she was thinking about it oh god).
"I don't have a weapon! Or, well, not saying I didn't, I just- it's not a very, um. The weapon isn't a weapon it's just a thing that-"
Kaori's eyes darted around franctically. No idol coming down from the sky to airlift her out.
her babbling stuttered to a stop. "LOOK OVER THERE!"
She spun around, stumbled in the sand, and then got up and ran ran ran.
Ohhh no oh no oh no.
That was actually the worst thing that could happen in response to her already bad thing (though if she thought it there was an even worse thing but she was not going to think about that, nope uh uh, oh crap she was thinking about it oh god).
"I don't have a weapon! Or, well, not saying I didn't, I just- it's not a very, um. The weapon isn't a weapon it's just a thing that-"
Kaori's eyes darted around franctically. No idol coming down from the sky to airlift her out.
her babbling stuttered to a stop. "LOOK OVER THERE!"
She spun around, stumbled in the sand, and then got up and ran ran ran.