Week 5

[airlockedmods]

[As with the weeks before, life in the Fantasy Sweet returns to something resembling normalcy with shocking efficiency. The second floor rest area and Adventure Zone Death Orb Room are spotless again, the demon glitter has been vacuumed, the deflated orbs have been replaced. It's like none of it ever happened, like three more friends aren't dead and stored away in the guest house morgue.

There's a new floor to explore, their "reward" for a job well done.]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday



[ooc: Don't forget to to turn in your activity for week 4, submit your memory regains and put in your threads for the Benefactors!]

Comments

[buddyoldpal]

[ This weekend isn't being so good to Nishitani. He's not one to handle loss well, he'd rather do something to stop it, or better yet, had some part in the job itself. Losing someone he cared about... well, that just doesn't happen. He isn't supposed to care about civilians, right? If it had just been Roland, it'd be one thing. But Saturday night brought its own share of memories.

"Nishitani... run."

Billiken's voice is pained as he faces him. His old man had no right to look at him like that. How could he be so stupid? Did theh really think he was safe in jail? Did he really think money would be enough?

There's another shot. The asshole with the gun has the gall to look scared. He should be. Except he's the one holding the gun and blubbering about his daughter or whatever shit he used to justify betraying them both.

"Nishitani!"

Nishitani wakes with a shout, the memory of Billiken's body hitting the floor, the sound of gunshots ringing in his ears. He rises suddenly, shaking and panting for reasons he'd really not prefer. (The preferred reason is sex, obviously.) Uh, oh yeah, Queenie is here, maybe she can. Help with that. Because Nishitani's never actually been this scared ever, and it's really, really strange. ]

[ Okay but later in the day Nishitani will actually have left his room. He's made his way to the garden, or he's looking at it anyway, like he isn't really sure what's what or if he's allowed any closer. Thankfully the Benefactors gifted him a lighter, so this time he's properly smoking his packet of cigarettes, though one has to wonder if he isn't gonna be running out soon...

Should you walk over to him, well, he's not exactly his usual cheery self. ]

So, do ya think this is hell or what?

[goteachother]

[There's one horrible moment where all she remembers is the chaos of the Blind Pig, Gnarlak hitting the floor, aurors and criminals apparating all around her. The disapparation shield must not be up yet and they need to go, they need to leave, to get out before-

Tani jerks awake beside her and she gasps softly, fingers clutching his arm but it's not his name on her lips, in that brief moment between waking and dreaming.]

Jacob?!

[And then her mind catches up with the onslaught of memories and she frowns, hating the gaps that she can feel in her mind but knowing they'll fill in eventually. For now she has to worry about the man beside her, not Jacob, not anymore, or yet? She's not even sure.

She's used to waking up to casual kisses in Tani's bed, or wandering hands. Not this. One delicate hand smooths up his back and she shifts up onto one elbow.]

Tani? Sweetheart? [His breathing is so harsh and it scares her, makes her sit up the rest of the way and lean against his side.]

You're okay... [It's meant to be soothing.]

[buddyoldpal]

[ The memories are real, that's the worst part. Every fear he has, but he can still feel the words on his lips, still see his father-figure's body when he closes his eyes. It's fucking horrifying.

He starts to laugh, a bit panicked. Queenie's hand on his back is helping, but he's still not over what he saw. ]

Maybe this is why guys in the life don't fuckin' have families, fuck.

[goteachother]

[After the last two weeks she's heard more than her share of panicked laughter, the kind the teeters on the edge of hysteria. It's unsettling coming from him when he's been so steady all this time.]

Shhh [A kiss to his shoulder.] It's gonna be okay, sweetheart.

[She leans into him, takes a deep breath, steadies herself. It's jarring, jumping from... all of that. To this.]

You can talk to me.

[buddyoldpal]

[ He might ask her what's wrong when he has more time to think about her, but right now he's still processing what he saw, what he remembered. It didn't make much sense out of context, except... ]

Just. I, fucking... [ He takes a deep breath. Or tries, anyway. Really, he's laughing because the alternative here is to cry. He can't just fucking cry. ] My old man. Uncle B, he was... he got fucking shot because o' me.

[goteachother]

[Her breath hitches and she breathes out a soft "oh". Then she's shoving the blankets out of the way enough that she can turn to kneel over his lap, taking his face in her hands and just stroking her thumb over his cheek.]

Tani... I'm so sorry. [This is probably not going to help him with the not crying thing but she pulls him in against her, arms around him, kissing his hair.]

You can't blame yourself. [Not because it couldn't have been his fault but because it will kill him.]

[buddyoldpal]

[ Yeah, it's not. Has anyone ever been there for him like this? Besides Billiken, besides... no, that was it. ]

He's all I have. Fuck. Had.

[ His laughter is dying down now, which of course means he might start crying soon. But yakuza don't cry. He doesn't cry but he can hold her just as tightly. ]

If I could just-- I'd kill the fucker who did this, but. [ He chokes on the words. ] I'm fucked, Queenie-chan. Some no-name asshole with a gun fucking shot my old man... They paid him. That motherfucker Shibusawa must've... just ta keep me quiet after I fuckin'--

[ Definitely not not crying, ah well. He's angry more than anything (no, he's actually very sad.) He feels powerless. He was powerless. It's all way more than he wants to deal with now and he holds her tight because she's all he has right now. ]

[goteachother]

[He cries and she holds him, fingers carding through his hair, gentle and soothing. What can she really say to make any of this okay. There's nothing she can say that will make this better but she tries anyway. Soothing nonsense that is less about the words and more about the tone.]

You ain' alone, sweetheart. Not anymore, not here. I've got you.

[Light kisses to his hair and she sways a little, trying to be comforting.]

I'm so sorry Tani. I'm so sorry. He deserved better. [She actually knows nothing about the man but if he's this close to him then he must have deserved better than getting shot by some no-name scumbag.]

[buddyoldpal]

He was there fer me. Without him... I woulda been dead years ago. Or rottin' in jail, who the fuck knows.

[ I mean, yes, there's definitely a unique relationship going on when you're a criminal and your father is a cop but maybe that's a story for another day. Nishitani shakes his head, willing the tears to stop. It's stupid. But also... if it'd been someone in his family, he wouldn't be nearly this upset. ]

He was a detective, he was s'posed ta be safe. What the fuck kind of shit cop shoots a fuckin' detective in the fuckin' precinct? Fuck. [ He sniffles as he inhales. Don't tell anyone, this is embarrassing. ] Everything's so fucked, Queenie-chan...

[goteachother]

[She won't breathe a word of this to anyone. If nothing else she understands how important his reputation is to him. His name is all he really has here, no family to back him up, no weapons. She can understand that. It's the only reason he didn't break down crying over Roland, she figures.

She'd done enough crying for both of them.]

Morgana... [In the precinct? Goodness that's hard to imagine.]

If he was that shitty of a cop at least you know he isn't going to get away with it. Maybe next week you'll find out more? Get... Know that there was justice for him if nothing else.

[She can only pray she's right.]

[buddyoldpal]

[ That's for sure. A guy like him can't just cry around anyone. Hell, he even prefers to keep the rest of his shit from going public, too many emotions are a liability and he didn't make it to the top of his own family by being weak.

He shakes his head. Strangely, this part is enough to stop his tears. This part is easier somehow? ]

That's the thing, sweetheart. Shit ain't lookin' good fer me, as far as I remember. [ He probably doesn't have to say any more, but after what Roland had said, it's not too strange a leap to make. ] I'm pretty sure I'm fuckin' dead.

[goteachother]

[She freezes, fingers curling tightly in his hair, eyes wide, even her breath catches in her chest. For one horrifying moment all she can do is stare down at him.]

O-oh.... no.

[It's barely audible and even then her voice shakes and her lashes grow damp.]

Tani... [What can she possibly say to make any of this better? How can you apologize for that? She has no idea what to say, what could possibly convey how sorry she is that he has to hurt like this.

So she lets her other hand come up to his face again, leaning down to kiss him, gentle but insistent, trying to put the emotion she doesn't have words for into the kiss.]

[buddyoldpal]

[ It might be stupid, but it helps knowing she's so hurt by the news. There's probably something a little wrong with Nishitani because the thought of his own death didn't bother him nearly enough, but seeing Queenie upset is both surprising and grounding for him. None of the girls back home cared for him like this. The Kijin Clan would be shocked, but it would come as no surprise. Only the people here, or perhaps Majima back home, were foolish enough to get attached to someone as vile as him.

He pulls her close and kisses back. He's not that great at conveying more than excitement or comfort through his kisses but he's got words for that. ]

Thanks, doll. [ He pulls back just a little. Maybe he's gained something here that he didn't have back home. ] Ya don't gotta get so sad over me, y'know.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Could be purgatory, and we're all wandering spirits trying to find rest. Pretty sure I've seen that show. [The other Champions are obviously from the tail section of the plane. Because nobody cares about them.

Church stands close enough to have conversation, far enough away to not feel like he's intruding on personal space--if...that's even a thing Nishitani has--or to get massive facefuls of smoke.]

[buddyoldpal]

[ Yeah, personal space... he's not huge on it. But smoking? Totally. Biggest downside is not having people to light his cigarettes, honestly. He takes a drag and exhales. Ah, this shit is so bad for you why do all yakuza smoke. ]

Hah. Yeah, it sure sounds like a fuckin' movie or some shit. Wouldn't surprise me.

[motherfucking_ghost]

[Because we're all gonna die someday, it might as well be on your terms?]

I used to think where I was before, Blood Gulch, that that was hell. But like, metaphorical hell. I dunno, Judaism doesn't have a lot of emphasis on the afterlife idea, and I never really cared, and being dead's kinda complicated that a bit.

[buddyoldpal]

[ Hell yeah, you get it, Church. ]

Yeah, I ain't what ya call religious. I drop my coins at shrines and shit but the only gods us yakuza got tend ta be money and power.

[ He shakes his head. ]

Neve really cared what happened ta me after I died, but if this shit is it then I know what hell fuckin' looks like.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Hell is a bunch of assholes trapped in the most confusing mansion layout ever while an omnipresent, pseudo-omnipotent being forces their hands for the sake of entertainment?

Good a definition of it as any to be fucking honest.

[buddyoldpal]

That's what I was fuckin' thinkin'.

[ He takes another long drag of his cigarette. He is so... not with it rn. ]

Least there's booze.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Only hell could come up with a ghost pepper vodka. It all makes sense now. We're all shitfucks being condemned because we were all terrible at some point. Some of us more terrible than others. [Excuse there are several people who really do not belong in any kind of hell???]

[buddyoldpal]

Yep. Whoever's decidin' on punishments is one sadistic fucker, stickin' us with girls like Clarith-chan and Yuuri-chan, but I don't pretend ta make the rules, so who the fuck knows?

[ Yes, hell is definitely other people, a murder mansion, and weekly parties at the karaoke bar. ]

[motherfucking_ghost]

Maybe they'll get out the other side. Something something rebirth or some kind of heavenly construct. [shrug idk bro???] Or we'll just be stuck in the crazy far future up shit creek without a paddle.

[buddyoldpal]

Roland said somethin' like that. His place was all about death and rebirth and that shit.

[ More shrugs though!! Yeah, who the fuck knows?? ]

Doubt shit's that nice here. We're pretty much fucked, it ain't like that fuckin' PAL's got any damn reason ta put an end ta his little game.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Unless we figure something out. Which we've been saying since the takeover, basically. It fucking sucks. Which is the understatement of, like, several centuries.

[buddyoldpal]

Yep. It's fuckin' hell alright.

[ He takes another drag of his cigarette. ]

We're gonna die here, Church-chan. Most of us fucks are already dead, and we're gonna die again. [ Another shrug. ] Can't say I don't deserve it but shit, this fuckin' sucks.