Week 5

[airlockedmods]

Week 5

[In a tragic yet seemingly inevitable turn of fate, the Champions have lost Zombina this week. OsoKaramatsu and Korra, too, are gone, both having fallen in their attempts to help their fellow Champions out of terrible circumstances.

Again, the Champions will find themselves experiencing strange dreams on Sunday night, until they're awakened by C.E.C.E.'s announcement. This is all starting to become routine.]

Congratulations, Champions! By surviving your third trial, you have unlocked the fourth floor of the ship. A new mini map has been added to your P.I.P.!

[The trash compactor is completely shiny and new again. In addition, the profiles on the P.I.P.s still inticate that Karamatsu is dead. Because of course he is, right?

Fuck you.]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday



(( Welcome to Week 5! Don't forget to check in and submit your memory regains! Turn in your benefactor threads for sweet loot, too! ))

Comments

[karappo]

[Karamatsu flinches, but it's easily missed.]

...no, I do not plan on making any more promises that I cannot keep.

[But there is one he won't let go.

"I promise to do nothing else to jeopardize our safety as a group."]

[playthedamncard]

Prompto wanted me to look out for him. And then Zombina, too. And now this? Why'd I listen? They're dead. Why should I care? He's not my brother, none of them are my brother. [He makes a move to his chest, but there's nothing there, because dumbass took everything off. There's a half-second of panic.] I didn't make any promises to them.

[karappo]

Kaiba-san.

[Karamatsu stresses, gently, when he sees him starting to get a little panicked. He leans a little closer.]

Just because they are gone does not make you caring invalid. And it does not mean that it is at all your fault, or that what happened to them could have been prevented.

[Even what happened to Zombina...how much longer would she have lived?]

[playthedamncard]

[He presses his hand to his eye and takes a couple breaths.] What's the point of caring and opening up when it just hurts you in the end?

[karappo]

It does hurt, yes...but would you not rather have cared than not had the chance to build that relationship in the first place? Otherwise...you would have had nothing at all.

[playthedamncard]

I care about my brother and I care about me. I...can't care about anyone else. I don't want to.

...I-I left my things in the cafe--stuff I wore I didn't want getting us caught or caught in anything. Don't let anyone take my things.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu knows better than to argue with Kaiba on that front. The boy is hurting, even if he doesn't want to say as much.]

I can collect them for you, if you would like. I will make sure no one takes them.

[playthedamncard]

Please? That would...I'd like that. Yeah.

...Hey, I'm--I'm sorry. For the vote. I know it didn't mean anything in the end, but I shouldn't have pushed it.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu shakes his head no.]

It is alright, Kaiba-san. I did not expect different from you, or any of you. ...if anything, you were just trying to help.

[He looks elsewhere for a moment.]

I believe you would have understood what that felt like more than anyone else.

[playthedamncard]

My brother's been kidnapped more than I wanna say. You wouldn't think--you wouldn't think I'm that important, but he and I get threatened a lot. If I ever lost him--

...It's what big brothers do.

[karappo]

[That gets his expression to soften.]

He is very lucky to have you, Kaiba-san.

[playthedamncard]

You think so? I try. I've been trying for a long time. But if I don't make it back, he should be...set up for life.

[karappo]

Of course I do. Not many children out there can say the same about their brothers. It is obvious that you care about him quite a lot.

[playthedamncard]

I've had to do things I'm not always proud of. Had things done to me. So he'd have a good life. But I regret very little of it.

...Do you think-- [He mulls whatever he's about to say over, staring up at the ceiling.] Do you think when we vote, the executions. That counts as taking a life, doesn't it? To have a hand in killing someone.

Sometimes people deserve it. But this is different. I don't want him to see me as a murderer. I don't know what I'll tell him.

[karappo]

Oh...non non, that...I would not say that makes you a murderer. There is a difference when you intend it, and when you are being forced to choose between your life and someone else's.

I think your brother would understand. This is not a situation most would have to suffer through, after all.

[playthedamncard]

...Good. Good, yeah, I like that. Makes sense. Logical.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu watches Kaiba carefully, a touch concerned. Sounds like he's pretty well into his current dose of pain medication.]

Is there anything I can get for you by the way, Kaiba-san? I have nowhere to be today.

[playthedamncard]

Just--my things would be nice. My locket. My cards. Everything else's nego--[no, wait, Kara is not allowed to have the coat, and like fuck is he letting anyone touch the Puzzle] Just put my stuff at the end of the bed.

And coffee.

And a shower.

And a win.

[karappo]

[Karamatsu sighs through his nose, nodding.]

I will bring everything. Coffee, as well...assuming you can have that with the, ah, medicine you have been taking.

[He doesn't know, he's not a doctor.]

Let one of us know when you think you feel like trying to stand, and you can have your shower too.

[playthedamncard]

........Decaf. [But he makes a face.] I'm so off my head I won't be able to tell the difference anyway, huh.

[karappo]

Alright. I will be right back.

[Karamatsu slips out of the Infirmary, and he returns in what probably feels like only minutes to Kaiba. His arms are filled with his things that he carefully places at the foot of his bed, his hand carefully balancing a mug of coffee. It's not the best in the world since Karamatsu doesn't make nor drink it normally, but it's coffee.

He holds it tentatively for a moment.]

Think you can hold this alright?

[playthedamncard]

Oh wow. You actually did that. For me. ...Wow. [sorry the coffee is forgotten for a moment because this is the important thing right now.]

[karappo]

[Karamatsu raises a brow, waiting patiently as far as holding the coffee goes.]

Well of course. I said I would, non?

[playthedamncard]

Just 'cause I asked. You didn't have to. You don't have to be nice to me.

[karappo]

I do not, no...but seeing how you have been severely injured in pursuing someone I can truly say I hate, then I have full intentions to be nice to you from now on. Even before then...there is no sense in any of us not being kind to one another, at this point.