Mmm. Rise said it was all voluntary. They had announcement kind of like ours, too. I guess those announcements were incentives for people to lash out and kill each other. Because they thought it was "right."
[Akira glances over at Ash as he speaks. they're walking through the hallway now, though he stops in front of the door that Rise told him about earlier. the red one]
She also said. . . if we want to find a way out of here, we should check out this door.
[and he lifts his fingers up to his eye in a 👌 motion]
[ Ash’s hand drops where he was trying to look at the door when the memory starts — a whole mess of colour and action has taken over what he was looking at and wow that’s a lot to adjust to.
And it’s a lot to take in? Like... a lot. He has no idea what’s happening, but the brutality at the end? Yeah that’s universal. Position of power and the freedom to abuse it. That isn’t new, not where he’s from.
When the memory seems to fade out, and come to an end, he opens his mouth to say something in response and— well. Sometimes life is a bitch. In this case especially. Because like a film rolling, another memory starts up (5:02 - 7:58). And out of context it might not make sense in the same way Akira’s memory means little to him but eventually, as the Ash in the memory keeps talking things, words and phrases will all make sense, even without the context. And the desperation is likely a universal feeling.
[it's true. . . out of context? Ash's memory doesn't make sense at all, because the actions he sees taken by his friend in that memory are so completely opposite of what he knows about his fellow captive so far]
[when the memory ends, when the gunshot echoes in Akira's mind like a bullet shot in a chamber, he jerks back, eyes wide. . . and stares]
[ ... Ash just closes his eyes, before shaking his head sharply. ]
...
[ He's not exactly sure what to say or how to describe it? Because it was... a lot. He knows that there was something spurring him on, like the voice in his head that wasn't his but he could never quite place and years and years of unresolved, unforgotten anger and loss that has just swirled up inside of him. ]
[the silence is telling, and for a moment, Akira debates on staying quiet himself. and while he normally doesn't press? this time, he has to make an exception]
What. . .
. . . what was that?
[other than an attempted assassination!! but in the memory, Akira could feel that voice. something distinctly not Ash had been pushing him forward. and that is far more concerning than the attempted assassination itself]
[ his voice is very short, and his sentence clipped. This mansion is going to give him grey hairs and it was bad enough before it started plastering his past and his secrets in public for all to see.
How do you explain something you don’t understand anyway? ]
[Akira opens his mouth to respond, but. . . nothing comes out. because Ash is right, isn't he? and wasn't that the same advice Akira had given Isaac way back when they first arrived??]
[. . .]
[his mouth clicks shut, lips curving into a concerned frown]
You must hate it.
[he eventually says]
Being in limbo like this. Not. . . knowing what's going to happen next.
Couple of noble bigwigs needed an excuse to invade this little Kingdom to the south of Erebonia. So they picked a little village small enough that no one'd miss it, gave some hired thugs a bunch of Liberlian weaponry and told them to leave no survivors.
'Course they messed that one up, but I guess that's my luck versus theirs.
Rank. Money. Prestige? Probably some fear as well, they couldn't buy their ranks anymore with regular folk climbing up the military ranks on actually skill and talent.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ oh he doesn’t like the idea of people he could know being here. ]
They’ve never been secretive about this not being the first time this has happened, but it’s weird having visual confirmation of it.
Cobbler said this is the first time monsters have been involved with the guests. Wonder what happened to drive all these others to kill each other...?
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[Akira glances over at Ash as he speaks. they're walking through the hallway now, though he stops in front of the door that Rise told him about earlier. the red one]
She also said. . . if we want to find a way out of here, we should check out this door.
[and he lifts his fingers up to his eye in a 👌 motion]
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[ ash does one better and tugs his pendant off completely. ] You spoke to her — maybe something she said might be backed up by something you see.
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[a huff, lightly amused and 100% tired, and Akira reaches out to drop his hand on Ash's shoulder]
[was Ash going to check the door? because, like. as soon as Akira touches him, he gets a memory. 5:34 to 14:44! a pretty standard heist in a casino. . . followed by a less-than-standard, absolutely downright awful interrogation]
[ENJOY THAT, FRIEND]
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And it’s a lot to take in? Like... a lot. He has no idea what’s happening, but the brutality at the end? Yeah that’s universal. Position of power and the freedom to abuse it. That isn’t new, not where he’s from.
When the memory seems to fade out, and come to an end, he opens his mouth to say something in response and— well. Sometimes life is a bitch. In this case especially. Because like a film rolling, another memory starts up (5:02 - 7:58). And out of context it might not make sense in the same way Akira’s memory means little to him but eventually, as the Ash in the memory keeps talking things, words and phrases will all make sense, even without the context. And the desperation is likely a universal feeling.
(Hi Al. Welcome to the end of ToCS3: Chapter 4) ]
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[it's true. . . out of context? Ash's memory doesn't make sense at all, because the actions he sees taken by his friend in that memory are so completely opposite of what he knows about his fellow captive so far]
[when the memory ends, when the gunshot echoes in Akira's mind like a bullet shot in a chamber, he jerks back, eyes wide. . . and stares]
. . . Ash?
[his voice is breathless and very, very confused]
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[ ... Ash just closes his eyes, before shaking his head sharply. ]
...
[ He's not exactly sure what to say or how to describe it? Because it was... a lot. He knows that there was something spurring him on, like the voice in his head that wasn't his but he could never quite place and years and years of unresolved, unforgotten anger and loss that has just swirled up inside of him. ]
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What. . .
. . . what was that?
[other than an attempted assassination!! but in the memory, Akira could feel that voice. something distinctly not Ash had been pushing him forward. and that is far more concerning than the attempted assassination itself]
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[ his voice is very short, and his sentence clipped. This mansion is going to give him grey hairs and it was bad enough before it started plastering his past and his secrets in public for all to see.
How do you explain something you don’t understand anyway? ]
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That wasn't you.
[Akira's expression morphs from shock and surprise to something stony]
There was something. . . someone. . . else there. I could feel it.
[something that was distinctly not Ash. something pushing him forward. but does Ash even know what that was. . .?]
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Tell that to the people who'll probably be arresting me seconds after I pulled the trigger.
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Is that the last thing you remember before coming here. . .?
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[ He snaps his fingers. ]
Bang, it all goes dark, and then I'm in a fancy suit being told I RSVPed to some fancy shindig weeks ago.
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[yeah. that's it. that's all he can say. that's all he knows to say]
Ash. . .
[he has to have so many unanswered questions]
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It's not like I can do anything about it here. Don't lose sleep over it.
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[. . .]
[his mouth clicks shut, lips curving into a concerned frown]
You must hate it.
[he eventually says]
Being in limbo like this. Not. . . knowing what's going to happen next.
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[ It's a 50/50 chance, and y'know. People keep dying here. It's a bit more pressing. ]
I'll figure it out if I get back home.
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[. . .]
[so. . . he'll ask about something else]
Hamel.
[something that seemed like a sensitive topic, so he wouldn't blame Ash if he refused to answer. but he has to at least try, right?]
Can you at least tell me what Hamel is?
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He's gonna keep being asked about this for like. Ever. ]
My hometown. By definition of birth, if anything.
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. . . what happened to Hamel?
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I want the truth.
[he doesn't care about the "official" report because he gets the feeling it'd be nothing but a giant lie]
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Couple of noble bigwigs needed an excuse to invade this little Kingdom to the south of Erebonia. So they picked a little village small enough that no one'd miss it, gave some hired thugs a bunch of Liberlian weaponry and told them to leave no survivors.
'Course they messed that one up, but I guess that's my luck versus theirs.
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Shit.
[he hisses between his teeth, gaze narrowing]
How could they-- what the hell?! How could they do something so cruel--!
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So. Military conquest it was.
[ That's the story as he knows it. ]
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