☆ WELCOME TO HELL, YE POOR SOULS.

[raisingproject]

Magical Girl Raising Project

Graveyard

The last thing you remember is dying. Whether it's by murder or execution, that's was all it. But surprisingly enough, you wake up in the hotel room that you were assigned in, as if you had never died to begin with. However, once you walk right outside, you'll start noticing that while this is the Town A you remember, there are some slight differences that you notice.

The first thing is the fact that while you can see those who are still alive, they simply cannot see you. In fact, they pass through you, as if you were a ghost. And spoilers: you kind of are one, now. The second thing is that sometimes, if you look at a building for too long or too closely, you'll notice that it fizzles a bit, almost glitchy.

But that's completely fine, isn't it? There is, however, one more thing to keep in mind: there are voices of other people, mumuring. Of course, these other people, unlike you, don't have a complete shape; they're just a silhouette of themselves, looking like static.

However: it wouldn't be Town A without an announcement, would it? Of course not. Hence why upon rearriving, there will be a message, typed out:

Welcome to the afterlife, everyone. This is a greeting message to introduce you to how exactly this works. You have the ability to send one message to the living a week, so choose your words wisely. Of course, there are limitations to what you can say! You cannot reveal the mastermind's true identity, even if you know it. You cannot reveal a culprit or a victim, even if you know it.

Also, all messages will be sent to all players during the trials. If there is no trial, the message shall be sent on Saturday. You may investigate as you wish. If you have any questions to ask of me, please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

---

Comments

[hawthorned]

[Until Monday... meaning:] .... Kaine.

[That's a look of obvious surprise; for so many weeks she'd been certain it was Szayel.... and for so many weeks she hadn't cared that Szayel might've killed Eliza because Szayel was better company than most. And to think that Kaine had yelled at her for accusing him during the trial and then lectured her over dinner....

Feeling genuinely amused, she dissolves into giggles between words. The pointlessness of the truth only seems to make the fact even funnier.]

For all of his talk....letting One take the fall.....all so he could wish upon a star...

[What a singleminded simpleton.]

[telecosmetic]

...it's not really funny. [Eliza just...stares. This doesn't really seem like the "hysterical laughter" she's heard about.] He...wanted to protect someone back home. And she wasn't his hostage, so maybe it worked...

[She pauses.] I still punched him, though. [Or maybe she just tried to. Who knows, that thread is still in limbo.]

[hawthorned]

[The transformation makes her take a step back in reflex - it's hard not to view the action as a threat because of how frivolous it seemed. But that step back is all Hinata gets as Dahlia's fairly determined not to be intimidated. That's just the thing about dying, there's so few things that can hurt. Or so she thinks. She looks him dead in the eyes as he speaks.

She doesn't say what she's thinking this time, but there's a coldness in her own eyes that might as well spell it out. Oh now you're making excuses for poor, murderous Zange, are you? Is there no limit to how low one person can sink? More tactfully, she simply replies:]

If you're suggesting that the traitor has to win in order to end the game, then this cycle's already lost, isn't it? Joshua Bright is dead and Zange is the created the motive that led to his execution.

[Ah but there's obviously more to it, if they can still "make a difference" - whatever the hell that means.]

What's the reason to think otherwise?

[hawthorned]

Oh, don't mind me, Miss Eliza.... I don't expect you to share my sense of humor.

See? [She'll point at the heart that her corpse is holding onto here.] I can even see how that'd be very funny to my killer, even though...experiencing it was... shall I say, less than pleasant.

[She shakes her head and straightens up though, all giggling now done.]

But if you ask me, he deserves much more than a punch.... and if he has any shred of decency, he'd know that, too.

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza's just going to...quickly glance at it to confirm that yup, that's her heart there. She's honestly been focusing more on messing with Szayel during all this.]

...I don't think there's any way it could be pleasant.

[She blinks a few times at Dahlia's comment.] Well...he already got sliced up by that serial killer. And...I can understand him wanting to protect someone more than anything else. [Isn't she biased as well, after all?]

[raisingproject]

[Unlike before, there is no reaction from him at her emotions at all. He closes his eyes.]

The traitor's win condition is being the only one left when the game ends. It has always ended in failure. [He turns away from her to stare out over the town, hands at his sides.]

His reason for being a traitor is kept to himself as mine was. The executions always expose them. Should the traitor not be discovered and murdered.

[He starts walking away towards the bridge on whatever path he'd decided on. His tone is matter of fact, but has an utter lack of interest, the complete opposite of before.] You have it correct that one way is theorized to end the game. It will not.

[hawthorned]

[Stated with pure indifference.] He did, yes. So what? Just because he died terribly and you find him relatable, that automatically entitles him to your sympathy?

[A beat and a subject change. She just realized how much she doesn't really care about Eliza's perspective on this subject.]

Well, that's your prerogative. For now it seems as though we all have to cooperate more anyway.

[telecosmetic]

...that's mostly why people feel sympathy in the first place, isn't it? [She seems...kind of confused by this new side of Dahlia.]

[She just nods quickly at the second comment.] I guess so...Hinata suggested we might be better at locating the areas along the boundary for the ritual.

[theotherother]

My brother was a hostage. That's why I wasn't worried. He can take care of himself.

[...actually...]

Better than I can at any rate.

[hawthorned]

Is it? [She laughs and waves her hand dismissively.]

In any case, you're aware that this information about the ritual comes from Miss Zange, aren't you? [And yeah,that is unmistakable contempt when she says that girl's name.] Do you really trust her of all people?

[telecosmetic]

She wants to end this too! [Eliza sounds somewhat indignant.] She's being forced to run these games, or else her world will be destroyed! And she's been trying to gain enough power from everyone's anger to do it, but she doesn't have enough. So the ritual is her only chance...

1/2

[telecosmetic]

...oh...I see. [She's an only child, but at the same time she feels the bonds she's made her are kind of sibling-like? Who knows. She takes a few more steps towards him, not looking as aggressive anymore, although he might notice her hand is still clenched into a fist.] ...you seemed to be able to take care of yourself pretty well after that. You managed to trick everyone into thinking you were innocent too... [Otherwise she's pretty sure Zack would have killed you.]

2/2

[telecosmetic]

[And then she'll swing her fist again.] And that means Nanami's death is your fault too! And so is Eruna's! [Zack attacked Nanami because he thought Szayel was the killer. Joshua killed because he thought he couldn't trust anyone, because the killer got away.]

[selfloving]

Given they are apparently sustained by a force other than mana--unlike this town--you might get your wish eventually if we want to end this nightmare.

[Dahlia's words, her anger, don't really come as a surprise. Maybe One never knew what type of person she was, alive or dead, but there's no jarring reaction, at least, from her.]

Conveniently, the dead here lose their memories over time. [Her patience with them is often tried, no matter how little of the fault is theirs.] It sounds like there's a book recording a ritual in an area that was recently revealed.

[theotherother]

For the love of...

[He'll just jump and flip forward when he sees that punch coming. Hard not to with her fist staying clenched like that. And being a Spider-Man character, of course he sticks the landing.]

Look, you're pissed, I get that. I don't blame you, and if you want to hit me that's fine, but two things. One, don't fucking blame me for Nanami. It's not my fault Tamamo was a crazy bitch, and Zack's an unstable nutcase.

[He's so nice. But you know, having been an unstable nutcase for a while, he feels like he can pass judgment there. He's not going to say a word about Eruna though. Talking to Josh about that one already did more damage than anything said here about it could.]

Second of all, you want to hit me, that's fine. I know I sure as hell deserve at least that, but there's more important shit to deal with. Everyone on this side's trying to help who's left right? Let's focus on that, and afterwards, do whatever the hell you want.

[selfloving]

By all means, continue to flagellate yourself.

[Not today, scarlet satan. She has no interest in listening to him condemn himself like he's kicking his own sadness around, like he's the only one who tried to protect and failed.]

You got what you wanted, so I don't want to hear that you hate yourself now because it wasn't the right person. [The right people. One comes out of her kneel slowly, standing, though he still towers over her. There's no violent intent in her stance.]

You either want me to say, "No, you did what you thought was right," or "Yes, you are garbage."

[theotherother]

[He's not even going to dignify that with a response because he definitely will. Everyone hope there's no ghost bar because he will go drown his sorrows and never leave.]

I'd think you lost your mind if you said that first one.

[No one ever thinks anything like this is right. Even Kaine doesn't really think it was the right move, just the only thing he could think to do at the time.]

The second one though, I'd understand. If anybody deserves to be more pissed off about this than Eliza, it's you.

[Because that makes sense to him.]

[selfloving]

Shut up! I'm not going to say either and give you the satisfaction. [From her tone of voice, it's definitely not just because she's feeling magnanimous. 'Garbage' probably wouldn't be her word of choice...But. He's not a child and doesn't need to be coddled into his pain. She thinks of Eliza, shrugs dismissively.] Her reasons are her own. At least she died for the sake of protecting someone else.

Protecting just one person... [Her voice lowers.] How wasteful. [Is One talking about Eliza's motivations or Kaine's?]

[telecosmetic]

[Man, that was the worst way he could have phrased that. Eliza's going to turn around and keep swinging at that, after her fist probably hits the tree first.] Don't talk about my friends that way! Besides, Tamamo and Joshua already let me hit them! So why can't you just let me do the same?

[selfloving]

Of course it is. [That could be a response to literally anything Zange's said, and might actually be.]

If my assumption that the hunter is a "magical girl" themselves is correct, then logically mind-reading would be their one power.

Would you sacrifice one mind if the other would remain?

[hawthorned]

[The indignation is a little predictable from Eliza, truth be told. Dahlia merely smiles.]

I'm sure she's painted a pretty picture of herself as a martyr, weaving and spinning sweet stories to help make it easier for her to fall asleep at night while other people bleed because of her. ... Ah, what's that phrase again...."cry me a river?"

[A giggle.]

You want to know something curious, Miss Eliza? In history, the most malicious villains are the ones who believe they're the heroes. There's no phrase more deranged than "I have to do this for the greater good."

[selfloving]

If he cooperates with us at all. [Joshua's willingness to throw himself into the hangman's noose does not inspire One with any particular confidence.]

You've got some of yourself back, so don't waste it uselessly dwelling on the role of the traitor. How long until we lose our memories?

[telecosmetic]

She's not even fully in control of this whole thing! Fav has been giving out motives without her input as well! [Eliza stomps her foot, which is kind of childish, but she doesn't really care.] Besides, the other ghosts have been here longer than us, and they also agree this is the best way. I'm sure some of them would have figured it out if she was lying for so long!

Thursday

[breakingthrough]

[...well then. Edna wakes up in her room and at first it feels like everything's the same. Or more precisely that the last few hours were a dream. The Observatory is far behind her-- it's like she was never there. But she knew better. She'd fought for her life but it wasn't enough. The proof was in the way the view around her glitches every so often.

She wanders from her room and slowly begins to walk through the town. If she's honest, she's looking for the others... at least... the ones that she might be able to see now. The others...
she's not sure how much she can do for them now.

Eventually she also takes a look in the observatory.

...that sure is her own body. But all she says is--] They really smashed it good, didn't they?

[She's upset about the guitar more than herself. Although... she's frustrated.]

Even though I said I'd try to make it...

[crossingout]

It's too bad you didn't.

[Well, Zange didn't want to come here, but she's here anyway. Not like she has anything to do outside of the meetings and the whole border thing.]

I was honestly hoping that you'd help end this game for good.