☆ 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

[partyleader]

[She wakes up with a scream volting out of her throat.

For a long time, Nanami sits up on her bed, breathing hard. It takes a long time for her to realize that she is in her room, as well as the fact that she's no longer in pain. Her head is not smashed in and there are no broken mirror shards in her flesh. Finally, she releases a shaky sigh into her hands.

She should have expected that it would be a trap. She doesn't blame anyone involved - not for killing her the first time or the second. All of them just wanted to go home; Nanami can't blame them for that, even if they hurt her. But betrayal is still betrayal, and even if she doesn't blame or hate them, there's a relentless pain that stabs at her heart.

Eventually she'll wander out of her room. She doesn't know why she's back at the inn, but... She supposes there's no point in questioning it now. When Nanami sees some of the people she knows exiting the inn, something hopeful leaps in her chest, but it quickly sinks - no matter how she tries to call out to them, they don't hear her. And when she tries to touch Recette's arm, her hands passes through. Like she's a ghost or something.

...That is what she is now, huh?

Nanami's hands clutch her sleeves. She's... all alone now, isn't she?

All alone again.

Like before. When there were none of the friends she made here. Before her classmates. Before Yukizome. Before Hinata.

Just her and her games. And now she doesn't even have that anymore. Nothing to take away that empty feeling of not having friends.

...Being dead is worse than being killed.]

[crossingout]

[ One of the few that's still in the inn is Zange, who immediately sees Nanami as she's walking past. Most of the others are out by now, investigating, while Zange herself is... here. ]

If you want to talk a bit, my room is open for you, Nanami-san.

[ Her voice is lowered and polite; instead of calling her Chiaki-chan like she always did, she goes back to something more formal. ]

You saw my message, didn't you?

[partyleader]

...Zange-san? You can see me, and hear me? [Her eyes are wide as she takes in the other girl. Nanami's surprise is still painting her features, but she'll give her head a slight shake.] You can call me Chiaki if you want to. You don't have to change now.

And... You mean the one about sending messages to... to the living? [She waves her phone a bit.] I finished it just before you came...

[crossingout]

[ Zange nods, quiet. ]

Follow me to my room. I don't want people thinking I'm crazy for talking to ghosts. The investigation has already started, but I want to be careful.

[partyleader]

Okay. [Nanami follows after her, curious but not second guessing too much. The fact that she's here at all even though she's dead... There are already enough strange things at work here.] That investigation... It's for me, right? Someone out there will go the dollhouse and...

[Find my dead body, is what goes unsaid. Somehow going that extra mile is a little too much for her, still.]

[crossingout]

[ Zange nods, not saying anything more as she leads the way to her bedroom, unlocking it with her phone. She closes it immediately after she's inside, since Nanami can walk through the door anyway.

She then sits on the bed, crossing one leg over the other. ]

So, do you have any questions so far? I'm willing to answer as much as I can. And don't worry, Fav-san can't hear us in here.

[partyleader]

[Sure enough.

Nanami hadn't been certain she would be able to pass through the door, but she was able to. Sort of a weird feeling, but she can't complain about how convenient that is, either.]

I guess... More than anything, I want to know why I'm here after I died. And... also, why you're able to see and talk to me.

[crossingout]

Whenever someone dies, they become a spirit. Simple. And as for the second... I never had my powers taken away.

[partyleader]

[It's... not anything like what Nanami expected. She hadn't really thought much about what would happen after she died, and yet... It doesn't exactly surprise her; it's just unexpected.

But... The powers in themselves weren't a surprise, but the fact that Zange had them is a little unexpected to her.] And that power was... speaking to spirits? Do you know why you still have them?

[raisingproject]

[A hand gently touches her arm. Whenever she looks to the side, Hinata is there. He looks a bit more worn, something in the eyes and his clothes aren't the suit she remembers. But it's still him.]

Hey, let's talk somewhere. ...would the park be okay?

[He takes a slow step back. Static affected shadowy ghosts pass by, staring openly at him before going on their way. One tall girl in a robe lingers before he glances her way and she took departs.]

...we can't exactly relive the past but, this is the best I can do.

[partyleader]

[She looks, and- at first, Nanami tenses, but then all of it unwinds from her body. Something trembles in her chest, and she can't tell whether it feels good or bad.] Hinata... kun...? What are you doing here...?

[There's so many questions she wants to ask. So many worries and concerns, but in the end all that leaves her mouth is] The park is fine. Wherever you want to go.

I just... want to talk to you. [And that trembling has definitely turned into an ache.] I missed you.

[raisingproject]

I missed you too. [He echoes, and motions for her to follow him as he turns away. Without another word he walks but slowly, making sure he can keep her in his sight.]

Over two hundred years ago, I was part of the game here. Me and nineteen others. They're all gone now.

[All devoured. He pauses briefly to nod to a girl passing by with long hair and a sword at her side. 'How?' 'Later. Please.' 'Alright.' As she departs he turns back to her.]

I'm sorry. I tried to stop them. ...but I...I couldn't protect you.

[partyleader]

[She watches his profile as they walk. If she lets her thoughts linger for too long while her eyes are on him, she can still hear that terrible scream from the last trial of that game... Fortunately or unfortunately, his words call her back to the situation at hand.]

...Two hundred years ago? That... It was only a few weeks ago that I saw you! [The distress twists up her expression. Does time work differently here or something...?

But she shakes her head, frowning at him. Under better circumstances it would probably be a pout.] Hey... This isn't your fault. I chose to press that button, and Fav-san and his master are the ones that stuck us here. You don't need to apologize, Hinta-kun. You did what you could.

[raisingproject]

I just wish- [He cuts himself off, and steps into the park. There's a lot he wants to say but it's important to help her understand first. His lips twitch, as if he wants to smile when he spots the fountain. He takes his usual left side of the bench.]

Time doesn't work right here. Or I guess you could say we're outside of our timelines. For you it's been a few weeks, and for me,

[He looks down at his shoes and shuts his eyes, as his hands rest on his thighs.] A very long time. ...I was there when you played the game in the arcade. The whole time.

[partyleader]

[Her breath catches when she sees where he sits. Where they are. Something in her is glad she didn't go here when she was alive; it feels right that when she finally came here, it was with Hinata. Carefully, she takes her seat beside him. Not quite their bench, but it's as good as they can get.]

I guess that... makes sense. Maybe it even explains why everything here looks so broken down. [If it's been two hundred years, no wonder Town A looks like this.

But then her throat goes tight.

He... saw her? Hinata saw her breaking down. Screaming on the floor... Her nails dig into her hands, but it doesn't hurt. Nanami doesn't know if that's because of how much her heart aches or because she's already dead, but she doesn't spare a thought for it. Can't.] I'm sorry... Hinata-kun, I'm sorry, if I'd known I... [Wouldn't have played it while you were there. Would have tried harder to control how I reacted.] It... wasn't real, though, was it?

Dr2 and dr3 spoilers

[raisingproject]

[He stares at his shoes and changes. Long black hair spills out over his back and the edge the bench. He looks over at her with red eyes. He opens his mouth to speak and his voice is fairly close to the one she heard in that last trial.] It's real, Nanami. All of it.

Dr2 and dr3 spoilers

[partyleader]

[The name that she remembers from the game and Hinata's yell echo in her head until, finally, a shaky whisper escapes from her.]

Kamukura... Izuru...

[Nanami is silent for a very long time. She stares at him with wide eyes as her thoughts slow to molasses consistency, knives digging into her chest as she remembers each and every detail of every single murder and execution. All of the pain her friends went through.

When she remembers the epilogue she had pushed through with shaking fingers, Nanami finds her voice again. It is still weak and trembling, but there's an underlying firmness to it.] No... If the ending was true, then you're still Hinata-kun. At heart, you still are. [A sound similar to a laugh leaves her lips, albeit a little broken.] The epilogue... could've been a little better. Not that it was bad. But it left a lot unanswered.

[She's almost afraid of what she asks next.] Do you know what happened to the rest of my... no. The rest of our classmates? Have they woken up from the program? Or what happened to... "this" me, that wasn't an AI, or Sensei?

[telecosmetic]

[Well, Eliza's heard Seraphina's testimony. And promptly shoved it into the same box where she shoved "Eddna," "Room 22," and "missing bone." Even so, she's hesitant to approach Nanami for a while. Still, she finally comes towards her.]

...Nanami...?

[partyleader]

[Nanami's eyes widen.]

Eliza-san... You're here, too...

[Something like guilt twists at her heart.] I'm sorry we couldn't figure out the person who killed you. Do you know who it was?

[Although Nanami supposes it... doesn't exactly matter at this point. But it would be nice to know.]

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza shakes her head.] It was too dark. I think it was a man, though. I...I don't blame any of you, though.

[partyleader]

A man... [That leaves only select people that it could've been.] I guess it doesn't help anything to try and figure out who it was now, though.

[Nanami smiles a little, though.] Not blaming anyone... I don't think a lot of people could do that, in your situation. [Although it doesn't even occur to Nanami that she feels the same about her own murder.] You have a good heart, Eliza-san.

[telecosmetic]

[She means more that she doesn't blame people for getting it wrong, haha. If she ever learns who the actual killer is she will probably definitely blame them for hurting Recette emotionally.] I...I guess. I chose to go out on my own, after all, without my Pokemon. It...it was a pretty bad decision...I might have been able to stop him without getting myself killed if they'd been with me.

[partyleader]

Maybe. But depending on who it was and how strong they are, the Pokemon could've ended up only getting hurt in the end. [Or worse.] You couldn't have known it was going to end up that way. You only did your best and what you thought was the right thing to do.

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza nods slowly, her eyes still somewhat teary.] Thank you...

[partyleader]

[Nanami isn't really good at this sort of thing, but... Hesitantly, she reaches out and lays a hand on Eliza's arm.] I know it's not the same as when we were alive, but... Let's just try to make the best of what we have here, okay? We can't change what's already happened, but we can try to find good in this place and with each other.