No more poison killin my emotion I will not be frozen

[afterlifer]

WHO: EVERYONE
WHAT: Interactions
WHEN: August 28 – September 1
WHERE: Anywhere and everywhere in this afterlife
WARNINGS: Cussing
SUMMARY: INTERACTION LOG you know the drill.

28th: Today seems as though it’s a normal day, right? Wake up, take a shower, walk outside to head to class and… the NPCs aren’t moving. Stopped mid-step they’re completely frozen all over the school grounds. Some may be in class already and frozen at their desks, others might’ve been frozen as they were walking to or around the school. Maybe you were outside just inside to see them come to a sudden halt. After an hour, they’ll return to normal and continue on as though nothing happened.

29th: The school festival is a month away and it’s time to start planning for it! Classes will get a free period to plan for it today and clubs will need to get together and talk about setting up special activities for the students if they want to participate. GET HYPED.

30th: Do you hear that? Outside of your dorm—in the hallway! It sounds like pitter patter of little feet running up and down the halls… a bunch of them too, and there’s even some little barks here and there. Open your door and SUDDENLY LITTLE SHIBA INU AND GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES RUNNING ALL ABOUT. Don’t deny them love, they’re ever so playful and fluffy.

31st: It’s so close to your day off—but the teachers decided they’re going to end this week with a math test. Ew, right? Hope you studied or this is going to suck.

1st: Even in the afterlife your uniform and clothes get a bit dirty from time to time, and it’d be pretty gross if you didn’t wash your underwear so go on, wash your clothes! Or… don’t. The washer’s broken—actually waters starting to spill out of it!!! Now you’re standing in a puddle, oops.

As always, remember there are basketball, kendo, drama and baseball clubs now so practices can be set up whenever you want! And if you want to do something outside of what we've provided, feel free to do so.

Comments

[tenminutes]

Basically, this is the afterlife. Things can be affected in this world in ways that the world of the living can't. You can make objects out of dirt if you have a good enough memory of them and you know how to assemble the parts. In the same way, someone used that ability to manipulate the environment to create a program that can basically alter the fabric of the afterlife. It's what made the NPCs.

[ Unless you're Naoi, but she's not going to get into that because she still doesn't necessarily get it. ]

So basically, they are designed to act like people.. but it's impossible to recreate a real person, so they're not actually people. They don't have real emotions, they'll forget wrongs if you stop doing them, they can be easily stuck into certain patterns so they're predictable. If a situation arises that the same system views as problematic, they turn into shadows and try to wipe us out by stripping us of our memories and personalities and turning us into one of them. Got it?

[conversationalist]

[It really did sound like some plot out of an RPG. It didn't take much time for him to grasp it.]

...Makes sense, I guess. [She pretty much answered everything he's ever want answered, but...]

So why are we here? Isn't God supposed to judge us on how we were or something? I'd like to speak with Him anyway. [Mostly because of just how unfair he is.]

...And who's the "someone?" Somehow, I think turning into shadows or whatever isn't very good, let alone having the power to manipulate everything. Sort of just seems like a dictation beyond the grave...

[tenminutes]

That "someone" is the closest we have to any links to God. He's some guy who programmed the system. We don't actually know who he is, but he's hidden amongst the NPCs because he's caught in his own system.

The purpose of this place is to act as a place for us to get over our regrets. You do that, you accept your life, and you'll disappear. [ There's a brief tone change that indicates she's not.. exactly sure about that anymore. ]

That's what's supposed to happen anyway.

[conversationalist]

[...So we're here because we had regrets? Well, that makes a lot of sense. Kotarou wasn't one without his own regrets in life. And it would only make sense for everyone else to have them too.

Some God if he's caught in his own programming...]

Does that usually happen? ...Have you seen it?

[tenminutes]

It does sometimes. It's not a bad thing if you've come to terms with it and are okay, but I've got no problem supporting those who want to keep fighting!

[ After all, she knows that trying to tell someone they have to is only going to make things worse. She once would've fought teeth and bone to keep going. Now she's got another reason besides those regrets though. ]

It's actually kind of scary to see though. It's not a long drawn out process, it happens in the blink of an eye. They're just gone.

[conversationalist]

...Seriously...? [No bright lights, just one instant they're there, the next they aren't?]

...That really does sound freaky. Disappearing without really knowing where you're going anyway sounds scary to begin with. [It's kind of like it's own death in the afterlife--coming to terms with your issues pretty much sends you off...]

[tenminutes]

I thought it was supposed to be reincarnation but..

[ She glances at her hand for a moment before looking up at him. ]

Which do you think is scarier? Moving on or getting stuck here even though you should've moved on?

[conversationalist]

... [There was a lot to consider. Moving on would never satisfy Kotarou. And yet, what else was there to do? He was stuck here, without a purpose, yet again. He definitely wanted to move on if he could just disappear without having to worry anymore. About what happened, about his friends, about anything. He wanted his youth, but if he couldn't have his youth anymore due to his death, what's the point in this facade anymore? It's just tiring.

And yet, he couldn't let himself give up. Moving on is scary. He should've, but he ended up here.]

I don't know the answer to that. I'm here already. Moving on is just the same as the fear of dying now. Yet...under circumstances, I think I wouldn't care if I died or not. So, maybe I can say the same for moving on. Being here is scary if I should've moved on, but the way I see it, I'm staring at that fear in the face.

I'm here because I have my regrets, right? Then let me be stubborn until I can get over it. If this is the result of my stubborn, selfish ways...then I guess I'll just have to deal with it.

[And yet, everything is just so unclear to him.]

[tenminutes]

Of course!

[ Yuri had a smile that seemed like she wasn't saying everything. ]

Like hell if I'd ever say you had to disappear. The choice is yours if you want to stay here or disappear or do whatever you want.

[conversationalist]

I doubt I'd be able to disappear so easily. Not until I'm fully content, right?

[So, he'll smile too, like he isn't saying everything.]

[tenminutes]

Unless you act completely normal and follow the rules to a T, anyway.

[conversationalist]

[--So much for that wistful, youthful, normal life he envisioned.]

...Does that make you go away too?

[tenminutes]

Mhm. Though you can probably attend school normally if you want as long as you do something totally against the rules after school, like join a gang or an afterlife battlefront or something.

[conversationalist]

That's a real step up from gang to afterlife battlefront...

You're not some kind of gangster are you?! [He doesn't actually believe this, but he does make quite the shocking face.]

[tenminutes]

No, but I do lead a battlefront.

[ She says it so casually.. ]

[conversationalist]

I figured you were pretty serious about the battlefront thing. [Him too.]

What's that all about, then?

[tenminutes]

We formerly rebelled against God, but now we're basically acting as a battlefront to try to learn about and defeat the shadows and to make sure no one gets hurt.

If you don't know how to fight, there are non-fighting positions available as well as training if you do want to fight but don't know how.

[conversationalist]

So positions are open then. [...Well, it'd give him something to do than wander around doing nothing. This might be a good purpose for him. Besides, he wouldn't want anyone hurt. We're already dead, don't beat a dead horse...]

... [There wasn't a point in keeping it a secret anymore.]

I know how to fight, I guess.

[tenminutes]

Really? What's your specialty? I can get weapons easily.

[conversationalist]

[He's never really held a weapon before but for some reason he feels really familiar with this. If it's for a good cause--and only cause here exactly--he doesn't mind it. Not much to be afraid of now...]

It wasn't working when I first arrived here, but I can adjust my body a little.

I don't really know how to explain it.

[tenminutes]

Adjust your body? What do you mean? Are you a slime taking human form?

[conversationalist]

No... [That'd be weird!]

If I just wanted my arms to be stronger, I could make it happen. If I want to run faster, I can adjust something inside of me towards me legs and make that happen too. Does that make sense?

[tenminutes]

You just described working out.

[conversationalist]

Without working out. [Said highly duly.]

It can just happen. If I push on the accelerator...well, it'll happen if I just think about it.

[tenminutes]

Show me!