shiptrap hell psl ❥ leading to the inevitability connecting to a miracle ( closed )

[dolosa]

[ To Hazama Rei, it felt as if it all happened in a blink of an eye, and it caused her to be slightly dizzy. Bringing her hand to her head, slender fingers ran through her plum colored hair as she took a quick glance around. Ah, it was an island, wasn't it..? She hadn't been told much about Hajime's world, but being stuck on an island only meant one thing.

Was this the place where he was stuck in, before he went home? She recalled being told about being stuck on an island, after all, on the first evening after they met. After the trial.

When she was still— No. Shaking it off, the small, petite girl decided that it would be for the best for her to not think about that right now. She did promise that she'd tell him anything he wanted to know - anything he needed to know - if he just simply asked. Lying was something that she hated, even now. Well, at least she wasn't on wheels this time around. There was no need for her to be to begin with; she hadn't needed one for a while now.

But, uh. This is new. She's not sure where to start, honestly. For now, she'll just wander aimlessly, calling out the familiar name. Rei hasn't forgotten it. She refused to, if only to keep the 'self' she was now. ]

Hajime..? [ He is here, right? There wasn't any mistakes when she was sent to this world, right? ]

Comments

[hopefragment]

[It is indeed the place Hajime had been trapped in! Well, kind of. He had been trapped here, and yet, trapped in another location exactly like it on this same island.

...Virtual realities are hard to explain. Either way, the island she's on now is very real, and very, very different from the one they'd left behind. This one really does look like a tropical paradise, except for, well, the large, looming steel building. She's on the central island of Jabberwock Island, and in front of her is the former headquarters of the Future Foundation, currently taken over by Super High School Level Despair.

Or, rather, former Super High School Level Despair. It's been almost a month since the last island Hinata had been on, before this one -- he remembered it all, of course, Ivan had been true to her word -- and really, he can only thank those memories for why he didn't succumb to Despair once again. Everyone he'd met on that island who had counted on him, and his classmates. It's strange having more than a few bonds with people.

He's outside, sitting atop one of the overlooks over the ocean, when he spots Rei down belong. For half a second, he's shocked and utterly terrified. Had the Future Foundation -- not Makoto Naegi's faction, the rest of them -- found them? But no, a closer look, and a brilliant smile crosses his face.]

Rei!

[Give him-- a couple minutes, he's got to make his way down. It looks like he's still wearing the same jeans and t-shirt as the island, but his hair is a little lighter, his expression a little brighter than it had been. It's going to be hard to tell until he gets closer still, but... he definitely looks just a little older as well, closer to eighteen or nineteen.]

R-Rei! It's... it's really you?

[Cautious... optimism as he skids to a stop in front of her, panting a little with the exertion of running all the way here.]

[dolosa]

[ He's asking her if it's really her, and she doesn't know how exactly she's supposed to react. Thankfully, Rei is rather observant; she sees the slight differences in him and it's -- well, it's definitely strange to her. But she doesn't show it on her face.

Hmm.

She wonders if she can mess around with him a little. ]

No. Unfortunately, Hinata, [ Ah, yes, she's referring to him by last name again ] I am actually the Judge and I'm here to test you. I have simply taken on the form of the person named Hazama Rei.

[ IS SHE BEING SERIOUS??? Probably not, though there is that sadistic smile on her lips. She's sorry not sorry, she just wanted to spook him a little. What a rude little shit. ]

[hopefragment]

...

[He looks taken aback for a moment, eyes darting over her face, her whole body. He definitely is acting a little different from the last time she saw him; he's carrying himself more easily, and there's an easy confidence in his voice as he answers,]

No, that's wrong. Anna wouldn't bother with something like this. Anna's never tested us about anything, she's just always believed in us.

You're trying to mess with me.

[There's a small, almost wondering smile curving his lips at that as he rests a hand on his hip.]

I was starting to think you'd changed your mind about coming with me.

[dolosa]

[ ]

... And you were staring at me, Hajime.

[ She's blushing a little out of embarrassment as she huffs, folding her arms over her chest. ]

I also didn't change my mind. I wouldn't lie to you like that. You look different, though.

[hopefragment]

[Yeah, he was staring. His gaze is a little more intense than it used to be, too! Going through actual school trials instead of the arguing and deception from the island had changed that about him, too.

He can't deny he looks different, though the awkward, quiet laugh and the way he rubs his hand sheepishly through his hair is the same as always.]

Yeah. A... a lot's happened since I saw you last, but... it's okay now. My classmates and I... everything's okay. Everything's a lot better than okay, now that you're here.

[dolosa]

A lot?

[ There's a slight pause as she looks at him, blinking several times with a tilt of her head. It's not a bad thing, though. ]

Wait, Hajime. . . how long has it been, for you- since the island?

[hopefragment]

Um... about a month, I think. It's hard to say, because of "the mystery of this island."

[Is he quoting an evidence bullet... maybe... But anyway, he doesn't want to get interrupted by any of his classmates, so he just kind of shoves his hands in his pockets and turns a little.]

...C'mon, I'll show you the island. It's not that bad, as much as I'm kind of sick of islands.

[dolosa]

A whole month..?

[ That's actually rather surprising, and at the same time, unsettling. the fact that he had to go from one island to another, a murder game to the next. But for a whole month..? Her gaze wavers slightly as she chews on her lower lip nervously.

He seems to be okay, so it's fine. ]

I'll follow behind you, Hajime. [ BECAUSE SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE HOLDING HANDS with him, instead just puffing out her cheeks. ] Though we probably should get off of this island as soon as possible, after you show me around. If we can...

[hopefragment]

Or you could walk next to me.

[Just a gentle suggestion as he tosses her another smile. That smile really isn't going anywhere any time soon. Yeah, they're not in the best situation right now, and yeah, they... sacrificed a lot to get here. There was no magic way of bringing everyone back, at the end of this game.

...On second thought, that smile does fade, especially when she asks if they can get off the island.]

Rei... You don't have to worry about my memories anymore. And... I can't leave this island. Not for a while yet.

[They're on the central island, so there's not really much to see. The Future Foundation's headquarters where he'd remembered a massive statue being in the simulator, the distant view of the other islands with no bridges to connect them, but a fleet of rowboats and speedboats that could get someone to them. "Environmental concerns," is what Sonia had said about the lack of bridges when they're looked up information about the island. But... it's good for just walking and talking.

And talk he does, explaining about the simulator. About the "Hope Restoration Program," about the Monokuma virus that had infected it. About how the world is still trying to recover from the depths of the Despair it had been cast into. He talks the class trials, about his sleeping friends, about how there's only a small chance they'll wake up again, but he's confident that they will so they can build their own future. Not needing Hope or Despair, but a belief that if they just do it, things will turn out okay.

His expression is solemn and serious as he finally glances toward her, eyes flicking over her face again.]

I'm sorry... I don't think... my world is that different from yours, now. A-And... [a wry, humorless smile quirks his lips.] I don't think you can say I'm all that different from you, either.

[dolosa]

Hah...

[ She laughs hollowly as she decides to walk beside him. But she doesn't have to worry about that anymore? What happened in that one month-? She just listens to him however, pressing her lips together as she nods after a few moments, to show him that she's paying attention; that she isn't ignoring him at all in the slightest even as she keeps quiet.

Her footsteps stop at his last words, however, her body tensing up at the proclamation. Words like that didn't suit him, and she can feel her lower lip quivering in fear, as if not wanting to hear what comes next.

But she has to know. ]

What... do you mean by that?

[hopefragment]

It's still... hard to remember. What happened during the Worst, Most Despair-Inducing Event in the History of Mankind... [he rattles that complicated title off as if it's totally normal to say,] and honestly... I don't think I want to. The little things I've remembered are already terrible enough.

And... I was one of the people who caused it, Rei. I mean, not me exactly. Some... things happened at Hope's Peak. Remember how I said they were dedicated to the research of talent? Well... they wanted to create the Super High School Level Hope, someone who had every talent. Create, meaning they... messed with someone's brain. Someone who didn't... didn't have any talent at all.

[Another one of those self-depreciating smiles.]

Someone like me, a nobody with no talent, just a genuine admiration for talent, for Hope's Peak Academy and everything it stood for. They... well, the way Enoshima described it, was something worse than brain surgery. I wasn't even Hinata Hajime anymore. Me and my classmates... Enoshima manipulated all of us into Despair, back then. We... were part of that group. The Super High School Level Despair.

None... none of us want that now, but... it's still something that happened.

[dolosa]

...

[ She's listening. Rei's listening real closely, and then it makes sense. It makes sense why his profile was like that, and it causes the smaller girl to run a hand through her hair and laugh hollowly. So basically, they were manipulated by someone named Enoshima - she'll ask about that later - and ended up doing something horrible.

Well, if it's called the Worst, Most Despair-Inducing Event in the History of Mankind, it's probably tiers higher than what she was planning. ]

I see. That's fine. [ There isn't a smile on her lips at all. Instead, she just turns at him and places her hand on his shoulder in reassurance. ] Just be glad that I'm not the same person that I used to be, Hajime. Otherwise, I would have used the person who they created as well, myself.

You remember that phrase in the letter I gave you, don't you?

[hopefragment]

We're all done being used, Rei. Letting other people decide for us.

[He brings a hand to his shirt pocket as if to present the letter itself, but... it's empty. He knew that already, but he'd just forgotten in the surprise of seeing Rei again.]

It was... I had it when... when I was in that program I mentioned, but it... didn't follow me out. But I could never forget. [His voice is soft as he glances to her. He'd been afraid that he would forget, that all his memories would be erased upon exit from the program, including everything he'd fought for so hard on that island. But it hadn't. Even if the physical evidence is gone,]

"For... the one I love."

[dolosa]

I know. Right now, I wouldn't want to.

[ Her lips quirk into a soft smile as she closed her eyes, thinking about everything that had happened over the few days. Why she had written that phrase, in particular. ]

Those words, they were something I used a lot, back at home. When I sent my feelers out into the world and took control of those who had lost-- that phrase, those exact words weren't exactly good ones. If anybody said that, back home, they'd get killed. The phrase is a switch for my hypnotism, after all. [ Nervously, Rei laces her fingers together as she walks a few paces ahead of him so she can hide the expression on her face. Though he might be able to tell that she's a little flustered as her cheeks turn a bright pink, even to the point where it reaches her ears. ]

B-But, I didn't write it for the reason I said it back at home. It's not something that's meant for revenge against my parents anymore. I... knew you would keep the letter. I wasn't planning on writing anything, really -- I didn't know what I should have written, and everything I wanted to say, you already heard. Then someone told me that I should write anyway. And that even if it was blank, you still would have kept it.

So I ended up writing that. It's a phrase that was used to control people before. I guess I wanted you to keep it so that, um. You'd know who you belonged to. [ She stops walking, but it's clear that she's flustered just saying that. It's embarrassing, after all, to talk about things like this. Rei's not used to it. ]

[hopefragment]

[...Who said I would keep it if it were blank...?

Was it a member of murderfam? He's betting it was a member of murderfam, and now he's a little sad, thinking about them. But he's not going to interrupt her, even though the mention of using a phrase like that for her hypnotism... doesn't exactly make him feel all that good about her using it for him until he explains further.

And even then, he's not totally sure about the idea of belonging to someone, but... if it's Rei, it'll be fine. He'll make sure of it.]

I'll... remember that. [His memory has been weird, but he hadn't forgotten her yet, and he doesn't plan to now. So he moves up another few steps, hesitating just a moment before reaching to try to take her hand.]

I... really missed you, Rei.

[dolosa]

Ah...

[ She finds herself putting her hand in his, giving it a rather affectionate squeeze. Hearing him say that he missed her makes her kind of happy. It makes her really happy, actually. ]

Well, if you were gone for a month, I guess I understand. For me, it hasn't been that long since I last saw you, but I guess that's fine. I'm just really glad to see you again.

[hopefragment]

Did... did anything happen? Before you got here?

[He has no idea how any of this works, considering that he experienced so much more time than she did. Did she get the chance to go home?

But he's going to squeeze her hand in return, drawing her a little closer to him so they can hold hands as they walk.]

[dolosa]

No. Nothing happened, really. I just got here.

[ Though she can feel her heart racing when he squeezes her hand and pulls her closer, flushing a bright red as she feels his body against her own, side by side. ]

[hopefragment]

Well... that's good, then.

[He's flushing a little too, at the soft press of her body so close to his. But he's got to be cool! Maybe it hadn't been long for her, but he still doesn't want to do anything to make her change her mind about him.]

...I still have to figure out how to tell my classmates how you got here. And, uh... how we met, too.

[He laughs a little awkwardly, squeezing her hand again.]

I'll figure it out, though, don't worry. I'm... sorry it's not like how I told you it would be, though. Here, I mean.

[dolosa]

... Yeah. I don't know if I'd be able to handle it if I was away from you for a month.

[ She hitches a breath, laughing a little hollowly herself. ] You can always tell them the truth. And if they don't believe you, then I'll find a way to prove it to them.

But it's fine. If you want to visit my world, you can come along with me sometime. It's mostly safe. Or rather -- you'd be safe if you stay with me.

[hopefragment]

[That... makes him really happy, in a weird kind of way. It was hard without her, sure, but there was so much going on with the island that he didn't get as much time to lament her not being there. Not to mention he wouldn't have wanted her to go through all that. She can talk all she wants about being able to handle it, but that doesn't mean he wants her to have to.

He can't help but laugh a little quietly, and shake his head.] We'll see. Either way... I'm sure they'll like you. They're all kind of, [extremely,] weird, but... they're all good people. Really.

[And he just squeezes her hand again, trying to give her a confident smile.] Yeah. It can't be for a while yet, not until... we figure out a way to wake everyone up. But once that happens... I'll go anywhere you want to go, Rei.

[dolosa]

I trust you.

[ She smiles, she knows that he wouldn't lie to her about that. There's no reason for him to, after all -- they're not in that horrible, horrible game anymore after all. ]

Well, I'll help out. I don't know how advanced the technology is here, but I've done a lot of research before for... you know. Or rather, I'm good at handling a lot of things. Maybe that's just me bragging a little, but I'd like to think I'm not that horrible.

[ She's not talking about morally. ] If we have to stay here though, I guess we'll be sleeping in the same room, Hajime.

[ Was this her plan all along??? ]

[hopefragment]

I'd really appreciate that! There's got to be a way to recover their data from the program, or else... there's no way we would have been able to see them, when we were approaching the final stage. I couldn't have seen Nanami, or Monomi... Usami, there's no way Usami would have been able to beat Enoshima if all data was completely erased.

[Yet another squeeze to her hand with yet another smile, though it disappears into a shocked 'o' of surprise as his cheeks flush pink.]

U-um! I mean, if... if you want to, but there's... there's extra rooms in the Future Foundation's Headquarters, that's where we're all staying. S-so, I mean, you don't have to, but you can if you want...

[dolosa]

Well, when it comes to computers, nothing isn't ever truly deleted. People think that it is, but there's always some way to restore it. I'm no computer programmer, but I could always get in touch with one if I have to.

[ See, she's useful. Oh, but she sees that flush of his cheeks. It seems that she'll have the chance for payback as she leans in towards him, pressing her chest against his arm slightly with a slight quirk of her lips in a soft, yet somewhat mischievous grin. ]

So you're giving me permission to sleep on your bed, in your room with you, Hajime?

[hopefragment]

I'd appreciate any help you could give us, yeah.

[Ah, no, she's leaning against him like that... all his attempts at being cool are starting to fly out the window, because he's really not used to this kind of thing at all. Especially not anyone -- Rei especially! -- being quite so forward.]

I-I-I! [Is it that she's just that warm against him, or his body just feels that hot?]

L-like I said, only if you want to!