day three

[guestcontrol]

dreamland day three 34 players remaining. There are no clocks in your dorm room to help you mark the passing of time, but at a certain point, in the early hours of the morning, a cheerful chime tune plays over the loudspeaker. Whether you're awake or asleep, the door to your dorm room is now unlocked. You'll have about a forty five minutes, in which you can get ready or grab some breakfast, before the door that allows you into the park unlocks. By this time, you may or may not have noticed that one of your number is missing. The chimes play again, to announce that the park is open, and the rides and music begin to come back to life as a voice plays over the loudspeaker. "Rise and shine! Let's have a lot of fun and look for the bodies, too!" You will have until 4 PM to explore the park and talk amongst yourselves. Somewhere in the park, you'll find the bodies of Dipper Pines and Mahiru Koizumi. rulebook character statuses private conversations graveyard Voting will close at 10 PM EST on September 30. Though a special post for discussion will go up shortly before voting, you are encouraged to discuss who to vote for throughout the day. Voting

Comments

[perfectstrike]

[She just hums quietly, not dismissing his apology, but not acknowledging it any further than that. It actually kind of hurts; not just seeing Koizumi like that, but seeing this boy again so similar to Kuzuryuu. It's a weakness, for her to see him like this. And immediately, her first instinct is to make sure that he doesn't have to expose this to anyone else.]

[There's a red scarf as part of her uniform. Maybe red isn't the best color to hand him, but she has no way of knowing that. She pulls the scarf off and wordlessly hands it to him, mimicking the gesture he'd given her just last night.]

[cheats]

[ He's looking away shamefully as she unties that ribbon, but when she offers it, Ciel stares no less than incredulously, as if he doesn't believe that the gesture would be offered at all. His face turns a little red, since he's humbled by this gesture. It gives the impression that Ciel almost isn't used to this level of kindness.

Ciel wipes at his mouth with his (thankfully gloved) hand first, since he doesn't want to ruin her necktie completely, but he takes it to brush away those hot, almost painful tears at the corners of his eyes. He lifts up his eyepatch, and Peko will be able to see the eye underneath, though there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. It's closed, however, which implies there might be something about the eye itself. He's quick to cover it back up, though, and though he coughs again, since his throat is irritated now, he'll speak softly. ]

I'm sorry— She's your classmate, not mine, but...

[ It hit him pretty hard, and in a way that's difficult to explain. ]

[perfectstrike]

[That would put him in a bit of a different category from Kuzuryuu, then; yakuza heirs are generally rather spoiled. Not that Peko knows Ciel's backstory, nor does she really care to ask, unless he wants to tell her.

She misses the state of his eye entirely, since she's looking away, giving him time to compose himself, pretending as if she had not seen his tears or the vomit.]

There is no need to apologize or explain.

[When he speaks, it draws her attention back to him, and she reaches with one hand to lightly touch his shoulder in another small attempt at comfort. Her own voice is starting to shake a little, but it's actually not because of Koizumi. It's again, because she's remembering comforting Kuzuryuu. God damn.]

I will need to examine the body. Could you check the area for evidence?

[Perhaps giving him something to do, rather than stay here near Koizumi, will help? Peko please never have children. She's basically acting as if he's a tiny adult, just like her. Peko you're not even an adult yourself.]

[cheats]

[ The touch makes him flinch unconsciously, which makes his frown deepen momentarily as well. He hates this place. For many reasons, but the way it seems to dig at old wounds is particularly hateful. At least the way Peko chooses to approach the situation is a good one for Ciel. He takes a deep breath as he neatly folds her necktie, though it's just a nervously gesture more than anything. ]

Right...

[ Right, he says. This is beneath him, because he's the Earl of Phantomhive, and that's the mantra he's repeated to himself ever since he took the bloody ring. Ciel takes a deep breath as if to steady himself, then stands. His expression is composed and regal, but at the same time, he never so much as glances back towards the teacup. ]

Of course.

[perfectstrike]

[When he flinches, she withdraws her hand and just nods. She won't ask for the scarf back, either; she pushes herself to her feet and crosses her arms with a firm nod.]

Good. Let me know if you find anything.

[YOU CAN DO IT CIEL...]

[cheats]

[ It's at least something to do to get his mind mostly off the fact that Mahiru is there, so dutifully, he'll inspect the area , though of course, this isn't Craven Castle, so he's out of luck for finding anything, alas. But it does seem to calm Ciel down quite a bit, since it gives him something else to focus on. He likes your method of coping, Peko. It works for him. ]

I don't really see anything...

[ He sounds disappointed, since he was hoping to find a clue too. ]

[perfectstrike]

[Of course, there's nothing to be found with the body itself. Peko spends most of the time just kind of... standing there. It really doesn't even look like she's even paying attention to Koizumi here at all.

It takes a moment for Peko to register Ciel's voice, turning with a sharp jerk toward him and just nodding. It's a little more obvious now that she's exhausted; she hadn't slept for more than a few minutes the night before, but there's no time for it now. She jumps down from the teacup and moves to make sure he doesn't have to look anywhere near it to speak with her.]

I have not found anything, either. We should return to the others.

[And she'll ensure Koizumi is buried, too, but she doesn't want to mention that directly to Ciel here.]

[cheats]

[ Ciel nods, then starts to walk back to where the others nebulously are, though he still looks pale and out of sorts, rather unsurprisingly. And whether it's conscious on his part or not, he'll stay somewhat close to Peko, as if being nearer to her provides him some sort of comfort, or a pillar for him to keep up his regal image. Though it doesn't take long before he speaks up, because honestly...

With the comparison drawn in his mind now, he can't help but wonder. ]

...May I ask you something, Miss Pekoyama?

[perfectstrike]

Mm?

[She hums a quiet affirmative, glancing toward him. They're probably headed in the general direction of the mess hall, partially as Peko considers it a headquarters of sorts, mostly because after vomiting, Ciel could probably use something to eat, or at least some water.]

[cheats]

What was she like?

[ He says it softly, and though there's a distance to his voice, it's also clear enough that some of that is forced into his tone. Mahiru had been kind to him— Exceptionally kind, really. This is different than seeing true strangers. ]

I... I suppose I didn't know her at all, yet still.

[perfectstrike]

[There's a catch to Peko's step, as if she might stop walking. A muscle in her jaw tightens, then she shakes her head briskly and keeps moving.]

Koizumi... I did not know her very well, [she starts. No point lying about something like this, really, though she has no intention of going into full detail about the island.] The Super High School Level Photographer, she... was admitted to Hope's Peak by being the best photographer among high school students in all of Japan.

[That's just fact, though, anyone could gain that much by reading her profile and extrapolating what the bizarre title of SHSL actually means, once spelled out. Peko can't help but feel a little sick as she adds,]

She... was always very determined. Unafraid of speaking her mind, even when it was not... in her best interest. She thought it was very important that we all get along, though she preferred to spend her time with girls, rather than with boys.

[cheats]

Mm.

[ Ciel nods, but his expression becomes clouded and difficult to read as he listens. He almost wishes he hadn't asked, he realizes quickly, because it seems that sudden impression was correct. Mahiru didn't have as bold of a way about her as Madame Red, but it was the same in more familiar ways. That willingness to tell him he was wrong, to scold him and treat him like the child he was, but still tempering it with warmth and kindness. Determined, outspoken, and bold... That suited the color red, didn't it? ]

My... [ He starts carefully, because he feels his interest and reaction needs explanation, but he's also so hesitant to provide it. He's not a very open person by nature. ]

My Aunt Ann was the same way. I didn't realize it until today, I suppose, but, Mahiru, er, Miss Koizumi... They were very similar, I think. [ He pauses, then adds softly, ] I will send Miss Koizumi off as beautifully as I did for my Aunt. If they're similar people, she deserves as much.

[perfectstrike]

[Peko doesn't acknowledge what he says immediately; she's quiet for several long moments after, as if mulling over what he'd said. She was a hitman; more than that, she'd always tried to consider herself Kuzuryuu's tool, and not care about the lives she'd taken. Even after Koizumi was already dead, Peko still hadn't felt anything like remorse for her actions on the island. It hadn't been personal -- Koizumi had just been a means to an end, the end being to get Kuzuryuu home safely. And though it had backfired...

Here, Peko had thought perhaps, with Kuzuryuu not seeming to hold any grudge toward Koizumi herself, that she could keep her safe. Get her out of the park, and then... let her go. Neither of them would have to die over an event they didn't even remember.

In the end, the first time, Koizumi's death accomplished absolutely nothing. This time, too. So maybe...]

That... would be nice.

[And maybe the emotion in Peko's voice is a little weird, for someone who said she wasn't that close to that particular classmate, but she just nods.]

I would like to... be present for that.

[cheats]

[ Ciel glances her way curiously, but also doesn't press. It's not the time, for one, but he also doesn't particularly consider it his business. Mahiru had been very kind to him, as... many people here had been, actually, but ultimately, she was still little more than a stranger.

(Maybe that's why he's also frustrated with himself for feeling this way—Ciel hadn't cried at the funeral for his family, so why did this upset him?)

Instead, he just gives a soft nod. He's unsure how he would be able to do such a thing, because it wasn't as if he had Sebastian here to arrange every detail, and further still, there was hardly anything suitable to a proper funeral, but— ]

I will do my best, in that case.

[ Ultimately, that's all he can promise. ]

This evening, I suppose, since... I won't be able to help with the burial itself.