WEEK ZERO: ARRIVAL - OVERFLOW

[gatonina]

ARRIVAL

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PASSENGERS: 41 You know how the story goes by now. One minute you’re somewhere familiar, and the next you’re suddenly somewhere else. Unlike previous times before, the source of your rude awakening isn’t a mystery. A harsh jostle causes your body to lunge forward as a tire jumps over a pot hole in the road. Try as you might, it’s hard to ignore the steady thrumming of an engine and the gentle sway beneath you. The faint scent of gasoline seems to waft from the outside, but as you look around you’ll notice that the windows are locked, tinted, and impossible to see through. Likewise, the door ahead of you appears to be locked as well. Perhaps the scent is your imagination…? Regardless, though the lighting is a tad dim, it becomes apparent that you’re inside a large bus dotted with the occasional seat and amid a jumble of other bodies. The people you were last with may be among your fellow passengers. Perhaps they are not. But worry not; there’s plenty of time to look around and get to know one another on this long, strange trip. It may even be wise to examine the staircase at the other end of the bus. Who knows what awaits you on the other floors? Ah, but before you move too far it may be best to assess the situation. On the bright side, any injuries you incurred have been healed! Isn't it nice to have your limbs in place again? Miracles happen. But...what happened to your clothes? You’re fairly certain you weren't wearing this t-shirt before...and what's with the denim shorts? Maybe you were fortunate enough to get the knee-length version, but for those of you waking up in bootyshorts...well, we're sure you look great! And what better way to tie the whole look together than white socks and tan sandals? At least you'll be comfortable for the ride. Lucky for you, your new threads aren't the only gift you'll receive upon waking up. Attached to your waist is a high-quality bag filled with some fun goodies for every passenger! For those of you who unzip your bag to check its contents, you will find: -Dry shampoo -Wet wipes -Deodorant -Travel pack of toilet paper -Travel toothbrush + toothpaste -Poncho -A stylish travel guide No other items are on your person at this time, even if you were holding onto it as you began your previous departure. That's a bit troublesome, isn't it? Not really; it's still a bus. Be grateful for the extra elbow room, alright? Oh, and one last thing...on the wrist of every passenger is a small, equally fashionable white scrunchie. Not your style? Perhaps it's a good idea to give the travel guide another read. Searching the bus from top to bottom will net zero results in the way of an escape. All of the windows are similarly tinted and locked, and the only exit door appears to be the one on the first level that can't be opened at this time. But hey. You're all old pros at this, right? You know what to do next! Get to know the people around you, trade stories with your fellow passengers, and...well. Buckle up for the bumpy ride ahead.

Comments

[wisterin]

To hold to your ideals is admirable, but please don't...

[ Her smile flickers between rueful and mirthless, but honestly, they don't know how long they're going to be stuck on this vehicle, so she may as well get this over with. ]

I am not asking this to detract from the conversation, but are you not still angry with me?

[overruns]

[ They can't just carry on having a conversation without addressing this. He lets out a long, quiet exhale, speaking frankly. ]

Yes. [ But even if she'd told him not to be, he's angry with himself, too. Emotions don't just turn off like that. Still, his expression turn more open, wearied. It's not just fury—there's so much there. ] But I don't know that I hate you.

[ It's hard to put a shape or word to what he feels anymore. ]

Are you angry with me? [ Giyuu hadn't been, not once everything was truly resolved, and that somehow made it worse. ]

[wisterin]

Thank you for your honesty.

[ She smiles because there really isn't anything else she feels like she should show here. She expected his answer, but she wanted confirmation.

A part of her is surprised that he doesn't hate her, however. ]

I'm not angry with you, but I feel as if you want me to be. I understand if my presence makes you uncomfortable and causes you difficulties, but... I hope you'll forgive me for saying that I still wish to ensure your safety.

[ She knows she's probably not great for his emotional health right now. ]

[overruns]

[ He does want her to be mad, whether to validate his own whirling emotions or just... to make things right. To balance the scales. Shinobu at least felt more in-touch with her emotions than Giyuu, but even she won't resent him for what happened, and he sounds a touch frustrated about it. ]

I don't understand why. You aren't responsible for my safety, it's not as though...

[ It's not like they're friends anymore, are they? He runs a hand through his hair, something twisting in his chest as he searches for words. ]

Whatever my feelings are, it is best that we all collaborate. I do not wish for any more bloodshed. [ He got his 'revenge.' ] I don't know how much either of you trust me, but... I mean that in earnest.

[ And he thinks that's what Shinobu wants too. ]

[wisterin]

[ Shinobu is much more in touch with her emotions than Giyuu. That's a fact, but that doesn't mean she always has to point her anger at someone.

Her expression softens, and her voice loses some of its usual tranquility. ]

What makes me angry and what makes me resentful has never been you. Seeing you, talking to you like this... it's complicated because I don't want to give you more grief, but I don't think poorly of you. I do trust you. Until you tell me you've killed someone innocent in cold blood or there is proof of it, I will continue to trust you.

[ Her smile is a little pained. She would still like to be his friend, but she doesn't think it's that possible anymore. ]

I wish to continue to work with you, but I don't want to ignore what I've done.

[ She's not ashamed of it, as much as she will apologize for it. She stands by it, as much as it complicates things, but she's not blind to how others feel. She's never been able to shut herself off that way. ]

[overruns]

[ It's strange to be able to talk about this when he was ready to close the door on any reconciliation when they left the island. But she's speaking openly, so it's hard for him not to do the same. Maybe he wants to fix this?

He tries to keep his voice down, but it doesn't hide the raw edge of his words. ]

You are an innocent person, Shinobu. [ That's the problem. ] You misled me, but—I should have seen through it. If I had only trusted you more than my own anger...

[ His shoulders sag a bit, like a weight has dropped off his shoulders and between them. No, there's no ignoring what either of them has done. But with everything out there—what now? He shakes his head a little hopelessly. ]

How do we move on from this?

[wisterin]

I don't know if I would call myself completely innocent.

[ She may not have killed an innocent person, but the way she wields words sometimes is not innocent. Usually, it's not to the effect of what happened on that last day on the island, but...

She pushes those feelings aside, of what his anger and trust meant to her. ]

I know what I would like, but I don't know if you'll like what I would ask of you.

[ She lets her smile fall, so he can see that she won't put up any fronts. Even if her smile is less of a front and more of a defense sometimes, she knows the reasons behind her smile. ]

If you can't bring yourself to hate me, I would like to ask you to hate yourself a little less.

[overruns]

[ There's something very grave to the moments where Shinobu lets her smile go, like the period at the end of a sentence. It's a moment that hangs in the air, and he answers first with silence. Wasn't she innocent? She'd told him to let that hate go on the island too, but could he?

Her request is strange, and not so simple. ]

It's impossible not to hate the things I've done. I must take responsibility for every one of my evil deeds.

[ And the weight of that responsibility may have crushed him entirely, if not for Flayn and Mitsuri's graces by the end of it all. What they said to him, the overwhelming and undeserved kindness—it'd helped mend something that may otherwise have stayed fundamentally broken, his mind still broken with anger and loathing.

So what had they offered him that hasn't been resolved here, between him and Shinobu? He thinks on it, and there's another, weighted pause. ]

Would you... [ The words are a jumble on his tongue, guilt making them heavy and awkward, but he spits them out eventually, quieter than before. ]

Could I work towards your forgiveness? [ Maybe then he could figure out how to forgive himself. ]

[wisterin]

[ Her brows furrow in concern because she remembers the manic light in his eyes and the ferocity in the fatal blows against her. How couldn't she? She knows there's something, lurking there. What does he consider evil that he's done?

She almost tells him there's nothing for her to forgive, but that's not quite right. That's not exactly the truth. For as much as the broken state of their relationship is her fault, he is right that he let his anger win over his trust.

Or is it that she never had much of his trust in the first place? Is she innocent, for even if she made that gamble, she was still hurt because her gambit won? It's unfair of her. She knows. ]

Yes. [ It's immediate enough, soft though her words are. She wants to be able to repair what's between them, if it's even possible. Is that selfish? ] Would you allow me to do the same?

[overruns]

[ It isn't as simple as apologizing, rationalizing. Her words and his blade had dug a rift, and it can't be filled by in so easily—but could it ever? If things had ended differently, maybe they wouldn't even try. He isn't surprised that she felt betrayed to some degree, too.

It takes a moment to wrestle down the hurt, angry part of him that's always so ready to lash out again, but he manages. ]

...Yes.

[ Forgiveness has never been an easy thing for him, but he's been shown too much of it lately. He finds his voice again, steady and serious. ]

We'll need to take care of whatever is waiting for us here. But beyond that—I will see if I can truly earn your trust again.

[wisterin]

[ Rationally, Shinobu shouldn't feel any sort of betrayed. She shouldn't, but she does. Perhaps she's conflating the locust swarm of her emotions from that last day on the island. It's not as if either of them have had time to sit and sort anything out.

She wants to tell him he's stupid, for thinking he has to earn her trust when she's the one that broke his trust so much more cleanly. Do his words make her feel heavier or lighter?

Either way, she smiles. ]

Thank you.

[ She shifts, an obvious motion to indicate she's about to leave. ]

I won't take any more of your time. It'll be easier to see what will happen, if we can see what other kinds of people are here.

[ She's going to run to beat Giyuu up or something else. ]