Izanagi's Ideal World | 8/8

[idolpro]

You wake up in a typical Japanese high school classroom to the sound of a bell.

You are dressed in one of two uniforms* (*Please button up your jacket properly!) - whichever your character would feel most comfortable in. The bell was apparently the signal for the end of classes for the day, because everyone else is getting up from their desks and mingling with their friends, making the motions of preparing to leave without quite going yet.

Among them is Izanagi, surrounded by a small group of students and chattering away energetically. There are two exits, one at the front of the room and one at the back, both of which lead to the hallway. On the other hand, if you want to try understanding what you’re doing here, this is probably the best opportunity to talk to Izanagi or talk to your classmates. You can also, of course, find each other and compare notes. There’s a bag hooked on the side of each of your desks, and inside are the typical supplies you would expect most students to carry: writing utensils and notebooks. These can be used, or not, as you please.

Rules | Classroom | Hallways | Outside | Nurse's Office | Library

Comments

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

...?

What gives you that impression?

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

Well, for starters... there was only supposed to be one member of the Newspaper Club— me.

Don't you remember? Back then, I had a really bad reputation... no one liked me. In fact, they were quite afraid of me.

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

-? Why would they be afraid of you?

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

Because that's the type of person Narumi Kiyotaka told me to be. You remember him too, don't you?

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

[Brows furrowing a little in confusion.]

That's Ayumu's brother. But why would he want you to be hated?

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

So that I would have more reasons to get closer to Ayumu, and then he could use it to break him.

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

...

What are you talking about?

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

The world that exists beyond this illusion. I don't blame you for wanting to ignore the Truth, it's ugly, and unfairly cruel.

It'd be nice to live in a place where everyone liked you. It'd be fun to have yakiniku parties every day after school. It's wonderful to think of you and Ayumu not having to suffer, but it's not real.

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

...The stuff you're saying--

It makes no logical sense.

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

How would it make more sense than being able to see Tokyo Tower from every window of our school?

How your classmates look like little more than NPCs in a video game?

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

It wouldn't have been that way if you hadn't broken it.

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

And leave you here to dream of something false forever?

No.

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

I thought you were big on making people happy.

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

How can Ayumu be happy if you're stuck in here?

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

We could all be happy here.

He's not suffering in this world.

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

He's not suffering, but he's not free to live as he pleases, either.

We'd live high school over and over again into forever.

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

Is that really so much worse than hell?

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

Hell has its bad points, but it's still the place where no one cares about Yaiba or Kiyotaka, or destiny, forging something that's yours, instead of a sugarcoated facsimile of the past.

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

I don't have the power to do any of that, hell or not.

The best I can hope for is a sweet and painless lie. But if I can be happy here... I'll take it over the alternative.

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

Abilities-wise, you're much better off than Ayumu, but he's still trying to make something that's his from it.

And he'd want you to be there.

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

He has you, doesn't he?

I'm tired, Yvette. No matter what I do, I'm still miserable.

I... I can't keep going like this.

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

Yes, he has me. Slow-moving as he is, he wants you too, that greedy boy.

[ She says it with such fondness, it's clearly a compliment. ]

Re: FINALE

[bondsofsuffering]

...In spite of everything I've done... or maybe in spite of how little I've achieved...?

[He still sounds unconvinced.]

Re: FINALE

[tradesecret]

Does it look like anyone cares about what you've done? Forgive yourself, already.

cw: suicidal ideation

[bondsofsuffering]

People wanted me dead just for existing, and I agreed with them.

[Still does, in many ways.]

How am I supposed to forgive that? How am I supposed to live like that?

Do you know how things ended in reality? I do. I couldn't be saved.