idolpro | Izanagi's Heart Game

[ That's all, for now. She may be an open book, so to speak, but that doesn't mean she'll read herself aloud to those who don't go looking.

So she'll turn to the shelves, next. ]

There’s so many books, what stands out most is... actually the absence of books. It seems there’s a ten volume series, but three volumes are missing: 3, 5, 8.

[ Hm.

What is the first book of the series? ]

["Among the Clouds." It seems to be a random fantasy series, with the same overarching title and some kind of subtitle that indicates a location, presumably the setting of each particular volume.]

[ It's almost idyllic-sounding.
...Then again, she just came out of experience of a far less pleasant association with heights.

Is there any sign of the missing volumes? ]

[There's some books scattered about on a table!]

[ Time to check those out then.

...no library pun intended. ]

[There are three books in total! Should you examine the spines, you will note a few things:

The Green book has this shape on it.
The Blue book has this shape on it.
The Yellow book has this shape on it.

[ It does in fact take her a bit of puzzling over the seeming randomness of it before she double-checks the numbers of the missing volumes before looking again at the shapes, and then shakes her head at herself for missing something so near-obvious.

She tries putting the blue book away as the third volume, the yellow as the fifth, and the green as the eighth. ]

You’re deep underwater, and you are terrified.

Though you can breathe, it’s so, so deep, it’s pitch black, wet and freezing cold. No matter how much you look around, no matter how much you strain your eyes against that darkness, you are certain; you’re completely, utterly alone here.

You've forgotten how to see.

There is nothing left in this world.

You don't float, here. You're simply underwater - leagues beneath the sea. Deep, deep, deep down below, where nobody can hear you.

Nobody will ever hear you again.

The color here isn't merely dark blackness - it's something that pierces your soul. The sort of thing that threatens to tear you apart and make you as if you never existed

And the whole time, the words echo in your mind:

Never forget,
that when you feel happiness or joy,
it will never last long.

All things expire in the end. All things return to null.

When day is bright,
alway remember horrible night.

...Or at least, that's the scene you believe yourself to be in for a brief moment. Once you return to the present, you find yourself in the library still, surrounded by shelf after shelf full of books. And, should you check, your badge is glowing faintly as one of the fragments goes from clear to blue.

You've found another Fragment.

There is also a book in your hands with the name Hizumi Mizushiro emblazoned upon it.

Edited 2021-01-23 21:42 (UTC)

[ She has to bite her lip to keep herself from screaming at that. What the FUCK is wrong with kids these days! Why are none of them okay?? But at least that's the final fragment.

After a few steadying breaths, she considers the book in her hands, tracing her fingers over the name before opening it. ]

[No one is okay in imeeji.

Hizumi Mizushiro. 16. Clone of Yaiba Mizushiro. The Devil, fated to destroy humanity. Life expectancy: 18-19 years. Complications due to the cloning process have resulted in genetic abnormalities leading to decreased functionality of internal organs until death. Other than organ failure, the only other possible cause of death is by Ayumu Narumi.

The text begins in a neat print, shifting to a handwritten scrawl as the words continue.

Created with high charisma and intelligence to draw in friends and companions to assist in the destruction of humanity upon reaching adulthood. As the Devil, I can’t connect with others. But even a fake relationship is better than none at all.

I don’t want to be abandoned again. But I can’t be saved, either. So I’ll maintain what I can get to avoid that dark loneliness again. If I try to wish for things that can’t be granted, I won’t be able to hold it together anymore.

It would be so much easier if I could accept death.

I wish I could have been saved.

There are a few more blank pages, and then the beginning of a timeline listing out events in Hizumi’s life: Birth, transferral to a foster family, meeting Kiyotaka Narumi, studies, travels, meeting Ayumu, final meeting with Ayumu, and then his time spent in Imeeji. The line stretches on to the end of the book with plenty of blank space after the various games and events he’s participated in, eventually ending in ~~Graduation > Return Home > Death.~~ Graduation > Go to another Star > Find Happiness.

It seems someone has already made an edit to the book.]

Izanagi...

[ Gods. Truly, no one in Imeeji is alright. She adds an underline for emphasis beneath "Find Happiness," then half-closes the book, leaving a finger to mark the page.

A long exhale; she picks the pen back up to add an addition of her own: ]

What makes a relationship "real"? If you long for that connection, and cherish it, that is true care, in the ways that matter.

Do not underestimate Ayumu, or yourself.
Do not lay down your weapon while there is yet a chance to fight.

[The words have been added.

Is there anything else she would like to write, or would she like to continue perusing the library?]

[ That's enough additions for now.

But she'd like to return to the growing tangle of wild roses. Are they continuing to spread, or are they no more or less overgrown than they were when she arrived? ]

[They're continuing to spread, bit by bit. Before long they'll consume the books for sure.]

[ Not after everyone (well, her and at least one other person) wrote encouraging messages and everything!!

But at least she has a solution (literally) with her, now.
Nevertheless, she will carefully pluck off a small branch of wild roses for safe-keeping before applying the remains of the poison. ]

[The flowers wilt, the entire plant crumbling to dust. I can't believe Amaranth is our only purifier here.]

[ Mom understands that sometimes you just gotta do some killing to solve problems, and she is here to get 👏 shit 👏 done.

...Nevertheless, she tucks both flower sprigs safely in the lapel of her coat.

She's about ready to leave when something else occurs to her: she tries out a little bit of Cleaner on the shelf where she found (unlocked?) Izanagi/Hizumi's book. ]

[It does nothing! The shelf might be a little shinier, but that's about it.

That said, the fragments are beginning to float on their chains, pointing to the door. Actually, it seems like they want her to go to the stage...?]

Edited 2021-01-23 22:37 (UTC)

[ Hm, well, it was worth being thorough!

But she'll follow the fragments where they seem to lead. ]

[Stage time!]

Izanagi's Heart Game - Session #1

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY

Re: LIBRARY