Prologue 0-3: Waging War With the Dying Light
Beta Read By: Lupus Overkill and Ziggymia123
Walking softly on my tippy toes, I struggled to explore the intense maze of the house at night. It was more of a mansion turned into a prison, a place where children are dumped when they are born and watch as all their hopes and dreams slowly rot in front of them. But, as a stubborn child who did not know any better, I clung to the last bit of sanity I had. My feet explored the floorboards tirelessly, watching out for anything out of place. Out of this hallway, I would be free for the night. Finally free to become the true Shiro Amari.
The walls were an intense white in the daytime, but they were then hidden by the overwhelming shadows of the night. There is only some source of light creeping underneath some of the doors, begging to break free from its miserable cage. I had long forgotten the number of doors in the hall, but it was more than the current occupants. At that moment of life, I believed I had thirty-three known siblings. Yet it was useless knowing the exact number since they all run away or die anyway. Our father still cannot keep it in his pants, considering he probably has more than one-hundred children by now. Most mothers did not want their children to be part of some sort of twisted social experiment, but my biological mother, whoever she may be, did not care.
It was time for the biggest obstacle. Getting past the door of Einosuke's room without making a sound. Though I did it many times, the anxiety would not go away. My heart would try to beat out of my chest, creating its own twisted rhythm. The door is massive, towering over my past small body. One step. No sound. Two steps. Still silence. Three steps. There is a tiny creek in the floorboards, causing me to almost jump. Panic would not help so I continued onward, hoping with everything inside me that nobody heard that.
And then I finally made it to the door. Opening it as slow as possible, I gently closed it again. Then I began to run, ignoring all the other parts of the mansion. I smile as my small feet make their own music, echoing the sounds throughout the now marble floors and expensive blue walls, teasing me about the perfect sky that will never be. And then I reached the ballroom, with its doors being even more ridiculously huge and impractical than the ones to Einosuke's room. Pushing them open, I examine the scene. Golden wooden floors complimented with an abstract painting on the ceiling and a dazzling chandelier. Everything begins to blur with age, but there is one thing I will not forget. The black grand piano tucked away in one of the corners.
Hurrying over to the piano, I jump to seat myself on the bench hidden in the back, with it matching the overwhelming golds of the floor. I take a deep breath, and my legs dangle, with me swinging them back and forth.
With one press of the dusty, delicate piano keys, I coughed as my hands got dirty. But the echo of the music was more than worth it. My eyes sparkle with only one beat of the true music, fitting the cold room with life. I imagined other people in the room, dressed in overly formal clothing that took way too much time to put on, dancing with strangers that they would later bed in an attempt to get all of their money. Einosuke would be scouting new prey, seeing which unlucky woman would produce the most interesting offspring.
The imaginary eyes focused on me, waiting with bated breath for the rest of the song. Pressing the keys at random, like my heart is screaming to express myself, I somehow made a song full of emotion and did not sound like I was just making it up as I went. Closing my eyes, I fully gave my body up for the song, with my fingers moving by themselves.
It went on for hours, with me not realizing the clock was ticking. Sleep was something I was not interested in, even though there would be some kind of test tomorrow as part of our so-called homeschooling. Escape was possible, through the beautiful melody swimming throughout the halls and my ears.
But, when I finished the song, my whole body got goosebumps when I heard somebody clap. Slowly and painfully, the person clapped as their footsteps get closer and closer. Everything in my body froze, even though my brain was screaming to run away. But a child cannot outrun an adult, so, no matter what, it would have been hopeless. I bite my lip so hard that it bleeds, straining my teeth with red. My nails dug into my skin, for they had to be cut due to how long and sharp they were. Before the man could reach the back of the piano, something in my head snapped and I dove underneath the instrument.
Once the man was behind the piano, I made a run for it. Yet I was right before, no mere child could outrun an adult. So, seconds later, I felt another hand squeeze around my left arm so hard that it left a bruise. Even destined to return to the cage, I wanted to refuse to become the man's nightingale for one more night. Singing in my own prison for everybody to hear but nobody to listen.
"Shiro, you should know better than that now," the man threatened. I knew who it was, but I did not want to give him the satisfaction. Yet it is obvious for everybody else that it was Einosuke. That creepy, raspy voice refusing to leave my head after all of these brutal years. "A woman of your age has to learn how to listen to their parents. You are eight years old, and yet you are still in your rebellion phrase."
"...I'm not a girl..."
"Enough with that talk. You have to experience punishment for sneaking out during the night. But it is good to know that at least one of my pathetic children has the potential to become an Honorary Ultimate," Einosuke stated. Then he started to drag me to the hallway, yet I did not stop fighting back. All it did was waste energy. Fighting back is always a horrible strategy. Accepting your situation is the more logical course of action since that acceptance means that you can have some power in your miserable life.
"Lemme go!" Picking a fight much like a toddler, all I got in return is a harsher squeeze of my arm, causing me to scream out in pain as it felt like everything was contorting. The pain was overwhelming my sense yet I refused to give up. It is better to give up sooner than later. That way not everything about you breaks into a stranger that looks nothing like you in the broken mirror. Every mirror in wonderland is broken, with everybody having to dance around the sharp fragments on the yellow brick road.
Einosuke did not say anything after that, his cold stare saying way more than words ever could. Everything relaxed yet was more on edge. The screaming of wonderland cannot be heard in the high towers of Oz. Where the elite dress in brilliant greens, looking down at the insane asylum.
The Wizard of Oz refused to let go of my influence. Dorothy has learned too much, yet Dorothy is stuck on the yellow brick road with only her imaginary friends to keep her company, slowing losing herself to the will of Alice. And Alice was the one being dragged into the cruel depths of Oz as nothing more than a trophy, with her dazzling red shoes reminding her of the blood now straining her hands. Proof that even the savages of a distant land can be conquered by a group of people that spout nothing but lies. Lies are their poison, slowly draining other lands of all of their life. For the evil witch was all that could stop them, no longer able with her decaying pig head on a stick smushed underneath a shattered, glasshouse full of nothing but meaningless memories and empty promises.
Finally, at the gates of Oz, they slowly open, destroying all that is left of Wonderland. For Wonderland never truly existed outside of being the experiment subject for the higher classes. Shangri-la came, seeking for its peace taken away by the fake promised land.
Focusing back on the boring abyss of the real world, I blink my suspiciously heavy eyes. Ayumu does not seem to be faring much better, yawning loudly. Triggering my primitive reflexes, or at least that is what current science theorizes, I yawn as well. The way too familiar sound breaks me out of the past, breaking past yet another fragile mirror, and officially brings me to the present. None of the glass shards can be seen but they can be felt, leaving invisible scars everywhere we walk, begging to finally be seen by somebody who knows better than everybody else. But that is simply not human.
Ayumu and I awkwardly stare at each other for some time. Even though Asuka, Kaimaru, and Renkou have some kind of plan for themselves, all Ayumu and I know to do is to split away from them. Our group really should have planned this out better. If this kind of leadership continues into the Killing Game, we might already be doomed.
"Um, let's just continue." Noticing Ayumu is struggling to even stay awake, I notice that is not the best option for him. Ayumu must learn to sleep more, otherwise, this can greatly affect his life. He must be somewhat successful to get in Hope's Peak, but working the graveyard shift for the rest of his life might slowly break him. Humans need some kind of change.
"We should figure out where there is a bed. It would be helpful for our general survival as well. Though we can sleep on the floors, it is better if we have some source of comfort," I comment. I do not get the feeling that the room will be any of the ones left in this hallway. If anything, it would be one of the rooms from the hallway that I woke up in and met Mei. We did not check any of those doors so it would be best to find out their purpose. There are thirty of them so a higher chance that one of them leads to a bed.
"Oh my God, there you are!" Out of nowhere, Mei jumps on me, knocking me down to the ground. Ayumu stares at us, with the more time I spend looking at his eyes, the deeper the bags underneath seem. "You didn't get murdered yet! That's so amazing! I was so worried that crazy demon guy was gonna chop one of us up before the game even started. We can't lose our protagonist first again!"
"Is anybody else with you, Mei?"
"Seina was with me for some time but she wanted to check nobody got hunted down by the crazy people! There are so many people here that I'm surprised aren't considered legally insane!" Mei exclaims. She somehow puts even more of her weight on me, which makes it shockingly hard to breathe. Mei is a lot heavier than I would have suspected, or maybe all of these years of not working out have finally taken their toll. I should really start to exercise again since it improves my health and makes me more likely to live longer, yet I have been so busy that I have not found the time. Perhaps running around concert halls trying to make sure everything is ready on time is considered enough exercise. Or maybe I am trying to find more excuses to continue being lazy. If I am to live, I must not continue this bad habit.
"We really should continue going..."
"You know what, I'm gonna take your friend since he doesn't seem insane! And I need a friend who won't treat me like a kid. I may look thirteen...wait, I don't even look thirteen! Why does everybody think I'm thirteen!?" Mei starts going around the two of us in circles. Her steps are hurried, with her hands going through her thin, black hair. The steps may seem random, but something about this whole thing is calculated. When Mei stops and turns to face me, both of us make direct eye contact. Her eyes remind me of a memory long forgotten, begging to finally be remembered after all of these years. For a second, Mei does not smile, until her smile does not reach her eyes. That is when I realize that her smile has done no such thing in all of the time that I knew her. The gates of Gehenna have opened with a simple act and the gatekeeper is trying their best to make sure the gates of Heaven do not hear about the event. Such fools never know that in this current world there is no avoiding the cruel eyes of an unexisting God.
"If I may interrupt a moment...I think I'm allowed to choose who I go with," Ayumu replies. He is harder to read than Mei, but maybe that is perhaps he really should sleep more. Although I do not sleep as much as I should, I can tell Ayumu does not take care of himself properly. Being this tired can lead to mistakes, yet Ayumu has a talent so he must still be somewhat careful in this state. Another reason Ayumu is so much harder to read is that he is not as expressive as Mei. Mei brings up a good point of him being sane since he does not stand out like a sore thumb like most Ultimates. Even I am way too easy to pick out in a group of strangers thanks to my appearance. Many find me to be a beautiful 'woman' and I cannot count how many times I have to correct people. Maybe I should finally cut my hair, but Eimu and Hana both told me that they like it better longer.
"But I wanna know more about you!" Mei complains. "What's it like dealing with people at three AM? I once had to pull an all-nighter for my high school before Hope's Peak and it sucked! I snapped at my sister which was weird because that's her thing!" She pouts, and I find it hard not to respond with a snide comment. After all of these years being in the Committee, I am surprised I still have such urges. But it is alright if the mind thinks them once in a while since it is only natural to want to act like your true self. Just remember that truth is the enemy of all of those ruling with lies and the ones that eat their rotten apples believing that they are gold.
"Everybody's drunk at three AM."
"Oh, but how are they drunk?" Mei's eyes sparkle when she moves closer to Ayumu. "Are they like the happy drunk or like the super asshole drunk!? Or maybe they give you all the Committee secrets! The secret-giving drunk! That would be cool~"
There is something off about this conversation. Ayumu is entirely focused on Mei, and I do not blame him, with her being way too close to him for personal comfort. But Ayumu seems to be dealing with it just fine, so I decide he can take care of himself. Looking around to the other rooms, I decided that it may be the best bet to search the door at the end. It might be the biggest room since it is the only door that is by itself besides the one that leads to what I should dub the buffet room, though maybe the balloon maze may be a better description.
"Awwww you can answer my questions. It's so quiet in here! Except, gasp! If you're drunk as well and you got in by bribing a corrupt official!"
"You need to give me time to respond," Ayumu sighs.
Before I can be trapped in their conversation again, I quietly walk towards the door. All of those years of sneaking around the house finally comes in handy. Ayumu looks over in my direction and clearly spots me but does not say anything as Mei harasses him with more questions. She really does act like a child, with her trying to find out more about the world but in all of the wrong ways. Mei is naive, for she may want to learn about the world now but peeling away all the layers of the mystery only reveals a rotten core fueling all of humanity. It is better for children to become puppets for whatever power is in control than become soldiers of a movement that will be destroyed in a manner of minutes. Nobody cares about breaking free from the world when the government continues to keep them well fed inside a golden cage. The remnants of music are long forgotten, now replaced for more political propaganda that the singing birds happily continue to indulge in. But little do the singing birds know that the food that fills their bellies is only so they can be fattened up and served as a true dinner for their bloated kings.
Walking away for that reality is impossible but so many have tried, including me in the distant past. The faded memories of Yoshi and Eimu serve as painful reminders that such a fate can never be avoided. History repeats, with fools overthrowing their tyrants only to become the monsters they very much despised. For powers corrupts absolutely. But it is not the time to dwell on such events, for I must take a step forward to the door of cruel fate.
And finally, I open the door of no return.
Inside, there is a gym that is more spacious than any I had in schooling, even the one in Hope's Peak. Though there is barely anything here except for a basketball court even I know it is way too big for the sport. There are bleachers on each side of the room and I notice two new but still strangely familiar people are on the top of the bleachers yelling at each other for some reason. Another person is in the middle of the room with papers spread all around her and she is sitting crisscross. With the stage itself, there is a red curtain covering whatever is on it. Everything is way too spacious and something inside me is screaming that there should be more chaos around. But this room is way too empty and that makes me on edge. For example, there is the court for basketball, yet there are no hoops or balls to be around. Renkou will probably be disappointed that he cannot even play basketball in a court this ridiculously huge.
"Look, a new person Yuu!" The girl from the left side of the bleachers starts running down. I am surprised she does not trip but she travels down the stairs with shocking grace.
"Yuki, you're going to get yourself killed one of these days!" Yuu, I presume, shouts. Both of their voices are very loud, to the point that the girl in the center has to cover her ears as she continues her work. Unlike Yuki, Yuu takes his time going down the bleachers, only being about half-way down when Yuki comes to greet me. Yuki also has no sense of personal space, like so many other people in this place. They must not interact with much of the higher-ups in the Committee since this behavior often brings punishment.
"Well, I'll be dying in fashion unlike you!" Yuki turns to stick her tongue out at Yuu. It is easy for me to find out that they are siblings. This is way too similar to how some of my brothers and sisters would interact with each other. "Please ignore him. He's also a pain in my side! Like oh my God. But, enough with that, let's talk about you talking about me. Because I know I met you somewhere before. I just can't put my finger on it!"
The siblings can not be any more different from one another in terms of their appearance. Yuki wears a white sweater with a rainbow symbol. For her skirt, it is dark blue and knife-pleated with overalls hanging down due to their lack of use. Her stockings are misplaced, with them both being black and knee-high but one is fishnet while the other transparent. She has navy blue ankle platform boots that look like their outside is made of velvet even though that is clearly not the case. The girl's hair is blonde but very clearly bleached, with her wearing it in a high ponytail held together by a pink scrunchie. There is a lot of makeup on her face, with her having bright pink lips and eyeshadow and lots of black, heavy mascara. Last but not least, Yuki wears a silver necklace of a half-moon.
Yuu, on the other hand, looks like he just dragged himself out of bed but somehow still had the time to apply layers of the same black mascara his sister has and black lipstick. The two of them must share their makeup since, even though the lipstick is different colors, it looks like it is from the only brand most people nowadays can afford (although there are other brands, only the wealthy will be absurd enough to pay a thousand dollars for it). He is wearing the hood of his black-and-white striped jacket, making it hard to notice his black hair. His hands seem to never leave the front pockets of his dark blue skinny jeans. The shoes that Yuu wears are black converse and the laces are untied which bothers me more than it should.
"Trying to work," the person in the middle mumbles. But Yuki either does not hear her or does not care. Yuki once again turns to face me with a mischievous grin on her face.
"Wellllll...I should introduce myself! Greetings, commoner, I'm Yuki Akimoto the Ultimate-"
"Don't let her overwhelm you. And don't trust a single thing she says," Yuu interrupts when he appears right next to Yuki. Yuki squints at Yuu when she huffs and crosses her arms.
"This is my stupid, good-for-nothing brother. Clearly I'm better than him in everything!"
"Don't I get better grades than you? And have more friends-"
"Shut up, that's not true!" Yuki, being taller than Yuu, knocks him on the top of his head while laughing nervously. I already want this conversation to be over but this time there is no escape. Whoever is in the middle is smart enough to know not to get involved with these two.
"Anywayyyyy I'm the Ultimate Singer and this worthless dude the Ultimate Violinist. But those talents are bullshit! Because, in reality, we're the Ultimate Duet! Nothing you simpleton can defeat the power of our songs!"
Yuu and Yuki Akimoto
Ultimate Duet
(Let's not kid ourselves, they're really the Ultimate Violinist and Ultimate Singer. But let them live out their wildest dreams.)
"Is there not another Ultimate Singer? Hanami Fukushima?" I ask her. Yuki tilts her head and finally uncrosses her arms.
"Yeah, but Shun told me she doesn't count to Hope's Peak because of that dumb Honorary stuff years back. And she's been missing for like five years with all of those other losers. He said he wanted my brillance! So clearly, I'm better than this Hanami! Wait a minute, I'm part of the Ultimate Duet so Ultimate Singer isn't even my talent! You commonfolk have such small brains so you can't possibly understand!" Yuki tucks her tongue into her cheek. Yuu, however, does nothing but stare down his sister. And, of course, the other girl in the middle continues to work on whatever she is doing. She does not even stop writing down whatever to look at the chaos happening anymore.
"Just ignore her."
"Ignore him! I'm the princess here. You should all be bowing to me to honor my presence! Not many get to see me for free, you know? You usually have to go to one of our shows. By the way, there's a new show happening at Sakura Circus tomorrow night at six PM so make sure to be there and give us the money that we deserve!"
"Yuki, the show is free-"
"There's such a thing called tips! That's how us geniuses survive in these cruel days!"
"Give him time to speak. And please stop plugging our shows to everybody unfortunate enough to walk into you. We don't even know his name yet."
"That's weird! You're such an idiot! Of course, he said something. He's Shiro Amari, Ultimate Composer. Duh, he told us! Which means he knows the struggle of being an artist trying to make it alone in the world! Well, I have you but that's not saying much, Yuu." Yuki knocks Yuu on the head once again. But the two of us just stare at her. She keeps knocking Yuu on the head, most likely waiting for the two of us to say something. But this kind of thing has happened way too much inside this prison to be passed off as a coincidence.
"Is your memory going already? You can't just make random names for people."
"Excuse me, Yuu, but that is indeed my name and talent. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier." I bow down to both of them which causes Yuki to start uncontrollably blushing. However, much like usual, Yuu does not give much of a response. Looking over to the mysterious girl, I notice that she is now paying full attention to our conversation.
"Okay, what the fuck." Yuu continues to stare at me blankly with his mouth slightly open. He looks like he is trying to process the information but he has to figure out problems faster to survive in this world.
"That's a bad word, Yuu! Akita told us not to use those!" This time, Yuki shoves Yuu. "Only I'm allowed to use those because I'm the older one! Aha!"
"What twisted logic is that? You're not even older. I was born two hours before you. We don't even have the same birthday. In what universe is August fourteenth before August thirteen?"
"Silence! I was clearly conceived first!" Yuki puffs out her chest in apparent victory. Yuu only sighs. "But enough of that lovely conversation, we should get to know Shiro better so he can praise me more!"
"That doesn't even make sense," Yuu replies looking like he wants to die inside. The Committee should hire more people like Yuki to annoy people into their brainwashing. That way, there would not be a new rebellion group created every day. Even though the Committee can take care of the rebels, except they seem to be struggling with the so-called Saviors of Humanity, the Committee is running out of resources in Japan. Not many want to stay loyal in Japan because they do not know the true horror of the American branch of the Committee. Those who have been in America agree that the Committee there is ten times worse and more threatening than in Japan, most likely because Ayano Kirigiri has her own agenda outside of the Committee and basically broadcasts how disloyal she is to the world. Such a fool, that kind of behavior is going to get her killed soon.
"Well, let's see!" Yuki extends her hand out to me. Not wanting to be seen as rude, I take the hand and start shaking it. At that moment, everything freezes. Once again, I find myself trapped in a photograph, being unable to move but seeming like I am posing for a camera.
Another mirror painfully shatters, its glass shards digging into my skin but leaving no blood. The broken mirror becomes whole again, with it becoming much like the mirrors found in funhouses. My body is skinny but overweight, tall but short. Every couple of seconds, the distortion changes, not giving me enough time to process any of them fully.
A bright light shines down on me like I am an actor on the stage who just finished an opera. But there is no audience cheering only an empty void. Appearing from the void is Yuu and Yuki but this time they are fused together with them wearing a nice tux. They reach their hand out to me but I refuse to take it. Yuki is smiling while Yuu is frowning. Instead of waiting for my consent, they grab onto my hand and the three of us begin to fuse together. The process has no pain, in fact, I am strangely at peace accepting the death of my true personality.
"Become one with us," they both speak at the same time. It takes a moment for me to realize that I am speaking as well. "Please, we need you. It's how we find bliss. Our souls can finally find salvation."
"Stay away!" Yuki screams. She violently lets go of my hand and jumps back. Analyzing her more closely, I see Yuki's blue eyes are now dilated. "I don't need your salvation! I'm perfect the way I am!" She immediately runs out of the gym looking like she is about to cry and scream at the same time. I am expecting Yuu to run after her but he does not.
"You asshole!" Yuu then finds it appropriate to punch me in the face. Being able to see his hands properly, I notice he has black nail polish. But, with the punch itself, it barely even hurt, and will not leave a black eye. His punch is quite pathetic compared to the many other people in my life. If he wants to be threatening, he has to put on some muscle first. I can tell that Yuu has not worked out in a single day in his life. Although I may not be the strongest, I still try to find some time in my busy life to take care of myself. Meanwhile, Sachiko can most likely beat Yuu in a fistfight by just blowing on him accidentally.
"Uh! Don't...do that?" The other girl is still in her spot but at least trying to help. She probably cares more about her notes. Not that I would blame her since Yuu poses a threat to nobody. He might even have trouble stepping on an ant with how much stronger it can be than him.
"Don't ever talk to my sister again!"
"I can take care of myself!" Yuki appears again for a second with her opening the door and peeking her head in. Once she sees me, Yuki runs once again and accidentally slams the door. Everything in this gym is too loud to be comfortable.
"For the love of..." Yuu takes a deep breath and tries to punch me again. I simply dodge out of the way. "Dammit! What the Hell!?" Then Yuu stomps out of the room, fuming all the way to the door. He slams the door even harder, with the harsh sound once again echoing throughout the room. The girl covers her ears until it finally stops.
"I am sorry for their behavior." I bow down to the girl but she does not seem to notice, once again too focused on her notes. She is writing faster than I have ever in my entire life in a language I cannot comprehend. If I have to guess, it looks like she is writing in Russian. There must be over a hundred pieces of paper on the ground with all different kinds of languages, with me only being only able to pick out the Japanese but not being able to read it. Only one of the pieces of paper does not have writing, and it has a somewhat badly drawn picture of what looks like a dead body hanging from some sort of bars. With that simple information, I get a feeling that I should know who this is and what the picture represents. But I have no idea what any of this means. Kazuhiko always told me not to make conclusions before getting all the evidence so waiting must be the logical course of action.
"Oh. Don't apologize." Finally, I get the girl's attention. Looking closely at the green backpack right by her, I notice that there are even more pieces of paper. I wonder how a backpack can fit everything but it is fairly big.
There is an awkward silence between the two of us. I can just leave, but I do not want to risk running into Yuki or Mei again at this moment. This girl is not much of a talker and that must be some sort of code on her papers so she probably would not react well to me asking about them.
"You probably heard from them that my name is Shiro Amari. Nice to meet you."
"...Ah, I'm, uh Ichiko Miyashita. The Ultimate...Um, Historian?"
Ichiko Miyashita
Ultimate Historian
Ichiko's skin is so pale that it looks like she has not seen natural sunlight for a couple of years. She has a lot of freckles to the point that they completely overwhelm her rounded nose. Balancing on her nose, Ichiko wears black circular glasses that look way too big on her. They keep almost falling off when she goes to get paper from the floor, causing Ichiko to always have to push them up her nose. Her ginger hair is messily put in a bun with me fighting the urge to redo it so there would be no strands out of place. For her shirt, Ichiko wears a faded grey sweater that is once again way too big for her. There is a logo on the shirt that I think is of a rabbit breed I believe is called hotot. Her pants are baggy black sweats that I am severely worried will fall off of her at any minute. I notice that all Ichiko is wearing is white socks which cannot be the best for her feet or keeping things clean.
Instead of continuing the conversation, Ichiko continues with her work. The only sound echoing throughout the walls is the shuffling of way too many papers and her pencil writing and marking many strange symbols.
"What are your thoughts about this place?" I question her.
"It's uh too bright in here," Ichiko remarks. I look around and I can understand why somebody less used to overwhelming light can think such a thing. There are four big shining lights in the corners of the room that are strangely a lot like spotlights. It is very overwhelming at first but eventually, somebody can learn how to get used to it.
"What do you think about the rest of the ship?"
"Woke up here. Um, yeah, the gym. In, uh, whatever these clothes are." Before I can question her about what she means, we are both alarmed by a loud sound coming from the direction of the stage.
Without much of a warning, a person pops out from behind the curtain. Ichiko and I stare at the person as whoever this is makes their way over to us. They hold their hand out of us before meeting, but only Ichiko takes it. I cannot stop myself from being rude and just staring at the hand.
"Oh, hello. My name is-name is Suzunami Oshiro, but you can call me Suzu. I'm the Ultimate Locksmith, and I've gotta say, this isn't what I was ex-space-ting, heh... No, too much? Sorry- Sorry, then, puns are just right in my orbit! Anyways, who are you guys?" I cannot stop myself from stupidly looking at them, just trying to find out the right words to respond with. But never in a billion years, I would have thought that I would be exposed to...this. Some part of me feels awful for saying Kotori's jokes were better but that is simply the truth. If Kotori was still alive, just remembering the quality of her jokes would be enough to blackmail her. Kazuhiko, however, is too much of a saint for this world, and his heavenly light cannot risk being soiled by my lingering darkness.
Suzunami Oshiro
Ultimate Locksmith
"Um, why do I have the sudden urge...to quote the Bee Movie?...I haven't even seen the Bee Movie..." Ichiko shivers.
"According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way that a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway. Because bees don't care what humans think is impossible-"
"I am scared and amazed at the same time," I say under my breath as Suzunami continues to quote the movie.
"We interrupt this un-bee-liveably funny joke! I bee-lieve I gotta have your names!" Suzunami starts laughing at the joke while Ichiko and I both try to process what is going on. "Bee-liveeeee I gotta have your namesssss~"
"Uh, Ichiko Miyashita...Ultimate Historian."
"If you need an Ark, I Noah guy." Suzunami smirks. I cannot stop my desire to want death. "Get it, I noah-"
"Shiro Amari. Ultimate Composer."
"What was Beethoven's favorite fruit?" Suzunami's face must be the last thing many people see before an untimely disaster.
"Oh no..." I have to find a way out of here. Having to deal with the drama of Yuki or the annoyance of Mei is way better than whatever is happening now. There must be a way out of here that Suzunami cannot follow.
"BA-NA-NA-NAAAAAA!" I look over to where Ichiko used to be but I realize that she has long abandoned ship. Suzunami must have been too focused on me to even realize Ichiko was leaving. But then I remember, I must have not been focusing either since Ichiko running out of hereafter collecting all of her notes must have caused some noise. After Ichiko leaves, however, Suzunami remains silent.
"Don't be so serious. Try to be more light-hearted." Suzunami covers their eyes. I am about to ask what Suzunami means but, a couple of seconds later, all of the lights to the gym go off. The sudden contrast makes my eyes burn, but I quickly have to adjust. Kotori would submit many people to sensory tortures, and the best way to survive with your sanity intact is to keep calm and adjust quickly. Though nothing will help you forget the unending screams of those who do not learn the basic rules of survival. No matter what, they will follow you, and you have to accept that will be the reality of the rest of your life.
"Hellllooooooo~ So sorry for leaving you in the dark about my wonderful looks but I don't want a bear coming for my ass. Using pranks to get on a spaceship is so much easier than a lot of people know!" There is another person, a man. "And this piece of worthless shit by you is my lovely accomplice for the evening. But don't get the wrong idea, we literally just meet and I can't stand xyr guts!" Whoever this is, they do not know when to shut up. People say I talk too much, yet I find that notion ridiculous compared to somebody like this. But it is useful to know that Suzunami uses xe and xem pronouns, especially since the Committee looks down upon others who use pronouns outside of the standard he, she, and they.
"Get to the point already," I groan. After all of these over-the-top personalities, I crave to be once again with somebody like Ayumu. The Committee keeping all of these people alive is surprising me more and more, but Kirigiri has always been the type of person to allow people in no matter the situation to study them more. That must be something Kirigiri got from her former boss, whoever that is since nobody is willing to tell that information since that boss is who allowed people like Kirigiri herself and Kotori to join their ranks.
"It's so simple even a bastard like you will be able to understand it. Keep track of this and never show it to anybody else even me, got it? Never know when somebody will experience the joys of brainwashing. Of course, you can be brainwashed again and screw us all over but they decided to make an unlikeable idiot the protagonist because they all want to experience love or something." Even though I can hear his voice, I still jump when I feel the man place something in my hands. Feeling the object around, I notice quickly that it is a key. There are not a lot of places that I can put such a thing so I have to think fast. My pockets are too obvious so I only have one hiding spot at the moment. My binder, just great. I hate this thing with a passion since it gets in the way of everything I have to do, but it is something I have to live with for now. It squeezes the life out of me, while the Committee stands there and watches their little animal get drained of life like it is a show, tormented glee visible by their twisted smiles. Their animals dance and dance and then they throw their empty promises like roses on top of their perfectly kept corpses.
"You think a lot, you know that? You just completely ignored everything I just said like you're spouting bullshit poetry inside your head." Whoever this is, I already hate his guts. He reminds me too much of Kotori even though I cannot understand the reason. "I show you my love and you ignore it. No matter, I love everyone equally!"
I'm going to use my love to make everybody equally underneath me.
Not knowing where the man is, I take a step back. The vast void surrounds me, being way too open but threatening to squeeze me to death. A chorus surrounds me with their only instrument being their eyes, but everything is only the pure darkness. Then, suddenly, there is a hand on my shoulder, and, when I turn around, I see a familiar face but with a smile, I have never seen before.
"Hello, Shiro. It's been a long time."
"...Ayano?" I ask. But I can see her so clearly, more than even myself. Her hair is much longer and back to her original blonde color and she looks so much older with somewhat gaining more bags underneath her eyes.
"No, are you insane? I'm not Ayano. Everybody keeps changing my appearance and then I get treated like a different person." She rolls her eyes. "I would introduce myself but that only wastes time and you should know who I am."
"...How are you here?"
"Well, I can't listen to the other side of the conversation but my love might have something to do with it. You better thank me for performing such a nice act on you!" I try to think of ways this person could interfere with my brain yet I am currently experiencing too much confusion to properly conclude anything. Then I start to wonder what happened to Suzunami since I can already tell it is odd for them to stay quiet for this long.
"I very much like being alive and not dead like that Natsumi bitch wanted me to be. But really, Natsumi always sucked compared to my mother. No wonder the Committee didn't want anybody to know about Natsumi." The strange woman begins to shake her head. "Getting deleted from the Neo World Program caused a lot of problems. But you're like the only useful person here so we got to work together."
"...Can you better explain what is going on?"
"No. We don't have the time. Just remember your mission and act like a good little boy." The woman crosses her arms and glares at me. She is completely different from any person I have met but something inside me does recognize her. But I have been experiencing that unreliable feeling this entire day so perhaps it is best to not follow the words of these people I know nothing about.
"I would love to see your beautiful face right now, Shiro. But we have to run! Good to know I showed you a little extent of my love~" Then I get actually punched and fall onto the ground. The lights turn on again and the woman automatically disappears. Suzunami still does nothing as the man begins to run to the stage. But I make a mistake, with him looking back at me and seeing my eyes are still open. The last thing I notice is that the mysterious man has grey, curly hair before he kicks me hard in the face.
A harsh knock on the door. It would not stop, even though I tried to go back to sleep. Tomorrow was one of my biggest performances, or at least that is what Kotori told me. Kotori promised that if I sold out and good reviews, she would finally give me everything I ever wanted. I promised and promised I would not be like the last one, with no knowledge about what she was going on about. But Kotori is the Queen of Hearts, hunting down the head of Dorothy because she is not Alice and does not belong in this story. Many innocents become heads in her collection only because of one selfish person decided that their life is more important than those of the majority. No matter the logic, however, the naivete always strives to make the world into a worse place.
I slowly reached the door and hesitated in front of it. Another desperate knock, so loud that I was surprised it did not wake any of our neighbors. Or maybe they have become used to the unending screams that plagued that hallway. It becomes a door to Narnia, except of mystical adventures, however, it becomes corrupted by the thoughts of Dante and so many others into one leading to the very depths of the only existing Hell. Yet the Devil is always knowledgeable about humanity, and my young curiosity cannot lead one door unlocked.
Turning on one of my lights beforehand, I opened the door slowly. There I see Kazuhiko with his eyes extremely dilated, body shaking, and covered with a lot of blood though I did not see any injuries on him.
"Dead. Dead. Dead." He smiled and held back a fit of manic laughter the best he could. His eyes were contorting to an unnatural greyish-green color. Seeing too much of Kotori's experiments, I knew way too well what that meant. "She's dead, Shiro! We're finally free! Kazuma can come back to us, right?"
"...Who's dead?" I asked. My voice was strained and could barely be heard.
"Kotori Hiraoka!" Kazuhiko proudly boasted. He, however, slapped himself afterward. "I just couldn't take it anymore! She broke Ayano, Shiro! Ayano refuses to fucking say anything more than a single word!"
"..." I did not know what to say. Kazuhiko kept biting down his lip whenever he started to laugh. He starts to hold himself tightly, his nails digging deep inside his exposed skin. Then he bites his lip hard once again, this time so hard that it starts bleeding.
"So I took one of those baseball bats that she loves so much. And she was actually sleeping in her room for once. So I did the right thing and smashed her head in. And she had the audacity to lie! To tell me that she loved me! She fucking bought me!" Kazuhiko started to cry when he could not stop himself from laughing hysterically. He punched himself in the stomach but that did not stop him. With every bit of laughter, I inched away from him and towards the window. Wonderland no longer had their queen. Although the Queen of Hearts was cruel, she brought order to the land, and now everybody would be fighting to be an even worse version of her.
"That's all life is, Shiro, a bunch of dollar bills. Who cares about the people I ruin with my articles just so I can ruin more lives and get more money!? That's what Akita seems to think or whoever she is now!" Kazuhiko's eyes began to swirl but once again he punches himself, returning them to grey. "Finally beating Kotori with that damn baseball bat is the best thing that I ever did! Because now she can't hurt any of us!"
"Calm." Suddenly, Ayano appears in the room, way taller than I remembered. She easily towers over the two of us. Looking over Kazuhiko's shoulder, I realize she opened the door and remembered that I forgot to lock it.
"...Ayano?" Kazuhiko quickly grabbed onto Ayano, hugging her as if his life depended on it. Ayano hugged him back, causing me to feel very out of place in this conversation.
"Promise?"
"What?"
"That you would never kill anybody again," Ayano told Kazuhiko in a voice way too monotone. Life had been drained entirely out of all of us but we still had the audacity to walk around the world claiming to be human.
"I promise."
Despair is such a mysterious thing even though many people claim to worship it, and so is hope. How can these two ideas have such distinct ways of changing the science of the body? None of this should be possible, but the world of wonders always loves to prove people wrong. It's simply illogical to think that the world would follow the way that you think it would. It's illogical to think that anybody will love you more than somebody else when you are as big of a monster as I am.
It's illogical to hold onto long-forgotten promises. Right, Eimu?
K̸̢̳̗̼̙͚̓̎̉̄̚̚͠ą̷̦̻͖̙̠̼͔̲̫̝̞̫̌̽͋z̷̧̛͚̣̫̺͉̥̞͕͍̔̍́̄͋́̈́͐̏͒̕͜͝û̷͔̻̲͖͍͕̬̲̬͔̰̅̅̌͗̉̒͌̉̒̂͘ḥ̵̢͍̻͖̠̠̳̝̗͖͇̳̓̅̀̉̀̽͌͂̎̿͑̈́͂i̴̢͕̙͖̱͙̭͗̆̓̋͑̊̕k̸̡̳̙̔̃͋̀̾͗̐̕̕o̶̢͚̤̫̱̊̉̆̾̉͛͝'̵̨̧͎̮͓͙͕̻̯̰̹͓́͋̏͊͋̏͋̅͊̇͐̚̕͜͜͠s̷̢̩̉͊̾͌͑ ̶̛̻̌͋̓͂b̴̹̪̥̲̼̮̥͙̓̏́̚ờ̵̪͇͂̈́͗͂̑͆̅̄̈́̋̈͠d̴̢̥͎͕̗͔͍̤̺͓̒̃̓͊̋͗̚͜͜͝͠͝y̷̨̠̳͎͍͙̳̿̈́͐͋̍̆̽͘͝ͅ ̶̡̙̟̝̗̬̳̀̔̍ͅi̵͉̺͎͐͋̓̓̀̌͠͠s̷̢̛̪͉̫͍̳̫͔͙͓̞̰̹̈̽́̾̾̀͌́͠͝ ̶̛̟̳͖̦͎̊̿͐̑̑͗ḍ̴̻̪̱̭͖͔̻͇̩̝̼͒e̵̙̫͙̭͔͎͓̎̉͐͂͘s̷̙̹͇͙̃̎͋̑̂͒̅̓̏t̴̨̗͔̭̟̙͓̯̘͙̰̿͝ͅr̷̹̲̩͍͈͖̖͉͛́̔̀̑̄̔̕ö̷̧͔̞̣̟̫̻́̀͒ͅy̵̠͖͕̙̬̌̈́͛̇͊̑͠͝ẽ̴̹̻͉̯͍̠͙̉͑͝d̴͔̲̗̫̀̂̇̅̐̐̎̓͒͘͝,̴̛̛̻̟̱̠̤̠̗̐̊̈́͊͆̈́͊̈̕̚͜͜ ̸̤̟͈͉̗͓̗̬̠̑͌́̃̍͐̂́́͜͠͝w̵̡̹͕͖̥̗̺̪͕̬͑́͐̃̋͊̌͛ͅi̴̧̜͈̘̖͓͈͚̱͗͒̌͒̆͆̉͊͌͘͝ț̶̯̯͇̯̺̯͕̜̠̫̭̯́̄̔̎͝ͅh̴̲̬̯̥͍͉͉̣̯̤̖̫͕̏͂́̃͌́͌͊̾͘ͅ ̶͖͉̝͎̜̹̣̫͈͉̐̂͐̇h̵̛̬͚̻̝̗̱͍̜̗̪̘͗͜i̷̮̼̳͌ş̸̻̩͎͎͎̬͍̺̖̬͇̻͔̟͒̇̊̍͒̇̓͒̏ ̵̣͖͈̰͇̤̯̉̑̄̍̈́́̏r̸̰̺͉̳̱͊̎̈̿̅̓͂ͅi̴̛̛͉̮͓̬̼͓͚̦̲͉̍̾͗̒ͅͅg̴̳̫̤̺͎͇̱͇̣̬̬̥͍̈̅̑̔̓͠ḩ̶̧͇̮̜̼̖̜̬̏͛̿̏́̉̓̀̈́̂ͅt̴̹͔͉̞̪̬͓͚͝ ̸͈̳̆̐̀̚̚͝à̸̤̹̎͑̂ṙ̸̨̪̹̬͈͉̣̀̇̾́͛̒̌̀̋͑͊͛́͠m̷̛̫̪͚͈̩̠̰͐͊͑̑͠ ̶̗̆̓͠͝b̵̡͍̬͕̮̭̖̦͎̀ȩ̶͖̥̬̳̣̈̐̾̀̒͜ĩ̸̠̹̝͙̱̝̼͖͔͎̱̫̜̌̀̊̿̅̀̓̈́̕n̶̗͉̺̝̱͉͔̹̈́͗̌͑̓̓͛̃͝g̵̘͇̲͕̱̳̠͍͈̼̻̰͉̪̹͊͂́̈́̇͋̑̽̌͝ ̷̨̘̞̣͎̗̤̻̻͉̄̀̈́̊͛͑͂̌̀͘͜͠ç̵̲̳͓̠͖̺̒̐͗̀̏͜͝ȏ̴͓͎̙̭͛̎͆̃̚m̷̧̛̖̼̫͔̥̘̗̻͖̣̀p̷̡͍̼͙̰̘̤̻̚l̶̳͖̤̆̓̀̒̈́͋e̸̢̩̺̤̣͈͈̙͉̱̰͒̒͂͒̓̆͑t̸̺̳̪͂e̴̠͇͚̎̕̕l̵̡̙̜̭̫̲̜͖̠͇̬̠̆y̸̡̞̮̲͍̟̼͗̆̌̃̓̈ ̴̰̹͓͎̈́̆̄̌̎̈́̑ǘ̷̝̫̱̟̽̕n̶͇͕̻̱͌͗̈́͜͝͠ṟ̷͖̀͑̍̎͗͝ͅë̸͈̫̭͕͕̪̳̩̻̗̥͚̖͇́̽͗̇c̴͚̟͚̣͍̱̼̙̟̞̙̹͆̀̈́͛̄͌̃ͅǫ̴̲̙̤̲̼̺̼͇̦̳̠̳̓́̽̀̾͘̕͜͠ğ̷̜̑͂̇͑̂̈̔͌̄̍͘͠͝n̶̨̼͔̣̰̤̺͈̄͜ͅȋ̴̢̮͖͔̪̼̫̮͖̺̘́͗͐͜͜͜͜͝z̸̢̻̹̖̞̹͂̓̏̃̌͒̽a̸̜̝̅͑̏̎ͅb̴̡̛̥̣̹̬̱͕͇͕̜͇͇̯̩̏̓̿͛̿̂̉͒̉͂̀͆̍̈l̶͚̺͍͔͉̘̯̳̜͇̰̐̃̏ͅe̶̡̱̘̤̼̽́̚ ̶̢̝̲̬̈͊e̷̡̼̭̥̔̾͂͊͝x̸̞̥͉͗̑͊̃̾̓̈͊ċ̸̡̙̝̥͔͌́̚͜e̷̡̧͇͈̊̈́p̷͖̟̜͍̝͔̌̑̉̀́̐̓̅͌̌̀̕͝͝t̷̛̛̮̘̪͕̙̂̐̓͌̅͂͐͌̚ ̷̣͖͚̖̬͖̠̣͔̙̲̥̍̐̅͋̈́͒f̷͙̖̄͗̌͝͝ǫ̶̛̙̤͉̳̜̼̟͙̜̺͕̘̍̾͗͆̍̈́̎̿̀̕r̸͓̮̲̞̖̮̫͕͊ ̷͎̠̦̣̈́̆͝͠t̴̨̲͚̮̟̙̰̩͉̀̌͗ͅḧ̷̡̖̦͕̩́͒̿̾̔̀͘ė̴̤̞̙̤͙̲̮͔̞̹̙͙͈͙̈́̊̂̅̊̌̓̆̃̀͠ ̶̳̦̬̩͑̈̃̕ć̶̨̑̈̓̉̒͛̑̿̈̿͒̕̕͝r̷̨̭͎̠̥̍͋̓̂̐̿̏̆̆̒͝ư̶̮̖̇͐̔́̌̏̋̅̔͑͛̉ȩ̷̼͈̬̺͕̜̦̊́l̸̡̢̟̬̱͚̰̲͙̱̰͑̒͒̇ ̵̛̛̝̰̹̭̬̩̌̉͊́̑̏͊͂̓́̄̕m̷̝̟̘͙͔̙̮̺̟̺͈̈́́͛͂͌̑̂̀̉̌̅̃̽̕͝ȩ̶̖͈̞̥͍̼̭̳̤̎͑͂̿̃̒̕͝s̶̡̲̘̼͍̖̫̩͇͕̯͖̗̖͗̈́́̈́̒̊̐̏̆̈̓́ḩ̸̡͖̙̤̗̜͖̉̀́͆̃̈̌͗̀̔͑̃̿ ̸̡͖͇͔̣͉̩̯̙̝͕̙̪̘̐̒̋͛̑̅͗̇̏̑̕̕͝͠ͅŏ̶̤̙̲̪̳̫̲̞̄́͆̈́̏̑͒̍̋̅̅͋͜f̵̢̫̠̮̒ ̴̡̖̗͇͓̮͓̟̀̌̓̔̀̕̕͝͠f̴͖̼̒̀̊̈́̾̒̽̅͂͌̽͐̽̕͜͝l̵͉̜͖͈̂̈͑̽̕͝ȩ̴̨̛̥͓̙̹̠̱̤̙̳͗̈́͒̏̈̓̈́̂̇͜͠s̸̹̘̰͍̼͎̐͂̀͋ḩ̵̡̬̙̙̬̭̯̗̌͒̏̆̈́̋̊́͌̆̚ͅ ̸̢̧̝̤̪̟̹͂̄̃̑̐͝ả̶͈̦͛̂͋̑n̴̘͇̖̤͙̖͕̱͚̠͆d̷̘̻̯͊̈͊̾̿̈̆̔̀̕̕͝ ̵̢̛̪͖̗̱̤̪̫̙̋̓͗̍͛̅̎̓͗̀̽̌̿b̴̡̜̪͓̰̭̩͍̰̫̩̹͊͐͗̓͊̏͆͋́̒͘ȍ̶̪͎̀n̷̢̟̫̫̠̝͔͕̩̙̦̱͙̓̾͊͑̈́̂̾͠͠ͅè̴̩̘͙͖́.̷̢͈̼̻̪͌̌̔̂̌͘ͅ ̷̨̢̧͍̯̦͓͔̘͇̞̬̘͌ͅḨ̶͎̗̣̠͍̩̥̤̣̩̖͍̟͑́̒̇̎͜͝į̸͙̳͙̝̮͙̮͈̻̞̞̘̎̍̿̔͗̉̊̚͝͠ṡ̸͔̻̗̅̃͊͋̌̍͛̋͂͌͘̕͘ ̴͖̼̹͐l̶͇̣̚͝ȩ̸̨̝̪̭̙̺̗̞͚̻̤͊̈́̾̎͊̾̍͌g̵̢̗̥͚̜͈͑̋̒̅̑͐͒̈́̎̏̈́̔̚͘s̴̢̠̘̖̪̜̱̆͆͑̓̐̅̓͆͗͗͂̒̇͊͘ ̶̢̳̦͉̤͈̞̠̣̙̣̏̂a̶̧̨̧̖̳̰̰̦͈̦̾̀̎̏̋̉̾̒̔̓̑̓̒̓͑r̸͎͖̟͉̰͔̦̫̹͖̐͑̈́̇̈́̿̃̽̇̓̇͛̂̉̕͜e̴̢̱̬̪̜̬͔̗͉̔̃͛̇̿̾͐̌̏͊̿ ̵̧̧̣̪̞̘̘̱̮͔͓͓̠̎͠͝u̷̖͕̰͈͚̭̲̲̣͛́̈́̊̎̀͌͒̊̓n̶͕͖̖͕͒̃̈̉͑̀̈́̚͝ů̷̹̘̭͚̼͌̎́̾̔͆̾̑̔̽̏̽̚s̸̡̠̦̻͚̩͉̯̊͐̑̀̄̄̊̾͋͋̓̕̕͜͝ä̴̛̩̳̱̫̝͚͍̮͎̮̠̹́̽̏̍̂̈́̊͘b̷͔͈̹̣̍̀̾̄͐̄̂̀̇̄̕͝ͅl̶̪̐́̇̏͑̂̅́͊͋̈́̓̇̈́̕ẽ̴̡̢̻̌́̊̽ ̴̢̗̙̙̻̯͉̈́̌̍̍͛̋̽̈̋̓͛̚͝͝a̷̧͔̟̗̰̦̤̻͓̙̬̟̿̑͐͑̂̆̈́͝ͅs̸̨̢̯̫̥̮̲̦͎̻̩͛̐͌̍͋͜ ̶̢̧̛̭̘̖̫̻̺̃̒́ͅt̶͍̰͓͕̦̹͉̟̺̎̇͋͌̂͗̀͛̍́͛̌̔h̷̛͕͉͖̠͎͚̓͠͠ề̷̡̡̡̨̻̺͈̬̫̞̪͖̭͓͐̂͋̇̅̈́͠ỹ̶̧͚̩̫̳̗̠͓͂͜ ̶̢̻̗͙̦͕̤͉͇͔̗͇̗̐͛͜a̴̡̩̙̞̫̗̹̦̼̺̖̥̽͑̐̆̇̉̚͠ͅṙ̶̡͕̰͎̖̣̞̦͕̱̩̮͔̎̀̇͛̚̚͜͠͝͝ė̴̡̨͔̯̱͈͓̣̝̭̙̤͗̃̆͑̆͗̈́̈̌̑͗̎ͅͅ ̷̲̗͑̈́b̸̩̳̣̠͂́̕ǫ̴̡̨͉̦̦͙̝͚́́̾͋̔̇̓͘͝t̴̨̏̈́͂̂̈̈́̒̈́͗̇͗͘ḩ̷̡̮̯̲̬̬̔̃́͗́̅̉̕̕ ̶̬̟̲̤͚͈̤̞͑̎̿̇͌͑͜b̷̡̧̙̙̹̝̲͇̲͂̔͊́̌́̚ḙ̶̘͖̞́͆̓̒͋́̊̈́̇͊̂̅͝ͅn̴̼̳̤̮̠͇̱̉͋̾͗̑͊̕͘͝͠t̶̙̲̝̗̠̘̦͎̝̺̰̂̓͌͑̃̓̂̈͌͠͝ ̵̧̧̧̛͖̝͉̦̼͈̤̾̓̍̅̓̀̐͝i̴̢̢̲̱̼̲̳̻̜̞̜̺̼͌̒̆̾̄͌̈́͒̌̈́̅̕n̵̹̖̦̱̼̠̒ͅ ̴̢̜͖̣̙̼̥͙͉͒̓͌̈́̅̑̆̈́̀̕ę̵͇͎͖͍̥̃̀͆͋͜ṋ̴̡̛̺̘̯̳̳̀̍͗́̇̈́̊̅̄͌̾̏̓̕͜ţ̴̛̞͈̥͈̠͎̣̣̐̇͌͆̈́͗͗ḯ̶̧͎̥͔̩̞̪͇̠̮͚r̷̠͚̰̳͈̘̉̍̒̀̊̓̉̐̈́̚͘͘̕ȩ̶̛͎̹̮̖̲͙̹͍̟̗̲̦̙̦̄̈́͗l̵̢̧̻͎̲̦͎̤̳̘̯̈̈́̉͗̈͛̈͗͗͋̌̾͐̀̌ͅy̴̡̲̪̯̜̘̹̘͎̞̥̆̈́̅͊ ̸̰̩̏̉͊̅̐̄̃́ͅw̴̧͇̥̙͓̻̱̦̗̮͖̘̑́̍͆r̵͖͖̪̰̱̟̲̞̲͍̗̮͆̔͛̇o̶͉͔̱̟̲̼̳̩̞͌̂̀̔̾̈́͂́́͋͋̀́͝n̵̢̙̜̘͓̯̗̪͓͍̻̍̌̇͆g̸̢̢͓͓̲͙̭̠̭̹͔͉̼̔̾͂̎̾̕͘͜ ̷̨̞̈́͌́̑͘̕͠͝d̸̛̺̫͓͓̼̋̋͂͐͐͘͝į̷̛̛̖̖̭̝̙̦͙̥̭̿̌͂͜ͅr̴̛̪̯͍̥̯͆̒͌͒͆͆͊͜͝e̸̖̣̞̮̭͖̖̰̭̹̊̋̈́͂̃̊̋̋́c̸̢̹̳̠̙̳̣̞͓͉̤̼͑̑̋̎͌̓̒͐̈́̊̚͜t̸̢̙͇̫̼̜̎͜ì̸̛̺͛͐̏̎͛̌̅͂̕̕͝ȏ̶̲̜̼̪̝̾̆̔͂̒͑̕͠͝n̶̥̫̥͕̱͈̻̰̏͊̓͗̍̓̌̋̀̂̽̕͝͝͠s̶̛̤͖̝͉̮̎͂̈̇̈̒.̴̱̣͑̽̾͐̆͝ ̸̧͚̦̙̱̇́̀̐͋̈̏̽̿͝Ḇ̸̥̣̞͉̣̳̼̦̱̈́̄͌͘͜l̸̦̼̥̟̜͇̳̱͙̠̹͎̏̓̋͂͑̆̀̿̓́̒̄̚͝ǫ̸̛͈̩̰͔̗͓͕̼̝͕̈̓̓͌̈̈́̐̕o̶̘̗̟͖̠̝̩̟͉̳̠̩̾̐̇͆̿̅̇̐̿̓̉̆̅d̷̛̰̃̀̐̇̽̄̈́̌͋̌̊̈́͠ ̴̧̤̺̩̞̻͗s̴͇͔̼̪̻̀̒͛̆̏͂͜ṷ̸̡̤̥̬̘̫͓̒̍͑̽͌̈́̉͂̉̍̇̚̚r̴̨̃́͐̾̉̊̌̈́̎́̽́̉̑̐r̷̢̛͎̘̝͙͇͍͙͍̦̱̻͂̃̈́͋̈̓̽͗̅̚̚͜ò̶̲̼͓̱̪͖̈́͐̊͂͑̋̋̌͐̕̕͠u̴̢͚̳͙͕̰̘̫̙͙̖̝̔͗̾͜n̴͍̼͇̤̮͇̻͙̥̘͙̈̀͗̏͛́̀̑́̀̂͜͜͝ͅḋ̴̛̫̗̥̖̯͉́̑̂̎̀̀̄͑͛͌̕͜͝s̶̛͚̲̐͜ ̴̛͕̹̞̥̖̤̗͍͔͊̅̓̏̿̍́̇͂̐̉͌͘h̴̨̫͍̥̠̬̫͎͍̺̣̟̍ͅì̴̡̛̺̪̖̘̱̘̮͈͉̪̈̒͌̈́̀͛͜m̶̧̨̩̳̟̜̬̩͓̤̠̏͂̉̅̈́͐̓ ̸̙̆̀̅͠͝a̴̩̗̥̐́͐̋̈́ŝ̶̢̲̪̟͇̰̼̻̖̱̳͌̚̕ ̵̰͙̼̰̄̎͗p̵̨̛͔̫̥̣͕̞͇̫̊͂͒̒̐̈̌͝a̷̛̺̺̠̖̻̿̾̎̅̏̿͋́̽̇̃͘͝ͅȋ̷̟̲̥̦̙̭̊n̷̨̛͇͔̪̹̟̒̒͌̓͑̀̿̈́̎ ̴̨̮̤̭͎̥͇̻͎͆ͅo̴͓̝̰͎̒̈́͒͛͜v̷̨̢̼̰̙͉̰͚̩̦̈̈́̾̓̕e̸̢͈̪͔̣̦̬̹̣͋̈̂̀̑͋̎́͘r̶̙̼̻̱͕̞͕̙̩̼̽̔͐̋́̾̃̈́͗̀̋̊̀͘̕w̸̡̢̱̩̯͊̆͗̐͑̌̂̽̋̑̎̑̚ȟ̴̨̪̳͉͒̒̋̑ȩ̶̺̝͕̜̱̝̙̟̪̖̥͚̰̃̈͋͋̍̓̽̎̑̄̓́̇̊͂ľ̸̛̲͕̣̮̭͛̊̈́̽̑͝m̴̧̢̜͍̪̹̹͓̜̓̓͜s̸͉̩͚̬̫̥̯͔̝̼͖͍͒̆̑̔̔͜͜͠͝ ̸̧̹̰̤̞͈͚͓͈̥̈́͐͝a̶̟̭̦̼̋͊̎̀͑̊͊̈́́̓͘̚ͅḷ̶̢̡̡̺̘̺̘̫̜̪͙̤̝͛̽̚l̴̢̢̢̡͕̯̪̫̖̞̬̰̰̓͘ͅ ̷̪͇͚͈̞̳̮̞͕̥̩̀ô̵͉͇̺̣͙̥̱̠̞̜̼̰̼̋͆̒̊͜͜͝f̷̨͔͍̥͓̣̼̳͇̗̩̯̺͂̑̓̃̀͊̾̽̇̿͐̂͝͠ͅ ̸̲̙͗h̷͓̏̐͆̊̔́í̵͎̱͚̪̫̻̦̖̳̫̈́̊̎͌͘s̴̠̯̥̬͋̈́̽͑̒̍̔̊͜ ̸̡̢̡̨̨͈͈͓͔̰̯̖̉͛̄̈́̐́̆̃͊̾͋̋̚͠͝s̷̨̥̘̺͓͆͐̂̿̀̑̈́́̉̓̚͝ͅę̶̡̣̩̼͉͇͔̣̥̍̓̊̂́̓͋̎̐̒͆̈́͜͝͠ͅn̷̝͔̹̭̺̫͍̂͑͊͠s̵̙̪̖͕̟̤̭̪̒̒͒̌͐̎̔̈́̐͒̂͝e̴͔̲̗̅̒̄͂̍̾̂̑͝͝s̷̘̤̱̞̝͍̳̥̱̠̻̺̗̈́͌͒̓̋͌̃͊.̴̻̪̇̆́ ̶̗͙̳͈̠͓̪̻̤̠͔̠̩̹͖͋̈́Y̴̢̡̫̝̫̙̯̣̙̪͙͙̯͛̆̔̚͜͠e̶̛̛̙͙̳̠̪̿̀͘t̸̘͍̬͉̹̥̱̓͂ͅͅ ̴̨̛̤͖̰̟̙̲̎̑̒̿̌̋̆̓̉͂̋̕̚͝ǫ̴̨̣̰͚͎͓̖̦̘̮̈̊̓͊͆̂̀̐̾́̒͘͜n̸̨͕̯̪̓͌l̸̗̣̮̪͖̜̭̹̼̳̲̘̑̾̐ỳ̷̡̢̨̞͚͍͛͠ ̵̡̛͍̻̠̱̬̝̪̹͕̦͔̹͊̔̂̏̄̽͜ȏ̸̥̳̦͚̄̏̈̐̐̍̑͝ṇ̸͚̙͖͇̓͐̏͌͐̚͝ȩ̷͓̝͍̘͓̫͓͍̻̙̹̣́̅́͋̅̈͂͛͊́́͌̓͐ ̸͉̞̽̑̾͆͠t̸͔̜̻͎̘̝̫̪͎̭͖̰̺̂́̕͠ḧ̵͈̒i̴̧̙̪͈̪̋̀̈̆ń̵͇̘̹͕͉̆̌̎͌͠g̵̡̢̨͚̘̰̩͍̯̙̲̥̑͒̿ ̵̦̯̯̯̱̱̥̭͕͇̪̉ͅĩ̴͔̗̣̱̦͇͍̆̇͒͊s̶͉̣̱̆͐̏̋͌̃̋͋̄͗̽͘͝ ̵̹̥̥̞̭͚̯̟̬̣̭̉̃̓ǒ̵̰̙̖̺̻̜͈̘̣͆́͘̚͝ṅ̶̨̤̻̗̮ ̴̧̨̢͔͚͉̳͎̮̟̩̻͇̐͊ḩ̷̯̄͛̆́̐̽͆̈́͌̽̓͘͝ḯ̵̹͕͓̹͈̞̩̤̪̙̝̳ş̶̢̺̘͉͙̤̼̖͙̦͙̗͊̏͜ͅ ̴̛͍̰̭̮̣̳̐͒̌͒͋̌̃̾̆͌͝͠m̵̛̖̟̃̀̍͒͋̀̌͒͠i̵̳͙̼̍́̾̈́̈̍͋̀͝͠n̶̦͓͖̟̠̘͉̹̻̳̝͚̈d̵͈̲͕̜̝͖̥́.̶̡͖̮̮̖̙̳̅̑̀̿͘ ̷̡̼͕͖̩̓̅̌̒̀̏̎R̴̖͎̻͙̦̭͉͔͎͍͒͗̀̍̆̋͐͂ę̸̨̩̘̗͙̂́̏ẳ̸̩̣̮͚͖̥̫̈͜c̸̢̰̗͕͈̗̜͔̜̟̩̞̬̜̈̚h̵̬̜͖̝̘͍̬̜̤͖̏̄͜ͅī̷̧̪̻̝̖̪̩͎̖̭̲͙͑̊̏̐̋̀͆̓̐̆̊͘͜ņ̷̹̠̩̮̦̦̳͓̪̙͓͈̩͑̓̕͘͜g̵̢̡̯̳̹̭͉̫͔̻̜̼̼̾̅̌̎̋́̌̎́̈̾̑͐̍̓ ̴̜͐͌͆̎͌͠͝o̵̯̩̯̚ư̸͔̩͖̟̘͚̝͓͓̈́̽̈́ͅt̵̖̳̃̆̈́͑̓̾͝ͅ ̸̩̞͔̈́̽̂͆̋̇͒̇̀̕̕͝t̶̢̢͚̭͉̋̈́͊̀͘ơ̸̡̜̠̲̑̓̽̌̒̇̌̀̓̆͂͘w̷̡̛̫̳̲̩̰̪̱̹͉͗̆̀̅̀̈́̉á̵̧͕̺͓̟̮͈̓̆͜ŕ̴̢̭̲̦͍̰̯͔̠̾̉͊̐̎̽̂́͘̚͜ḑ̷̨̛̲͓͔̣̳͈̪̙̰͍͔͖͛͛̽͂̀ͅș̵̨͔̭͎̦̪̲͖͈̝́̍͝ ̴̡̡̢̡̺͉͙̬̦̱̟͚̈́̿̑̈́͐̋̋̀͋̊̅͛̔̚ţ̴̖͖̱͉̬̩̫͗̉̍̆́͋̑͐͊̈́̑͑̚͘͝ͅḩ̴̭͇̫̳̙̜̦̼̻̣͑̈̋͛̂̽̏ȇ̸͉ ̷̢̧̜͚̙̺̰͍͓͈̖͔͎̰̣̋̾̅̚̕H̷̖͎̠͉͓̟̲̺̗̤̄̋̈́̽̍͐̇̅̒͜e̵̢̨̥͓̱̼͕̳̠̾̿̿͋̋̿̊̔̔͊̕̕͠͝ḁ̷̓͛̓̄̊̈́͌̈͝v̶̙̆̽̇́̀͛̂̓͜e̷͕̺͍͚̤̪͎̘͛̇̓̀̄͆̈́͌̆͆̌̿̌͘͠ͅň̷͎̦͉̮̳͔̰̭̺͇̮̪͈͕͓̆͋̉̓̇̓̅̚s̵̡̛͇͉̼̜̑͂̀̿͂̀͐̀̔,̸̡̞̣̳̪̼̭̝͙̫͈̰̪̰̰̀͊͛̉̓̃̇ ̷̛̜͔̙̠͖̬͒̽͊͒͂̓̍̑̓̕͠K̵̘͇̩͔̰̰̩̻̻̱̖̖̾́̂͂̇̐̋̇͘â̶̡̙͍̺̳͉͙͋̉̊z̸̧̢̡̢͇̳̫̹̩̹̮̻̑̊̎͝u̷̧̝̞͔̫̣̦̠͓̱̥͎͎͕͊̃̌͜͝͝h̴̨̢̤̙̩̪̅͒̇̀̀i̶̤̠͕͔̦̘̇̽̾k̵̨̡̨̛̩͙̼̩̙̗͔͎̥͎̼̘͋̏̐̓̾̿̇̒̚͝ö̷̢̧̪̱̘̟̱̥́̀̾̆̒̓̾̆̿̃̕ ̷̹͈̹͇̯́ͅḩ̷̯̜̦̥̹͈͇̠̻͖̓̅͌͂̆̇̐̌̆̂̉̈́̕a̴̠̘̟̗̬͐̿̉̀̌̈́́̚̕s̴̛̜̓̇̈́̎̅͋͐̋̅͌̚ ̶̢̫̦̆̎̇̀͋͂̈́̃̑̏̏̈̕o̴̧͕͓̓́̔̀̽̽̕͜͝n̷̢̳̪̻͇̩̤͎̞̲̳̟̖͇̈́͆̍̀ě̵̛̱̂͌̓̃̾́̒̈́̚͠ͅ ̵̢͙͇̻̮͍̗̜͔̬͗̉̈̓͊͗̂̈́́̀̑͒̈́̚̚ͅļ̷̟͔̼̤̌̃́̀͂̈́̂́̿̋̚̕å̴̝͊̾́̀̋̔̓͗̂̄͋͑͊̌s̷̪̙̯̱̞̳̈̉́̃̒͌͊̏t̸͖̜̍̏͛ ̷̮̺̜̩͚̱͂̂̔̇̇͑͋͑̒̋̒̄ẗ̷̢̡͈̺̺̥̰͉̮̳̦͓́̓͒̽h̶̨͎̻͔͕̘̮̪̥̳̰͝ͅȉ̸̞͚̜͚̜̘̦̞͕͉͌̈͜n̷̛͙̺̆̈̌͊͂̓͊̋̌͐̒͌͘͝g̴̨̫̝̣͍̬͔͓̪͖̬̠̮̀̈́̉̍͜͝ ̴̢̧̳̥̟̠̬͎͓̰̉̊͝t̸̬̦̼͍̳̳̻̫͙̟̊̍͒̈́̓̍̎̿̃̀͋̈́̑͝ǫ̵͉͈̪̗͚̞̠̜̞̙̣̫͔̋͋̑͋͠ ̵̥͙̭̱̮̗͚͍͍̹̠̼̗̀͋̽̏̍̾̉̌̍́̀̚͜͜s̷̢̫̭̟̥̗̘̫̟̠͕͍̮̣͒͗̾̉͊͗̾́̐̒̏͜͝ä̷̞͈̱̘̤́̓y̴̢̺̘̜͔̲̏̄̉ ̶̧̛̪͎͚̼̝̪͖͎̺̝͔̹͗͋̾̔̓̃̓̎͂͝į̵͔̝͐̒͂̀͛͑ṇ̷̨̺̦̖̤̙̱͍̑̑̇͋́̊̿͐͝ ̷̧̨̮̱͍͉̫̺͉͉͑̾͑̇͊ͅt̶̜͎̱͖̘̤͉̪̞͙̹̋̍̓͒̋̽̽̄̊̒̌̊̂͘h̸̗̮̅̈́̐́͐̉̈́̍̌̑̚͝i̸͙̅̌̄́̂̉̽̐͒̓͒s̶̳̜͑́̂̓̔͗̀͒̍͜ ̵͖̙̫̲̩͉̻̗̫͉͑͛̃͂̋͊̒̄̽͊̓̈́̄̾ç̵̛̖͍̭͔̯͚͙̠̱̥̱̉̃̂̉ͅr̴̮̺͓͕͔͉̿̇̉͐̿̈́̐̅́͜͝͝ư̸̰̓̒̀͋͆̐̇̃̈́̔́e̴̼̮͖̠̍̇͐̍͛̿̉̀͐͋́͛̍́͗ḽ̶̛̯̩̼͚̙̈́̍̈̕ ̸̡͙̩̫̰̖̺̞͍̺͗̈́͋͛̓͒̋̾̇̀̆͗͘͝͝w̵̫̭̹͙̞͈̿͋̎̒̑õ̸͈̠̞̞̗̋̃̿̒͋̔r̵̗̙͇̮͈͓̦͙͓͙̪̟̼̤̅͗́͌ļ̵̦̦͖̦̟̪̞̣̦͔͉͙̃͂͗̌̆̓̆͝͝d̵̢̺̥̺͕͔͎̻̼̬̤̜̦̗̍̈́.̷̪̱̺͔̺̺͌̑ ̸̧͙̤̮͎̯̼̝̒̆̊͂̓̀̔́͗̌̋̉͜͝"̴̢̳̪̩͙̗͐̽͌̚̕Ạ̷̡̧͉̩̥̙̭̹͆̈́̈̏́͂̐̽͘͠y̵̪̳͊̀́̐̾̑͊̓͗̚͘͜ā̴̡̢͙̪̫̻͓̑̎͘,̷̢͍̳̘̼̰̬̥͕̫̖̟̠̝͑̅̍̓̈́̚͠ ̵̡̧͕͕̟͈͂͐̀̌̂͛͛͠Ị̴͕̻͚̤͆ͅ ̶̢̻̘͇̊̿̿̑́̽̄̒͘ͅl̸̡̙̗͔̯̳̰̘͉͖͇̈́͂͐̃ō̶̳̜̬͍̈̀̆͒̒v̷̝͕̪̝̪̲̱̖̭͒̓̋̋̃̋̈́͜͠ͅe̶̩̤͂̔̋̉͝ͅ ̵̛̛̳̲̙̻̭̫̘͙͈̠̭̜̹̑͋̉̒͒͂̀̚̚ȳ̷̨̰̙̮̙̱̪͍̳̈̐̐̃ǒ̵̡̭̫̲̯͙̩̘̅̊̃̑̈́̈́̈́͊̎͗̚͠ͅu̷̩̮͉̓̿̍̐̍̅̈́͝.̴̧̖̣̳̣̣̦̫͉͎̦̜̾͌̓̂͌͝͝.̷̧̛̬̺̠͇͎̭̥̀͛͐̓̍̋̔̊̑̚̚͘.̷̟̓̇͆͗͊̇͐̈́́̇̇̚I̴̛͓̱̬̫͖̖͓͈̪̬̓̊̀͋̅̆̀͗̿̆̈́̽͝'̶̘͕̰̪̐m̵̙͉̙̤͚̰̣͉̩̦̊͐̍͛̅͛̂̔̂͋̀̕ ̴̨̧̱͕̙̯͍͙̯͓̮͑̍s̶̼̮̹̺̖͇͔͈̀̐̉̔͌̎̏̈́̈́̀͜͠ͅo̸̧̮͓̳̙͕̘̠̲͉̲͚͔̥̎̒͋̿̃̽͂̊̏̌̈́̓̕r̴̢̨̛͍̥̘̻͖͔̖̜̲͋͒̈́͗̔̔͝r̴̨͍̹̋̿̀̒̏̋̓̂͌̊͒̅̀̈́y̶̭͎̼̰̼̲̪̠̥̜̞̖͕̫̗̆̓͛̂̔̅͘.̸̧̻̙͙̗̦̥̜̙̹̭̞͍̉̕"̴͚̩̯͂̾͛͛͊̑̈́̽̈́̅͊́͗͝ ̷̛̘͗͗̐̽͜͝T̷̯̪͉͂̔̿͑͗͒̊̅̚̕̕h̶̢̳̩̰̪̮̻̼͎͖̓̅̽e̴̡̩̺͎̰̞͚̫͔͓͎̭͚͑͊̅̓n̷͙͌̿̀̈́̕͘ ̴̘̒̄̈̓̔̎̔̏̕͠h̷̭͓̗̼̟̟͈̠̲̰̙̔̂͂͋͐͂̉̋̾͘͝͝͝ͅe̴̡̝͖̳̠̥͍̎̍̅̓̑ ̴̨͍̈́̿͗̔͑̾͒f̵̞̰̀̂̾̈́͊̅̎̆̒͂̈́̕͝͝ͅͅą̴̛̲̱̉̔̉̒̐͛̆̈́̀̚͝l̴͍̜̜͇̳̳͍̺͈̯̂̊̒̈́̈̋̃̑͊̇̔͝ͅl̶̨̢̡̻̠̘͓͚͙̠̬̦͕̮̤̒̈͒̎̎̐́͝s̷͚̯̫͐͐̉̐͑͗̋̅̄̓̉̀̐͘͝ ̷̹̺̅ơ̸̢̧͌̽̊̔̓̚͝n̷̹̲̪̭͓̙͖̮̟͇͗́̆͋̀̒̓͘͜͜t̸͕͕͉͑̂̏̀̔̒̂o̷̢̡̮̘̖͗̈̑͌̓̌ͅ ̴̢̛͕̠͍̲͈͔̘͖̲̝̲̈͗̔͛̾̂̿̀̒̐́͜t̵̛̤̞̳͈̹͋͆̽͗h̵̲̒̊̀̄͑͗͗e̴̡͓̫̽͌̃̾͘͝ ̸̰̀̿̑̂̎̽̀̽̈́͋̊͐̾͝f̷̖̱̂̓́͠i̷̝̗̟̣̞͂̔͋̓́̐̇̚͜l̶͈̲̜̙̿e̵̙̱̙̯̓̏͒͌́͆ ̶͇̙̭̬͙̗̦̤̲̼̦́͒̌̋͐̀͘ò̵͔̏̏̉̔͋͠f̷̺̠̥̼̺͓̺͚̆̈ ̵̢̣̯͚̩̝͎̖̯̘͒̔̈ŗ̴͈̰̘͍͓̝͉̦̤͕̲̯̜͆́̌͐̕͠u̵̦̻̮̇̉͂̎̈́ḅ̵͔͕͍̲͒̾̀̿͋̓͘͝͠ͅb̶̛̫̰̒̽͒̋͆̂̂̿̋̓ľ̵̜͈̩̲̣͈͖̼̹̻̬̬̈̍̒̿̃̌̀̄̾͠ȅ̵͎̳̆̈́̀̊͑̀̑̂͐̈́͆͝,̸̛͕͔̖͇͔̺̟͑̍̑̉͐̂̿͋̍̽͛̽͜͠ ̶̝̐͒̈́b̸̡̧̛̬̻̪̤͙̩̼̘̟͉͇̠͚͊̾̾̒̈́̃̐̆̒̃̏̕͘͝ē̵̡̨̧͙͓̻̩̜͆͑̍̀́̎̽͝i̷̛̙̍̓͋͂́̐̽͊̎͘͝n̴̡̞̝̟̠̰̪͎̻̲̓̆͐͋̅̄͗g̴̗̱̪̰͉̦̱̰͉͎̊ͅ ̶̢̭͍̬̪͖͙̝͎͍͍̬͓̺̗̀̓͐̿̒̈̀̚t̷̗̬̳͕̝̣̪̺̟̪̏̈́̚o̷̢̗̭̯̩͉͍̾̅̋́ř̸̨̪͇̱̎̇t̷̰̯̹̥̩̼̀̅̾̑͆̑͛̿͠ư̴͕̰̙͍̬̝̰̤̂̀́͒̌͋̔̈́̃̚͝r̵͓̺̮͎̻͔̆͂͆͐͂͛̈̂͆̈͌̐͘͘͠e̶̛̮̍̒̆̾̈́̊́̉̿̉̿̚d̵͙̲̳͔̘̪̗̮̝͒̓̃̆̌͗̉̂́́̆̚͝͝͝ ̷̡̛̛̩̹̲̤͖͙͂̏͑͑̈́͌͒̚ͅf̷͉̹͚̼̞̀̒̑̆͜͜ô̸̡̩͉̼̜̫͇̲̮̮̩͊͑͆̐̽͠͠r̴̝͚̪͔̱̪̀͌̇͘e̶̢̛̜̜̞̖̯̝̪͙̠͍̣̗̫͂̍v̸̡͚̗̝̞̦͖͈̫̪͑͋͂e̷̺̦̓͂͛͑̍̈́͑̈́̈̌̚ŗ̷̢̨͕̞̜̻͙̜̣̘̀͒͋͂̃̚͜͜͝ͅm̸̧̢̙̪̥̬͈̽͗̇̒͑͐̊̒̉̎͂̑͛͘͝ͅͅö̵̝̻͙̲̩̠̹̗̣́̽̃͂̆́͜͠ŗ̸̫̮̣̳̳̝̻̋́̓̋͗̒̈́́̕͝͝ȩ̴͈̊̚.̴̣̱̠̣̙̲̲̲̖͙̮̯̘̓̃͌͛͘͜ͅ ̵̡̧̯̺̳̰͙̙͖͂̿͂̄̿̈́͜͠ͅ
A̴̠̖̩̻͇̟͗͝y̵̘͊̒̄̐́͝ằ̸̡͇̻̖̠̙̦͕̼͆͐̽́͘n̷̢̛͖̫͉͕̱̫̟̰ǫ̶͖̟͎̗̝͔̰̜̩̭͈́́̽̆̈́̄͒̏͐͘ ̶̡̝̻̟̜̘̿̉̃̽͒͑̍i̷̲̟̟̭̠̮͍̮̮͓͈̰̅̅͌͛̕ş̷̡̟͈͈̝͉͚̥͎̯̻͓͖͕̆̀̂̇̿͑͋̇̈͊̓̕͝ ̴̠̟̻̞̖͕̗̤̙̟̃̃̒̾̄̒̾̉̚ṇ̵̛̠͍͇͗̀̈́̾̐͐̓͑̎́̅̈́̚̕͜ͅó̴̢̧̤͉̭̳͒ ̵̨̛̪͎̙̪͉͎͓̼͖̽̿ļ̵̠̙̆̔̊̀̈́͂̇̉͒̈́̒̍̕̕ǒ̴͖̤̳̘͇̰̦͈̜̂ͅņ̴̢̢͔̯͕͆͜͜͝g̴̨̛̙͔̞̩̥͎̼͙̃̿̇͑̎̌̔ė̶͚̗͓̼̝̓͊̆͂̓̈́͊̀̊͂̎̋͘͘r̵̢͓̪̹̒̊͑̅ ̶̰̱͍͓͊̏͊h̸̖̅ë̴̫͔̜̊͆̅̒͐̐̿̏͝r̷̝͖̘͈̜̠̳͆͆ͅs̵̡͚͎̘̤̜̺͉͒̎̾̈́̀̽͒̋̚͝ę̵͓̂̌̃̈̽̀̽̎̾͝l̴͕̝̿̆͐̀͛̌͝f̵̡̡͚̲̭̣͎̰͍̯͕͍̓̊̄̓́̌̿́ ̴̢̡̢̡̫̞̪̝̣̺̹͉̣̰̙̇̏̊͌̋̉̄͐̾̎̚̚͝ȧ̵̡̨̨̜̙̹͚̯͈͇̪͎̋̽͆̂̎͒̔͘n̷̋̿̓̄͐̎͑͋̀̆ͅd̵̯̱̦̠̝̙̜͕͎̂̓͐́ ̶̡̛̳̗̞͛̀̆̀͋̓̌͊̍̏͝d̷̺̙̜̯̺͈̘̼̫̘̰͆͂́̈́͐̀́͘̕͜͝ͅo̷̡̡̼͖͇̖̤̫̮̖̼̤͕̭͎͑̋̓ẽ̴̢̲̳̯̗̜̬̰̙͌̃͗̓ͅş̸̛͎̻̣͚͖̼̦̞̆͛̇̿̈́́̀̽̈́̄̓͛͌͝ ̸̢̩̺̣̖̺͇̤̠̬̱̙͍̇̌͜n̷̢̧̞̰͔̟͎͇͓̣̻̏̊̎̽͐̈́͆̅̽̎͗͒̎̅ơ̴̱͓̬̩̖̳͚͔̣͂͆́̓̚t̸̢̝̯͈̼̭͖̓̐̎̄̀̔̓͘͝ ̴̭͎͙͓̗̩̬̩͑̂̇̃̍̔̃̔͋̋͠h̴̢̺͙̣̝͍̼̻͆̊̂̅a̸̹̦̻̳̙͈͚͓͉̰͕̻͍̐v̸̨̛͍͇͍̪̼͇̲̻̠͚͍̯̩͔͒̉̆͒́͂̕ȇ̸͚͔̘̮̯̥̣͍̯̣̓̔͊͌͝͝ͅ ̵̮̈́̐̈́ţ̴͉̯̱̖̯̻͗h̵͍̹̜̲̔̿͊͘͠e̸̺̭̱̰̣̣̙͙͖̭̟͖͌͝ ̸̢̫̟̘̫̩̻̩̮̭̯̗͔͉̎p̴̨̢̣̬̼̜̳͖̹̪̼͓̍̐̈́̏͌͗͐̚͘͝l̵̡̢̛̛̮̪̹͓͇̂̐͊̐̓̂͗̃̽̄̚͜͠e̶̡̫̗̙̭̲̳͎̦̣̍̅̊̂̏̅̓̉̊̈́̒͋̈̆ͅa̶͔̾̀̍̓́͂̃̇̃̄̉͘s̶̺͒̆̒̓̈́͒͝û̸̡̧̲̦̩̮̞͈͙̖͉̼̲̞̣̓͝r̷̨̨͙̦̠͙̖̼̭̅̔̄͛͜͜͝e̵̥͙̗̤͚̋͐̽̔́̂̾̀̐̒̓͘̕̚͝ ̴̧̝̪̻̠̥̠̣̋̑͌͒͋͆̉̽͋̓̾̒̾͝ͅỏ̸̡̗͚̫̯̤̇̌͑̈́̀́̏͘f̶͎͇̙̜͓̮͇̞͖̜̊̏̈́̇̑̑͋͌̌͗̍̚̚͠ͅͅ ̴̧̡͓̗̦̙͖̪̤̭͖̣͔͓̓͗̍͛͗͒̐͘d̷͔̅̀̈́̇ÿ̶̢̼̲̮͙́̇́͒͛͂̋̈́̍̊̀̕͝͝͠î̶̢̡̧̻̣̻̬̤̪͖̩͈̗͔̫̿̎́̉̒̽͐̃̿̕͝n̴̢͍͖̘̖̙̼̭̩̮̝̭̬͙̆̔ͅg̴̤̙̜̪͑ ̴̢͍̭͇̱̱̹͎̒̂ẁ̵̨̗̈̀́̐̉̑̐̒̉̐́̋̋͝i̶̡̢̩͚̱͚̝̅̀͋̊̉̅̂̈́̌͠t̸̙̃̍͆͌̑̎̈́̈̈́̐̅͂̉̕h̵̡̛̘͇̰̲͙̼́̀̄̿̊̊̚͠ȯ̴̢̨̗̩͓̗͈̣̻̺͙͒̈̊͑̓̿̓͆͐̔̎̕̚̚ứ̷̼̪̻̅̓ṫ̴̛̼̩̻̤͓̝̙̼̟̬͖̬̋̀̂̈́͂̆̊̽́̈͘̚ ̵̛͎̮̹̈́́͗̈́̉̾̉͋̎͝͝h̴͖̦̦̼͔͈̣͚̆͑͗̍͜ą̶̗͙̣͊͊͋͘̚v̵͖̏̆̄̉͋̃̎͗î̴̢͖̱͍̇͊̽͛̇̉́̍́̈̀̕n̸̟̝͖̲̭̝̫̠̖̱̼͐̐̊̾̍̉̂g̴̢̨͓͈̱̞͉̬͘ ̶̫̹̭͔̓̂͗̐͜͠t̷̤̙̪͋̀͂͒̌͗͂̀̀̒̈́͛͘̕͠ö̷͔́͂̈̑̑̊̚͠ ̴͉̱̤̮̓͗̒͛̊̏̓͂͜w̶̧̢̤̹̹̻̳̩̙̹̲̞̰͙̅̽̄̉̌́̓͐͛̄̇̐͂̕̕͜ȩ̷̧̠̜͇̱̤̯̻̗̰̥͛̓̅̈́̃͊̈́͊ͅȁ̶̡̼͖̬͚͕̰͇͇̟̱͓̀͗̍̆̓̚̕͝r̸̡̨̬͖̞̱̼̦͉͚͚̓͐͌̊̾ ̵͇͓̥̞̳͎̪̤͇͍͕̺͖̯̂̽̅̆̅͋̈̎̓̚͜͠͝a̶̢͓͎̹̰͓̟̱̟͛́͐͂̽͂̄̾̕͘͜ ̸̨̬̹̥͈̬̖͑̄͒̐̂̈́͜ͅṁ̸̛͓̻͈͚̖̯͌̋̌͊̅̾͑a̵̧͓̣̽̌͋̋s̷͍͕͙̠̤̉k̵̙͈̉̓̃͒ ̸̛̗̫͇͗̀̃̿̾͆́̈́̒͘ͅơ̴̧̤̣͓̞̩̼̅̐̈́̀̌̿̓̾̓́́̐̾͝f̵̛̫̳̰͔̲̅̈̆̓͗̓͑̇̈́ ̵̡̧̡̧̖͈͚̘̭̬̠̞͉̖̰̏͑͌̒͂͗͐̓̀͐̈́a̴̞̞̪̞̯̞̒̈͒̓͒̏̊ͅn̶͚̻̯̩̻̩̰̱̹͇̬̞̣̓̽̏̿̀̑̀͌̿͊̾͘ ̵̨̛̣̰͖̒̇̓̃̈́́͒̓́͂̌͊̄͑i̵͖͓̙̤͈͇̭̥̝̒̃n̴̡̠̗̻͖̻̱̲̻̯̪̖̳̺͑̀̈́͊̽͌͜͠f̵̣͔͒̓̍͌̓̑̇̇̚͝a̵̦͍͌m̵̨̩̝̲̻̺̳̙̟̗̝̔̎̀́̈́̕͘͝͝o̷̫͍͗̆̅̔͗̅͘ͅư̶̢̡̡̛̘̜͔̤̖̣͉̱̩̥͑̐̐̆̒́̈́̀̉̑̔͌ͅs̶̫͙͖̯͙̎̍̃ ̸͉̠̪̖͙͉̰̗̬̓͆́̈́͋̇̉̍̏̑͘̕m̵̧̧̧̗͚̬̻̤̲̃͑̂ų̶̮̺̥͇̱̟͖̙̝̮̻̈́ͅŕ̴͍͖̦͕̳̰͎͙̹̗͎͌͊́̀̿̈́͋̐̊̃̄̕͜d̵̡̙͖͍̈́̽̀͠e̵̢̨̢͓̟̭͔̖͙̰̞̝̻̰͊͊̏́̿̂̀̈́̌͘ṙ̸̗̈̈̂͐͗̽̑̈́̎̕͝͝͠e̸̞͈͍̬̙̯̘͖͔͍̯̬̓͗̔͌̏̂͊͆̍͑͊̋r̴̡͖̹̾͆̔̅̒̎͛͋̈́̓̄͛̆̕͝.̴̰̪̯͇̫̩̞̩͇̗͙͑̀̄́͑́̎̃̈́̈́̂̍̕ ̶̧̢̛̹̝̠̹̘͇̲̭͌̂̃͋́ͅḂ̴̧̛̻̟̘̘̲̒̓̉̓̃̒͆͌̅̌͗͑e̷̮̤̼̦̙̲͉̜̞̯̪̪͇̗̮͑́̎́̂i̸̺̬̤͍͋́̂͌̑̎n̵̡̥̰͍̥̼̞̦̩͆̈́̑͋͒͜g̵̍͜ ̴̛̥͙̩̠̺̰͖͖̓̉͊̐̀̽̅̈̋̋͘̕̚͜a̸̳̲͗̾͒̊̒̑͠l̶̰͙͔̬̹̜̹͓̹̝̝͚̺̽̉̂̂̂ŗ̷̛̩̤͎̼̘̪͎̖̠͖͗̾͆͛̆̃e̶̺̘̜̿̊̀͂̍͆̈́́̋͑̈́͐̀͠a̴̤̹̘̗̩͕̳̒̒̓̚d̵̨͎̩̞̻̪̦͓͍̱̘͍̲̥̩̉̎̅̾̃ÿ̵̨̟̯̬̻̯͓̟̯́̋̿̃̊̿͌̐͛̔͐͆͝ ̷͉͍̬̹̹͖̝̱̱̼̠̿́̂̎͆̌̈́̇͂̈͜͝ͅc̵̝̄̈̆l̵̡̟̲̪̺͉̏̔̒͒̑̿͂̽͗͑͊͐͠͝ë̶͔̻͔͇̞̲̮̝̺̙̟̲͓́͐͗͆̔́̂̋̌̆ͅạ̴̧̡̡̺͇̣͉̙̑͆̆͠r̵̝̪̠̱̙̥͎̱̗͒̉͝l̴̲̩̻̣͎̬͚̪̯̇͆̊̒͑̑̏͝͝ͅŷ̸͉̩̬͉̳̦͖͈̩͒ ̵̨̨̢̤̲͇̱̲̗̥̫̫̼̼͂͜b̸̲̺͍̹̫̣̳̹̥̓͐̈̃̋̋̋̏̊ȓ̵̢͖̬̱̘̳̟̰͍͇̮̗̦̋̇̐̚͜͝ȕ̴̢͙̹̆͒̓̿̆͌̈͜t̶̨̢̳̘͓̳́͗̒̌ä̴̦̞̳̝̰̮̦̣́̿̔͒̽̉̎͌̃̈́̑̚̚ḷ̸̫͓͙͇͕̻̩̏͋͌͜͝l̵̩͚͉͎͇͇͑y̴̢̡̟͈̻̦̳̝̟̻̋͗̾͋̈́̏̍̉̄̓̂͋̚ ̶̜̝̞̄̂́̚͝t̶͓̟̱̮̜͔͈͉͂̈́̉̏͒͘ǫ̴̨̖͓͙̖̥̬͎͓̒͛̅́̓̏̄͆́ṟ̵̡͖͉̲̮͍͎̔̔̂͘ţ̵̪͈̮̻̱̯̼̍ų̴̦̊̎̓̓̓͝͠r̷̢̧̛͙̺̣̻̖̠̣̼͂̓͊̉͑̄̍͠͠͝ȩ̴̨̢̨̈́͊͒̿́͑͌̕͝ͅd̵̮͔̤̣́͆͝,̴̧̬̗̝̼̦̖̫͖̞̑͂̔̌͂̈̊̆̋͜ͅͅ ̷̝͌̐̿̋̆͌̏̉͠Ã̸̢̢̤̺̪̬̗̪͓̰͖̟͓̦̤͆ý̶̧͇̥͉͓̥̳̘̳̹̹̦̫̬̾̽̆͛̔̀̋̀͒̏͂͠͝ą̷̢̨̨̧̢̨͕͓̩͈̘̦́͛͗͊͊̐͛̂̆͋̅̔̍̚͠ͅn̵̢̛̪̻̟͖̅̎̒̏͋͌̆̉́̅́́̚ơ̶̧̤̘̣̗̱̱͇͙̲̟͔̐́̆̅̊̋͋̂̈͌͝ͅ ̵̢͇͇͈̞̪̭͖̖̥̲͑͐̉́̄̽͊͝ͅc̶̡̨̡̪̳͚̼͙̰̻͍̥̻̳͉͐́͗̋̌̃͛̉̒͒̽͋a̸̗͎̠̰̗͕̜̮͎̽͛̑̑͌͒͘̚͝n̷̨̞͎̣͈̮̤͉̔̀̀͋̈́́̆͌͗̄ͅ ̵̡̡̧̫̺̩͙͓͉̹̋̓̅̓́͜d̶̡̥͖̮̣̙͔̫̲̮͇͈̰̿́̔͌̃̈́͑̋̈́̕͝͝ͅǫ̶̲̠̫͇̃͆̓́̇̈̀͌̅̔̋̂̍̚͝ ̷̡̤̱͔̗͓̼̦̘̳͊͋̆̃͑̈̆̄̈́͒͆̊͘̚ͅn̸̩̟̪̜͎͚͓̪̈́͂̿̈́̑͋̈̀̆̌͒̚͠͠o̶̡̥̟̦͓̻̤̲̹͔͎̠̿̍͋t̵̩̟͙̖̠̤͛̊͜h̶̛͍͛͋̑͑͝͝į̶̧̡̖̻͈̜̟̟̤̥̄͒͛̊̔̽͌̈́̊͗͌n̷̨̧͔͎̗̩̣̼̘̜̱̭̹̆͜ͅg̴͎̲͈̖̘̾̿̌́̄̋ͅ ̵̛͓̣̺̬͓̤̗̟͈̲̩̣̘̲͒̓̔̈͆͠ͅb̶̞̱̌̉́̋̽͛̽̂ŭ̸̢͔͓͇̜͓̦̯̯̗͔͙̖̞̩̐̀ẗ̸̨̢̯̣̻͚̹̼̤̙͇̮́̓̏̔͠ ̵̢̛̭̮̯̞͇̝̼̱̼̟̔̓͗́̈̑͊ͅͅs̴̳͛͛̓̈́̑̚̚m̶̹̔̄̒̓́í̷̞͚̉̕ͅĺ̵̨̨̧̻̥͎̯͍̜̩͎̜̼̣͗̔̆ͅē̴̛̝̩͚̫̠͕̞̗͈͆ ̶͉͖͙͔̩͋́̀̈ą̸̳̮̪̩̽͒̐̀̒͐̒̂̏s̷̗͙͇͖̣̥̱̰̤̫̼͎͗́̀̾ ̵̡̢̜̲͓͇̹̓́̐͂ͅs̶̨̧͍̯͎̟̠͕͓͓̲̾h̸̛͚͒͊̅̈͂̓̃͗̾̚̚ȅ̸̜͈͆ ̵̡̥̭̘͖͍̰̜̲͑ä̵̡̢̡̙͖̺̤̲̣̗̫̘͙́̎̏̎͆͜͜ẅ̶̡̘̩̬̬͖̜͙͔̠̳̙́̇͊͐̆̍a̵̙̼̗̙͕͚͚͓̯̻̬͋̿͒̀̆̂̅́́̒͝͝ͅͅȉ̸̟͓̍̍̒̐̅͆͛̆̏t̴̨̨̡̮̯̬̠̖̫̫̤͙̟͐́͆̇̉͛̃̀͊͋̄̑̀ͅs̸̢͖̭̠̬̗̊̿̿͆̽̓̽̑̅̎̈̇͘͝ ̸̧̛̗̱̦̺͍͉̩̭̼͜h̷͖̹̭̲̯͖͚̞̖̻̪̜̆͗̂̿̐̿̔ͅẽ̴̢̡̗͉̠̙̺̘̪͍͇͓͍͗̊̓̐̓ͅr̸̛̥̬̜͌͂͐͑̍̒͐̋͜ ̶̟͔̂͋̔͛̏̄͋̒͝c̴̢̢̗͚̫̬̦͔̳̩̙͕̱̐̐͆̾ͅr̵̥̠̮͎̦͂̂̕u̴͔͕̝̺̦̘͔̲͙̜̭͓̦̍̔͑̄͋̿̈̃̔͆̿̕e̸̢̳̹̹̼̰͕̼͛̋̓̃̈́͜͝l̶̢̘͇̲̭̼̰̲̖̖̞̮̖̝̽͋͌̎ ̷̜̦̣͙̰͖͓̹̂̆͋́͒̆̽͠d̸̨̗̙͎̝͑̒͑͋̿̂̐ͅe̶̩͂̈́̈́̓͌͌͛̽͛̍̕a̵͕̗̻̟̟̳̓̓͗͂̅̈̊̿͒̄͐̚͠t̴͓̭͓̮̰̮͊̌͌͐̈́̓͆͊́̋h̴̡̛͉̗̺̫͈͚̉̿̇̅̽̐͑́̐̂̐͝.̸̛̰̦̃̂̂́̃͋̐̄̒͘ ̴̡͑́͊̄W̵̧̨͉͚̰̘͋̓̈́̅̋͐̈́̾̉́̀̀̕̚͠h̴̔́̆̎͆̄̀̈́̚͜͝ͅi̶̡̲͙͌̈͊͗̓̈̆̿l̷̨̡̩̩͖͔̝̦̩̼͚͕̝̠͌̈́̈́̈̀̇̾̃̀̑̆̉̈́̚̚é̷̡̯̟̹͍̦̠̼͎͐̅̂̂̂̇̍͂̔͒͒̕͜͜͝͝ ̸̨̪̺͖̲̲̤͎̩͙͈̦̭͂̉̆̈́͆͆͐͒̈́͘͝ͅr̶̨̬̠͗͝ǫ̵̛̻͇̘͙̠͇̻͉̗̘͕͙̽͗̀̍̈́̆ͅc̸̨̛̛͈̬̻͒̔̀̎̿̎̀͌͘̚̕͠k̸̘̯̤̥̹̍̌̃̈ś̷̢͙͈̭̝̦̮́͆̾̎́̈́̋̄̓̚͜͠ ̴̡̺͓̬̭̩̹̤̩̩̱͓̘͚̿̇͌̿͆̊͗͛á̸̧͙̰͍̩͎̰̠̪̯̜̠̬͐͘ṛ̵̯̏͆͗̈́̆̚͝͝ę̷̢̺̖̼̘̝́́̂̌̑́̏̚͘ ̸̢̛̬̜̙̔̎͑̓͛̀̈́̓̋͌͘͘b̶̨͈̞͓̳͔̖̰͓̟̽ȩ̵̛̛̣͕̥̪̭̮̺̱̫̘͈̗̹͙͋̒͛̈́̉́͛̾͂̃̀͂͝į̵̬̥̥̠̱͓̦̃̐͋͊̽̅͋̈̈̔̀͝ͅn̷̺͉̗̹̖̼̪͖͍̮̬̭̯̤̄̈̎̆̉̏̈̚̕̕g̶̨̮̖͇̲̱̭̗̭͗̇́̔̏̉̈́̐͂̿̃̌́ ̷̬̠̯̍̾͛̎͗̎͘̚͝͠ẗ̷̲̼̻͍̣̝͎̌̇̋͊̕ẖ̵̩̬̜̾̀͌̉̑̈́̿͒̀͝ŗ̶̠̈̎̓̔̽͛̕̕ơ̵̖̹͉͇̟̐͗̓̄̀̃̈́̿̌͑̏̅̈́̒w̸̡̡͚͉̜̠͉̹̿͆̍͂͂̔͊̍́̓̀́̾̚n̸̲̹̹͉̉̈́̓̈́͌̉͛̔͊͑͘ ̸̨̡̛̮̱͎̈̾̒̉͆̎̂̓͒͑̀͘̕͠ą̸̪͙̪̐́͊̒̇̇́̑̈̎̂̈́͘͠ͅţ̵̨̢̝͕͓̝͕̼̪̼̙̭̣̻̌̓̆̆̐͋̉͑́̈́͝ ̶̨̨̡͚̭͕̫̲̭̋͝ḫ̶̨̡̢̛̤͍̭̦̤̫̗̯̝̣͂̍́̇̈́́̕̕e̶͎̿̽̿̋̇̾̈́̄͋̑̀͋͆͘̕ȓ̵̨̛̜̞̮̦̺͇͈̙̖͓͙̘̏̌̌͂̆̈́̏̌͒͠͝,̶̞̺̹̦͔̱̒͊ͅ ̸̧̗̰̘̦̫̦̖͕̳̼̬̒͋͌̊̄͆̾̇͗͛͒̏̿̃͝ͅA̸̮̟̹̝͈̦̳̼̬͍̺͂͆̑̅̑̂̍͘͜ͅȳ̷̙̪̰̏̉̊̈́͒̿̊͐͆̊̚a̶̦͙̦͕̞̬̱͌́̈́̈́͋̅̋͑̎̇ṉ̸̼̰͗̔͗̎͆͗̚ǫ̸̡͎̠̝̳̣͓̗͇̮̮̦͔̽̎̎̅̾́͛̕̕ ̶̨̰̫̫͛̄̒̀̍̒̐̒͝g̴͈̥̲̬̱̳͇̳͆̈́̐̈́ę̴̟̀̇̈̈͛̋̍̐͗͠t̸̢̗̘͙͕̮̖̻͕͈̻̹̖̺̓̌̈́͛͑͂͛̀̚͜͝͝͝͝͠ş̸̼̺͗̓́͌̇́̾ ̵̰͔͙̇̿̉̾͒̀̅̔̎̒̒͛͑͝s̷̡̖̮̹͚̩̤͖͇̳̞̀͗̂͌̉̈̀͋͗̎̕͜l̵̝͕̅̌͒͋́̈̐͌̄̊͠͝ͅọ̴̡̲͍̰̎͐̈́̾́̒͆̽̌̅̓̑̃͝w̴͔͚͔̲̱̱̒ͅl̴̢̨̛̫͎̥͙͍̜̥̩̗̻͇͛͂̈́͂̔͛͑͒́͗̚̚͝y̴̛̰͈̖̯̮̬̦̪̻̾̽́̓̐̑͒̕ ̶̱̺͈͓̼̜͉̿͘t̸̜͈͍͔̦͙̥͋ỏ̵̢̱̃̏̀̄̚r̶̨̖̩̟͇̼̟̱̱̦̩̐͛́̄̐͂̏́͛̽͌͊͝n̶̛̰͂̐̏̅̐̃̃͊̽̍ ̵̛̳̝̃̑̔̈́̓́ţ̸̛̭̼͎̯̟͖̩͋́̇̍̋̽ͅȏ̸͚̋͑̌̐̽̉͊̓̓͝ ̴̨̛̙̪̻̩̺͚̼̳͗͊̊̒̿̂̽͝͝d̶̛̜͌̐̓̈́̌̓̊͂̃̅̔͠͝ế̸̛͕̗̰̟̲̹͚͎̟͙̜̉͒͌̌̆͘̚ả̷̢̢̭̣̘͎͉̩̖̼̟̓̽͌̈̿̌̅͆̚͜͝͝ţ̸͔̲͕̝̪̽̉͝h̵̢̻̙̺̦͔͇̝̉́͋̈͜ͅ,̴̢̘̜̤̻̥̤̩̺̪͇͕͕̫͖́̓̽̐͋͐̒̀́̀̚̕͠ ̸̹̗̹̇̂̅̈̆̑̈́̎́̏̐̌̕͝͠f̶̨̢͕̬̟̮͔̣͕͗̈̈̉̒̽̐̿̄͑́̐ͅȩ̶̧̗̘̗̩̜͕̦̬̣̖̈́̈́̑̍ě̸̺̋́́̕̚͜͝͠l̵̛̝̫̪̩̖̜̪̖̺̣̂̆̅̔͋̾̀̿̀̈̕i̵̢̹̥̖̫͈̫̦̖͉͈̓̿͊̑̈́͛͋͑̓́n̷̮̼̖̤̜̺̦̗͚̼̆̌g̷̢̣̦̰͎͍̠̜̱͕̫̗̿͜͠ ̸̢̡̧̲̘͖̟͕̣̟̤̬̩̲͐͑͊̒͒͑̈́̊̂͝ͅt̶͓̻̗̮̪̜̳͙̣̝̦͉̣́́̅̾̊̽́͑̐̃̓̆͆̓͠h̷̩͕͎̯͖̻̪̪̱̬̓͂̈̊̓͆̇̔͐̒̂̒̕̕͜͝e̴̘̘͓̺̦̭̰͚̣̮̮̎͝ͅ ̵̨͙̗͚̭̤̰͚̯̙̹̈́̂̿p̵͙̺̹̭͉͕̐ä̶̢̟̱̲̣̯́ḯ̴̼͓̬̒̓̓̄͌̽́́̐͗n̶̛̘͕̤̠̠̫̦̦̖̓̌̔̕͘̚ͅ ̸͍̞̗̝̟̞̹̞̞̂̽͜ơ̵̡̧̱͚̩͉̝͎̞͂̅͌̒̕f̷̢͎̟͎̰̭̪̜̒͐́́́̈́̃͂͗̎͜ͅ ̸͓͙̤͔̖̙̋͗̿̎̈́̋̏̽̀ē̴̬͕̪͕̘̼̠̥̬͚̗͖̫̄̑́͂̅̀͊͊̒͛̚̕v̶̙̮͕͍͎̝̉̋ȅ̴̛̳͈̥͕͇͇̊̐̀͛̊͋͐̊̀͂̆̕r̸̢̢̫̥͚̫͚͕̩͉̯̦̍̅͌̃͊y̷̡̢̝̰̖̳̩͖̺̰͖̔̊̋̉̏͛̋̐̂̄̕̕͘ ̷̨̨̞͓̤̼̪͍͓͙͓̏̊̏̒̈́̔̄̔͂̈͋͜͜m̴̻̣̆ù̵̺͈̳̍ṡ̸̭͈̼̖͇̳̰̅̉͊͗̇̉͋̿̆͘͘c̴̛̛̠̹̖̟͕͑͑l̸͕̝̪̩̔͜e̶̛̘̍͋̃̄́̈́͌͌̓͒ ̴̧̧̨̦̜̣̯̥̻̠̺̪̰̥͘͝b̷̗̜̪͍̖̓̃͗̄͛̊͆̈́ȩ̷̬̮̜̈́i̷̪̝͓̻̯̠͔̰͉̳̮͖̠͠n̴̪̩̭͖̥̣̭̾̈́̐̀͐̇͛̎̓͑̕͝g̸̯̭̜̯̫̗̬̝̣͛̈́̈́̋̒̾͜͜͠ ̴̨̼̟̮͇͔͔̞͉̥̺͚̑̈́͒̉̐͜͠d̸̻̬̰̰̙̬͈͋̒͛̈́͐͒̈́̂͊̎͘͝è̵̡̛̯̠̤̭͍̩͖͛́̈́̂́̕͠͠s̶̠͂́͒̂͘t̴̨͙̠̙̖̭͚̘̹̲͈͈̀͒̎̑̈́̀͊r̷̢̡̠͉̟̼̹̘̣̳͖͔̅͒̍̓͂̕͘̚͜o̵̝̟̜̣̤̞͘ỹ̴̡̧̛̛̩̠̗̬͈̖̻̜͎̔̓̍̂̌̌̅̆͆͛̀̚ḙ̴̛̤͖̓̈́̾̏͝d̷̨̜̼̲͕̰̤̦͔̲̻̼̋̉̾̋̉̐̔͛̈́͐̕ͅ.̷̟̟͎̥̝̼̽̅̐͒͌͝ ̷͇̲̞͖͗̑͘͝A̵̬̅̈́̀̍̆̅̎̍͒̌͊͝f̶͖̪͉̹̰̭̾̅͂̌͝t̸̡̢̹̲̞̱̪̳̗̖͓̼̮͙̀̾̔̀̽̚̚͝ͅę̷̨̢̛̤͉̟̼͚̺̫̗͓̣̩̩̇̒̃̈́̃̃̉͂r̸̛̺̖̫͍̪̞̂͠ ̸̨̛͙͍̺̬̩͙͓̦̈̿͊̊̎̂͝t̵͔̯̠̳͍̻̣͍̩͌̐̀͗̾̈́̚ͅh̷̨̖̻̺̀̀̊̽̓̊̈́̂̎̽̌̎͑̿è̶̝̼͍͙̤̐̋́̑͗̍́̿̒̂̉̎͂͝ ̶̨̡͓̭̼͔̮͓̲̠͎̝̼̖̌̀̐͊͛́̎̐͗̋̕̚͜͝s̸̡̛͓̬̜͋̌̐̉̌͋͒̚͘͝ẹ̶̗͕͗́c̶̤̟͕̤̄̃͒͐̋͑̈́͂͋͐̾͒̇̑͠ͅo̴͖̗̯̘̜̦̮͍͍̫̠͖̹̒̉͛̎͌̑͛̂͊̏̄͑̚̚͝n̵͓̗̗͉͚̥͚̥̰͠͝d̸͉͙̤́̊̅̕͘s̸͈͕̈̀̍̃ ̴̛̹̌̏́̈́́͒́́͋͆͂̚͝͝t̸̠͉̺̠͓͕̜͖͌̄͌̋͐̕͝h̶̜͍̩̭̪̺̝̺̱̯̉̃̒͂̿͠ą̵̜̱̥̩̣̞̼͙̯̍̏́̈̆͒̊͐̕̕͝ͅť̷̘̎̈̍̈̀̔͘͝ ̴̧̰̥̳͇̭͇̂̀̽͛̅͛̓f̴̜͂́͒͑̔͐̐́̚ȇ̵̊͌̄̓̇͆́̓̄̈́̐͜͝ẹ̴̽̂̍̉̂̀͌̉̊͑͛̃̽̈́̕l̴̡̯̦̣̐̿̄ ̷͍͈̝̯̻̬͙̿́̽̂̐̃͘ͅl̷̙̼̣̩̬̇̿̎i̶̧̧̼̠͔̲͌̈̍̾͐̏̓́̅̕ͅk̵̤̫̙̫̠̫̗̾͛̓̀͂̔̆̕ȩ̴̡̙̼͔̭̟̣̬͒̂̾͒͑̈́̆͌͊̎͠ ̷̹͖͍́̾̔́̂̌͊͐͘ã̴̛͇̞̬̬̍̈͑̋̇g̸̥̘̱̘͓͍̣͉̝̜͉̪̯̍͐e̶͎̺̮͈͈͈̣̟̤̻̰̐̈́̔̓̈́̌͋̆̆̚̚̚͜͝s̷̪͔̉,̸̨̼͖̤̰̬̳̘̹͇̖̠̭̱̪͂̓͌̃̃͋̓̏̈́̽̾ ̶̙̪̱̠̼̞͍̟̀̈́̔̎̇̔̌̆̀͝A̴̰̘̗͛̀̆́̓̋̈̃̕͠y̸̢̩̙͇̟̘̗̝̝̘̥̥̰̥̗͗̄̔̾̈͆̑̀̌̑̑̈́͘͝a̸͇̺͖̒́̋n̷̩̺̤̅͊͋̆͜͠ͅͅǒ̸̡̡̢͇̣͚͔͙̫̠̮̋̓͋͒̚ͅ ̵̪̺͍͕̭̇f̶̻̖̺͗̃̑̓̊̓́̅̾͒͘̕̚̚͝a̸̛̜̓̆̈́̀̓̒̃̍̔͊̚l̶̥̈́͂̌͠ḷ̷̬͔̐̓̽͋̓̑̈́̈̌͊̏͘͘͝ṣ̷̨͈̘̰̙͚̪̺̭͋͛̾͑̎́̉̍̀͝ͅͅ ̷̡̦͖͍̰̭͔͍͈͔̲͍̙̠̐̇͜͝a̷̢̟̋̀͜p̵̗̗̺̖̲̓̚ͅâ̷̧̼͎̮̟̮̗͖͉̺̯̝͚̓́͑͌̀̈̄̓͜ͅr̵̢̡̤̼̫͕͙͚̂̈́̄͒̄̊̈̿͗̈́̀̚͠͝t̵̛̛͉̳̫̺̗̞̻̜͇̀̔͒̇̇̈́̑̕ ̴̢̨̛͚͇̟̳̻̠̣͎̏͘ą̷͓̭̹̲̮̖̜̟̪̙̜̰̮̮͝n̶̛̹̯͇̥͎̭̥̰͉̗͂͋͐́̽́͒̈̚͜͜͠͠͝͠ḏ̶̘̆̆̎͒̎͂̋̒͋̈́̓̅ͅ ̴̨̢̦̦̦̺̦̲̼̠̒͒͑̏̑̀̎̈́͗̓͘ͅḁ̷̧̢̧̫̤͖̦̺͕͎͔͕̮͖̎͋̿͠l̷̨̄͜ļ̷̬̮̉͗̊̑̑̓́͝͝ ̷̢̢̹̩̯͚̹̼͎̣̾o̶̹̙̼̖̺̜̝̣͍͋̀͑̓́̿̅͆̊̄f̷̭̺̪̝͈͍̘̭͇̏͋͋̄̏͆̉̈̈͊̈́͘̚͘͝ ̶̭̭̩̝͙̖̮̃ͅh̴̲̹̦̾̇̄̂͋ę̸̛̞̟̪̩̯̻̼̖̞̬̹̺͉͐̿̈́̈͒̎̆̕͝͠r̵̮̺̊̅̃͑͘̚ ̷̱̻̒̇̿̾̊͌͒̉͜ḻ̶̬̳͆͐i̶̛̻͖͓̤͓͍̰̱̮͇̓̅̎̀m̵̬̼̮͑͐̉͊͌͌̈́̌̿̓̀̆̃̔b̷̢̧̢̪͓̜͇̤͂̅̿̐̐̈́̓͐̃̏́̈́͝͝ͅŝ̸̢̖͓̱̞̳̭̼̎͛͂̉̐̓͜ ̷̨̡̨̳̮̲͍͓͉͕͊̅͘͠ͅf̷̖̒̐a̶͍̝̹̖̜͙̗̪̹̫̹͎͋̋͊͗̓̄͒͠ͅl̴̠̤̲̜̬̦̠͛́̔̐̉̃͗͒̓͑̋͆ḽ̶̳͚͓̄͋͑̌̍͛̿̋͌̂͂̕̕ ̴̨̠̰͉̼́͒̑á̶̛̛̝̤̽̈́̇̈́͑̽ṕ̷̭̫͈͑̒̈͌̈́̓̔̀͌̉à̴̡̨̙̖̭̠͓̯̪͐̅͘r̴̻͖̺̭̖̎̂͗̈́͛̈́͌́͆͊́̈́͒̏t̸̡͇̀̑̓̐̓̋̓ ̵̢̯̱̥͎̠̠̗̟̒̀̒͘͝͝s̸̖͉̹̹̲͛̽̈́̆́̈͋͗͛͋̅̕̕̕͝e̵̤̻̯̝̗͑̾̾̂̔̂̀͘͝͝p̸̺̞̹̗͖̰̠̙̝̆͆̎͐͠ȧ̸̡̨̛̱̱̹̲̺̦̦̣̯͐̈̓͆͛̓̿͗ͅͅr̴̢̳͉͓͍̒à̶̢̡̢͔̭̫̤͕̟͎͉̖̂̾͜t̴̛̜̳̗̜̬̿̒̂̽̑̕͘͝ḙ̸̢̧͚͚͉̖̗͈̟̠̭̫̯̃͛͛̓̈́̀̈́̏ͅd̴̛̰̮̀̔̉̄͠ ̸͎̣͉͔̹̳̼͌̿͆͂̆̆̄̐́͛́̇̃̃͝o̶̗̯̺̩̤̖̽̂͊͌̕͘͝n̶̢̛̛̦͉̮̰̙̣̻̦͇̮̉̔̽̐͐̃͆̔̃̆̚͝͠t̴̨͚̘͔͈̭̺͎̱̼̪̔͂͂̃̎̿̏̓͝ͅͅơ̵̢̧̦̘̻̝̑͆͌̿͌͒́̓́̿͘ ̸̬͖̺̘̜͙͖͉͉͉̖̱̄̿̃͛͌́́̐̀̚͜͜t̵̢̛̺̹̦͖̻̗̙͛̈̒̌͒̇̉̇̔̇̂̋̊̕ḣ̴̻̫̺̼̖̜̱̹̗̱͈̥̓̂e̴̖̪͇̞̮͉̱͕̼̻͂̇̈́̎̍̕͜͠ͅͅ ̸̜̺͍̱̀̀̅͗s̸̛̜͔̜̘͍̼̼͋͋͊̎̄͛̑̍͊̊̅͘ṭ̶̯͍̗̼̥̖̩̩͉̹̜̀̈́ä̸̢̰͕̦̩͈̺̞͔̘́̕͘͜ͅǵ̸̡͔͔͈̮̏̍̓ę̶̹̥͉̯͍͔̜͎̮̤͎̩̗͂̌͑̂́̌́͂̈́̎̊̉̎.̴̢͔̼̤̝̫̈́͑̔̇̄̐͋͛̌̀̚
When I come to, I realize that Suzunami is right by me with one girl I definitely do not recognize and yet another girl that is way too familiar. I try to focus on the now, since this is no time to think about Ayano and Kazuhiko, and whoever the other two are (they are most likely somebody trying to mess with me or my mind processing all of this trauma). Getting to know Suzunami more later though would maybe give me some such needed answers, but the man's behavior around them hints that he was telling the truth that they have only been acquainted for a short time. Though I still find it odd that Suzunami remained silent during the whole ordeal so perhaps xe is hiding something. Xe could prove to be of some use, and so can Ichiko, but I highly doubt Yuu and Yuki will be any help at the current moment. I could try to hire Yuu and Yuki into my whole music company, but that may prove difficult since Yuki shows clear loyalty to Sakura Circus and Yuu will probably only go where she does. Sakura Circus is nothing but bad news so perhaps it is best to only interact with the two of them when needed, especially since they might now have hostile relationships with me.
Feeling around my neck, I feel the remnants of an injection. That must be whatever that man used to create that weird hallucination of that woman like Ayano. Though that only brings more questions that I should not be asking at the moment, such as how it created no pain and what exactly was injected inside of me. Having a foreign substance in my body should be a terrifying thought but those who knew Kotori got used to such horrible feelings or quickly went insane.
"Hello! How can you be avoiding me? You're clearly awake!" A woman with pink hair shouts. That is the moment I realize that this conversation is going to be as fun as all of the other ones in the gym. Perhaps, if I close my eyes again and hope that for one day I have permission to act like a child, then they will start leaving me alone. But a child does not know the cruelties of the world, so not even in my youth was I able to enter a world of pure imagination without having to pay the severe consequences.
"Yes, there's a hundred percent chance that Shiro is awake...announcing percentages like that make me sound like a robot which I'm five point seven percent sure that I'm one!" I want to question why they know my name but it's most likely that Suzunami just told the two of them. Maybe there even is a board somewhere in this weirdly formatted ship that has all of our names or some other personal information.
"...Why are you so sure that you're a robot?" With all the advancements the Committee has made, I am sure that they have not got that technology yet, or everything would be automated inside their headquarters. Robots are more reliable than humans since the Committee has to be annoyed by now with the number of people that betray them. With robots, there is only fear for hackers and faulty programming, which would not happen if they keep Ayano Nishiki and Natsumi loyal to them and alive.
"Why was the robot bankrupt..." Suzunami waits for anybody to respond but it seems like the two girls are smart enough to not fall for one of xyr traps. "He had used all of her cache."
"Oh wait, I said too wrong!" Robot girl interrupts without caring too much about Suzunami who now looks dejected. "English is so hard! Five point seven percent sure that I'm not one!" This girl really needs to pay more attention to her English classes. Maybe she is from a family that speaks Japanese or another language (I have heard people speak languages that I think are Russian and Spanish), or she needs to focus more on her studies. Of course, the Committee would become annoyed by that behavior, which makes her usefulness go down, but maybe somebody can tell her how to make herself more of an asset. In fact, everybody here needs to make themselves more useful before the Committee throws them to the side like trash because, in their eyes, that is all they are at the moment. Very sparkly trash that can be replaced by one of the children in one of those twisted programs with enough research and planning.
Examining my surroundings more while I am sure the pink-haired one is talking more, I immediately realize that I am in a clinic of some sort. The walls are a lot like the ones from the hallway I came to in, overbearing white. There are only two cots in the room that are both colored light blue. The cot I am on is strangely comfortable, definitely with this white pillow. It makes me think of sleeping in the skies, sleeping on top of the clouds without a care in the world since nobody else can find you in the Heavens. One blue desk is in the room filled with all sorts of medical supplies and papers. Everything is thrown around so haphazardly on the desk that it can be considered a severe safety hazard. What stands out to me as the most dangerous is the singular syringe dripping an unknown clear substance on the floor.
"You're ignoring me again!" The pink-haired woman then punched the wall behind me, and I can already tell she is a lot stronger than Yuu with the dent she leaves behind. "Ahem! You have to be graced with my introduction then! Introducing the greatest mind in the world...the stunning, the awesome, the amazing TK the Great!"
"But what is your full name?"
"You don't just ask a woman her full name!" Looking at her further, I recognize the woman from Committee propaganda. The biggest thorn in their side looks so much different when she is not made to look purposefully evil. Even though her skills are well known to be extraordinary, even compared to a lot of Ultimates, it is too risky teaming up with her since I am surprised she has not been executed.
"You are Tahlia Catherine King, the Honorary Ultimate Inventor, correct?"
Tahlia Catherine King
Honorary Ultimate Inventor
"Excuse me, but I'm an Ultimate thank you very much!" Tahlia flips her long unkempt hair. She should keep better care of her hair since she does have dashing looks otherwise. When she is done throwing a fit like a child, Tahlia begins twirling around her thin braid that helps controls her bangs.
TK
Ultimate Inventor
Tahlia's almond-shaped eyes almost exactly match the shade of pink that her hair is. Her athletic body is shaped like an hourglass, complimenting her pair of high-waisted jeans very well. She has fair skin that reminds me of the snow on the mountains that I have only ever seen from photos of the distant past. The shirt she has on is a white crop top underneath an over-the-top dark purple long leather coat. By far the most interesting item Tahlia wears is her gauntlet. Her left hand has a black glove with circuits going through it with her fingertips being capped by metal. Meanwhile, her right hand is the one with the gauntlet, possibly one of her own making. The gauntlet itself is black and something I would very much not like to be punched with so it is best to play it safe with Tahlia and do nothing that will get on her nerves. To top off her look, Tahlia has a pair of black square-shaped glasses. Everything about this outfit is impractical, but I highly doubt Tahlia is the type of person to care about such viewpoints.
"Tahlia Catherine King? That's a criminal!" The only one that I do not know jumps away from Tahlia. Tahlia loudly groans while Suzunami is just watching once again. She has a point, with this many people related to the Committee Tahlia is in severe danger. We might be in space but there is still a great chance that we are being watched by the Committee. There is a chance that all of us are in this situation because of Tahlia. The Committee would not regret throwing away resources to make sure one of their biggest threats will be eliminated. Though sending people in space in highly questionable spaceships just to have people possibly kill each other is not the Committee's style.
"No, I'm not! The Committee is just jealous of my beauty and brains!"
"But you're not allowed in Japan," Mizore points out. Tahlia loudly gasps.
"Tahlia is out of this world," Suzunami points out, finally becoming a part of this conversation truly. But xe has a point since we basically do not have any rules if we have nobody watching over us. I highly doubt that will remain for long, since usually Monokuma comes in and gives us rules, yet right now it's up in the air whether or not the rules truly count.
Suzunami xeself has an interesting outfit as well since many in this spaceship probably spend way too much time in the morning working on just their appearances. I may be in formal wear but in reality, it only takes about ten minutes at maximum to get dressed (maybe my hair never experiencing the problems so many wastes their time complaining about helps matters). Xe has a small body that is under five feet tall and xe has tanned skin with freckles all over xyr body. Xyr black hair is fluffy and thick, held together sloppily in a low, loose bun with some bobby pins seeming to stick out. Xe has wide dark brown eyes that are darker than xyr hair that I cannot remember whether or not xe has blinked. Xe wears a bulky oversized brown jacket that has grey faux fur lining the hood, sleeves, and bottom. Whenever xe moves, there is a lot of noise that sounds oddly like bells ringing though I know for certain that it is not. The pants xe wears are black slacks with matching black slip-ons, with xe wearing white tights that are exposed thanks to xyr pants being too short for xem.
"Thanks, Suzu, you truly are the best! Well besides me and my dad and my friends!"
"But why were you in Japan?" Mizore asks again. Tahlia only shrugs.
"I don't know. But I gotta enjoy it while I can!" Tahlia then grabs onto Suzunami. "You know what, you seem like fun unlike these sticks in the mud! C'mon, we gotta enjoy our lives without having people spoil the fun!" Quickly, Tahlia and Suzunami leave, leaving me with the girl that I do not know the name of.
"They need to learn how to follow the rules. It's the mathematical way to survive." She starts counting her fingers as she clicks her tongue. "There's a seventy point sixty-two percent chance that they will be executed by the Committee if they continue that behavior." I wonder how her language becomes so formal so quickly, but everybody here, including myself, seems to have more quirks than the average human. But that would be kidding myself since most people nowadays have something to make them unique to the past that causes them to blend in with the future. Maybe it is a way to deal with trauma, or we are being trained to become more like characters instead of people in some sort of horrid plot.
"I agree with that, rebelling against the government with a plan will only get you killed-"
"Uh, I forgot you were here!" She does a little scream but then returns to her regular smile. "That's so awkward. That only happens...you know what, I should stop with these calculations! People don't only speak of math and ducks sadly. But ducks are good and everybody should praise them!"
"...What is your name?" I ask her. I do not need to find myself in yet another conversation that will only give me a migraine.
"I can't believe I forgot! Mizore Kurushima! Ultimate Mathematician!" This feeling of so-called deja vu is starting to get old since I will remember meeting people like this before. Maybe I met them when I was young, or when all of that was going down. But I believe they would not be acting like such idiotic children if they have been exposed to the true world. When somebody breaks the cage of the Committee, they breathe the beautiful scent of violets for a couple of seconds before the unbearing flames make them beg to go back to the gates of Hell to escape the emptiness of purgatory.
Mizore Kurushima
Ultimate Mathematician
Mizore has bright blue hair that is long and held together in low pigtails that have the symbol of a plus and minus sign on the ties themselves. She has lavender eyes that are downturn washing out with her pale skin. Although she acts childish, Mizore is easily taller than me and has a shockingly mature face. The light orange blouse Mizore has on is too small for her and does not look comfortable. A dark blue pinafore stands out from the rest of Mizore's outfit, being decorated with more math symbols including multiplication and division signs. She has black thigh-high stockings with red high-top converse. Overall, Mizore is quite cute, but she needs to grow up a little more to be revealed to the true horror of everything.
"Now there's about an eleven point eighty-three percent chance of something happening relating to the lights..." I groan when the lights go out once again. If that man and woman from before come again, I will just ignore them. Many people should be ignored since a lot of them now have the bad habit of shouting on top of their lungs and somehow not losing their voice. Though I get more of those bad feelings that these will not be the last ones to be so over-the-top. Maybe they will calm down when they realize how quickly such immature behavior will get them killed. "I guess it is a...this is boring you, isn't it? Yeah...large chance that it's relating to Fubuki. It's her room and all."
"Fubuki?"
"Silence!" The lights flicker on again to reveal an imposing figure with a gas mask. Instead of being in a medical bay, we are in a prison of some sort, making the cot that I am on stick out like a sore thumb. "Mizore, get out of here! You already got the presentation!" Fubuki, I assume, takes Mizore and pushes her out of the room. And now I regret being alone with yet another one of these tiring characters.
"...What is your name?"
"Shush! I'm...Got to do this again. Get off that!" Fubuki pushes me off of the cot, which is quite rude especially considering how comfortable it is. It is sad to say I prefer it over my own bed, but some of the instruments needed fixing which ended up with me having to get the inexpensive mattress. She stomps her way over to the entrance and again the lights go off.
The lights shine on again but instead of Fubuki being alone, I see a man leaning on her with a mischievous grin on his face. He starts trying to take Fubuki's mask off, causing her to run away with him following her with a skip in his step.
"Stop it! You're supposed to help me!" she complains as she begins to wave her arms around because of the man becoming way too close. That, of course, only wastes energy as he starts leaning on her again.
"C'mon, sis, you're only gonna scare people with that attitude. You don't need to..." The man coughs and then huffs out his chest. "This is a world of little understanding and only I can glide you through it. Blah blah nonsense speech blah blah-"
"Jun! This is serious!" She pouts. Jun sighs as he walks over to the light switch. Not having access to the door, I have no choice but to remain there, becoming once again a bystander to an awkward conversation. Not wanting to waste all of my energy, I decided to sit down on the floor and find the cold stone of the cell is also oddly comforting. The lights once again go off and I hear the sound of strange crashing that I do not want to know about.
"This is a world of little understanding..." The lights go on with Jun in the corner with smoke machines still visible as he triggers them. Fubuki does not realize that Jun has her mask in his hands, revealing her face to the entire world. To the surprise of nobody, she is a perfectly average girl. "Only I can glide you through...Goddammit, Jun!"
"What can I say? I'll do anything to not hear that speech for the billionth time." Jun gets up from his spot and begins to head toward me. He smiles at me as he reaches right in front of me. Interrupting what he was planning to do, Fubuki runs behind him and grabs onto his jacket and begins to hide behind him. "Don't mind her. She gets this way but I swear she's actually the older one. And, yes, we're blood-related even though we look nothing like each other. I'm tired of people asking us about that but...let's get to the fun stuff, shall we? Jun Fumimoto, Ultimate Stage Manager, and Fubuki Kajiura, Ultimate Alternate Reality Game Designer."
Jun Fumimoto
Ultimate Stage Manager
Fubuki Kajiura
Ultimate Alternate Reality Game Designer
"Don't ask about the last names either," Jun sighs. "It's so annoying having to tell the same shit over and over again. But I should stop angsting because that's not a good first impression. But why do I get a feeling that I met you somewhere before?" It might not be normal for most people, yet I do not share the same last name of a lot of my siblings or a similar appearance. Einosuke told me that I am the only one that resembles my biological mother, which is the reason he gave on why I got the so-called special treatment.
"...Because we have...he's Shiro..."
"Oh, you're Shiro Amari!" Jun grabs onto me and forces me off of the floor. He then hugs me which is extremely uncomfortable but not as much as it should be. "Thought you looked a little familiar when Tahlia dragged your ass from the gym. She didn't want to at first but then I did a little pushing."
"How do you know who I am?"
"You said too much again, Junnnnnnn..." Whenever she speaks, Fubuki peaks a little of her head out but quickly goes back to her hiding spot.
"Hey, Shiro, can you hold onto this? I gotta make sure that Fubuki actually meets the others and doesn't utterly fail at trying to scare them." Jun hands me Fubuki's mask and I do not know what else to do so I accept it.
Jun himself is extremely handsome but right now is not the time to be thinking such thoughts. He has extremely wavy pastel pink hair that goes down to his shoulders in a mullet that should not look as good as it does. His eyes are purple that matches the faux fur lining of his black coat that is strangely much like Suzunami (they must shop at the same store), but this time his coat is opened to reveal his dark blue shirt underneath. His jeans are dark purple that nicely complements his navy blue tennis shoes.
Fubuki, on the other hand, has her eyes currently closed which makes it impossible to tell much about them. She has dark red hair that is long and has a black headband to help control it. Her shirt is a black crop top that exposes much of her stomach and leaves very little to the imagination. Though Fubuki is short, she is clearly legal age, with how mature her face is, which makes her little amount of clothing a little less uncomfortable. The only thing the supposed siblings have in common is their fair skin. Fubuki has blue short shorts and black fishnet stockings with dark blue ankle boots. Her gloves are fingerless and black which stands out from her light grey jacket. On the left side of her mouth, Fubuki has a mole.
"Also, I planned another surprise for you, Fubuki-"
"Junnnnnnnnnn whyyyyyyyyyyyy..." Fubuki whines as she begins to reach out for her mask. I consider giving it to her but Jun's smile is somehow carefree and threatening at the same time.
"I had a casting call and there are always those two actors-"
"Junnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn-"
"Excuse me, but this strange casting call was on me when I woke up and said to meet here. I swear hope I'm not being a bother," a man says as he opens the door with a smaller girl around Fubuki's height. Preparing myself for the worse, I try to force out the thoughts in my head that want to run out of the room because the flight instinct is the uncared for middle child of the fight and flight response.
"Me too, I don't know if we're doing this right," the girl adds-on while she fidgets. "We both don't know what's going on here or where everything is. A nice girl in the hallway just told us the directions."
"Sumeragi is a very good person to be doing this all with. Of course, I would use her first name, but it's the same as my last name and that is awkward." The man innocently laughs as 'Sumeragi' begins blushing uncontrollably.
"Welcome to the casting call! You don't need to do a slate or an audition piece since both of you are hired! Now make more friends while you improve your piece, Fubuki!" Jun pushes Fubuki towards the two at the entrance but she whines more as she digs her heels into the ground. She keeps turning back to me and trying to reach out to the mask, but Jun now stops her from doing so.
"I don't think that's how you should handle this..." the man responds, not knowing what to do in this situation. I do not blame him since I cannot stop myself from staring dumbly as well. 'Sumeragi' is still too busy blushing to truly understand what is happening.
"Don't worry, she's fine. Fubuki should remember how easy it is to talk with others in her mask on and use those skills without it." The two of them continue their routine as the two other people enter the room. They walk over to me.
"Hello! My name is Kitsu Natsuki. I'm the Ultimate Commercial Actor, it's nice to meet you!"
Kitsu Natsuki
Ultimate Commercial Actor
Kitsu looks casual but, even with his assumably laid-back clothes, I can tell he puts a lot of thought into his appearance especially because of his smooth skin that is most likely the result of makeup. He has brown roots and dyes his hair a bright blonde. His eyes are a nice shade of hazel that reminds me of the gardens of my youth, awaiting for their innocence to be corrupted with adults planting their seed to wilt all of the plants naturally there. His outfit is quite simple, with a bright green hoodie, blue jeans, and red converse shoes. The only thing of importance with Kitsu's outfit is the pendant sticking out from his hoodie. On the surface, the pendant is quite simple only being a silver chain with a small silver rose charm. Because Kitsu pulls up the sleeves of his hoodie to his elbows, his golden bracelet can be seen as well.
"Oh, introductions!" The girl's voice is deep for a girl's and then she blushes even more. "Well, I'm not that important. But I'm Natsuki Sumeragi. Ultimate Voice Actor. My voice is the only good thing about me, really..." I realize that she uses a higher tone that sounds more traditionally feminine but prefers her deeper voice. Though it is best to act like how society thinks you should act or else you will have to experience the unfair consequences of people lashing out at you for something that should not even matter.
Natsuki Sumeragi
Ultimate Voice Actor
"You're lovely the way you are, Sumeragi." Kitsu softly laughs as Natsuki somehow becomes even redder. However, when he is done with Natsuki, Kitsu turns to face me once again. "And what's your name? All of us should strive to be friends."
"You'll never take me alive, Jun!"
"Please ignore Fubuki-"
"Nice to meet you. My name is Shiro Amari and I have been given the title of Ultimate Composer." I have not been paying attention to most of the arguments the siblings are having so accepting Jun's request is not hard to do. Kitsu and Natsuki so far seem to be saner than a lot of their fellow classmates which is a breath of fresh air. Though they do not seem like they can be used for much of anything outside of their acting, they may prove themself to be some of the best chess pieces of this game called life.
"You know what, you three should be alone together to get along and do things for your opening." Without much of a warning, Jun takes Natsuki and Kitsu and drags them out of the room with Fubuki. I cannot help myself from being disappointed since I was actually having yet another normal conversation in this place, yet I know I should be able to talk again with Natsuki and Kitsu hopefully soon. Realizing I still have Fubuki's mask, I do not want to carry it around everywhere, so I place it on the floor.
"I have to continue exploring Wonderland." Leaving the room, I am once again met with the overwhelming white. It would be red for Alice but I am no such character. The Queen of Hearts is already dead, not being able to dye all of the plain walls a beautiful shade of haunting red. A red that reminds the viewer that they are alive but that simple fact will not remain forever as yet another Queen of Hearts has been made only to be crueler than the previous. Red stained walls are the only future we can ever hope to have.
I hate intros. But I'm almost out of Intro Hell. So close. And once again, so sorry for the lack of updates but I think you guys already know that my life has been Hell for a very long time now. I'm simply way more busy than when I first started writing this series so I can't do frequent updates like I used to in the days of Forest of Despair.
Still getting used to some of these characters so just tell me if I get anything wrong. Intros are Hell for this exact reason and I'm a mad lass who just doesn't do the cheap 'just meet up and intros' thing even though that would be so much easier. Why the Hell did I put actual plot in my intros? Arrrrgggghhhhhh. I question many of my life decisions.
Sorry if any of these are rushed but I just want to get out of Intro Hell. And I'm almost there. So close but so far away. Almost there.
Req's Rec: Dead Zeppelin by Orlando Butler
QOTC: Do you have any writing advice for me? Please your constructive feedback always improves my stories so much. Like dear God my writing has improved so much thanks to you guys. :D
Reviews~
tobi-is-an-artist-too-I'm always proud of you, Tobi! :D
TheRoseShadow21-YES ITS BEEN LIKE YEARS AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! So sorry for the mess known as LPoD. Thanks so much, I try so hard to get all of these characters so I can horribly break every single one of them. BREAK EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM! All of my protagonists need severe therapy.
AnonChan1-Heya! :D Nothingness is being completely devoid of thought so this would be despair. I'm a mad lass *looks over to BI* I've no sanity whatsoever so hope you guys are good at remembering names. Here's even more Ayano lore because AYANO TELL THE AUDIENCE ABOUT YOURSELF *Monokuma in the background screaming about it.* Anon is now dead because they called Keiji a furry. RIP. KOBI IS A GOOD BOI AND SHIRO CAN'T RESIST THE GOOD BOY! We need to make a revamped version of the sudoku meme just to confuse Yellow because they still need to catch up. Yes, there's a masseuse. ;) Shiro must explain everything even anime hair. Ichiko is over here being like, hey random girl we can create a club with Hotaru. Choumi has no sense of personal space along with Jun which makes Shiro want to scream. Shiro has been through a lot of shit because KOTORI STOP TRAUMATIZING THE PROTAGONISTS! Shiro doesn't know about Team Dangan Ronpa so telling him that would just make him very confused. I must make my references dammit. Kaimaru doesn't know Shiro's father supposedly but somebody else named Einosuke. Or maybe he does know Shiro's father and I'm lying out of my ass again. You can never trust me. Kazuhiko killed Kotori around a year before the events of Forest of Despair which is made more clear in the audiobook. Symbolism.
Shiro cheats the entire game by turning into Minato. I think Ayumu is a very nice name as well. Ayumu needs a hug because he is surrounded by all of these famous people and he's like 'I work graveyard shifts well.' Monokuma ruins everything. Kaimaru and Asuka are turning into yet another chaos duo. Shiro, become the dad you are meant to be and be the leader since you already have a billion death flags being one of my protagonists. Cramps are the worse and I hate them with a passion so here's a good luck like over four months later. I have actually been doing better but still my life decides to be ultra crazy. I ship Rei and Yasu so I don't blame you (HayatoxReixYasu OT3 too). Cinnamon rolls don't last long here except if their name is Yasu. Osamu's execution is just plummeting him with pumpkins and then making him into a pumpkin version of himself. It is two in the morning right now so I know your pain *my past therapist Mike could be heard wanting to die inside with my nonexistent sleep schedule*. Shiro, go see a therapist. HAHAHA IM EVIL ANON! Ryoichi is like yes kill people *stabs me again and look at that I died again.* Well, if they're in this series, they're in the Afterlife Theatre which is entirely in Yellow's hands.
Ziggymia123-Indeed, its a girl! Shiro is such a jerk and I love him for it. Shiro will not stop thinking about that because he's Shiro. Nobody can resist the cute, even Shiro.
TheUnkindledHunter-Hello! :D That's alright, I love all of your reviews~ Shiro will not stop with his poetry and holy shit this chapter is 14k help. Sachiko will not stop being cute and Osamu will do his best. I think like half of this cast can destroy the ship and Shiro is regretting all of his life decisions. He doesn't know why he has to be stuck in this Killing Game nonsense when he already graduated. Keiji is adorable and Choumi is keeping an eye out for all of you. Renkou, Asuka, and Kaimaru are a fun trio and goddammit I'm already shipping them, brain no stop it with the shipping of everything. Ayumu is mood. Thanks so much. Himura is taking his sweet time to get intro'd again. Thanks so much, sadly Himura still needs to move his butt and find Shiro again. HIMURA MOVE YOUR BUTT DAMMIT. Thanks so much~ Here it finally is and we're one step closer to finally being out of Intro Hell. One of these days I can finally change my Discord nickname. XD