CLOSED ♞ PROBABLY LOTS OF SCREAMING

[tarotcards]

WHO: Souji, Naegi, Jouhei bothering others!
WHERE: All over Recolle
WHEN: All of March
WHAT: A general catch-all for the event! Just a place where Ichi will be tossing in all her pre-planned threads for the event in here.
WARNINGS: N/A asides from this being a messy log

OOC: This log will just be a place where I can put in all the event threads for my characters! Since I won't be putting up a top-level, I will be starting some threads in here so I can have all my event threads in one general place. Feel free to PM me or reach me at northpaws if you'd like to do something in regards to the event or if you'd like any other threads! This is just a catch-all post for all the logs/threads I might have, without spamming the comm and to keep all of my three characters' threads in one post.

Comments

[steadycourse]

M-Makoto, that mark...!

[It's far easier to become the person that he wants to be when someone is in trouble, especially if it's a friend. He can just focus on that and push down his own problems, even if his mark still pulsates in pain. He briefly presses his fingers against the mark on his face, before lowering his hand to look at the glow coming from Naegi's wrist and arm.]

I-I guess we've both been afflicted... do you know how to get rid of it? I've heard that we're supposed to come here at least.

[optimistical]

[ he keeps his coat and sweater sleeve still rolled up in case ishida wants to take a closer look. he might not want to touch it though because there's a thick layer of sweat over naegi's skin and after a cold breeze passes them by, naegi instantly shivers and pulls the sleeves back down to cover up his wrist. ]

I don't really know. I was just told to go into the forest but I don't know what to look for or what to d--

You've failed to protect her.

--huh?

[ there's that mumble again... slightly louder this time for him to just barely understand it and not to mistaken as the sound of the wind but not loud enough for him to pinpoint where it's actually coming from. he lifts his head up as quickly as he hears it and whips it around to look at his surroundings but the sudden movement causes him to get lightheaded and he stumbles a bit. he doesn't fall, catching his balance, but he moves his marked left hand to place it against a tree for support and his other hand against his head. he then looks back up at ishida. ]

Did-- Did you hear that?

[steadycourse]

[While he doesn't touch the mark, he examines it closely. It's rather obvious that the mark is the curse that the villagers have been talking about and he's certain that a similar symbol is spreading on his own face and neck. He never really got a good look at it before he wandered to this forest, hoping to find a way to cure it.

Instead, all he's been getting are whispers. A personal nightmare that makes him want to scream.

He tenses when he hears a whisper again, although this time, he can't really understand it. Does that mean it's getting weaker?? Or...]

Makoto! Maybe you should sit down for the time being... w-we wouldn't want to risk an additional injury right now! [He first reacts to Naegi's stumble, before answering his question.]

I heard something, but I couldn't understand it...

[optimistical]

Y-Yeah...

[ naegi weakly nods. it's been some sort of miracle that he has gotten it out here so far without collapsing or getting himself hurt and he should stop while he's still ahead. while still holding onto the tree, he uses it as support to slowly lower himself down until he sits down on the snow, resting his back against the bark. he lets out a shaky breath, one hand wrapped around his branded wrist again, and looks around once more, suddenly feeling slightly paranoid. ]

I thought it was just the wind or my fever but...

[ he looks up at ishida ]

Have you been... hearing things?

[steadycourse]

[For a moment, Ishida doesn't say anything. It's apparent that Naegi is going through something similar if he's been hearing things as well. He wonders if those whispers say the same thing to him-- of course not, his professor is an upstanding citizen, not a murderer.]

I have! Almost like whispers coming from the trees. I-it's a bit spooky, but nothing we can't handle!

[Except a whisper comes loud and clear-- he died because of you. And any false cheer Ishida's been trying to maintain instantly disappears as his face becomes pale.]

[optimistical]

[ whispers coming from the trees... now that naegi does think about it, he supposes the voices could have been coming from them. he doesn't see anyone else in these woods and honestly, there have been stranger things in recolle. talking plants are nothing compared to giant monsters but byakuya never mentioned anything about this when he was in this area last month. he only mentioned the wolves so is this new? or did he somehow failed to mention this? he feels like byakuya would have brought it up if it would impede in a trip up here so it's probably something new, right? and is it connected to what the villagers sent them here for? ]

[ ugh, this is... too much thinking for him right now. his head is pounding and it's hard to concentrate. he doesn't notice ishida's face becoming paler right away but he does know that ishida does have a tendency of trying to put on a cheerful face when something is actually bothering him. naegi learnt that from that one text conversation they had a while ago and when he finally raises his head to look up at him, he sees that the cheerfulness has suddenly disappeared. ]

[ he doesn't ask ishida if he's okay right away. actually, he opens his mouth to say something else but then he hesitates. his mouth hangs open for a second before he closes and furrows his brow. he looks downwards for two seconds before he looks back up and finally finds the strength to ask what he originally wanted to say. ]

Kiyotaka, do... do the trees say anything... specific to you?

[ just a few moments ago, that was the first time he ever heard the voices say a complete sentence (or were at least loud enough for him to hear it) but since he has entered the woods, he's heard bits and pieces. "failure", "die", "fault", "guilt"... those were the words he barely made out and he wonders if ishida is hearing something similar ]

[steadycourse]

...

[For a while, it doesn't look like Ishida actually heard Naegi. He's unnaturally still, his eyes staring blankly at the ground as whispers of his previous failure and guilt rattle through his mind. W-why is this happening? He doesn't need to be reminded of this-- he hasn't forgotten that day. He can't and he won't, even if it's painful.

Thoughts of being like his usual self have all but vanished, so he slowly looks to Makoto with a fearful and guilt ridden expression. He doesn't know how he can face anything like this, maybe Makoto should just leave him.]

I... y-yes.

[He eventually answers, even if it's weak and quiet.] D-do you hear them, Makoto? What they say to me?

[The thought of Makoto knowing how awful of a person he was makes him ill, but he can't run away now.]