USER #030066

[passio]

Black-as-can-be cats arrive a-pair,
Up on a rooftop, a plaintive eve,
And on the tips of their pointed tails hung
A wispy crescent-moon, looking hazy.
'O-wah, good evening,'
'O-wah, good evening!'
'O-wah, o-wah, o-wah!'
'O-wah, the man of this household is bedridden.'

A poem by Sakutaro Hagiwara, that I heard once from a friend. It seems things have calmed down since #FFFFFF arrived, but I wonder if that's the end of it.

How is everyone's literary analysis? I think we should be prepared for more mysterious messages, and maybe there's a way to prevent it before it gets bad.

Comments

[passio]

[ it's not fine... ]

I don't know about that. It may be hard on us... but I don't think they're having fun either.

[swordfucker]

[...Optimistic. And it's enough to get Guren to pause his anger, at least.]

What about it says they're not? Can you really tell either way?

[passio]

There's nothing about it... it's just hard to imagine that #FFFFFF is enjoying themselves.

Even people with god complexes are suffering, I think.

[swordfucker]

[...Oh god damn it, this made him have a gay thought about Kureto. He doesn't need more of those.]

They are suffering, in their own ways. Maybe even just like the rest of us.

There are some things that can't be changed, I guess. It's just difficult to imagine someone forced into that role here, where our "place" hardly seems to matter at all. But I'm sure we don't know the half of what's going on.

That's even more frustrating.

[passio]

[ it's fine because he's having a gay thought about the archangel. hooray, trauma! ]

I guess we haven't been here that long, compared to some of the bones we found. This world went on before us and will probably go on without us.

Maybe... they're lonely.

[swordfucker]

[Ugh, this gay sappy shit... It's so touching he wants to puke? He honestly loves it, but he's also physically recoiling from his screen at being seen with any of this.

The thing is, he agrees. He does. There's so much more, though, and getting into that is just— he's tired thinking about it. So, instead:]

Then maybe they should have just asked us to play cards or something.

[passio]

Would you have done it if they had?

[ there are plenty of people here who most certainly would tell #FFFFFF to fuck off if a card game for funsies was proposed. ]

[swordfucker]

[Ugh]

Okay, okay, I get it.

Maybe they're lonely. Maybe they're barely in control of themselves and this is just how the world works, eating at colors and soul until there's nothing left. Maybe they just want to help this town. I've thought about it endlessly since that message first appeared, but there's no clear answer as to what the point is, what they want, or if they want anything at all. It could even be a cry for help.

But it doesn't matter when I don't know how to help them.

[passio]

[ the answer is surprising, and yet not at all—it's like guren to think ceaselessly on something and then only ever say that he's annoyed about it. dextera has gotten that impression, at least. ]

I guess not.

There's not an answer that any of us can give to that, at least for now. In the meantime... do you plan to play along?

[swordfucker]

Yeah. There's nothing to be learned from doing nothing. You too, right?

[passio]

The only thing I know how to do is listen.

[ a depressing answer?? but a yes, all the same. ]

[swordfucker]

[That's sad... and he's focused in on it immediately, of course.]

Shut up with that, that's not true at all.

[passio]

[ dextera actually flinches away from the computer when he reads this, since he can hear guren's quick scolding in his mind. if he were to answer immediately, he might protest, but it's the current distance between them that saves his ass. ]

You have a lot of faith in me. Thank you.

[swordfucker]

[That's right... It does save his ass. Even with that overly calm answer, Guren is frowning at the screen, worried that he hasn't changed that way of thinking at all. It's usually not so easy to, after all.]

Of course I do. I don't just throw that around to anybody, either, so take it seriously. I mean it.

[He can tsun about a lot, but something like that gets admission of care... as long as it's spoken (or written) all tough like this.]

[passio]

[ he hasn't changed it!! sorry!!! they managed to bond quite a bit with the furniture yelling at them, but old habits die hard. in this case, his memories start with being told he's good for nothing but service. ]

I know you do. I mean it too, after all - thank you, Guren.

[swordfucker]

[Two thank yous in a row... He still doesn't know what to say to it. It's just a normal way to think, and he's the last guy who needs to be thanked for anything.]

If you're posting poetry on the internet, that means you're not going anywhere any time soon, right?

[He could just ask straight out if he can play chess with him right now, or he could be like this and try to avoid saying it directly. The choice is clear!!]

[passio]

[ the change of subject is a surprise, but not unwelcome. he's posting poetry and brooding, mostly... ]

No, I'm not. Do you need something?

[swordfucker]

Yeah. I'm bored, so I think I'll come over and kick your ass at chess.

[Yeah, he's cool, he's the coolest]

[passio]

[ oh... a challenge! he can't help that he gets a little competitive when it comes to this kind of thing, but guren is a good opponent. he can tell that already. ]

Will you?

[swordfucker]

Go to hell. I'm coming over.

[Fuck you and your "will you?????", he's gonna do it!!! Also he is, in fact, coming over right now so there he goes, this is his last message.]

[passio]

[ dextera takes guren’s anger in stride, at least for now, while he’s safe on the other side of the laptop.

in preparation for guren’s arrival, since he knows guren is following through on that threat, he sets up the chess board. it was missing a few pieces that he had to quickly recreate out of some of the bones he’s found, and the paint is peeling off in places, but it’s functional.

he wishes he had his own, though. ]

[swordfucker]

[KICKS THE DOOR DOWN no not really, but the threat is real and should be worried about.

Instead, Guren knocks a couple times when he shows up like a normal person.]

Alright, chess master, let me in.

[passio]

[ he hasn’t cooled off...!! dextera thought the walk over might save him, but it appears he’s misjudged. ]

...

[ he opens the door, a far more unassuming person than he was when he issued that bold challenge. ]

[swordfucker]

[...He's cute, but that won't save him. Guren answers by immediately shoving his index finger into Dextera's forehead and pushing him back so he can step in more.

But, he does have a grin on his face that says he's having a good time, even before they've started.]

Where'd you set it up, your room?

[passio]

[ dextera is tentatively having a good time...

he’ll have more fun once they’re actually playing! for now, he nods, protecting himself from guren’s wrath by turning away to head to his room.

with no furniture to speak of, he settles on the floor, his laptop open next to him—but he imagines he’ll be a little too focused on the game to use it. ]