entrancelogs | + Guilt Runs Deep

+ Guilt Runs Deep

Who: Everyone!
Where: The Mansion
When: Feb 23-25
Rating: Please warn in top level subject lines for potential triggers/NSFW
Summary: Various residents are trapped in their own guilt, watching their guiltiest memory play on a loop.
The Story:

Welcome to the gathering post for the event. Please see the plotting post for more information + the bulletin board link. Have fun!

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Kokichi isn't exactly Sunburst's favourite person in the mansion. Once he realises who's memory he's stepped into, a small, spiteful part of him almost wants to turn and walk away. He doesn't though- because as obnoxious as he finds Kokichi, he is still just a kid. And as evidenced by the scene playing in front of him, a kid who's been through an awful lot.

He's not sure if he can help. He's not even sure if Kokichi would accept his help. Their last conversation didn't exactly go all that well. All the same, once the memory is done, he moves to sit near Kokichi, watching the sim play out again.

"So. That's... well. That's a thing."

The memory starts out with everyone gathered in the hall, alive and well. It seems the others are talking about splitting into groups to look for that dumb secret when Kokichi noticed the horse avatar trotting up to him.

The avatars aren't that expressive, but Kokichi must be glaring at him judging by the fact his eyes are now shaped like semicircles. ". . . I hope you're happy, friendship horse."

Sunburst turns his attention on Kokichi. The avatar thing is weird. It's nothing he has much experience with here in Wonderland, and it's certainly nothing he has experience with back home. It's...disconcerting, but it's not enough to drive him away.

"Of course not. Why do you think I'd be happy about this?"

He knows he and Kokichi don't have the same sort of values, but he'd hope he didn't give that sort of impression. He's not heartless, after all. Though, maybe, he realises, it might seem that way, sometimes. It's easy to confuse distractedness with indifference. He's done that one to Starlight in the past.

Kokichi's guilt took place in a virtual world that affected the real world. What did Sunburst expect, a live reenactment?

Though, the horse did have some kind of point. "Oh, I dunno, maybe because you said I'm gonna die alone? Because that's definitely the case when your friends are-"

Urgh! He steps to the side and waves his arm at the small crowd of other kids who are exchanging confused glances at each other. "Alright, context. You see these high schoolers? These seven talented people over here?"

Sunburst gives a soft, annoyed snort.

"I didn't say that. My exact words were that you would end up very lonely. If you're going to start lashing out at me from the get-go, I suggest you do it right first."

He takes a breath. Right. No. No. No yelling at the kid. Helping the kid. That's what he's here for. He turns his head, looking at them.

"The other kids, you mean? Yes. I see them."

"Same thing!" he mutters under his breath, being harshly reminded of what Saihara said to him a couple of hours after this memory happened IRL. Sure, there must have been a point in their words, but that point's digging itself into his heart and he doesn't know how much more he can take right now.

"There used to be sixteen of us. Guess what happened to nine of them. Guess!"

"Not the same thing."

Sunburst is about as stubborn as he is occasionally neglectful. He exhales, trying to focus on this. On Kokichi's problem.

"Um. I suppose it would be too much to hope for that they all graduated and went home?"

That earns Sunburst another glare.

"They're dead, stupid."

A concerned Gonta steps in and tries to break up the conflict. "Sorry, Kokichi bothering you? Gonta can watch Kokichi so no other weird thi-"

"NOT NOW, GONTA!" Kokichi yelps, eyes wide and face paling, "I... I got someone else already doing that? See???"

He's flailing at Sunburst like that's going to stop Gonta from having to kill again, but at this point Gonta doesn't know that's going to happen. "But Gonta can help!"

"He's fine! Go watch Iruma-chan, she's more suspicious!"

Iruma-chan is still standing in the increasingly confused crowd, looking about as bewildered as the others. "Huh? Why the hell are you pointing at me? I didn't do anything!"

"Oh, sure! Go ahead and tell them that, you filty liar!"

Oh no. Kokichi got caught up in an argument with his memory. The fragment that responds to the name Gonta is glancing back and forth from Sunburst to Kokichi and Iruma. Help...?

He wasn't expecting that at all. Sunburst has always been very, very aware that other worlds are considerably harsher than his own.

"But...you're all just children?"

Sunburst doesn't quite know how to handle this. He clears his throat, glancing around.

"I'm...still not entirely sure what's going on here?"

The purple guy in with the goatee and the purple jacket is quick to point out that they're not kids, while the boy in the striped uniform mumbles they're teenagers.

Kokichi just groans. "Ugh... Follow me, I'll tell you everything."

Unfortunately Gonta's gonna follow too, but that was more for Sunburst to hear. Come outside.

Sunburst would much rather bounce out of the entire mess. But he's here, and he figures he should probably try to do something. He gets up, walking after Kokichi, ears flicked back as he does so. He likes exactly about nothing about this.

"...Right. Okay."

Outside is cold. This should not be surprising, since this is a snowy landscape. Though since this is a virtual snowy landscape one may be wondering how they are experiencing weather in virtual reality.

Not like any of that would make sense to somepony whose world probably doesn't even have computers.

Kokichi leads Sunburst away from the mansion, stopping near a plain wall that abruptly ruins the cozy winter illusion by being so tall and out of place. He's kind of hoping being nowhere near that flashback light would help, but...

"... Okay. Imagine, if you will, you're a super talented high school student waking up in a locker in a school you don't recognize. You walk around, meet a bunch of other students who also woke up here, ponder what is going on...

"And then, this weird robot bear herds everyone into the gym! And guess what, he kidnapped us to play this 'game' where the only way to get out is to kill someone without getting caught!"

Yes, there were airquotes. Kokichi doesn't sound happy. "And the bear holds a trial every time someone dies! If the killer is caught, they die! If the killer doesn't get caught, everyone else dies! I wish I was making that up!"

He has exactly zero idea of any of the computers stuff. He's just assuming it's some really complex magical spell. Still, he listens to Kokichi's story and it sounds more and more ridiculous as the boy goes on.

"Um. That sounds insane," at least he's honest. "But that's...a really terrible thing to do to a bunch of children. "

A pause.

"That's an understatement but sorry I'm still trying to understand the robot bear part??"

"ISN'T IT?"

Wow, his world sounds completely insane? Then what, pray tell, is a normal danger supposed to be?!

"Oh, right, you probably don't have robots..." He huffs in annoyance. "You have golems? Or like, magical talking objects or something???"

"Nnnnoooot really. Not unless it's been enchanted to speak via a spell. But then that thing doesn't really have a mind of its own."

He considers.

"Certainly nothing that would try to make foals kill one another."

"Exactly. That bear's practically the mask for the real mastermind behind this mess... Whoever they are."

Kokichi's got a horrible bitter taste in his mouth on top of the crushing guilt. He never did live to actually find out who that bastard was...

"So whoever it was used the bear to... to make you kids kill one another?"

He doesn't understand. It's insane.

"Why would they even do that? What's there be gained from that barbarism?"

"I don't kn-!!"

Kokichi is cut off by a frantic Gonta, rushing up to them with a strange flashlight in his hands. "Kokichi! Gonta found flashback light near forest! We gotta tell the others!"

Kokichi turns his head towards his old friend and stares...

"..." He hates this event so much.

Sunburst watches the exchange, pawing the ground uncomfortably. He hates this and he imagines Kokichi hates it a hundred times more.

"I...from what I understand of this event, your memories repeat themselves until you learn to forgive yourself for whatever you're feeling guilty about."

Kokichi turns his head and gives Sunburst a wide eyed look.

"... You're kidding, right?"

Edited 2019-03-15 23:37 (UTC)

That was clearly not what Kokichi wanted to hear. He exhales, shaky, unhappy.

"I wish I was. I- look. I can stay around. If you don't want to be alone, I can understand why no one would want to be alone for all this," he considers. "No matter what the result."

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+ Guilt Runs Deep

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