[Action]

[frequent_flyer]

[It was over.]

[After so many years of fighting, it was finally over. He'd said his painful goodbyes, managed not to cry, closed his eyes and...]

[...woke up on the sidewalk.]

[The campus was buzzing with activity, the students recently liberated from classes for lunch. The NPCs carefully walked around him as he lay on the ground, staring vacantly at the sky as he came to his senses. The fog over his mind cleared gradually, becoming aware of an unshakable sense of déjà vu descending upon him. The dark color of his jacket caught his peripheral vision, slowly sitting up in order to look down at himself. This uniform... he wasn't wearing this one a moment ago. In fact, he hadn't worn this particular uniform since...]

[Is this..?]

[He sat up sharply, as if jolted out of a deep sleep, scrutinizing the details of the uniform jacket he wore. It was the same one. There was no question.]

[...No way. That means..!?]

THE GAME RESETS!?

[His theatrical screaming could likely be heard from a great many places across the campus, drawing as much attention to himself as could be expected.]

Comments

[violined]

Huh... I don't remember my death, but I'm pretty sure we are dead judging by all I've seen.

[ Kohaku's seen videos of people dying and most people remembered their deaths... It was not unlikely for him to die either and he knew fully well, especially in the situation he last remembered. There was little point in keeping up useless hope. ]

But this place... You expect me to believe that's where dead souls are supposed to end up? A damnable school? Nothing about this seems right or natural. Hell, we're surrounded by fake people.

[frequent_flyer]

[Another one with amnesia... he sighed softly.]

Yeah, that's how it is... [Even if he'd just gotten back, maybe he could shed some light and do a little good...]

It's... This isn't where we end up permanently... [That much was obvious, he felt like he should rephrase.] It's just kind of an inbetween place so we can... come to terms with our lives. [Having already come to terms with his life, for the most part, it just felt... odd to be here. Not that he really minded but... it was complicated. His feelings on this place were so intertwined with his relationships here, he couldn't separate the two.] We're supposed to talk to the NPCs and make friends with them so we can find peace, but I always found them kind of creepy, haha...

[violined]

Creepy is an understatement.

[ He hates them more than anything, because he projects all his hateful feelings for zombies and royal orchestra back home onto them - human faces, human voices and yet no real personality... Nothing but disgusting fakes. ]

I'd say I'd rather die than go befriend some monsters, but that metaphor sucks to use here.

[frequent_flyer]

So I'm not the only one? [The idea of spending the night with one as a roommate had him running crying to Yuri the next morning, so... no, he didn't have much affection for them.]

Well! [Hinata gave a casual salute, having come up with something stupid.] If you ever need non-NPC company, I'll be your friend!

[violined]

[ The crooked grin Kohaku gives in return is combined with a huff, but he bites back on any obviously ridiculing comment. He might not be sure how serious to take Hinata yet, but he seemed to know this place quite a bit and anything was better than NPCs for sure. ]

My name's Kohaku, by the way.

[frequent_flyer]

I'm Hinata.

[He seems genuine enough about his offer of friendship, offering out his hand as he gives his name.]

I look forward to fighting with you..! [He must take this SSS stuff pretty seriously...]

[violined]

[ Kohaku's handshake is as much firm as it's short. ]

Tch. This'll be interesting.