002 [video/action]

[hypervision]

[option A: video]

[Reisuke appears to have borrowed one of the computers in the library that has the video function (or he might have borrowed his roommate's laptop without asking), but when he starts it, he's not in sight. It looks like no one is sitting in front of the computer. That is, until two hand-puppets suddenly come up from the bottom of the screen, a childish voice speaking as the blue hand-puppet waves at the screen, "speaking" in a cheerful tone.]

"Hello! We're here to introduce a very special person!""

[The pink hand-puppet nods in agreement.] "That's right! Rei-kun is a very special person, and super elite! There's nothing he can't do!"

[And then both, "at the same time", as they appear to make some kind of hand clapping motion. Clap clap clap.]

"So let's give a round of applause for the great Reisuke Houjou~!"

[Reisuke will finally appear, poking his head up from the bottom of the screen. The little boy smiles and waves a hand-puppet at the screen.]

Hi! I've been here a while, so I already know that I'm dead. [And he has no qualms saying that bluntly.] ...But that's okay! That just means that I get to play with all of you now! [hehe] I can't wait to get to play with everyone here, it's gonna be so much fun!

[And then he dissolves further into childish giggling. Someone's certainly cheerful today...]

[option B: action]

[Even if you don't feel like indulging the kid over the computer or what not, Reisuke can still be found just about anywhere today. Whether you're minding your own business, sitting in a chair or on a bench somewhere, reading a book, ditching class, whatever it is you crazy kids do in the afterlife, Reisuke might be lurking nearby to try to "chat" with you once you're spotted. Hope you like dealing with strange little kids...especially ones that might be dressed like this.]

Comments

[ audio ]

[punintentional]

[ Focusing on the important part of the video: ]

...Are those handpuppets?

[ audio ]

[hypervision]

Yeah! Do you like them?

[ audio ]

[punintentional]

They're, uh...certainly unique, I guess.

[ audio ]

[hypervision]

[We'll take that as a compliment.]

So what's your name, Onii-san?

[ audio ]

[punintentional]

My name? I'm Junpei.

Nice to...meet you, I guess.

[ audio ]

[hypervision]

You "guess"?

[You sound like a very awkward guy, Junpei onii-san...]

video;

[strawberrytart]

[ HERE WE GO ICHIGO IS GIVING THAT ROUND OF APPLAUSE. She's clapping and smiling. ]

You're so good with those puppets! Where did you get them? They're so cute!

video;

[hypervision]

Thanks, Ichigo onee-chan! [He beams, though he's not sure how exactly to explain the hand puppets--the story behind them is a little personal, but he decides to just go with how he got them here.]

Um, I think Santa-san found my hand puppets for me? 'Cause they were there when I woke up on Christmas!

video;

[strawberrytart]

Santa did!?

[ That's amazing. Ichigo believes in Santa here, she's definitely not discounting it ever. Between fairies and this place, she knows no matter what adults say it's probably a fact that Santa exists. ]

That's really cool! Do you do puppet shows a lot?

video;

[hypervision]

Puppet shows? [Ha, yeah right. But he pretends to consider the idea.] I've never done one of those for anyone before. Do you like puppet shows, Onee-chan?

video;

[strawberrytart]

Mhm! They're really fun!

[ She's only seen like a street performance or two when she was living in France, of course.. ]

video;

[happyends]

[ Having a good day, huh, Reisuke. Although Madoka's more glad than anything else to see this broadcast since she was a little worried about him before.. but he found his handpuppets, maybe that's what made him so happy! So she smiles back, eager to play along. ]

Ah, Reisuke-kun! I'm so glad you found them again...

video;

[hypervision]

Hi Madoka onee-chan! [He gives a small wave with one of his hand puppets.] Santa-san found my hand puppets for me! Isn't that great?

[(...Wait, does Santa actually exist in the afterlife? And if not, how else would he have gotten his Christmas presents otherwise? Important questions to think about here...)]

[happyends]

Hmm! Santa-san really is kind! [ Hey, she pretended to be Santa for the whole Secret Santa thing, so why not talk about it like this? Totally Santa that got his handpuppets. Totally. ]

I'm glad to see you're so happy. Maybe we can all play together sometime?

[hypervision]

Yeah! Let's play all kinds of games together, Onee-chan! [In fact--] Are there any games that you wanna play today?

[happyends]

Ehehe, I would be happy enough playing whatever games you like the most, Reisuke-kun. [ a giggle follows it. ]

I don't really have a huge preference.

action;

[accepted]

[Caius was just coming back to their room to grab his shorts and a towel so he could go and take a swim in the pool, but when he opens the door and spots Reisuke wearing... Whatever that is, he stops and stares for a moment.]

... What the heck are you wearing?

action;

[hypervision]

[Reisuke gives Caius a slight look that seems to suggest that he thinks Caius is an idiot if he doesn't know what Reisuke is wearing.]

It's a fox. [...Yes Reisuke, he can probably see that but that doesn't explain what it actually is.] Santa-san gave it to me.

video;

[crayoned]

[Oh wow, those puppets are so cute. Wait wait, she wants to try too! Mary quickly grabs the blue doll she was given for Christmas and holds it up in front of the laptop, making sure to hide her face behind it.]

"Hello! A round of applause, clap clap clap!" [She moves the dolls arms to make it look as though it's clapping.] "You know, Mary is a very special person too. We should give her a round of applause as well!"

video;

[hypervision]

"Oh? Then we'll clap for you too, Mary-chan!" [clap clap clap--but he's quick to stop doing that when he notices the doll]

What kind of doll is that? Did Santa-san give you that one?

[ audio ]

[observesthings]

So, um... you got those back?

[ audio ]

[hypervision]

[He giggles, clearly pleased by his good fortune in being reunited with his hand puppets.]

Yeah! Isn't that great, Onii-chan?

[ audio ]

[observesthings]

I got my Diary back, but it's not working... [ A beat. ] I guess Deus really isn't here.

[ audio ]

[hypervision]

Really? [A beat of his own. Maybe it's because they lost the game, so the diaries don't work anymore? Either that, or Deus really isn't here.]

...I wish I had gotten my Diary back too. [At least he could still sort of use it, even if it didn't tell the future anymore.]

[ audio ]

[observesthings]

[ What Yukiteru said isn't entirely true. He did win the Survival Game. Of course, he had long since held the position that he'd never start anything similar, no matter how much Muru Muru hated it and protested. In hindsight, maybe he should have figured out how to make a Future Diary anyway, just in case he ever did have to, for whatever reason.

He'd have to experiment a bit later. ]

Did you get anything else? [ He did. It's buried in the depths of his wardrobe, never to be seen again. ]