Your New Life

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Another New Life

You wake up to the sound of surf, much, much closer than you've ever heard it unless you moseyed down to Puffin Pier back in the old days. What old days...? Why, the days when you had a body, of course. The memories are probably coming back by now, jumbled along with everything else you lost. What a wake-up call.

But at least the ocean is real, unlike your dubiously fragmented remembrances. This little island out in the middle of nowhere sports a crude sign reading DUCK DAMNED ISLAND that seems like it's really railing against whatever fate you've been left to. There are little seashells and sparkling fragments amongst the sand to the left of your face. If you look further, to the left and right, it seems you're not the only one who's woken up here; it's considerably less cushy than your last wakeup, but maybe that's not a bad thing.

Here, you're free, albeit... kind of incorporeal, as you'll soon find out. The island is covered in pretty little trees that don't quite form a forest, bowed over the really beautiful sandy beach that is way prettier than the one on the mainland. One, slightly rickety treehouse -- bare of anything, because incorporeal ghosts don't need furniture, of course -- peeks out from between the leaves. This is, apparently, your home away from home now.

Finally, there's a small bay-like area on the island that leads you to a strange-looking storm drain, marked with a symbol that's not-quite-an-apple. Stepping in will wash you alllllll the way back up to Puffin Pier, right where the sewers normally let out.

Oh, and once you step onto the mainland? You're now a duck. What kind of quacking afterlife is this.

((OOC: the tldr; about death is here!))

Main NavWeek Two

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[driftedaway]

...I can tell you later. Right now, I want to hear you out first.

So what happened with your parents and Hakuraku?

[aurevoirx2]

... Didn't I already say...

[driftedaway]

Yes, but it looks like you have more to say about them. So...go ahead. I don't care about how you say it.

[aurevoirx2]

Like what? That I hate everything they did to me? Isn't that obvious already.

[driftedaway]

If that's what you want to talk more about, sure. There's no limit.

...I'm going to talk a lot about how adults and adulthood sucks after this, so it's only fair. Or as close to fair as we can get in this situation, I guess.

[aurevoirx2]

That really sums it up doesn't it.

Adults really, really suck.

[driftedaway]

I know I'm overgeneralizing, but yeah.

[ There are exceptions, but the overall conclusion isn't really changing right now. ]

Adults who can't protect the children around them are some of the worst.

[aurevoirx2]

And actively harming them. Always trying to look good for other people. Selfishly doing only what they want.

[ This is fine... They can just vent like this. ]

[driftedaway]

Taking your trust and using it against you when convenient for them. Forcing them into a lifestyle they don't want. Only giving a hand when they know it's too late.

[ He's still processing the anger he feels on behalf of himself and Ryou, so sure, let's go with this. ]

[aurevoirx2]

[ oh are they being specific? ]

Not even letting a child sit with them to eat. Taking out life insurance hoping you'd die. Telling you other people would throw you away if you told them.

[driftedaway]

[ apparently. ]

...Beating you up...drowning you...and telling you they'd stop only when you deny your best friend. And then having the gall to tell you to give up and grow up.

[ Maybe it's because of how much he was crying earlier, but his voice has less and less force in it the longer he talks. ]

[aurevoirx2]

Taking you away from your best friend, who's the only thing that means to you. Wanting you to make art of death for his own fantasies. Saying he's helping you and getting angry when you change your mind.

[ sora's going to die mad at this rate, again ]

[driftedaway]

...Yeah, that's the worst.

[ This time Keito doesn't respond with more. But he does slowly sit up from where he was lying down, pointedly ignoring the complaints from his muscles. Then with unsteady legs, he stands up, moves a few steps towards Otonashi, and plops himself right back down again.

He exhales. ]

...Hey, Otonashi?

[aurevoirx2]

... Hnm? [ They're not complaining anymore? ]

[driftedaway]

[ Nah, not right now. He has something else to say. Something he might have secretly wanted to say at least once. ]

Clench your teeth!

[ Because Keito's here to give him the absolutely most ridiculous hair-ruffling on the history of this island. Better hope he likes the Super Saiyan look. ]

[aurevoirx2]

?!?! [ Huh? What's happening right now?? What'd he even say. ]

Wh-what are you doing?!

[driftedaway]

Making your hair super spiky! [ That's totally an answer, right?! ]

[aurevoirx2]

But why...... [ But his hair is awfully straight, can he even manage that? ]

[driftedaway]

[ Keito's certainly trying, even as his voice trembles. ]

Because... Because we can't keep this up!

[aurevoirx2]

I guess so. [ dunno about you, but he can keep up the yan for eight years He sighs. ] What should we do then?

[driftedaway]

[ He glares at that "I guess so" not being a "yes", but it's a start. ]

Well, we can't let them beat us. I hate losing.

[aurevoirx2]

[ He raises an eyebrow. you're not a tryhard enough ] Are we playing a game?

[driftedaway]

Not unless you're challenging me to a board game.

[ Ruffling particularly hard right now. ]

I'm talking about a battle of wills here. Of love. I can't completely understand your actions [ you murderhobo ], but...

[ Let's just get this out of the way first. ]

You don't want the adults defining your relationship to your best friend for you, right?

[aurevoirx2]

Ow. [ He pouts a bit, like a normal kid. ]

That's one way to think of it, sure.

[driftedaway]

Ahh, geez! [ He puffs his cheeks a little. ]

I'm saying that their opinions on it don't matter! Why should it when ours never mattered to them?