pokebox | LOCKED TO blazingspirit

LOCKED TO blazingspirit

[He doesn't remember much about his execution.

Oh sure, he remembers the lead-up to it; he remembers how the others looked on as he was led away and sure, he remembers Ishimaru's screams. He doesn't remember the death cage nor does he remember the sudden pain before it was all over.

It made waking up here incredibly confusing.

"Here" must be some sort of afterlife, but Mondo hasn't been able to figure out what it is, exactly. It's obviously not heaven (he's killed two people, he doesn't belong in heaven), but it doesn't seem to be hell either. Things are monotonous, yes, but they're not bad.

That leaves the option of purgatory, which Mondo is more or less fine with. It's better than spending an eternity suffering. It's probably not right for him to stay here instead of moving on to hell, but he doesn't know how or when that will happen. He's content to leave it at that for the time being.

This place is a rather large city - half of it is full of native English speakers, whom Mondo tends to avoid (his English is atrocious, after all), the other half is full of Japanese speakers. The city itself doesn't seem to be anywhere Mondo has ever seen, but it's large and spread out, with plenty to explore and do. Mondo hasn't seen everything there is to see though; he's only been here for a few weeks, and he knew if he wanted to make ends meet, he'd need a job first. Exploring could wait.

It's convenient that there's a carpenter's shop just down the road from the apartment Mondo woke up in. It might not technically be his, but he's been staying there until he can afford to properly rent it out. No one has complained so far, so he figures it's fine for the time being. The carpenter works him to the bone and he's never been so exhausted in his life when he comes home, but it's a good kind of exhaustion that means he's doing something productive. He can't make up for what he's done in the past, but he can help out here.

He's off work for the day, lounging around in what serves as the living room of his apartment, flipping through the newspaper. The dates here are all screwed up - it's almost winter here and he knows he'll have to put some money away toward buying proper winter clothes. That's only a minor concern though, because he has much bigger things to worry about.

In a city this large, it's possible that he's just missed seeing the others. He hasn't been looking very hard, admittedly. He's not sure what to say to them when he does see them. "Sorry" simply won't cut it for Fujisaki. He doesn't really want to see Kuwata, Enoshima, or Maizono either. He's sure it's only a matter of time before one of them finds him, or before someone else shows up here.

All he can do is hope that it won't be Ishimaru.]

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[Mondo hears the shouting, but it doesn't register right away. He hears the words and understands them, but they're so far removed from the reality he's been living in here that his mind simply glosses over it. It doesn't take him long to place that voice though, and Mondo bolts off the couch and toward the door as soon as it hits him.

Ishimru. His brother.

There's something off about the voice, but he's both too relieved and too shocked to figure out exactly what it is at the moment. Why is Ishimaru here? Did he die already? That's not... that's not fair! Mondo tries to get himself under control before he pulls the door open, fully prepared to see that stupid white uniform and those big red eyes he remembers far too well.

What he isn't expecting to see is... well, everything else. Especially the eye flames.]

Wh-what...?

[He stares in stunned silence for a moment, trying to find words for just how confused he is.]

What the fuck, kyoudai!? What happened to you!?

[Well, that works...]

[While Mondo may not be able to find a reaction, Ishida certainly can; it takes him a moment to register what he's even looking at when the door swings open, but once he does - once Mondo starts speaking to him and everything sinks in - it clearly startles him badly. He staggers back, trying to put distance between himself and the figure at the door (it can't be his brother, can't be can't be can't be it's fucking impossible); his eyes are wide, alarmed, and while he doesn't flat-out bolt it's obvious from the way he's still edging back a little that he's strongly considering.]

Wh...what the hell?!

[It's not the most eloquent start, but it's something.]

What are you doing here?! I don't...you shouldn't fucking be here, you're - !!

No, you shouldn't fucking be here! This is some kinda afterlife or something and you're not dead!!

[But the fact that Ishimaru is standing in front of him implies that Ishimaru is indeed dead. Mondo shakes his head, trying to come up with some other explanation. Unsurprisingly, he fails to find one.]

You're not dead!!

[Maybe if he repeats it enough, it'll be true.]

No, I...!

[He tenses sharply at that. Takes another step back, despite himself.]

S-Somebody found a way out of that fucking school - they wanted us all to meet upstairs, because there's a way out and...a-and...

[He can hear his voice rising in spite of the faltering, but he can't bring himself to care; he's shaking, badly, though it's difficult to tell if it's because he's upset or because he's furious.

Probably a combination of both.]

I think someone attacked me, someone fucking attacked me and I don't remember much and then I woke up here, I don't...I don't fucking understand, kyoudai, what the hell is going on?!

Hey, calm down! Look, I know it's fucking hard, but we aren't gonna get anywhere if you don't calm down!

[He needs to calm down too, and Mondo takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself.]

I woke up here around... a couple of weeks ago, after... the trial.

[He doesn't really remember the execution, but he figures that's the last thing Ishimaru wants to hear anyway.]

I'm dead, and I think this place is some kinda purgatory or something. I'm not really sure. I haven't been here long enough to find out. But since you're here... I guess that means that whoever attacked you...

[He trails off, looking away.]

...I'm sorry, kyoudai. I'm so fucking sorry.

[Well, that gets the shouting to let up a little, but that doesn't mean he's relaxing any; he's still trembling sharply, and after a moment he shakes his head as though trying to clear it, as though by doing that reality will kick in again and things will start making sense.]

So I'm...dead. I'm fucking dead.

[He finds himself drawing his lip into his mouth, chewing on it for a moment, though as soon as he notices he makes himself stop.]

...I...

[God.]

...It's probably fuckin' weird to say it, but it's...good to see you again, kyoudai.

[Mondo is about to agree to that - it is weird to say it, but he does agree - when something finally hits him.]

...Have you been cussing?

[That's... really weird, and very new. Uh.]

...Are you okay? Well, I mean obviously you're here so not... exactly... but I mean, what's up with your eyes? And your hair?

[...kyoudai, of all things.

It doesn't seem to bother him either way, though; he just shrugs at that, really, smirking as he does so.]

Why do you sound so surprised? This happened after I talked to you!

[um

what]

After you... talked to me...? But I... I died, kyoudai. How did you talk to me?

[dude bro

u ok]

[nope!]

There was something in the school that let us talk to your spirit. We talked to Fujisaki, too!

[................

oh okay so you're crazy, gotcha]

That doesn't make sense, kyoudai. I don't remember talking to you at all, so I'm pretty sure that couldn't have happened.

Well, all of us definitely saw it, not just me!

[because clearly somebody here is wrong. spoilers, he's pretty sure its you.]

Look, I dunno what you saw, but it wasn't me, I can tell you that much.

[He's pretty sure he'd remember the white hair and the uh. the eye flames...]

But that's not really important now. So you talked to me and this happened?

[He'll just sort of gesture to... all of you.]

Exactly! You were there for me, kyoudai, when I needed it most; I owe you one for it!

[He still sees literally nothing wrong with this; what the hell is that look for?]

[...............]

I'm really not following. How did your hair turn white and why the fuck are your eyes on fire?

[Yes he is going to keep asking this until he gets a valid answer.

...Something occurs to him after a moment and he takes a step back from the doorway so Ishimaru can enter.]

Well, c'mon in, I guess. No sense keeping you out there in the cold.

[...yeah, he appreciates it. What with it still being, y'know. Cold as balls out here.

It seems some things haven't changed, though, given that he enters and just sort of...stands there, as though unsure of what to do now that he's in there; his posture is still tight, but it's less rigidly so - his stance is far more squared-off than the usual at-attention position.

His gaze flicks upward toward his hair, however, when Mondo asks about it; he rakes a hand back through it while he thinks before eventually just kind of shrugging again.]

Fuck if I know. Some sort of possession thing, I guess!

Possession.

[Mondo repeats that, glancing at him as though he can't believe what he's hearing.]

Obviously I didn't possess you. I'm right fucking here.

[He moves to flop on the couch, gesturing for his friend to join him.]

So is that gonna wear off or something?

[Ishida twitches sharply, his hands tightening a bit at his sides at that question; he doesn't refuse the offer, however, throwing himself down onto the couch next to Mondo and generally giving the least number of fucks in the county when it comes to his posture in doing so.]

What the fuck are you talking about, "wear off"?

[Mondo glances at him, trying to figure out why that looks so familiar. It occurs to him after a moment that it looks familiar because that's the exact same way he's sprawling on the couch. He straightens up without really thinking about it, resting his hands on his knees.]

When are you gonna go back to normal? Y'know, not cussing and shit? I mean, fuck, you haven't broken down in tears yet - which is kinda creepy now that I'm thinking about it...

Tch. Why would I break down?

[That just gets an irritable look in your direction, really.]

I'm glad to see you, and if I'm fuckin' dead there's nothing to be done about it - crying won't fix shit, and it'd be weak besides, right?

[...is this a trick question...?]

Well... well yeah, but you tend to cry a lot. Or at least, you used to. Before this happened. This uh... "possession" thing.

[It hits him then that Ishimaru didn't answer the question. He doesn't know - or maybe he does know and the answer isn't a good one. What if he'll never go back to the way he was? What if he's stuck like this - some sort of weird fusion between the two of them?]

Are you... are you okay like this?

[The question probably comes from out of left field, but it's something he needs to know.]

[...what are you even.]

Of course I'm okay - why wouldn't I be?!

[Really wigged out, that's what.]

W-Well I mean... if you're gonna be like this for... however long we'll be here...?

[His voice just increases in volume as he continues, and Mondo cuts himself off there to clear his throat awkwardly.]

You don't wanna go back to the way you were?

[That increase in volume doesn't escape his attention, but he isn't really sure what to do about it; Mondo's words give him something else to focus on, though. He laughs a bit, though the sound is cut-off and strange - the sort of sound one makes when they aren't sure what else to do but they're pretty sure they're supposed to be doing something, and they're kinda hoping the answer will just miraculously present itself if they keep acting like everything's normal.]

I don't get what your problem is, kyoudai - this is who I am.

[Well if that doesn't get Mondo to panic, nothing will.]

What are you talking about? You're not like this! You're the one constantly insisting that we follow the rules and behave properly and... and before we were friends you sure as hell didn't seem to appreciate me cussing! I... guess I get that you're trying to be more like me, but you weren't always like this! Don't you remember?

[There's a note of pleading in his voice that he couldn't control even if he tried.]

LOCKED TO blazingspirit

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