[Video]

[dyingsun]

[The first thing someone might notice about this new face on the network is that he's very thin and weak-looking. Almost lifeless.]

This isn't the afterlife, is it?

[Perhaps literally. He hesitates, thinking of saying more before deciding to end the message there.]

Comments

[video]

[fools_journey]

[ Well, Minato's just doing his usual check of the mirror, and ordinarily he'd pipe up right away to offer to explain things, but -- this time he does not. This time, he just freezes and stares for a short while. Someone who was dead showing up here isn't exactly unusual. After all, Minato is part of that club, and he's already well aware that death isn't permanent on this island anyway.

But ... even knowing all that doesn't exactly prepare him for the sight of Akinari. It's one thing to have met someone who's been dead ten years. It's something different to meet someone he last saw as a ghost.

So it takes him a few moments to collect himself before he turns on his own mirror to respond. ]

Hey, Akinari.

... This... isn't the after life. It's another world.

[video]

[dyingsun]

Minato. [Akinari's aware of how odd it must be to see someone you know is dead, so he offers a small smile.] It's good to see you, even in such a strange place like this. Another world, really?

[video]

[fools_journey]

Mm. [ He nods and manages a small smile in return. ]

Yeah. It's good to see you, too.

This place... I'd say welcome, but it's... [ He pauses, pondering how to put it. ] This place is very strange.

[video]

[dyingsun]

How so?

[If it's bad enough to not be grateful for being alive again, it must be terrible.]

[video]

[fools_journey]

Did you read the letter? There should be a letter in your room... it offers a starting point for explanation...

[ Being alive again is awesome, but being turned into something that isn't you is... well, it's not. ]

[video]

[dyingsun]

I've read it. I'm not particularly familiar with Surya's stories...

[ video ]

[femininetomboy]

It isn't, no.

[ She hesitates for a brief moment. ]

Although there were people here who's life ended in their original worlds. But the majority of us are still alive.

Are you alright?

[ video ]

[dyingsun]

I'm fine. Actually, doing better than I have been for a while.

[perfectlybeloved]

That would be remarkably unfortunate! It's a very unpleasant place.

[dyingsun]

Is it? The afterlife is not always said to be pleasant either.

[perfectlybeloved]

True, that is certainly true. The particular horror of this place is being the playthings of the Rulers.

[dyingsun]

How cruel are our rulers?

[perfectlybeloved]

We're the pawns in their story. To be toyed with, as things.

[dyingsun]

Can we fight against it?

video;

[hyahahacool]

Oh, that's a thought!

[he died once and came back....]

But, no- we're all still alive.

video;

[dyingsun]

Most of us.

[He's not.]

[hyahahacool]

Most of us? Care to explain that?

[dyingsun]

I know I died before I came here.

[hyahahacool]

....Hey, that's some scary thoughts. How do you know that?

[dyingsun]

How would you not notice dying? It's not a pleasant process.

Video

[starofchaos]

Unlikely, to be sure. These cretins have simply gone beyond the length of what is acceptable to kidnap you.

Video

[dyingsun]

There are acceptable ways of dealing with the dead?

Video

[starofchaos]

Yes, though that was not quite to what I referred. But you are not dead, let me assure you of that.

Video

[dyingsun]

That comes as a surprise.

Video

[starofchaos]

You sound as if you were expecting death.