Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

THE MIST had certain... ideas of entertainment, whether those included tormenting others both mentally and physically, or making them rewatch their own pain. Apparently, even with Twisted Timelines, it got bored, so certain allowances were made. 

ARLO: ...And, I did tell you not to — huh?

ADRIANA: Wait! Not with — wait, Yara?

EIJI: (worried/scared) W-Where are we...?

RILEY: I-I don’t know, either, but it’s kinda funny we’re even surprised at anything anymore...

JUN: (glares) Riley.

RILEY: I have a point! I mean, we’ve been in this weird death-cycle since — I don’t even know that!

IRIS: Everyone, let’s not panic. Speaking of which, is everyone here or is it just us?

YARA: (pulls Adriana closer) We’re here. Well, most of us.

TAYLOR: (rolls eyes) By that she means the killers aren’t. Yeah, Yara, Iris was asking us as in us survivors!

CALLUM: Uh... but anybody know *why* we’re here?

AAAQIL: (swallows/gulps) I-I think I do...

YRONICA: (flips hair) No one’s asking you, freak.

SEOUNG: N-No... but... I think I have a hunch... well, sort of.

MAKOTO: (earnestly/encouraging) And that is...?

AMARI: Is there at least Monster here? I mean, there was some Monster in the Mist, as shitty as it was...

SANJANA: Ah. It’s you. Vagrant.

AMARI: W-What do you want from me?!

EMERY: (stifled laughter) Uh, ‘Mari, I think we should just listen.

AMARI: She has a dagger! I don’t fuck with bitches who got daggers in their pockets.

AMARI hides behind EMERY’s cape, hissing at Sanjana. It was comical, and everyone stared and said nothing. EMERY laughed awkwardly.

EMERY: ...I don’t think she’s (looks at Sanjana) that bad.

KELVIN: Arlo, are you here?

ARLO: I’m here, sweetheart, but where’s your Sonar Dart?

KELVIN: (cheerfully) No clue!

SANJANA: (sighs) I do not know how you put up with him.

RAYNER: Where are those fiends?! And, more importantly, Crosby?

CRYSTAL: U-Uh, do you mean the Killers? We don’t know, and Crosby is!

CROSBY: Rayner!

CRYSTAL: ...Right here.

NATHAN: Well, me and Yan are here too. 

YAN: Why is it so dark? Who even pays the electricity bills for this... thing? 

EIJI: I’m pretty sure we’re still in the Mist, guys...

CHAOXING: (sighs) And here I was thinking we might be out.

NAMI: (amusedly/teasing) You were always a bit of an optimist. 

TAYLOR: (mutters) Which is why her music is better than yours.

YARA: (laughing/shocked) Tay!

TAYLOR: ...Right, sorry.

SARAH: Well. Better than dying constantly if you ask me.

TABITHA: I’m with Iris on this one... 

WREN: (sighs) Guh... whatever... I just wanna go home.

TABITHA: (taps his arm) Wren...

KIARA: BOO!

JACK: W-What the—

SEOUNG: (cries) The killers are here, too?!

YE-JUN: (hums) What a nice surprise to see you here, Dae~

DAE-JUNG: N-no... Ye-jun, get away—

As YE-JUN reached for DAE-JUNG, the MIST coalesced at that point of entry. YE-JUN huffs, annoyed.

EMIL: (sighs/relived) Thank god we’re separated!

COLE: Eiji!

JUN: (folds arms/glares)

COLE: S-Sorry...

EIJI doesn’t seem to have heard COLE. Currently, every SURVIVOR is focused on their whereabouts. The KILLERS are annoyed; well, most of them.

ALEXIS: ...It’s... cold...

AIDEN: ...I... (groans) agree...

EMAN: Y-You?!

DARYL: (grits teeth) Yronica...

YRONICA: (taunts) That ruler can’t reach me here, loser! 

CALLUM: ...Uh, I don’t think that’s a very good idea...

P3-NG: (narrows eyes) Hm.

YAN: (glares/tearfully) You—

NATHAN: (holds Yan back) I’m sorry, Yan. Not now.

P3-NG, or PENG, turns away, a bit dejected at their reactions. Not that he expected anything better, but really?

JUN: (chuckles) This is a nice surprise.

JUN: (swallows) Y-You...

EIJI: It’s o-okay, Jun... He can’t do anything here...

NATHAN: (sighs) Eiji’s right, Jun. We don’t have to be wary right now. 

JULES: (annoyed) I had better things to do.

EMERY: J-Jules... You really...

AMARI looks at how scared EMERY is and turns to face the SHOWSTOPPER. He might not be good with feelings, but there is one thing he’s good at.

AMARI: Oh! Thrift-store wearing lady!

JULES: (widens eyes/angry) You good-for-nothing Vagrant, how dare you—

FINLEY: Arlo...?

The distance is too much for ARLO to hear him, but even with his poor vision FINLEY can tell he’s laughing at something KELVIN said. He clenches his fist.

KIARA: It is TIME! To PARTAY!

KIARA: H-Huh? Killer me?!

KIARA: (looks away) I can just pretend you don’t exist for now.

SEOUNG: S-Survivor Me, are you there—

SEOUNG: A-Ah! Changgwi! Or is that me...?

SEOUNG: I-It’s me! I mean, you — the tiger isn’t possessing me right now — listen, I —

SEOUNG: (roars) That stupid human...

SEOUNG: No! Let her come back! Please!

MAKOTO: (stares) You heard her. Really, and you’d think tigers have brains outside of eating fresh meat!

SEOUNG: (looks down) ...You don’t have to do that for me, Makoto...

MAKOTO: (grins) Don’t I?

ME: (Uh, sorry for the self-insert, I promise I won’t chime in constantly.) Listen up, Mist residents or whatever you wanna be called, this is a REACTION taking place! Now before some genius asks what that is, it’s the reason you’re here! And you’ll react to... hey, can someone do a drumroll?

CRICKETS can be heard chirping.

ME: This is why you people should suffer... anygays, I mean, anyways, you’re reacting to each other’s MEMORIES! Yes, your core MEMORIES! Those ten specific events, or fragments you can remember before this Hunger Games thing happened! 

DAE-JUNG: (cries) That’s an invasion of privacy!

ME: (awkward grin) That’s kinda the point, man, constant death is boring.

ME: You people will react to each other’s memories, and that WILL take a (Texas accent) mighty fine time, (normal accent) so take your time! It’s a break from those death matches! Enjoy! Or, well, don’t, kinda the point is you suffer, lmao.

YRONICA: Did you seriously just say lmao out loud?

ME: Sure did! Okay, yeah, that was cringe, but put on a show?

CRYSTAL: (pensively) For who are we putting on a show, exactly?

ME: Well, that’s for me to know and you to never find out! 

Chapter Text

Five gens. Two people alive, on their last lives. Killer was YE-JUN. DAE-JUNG crouches behind the locker, hiding behind it rather than in it. YE-JUN opens the locker and closes it, and DAE-JUNG sighs internally when he hears the retreating footsteps of the IDOL.

Suddenly, the match ends, and they’re all in the REACTION cabin again. DAE-JUNG, despite not liking the idea of reliving all of those memories, let alone seeing the other SURVIVORS react to them, is still relieved this happens now of all times.

YE-JUN: (huffs/annoyed) Couldn’t this have waited? I was this close to finally finding Dae.

YEONA: (sticks tongue out) No! You weren’t! He hid behind the locker! He outsmarted you!

DAE-JUNG: (softly) Yeona...

YEONA: Sorry... but you outsmarted him! Even with those weird hearts! The kind I saw on Pinterest wallpapers, you really hid from him—

YE-JUN: (coldly) Enough. I let him go just this once.

DAE-JUNG: (slowly/angrily) Don’t even, Ye-jun... I don’t know if you let me go or not, but whatever it is, don’t take your anger out on her!

YE-JUN: (chuckles/affectionately) My Dae-dae is so cute when he’s this protective of someone. (grits teeth) Towards the wrong person, of course. 

YEONA: (whispers) Aren’t you sick of being treated like this? You’re older than him! I remember how cranky he’d get during interviews when you were sick or—

DAE-JUNG: (sighs defeatedly) It’s fine, Yeona. I don’t wanna... talk about that.

YEONA: (sheepishly) S-Sorry...

ME: Alright, before the reaction starts, I want you people to welcome — well, not really welcome, but you know — a new guest. She was going to come later to the Mist, but I need drama. 

CORA: (curiously) A new survivor? Judging from how you said she, it’s quite likely a woman... will she be good at gens? Hiding? Healing? Chase?

SARAH: (amused) Look at you. That’s what we’re here for, and you’ve already begun taking notes. 

ME: She won’t be in your matches just yet, so I don’t know about allat, but what I do know is that she isn’t exactly the type of person you’d expect as a Survivor. She’s not exactly a... good person, but that depends on you, really. I won’t chime in again. Also, another girl, but she’s a bit shy.

DHANYA: (nervously) H-Hello...?

KIARA: (shocked) Dhanya?!

KIARA leaps for a hug and DHANYA returns in it, a vibrant blush visible on her dark complexion.

KIARA: ...Oh. It’s her.

EVELYN: (scoffs) I didn’t expect you to be here, too, but now I know where you went. Must’ve been a good getaway, huh?

EIJI: (angrily/slowly) Getaway? You think dying over and over again and watching people you love die again is a good getaway? Then again, you’d probably be more than fine with Jun being stuck in this—

JUN: (shocked) I-It’s fine, Eiji. I can handle her, but how did she even...

EVELYN: (rolls eyes) Don’t act *this* surprised. Do you want to know how long you’ve been gone in the real world? Plus, considering where we are and where you were for all those years, wouldn’t you be more or less expecting something like this? 

RILEY: (quietly) ...That’s what I’ve been saying...

DAKOTA: (elbows Riley/hisses) Not now!

NATHAN: Jun... Is she...

NATHAN realizes how panicked JUN is and holds his hand tightly. EIJI doesn’t notice this. 

JUN: (grits teeth) You.

EVELYN: ...Jun? There’s (glances at both of them) two of you?

EIJI: (sighs) That’s not Jun... not the one we know, anyway. 

The CURTAIN rolls.

“Stop running!”

ADRIANA: That sounds like that furry guy.

JUN: (groans) Cole...

EIJI: (smiles) Cole...

“No!” Eiji screamed, turning a corner as his back hit the tree. He tried to hide his heavy breathing, but was too loud. The other boy tackled him down to the ground, the both of them laughing as the tackle turned into an affectionate hug.

COLE: (sadly/bitter) Eiji...

EIJI: (mumbles) Why him? Why this memory?

SERENA: (grunts) Alright. Save it for later. 

KELVIN: Woah! Are we watching furry porn?

EVERYONE in the room stares at KELVIN. 

AMARI: ...Dude.

KELVIN: It was a question!

ARLO: (mumbles) You’re on the couch after our rounds.

YEONA: (excited) What kinds of rounds?!

ARLO: (confused) The death matches...? He gets unreasonably tired after them, so-- (realizes what she meant) Oh.

RILEY: C-Can we come back on track? It’s getting a little too... well, not PG-13, like it was promised.

“This is not fair.” Murmured the photographer, “You always win.”

)

“I’m good at running.” Cole smirked, looking up at Eiji with a gorgeous pair of amber eyes.

“Yeah! Exactly!” The raven haired boy said, “Unfair!”

“I think you like being caught.”

“Ah--!” The photographer’s cheeks went red, “Not at all!”

JUN: (looks at Eiji) ...Are you okay?

EIJI: (inhales shakily) I-I’m fine, Jun. 

CROSBY: (sighs wistfully) How smitten you two were.

SERENA: (grits teeth) So smitten, really.

DAE-JUNG: If it helps, Cole’s not a bad person underneath... I’m sure you’d know, Eiji. (sadly/angrily/to himself) Unlike someone.

EIJI: I-I know... 

KYLE: I can’t feel sorry for someone who killed my father, but I do feel sorry for the person who fell in love with the one who did it. 

“Mm-hm.” The taller of the two didn’t have to say anything, gently pulling Eiji into a hug as he kissed the top of his head. “It’s okay. I’ll always catch you.”

“Always?”

“Always.”

EIJI: I... C-Can I leave? I really don’t want to... 

JUN: ...

WREN gazes outside the BARRIER and sees WREN and TABITHA watching the screen intently, sitting next to each other. Something inside of him twists into a knot and he looks away.

TABITHA: (whispers) Mahal? Does that masked guy not... look somewhat like you?

WREN: (confusedly) No, he (bents his chair to see him at the killer side) doesn't... Tabby, you're not the only one who's said this. The other survivors at first got creeped out when I rescued them. At first, I thought it was just the eye bags, but it might have something to do with that... (laughs nervously) Plus, like you said, he is masked.

COLE: (looks at Chaoxing) Eiji would've liked that music...

WINONA: (coldly) So pathetic.

YE-JUN: (scoffs/files his nails) Do you seriously not have a life outside of that boy? I mean, I know we mostly just kill and don’t talk to each other, and I hope it stays that way (looks at Boss/shivers) But seriously. Anything you did? Liked?

TALIYAH: (stares at him from below) I agree for what it’s worth but you’re one to talk! 

YE-JUN: (stares at her from above) Talk to me when you reach my knees. I’ll wait.

Eiji’s heart raced as all he could hear was breathing echoing off the walls of the cramped locker, body trembling as he wished for everything to just go away. But as the footsteps grew nearer he knew he was running out of time. The snarling, hunched over back of the man he once loved appeared.

“I know you’re inside.” He said flatly, retracting the gnarly claws that grew out of his knuckles. The same knuckles that Eiji used to kiss and feel stroke his chest. “I won’t hurt you… You already know that. I never do…”

AAAQIL: Ah, that’s... sad...

ELIJAH: (nods) Whatever you’re going through, Eiji, I'm here to listen. We all are.

IRIS: (smiles sadly) Losing someone is hard, no?

EIJI: Y-Yeah, thanks guys. It’s just that... remembering these things again is really painful...

ALEXIS: Y-Young... love...

ALEXEI: I can’t relate to liking wolf boys, but I can relate to liking cat girls.

KIARA: Ooo! I didn’t know there was *this* much drama! (cartwheels while floating) This is going to be SO good!

DHANYA: T-That’s you?

KIARA: (sadly) Sorta. 

“Cole.” Eiji cleared his throat, slowly stepping out. “I can’t keep doing this…”

“It’s still me.” The werewolf’s eyes were misty, “I’m still me... I know-- I’ve done… bad things… but… I-It’s not my fault…”

“Kyle and Serena told me everything. You can’t lie--!”

“It’s not a lie!” Cole sobbed, “I was starving! I tried for so long to hold it in... I tried my best…! But I couldn’t… They… I just…”

KYLE: TRIED TO HOLD IT IN! TRIED! SURE AS HELL DIDN’T LOOK LIKE THAT WHEN YOU WERE EATING AWAY AT MY FATHER’S BODY!

EIJI: K-Kyle... please, he’s--

SERENA: (firmly) No, Eiji. Kyle’s right. (growing angry) I would’ve had him shot dead if I had my gun here. And it wouldn’t have been mine if not for him, it would still be my father’s.

COLE: (cries) No! I really meant it! I didn’t want to hurt anyone and I still don’t!

SERENA: YOU DIDN’T FUCKING FEEL THE SAME WHEN YOU PUT YOUR CLAWS IN HIM!

IRIS: That’s ENOUGH!

EVERYONE goes quiet. (Yes, including the KILLERS)

IRIS: (turns to Kyle & Serena) Look, it’s not easy reliving those memories by *any* means, and it’s your father. Of all the people in the world, of course you’d be angry, but don’t take it out on him.

SERENA: Don’t take it out on him?! He’s the reason we don’t have a dad! Our dad!

KYLE: (mumbles) Sorry, Iris... I didn’t mean to cause a ruckus or anything, but even seeing him after all those years makes me--

TABITHA: (smiles) It’s okay to be angry. (firmly) And I think I say this on the behalf of everyone when I say you’re forgiven. 

JULES: (mutters) I think I liked it better when they were arguing... (sighs) Oh, well.

KIARA: (holding up a bunch of snacks/floating) This is already getting good! THIS is what I signed up for!

CHRISTOPH: (widens eyes) Oh my, where did you even find those? ...On second thought, Kiara, don’t answer that. (chuckles darkly) I think I already know the answer.

ALEXEI: Ooo, is that a fish stick? Pass me one.

KIARA: (rolls eyes/sticks tongue out) Get your own!

But she ends up giving him one anyway, and later YE-JUN almost whines when she doesn’t give him Chipotle. (Then again, she was protective of her Chipotle.)

P3-NG: (reminiscently) I remember me and Yan used to go to Little Ceasars. They had good pizza. I haven’t eaten that much pizza, but it was one of the better things humans created.

TALIYAH: (tauntingly) So emotional for a toaster, aren’t you?

P3-NG: (wields laser) I am NOT--

KIARA: I am NOT going all the way there for pizza! Sorry, Peng, maybe some other time. Maybe when we react to your boyfriend’s memories? 

P3-NG: (growls) Shut it.

JACK: Thank fuck she’s not going to go there and get pizza. I would’ve never looked at pizza the same way.

ELIJAH and SAADIYA stifle a laugh.

FINLEY: (suspiciously) Did you say fish stick, Alexei?

ALEXEI: (nibbling on said fish stick) No, I didn’t, why do you ask? 

FINLEY: (shakes his head) Nothing.

ALEXEI: (leans back and whispers to Kiara) Bro thought he cooked.

KIARA: Real. Fish sticks walked so his entire species could run. 

It was against his better judgement, but Eiji took a step forward. A cautious hand moved to stroke Cole’s hair, head hung low in shame. His hair was matted and dark from all the dirt and grime that had accumulated over all the years. It made Eiji feel a sense of pity for him, and guilt. He had never meant to leave him. Could this have all been prevented if he stayed?

“Don’t hate me…” The werewolf’s voice was pathetic, “I can’t take it. I don’t want you to hate me…”

SERENA: You can’t take it anymore? (scoffs) Yeah, I can’t either.

EIJI: Serena... please...

SERENA: (grumbles) Alright. He’s keeping his hands to himself these days, even at the cost of his own health, so, for now, it’s fine. (mumbles) I guess.

SEOUNG: It... It can’t be easy... living like that. He’s a wolf. He needs meat to stay alive, and the Mist probably (swallows/gulps) p-punishes him... 

JUN: (sighs) He can do what he has to, for at least a few rounds. If that’s what it takes. But I don’t think that’ll help that much now. 

JUN: ...We’ve talked about this, wouldn’t it be better to just... move on? Better for him, too.

EIJI: (miserably) I’m sorry, Jun. I-I don’t think I can just do that. It’s hard for me to even imagine anymore...

NATHAN: (worriedly) The memories we’ll be reaction to... whoever’s they are, we’ll have their thoughts and feelings narrated, too?

EIJI: (smiles weakly) Apparently so.

PARKER: ...Oh, that’s... very... ah...

GAVIN: (sarcastic) Yay, I’m so excited for that...

BECCA: (giggles nervously) I think Dae-jung had a point. But it just feels like a break in now. Thoughts are the one thing that I thought would have privacy...!

DAE-JUNG: (dancing) That’s the Mist for you! 

YE-JUN: (chuckles) My Dae-dae is so cute when he’s being sarcastic.

YEONA: ...Leave him alone already. (mumbles) I keep feeling it’s my fault.

RILEY: ...Yeona, it isn’t...

YEONA: Don’t.

I…” Eiji’s voice trembled, “I… I can’t hate you…” He finally had to be honest, emotions spilling through as he broke into a sob. Cole stood up tall, pulling him into a hug. Neither of them knew what to say, but honestly-- what was there to say?

Sometimes actions speak louder than words.

SAADIYA: ...Was this the long story in question?

EIJI: (takes off glasses/rubs his eyes/sighs) Yeah. It was.

COLE: I-I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier, Eiji...

EIJI: (firmly) It's not your fault, Cole... it almost never is. 

EMERY: (worried) Is this what it's gonna be like...? Reacting to each and every--

ADRIANA: (realizes) ...Oh. Oh, no-

YRONICA: Ugh, what's there to even hide anymore? We've been through all of this already.

EMAN: (angrily/slow) I'd actually say you have the most out of all of us here to hide, don't you?

YRONICA: Keep your mouth shut if you don't know how to talk. 

TARA: M... Mean... girl...

CRYSTAL: (sighs) I guess I can check and foresee later who's memory we have next. 

AMARI: Could you at least give us a break from the matches? We've gone through enough shit already...

MAKOTO: Can't believe I'm saying this, but... I agree with Gaymiyyah.

AMARI: ...What. The. Fuckdidyoujustcallme.

MAKOTO: (shrugs) Oh, I don't know. Your name? 

GABRIELLE: Let's just... let's just get this over with.

EVERYONE agrees.

Chapter Text

“Gaymiyyah, I swear to fuck, if you explode the gen one more time,” says Makoto, her voice warning. Seoung grimaces at Amari, who gulps.

“You made me do this! I can take chase--”

“You’re on your last life and probably stoned. Shut up and do the gen. It’s literally just tugging wires, twin, seriously...”

“Stop calling me those names,” Amari says exasperatedly. “You think you’re so funny, you aren’t. No one fucks with you.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Seoung says mildly. Amari gapes at her, and Makoto gapes too, but she’s grinning widely. 

“Seo...! I knew you’d--”

“Gens. Both of you.” Seoung says sternly. Makoto salutes.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“The killer is in chase with me!” comes Emery’s voice through the walkie-talkie, and Amari tugs absent-mindedly on the wires once more, blowing the generator up. He got up. 

“Amari--” Seoung tries, but Amari shakes his head.

“I gotta run. Dunno if Em can really handle that blue guy,” Amari shrugs, but Makoto can see the crinkle of his eyes. His features were usually relaxed, sleep-deprived, and gave you the impression he was high, but right now, he was worried. Anxious. 

“That kid’s capable.”

The trio jolts at the voice coming from the cave. Makoto stares. “Ryder!”

“Yes, it’s me,” Ryder slightly rolls his eyes. “I just escaped chase.”

“And gave it to Em,” Amari glares. Ryder raises a brow. 

“He took it,” Ryder says. “Plus, I wouldn’t’ve given him chase if I didn’t trust him.”

“Fuck that, if he dies, it’s on you,” Amari says angrily. He knows he’s being unreasonable, this is a death game, he’s died a million times, so has Emery, so has Makoto, so why does he still care? 

There’s a gist of wind which swirls through Dawnwood Pines, and then a flash, and then that room. Again.

“This again?” comes Yronica’s complaining voice. Then she smirks. “Won’t be too bad, I guess.” she glances at Aaaqil, who was next to Callum, and wonders when his memories would be shown; she was sure there’d be dirt to spill on him in those. Probably a lot of things about Callum. Maybe they’d show his now?

“None of us want this,” Eman says crossly. “You’re not the only one. And you don’t see any of us whining.”

“Okay, and...?”

“Let’s play the guessing game,” Callum interjects nervously, desperate to avoid a quarrel. “Who do you think we’ll be seeing next?”

“Wow, really, Cal?” Taylor’s tone is unimpressed, but their voice is overruled by Yara’s brash one. 

“Let me guess first!” the runner says. She scratches her head, “uh... Riley!”

“Nuh-uh. No way!” says Riley, shocked. “It’s Gallagher. On god.”

“It ain’t me, West!” exclaims Callum indignantly. “It’s def Adri.”

.

“Leave me out of this,” warns Adriana. “But if I had to guess... it’d be Gabri.”

“Take that back--!”

“Someone, please make them shut the fuck up,” Amari groans, banging his head on the wall. Ryder narrows his eyes and glances at the wanderer for a split second. “Hop off already.”

“Ong, let them be, you were probably a lot more annoying when you were their age,” Makoto swats him, and Amari screams as he narrowly ducks, “twenty-four year old, go back to your nursing home.”

“YOU’RE MY AGE!”

“Let them be, 'Mari,” says Emery gently. “And, uh, 'Koto, stop swatting him like a fly.”

“Fine, but just know he’s down bad for you--” Makoto snickers, and this time, it’s Amari who swats her.

“Last round was with your father,” says Elijah. “Was it good? I didn’t spectate you much, sorry, 'Liz.”

“It’s fine, Eli,” Elizabeth smiles, and then her brows furrow at the mention of her father. “We almost won, but he somehow seemed more merciless than usual...” her grim face splits into a smirk, “And lemme guess. You were spectating Jack the whole time, weren’t you?”

Elijah goes a shade of red but makes no attempt in denying it. He scratches his neck, glancing at the delivery boy who was currently bickering with Jun. “...You got me there. Is it really that obvious?”

“It really is, man. Are you planning to...”

“Ah, w-what? No, of course not--!” Elijah exclaims, clearly caught off guard. He sighs quietly. “I don’t think...”

“It’s fine, big guy.” Elizabeth pats his back. “Wanna sit with me and 'Vonne for a bit?”

Elijah smiles at her. “I’d like that.”

The crimson-red curtain rolls, and there’s a sudden anticipation-bearing silence that spreads itself amongst the survivors. Even the killers, for one. Who’s memory would it be?

“Y’know,” Becca scoots closer to her brother, “Just a hunch; it might be a killer memory.”

“Oh, yeah,” Gavin nods. “Probably. It’d make sense.”

“So, does this camera of yours record?” asks Yan. Eiji shrugs.

“Dunno, but don’t care. I’m not forgetting this anytime soon.” Eiji says, smirking. “Although, last one sucked...”

“I can relate to the whole forbidden love thing,” says Yan with a sigh. “But prolly not the furry thing.”

Eiji rolls his eyes. “You wouldn’t be the first one saying that.”

The sounds of keys clacking and clicking filled Alexei’s dimly lit room as his eyes were fixated on the screen. The corners of his lips curved upwards to form a smirk, watching as the loading bar finished and he was greeted with what looked like a message.

“Woah! Sanjana, look...!” Kelvin points towards the screen in awe, and Sanjana frowns. 

“Looks like a morse code,” she remarks. Kelvin taps his thigh in thought.

“Yeah, but it’s the kind of codes Kiat did,” he murmurs. “Even I couldn’t do allat.”

“Python,” says Arlo. Kelvin looks at him, surprised.

“You code?”

“Not really,” says Arlo admittedly. “I did before I started med school. AP class.”

“...Wow,” Kelvin takes Arlo’s hand, and kisses it. “Beauty and brains.”

“You’re gross,” says Arlo, but his smile contradicts his words. 

“It’s you!” exclaims Kiara. Alexei groans.

“Ah, goddammit, this’ll be such a pain,” he tilts his chair back languidly. “I got nothing to hide.”

“Really?” Kiara’s smile upturns into a grin, “Let’s test if my theory about you being gay is true or not.”

“Is true,” interrupts Peng. “His screensaver has mostly catgirls, like he says, but there’s a chibi catboy at the corner.”

Kiara rubs her hands together. “Rare Peng W... brb, I’m gonna bring Little Ceasars for you in a sec.” 

“Hop off, toaster,” says Alexei flatly. “Unrequited forbidden love ahh.”

“>:(“ It read, earning a chuckle from the watcher as he moved his mouse to see what else he could access. He was currently trying to get into the system data from this weird little company he had stumbled upon a while ago. It wasn’t really hard to get into it, but it seems their tech person caught onto him because the security has been getting better and better with each passing day.

“That was my favorite emote,” whispers Kelvin to the Nurse. “I used to spam Sanjana’s dms with it when she’d ghost me.”

“I muted him,” adds Sanjana. Iris giggles. “He wasn’t the only one in the department who’d use those... emotes, however.”

“Oh?” Iris’s curiosity was piqued. “Who else?”

“Kiat Maung,” says Sanjana, folding her arms. “Blonde. Muscular. Very, very tall,” she pauses. “And somewhat like Kelvin, but with a more sense of responsibility. But he wasn’t as... trustable, somehow.”

“How so?”

“I’m not sure,” says Sanjana thoughtfully. “But I didn’t know much about his personal life.”

“Weird little company...” Kelvin read as the realization dawned on him, “Hey! Our company wasn’t weird!”

“Forget that,” says Sanjana briskly. “It says 'stumbled upon a while ago'. That means this was quite a while ago before the Mist seized us.” she turned to the tracker, “Read the captions, you find him ugly anyways.”

“He’s even worse without the mask,” complains Kelvin. “Albino degenerate ahh.”

“Shut up, dork,” Alexei says from the other side. “Simp.”

“Uno reverse,” says Kelvin, satisfied. He leaned back in his seat. Arlo slaps his own forehead.

“He’s stupid,” says Jules. “Quite stupid. How did that nurse choose him over you?”

“Shut it,” Finley growls. There wasn’t any going back, but if he could turn back time, he would.

“Shut up, you--” Alexei has to be restrained by Kiara, because although the two tossing each other insults which would echo in the 'theater’ for everyone to hear, the video displayed on screen was more important. 

“This was the time he got in our system,” Sanjana observes. “He really took us for fools.”

“That code he’s using is really clear-cut...!” Gabrielle exclaims, enthralled. “It’s almost perfect. But there’s a minor mistake.”

“Know it all,” Alexei rolls his eyes. Ye-jun looks at him, amused.

“Some teenager’s better at this than you are,” the Idol clears his throat, “in your words, maybe *you* should...” he gestures, “...hop off.”

“She was promising,” says Daryl. “I remember she had come for a robotics competition at Lakeview. She’s the reason Taylor got second place.”

“High praise from the principal is high praise indeed,” says Taliyah, grinning. “Wonder if Rose would’ve gotten first place, had she been alive? She was such a bright, bright girl...”

Taliyah ducks, Daryl's ruler narrowly missing her head. 

It was sort of like a game to him, now. But for some reason it almost seemed that the other person felt the same way. They had started leaving messages behind in the code for him to find, and he wasn’t entirely sure what to make of that. The next page finished loading, and he was greeted with a crudely formed button.

"Game to him," Sanjana echoes. "Hm."

"He isn't as good as he tells himself he is, either!" Kelvin snickers, "the 2018 online dating is weeeird."

"It wasn't online dating," Alexei grunts. "This bitch..."

Kiara glances at Kelvin and shakes her head. "Leave it be. I'll tamper with something and make Kelvin's memories come faster and be more... personal."

Alexei looks at her. "Sounds a bit evil for something childish," he rubs his hands together, "I like it."

"Yeah, but you owe me," Kiara elbows him, to which Alexei blows raspberry, ironically childishly. 

"Something doesn't seem... right." Dante frowns. Most survivors who were sitting in close proximity to the tide watcher turn around to look at him, because Dante hadn't spoken at all the last time or this time. Yet his voice sounded clear and upright rather than hoarse and parched from not using it for a long time. He was a quiet, helpful person. The survivors appreciated him and his latern, but they weren't quite sure what to make of him. 

Dae-jung, always the social butterfly, clears his throat. "What do you mean by that, Dante?"

Dante's demeanor loses its laid-back posture. "I'm not knowledgeable about technologies of any sort," he says, but he doesn't seem ashamed of it. His voice was toneless yet pleasant to listen to. "But I think this other person The Watcher is talking to in this memory doesn't want anything from him."

"Really?" Ryder asks. He'd been observing the whole time, not entirely trusting Dante (not that he really trusted anyone but that cop and Parker... and Makoto, of course). By now, his curiosity had been piqued. "What makes you say that?"

Dante decides he didn't quite like the way this man was looking at him, as if he was interrogating him. He does what he does best; he ignores Ryder.

Join chat.

What was this? A trap? It seemed like such a bad idea to click it, but he just had to. His mouse cursor moved over, hovering for just a minute before he clicked the left button. A page began to load, and a small chat room was waiting for him. There was only one other person, and he watched as their status went from ‘offline’ to ‘online.’

"That other person's name wasn't visible?" asks Taylor, frowning visibly despite their bangs. Yara shook her head cluelessly. 

"They still wanna remain anonymous," Gabrielle murmurs. "But the only way to do this is this really elaborate code..." her eyes sparkle with ecstasy, "it's amazing to see how far technology's come in the far future!" 

"Wahala," Yvonne shrugs. "It seems like a bunch'o trouble if you ask me."

"Yes, but there's a lot of good things you can do with this kind of technology!" Gabrielle's voice simmers down, "though... admittedly, it could be used for bad things like you said, Yvonne."

Yan whistles. "This isn't the same kind of stuff dad used to work with, but it was prominent in whatever he used to do. Robotics did require coding, I'm sure these refined codes would've really helped him..." her voice quietens, and Nathan places a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. 

"So, is this the story of how he got a subordinate?" Sanjana inquires. Iris ruffles her hair. 

"I'm not sure, dear, but we're finding out, aren't we?"

“hi” They quickly typed.

Alexei’s hands moved to his keyboard, although he wasn’t entirely sure what he was meant to say.

“Hello?” He decided to reply.

“its getting harder, right? u arent solving them as quickly”

"Ha!" Kelvin exclaims triumphantly, "called it!"

Alexei aims his glowstick for Kelvin's head as Christoph pulls him down. "It's not worth it, Alexei. Kiara, give him your fishstick."

"You don't tell me what to do, old man," Kiara says, rolling her eyes and giving Alexei a fishstick anyway.

“You could say that.”

“im trying new stuff and idk i think im doing a good job”

“Who are you?”

“it doesnt matter” They replied, “:P”

"Woah! This typing style is really familiar!" Kelvin says. Alexei shoots him a smug look. 

"I know, it reminds me of how Riley types when he's high," Elizabeth shakes her head. Riley makes a 'hey!' face at her and the escapee giggles. 

"But Elizabeth does have a point, Kelvin," Cora interjects. "Many people type that way."

"I know...! I do, too," Kelvin sighs. "I dunno how to explain it, but there's something so familiar about this!"

"I don't think they want to remain anonymous," Dante says. His voice isn't loud, but it's firm, and it attracts attention once again. 

"They could've just used Instagram if they didn't want that," Jun points out. "Unless that doesn't exist in the far future."

"Social media obviously exists in the far future, dude," Jack groans. Nathan laughs to himself. 

"No, but I can see where you're comin' from," Nami grins at Dante, who hesitantly returns the smile. "They seem pretty casual. Confrontational, even."

"Yeah, but they're dodging the question," Chaoxing argues. "If they planned on saying their identity, they would've done it by now."

"This is fun," Kyle says. "Kinda like Sherlock Holmes." Serena snatches the softball bat from Mamo and bonks her twin, evoking an 'ow,' out of the trapper. 

"White kids," Alexei snorts. "Always think they're doing something."

“So you made a whole chat room to… what?”

“talk to you”

“Why?”

“ur hacking into my stuff and ur asking ME why?”

“...Fair.”

"So you hacked him first," Jules conceives. Alexei claps his hands.

"Wooow, who knew! You're so smart," he sasses. Jules was about to pierce a shard of her mirror into his eye before feeling Tanasha's hand on her shoulder. 'It's not worth it,' the empress mouths. 

"A chat room. So, you've got a secret admirer," Ye-jun grins. Kiara makes a 'oooo' sound. Specimen-1294 growls noisily. Alexis pierces her icicle through it, causing it to scream shrilly and escape back to its hole. 

"W-why would you... do thaaat..." Tara asks. Alexis looks at her. Or, at least, tries to. 

"It'll c-come... back..." Alexis reasons.

Alexei was not sure what to make of this. The person on the other side of the screen definitely didn’t see him as a threat, and that bothered him. But for some reason that also made him feel… relieved? They didn’t know who he was-- so technically he could be anyone he wanted.

"So, the guy on the other side's... smarter than you!" Yeona points at Alexei, who huffs in response. 

"Smarter, sharper, and types like a teenager," Sanjana says, sounding somewhat amused. "Maybe Kelvin has a point," Kelvin makes a face saying 'THANK you!' at that. "It does sound like someone familiar."

“okayyyy i have to go ill check back later!!! if you end up finishing wait for me”

“Can’t you at least tell me your name?”

“hmmm… will you tell me yours?”

“Maybe. How do I know you won’t use it to find me?”

“i dont want to find you. its soo boring in the office all day and ur actually kind of fun. idk what u want w/ our files tho”

"Office," Elizabeth murmurs. "Files..."

"So you were hacking some company's files," Ye-jun surmises. "And they got you first."

"Wait, wait," Sanjana says, pausing. "The only company he was hacking was ours. And we never found him." She stares at Kelvin, who shakes his head.

"Don't look at me! I know I type like that, but even I'm not that good at hacking," Kelvin huffs. 

"So it was someone from your agency, and they didn't tell you?" Iris asks, horrified. Sanjana swallows.

"It's possible. Question is, who..."

Alexei sniggers. "Come on. Who else typed like that? Don't make me give you the answer."

Sanjana widens her eyes. "Wait..."

“I’m Alex.”

“don’t lie :P i know ur name is alexei hehe”

His jaw dropped, and he immediately moved over to leave the chatroom when a message appeared.

"They found out more about this guy in two minutes than we did in two years," Kelvin mumbles, groaning. "If it really was someone from our agency, then we're done for."

"Don't say things like that!" Arlo exclaims firmly. Kelvin smiles at the nurse.

"He types like Eiji and Riley," Jun puts in. Eiji rolls his eyes. 

"Hold on... I think it could be--"

“im kiat”

Attached was a picture of a man with what Alexei could only call a dream body. He had a charming smile and was petting a golden retriever in the picture. The picture was enough to make him hesitate, but when he went to type a reply he noticed that Kiat had already gone offline. His eyes wandered back over to the man’s message-- his name. His name.

How did he know?

"...Kiat," Sanjana completes amidst pin-drop silence. Kelvin murmurs something to himself, something inexplicable. "All this time..."

"Why would he do this?" Kelvin says, slapping his head. 

"Hold on, is no one gonna read Alexei's description of this guy," Kiara points out, giggling. Even through his helmet, Alexei flusters. 

"No, don't--"

"Dream body," Ye-jun echoes, highlighting the words.

"Charming smile," Christoph says with a chuckle.

"A golden retriever and a blonde go well together," P3-NG says, joining in.

"ENOUGH!" Alexei exclaims loudly. "That's enough..."

"I thought you were a cat person." Taliyah remarks.

"After this, I don't think I'm a person," Alexei sighs. "Please tell me this is going to get over soon."

But it wasn't. They all knew that much, deep down. What they didn't was that it could get much, much worser than bleeding out to death in actual matches.