The Special Special Special!

[MethodicalSlacker]

He bought it.

Sakurako started laughing, but it wasn't her that Violet needed to convince. That fell on Thomas, who was shaken, and turned to his girlfriend to... console her, in her hysterical fit. All good. He bought it. That's what mattered. Violet held her face over Kyle a little longer and let the tears from the sun spill out. It was good her face was turned away from Thomas. She wasn't crying with her whole face, really, as much as she tried to turn her mouth into a frown. Even if he questioned her—which she was fairly confident that he wouldn't do—she could pass off what she was doing as not a bawl but a quiet weeping thing, which would undoubtedly shame him into shutting his mouth. All she had to do was wait this out, anyway. Cry for an appropriate amount of time, and then sulk up the hill and find who did this to her.

Because the body did not move on its own. Could not. Someone must have pushed it down at her from the temple. It did not matter to her if their purpose was simply to move the body, to get rid of it so they could use the temple space for whatever they needed. They had cost her the gun that had gotten her this far. They had almost gotten her killed. The shock of seeing Kyle did not match up to the rage she felt deep within her, targeted towards whatever force had weakened her so.

Sean said something quiet. Right under the base of his breath. Violet wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe and looked at him, following his gaze out towards Zach in the distance. This could be trouble. Zach's name had appeared in the announcements as much as hers had, but they were different. Violet thought about the many ways, and decided the most important distinction between the two of them was that Violet knew that she didn't want to be where she was right now. Zachary was coming here of his own free will. Violet didn't have that. She never did. This was a punishment for her. Who knew what it was to him.

As she stared at Zach, tears still watering in her eyes, Violet wondered how long it would take for her to reach into her bag and pull out her crossbow.

[Ryuki]

Seems Sean and the others had taken notice. Zach debated with himself on what to do next.

He could just run away, let them think he’s a fucking coward. He’d rather be alive and a coward than be dead (and a coward). But above all else, he wanted to stay alive. The thought occurred to him that they had to be armed. Didn’t Thomas have a gun last time he was with them? And what about Violet? She had to be armed with something if she was on the announcements a couple of times.

Zach decided it’d be best not to make any sudden moves. So, slowly he stretched his arms out to his sides, opened palmed, and raised them up. He needed to show he wasn’t a threat, nor that he had any intention of harming anyone. This was going to be one awkward as shit reunion. No doubt because of how he ditched them and went on to kill another guy.

“Hello!”, Zach shouted, “I come in peace!”

Zach stood still, anxiety coursing up and down his body. Whatever happened next, let it not be the worst case scenario.

Can you really trust them to not shoot you in the fucking head?

[Catche Jagger]

Sakurako’s smile was about as good as Thomas could’ve hoped for given how things were going. It meant she wasn’t completely pissed at him just yet. Still, until Violet left, things still felt like they balanced on a knife’s edge. A false move by anyone could set shit off again.

Thomas managed to smile back at Sakurako, though. It helped him feel a bit less guilty about fucking everything up.

That was, of course, when another voice made its presence known, claiming peaceful intentions.

Thomas’s eyes snapped to the source of the voice, only for him to see Zach turning up again. Sean vocalized Thomas’s own reaction at first glance.

“Look, Zach, I really don’t want to be a dick about this, but this is clearly not the best time for a reunion.” Thomas spoke up, gesturing toward Violet who was still crying and not getting a move on.

Well, at least Zach had the courtesy to not sneak up on them, gun drawn and covered in blood, but…

Wait.

Thomas had lost track of something key a moment earlier, but hadn’t recognized it. Gaze darting about, it was nowhere to be seen.

“Where the hell is the rifle?” Thomas spoke the thought out loud.

[Ohm]

Sean tried his best to keep something resembling a neutral face going as Zach spoke up, but it was hard and after a while he gave up. His hands shook as he stood there and he couldn't tell the exact reason. Fear from the girl he liked on the floor who'd killed people crying her eyes out or the anger at one of his friends who's also killed people standing across from him who seemed to think that after bailing on him the way he did, that he could just walk up and hold a reunion with them? "In peace?" He said as his hands reflexively found their way into his pockets as if he could hide what he wanted to do as they tightened into fists.

In a way, it was the funniest thing Zach had said so far.

"Y'hear that Kyle? In peace?" The foul smell seemed to get worse for a second as the incredulousness of what was going on was setling in as his mouth moved up into a smirk.

He didn't really think this could work out, did he? He's a murderer, he could have gotten the benefit of the doubt with the clusterfuck that seemed to be the announcements of that day. There was a lot going on then, but now? Another one dead and even as unpleasant as Brandon was, he still didn't deserve to die.

None of them did, even as much as they tested how far that could go.

His thoughts cut away as Thomas spoke of the rifle, but not his gaze. "It's gone?"

[Sunnybunny]

"Rifle's gone gone, guys. It went cliff diving when Kyle came down to visit."

Urging Thomas to move closer to the others, she gazed at the scene. It seemed like everyone else was a few moments from losing the lost plot even more. Zach's appearance seemed to be setting off Tomtom and Sean big time, not to mention Violet was still here being... wait, was she crying? If so, why? Sakurako didn't remember much of the announcements at all between them adding up by the day and her not really wanting to know all the horrible things going on here.

Blackened chicken. Mashed potatoes. Green beans. Next subject.

Zach, back at school, was the mean kind of funny. Like Demetri without the red pill bullshit. Apparently he had met up with the other two clout gangers before she did, and they were beefing now. It wasn't hard to guess why, even she was aware of that big mess on day two.

"I know no one owes anyone anything except what I owe my heroes here, but if he's not pulling a prank with the worst timing in history than maybe you should hear him out? Having someone's blood on your hands is awful, but everything about this place eventually loops back around to that. If I'd gone so far as playing the game, someone still being willing to listen to me would mean a lot."

Judges. Jurors. Executioners. By the time this was over, any of of them could take any of those roles or find themselves condemned, trial skipped entirely.

[MethodicalSlacker]

It was in her favor that the group had become distracted and confused, torn between paying attention to Zach and to looking for her gun. A subtle reward for choosing the right path. Calm entered Violet's soul, and her shoulders shrank, tension deflating from her upper body. Getting the crossbow would be a mistake right now. Too much shuffling in her day-pack, too much noise, too much tension in the air. Staying here any longer would also be a mistake. The longer she waited, the more time whoever threw Kyle at her had to get away.

"It went over the edge," she said, her sorrow no longer a farce, "it's gone now."

Slowly, Violet rose from Kyle's side, raising a sleeve of her robe to wipe tears that weren't there from her face. She sniffled and let out a small cough before turning back around towards the group. She held her hands up, like Thomas was a policeman.

"I think I'm going to go now," Violet said, "it looks like you guys have your hands full with, um, Zeke."

She started to back away, at a snail's pace, from the group. Not turning her back on them. Checking over her shoulder every now and then to make sure she wasn't going to accidentally walk off the cliff and follow her rifle into the waters below.

"Sorry for the intrusion."

[Ryuki]

Well, things were off to an awkward start. At first Zach could feel the tension between him and the group. He couldn’t agree more with Thomas, it seemed they were busy with something.

“Well, pardon my intrusion!”, Zach shouted loud enough so they could hear, “How the fuck was I supposed to know you guys would be here?”

When Sean spoke, Zach noticed the body of Kyle Harrison next to Violet. Fucking disgusting. That’s how Bree must look by now. That’s how Brandon looked in his nightmare.

It’s been how many days, and you still cringe at a corpse? You think you’d be used to it by now.

Zach shook his head, trying to rid himself of these thoughts. He noticed Violet trying to make her exit, hands raised, walking backwards.

“Try not to trip over yourself!,” he shouted at Violet.

[Catche Jagger]

When Sakurako said that the rifle was gone, Thomas felt himself get just a bit more tense. Another reason that Violet might try to come after him, another way things could go horribly wrong. Even so, he remained close to Sakurako as she edged towards Sean, hoping Violet would have the good sense to leave.

For once, though, things seemed to unambiguously go his way: Violet gathered up her things and seemed poised to disappear off into the wilderness. He didn’t really know how to reply to Violet’s apology. Thanks would seem to flippant, a wish of good luck ingenuine.

“Bye, Violet. I’m sorry too.” Were the only words that he could find, delivered in a rather flat register as he failed to discern whether or not he meant that.

It was then that Thomas turned his attention more fully to their new arrival. Sakurako was right that they really couldn’t go passing judgement on Zach, but the boy’s abrasive behavior did not give the impression of someone stepping up to change from past mistakes and Thomas, still a little high strung from the past couple minutes, was in no mood to be conciliatory.

“Look, Zach, if you want to just keep walking on through here, go right ahead. I’m not stopping you. If you want to sit around here, catch up on old times, that’s fine. Pick one, do it, and please stop being a dick about it.” He spat, finding himself rather more upset at Zach’s random dig at Violet than he had expected.

[Ohm]

The smirk didn't leave his face as he still processed what was going. Violet's gun was gone and soon, so was she. Which meant all their attention went over to the arrival and Thomas wasn't exactly keen on Zach, specially after his smart ass comment at Violet. Sean could sympathise there although he stayed silent for that.

Dogpiling on a dude with a gun seemed like a bad idea, y'know.

Sakurako wanted to give Zach a chance to explain himself. That was what Sean wanted days ago, but now? After their peaceful time here and Zach making a mess of things elsewhere, how would things go different now?

The small benefit of the doubt that he had left told him that he did help to cover the dead back at the infirmary and he was Sean's friend, as much as that meant now after his murders and leaving him behind.

He could forgive one, but he wasn't sure about the other.

He tried to keep his voice even as he spoke as difficult as it was. "I'll hear him out, but no bullshit and no pranks. I want to hear the truth." He stared at him as he said so. Zach owed him that at least.

[Sunnybunny]

Walking backwards... no one here seemed to understand the danger in it, that one tree branch or errant plant could lead to Violet repeating her fall. With no trees to hinder her descent, who knows how that would end?

"We don't own the cliff, it's fine. Take care!"

As much as she'd been a killjoy, watching her walk away didn't make Sakurako any happier. They'd likely never cross paths again. Back in the rest of the world, they said to always leave the people you love on a good note because you never really knew if you'd come back to them.

Or if they'd come back to you.

She wondered what Yuka-chan was doing now. After this Plan business was done, hopefully they'd have a reason to find the people they didn't want to leave behind.

Even if it bombed and they were back at square one, even if their reunion would only bring misery, she wanted to give that girl the biggest hug.

The sight of Zach's gun didn't even phase her after all that action before. Maybe she'd gone round the bend but... whatever. He had the floor, in any case.

[MethodicalSlacker]

It didn't look like anyone was going to stop her.

This came as a surprise to Violet. She was certain one of them would try to pull her back, keep her as a hostage, loot her things. Instead, they simply cursed her. Her energies, her existence, all of her cursed. Gone, having fallen off the cliff along with her firearm in the minds of these people. They were more concerned with the new (old?) encounter before them. Violet merely watched for a few moments before she fully turned away from them and disappeared up the hill.

She thought briefly of going into the temple and confronting whoever threw the body down at her. Violet had never felt quite so angry in her life, though it did not show on her face, or anywhere else on her body save for in the wringing of her hands.

But she just couldn't do it.

The building radiated an aura she wanted nothing to do with. The vibrations rippled through the earth and up her body, a jagged rhythm that threatened to shred her soul. Entering the temple again would spell disaster for Violet, no matter how enraged she was. Removing Kyle's body had the effect of unlocking a door to the hells. Like a clogged pipe had cleared, malicious radiance poured up from the ground. It rose from the ground like rain in reverse.

Where she went, then, had to be anywhere but here. If the fates were on her side, then she would run into the person responsible later and do unnecessary things.

Right now what she needed was to meditate. Violet set off in the direction of the woods.

She stopped just once on her way, took out her crossbow, loaded it, and then kept walking, holding it in her hands. Not the tool fate had given her. The cursed weapon was gone. This was an implement she had earned. A line had been crossed.

A rite of passage, almost.

[Violet Schmidt continued in Walpurgisnacht.]

[Ryuki]

Well shit, if they were gonna switch their attention toward him, Zach might as well oblige. Zach lowered his arms, and rested his bag to his feet.

“Fine,” Zach sighed, “I at least owe you an explanation.”

Zach folded his arms as he tried to recount his time spent on this death island.

“Okay, so, on the first day,” he began, “I met a few people up at the lighthouse who wanted to form a group. I wasn’t against it at first, in fact I figured I’d be safer with a group. But then in the middle of the night, one of them, Mikki, tried to shoot us all in our sleep.”

He paused briefly. The memory of the shoot out in the lighthouse resurfaced, along with feelings of fear, adrenaline, and anxiety. He shook his head, trying to shake these feelings off, but they wouldn’t go away.

“And then,” Zach continued, his voice slightly cracking, “after everyone was dead, I tried to help Bree, by giving her an adrenaline shot, but...”

He paused again, remembering his stupid idea on how to resuscitate Bree, adding guilt to the wave of emotions.

“A-And, s-somehow,” Zach stammered, “I fucked up, and I stabbed Bree.”

[Ohm]

Violet left. Alone and with her gun lost to the tides below. Sean couldn't tell if he was worried or relieved about that. The conversation with her had been enlightening in letting his feelings out into the free before letting them go. But she was not "there". Not like she had been before at home.

She had changed. Maybe he had too.

There were still lingering doubts hanging, pangs in his heart that told him to say something to her before she walked into the void she came from and would disappear from him again, possibly forever, but he stayed silent and only allowed himself a brief moment to look at her before retuning his focus on the person in front of him.

The one he wanted answers from.

A short tale ensued, one of the lighthouse and the massacre that took place there. Four people gone in a misunderstaning according to Zach. He seemed real shaken by the experience. Something even Sean could see it on him.

"Is this what you were talking about at the infirmary, Zach?" The pieces had been there for him to put together, but he never did. There were convenient excuses. Thomas was losing it, Princess had just arrived with her weird energy and Lucas had left them behind.

But he knew something had happened, he had all but told him back then. But Sean had been too slow to figure and his friend had run away.

And a person has died because of that.

If there was any way to make it right, Sean couldn't see it.

[Ryuki]

Zach gulped, forcing himself through the intense emotions these memories were bringing back.

“So, after that,” Zach continued, “that’s when I met you at the infirmary, and well...”

Zach thought back to the death of Desiree. The corpses in the infirmary. Giving Lucas his weapon. All that stress and fear of being shot himself.

“You know what happened there, and after that,” Zach said, trying to rush through those thoughts.

Zach rubbed his forehead. He thought back to what happened in the village with Brandon and Catherine.

“About Brandon,” Zach said, “I didn’t mean to do what I did. He was threatening Adonis and Myles, and I only meant to scare him off, but he startled me and...”

His mind went back to the image of the bullet riddled, zombie Brandon from his nightmare. Zach’s breathing hastened, and tears began to well up in his eyes.

“I-I killed him!,” Zach shouted, his voice cracking, “He’s been haunting my dreams!”

[Ohm]

So it was an accident? Both of them? How likely was that? One was plausible, it was something easy to mess up after all with the needle shot. But Brandon was shot. And he remembered plural being used. Did that mean he peppered the guy in suprise?

And that was the other thing. Shot. Sean's mind almost had to do a rewind because Zach didn't show him a gun last time, he thought he only had a sword that he gave away. Where the hell did he get a gun?

"This is why you should have stuck with me! This wouldn't have happened!" His hands curled into fists as he pulled them out to his sides, each shaking as he yelled in response. His chest heaved as he stared at his friend. His breathing was loud and clear.

Sean wanted to believe. He really did. If what he was saying was true, Brandon was threatening people and a warning shot was fired. Sean hoped that was the case.

But the saying going through his mind was telling him otherwise. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

What he saw tipped him over.

Zach was crying. Fuckin' Zachary Beck was crying in front of him. His voice wavered in it's conviction at the sight. "Why did you leave me?" If Sean had been more forceful earlier, Brandon would still be alive.

And Zach wouldn't be walking around with more blood on his hands.