motormouths | First gear

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First gear | Video

[There's a light crackle as Souda fiddles with his Pokeconnect before he comes in clear.]

...uck!

[It's like an echo of Kuzuryuu's message on the network, only it's weeks late. Thankfully, he didn't have it on for two whole minutes of his freaking out, but he's still a pathetic crying mess. All the cold has apparently sapped the all the hope right out of his body. His boilersuit is zipped straight up, and his teeth are chattering.

Arguing with some lady who acted like a mother really didn't help his morale.]

Sonia-san, [Of course he calls out for her first, the predictable bastard] Hinata, the rest of ya guys! Are ya getting any of this?! [There isn't even a pause as he continues, because the tears on his face are freezing.]

F-First off, why the hell are there Pokémon?!

[The view pans down to show off his Totodile down by his feet chewing on his shoelaces. Souda is nervously laughing outside of view.]

Aha...ahahaaa... I'm dreaming, right? 'cause I played the first one when I was younger, but... There wasn't any ever like this one here!

This shit ain't funny! It's way too cold for it to be a joke! Goin' from an island to frozen hell?! If that Naegi kid is here, I'm throwing this thing [he means his Totodile] right at him! And I wanna go home, so ya guys better come out and get me already!

[...And now he just sounds like one of those children who lost their parents in a gigantic store.]

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[Don't let Souda near any mechanical Pokémon, either.]

I don't know, somethin' big? Seems like so anti-climactic for me to see ya again while we're still in our simulation bodies, y'know? Like, I know Naegi said we'd likely hurt ourselves, but I'm gettin' real sick of just... Being like this and all?

[At least any Pokémon background music is better than that damn song.]

I was scared, but I was also ready, you get what I mean? [Yeah, sorry, Kuzuryuu, but we're going down that road now. This is called character development, something you should know really well!]

Edited (wording went haywire gdi) 2014-02-05 02:41 (UTC)

...yeah, I get it.

[Did he just sort of admit to being scared? No, of course not. He meant the being ready and also being slightly bummed about avatar body. Yeah, it's great that he's not mutilated (or as mutilated as he could potentially be) but AI Enoshima said he lost his baby face hadn't he? God that would have been great. He cannot begin to tell you how much he would love to not be stuck as a babyface.]

I was ready too and sometimes it almost seems like this is just...an easier way out. I mean we were gonna fix shit, right? Wake all the other kids up and just...

[Get better? You know...not be all despair-high? And hey, maybe help restore the world too. Yeah. That was the plan wasn't it?]

[Kuzuryuu sighs, leaning back against the couch and running a hand over his hair. His Pawniard comes into view, scooting closer to him and resting her head against his other arm, careful not to impale him or anything like that. It's hard being a sword beast and wanting to comfort someone.]

But now it's like the work's already done for us. Hell, even Nanami's here and there was nothing we could do about her. So at the same time, it almost feels like we shouldn't complain. Because in some ways this is better than anything we could have hoped for.

[Especially since who even knows if it would have been possible to wake up the coma kids or how long that would have taken.]

[Yeah, Kuzuryuu's trademark babyface might be gone, but Souda is both scared yet...excited about himself out of the program. For example, how even old was he? Was he taller? Was he somebody nobody would ever bully again? Sure, it's morbid to think about, but this is the guy who built Mini Nidai!

What if he had a robotic arm or made some similar modifications...]

I mean like...don't ya wonder?

[As it is, Souda really has to snap himself out of it. He sinks down to sitting on the floor, and he sighs as his Totodile tries climbing in his lap. Kuzuryuu isn't the only one who has a sharp one.]

The other side. I wanted to go back home so bad, y'know? See anything but the island. [At the very least, Souda could've studied the machinery.]

So, yeah, I think we've got a ton of right to complain about all this! We've got a right to be pissed off! [Granted, his feelings on it are pretty selfish, but still. It's not what he was expecting, and that's the key detail here.]

............

[The answer to that first question is 'yes' but Kuzuryuu really doesn't want to admit it. Of course he wonders, who WOULDN'T wonder after the deets AI Enoshima dropped on them? Of course you're going to be curious when someone mentions that your body changed so drastically over the span of 2-3 years that you had to have an avatar of your past self so neither you nor your childhood friend would question the change. Of course you want to know if you'll finally look as mature and worthy of your title as you'd always dreamed you would.]

You were paying attention to the part where we were still gonna be on the island when we woke up, right? [Okay, apparently that long pause was the only answer we're giving to the first part.] If anything, you got one of your wishes. It's not home, but this place isn't that damn island at least.

[Which, as sick of the island as he was, Kuzuryuu had no intention of leaving it until all the other kids were awake again. Mostly Peko, to be honest, but may as well wake them all up as long as they're there.]

[...save for maybe Komaeda.]

[They could leave Komaeda in his pod forever and Kuzuryuu would only feel slightly guilty about it, maybe. Oops.]

Hinata's pretty happy about it. Pretty sure Nanami's fucking stoked. And nobody else knows the truth so they're not complaining. So I guess it's just me and you having hang-ups.

[He WANTS to be happy about it, he really does. And some part of him is. The part of him that most desperately wants to see Peko again (which is, admittedly, most of him) is so damn happy to have a chance like this. But he's been having some trouble reconciling that part of him with the part that's insisting that this is not the "right" way to take care of things.]

[...Not what he meant, Kuzuryuu.]

Not fake Jabberwock Island, the real one! Y'know, like real life and stuff. Our bodies, as banged up as they are, just... It's makin' me antsy.

[And of course Hinata would be stoked at still being, well, Hinata. They did say he'd become Kamukura again, right?] Hinata being happy...that's a pretty obvious deal. It's better for him to stay like that, but the two of us?

[Kamukura sounded kind of creepy, anyway. Second leader after Enoshima type creepy.] Not so much. But, yeah, it's good for everybody but us. I guess it could be like a second chance for us, too, but it's not.

[Sure, Kuzuryuu, but Souda never exactly got close to anybody in their few weeks on the island. His paranoia shoved everybody away. He was kind of friends with Nidai for a while, but yeah. No deep bonds were made like everyone else, only with Hinata, and Hinata has tons of other people.]

So...all of 'em, then? Nobody knows they died?

[And if Komaeda's ass ever shows up, they're tying him up again and throwing him to the sharpedos. Maybe if they actually followed through with Souda's plan, things would've gone smoother. Didn't Nanami untie him the first time they tried it, too?!]

Edited (I HAD TO ADD MORE) 2014-02-06 09:00 (UTC)

[Well, Souda, maybe now is your chance to try and fix that. Time to FTE it up with people who aren't Hinata. This can be Dangan Island: Pokémon style, let's get all those hope shards, boy!!!]

Mmm...

[It's not really a noise of agreement, but it's not really a noise of dissent either. Because while they both are clearly having some issues with this place, clearly those issues are a little different. Kuzuryuu doesn't really mind the form he's stuck in as much as he minds having all the work done for him. It just doesn't sit well with him.]

Nah, Saionji and Nanami know they're dead. Last thing they remember, apparently. I already told you Tsumiki's got no fucking clue about much of anything. And I dunno about Tanaka but I think Nanami said he's from way early. Only talked to him once and you can probably guess how that went.

[Not bad, but at the same time...it's not like he really got anything useful out of the conversation. Because Gundam is Gundam.]

I meant the rest of the stuff. Like about the virtual reality bullshit and...Enoshima. Or well...obviously Nanami knows about the virtual reality stuff. But everybody else doesn't have a clue. And Hinata and I think it's best if it stays that way.

Keep the truth between just the five of us.

[Just let Souda think about it a bit more. Once he pulls himself out of this rut, he'll be gearing up for all those missed FTEs! Operation Pokémon Ronpa can commence once he's warmed up again!]

...Yeah, that'd fuck up a lot of stuff. [How do you slip talking about the entire thing being a simulation, much less SHSL Despair in casual conversation, anyway? Not that Souda's mouth couldn't accidentally find a way there, but that's only if they drill him!

They're different people. Focusing on details like that won't get them anywhere, right? They all had their brief moments of near relapse in one way or another, right?]

But I guess that won't matter because I plan on avoidin' all the dead people but Nanami, right? [Yes. That's going to work well.] Don't gotta worry 'bout me sayin' all that stuff.

...But that's if I ever find a way outta here, y'know!

Exactly. It'd fuck up more than I want to deal with.

[There are, of course, a couple of flaws in this plan. Chief among them: if Enoshima herself ever shows up. That could be...a problem. Just a little one.]

And good. Because if you do slip up and run that motor-mouth [Holy shit was that a joke? From Kuzuryuu??] of yours, it'll be the last thing you ever do.

[Dead. Serious. Swear to god, Souda, you better not fuck up here.]

[What if that gigantic MMD Enoshima showed up and inflicted despair upon them all...]

...Don't ya have any sense of solidarity?! [Threatening a fellow member from the final five? Come on, man!]

You're really killin' it here! [The joke actually flies over his head, all thanks to his threat.] I'm not gonna talk, damn it! Do ya seriously think I want anybody knowin' all that?! Everybody'd avoid us!

Of course I do. Doesn't mean I'm gonna go easy on you if you fuck up.

[Souda, he is yakuza. Why are you surprised that this is how he operates? But hey, at least he said IF you fuck up, not WHEN you fuck up. That has to count for something, right?]

Besides, it's not that I think you'll purposefully talk. Or that you don't know the consequences. [He folds his arms over his chest.] It's just that you're absolute shit at hiding things. You crack under pressure.

[REMEMBER THAT TIME YOU TIED KOMAEDA UP AND TRIED TO HIDE IT? REMEMBER THAT?]

[Okay, but if still implies Kuzuryuu might kill him! At the very least cut off a finger as a token of apology, and what's a mechanic without his hands? There's the possibility of making himself a robotic arm if he fucks up too much, but--

What the hell is he thinking?]

N-No, I'm no-- [Stuttering too much already.] ...Fine, so I'm a pretty bad liar! I can't even help anybody cheat on a test, y'know! That's just the kinda guy I am! I can't do it without feelin' really, really bad, especially when they ask straight out! I can't do nothin' about that, y'know!

[CAN WE NOT FUCKING TALK ABOUT KOMAEDA, BECAUSE HE'D TIE HIM UP AGAIN.]

[Don't worry, Souda. He actually does kinda like you so maybe he'll just kinda break your finger a little instead. Much less permanent.]

Yeah well this isn't cheating on a test. You just said yourself what's at stake here if you slip up.

[Not just avoid. Lord knows, some of the 78th class might be a-okay with outright killing them. You remember what the Future Foundation's instructions for dealing with them were...]

If someone asks, which I can only think of one person who might, just tell 'em you don't know shit and change the subject.

[...]

...and if they keep giving you trouble, then you give me a call.

[HOW IS THAT FOR SURVIVOR SOLIDARITY? LOOK, HE'LL SAVE YOUR SORRY BUTT YOU WEENIE.]

Edited 2014-02-11 05:25 (UTC)

['Eliminate any signs or remains of SHSL Despair. Do not let any of them survive.' The instructions were pretty damn clear. And Souda's mouth just tipped off a lot of radars. Shit.]

Before everybody decided up on it, I was really scared about comin' back. Scared of becomin' that again... Hell, I was still scared period. [This is...his third or fourth shot at acting like someone different and gaining friends, right?]

Ya don't gotta worry, I'll like...

[Are they slowly becoming friends? Is this a thing?]

...use ya as my get outta jail free card or whatever? [Is this what it's like to kind of have a friend like Kuzuryuu?] That's the deal, right?

[Does this count as their first FTE?] If...if things start gettin' scary, I just bring up your name to those guys? 'Kuzuryuu'll bust my head if I talk!' ...Which ya won't really, right?

Edited 2014-02-12 14:57 (UTC)

[This is exactly what it's like to have a friend like Kuzuryuu.]

[...okay, no, there's more to it than this. They just need a little more time to reach that point. ~~Say like...FTE 3 or so.~~]

Heh, 'course not, but they don't have to know that. Can't promise I won't smack you upside the head if you really deserve it, though.

[Most useless threat ever, we all know he'd need to get a stool first to accomplish that.]

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First gear | Video

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video; filtered 2/2 fuck these morbid kids

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video; filtered 2/2 so morbid

video; filtered and yet I love them

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video; filtered i am so bad at small tags i'm sorry ahaha fuck

video; filtered in case you haven't noticed, I am too. I actually love gigantic tags

video; filtered oh lmao in that case i meant <small> html fadsjf my bad. I BORKED IT HORRENDOUSLY

video; filtered OH YEAH YOU DID

video; filtered it will probably not be the last time

video; filtered I'll totally tease you the next time too

video; filtered meanie 8(