graveyard part five

[gamehead]

hunter's game the graveyard You wake up in an unfamiliar cabin. At first, it almost seems like you're in an entirely different place and that everything had been just a dream. The interior of the cabin looks nothing like the run-down, old-timey shacks that you had been living in before. Everything in here is sleek and modern, from the enormous flat-screen TV mounted on the wall to the fridge and mini-bars stocked with all your favorite foods. There aren't any individual rooms in here, just a common area large enough to house everyone comfortably, no matter how many more people join you...and there will be plenty more people joining you before the week is over. Because if you look outside the window, it quickly becomes clear that not only are you still in Prayer's Pass, but that you are no longer among the realm of the living. Judging from the tombstones directly outside, you're now in what had been the abandoned broken-down cabin in the graveyard. The cabin's not all that changed; the world outside has gone completely grey and everything you see appears to be faded and blurry. The only things that remain sharp and in color are what's inside the cabin, including your fellow ghosts. Occasionally, people who are still alive may enter, but it's clear that what they're seeing is completely different from what you're seeing. The door's unlocked; however, a mysterious force prevents you from stepping beyond the threshold, no matter how hard you may try. After all, this cabin is a cage for the dead - a gilded one, perhaps, but a cage nonetheless. On the flat-screen TV plays everything that is currently happening in the town. It will shut off once night starts...and something else will appear instead. (The graveyard so far)

Comments

[vytis]

[Lithuania doesn't want last moments at all, especially not in some cabin in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. But it's enough to restart something in his mind. He rubs at his eyes a little, self-consciously.]

Not as a zombie.

[notyetlost]

That's what I thought.

[vytis]

You still shouldn't carve anything onto your skin. Maybe we can't do anything about the clues, either. But--we can talk about them.

[notyetlost]

I don't mind, but finding a legible spot is the problem though. I'll probably be all scarred up like Hanekoma and Mayu times a thousand anyways. I'll ask Critter about it in a bit.

Okay so. While you were gone those two days I tried to figure it out, but I don't really know if I got anywhere.

[vytis]

[Lithuania tries to focus; he has, since he got back, seen the clues that showed up since he was gone, but he hadn't done a lot of thinking about them here.]

Did you come up with any ideas?

1/2

[notyetlost]

[Poland taps a finger to his chin thoughtfully.] At first I thought it was you guys figuring out what the motivation for us killing you was, but then you got set on fire so then I was like... meh.

But I mean you never said what you thought it was out loud in the trial, you just went straight to shooting Hanekoma in the face. Oh by the way that was super hot, did I tell you that?

But yeah. I think it might still be relevant somehow. I mean the people alive sure haven't figured it out and Critter's still calling us selfish and awful and junk.

2/2

[notyetlost]

Critter really hates humans... When you read the diary pages it kinda makes sense why in a crazy way.

I mean it's not their fault they got trapped in the snow and they needed to kill all the bunnies to survive, but the wolves needed food too. So assuming they ate that kid, they didn't do it to be jerks. I mean they even went after the oxen first, wolves only really go after humans when they're desperate right?

It's only after they killed the wolves that Critter showed up. It keeps saying it's not about revenge though so it has to be something else.

[vytis]

[Lithuania nods and tries to not feel flattered about Poland's opinion on him shooting Hanekoma in the head.] If we assume Critter is on the side of animals in general, it would adhere to those sorts of rules--it was alright for the party to kill to survive, but strangling the wolf pups was the improper thing.

[And Lithuania does think that strangling wolf pups is an awful thing to do, really.]

Wolves and rabbits wouldn't really have the concept of revenge at all, of course. It would never occur to a rabbit to try to kill a wolf's pups in revenge for the wolf eating another rabbit.

[Lithuania looks over at the television.] If we assume the wolf and rabbit game is over, though, then they're just humans again. If they bring you all back, maybe it's accepting that there was a reason for what you did and they're not objectively better. If they choose to kill all of you... Well, they have you all at their mercy, like the original party had those wolf pups at their mercy, I suppose.

1/2

[notyetlost]

[ Better.]

You know when I said I didn't want to play that first night, Critter was all like. "But Poland, you of all people should know how to play!" Because back home we kill people all the time, we have the blood of so many people on our hands.

And I mean I objected, because like really I don't do it for fun like Critter seemed to. I do it for a reason. To protect myself and my people.

But I didn't know Critter's reason, I just assumed that I was better and I could do what I wanted because of my reason.

[notyetlost]

[Poland looks at his remaining hand, flexing it open and shut.]

Death didn't even stop me from thinking that. I tried to strangle Damian because I thought it'd get me closer to getting you back. My reason just made me way more cruel... like the end justifies the means.

That's not really better is it?

1/2 now hehe

[vytis]

It calls everyone humans, but we [nations] aren't, really. If you were to put us up against the morality of humans, we'd all be terrible. None of us survives on being a good person--though I'd like to think we try, when we can. But we have to, right? Even if maybe we have some choice, we still have to. [That sentence probably will seem contradictory to anyone who isn't a nation.] Being like we are encourages moves like that.

So not better, but not worse, either. Not any more deserving of life, maybe, but not less deserving, either.

2/2

[vytis]

[The television is still on; Lithuania isn't quite watching, but he is listening. He moves to the refrigerator, takes out some tinginys, and hands one to Poland.]

Be good, Polska.

1/2

[notyetlost]

. . .

2/2

[notyetlost]

[Poland launches himself back at Lithuania hugging him tightly.]

[vytis]

[Lithuania hugs back.] I mean it. No more trouble than you have to cause, alright?

[He wants to say more, but--the things he want to say make this seem so final, and so he hesitates.]

[notyetlost]

I won't leave.

N-not until I figure it out. It takes me too long to make friends so I totally won't leave until I figure out how to get you and Ukraine back too.

[That is not at all troublesome right?]

[vytis]

[Lithuania wants to believe that. And he thinks Poland means it right now. But Poland can't stay forever. He and Ukraine are important to Poland, but Poland has his people to go back to.]

Make sure you have Ukraine's letter to Belarus and Russia on you, though, alright? You know I worry, it will make me feel better.

[notyetlost]

[Poland knows what delivering that letter means, but after a long moment, Poland agrees.] ...yes.

You didn't write anything.

[vytis]

No, I suppose I didn't. [Lithuania didn't think any of the nations would leave alive at the time, and Poland and Ukraine were already dead.

He doesn't want to treat this like his last will, or something, but--]

Tell Estija and Latvija to be good, too. Estija especially can't just go off with the Nordics and leave Latvija all on his own--even you know how lonely he can get, right? So--so... So Estija is, is the oldest, and he has to be responsible.

And, and... [And...] I got--distracted, or ignored them, and--I'm sorry for that. I didn't think-- I always thought I'd see them again later.

[notyetlost]

[Poland nods.] I'll remember it.

[vytis]

Thank you. [Lithuania is quiet, trying to pull himself back together. He's too old to fall apart like this, he thinks.] Maybe we'll see each other again.

[notyetlost]

We will.

1/2

[vytis]

[Sometimes Lithuania remembers he's really just as selfish as Poland.]

2/2

[vytis]

Pinky promise? [Lithuania holds up his left hand, since Poland doesn't have his right.]

1/2

[notyetlost]

[It's a promise Poland shouldn't make and he knows it.

Lithuania asking him to make it reveals more to Poland than any words ever could.]