Complete Private Eastern Brisshal [Reaping Season I] Six Shooter

[Luthien]

"I was halfway through seventh grade, discovered it in March of that year actually." She remembered only due to the amusement that had caused her childish mind back then, having been one month away from the month mentioned in the title of the anime. A soft chuckle left her as Yugam went on to mention other good shows that aired on the cable channel. "Mhmm, another good one was Yu Yu Hakusho—oh, and I really liked the music in Samurai Champloo~"

She would’ve carried on really, remembering the cute little Hamtaro show she had enjoyed as well, had Unmei’s voice not interrupted into their conversation as the spirit called for Yugam to finish the last of the graves. The ranger had been about to stand as well, after all it would only be fair that she took care of the last one, when Yugam stopped her before reaching into his pocket—mentioning he had something he wished to give her.

"I know you always get lost and stuff…"

The brass compass was softly pressed into her hand, the metal cool against her skin, the top pulled up to reveal the pristine and well taken interior of the device. "O-Oh! Wait... what about you?" A silly question really given that the hunter had proven to be adept at finding his way around the land with ease, but Yugam still reassured her that he’d be fine without it before a finger tapped the words carved within.

"It means 'Find your way'. Whether that's your way home, or when you just...dunno what to do. I hope it helps."
"Yugam, get over here before I hit you in the head with this shovel!"
"Alright, alright, calm your tits, I'm comin', Jesus!"

A soft smile was offered back before the elf watched as the man walked towards the impatient spirit, Unmei holding her shovel out to the man the second he was within reaching distance, before her eyes moved towards the compass in her palm and the needle that currently pointed in Yugam’s direction. Towards north; her north.

”...lying is bad. To others, or yourself. There's something there…”

The familiar words of Kyra echoed in her mind, a faint sigh escaping the blonde as she shut the lid close. Her thumb softly caressed the lightly scuffed and tarnished outside surface of the compass, quietly mulling over her own thoughts, before Lúthien carefully pocketed it away.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

After Unmei had handed Yugam the shovel and delivered a swift smack to the back of his head, the last of the three graves had not taken long to fill. The sun had set beneath the line of the distant horizon, leaving behind only lingering light. That little light, combined with that of the fire, was just enough for Yu to see by though, and for him to cook them a quick meal. It wasn't anything nearly as impressive as the man would've mustered up had he a real kitchen and ingredients to work with, but it was good enough, and filling, which was the more important part.

Without the need to pitch any tents, the three explorers were afforded the opportunity to sit by the fire and chat, but before long, it was time to bed down for the night. The man was loathe to use the bed rolls left behind by the now dead bandits though, so he still pulled out his sleeping bag, while Unmei chose to revert to her sword-from to rest, remaining within arms reach of Yugam should the need to wield her arise.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

Though she had received the bare necessities to camp out from the League the reality was that Lúthien almost never found the need to put them into use, not when she could just log out for the night and come back later to continue her travels. That had changed shortly after crossing paths with Yugam though, wishing to spend more time with the hunter had meant she’d stay logged into the game longer than before and—for once—she’d began to experience how it was to camp out and sleep in-game.

Like Yugam she also wasn’t keen on using the leftover bedrolls from the bandits, the elf having quickly gathered them up and haphazardly thrown them into the spare tent. Her own sleeping bag was extracted from the UI inventory then, settled beside the one Yugam owned, before watching as Unmei returned to her sword form as they bedded down for the night. A part of her wondered how that must feel for the spirit, but the ranger didn’t voice that thought out loud—no need to accidentally irritate the dark-haired woman further than she already was.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Like always, Yugam's coat was laid by the side of his sleeping bag before he slipped between it's sheets. The nights could get cold out in the wilds, but tonight seemed merciful. It was cool, pleasantly so, and the quiet rustling of the trees attributed that small pleasure to a gently breeze brought in from the west. "Good night," the man whispered to both the elf and the weapon, before he closed his eyes.

Seldom was sleep quick to take him, but for once, Somnus whisked him away to his realm not long after Yugam had shut his eyes. In the foggy, murky realm of darkness, light began to dance through the fog, the rays refracting all kinds of colors as the deep thrum of music began to beat in his ear and reverberate the air in his lungs. The fog slowly thinned out, and the familiar sight of the old high school gym came into view, it's features and details a blur of darkened colors the massive room dimly lit by the party lights thrown up around the whole place.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"Good night,"
"Nini~"

The elf had placed her sleeping bag beside the man, slipping inside of it before getting cozy. Her eyes had drifted over towards the hunter when he spoke, a smile on her lips as she responded, before the ranger closed her eyes. Sleep overtook her with ease, something that seemed to happen whenever Ari/Yugam was around. At first it had been nothingness as usual, just a fog that she was barely aware existed, before the sound of light music began to stir the consciousness of the elf.

... where’s that coming from?

She could feel herself drift closer to the source, her mind navigating the fog with an unnatural ease until it finally parted ways and allowed the elf to step into a realm of dreams. Her boots landed on the ground, taking light steps as her gaze curiously looked at the surroundings. That’s a school…? Her eyes squinted as she focused on the building in the distance, distinctly different from the one she attended back in the island, and later on in Michigan. Slowly she began to connect the dots, this wasn’t her dream…

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

From the depths of the dream, a hand reached out, accompanied by a soft smile as the girl gently tugged on the boy's hand, pulling him out from the sidelines. The boy opened his mouth to protest, but only the muffled sound of words drowned beneath cold waves came out. The boy was undeterred though, unfazed, chuckling softly as the girl ignored his protests and forcing him to step onto the dance floor. The music softened, slowed to that of two lovers' steps.

The girl turned around with a strange smile, the softened expression mixing with something that the boy couldn't quite identify. She took his hands in hers and slowly began to guide the boy through the steps. One, two. One, two. One, two. His lead feet complied to the easiest of dances, simple enough that even they could follow along.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

The sound of music had brought her closer to the school gym, the faint tunes some she recognized, before the party lights caught her attention. Like a moth to a flame Lúthien was pulled closer still, curiosity getting the best of the girl as her boots carefully stepped along the school grounds. Soon she had reached the open door of the gym, a gloved hand carefully resting against the frame of it as crimson eyes peered within.

She recognized the ambiance instantly, a homecoming not too different from the few she’d participated back in Michigan after the blonde had moved out of the island and in with her grandparents. The thought brought a faint smile to her lips, the memory feeling so distant now that she thought about it even though barely a handful of years had passed… a lot had really happened during that short period of time.

Oh…!

It was then she finally spotted him, the familiar profile view of his face and hair easily recognizable to the elf. Right, it made sense that this dream belonged to Yugam—after all they’d fallen asleep so close to one another—and that thought alone caused the girl to feel guilty for intruding as far as she’d already had. I should go— It was then that a hand reached for him, pulling him away from the sidelines where he’d stood before leading Ari towards the dance floor just as the songs shifted to something softer and slow.

There was a light ache that began to build against her chest, causing her free hand to reach up and press against it in response. She knew it was a dream, possibly a memory of something past, but even that logical thought wasn’t enough to fully rinse the bitter taste that had suddenly found its way to her mouth. She had been about to turn and leave, trying to find a way to exit the dream before she continued to intrude into private memories that the girl knew she wasn’t meant to see, when her eyes finally landed on the face of the girl guiding him through the dance steps and her heart skipped a beat.

... Unmei?

The eyes were different, but there was little doubt in her mind that the girl was no other than the sword spirit who’d been at Yugam’s side since the first in-game day she’d crossed paths with the man. Slowly the blonde’s eyebrows furrowed in thought, she was certain she’d seen those green eyes before… but where?

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

Satisfied that the boy had fallen into step with the rhythm of the music, his feet sufficiently guided by the strumming of the guitar playing through the speakers high above their heads, the girl let go of his hands and took a step closer to him. There was the vague scent of cologne on him. Her hands slid up his arms, shoulders, linking behind his neck.

For just a moment, she looked up at him, green eyes cast over his face before they widened and froze and as a flash of fear shocked through them like a bolt lightning. The man's brow furrowed in concern as his feet came to a stop. More muffled words tumbled out of his mouth, but the girl shook her head and looked down. Her feet began to move again, forcing his to follow as she drew him near, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and refused to look again.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

Those eyes… I’ve seen them before.

Lúthien was sure of it, though the elf couldn’t remember where, but the familiarity of that green gaze refused to loosen its hold on the girl. Before she knew it Lúthien had taken a few steps closer, stepping into the decorated gym, as the blonde tried to get a better glance of the girl currently dancing with a younger version of Ari. Where have I seen you before—! The girl had moved closer to Ari then, her hands linking behind his neck, when realization dawned on Lúthien just as a shocked look crossed those green eyes. The memory was hazy and tumultuous, like the majority of that dream had been, but Lúthien was sure about it—those were the same eyes that she’d seen that night back in Aurora.

"O-Oh...!"

With the mystery solved her mind finally allowed itself to catch up with the rest of the world around her, mainly the way this girl had pulled closer still to Ari now as they slowly danced—her head now buried in the crook of his neck. A bitter taste flooded her senses once more, feeling the way her chest tightened at the sight, before the blonde quietly reminded herself that this was a dream.

His dream…
She had no right to be here…

R-Right… I shouldn’t be here, at least. She’d already seen more than she should’ve, her hands unconsciously balling into tight fists at her side—unaware of it until the sharpness of her nails dug into the skin of her palms a bit too much. One step was followed by another as the blonde walked backwards, intending to retrace her steps and exit the gym before she was seen, when the tip of her boot collided with the leg of one of the many chairs set about.

"Ay, puñeta—!"

The unexpected contact startled her, a native curse tumbling out of her lips in a whisper just as the elf instinctively moved away from the chair—only for her hip to bump against the nearby table instead.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

The sound of chairs knocking into each other sounded high above all the other noises in the gym, clearer, and everything froze for a moment. The music cut out, and nothing seemed to move, save the intruder, and the boy and the girl, who looked around uncertainly. Suddenly, all heads seemed to snap towards the elf. Dead, sightless eyes locked onto her accusatorily in the utmost spine-chilling fashion.

Slowly, the boy and the girl both looked at the elf as well, their eyes seeking out whatever it was their mannequin classmates were looking at. A quiet gasp escaped the girl's lips as she took a startled step back, and the boy looked to her in confusion, then the elf, and back to the girl. The sound of heels clacking noisily on wood floors began to echo through the room as the girl ran off, the boy's muffled voice calling out for her, but she did not look back. The boy looked at the elf one last time, confusion written on his face, not an ounce of recognition in his eyes, before he turned and began to chase after the girl.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

She might as well have knocked over a stack of chairs with the way everything had suddenly come to a standstill. The sound made by her accidental collision seemed louder and clearer than it had any right to be, only accentuated further when the slow music playing inside the gym had come to a halt. Countless heads suddenly snapped in her direction, the sightless gazes causing a shiver to run up her spine as she took another step backwards out of caution.

"S-Sorryyy…?"

While she wasn’t sure if these mannequin-like classmates could even hear her, or cared, the girl still tried to apologize—a questioning tone crept into her voice at the end as her eyes moved from one student to the next. Finally her eyes landed on the pair that had been slow dancing, sensitive ears catching the short gasp by the green-eyes girl before she had turned and ran away. A feeling of guilt momentarily flooded the ranger, aware that she shouldn’t even be here to begin with, before her eyes naturally sought his own.

"Ari, I—"

The words died in her throat shortly after starting, the lack of recognition in his face feeling worse than someone suddenly dumping a bucket of iced water on top of her. She was frozen on the spot, for a moment no different than the countless other students present, before she felt her chest tighten painfully as the boy turned away to chase after the missing girl.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

The boy followed the girl as closely as he could. She was faster than her short legs might suggest, but both knew these grounds. Where these halls lead, out into the parking lot, and the front of the school. It would've been hard to find her if she chose to leave the campus, run off into the night, but that would've been unwise. But surely, one of their hollow classmates would have seen which way she'd gone.

There would be no need for that though, as the boy burst through the doors, she was standing there, alone. No one else was present, a detail that slipped beneath the boy's notice. Her shoulder's shook violently. The boy reached out to touch her shoulder, but as soon as she felt his fingers brush her skin, the girl wound span around, slapping away his hand and stumbling backwards, nearly falling into the street.

The stopped moving towards her, the concerned look on his face conveying more than his wordless voice could. She shook her head and replied, though the content was lost in the muddled air between them. The only clarity that existed was in her eyes, the terror that snapped from the dark of her pupils.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

A few moments passed as the elf looked in the direction of the doors that the girl—and Ari—had fled through, before she finally noticed the sightless eyes of the students that remained upon her. It was enough to get her moving, back through the very door from which the elf had stumbled into this place in the first place. Disoriented as she was, Lúthien didn’t pay much attention to the direction her steps took her in, only wishing to get away from the decorated gym and the unnerving glances of the students.

She didn’t need their gazes upon her right now, not while her own heart was aching.

Lúthien had found her way outside once more, the open space and fresh air bringing light comfort to the girl as she walked. A faint sigh left her lips, her eyes glancing around in the hopes of finding something—anything really—that might allow her to leave this dream… when the sound of a hand slapping another away echoed in her ears. She turned her gaze instinctively in the direction of the sound, before a breath caught in her throat as two familiar faces came into view once more.

Her eyes lingered on the back of the boy longer than she had wanted to, before finally shifting to look at the girl in front of him…

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

The girl began to shout at the boy, desperately. "No, Ari, you don't get it!" her voice was clear for the first time. "The meds don't help, therapy doesn't fucking help," she sobbed, tears beginning to run down her face. "At this rate, they're gonna put me in goddamn insane asylum!"
"I'm not gonna let that happen, Mei," the boy responded, his usually certain voice hinting at doubt he didn't want to show. "We'll figure this out, together. You and me, but I can't help you if you don't tell me what's goin' on."
"No!" the girl shouted again, taking a step back. "You can't help, not with this. Ari, promise me, you won't get involved."
The concerned look on the boy's face shifted to confusion. "Involved with what?" he asked, unsure of what the girl meant.
"Just promise me. I have to do this by myself, okay? I don't want you to end up like me." The boy didn't answer. "Promise me."
"Okay," the boy gave in. "I promise," he said, though he knew he was lying.

The girl's fists relaxed, and her breathing began to slow, a sad smile forming on her lips, as if reassured that the boy was out of the way of whatever danger it was that she perceived. She took a step forward and took his hands in hers, her thumbs brushing over the backs of his palms. She pressed her forehead to his, and for a moment, seemed calm. "I love you, okay? I know this is hard for you, but I need you to just listen to me, for once in your life," she chuckled. "Stop being so stubborn. For me?"
"...Okay..."
The girl lifted her head for a moment to look up at the boy's face before tenderly kissing him.
"I love you too."

​

The moonlight streamed through the gap in the tent flaps, illuminating the girl's silhouette as the elf slowly awoke. Had she been waiting for her to return from the world of dreams? Had she waited long? It didn't really matter, the elf's breathing quickened, and the spirit knew that she would awake soon. Not so for her wielder.

The spirit waited for the elf to open her eyes, calmly sitting seiza as the girl got her bearings back. She stared at her intently, eyes locked onto hers as the elf took notice. "So," she said, her voice calm and even. "Now you know."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

The sudden shouts quickly caused the elf to move out of sight, her back pressing against the side of the building that she’d just rounded. "The meds don't help, therapy doesn't fucking help!" Not for the first time the girl quietly cursed her good hearing, nibbling on the inside of her cheek as her ears caught the way Mei’s voice cracked as the girl began to sob.

I shouldn’t be here… this isn’t meant for me to hear!

She tried her best to drown the voices out, wishing to afford them some form of privacy, but even the sudden taste of iron inside her mouth wasn’t enough to distract her senses from their conversation. "We'll figure this out, together.” The lingering doubt in his voice didn’t go unnoticed, right before the girl started shouting once more. ”Ari, promise me, you won't get involved." He echoed the same question that had surfaced into her mind then, and for a split moment the elf cautiously peered through the side of her corner at the pair once more.

”I don't want you to end up like me. Promise me."
"Okay, I promise."

Her head withdrew back once more, the back resting against the concrete wall as her curious mind quietly tried to connect the dots. Mei… the name had tumbled from his lips during their talking, and her mind finally managed to connect where she’d heard it before. Aurora… that weird dream. He—or had it been her?—had called out towards the girl so frantically then, but aside from the green eyes Lúthien hadn’t remembered much else of her face once she’d woken up. "My name is Unmei, and you could say I'm his...partner, of sorts." Of course, she hadn’t made the connection back then due to the different color of her eyes… but now, having seen her face clearly, there was little doubt as to who the sword spirit was molded after.

"I love you, okay? I know this is hard… Stop being so stubborn. For me?” Her attention had been brought back from her own thoughts and musings when those three words left Mei’s lips. They caused her chest to ache once more even as a feeling of guilt washed over the blonde, her palms balled into tight fists at her sides. "Okay… "I love you too."

​

A sharp inhale was given by the ranger just as her eyes opened, aware of the quickened heartbeats inside her chest as her gaze finally came into focus once more. The worn pitched up fabric of the tent came into view then, before a sideways glance caught the sight of Ari still fast asleep not too far from her side. Careful so as not to disturb his sleep, rare as it was for the man to achieve, the elf slowly moved into a sitting position… only to notice the presence of Unmei as the sword spirit sat seiza style at their feet.

"So, now you know." There was a calmness to the woman’s voice that Lúthien hadn’t expected, her eyes having quickly moved away from the spirit’s own upon noticing she was awake. "I’m s-sorry… I didn’t mean to, well… yeah."

She would’ve been lying if Lúthien said she hadn’t been curious as to why the man had chosen to play this game, but the only time she’d tried to get an answer Yugam had quickly made it clear that topic wasn’t on the table. Something that the blonde could understand, after all everyone had their own skeletons within their closets, and she’d been fine with not pressing the matter further—figuring that, if he ever wanted to talk about it, he would bring it up one day willingly.

"Him getting into TerraSphere... he’s playing because of you, isn’t he?"

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

"I'm s-sorry… I didn't mean to, well… yeah." Unmei hardly reacted to the elf's apology, though she gave no indication of blaming her either. It was clear that the elf didn't know how to control the strange trait her race claimed ownership over. She couldn't blame the girl for something she had no agency over.

"Him getting into TerraSphere... he's playing because of you, isn't he?" The question pulled out an ironic scoff from the sword-spirit. "I can't read his thoughts that way," she said. "Not unless he wants me too specifically. Sometimes I get memories, feelings, but its not like I'm telepathic." Not that she wanted to be. Even what few parts of Yugam's mind she did have access to felt like a gross invasion of his privacy. "But, yes...or at least, I'm part of his motivation." The spirit's head slowly turned to look at her wielder's, her lover's sleeping visage. "I don't think even he knows why he started to play. An urge, I guess. Since then?" Unmei shook her head solemnly, unsure of how to answer, or unwilling to.

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

She wasn’t sure what reaction she’d expected from the sword spirit but, given their interactions the past couple of days, quiet understanding hadn’t been on her bingo card today. A hand had reached for some of the loose tresses of blonde hair, the elf silently playing with it to ease her nerves as she listened to Unmei’s words… Mei…

"W-Wait, just…"

With everything she’d learned one detail had slipped her mind at first, but as her mind returned from the land of dreams one question quickly stood out above the many Luthien had. It would’ve been one thing had the woman been similar to a Lander, an UI locked player still living and breathing within the confines of TerraSphere… but she was a weapon, his weapon to be precise.

"... how?"

Somehow Lúthien doubted that was just a coincidence, not now when she knew more of their history, but her mind simply couldn’t figure out what had led to this.

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

And there it was. The question that Unmei had been expecting since she realized the elf had dove into Yugam's dreams again.

"Magic, obviously," the girl deadpanned. How else?

She sighed then, knowing that her answer wasn't really sufficient. The truth was it was a far more complicated explanation. One that neither Yugam nor herself fully understood. "Cloud data," the girl began, shifting to sit on her haunches. "Your headset saves certain data, but most of it is still stored in the cloud, as far as I know." Unmei didn't really have the technical mind to explain this properly, this was Yugam's wheel house. "Mei's old avatar is still out there, Yu found it. All the stored data is collected in our avatars, or something. There's this spirit magic user that Yu knows. Together, they figured out a way to merge whatever memories he still has, and Mei's left over data to create me. If they hadn't anchored me to Mei's sword though, I would've disappeared, just like all the other spirits who don't have anyone or anything to haunt." The spirit smoothed the wrinkles of her dress as she finished speaking, her eyes drawn to the crimson color. "Yu could explain it better. But he wouldn't tell you anyways."

@Luthien

 

[Luthien]

"Magic, obviously."

She was still feeling sluggish after waking from a rather unexpected dream, which also caused her expressions to lack any form of filtering. The sword spirit was met with a deadpan expression as those red eyes stared right back into Unmei, a silent confirmation that the dark-haired woman’s answer hadn’t really answered the ranger’s question. "Right, magic." A sigh escaped Unmei then, the woman shifting to a comfier position before she took a second shot regarding Lúthien’s question.

"I see… the VRs definitely access, and save, a lot more data than I thought then." She’d expected some form of cloud data for sure, but never anything as extensive and in-depth that could’ve led to this situation. For a brief moment she thought back to the NPCs of the game, the Landers as many called them… if the game was able to bring Mei back to such a level, could that mean they were more “alive” than she initially thought? "Mmm that makes sense, we saw a spirit anchored to a backpack back in Camp Hope too."

A sigh escaped her lips then as her mind continued to process all the unexpected information, her eyes drifting towards the still slumbering form of Yugam at her side. "Yu could explain it better. But he wouldn't tell you anyways." A soft nod was given in response as the woman’s words reached her ears, there was no doubt in the blonde’s mind that Yugam might’ve never shared this information with her.

"You’re right, he wouldn’t..." Her eyes didn’t stray away from his form as she spoke, resisting the urge to softly caress the man’s hair as he slept. Another sigh escaped in an exhale, before Lúthien finally turned her attention back to Unmei. "Which means that, whatever the solution is, this will be dangerous to pull off."

@Yugam

 

[Yugam]

The elf was taking all the information in surprisingly well. Whether or not she fully understood it, at the very least she accepted it. That much was good, but it was also the same fact that Unmei worried about the most. The way she took everything simply as a fact, not questioning the 'why' of it all. Not once had the elf seemed to wonder what Yugam's reasons were, despite what she'd seen. Either that meant she did not care, or that she cared too much. And no matter which of those were true, they foreshadowed suffering.

"You should leave him," Unmei said, perhaps a little too suddenly. "If you have any care for him, you'll forget him." There was a harsh tone to Unmei's voice. She could feel her throat straining, constricting, because this too would hurt him, but he'd be better off for it in the end. Not like if Luthien stayed. "He's already lost someone once," the girl explained, grey eyes almost a pale silver in the night time. "And it broke him. It was only by freak accident that he managed to pull himself back together. He cares about you, and if something happened, he won't be able to again. And something will happen. In this game, something always happens. So if you care, you'll spare him that." The girl quietly shut her eyes and breathed deeply. "You can hate me too. I know he will, but it's better that way," she said, opening her eyes once more.

@Luthien