Funeral Service for Adaman and Hodaka Morishima

[giddyundertaker]

[ An hour or two after the first trial's end, Hild and the Undertaker set out to invite as many people as possible to the Restaurant for the funerals of our dearly departed friends.

Why the restaurant of all places? Because there aren't enough chairs and tables elsewhere.

Indeed, some of the tables have been moved against the wall to make room for the seats. The chairs have been set up in four rows of six, like an improvised theater or a church. To the side, a small buffet has been set up courtesy of Obi, Mafuyu, and Hild. As for the main event? Two tables have been set up and decorated in black fabric and white flowers. In lieu of a live viewing, two drawings referenced from the profiles have been set up in the center of funeral wreaths... They're not the best, due to the artist's handicaps, but it does look like Adaman and Hodaka at least.]

Comments

[giddyundertaker]

Rather unfortunate to find yourself pulled out of one nightmare and into another, isn't it.

[ ... Should he tell Jonathan about it? He'd prefer to keep all his secrets close to his chest, but now that two people have been exposed in the matter of two weeks it feels like he's going to be next.

But maybe he could give this man... A tiny piece. Enough to dissuade him from being so foolish. Just as long as Harker can keep his mouth shut... ]

And no say in the second one at all... I may be used to burying people of all ages, but it's the helplessness that's the most bothersome... Isn't that right?

[hotpaprika]

[He nods. Truthfully, at this point he wasn't sure which nightmare is worse. Sure, he did not have a set date of demise here, and he had others to talk to, but today alone was proof that innocent children are dying here, and they had no hope of even attempting to stop their captor. The Count may be a monster as well, but at least he had a body that Jonathan could theoretically kill. With Fontaine? There was nothing they could do.]

It's dreadful. In both nightmares, it felt as though any attempt I made to fight were immediately snuffed out, as if they were eagerly waiting for me to regain a spark of hope. And I don't know how much longer the sparks can keep appearing before I just... give up.

[giddyundertaker]

[ ... Yes, he will have to tell him sooner or later. Just him. Just the man on the verge of... ]

You're not alone in feeling that, at least not here. But I'm fairly sure this Fontaine fellow is only a man behind a screen. Sooner or later he'll slip up, give us an opening, let us go somewhere that has his weakness laid bare... That's when we strike back.

Until then, the best thing we can do is not give in and be keep an eye out for those who would.

[hotpaprika]

... I pray to God you are right. If he has done this before, I fear that he would have grown wise to any flaws in his system.

And... if we are to stop Fontaine, I am unsure where we could go from there. We are still trapped at the bottom of the ocean and there does not seem to be any hope for escape or to call for help.

[giddyundertaker]

[ . . . Aha. The perfect place. No one would go there at this hour.

The Undertaker stands and turns to face Jonathan. ]

Mind if I show you something that could answer that question?

[hotpaprika]

[He looks at The Undertaker, uncertain what to think about that.]

... I suppose I will take any sort of hope at this point.

[giddyundertaker]

Very well. Follow me.

[ The Undertaker will lead the man (by the hand if he has to) out of the garden and down to the Hall of Founders... Right to the Bathysphere at the very end.

Here he rolls up one sleeve just enough so he could tap his fingers on the control panel with the seven keyholes. ]

You see this here?

[hotpaprika]

[Jonathan follows silently behind, albeit a bit slowly behind him.]

I do, does it mean anything in particular?

[giddyundertaker]

Perhaps...

[ He turns his head to the Bathysphere itself. ] This thing looks like it's perfectly capable of taking us to the surface. All we need to do is find the keys to activate the control panel...

Shouldn't be too hard. You might have found one last week, didn't you?

[hotpaprika]

Oh-!

[He reaches in his pocket and pulls out the red key.]

Yes, I always keep it on me for safe keeping. I could never risk leaving it in my room in the event Fontaine ever raids our rooms.

[giddyundertaker]

Excellent!

[ Jon gets a pat on the shoulder for that. ] I suggest you hold onto that as long as you can. Last thing we need is for Fontaine to find out you have it.

[hotpaprika]

[He gives The Undertaker a week smile, before pocketing the key again.]

You're right. It might be a good idea for us to hunt for any clues next week for any more.

[There's a pause, before he continues.]

I... I do want to apologize for my bleak behavior. I understand everyone else is going through the same situation I am. It was unfair to them to react so strongly.

1/2

[giddyundertaker]

[ Ah... Yes, that does bring him back to what he wanted to say... ]

You reacted on impulse, didn't you? It would be unfair condemn you for being frightened and miserable. After all, I've seen plenty of grief in my time...

In fact...

[ He looks up again, pausing to listen for the sound of footsteps... Or anything... ]

2/2

[giddyundertaker]

[ Then he turns to face Jonathan again. ]

This whole business reminds me of something... But I want to be sure you won't repeat what I'll tell you to anyone.

... For personal reasons, that is. Nothing to do with escaping New Rapture, I assure you.

[hotpaprika]

[Jonathan freezes up, conflicted. Being asked to hold a secret from everyone else, in such a tense situation, worries him. Sure, The Undertaker seems pretty trustworthy, but...

... But on the other hand

He was curious.]

Certainly. What do you want to tell me?

[giddyundertaker]

[ He nods...

Well. Here goes. Hopefully Jonathan doesn't faint. ]

It's about something in my world, actually. Might apply to yours, since we do seem to have plenty of similarities from what I gathered...

I trust you're familiar with the concept of the grim reaper?

[hotpaprika]

I do, sir, but what does that have to do with anything?

[The dreadful feeling in his stomach grows as he gets a good feeling of what it could be.]

CW: discussion of suicide

[giddyundertaker]

Well... Where I'm from, that's the fate of those who throw their lives away so carelessly.

It's more of an eternal job, you see. They're given a list of humans who will soon perish and are sent out to review their lives, one by one. If it is decided that human should die, the reaper must sever their souls from this world and allow them to die... And the reaper must be completely neutral in their decision, without bias or emotion.

I don't believe someone like you would be able to handle doing that day after day.

[hotpaprika]

[Jonathan takes a moment to wonder how he would know something like that, before it hits him like a ton of bricks.]

You.. you mean you are...?

[Jonathan's mind is reeling right now. Is his appearance here an omen? Are they all already dead? What does this mean?]

[giddyundertaker]

[ ... He combs his fingers through his bangs, lazily moving just enough hair out of the way for only Jonathan to catch a glimpse of them.

The eyes. A bright shade of green that faintly glows in the shadows, pupils that fail to adjust to the light properly and seem to just barely focus on the other man's face.

The Undertaker smiles. ]

Eh heh heh... Not so dull after all, eh?

[ He'd give more than a few seconds to let Jonathan come to a million conclusions, but that might be a bad idea. After all, the man paid him well with that pond incident earlier this week. ]

Put your fears to rest, Harker. I quit reaping decades ago. I don't have access to that list anymore and I certainly wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that Fontaine fellow.