cloud ☁️

[unrecked]

Comments

[skyagain]

No, it doesn't.

[ and. well, jason guessed the same thing he did, so; ]

I think... there were others before them. The rooms, the notes-- I don't think any of that was faked. Think of it this way: we've mentioned them playing roles, right? Acting? And how it didn't make any sense? What if this is just... them being the understudies to the first?

[ of course that leaves another issue; ]

I don't know what happened to the first. But going by "Aquarius"'s journal, their round started. So... maybe we're the second go at it. The Nightman's rerun.

[unrecked]

They took their places.

[Well, Cloud read his mind because his next question was going to be whether or not Aquarius took someone else’s place basically.

They have gotten so close they are now same braining. He looks pensive, but like he agrees.]

…A sequel.

[skyagain]

Right. Except I have no idea what might have gone on in the first one, and why the staff needed replacing in the first place. But since "Aquarius" talked about infiltration--

[ he grimaces. ]

I don't know. And I don't know how they wound up in that position or why, either. It's... I'm guessing.

[unrecked]

[He puts a hand on Cloud’s up arm for a moment.]

Hey. We’re all guessing probably. We don’t know what’s crap and what’s not crap. We’re working through it.

You think the Nightman is even real, or just someone made up to spook us? The journal did mention the occult.

[skyagain]

[ he relaxes a little under the touch, but also he's very aware of time passing and he hates plot <3 ]

... The boss and his obsession with contracts is real. That's in the journal. Whether his name's actually Nightman or not-- don't think that part matters.

[unrecked]

[He draws in a breath and then slowly exhales in frustration.]

I’ll see… if I can talk to Aquarius. I’ll see if they tell me anything, but I can’t promise they will because every time I try to dig they tell me to leave it alone.

And if they are a mole that’s not some… fake implant, then they probably won’t talk.

[skyagain]

You're probably too blunt about it.

[ ABSOLUTELY RUTHLESS? ]

[unrecked]

[GOD DAMN HE WAS SLAUGHTERED. He gives Cloud a very exasperated and incredulous look.]

Jesus. I’m not that bad, alright? They’re just nervous.

[skyagain]

[ he gives one back!! ]

I've been on that side, remember? Their limits are a lot more than I had to deal with, but the whole not being able to talk directly about things isn't nerves.

[unrecked]

It’s partially nerves because they act like they want to tell me, but then won’t. They can’t and they’re also worried. Look.

[He holds up both hands.]

I don’t want to argue about something neither of us can control. I’ll see if they’ll talk to me. Maybe they can give vague answers.

[skyagain]

I'm not arguing. [ he says, arms crossed, looking a little like he thinks throwing a book at jason might help, but he shakes his head ] I'm saying they have to talk around everything, and so do you. You think I'm so sure about the journal on the hunch that it sounds off? I told you guys I talked with them about it.

[ :T ]

[unrecked]

[DON'T THROW A BOOK.]

I know that. You really think I'm just asking them questions outright all the time? Give me a little credit here, Cloud.

[THEY JUST SMOOCHED LIKE GAYS AND NOW THEY'RE ARGUING ABOUT PLOT]

I'm going to talk to them, alright?

[skyagain]

[ he relents because he doesn't mean to question Jason he is trying.....to give advice......a little meanly ]

... I never said you couldn't.

[unrecked]

[Cloud's mean, but not untrue necessarily, advice.]

...It's fine.

[He is kind of looking down and away like it's obvious they were sort of arguing and now he's feeling bad about it.]

[skyagain]

...

[ this is stupid, he argues with people constantly. he shakes his head and decides to just move past it!! no apologies!!! from either side!! this is healthy ]

I'll give you the third note when Tsurumaru brings it to me, but like I said, it's about Aquarius binge drinking. So. I think it matches... everything else.

[ aka it's weird garbage ]

A lot of these have similar handwriting, but I don't know how much it matters to know exactly who wrote about going on a bender and who was responsible for that stupid hangman if none of them are ... actually present.

[unrecked]

[This is so healthy.]

...Do you think-- [He pauses for a moment, brows together.] ...The other side. Ivan was on the side with the living, and The Judge was on the side with us when we were dead.

Do you think the others might be over there? Not that... it matters to us exactly right now when we're here.

[skyagain]

... Maybe. If they are still anywhere, it's got to be wherever our dead are. We haven't really heard from them yet, so it's hard to say.

[ and then, tuesday ]

[unrecked]

[then tuesday]

Well... We're all working on it, at least. So there's that.

[skyagain]

... Yeah. Except it's hard to work on things when it feels like half the information people are sharing might be totally wrong.

[ everyone is so convinced aquarius is planning a wedding... ]

[unrecked]

[Aquarius's wedding...]

My thing is... how do we test whether any information we get is right? Like how are we supposed to know when everything is either--I don't know, before.

Finding out this isn't the boss's first rodeo doesn't surprise me, but whatever. Now what do we do about it?

[skyagain]

... I don't know.

[ with a frustrated sigh ]

Try to figure out what happened and how to stop it from happening to us?

[unrecked]

[He draws in a breath, and then lets it out raggedly. Double frustrated sigh.]

Yeah. Great.

[skyagain]

[ he gets that and feels it, so he's just going to. come over and hesitantly put a hand on jason's arm. ]

... It's already more than we had last week. We're... figuring things out.

[ maybe. slowly. ]

[unrecked]

[He raises both arms up and loops them around Cloud's shoulders. He tucks his face into Cloud's neck. Hug... Very not like him, but hey. Sometimes, a week happens.]

I know.

[skyagain]

[ he doesn't expect the hug and stands there like an idiot for a second before he wraps his arms back around Jason's tiny waist, a little hesitant, before he leans his head against his. he's still bad at hugs. im sorry. ]

... We'll make it.