[Gonta wasn't sure about Mitsuru, but Richie was allowed to be with him this time, and that made it okay!
Or... It was okay for most of the night.
Now it was near curfew, and the three of them were headed back to Cabin 3 to drop Richie off. There's still that small bit of anxiety, probably from the fear Mitsuru always talked about, but it was fine. They were all safe and sound, even though tomorrow would bring yet another murder... He frowned at the thought. Scowling, wondering why it always had to be murder. Why Sol or whoever is doing this. Why why why why.
His heart is racing for no good reason. It's the paranoia, he thinks. He tries to shake the emotion out of his head, hugging his shoulders tightly, like-]
Ugh! [Gonta suddenly feels a sharp pain. He stumbles back a step, instinctively pressing his hand against the painful spot... And realizes it feels more like a cut.
His hand slowly pulls away from his face... His trembling, bloodied hand.]
[he's too panicked to use anything but names, apparently, but he stares over at Mitsuru helplessly. he knows he can heal, after all. he's silently begging him to do something, even as he rushes up to Gonta]
[The barrier worked, Red didn't interfere, all they had to do was get back to the cabins and everything would be fine.
He's cursing himself for thinking it would be that simple.]
Gokuhara!
[The name comes out as a hiss, because there's no missing that scream, that blood. That's all he allows himself to say before he reaches out, not touching but directing, chanting words that could be considered almost a song. The air begins to light up in response, glowing and healing the wound.
He didn't get this far to let someone die on him, but already, he's beginning to realize that once again it may be out of his hands.]
Huh? [The wound is healed, but Gonta's still very, very frightened.]
What just happened-
[He barely got the words out before he suddenly clutches his face in agony. More wounds are appearing, the pain coming back, more violently than before.]
AAH! HELP! WHAT GOING ON?!
[He doesn't know what's happening. What's happening? It's coming in so fast.
He's falling to his knees, the pain's so unbearable.]
[when the healing starts, Richie's relief is so profound that it might be waking his partner up, wherever they are. but then Gonta's face starts bleeding again, more and more, and he doesn't even know WHY. he whips around, feeling All Those Eyes staring at him again. he screams - more at the unseen, hallucinated onlookers than at Mitsuru, but it's hard to tell, really, when everyone's panicking]
DO SOMETHING, YOU FUCKERS! DON'T JUST STARE AT US! JESUS!
Gonta! GONTA, it --- what ---
[he drops down beside him, frantically looking around them to see where the attacks could be coming from]
[The problem with being on healing duty is he can't talk. That song continues as he keeps the chant up, moving with Gonta in an attempt to keep the magic focused on his face, uncaring of the blood that falls in scattered splatters on his hand as a result.
It's the link, the same reason his finger was cut earlier just Monday, except this time it's fatal and unless they stop the source, there's sure to be two deaths tonight. But he can't say a word of it, pouring everything he's got into healing, hoping against all odds that maybe the attacker will find this is fruitless and flee.
Doubtful. But he can't stand by idly when the entire point of this was to try to circumvent the stupid system.]
[as soon as Richie realizes what's happening, he wraps his arms around Gonta]
I - I don't think I can. Who - who's been sharing your brain or your - you know - the thing?! If we can find them --
[he's already crying, because even as he says it, he knows it's too late to stop anything, even if they could find whoever Gonta is tied to]
I'm sorry, Gonta, I'm so sorry ...
[he refuses to leave him, as scary as it is. he remembers finding Stan in the sewers, blood streaking down his face. it's so similar to this, but so very different all at the same time.
Stan, after all, wasn't dying.
they'd been able to get to him in time.
he'd cried then, too, but not half as hard as he's crying now, as he holds on to his friend, not caring that the blood is soaking into one of his shirts from home, not in the least. he's helpless, and he knows it, and the only thing he can do is stay.]
[That makes all three of them. Mitsuru's a sorcerer, not a cleric; healing magic is a perk, but not his domain. The effects of his spell just can't keep up with the damage being dealt and it's plain even in the dark that this is all futile, that once again, his plan has failed.
But he keeps chanting. For as unpleasant a person as he is, his voice rings clear and true, and although it's not intended as such, it is, if nothing else, a beautiful melody to send Gonta off.]
This is the end, and nothing can stop it. Richie's already apologizing, Mitsuru is trying his very best, and all Gonta can do is force a smile for his good friend.]
G-Gonta... Sorry he... Not able to protect anyone... [He closes his eyes, sobbing through the pain and fear.] Please... Stay strong...
[Gonta heard three more voices muffled by Mitsuru's song. A girl shouting at the scene. Another girl wailing in grief. A boy wishing he could cry.
Gonta opened his eyes for the last time. A hallucination had taken hold, and the two boys were replaced by two zombified girls. The one that took Mitsuru's place was standing guard, as a dog protects her flock of sheep. The girl in Richie's place was smiling, caressing him like she did so long ago, mouthing words of comfort Gonta couldn't hear.
He closed his eyes once more, finding the sliver of hope in his despair. He didn't die alone.
Everything stops when the final blow is struck. His body goes limp, and it leans on Richie lifelessly.
With a grim expression, the song trails off, note lilting like there was supposed to be a continuation but - there's no point to that anymore, now is there.
When Gonta goes limp, he lurches forward himself, trying to help support the body at least long enough so Richie isn't crushed. They'll both end up with quite a bit of blood on them, at this rate.]
[Richie's just ... sobbing, at this point. at Gonta's apology, he blurts, helplessly:]
It's not your fault, it's not, it'snotohGod -- no, no, NO -!
[and then Gonta leans on him, silent. for half a second, Richie has hope. for half a second, he almost looks up at Mitsuru and says, blankly, "I think it's stopped. Try again."
but it's only half a second, before he realizes they're both covered in blood for a reason. before reality sets in.
[being so close to being in Boa's shoes, so soon after he's died, is just... unfathomable. being legit in Chuuta's shoes at the same time is even worse. Richie can't wrap his mind around it.]
But we didn't kill him... what do we do? I ... Red will just assume we need her help because we did it!
[Crying children are her weakness, and she is quick to go to Richie to try and comfort him.]
Shhh, it's alright. Just breathe and focus on me, alright?
[She's trying to get him to look at her and not at the dead body. Calm him down first, then figure out what happened.
She casts Mitsuru a glance to see how he's doing, but if he doesn't look close to a breakdown then she'll keep her focus on Richie for the time being.]
[He's just irate that he couldn't do anything to stop it, again.
But hey, maybe it's a good thing Richie's distracting her, because he's going to turn and march off himself unless he's stopped. Time to catch us a killer...]
[the advice is so familiar. it's what he told Stan, and Eddie, and Mitsuru, and Chuuta ... and now he's hearing it, too. the only thing allowing him to listen is the part of his brain that knows it works, because he's seen it in action. he does breathe, looking into her eyes.
they're pretty. he hadn't really taken a good look at them before. he wonders if she really is a robot. if they can make robot eyes look that nice. he almost forgets how mad he is at her, how little he trusts her. because she's making the pain go away. but the second she has to deal with Mitsuru, the spell will be broken, and he'll remember]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
This is awful.
Or... It was okay for most of the night.
Now it was near curfew, and the three of them were headed back to Cabin 3 to drop Richie off. There's still that small bit of anxiety, probably from the fear Mitsuru always talked about, but it was fine. They were all safe and sound, even though tomorrow would bring yet another murder... He frowned at the thought. Scowling, wondering why it always had to be murder. Why Sol or whoever is doing this. Why why why why.
His heart is racing for no good reason. It's the paranoia, he thinks. He tries to shake the emotion out of his head, hugging his shoulders tightly, like-]
Ugh! [Gonta suddenly feels a sharp pain. He stumbles back a step, instinctively pressing his hand against the painful spot... And realizes it feels more like a cut.
His hand slowly pulls away from his face... His trembling, bloodied hand.]
... AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!
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[Richie's eyes go wide at the sight of the blood]
Mitsuru--!
[he's too panicked to use anything but names, apparently, but he stares over at Mitsuru helplessly. he knows he can heal, after all. he's silently begging him to do something, even as he rushes up to Gonta]
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He's cursing himself for thinking it would be that simple.]
Gokuhara!
[The name comes out as a hiss, because there's no missing that scream, that blood. That's all he allows himself to say before he reaches out, not touching but directing, chanting words that could be considered almost a song. The air begins to light up in response, glowing and healing the wound.
He didn't get this far to let someone die on him, but already, he's beginning to realize that once again it may be out of his hands.]
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What just happened-
[He barely got the words out before he suddenly clutches his face in agony. More wounds are appearing, the pain coming back, more violently than before.]
AAH! HELP! WHAT GOING ON?!
[He doesn't know what's happening. What's happening? It's coming in so fast.
He's falling to his knees, the pain's so unbearable.]
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DO SOMETHING, YOU FUCKERS! DON'T JUST STARE AT US! JESUS!
Gonta! GONTA, it --- what ---
[he drops down beside him, frantically looking around them to see where the attacks could be coming from]
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It's the link, the same reason his finger was cut earlier just Monday, except this time it's fatal and unless they stop the source, there's sure to be two deaths tonight. But he can't say a word of it, pouring everything he's got into healing, hoping against all odds that maybe the attacker will find this is fruitless and flee.
Doubtful. But he can't stand by idly when the entire point of this was to try to circumvent the stupid system.]
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He doesn't know what's going on. He's frightened. It's too fast.]
Stop... Make it stop... Please...
[He doesn't want to die. Who would want to die? He looks up at the two smaller kids, like they could do anything else about this...]
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I - I don't think I can. Who - who's been sharing your brain or your - you know - the thing?! If we can find them --
[he's already crying, because even as he says it, he knows it's too late to stop anything, even if they could find whoever Gonta is tied to]
I'm sorry, Gonta, I'm so sorry ...
[he refuses to leave him, as scary as it is. he remembers finding Stan in the sewers, blood streaking down his face. it's so similar to this, but so very different all at the same time.
Stan, after all, wasn't dying.
they'd been able to get to him in time.
he'd cried then, too, but not half as hard as he's crying now, as he holds on to his friend, not caring that the blood is soaking into one of his shirts from home, not in the least. he's helpless, and he knows it, and the only thing he can do is stay.]
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But he keeps chanting. For as unpleasant a person as he is, his voice rings clear and true, and although it's not intended as such, it is, if nothing else, a beautiful melody to send Gonta off.]
DRV3 spoilers in image links
This is the end, and nothing can stop it. Richie's already apologizing, Mitsuru is trying his very best, and all Gonta can do is force a smile for his good friend.]
G-Gonta... Sorry he... Not able to protect anyone... [He closes his eyes, sobbing through the pain and fear.] Please... Stay strong...
[Gonta heard three more voices muffled by Mitsuru's song. A girl shouting at the scene. Another girl wailing in grief. A boy wishing he could cry.
Gonta opened his eyes for the last time. A hallucination had taken hold, and the two boys were replaced by two zombified girls. The one that took Mitsuru's place was standing guard, as a dog protects her flock of sheep. The girl in Richie's place was smiling, caressing him like she did so long ago, mouthing words of comfort Gonta couldn't hear.
He closed his eyes once more, finding the sliver of hope in his despair. He didn't die alone.
Everything stops when the final blow is struck. His body goes limp, and it leans on Richie lifelessly.
Gonta Gokuhara is dead.]
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With a grim expression, the song trails off, note lilting like there was supposed to be a continuation but - there's no point to that anymore, now is there.
When Gonta goes limp, he lurches forward himself, trying to help support the body at least long enough so Richie isn't crushed. They'll both end up with quite a bit of blood on them, at this rate.]
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It's not your fault, it's not, it'snotohGod -- no, no, NO -!
[and then Gonta leans on him, silent. for half a second, Richie has hope. for half a second, he almost looks up at Mitsuru and says, blankly, "I think it's stopped. Try again."
but it's only half a second, before he realizes they're both covered in blood for a reason. before reality sets in.
there's a dead body leaning on him.]
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Richie... we need to go.
[There's a strain to his words until he's finally let go of the corpse.]
The killer's still out there. We need someone to back us up.
[Because now is arguably the best chance they've got at finding the culprit.]
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But we didn't kill him... what do we do? I ... Red will just assume we need her help because we did it!
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[...No such luck for himself, unfortunately, but.]
Lenka, Ichigo, and Kirijo - they're our safest bets for help, not Red.
[Good morals, relatively calm, and likely strong enough to handle whoever the killer is.]
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[he really doesn't want Eddie to see this]
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Boys? Why are you out here like-
[And then there's Gonta, dead right there. Welp.]
...
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And yet he remains (unwisely) unintimidated.]
Richie, did they tell you where they were going to stay? You can stay with Eddie, but send Nine to help.
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We - he just ... they were walking me back to the cabin and it just ha-a-appened....
[sorry, but he's dissolving into sobs again. he's not TRULY a shitchild, he just plays one on TV]
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Shhh, it's alright. Just breathe and focus on me, alright?
[She's trying to get him to look at her and not at the dead body. Calm him down first, then figure out what happened.
She casts Mitsuru a glance to see how he's doing, but if he doesn't look close to a breakdown then she'll keep her focus on Richie for the time being.]
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But hey, maybe it's a good thing Richie's distracting her, because he's going to turn and march off himself unless he's stopped. Time to catch us a killer...]
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they're pretty. he hadn't really taken a good look at them before. he wonders if she really is a robot. if they can make robot eyes look that nice. he almost forgets how mad he is at her, how little he trusts her. because she's making the pain go away. but the second she has to deal with Mitsuru, the spell will be broken, and he'll remember]