I&#x27;m Not Even Alive

Chapter 1 ✥ What's yours is mine

ahahahahaaaa

This boy wasn’t making much sense. Why did it matter whether or not Zacharie was alive? ‘Alive’ in a sense, anyway. He was just a game character after all. Either way, Zacharie failed to see the importance, though he had to admit that the implications of the boy’s words struck him. Would there have been more of a point to buying from him if he were dead?

“Ahah, that would be problematic. Though I’ve no intentions of keeping these items—” he was a merchant after all, there was no sense in keeping them— “I’m afraid it is against my coding to allow you to simply traverse away with them without some form of payment. Do you not know how to buy something? I could loan you some credits and teach you. At the very least, you should stay long enough for me to explain how to properly utilize the items you are planning to steal.”

The latter was more as a worst-case-scenario. If this boy did succeed in taking his ‘Colour of’ items, then Zacharie would prefer that he actually used them. All the time spent making them, it’d be a waste of merchandise if they were thrown away because they were mistaken for jars of paint.

#by bug do you mean hunt me down persistently??#oh man im so running off with this stuff then #sorry? more like i'd be having a blast pls send a hero or chase me down yourself #colourofcredits

It was a bit annoying that the merchant hit the nail on the head; Crow didn't know how to buy things. Money wasn't worth much--or anything at all--in a world with no one to spend it. If he did know how to shop, he'd long lost that bit of memory. Never before was taking things a problem when every one of his victims was already dead. Now he was going through all this trouble just to take something from some guy who not only wanted him to buy things, but now wanted to teach him how to buy.

❝Utilize...?❞ What the hell was this guy on about? Crow didn't take things because he needed them, but because he wanted them. At most the things he planned to take would become an accessory. At the very least they'd end up in his "nest". The guy didn't even plan to keep the stuff, why was it such a big deal that he buy and use it? ❝Ugh! You're so boring--you keep goin' on about buying and credits. Do something fun! Try to take this stuff from me, chase me down, do something other than stand there calmly and explain!❞

This was almost more effort than it was worth. Crow wouldn't mind if they were playing a game, but standing still so long was making him restless--but when the merchant said he'd give him some credits, Crow got interested. Obviously this guy put a lot of value in whatever a "credit" was, and he was just willing to hand some over? Colour him intrigued.

❝Alright... You've got a deal. Teach me how to use credits, and tell me how to use this stuff. If your yappin' takes too long though, I'm leaving.❞ With all the stuff, at that! His patience was already wearing thin--this was the longest he could remember staying still ever and he hated not being the one to do the talking--so if he got too tired, he'd make good on his promise. ❝Well, get on with it! Start with your name, of course.❞

like the ocean needs a breeze [open]

“I don’t think I have anything to give you.” He glanced downward, digging in the pockets of his coat to see if he could find anything - eventually pulling out a coin and offering it to Crow. “That’s all I brought with me.” Ouro wasn’t even sure how something like this worked. He hadn’t ever had someone he considered a friend, so he was a bit dubious when it came to all of this. Hopefully that would have been enough to suffice. “I’m not being a baby. I was the one who kissed you first, after all.”

Truthfully, Ouroboros held no qualities that could make him even a decent friend. or the most part he was rude and manipulative, hardly the type anyone would want to befriend and he knew it. So he simply brushed off the inquiry pertaining to how he could be a better friend.

“That slipped my mind completely. My name’s Just.” A lie, but that happened to be his current alias and he had heard it enough to grow accustomed to it.

“Third?” For a moment, a flicker of honest concern could be read in his expression - the first person he considered a friend and he was already ruining it. “But that’s not really fair! You haven’t given me anything either and I’ve yet to hear your name.”

#thank you #you can have your spot as number 2 back #maybe even number one and a half #if you're lucky #fakeheir

As soon as the coin was presented to him, Crow greedily snatched it up and held it to the sky to appraise it. He'd never seen this kind of coin before, so he made mental note to add it to the necklace of coins he'd collected over time. With a satisfied grin, the AI eyed his gift until the shorty spoke up again.

❝Exactly, so what's the point of being shocked? Aren't you supposed to expect a kiss back?❞ Not that he knew how kisses worked--both times he's kissed someone it ended the same way; them pulling back in surprise. He assumed that proper kisses went differently.

❝Eh? Your name is Just?❞ Although Crow thought the name was kind of neat, he couldn't help but say one more disapproving thing to his new friend. ❝Weird name. --Hey, wait!❞ he cried, throwing his hands up in his defense. Had the runt not gone completely against the natural order (or what Crow believed to be the natural order) of how making friends went, the introduction would not have been skipped!

❝You messed me all up, okay? Now I can't even introduce myself the way I want,❞ he grumbled, ❝Gimme a minute, will ya?❞ And with that, Crow turned his back to Just and began to sort through his inventory for something to give in return. He couldn't let this kid one up him, after all! It took a few moments, but once he finally found something he excitedly spun on his heel and held out his hand and the gift--a pair of silver cuff links.

❝This is a good gift, right? Of course it is!❞ Crow had noticed Just was already wearing some, so what was better than a gift he knew would be put to use? Nothing, that's what! ❝By the way, the name's Crow! Don't forget it, alright?❞

chapter 01} they say knowledge hurts

Marianne still didn’t like how the boy was treating her, all this teasing and taunting mad her upset. Though it wasn’t the kind of angry upset, but the kind that there was a probability of crying involved. That was the last thing that the blonde wanted to do, especially in front of him, so she blinked her eyes a few times to get rid of the moisture that was collecting. She didn’t want to be referred to as a crybaby after all; she definitely didn’t believe herself to be one, and that was a good enough reason.

The child turned her full attention back on the dark haired boy, blinking her eyes slowly as he spoke. Marianne liked games, she liked them a whole lot quite possibly because she was very childish at heart. But there is some reluctance because they are in the library, and it wouldn’t be the best place to run around in, but at the same time it is excellent for this sort of game. Before the blonde could properly give and answer, the other already slipped to the other side.

More so out of curiosity than anything, quickly makes her way to the other side of the shelf where he boy had fallen, only to realize that he was already gone somewhere else. She turns her head every which way to try and catch a glimpse to see if he was hiding somewhere close. When her efforts come up short, Marianne huffs and pouts, abandoning that row to begin her search.

“I have you know I am exceptionally good at finding things.” She states to the air, her stubbornness making itself known.

#whats the bunny gonna do twitch his nose at me #pls #distortionwonderland

It had been a while since he had played "keep away", but he was sure as long as he kept off the ground this time there was no possible way for him to be caught. What would the girl do, push down the shelves to ground him? She didn't have the guts! It could be Crow's overconfidence talking, but he was positive she wouldn't win this game.

❝If y'er so good at finding things, then why are you at the wrong end of the room?❞ he cried, his voice echoing from some unknown location. Although the girl was hot on this buns, if she were so keen she'd notice notes hanging from different shelves all over the room. "Not this way, dummy!" and "It's like you're in a freezer you're so cold!" were just some of sentences scrawled on the papers. How he wrote them and hung them so fast was a secret.

There was one note, though, that said "Is it hot in here or is it just me?" Once she found that, she'd be really close to where the AI decided to camp out for this half of the game. Little did she know, he had more in store for her than just this little bit of hide n' go seek / keep away / hot and cold.

❝Hey! Are you ever going to find me? I might just rust waiting for you!❞ Not that he could rust, but he was sure the statement still came across the way he wanted it to.

like the ocean needs a breeze [open]

Everything was going so well until he returned the kiss. That shock alone caused the boy to pull back rather quickly; a dumbfounded look replacing his initial grin. He certainly hadn’t expected it and it took several moments for Crows words to register as he inwardly debated whether or not the other was simply strange or perhaps mocking him.

That had to be it.

Friends? What kind of dolt would ask for friendship in that manner? He had to have been teasing him. In that case, this guy was pretty interesting. Most of the people he attempted to manipulate or tease hadn’t been able to process just what he was doing or how much amusement he got out of it (which, little did he know, that was the circumstance).

“I actually wouldn’t mind being friends with someone like you!,” he replied, leaning forward slightly as he spoke. “You’re the only person I’ve met so far that managed to shock me.” Surprisingly enough, he was telling the truth. Though, earning a pest like Ouro’s friendship probably wasn’t much of a good thing.

“It’s not fair to place me in second though, I’m sure I’d make a better friend than whoever number one is.” He gave a pout, as if he were truly concerned by not being this stranger’s number one friend. “Then again, I guess it doesn’t matter since I’ve already got a best friend too.”

#don't cry because crow will be jealous #he wants to cry too #are you trying to bully him by showing off your emotions #fakeheir

To be honest, now that he had a second friend he didn't know what to do with him. Was he supposed to flip away with the promise to meet again? It was all a bit confused because the runt had done everything in the wrong order! First Crow was supposed to take something the boy treasured, then they'd become friends, kiss, and meet again. Not kiss first.

❝Right. We're friends now, and friends give each other gifts too. Since you were the one that kissed me first, it's only right you give me a gift as a symbol of friendship. --Eh? Shock you?❞ Why would the kid be shocked when he was the one who approached Crow in the first place? ❝It was just a kiss, don't be a baby.❞

❝A better friend...?❞ Was friendship a competition one could excel at over another? Crow didn't know, being that this was the first time he could remember having more than one friend. What would it take for someone to--in his mind--replace his number one buddy? Not even he knew, but now he was all too curious. ❝How would you become my #1? You haven't even told me your name yet, so there's no way you could be a better friend.❞

❝In fact, since you haven't told me your name or given me anything but a kiss, I'm demoting you to 3rd!❞ There's no way the kid could climb all the way to #1 at this rate.

zon-prins

#im so upset #album

Chapter 1 ✥ What's yours is mine

ahahahahaaaa

A thief! To think that he would actually run into one. It was true that he was nothing but an NPC before and those were the character types who tended to get robbed in order to give the Player a side quest in order to get some rare item, but Zacharie had never thought that he’d have to experience this. Honestly, he didn’t have a plan to defend against a thief if one ever came. As a merchant, he did have an abundance of bats, but that seemed a bit harsh to do against a little boy.

“You misconstrue me, C-R-O-W, I was articulating with the person behind your actions. We are in a role play after all.” It was strange to think that they all had Players as if they were all main characters here, but it was something that Zacharie could accept with relative ease. The merchant chalked that up to his emotions not being well written enough and chuckled again.

“But I digress. I am not here to confound you with the callous truth of our falsified lives. However, I must insist that you do not plunder from a merchant; it is not a beneficial course of action.”

#don't talk to me about my intelligence! you didn't even know you were being robbed #im going to parkour out of this window and youll never see this stuff again if you insult how smart i am :(#colourofcredits

The person behind his actions? For a brief moment Crow wanted to look behind him, but he knew for a fact the only thing he had his back turned to was an open window. One which, if things got hairy, he'd make his escape from without so much as a "Tallyho!". ❝Sorry to burst y'er bubble, but there's no one behind my actions. Or behind me at all.❞ This guy was off his rocker, to be sure. First he mentioned some nonsense about credits and now... something about a role play?

❝Oh... you're a merchant.❞ All of a sudden, the oddities Crow noticed were now chalked up to what he'd like to think of as "merchant insanity". He should have known, this guy was covering his face too after all! ❝But... it's weird.❞ Crow took a step forward and grabbed the sleeve of the merchant and lifted it up, examining him to the best of whatever ability he had. ❝You're... alive.❞ What a waste! If he was a living thing, then why did he care so much about the objects Crow wanted to take?

❝Now there's even less of a point for me to buy these things. I'll take better care of them than you would, so don't bother me about credits anymore--or whatever falsified life you think I have.❞ What point was there in a human being a merchant anyway? What purpose would he serve, and where would all his "credits" go once he passed on? Living things were so dumb... this choice of career wasn't befitting of someone who would leave all they have to nothing. Or, in the case of the Merchant Crow knows, they'd leave it all to some dead princess.

like the ocean needs a breeze [open]

School. What the hell was he doing here when he was given the perfect opportunity to receive the Regis’s favor while Ninurta was gone? At least it was somewhat of a break from the usual dull situations he was put in. The only problem was there was currently no one for him to bother. As far as he could tell, the majority of the students he had passed by seemed boring; aesthetically pleasing but none of them appeared to possess much power.

But what could be better than toying with useless people?

Of course, it didn’t take long for Just to select his prey amongst the remaining students and faculty in the hall.

Leaning in close and wrapping his arms around the stranger’s neck, he flashed a blatantly teasing grin before speaking. “Hm. You’re cute, just my type actually!” This could serve as a reprieve from his boredom, at least. Not that he intended to take the pointless flirting too far.

Lowering one of his arms, he brought the other’s hand up to his own cheek, making sure to tighten his grip as if to prevent the other from pulling away. “You wouldn’t mind if I kissed you, right?” With out waiting for a response, he brushed his lips against the stranger’s; only briefly in order to be replaced by fully pressing his lips against their own.

#not only did the teasing not come across but just has also been placed as number 2 without even doing much #nailed it #fakeheir

Crow couldn't feel the arms snake their way around him, as much as sense he was being touched. All the same, he tilted his head to see what--who--was so close to his person only to realize... it was a runt. Not only was this midget most likely a waste of his time, but now it was spewing confusing words like "cute" and "type"--he didn't get it. ❝I'm your type of what?❞ he began to ask, belatedly taking notice that the invasion of his space (which he didn't mind, but that was his job and it was beginning to bug him that this brat was running the show!) was progressing.

To be honest he didn't even think of removing his hand, but it wasn't because of the threatening pressure tightening around his wrist, and it also wasn't because he was aware that this is what humans would call "flirting".

When the subject of kissing was brought up, it was only then that Crow finally began to understand what was happening. This kid wanted to be friends! After all, friends gave each other kisses, so that had to be the reason. Crow was actually at a loss of words for the first time, he was sure, in his entire span of being on. No one had ever wanted to be his friend first, let alone initiate it. Granted his only friend was Seto and he kind of forced the friendship upon him, but this--this! It was an entirely new situation that Crow was fascinated to be a part of.

When lips pressed against his own, Crow actually kissed back, still completely and utterly oblivious to the fact that this kiss was not one of friendship but one of... some weird human emotion he had forgotten or couldn't process to begin with. He didn't know how or when to end a kiss, so he waited for the other to do it for him. Once their lips separated, a grin that wasn't cruel took place on his features.

❝We're friends now, right? Not number one buddies; I already have one of those, but you can be #2.❞

I'm almost jealous... that you're able to cry.

#Crow #fragile dreams #Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon

sebestian-blog

Your Innocence, I will consume - Open.

What were those little tricks again? The ones that supposedly warded off evils like himself? A horseshoe on the door? A circle of salt? Ha. Like they worked. The amount of times pitiful little beings shoved trinkets into his face was enough to make him sick. Not from the fact they were a crucifix or whatever the “weapon” of choice was that day, but purely from knowing that God’s so-called favourites were this stupid. A splash of water isn’t enough to hurt a fly let alone a demon. Poor, weak souls. They’ll never stand a chance.

Even now, in the age of technology, no-one can devise something that could truly keep at bay the creepy crawlies and things that go bump in the night. Of course, not many adhere to religious beliefs so there’s not much preventing Sebastian from having his way. Nobody runs or cowers when they see him. Humans beings have become….so trusting in their old age as a species. The natural instincts that once dwelled within have been sedated by an injection of an unwarranted feeling of superiority over the others that co-inhabit this world with them.

Such a silly mistake.

To think that someone could quite happily walk into a school and pick up a job just like that. This is simply a prime example of how gullible humans are now. Now, the demon was among the weakest of society. Children who respect, for the most part, authority in every way. Here to learn of the world and what’s in it. A blank canvas to use the popular cliche. However, couldn’t one consider this an easy chance to corrupt the youth? Perhaps Sebastian should give them a bit of a head start and allow suspicions to rise.

After all, what’s a game without a challenge?

Pulling a body towards him, he flashed the stranger his sickly sweet smile.

“My sincerest apologies. Would you be able to offer some assistance? I’m somewhat lost.” Yeah, that’ll do for now. The game has just begun after all.

#hey louise give me proof you're the head butler #its shiny i want it #sebestian

It wasn't often that Crow walked on the ground, but that's where all the pockets were! You'd be amazed how many shiny things people kept on their person, and how little they paid attention to someone plucking whatever they could get their hands on right from under their nose. It was almost as easy as stealing from a corpse. The only difference? These targets moved.

Crow was knuckle deep in some girl's purse when his arm was grasped and he was yanked backwards into some fancily dressed guy. The suit kind of reminded him of Merchant, and so did the fake air the guy gave off, but none of it really mattered to Crow. It took him a minute to focus--and care--that he was being addressed. He was a busy guy, after all, and didn't have time for someone else to be asking him questions. That's not how things went! If anyone asked questions, it'd have to be him.

❝Hm? You want my help?❞ "Get lost!" was what he wanted to say, but he held his tongue when his green hues fell upon the pristine pin on the man's chest. He wanted it. ❝It'll cost ya. One pin, to be exact.❞ Crow said as he tapped his finger against the object of his desires. ❝Pay up and I'll take ya anywhere you wanna go. Think of it as... tour fare. That's what you things do, right? Pay someone to show you around--❞ He had read that somewhere, so he was sure it was true.

Chapter 1 ✥ What's yours is mine

ahahahahaaaa

Zacharie stared blankly at the luggage that the boy cradled in his arms. It was a part of his stock for ‘Color of’ items. A good choice of equipment if the boy picked the right one, but it seemed like he actually keen on buying the entire thing. Funny thing this one was.

But he had to admit that the encounter was unexpected. Zacharie thought that things like this were supposed to be scripted so that he would always appear before a customer showed up. Or maybe this was just a way of ensuring that two people met? That didn’t really make much sense and, really, he couldn’t see what was wrong with doing this in the usual order. Apparently, the rules of a role play were much different from those of a game. A muffled sigh came out of the merchant’s lips, blocked by the presence of his mask.

“Ah, my manners, I believe I was supposed to be here before you arrived. You are interested in buying those items, yes? That’ll be…” he paused briefly to do the calculations. 5 Colors of Hatred, 3 Colors of Force, 2 Colors of Defeat… “15,350 credits. But, Player, I am marginally disappointed in you. Surely you must have known that it is more beneficial to purchase just the most expensive item rather than the entire stock?” It seems that it hadn’t even occurred to the merchant that he was being robbed.

#YOU should be paying ME to get your stuff back #colourofcredits

Uh, was this supposed to happen? Crow had only robbed a living person once before he came to Tancho, and most of the people he stole from in the school didn't put up a fight but... was this guy really asking if he wanted to buy the items? The look of annoyance quickly changed to amusement (with a hint of confusion), and a snicker could even be heard from him.

❝You guys don't get smarter at all, do ya? It's like you really can't tell I'm taking your stuff, I'm not here to buy anything.❞ Truth be told, he didn't know how to buy things. Sure he bartered with Merchant with shiny things, for more shiny things, but he never used money (nor did he exactly know or understand what money was, let alone credits). ❝Besides, what's the point of buying things? A pirate doesn't buy; they plunder!❞

❝Anyway--you got it wrong, dummy! My name isn't Player, my name is Crow.❞ he paused as he shifted all the items to one arm, lifting the other in a dramatic fashion. ❝Spell it with me, so you don't get it wrong again: C-R-O-W!❞ If he had pride in anything, it would be in the name he gave himself.

chapter 01} they say knowledge hurts

While the poor girl was nursing her sore spot, she was not expecting to hear a voice so close to her. She peeks her blue eyes through the spaces between her fingers to see who it was. She didn’t know the boy, but that was no surprise since Marianne didn’t know a lot of people, even inside of Wonderland since she never left the house that White Rabbit had for her. Though the child is even more surprised when the boy lifts her up, and she thinks it’s a friendly gesture until he pokes her on her forehead right where the book feel.

Her hands fly up again, to protect the hurting area that would no doubt be bruised sometime soon, especially if it continued getting this kind of treatment. “That hurt.” She mumbles, whining still evident in her tone.

At the male’s teasing, Marianne pouts like a child and shakes her head. She had never been subjected to this type of treatment before, and doesn’t really know how to deal with it. It’s probably safe to say that she’s been more or less sheltered her entire life which is true. “I’m not stupid or an idiot.” She denies, looking down at the ground. He was being mean for whatever reason. “It was too high up for me to reach, but I really wanted it though. There wasn’t even a stool for me to use.” That was all she could think of saying mostly because it was the truth of the matter.

#ill just take it from him no biggie #im good at taking stuff #distortionwonderland

❝Boooooring!❞ Crow sang, now being the one to wear a childish expression. She was supposed to fight and get angry! He wanted to get a rise out of her, and yet here she was acting like a kicked puppy. How were they going to play if all she did was look down at the damn ground?! --Wait, did she say she "really wanted" the book? That was it! His grin returned as he snatched the tome up from the floor. After it was in his grasp he returned to the tops of the shelves.

❝So you really want this, right? Seems like a good read.❞ he chirped as he flipped through the pages, already having every page memorized during the few seconds he had went through it. ❝Hey--how about we play a game? You catch me, I'll give the book back. That is, if you still want it so badly.❞ Hell, he'd even take back the insults he tossed her way. Not that he'd say it aloud.

❝Whad'ya say? Hm?❞ Crow didn't give her a chance to answer or to argue, as soon as he said his part he let himself fall backwards as if someone was going to catch him, and disappeared behind the shelf before her. In such a large library with so many isles to hide in, and so many things to flip over... Crow was going to have a blast playing hide n' go seek.

Well you died on him so why can't he die on you if that's not how it's suppose to be in the books!

❝I can't die, I dunno what you're talkin' about.❞ Humans died. Not--not whatever he was. Too bad he couldn't remember what he was, other than discarded. ❝'Sides, he's on some kinda mission, he wouldn't die before he finishes it.❞

#Anonymous #asks #we aren't friends anymore roni

thats why your real human friend isnt here, i hope he's dead

❝If he is... then he's just as stupid as the rest of the humans. A liar and a punk! If he's dead he broke our promise!❞ Best friends always saw each other again... This wasn't how the book went, Seto couldn't change what was already written! ❝That dumb ass wouldn't be dead. Not until we meet again. He's not allowed to die.❞

#Anonymous #asks #i hate you so much roni

lastshisha replied to your post:

that’s not very nice. be friendly towards lilim. slaps wrist.

❝Huh? And who're you? I don't even know what a lilim is. Don't tell me what t' do.❞

#lastshisha #no dont tell me how to live my life i wont listen to you

titusflatchestxius

❝I thought we were handling them just fine, but thank you. We’ll give it a read after we try our methods first. ..Why would I want to know the bullies side of the conflict?❞