...Can I help you?

Theodore Grey; Ex-SHSL Romance Novelist [Affiliated with: R Inc ] Status: Who killed my bro Icon made by: Shslartisticmemes

[rincorperated]

I'm Sorry || Theo || Hitomi

[masae-atoshi]

She could feel her own chest rising and falling as if it were someone else’s heartbeat. She couldn’t… feel, really…not right now. Her blank eyes stared up at the ceiling, her tears retreating back into her tear ducts as she tried to blink away any strays. It was hard to listen to Theo. She tried, but the sounds of loneliness were screaming far louder than anything she had ever heard.

There was something that snapped her back into a quiet lull…

“D-Digitally…?”

She turned to wear she thought Theo’s face could be, finally feeling his hands holding her softly. She tensed up her fingers before relaxing them, over and over again, trying to get some feeling into her body after screaming her lungs out.

“b-bring he… her bac…”

Her voice broke for a moment, a hiccup arising from her diaphragm soon after. She covered her mouth with a trembling hand as she sat up properly and leaned against the cabinets under the counter. Wiping her face with weak movements, she tried to recollect her thoughts for a moment.

“Digi… she…”

Hitomi curled up a little, tucking in her knees close to her chest. It was a bit harder to breathe this way but she felt safer. Safe from what…?

“The… o-only way I could ever connect… w-with my daughter after I…l..lost… lost my e..eyes-sight… w-was through touch… Sh..She never want..wanted spee-eech therapy… and I can only r-remember… si..sign language…”

Her hands shook her very being. She took in a deep breath, which only turned into multiple short, shallow ones. Attempting to catch her breath, Hitomi pushed her legs away from her chest, hunching over as she clutched her fists over her heart. This only turned into another fit of sobs.

“g…god, I… c-cant… I can’t… live like t..th..this.. w-w..wh-hy them,,, wh-why my t-two r..ra-ays of.. s-sunshi-ine…. wh…why were they t..taken away..awa-ay from.. me…”

She hid her face in the palms of her hands as her tears racked her body.

“who too-ook her… who took my b-beautifu-ul daughter… why would a-anyone.. any..anyone thi-ink of.. sh..she was o-only 14 she.. I was suppo-osed to wa-atch her grow… become a v…video game… maker or… the champion of rubik’s c-cub… sh.. why…”

Every word was difficult to interpret. Her nose was running and her eyes wouldn’t stop producing tears. She was a mess- and the boiled water was getting cold.

“I I.. I-I ju-ust.. wa-want to.. ho-.. hol…hold the-em.. them I.. I.. one mo-ore t-time… j-just once… j-just..just.. s-…s-se…see them… ho-ow they..they’ve gro-own… right in.. right in fr..front fro-ont of me and.. they..”

Her form only became smaller again as she tried to speak.

“I… c-ca-an’t…d..do..do th..thi-is… I-I.. I ca-an’t… l…live o-on… I.. c-can..’t… n..no-ot a…a-aga-ain…”

[romance-editore]

Theo was trying to keep his own breathing steady...but it was getting harder as the anxiety of making sure that Hitomi was alright was continuing to rise...she was already losing everything she had thanks to his news...but did it make it any better that someone who personally knew her daughters for a short amount of time was the one who broke the news...? Most likely not...

Theo was trying to say things that might help but the more he spoke the worse it was getting so maybe he should cease to speak...would the be better...?He wasn’t sure anymore....but he wanted to help Hitomi so he continued to hug her and let her cry as much as she could..grieving was part of the process...he knew it all too well..except he had never allowed himself to grieve the losses of Shizuka and Masae...he felt he didn’t deserve to..

Hitomi had a point though...his idea was flawed...but he at least had tried...there was still a way for her to hear her...but it would never be Masaes own voice...it would be a computer generated one as close as it could get to Masaes...

Theo let her talk...not answering anything...just letting her voice her thoughts...until she mentioned why or how Masae died sending a wave of thoughts though his mind...he couldn’t tell her how or why....it was cruel...but he couldn’t ignore it...

“M-Masae...she....she was taken...by...t-the people who kept us h-hostage in the f-facility....“

Theo didn’t want to say anymore than that...but chances are Hitomi might have known what it meant...if she knew anything about what happend in the previous game...she might have been aware of...the Execution process...

Theo wished he could do more to bring her daughters back but wishing was just a thought process of hope. There was no hope for her daughters to be coming back and it stung him more each time he thought about it....

He knew the thought process she was having all to well..and she deserved better than this..but he was unable to give her what she was wishing for....

[rincorperated]

I'm Sorry || Theo || Hitomi

[masae-atoshi]

“w-wake me up… wake me up, Theodore I c-can’t… I can’t…”

She managed to break out a few ruined words through the sobs. She tried to keep her breathing steady but it was all for naught once the crying began. She couldn’t bear to think about it- living without her family? Without a daughter to look after? To love? To hold and to kiss and to cherish? Having no second daughter? No husband? No one would take her, not at her age and not with the heaviness to life her blindness brings. She may have been used to it after 10 years, but would anyone else even care to try?

She suddenly felt the arms of someone wrapping around her. Oh… he’s here? Theodore? The man who was in her house earlier? She did let him in. He was picking up the teabags? 

“…r-right?”

She didn’t know herself. She was only trying to wake up from the nightmare she was living. His warm embrace managed to stifle a few trembles before she started shaking again.

“N-No… No… Stop this! STOP THIS WAKE ME UP!”

She grasped at her eyes viciously, her nails leaving red marks all over her eyelids and cheeks.

“NO! NO S..S..TOP I… C…NO SHE C-CAN’T BE DEAD NO .. WHERE IS SHE… WHERE IS SHE SHE.. SHE HAS TO COME HOME WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER”

Her body became limp in Theo’s arms, leaning against his thigh as she couldn’t even hold herself up anymore.

“W-WHERE.. WHERE IS SHE! I N.. NEED HER TO C-COME HOME I NEED HER HERE WITH ME PLEASE BRING HER BACK I NEED TO SEE HER AGAIN-”

She stopped her sentence there, realizing that, no… she hasn’t been able to see her daughter for over ten years. Why was she dreaming of the impossible now?

“no… it’s impossible because she’s dead… she’s dead she’s dead she’sdeadshe’sdeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddeadead…..”

Hitomi completely lost control of her movements and simply collapsed into Theo’s lap. Her now held a completely broken mother- no… could she even call herself a mother? She had no more children to care for anymore. No more husband to love. She wasn’t a daughter herself- her parents were long gone. She wasn’t a sister… that ended over 45 years ago…

she was nothing.

“Th…Theodore… w…w..where…is…M…Masae….w..where… where is she… sh… she… isn’t… isn’t…. she…. c-can’t be… gone… please….”

She shook her head, laying it down and looking away from the taller man.

“Please… I… I can’t… l-live without… them… I can’t live… I c..can’t go on without them here… I can’t… please… w-wake me up from this… I need my daughter… I need her here….”

[romance-editore]

Theo continued to hug her...he didn’t know what to say he wished he could  wake her up...but she was awake...she was not in a comatose but in a living nightmare of her own...so what was he to do? He wanted to bring both Masae and Shizuka back more than anything....Both had been such dear friends to him aside from not knowing them for very long.

Theo was trying to comfort her but he really was clueless on what to even do....comforting a friend was different...than comforting someones mother who has lost both her children....when Theo could have tried harder to prevent it...What if he had been there the time Shizuka was stabbed in a fit of panic? What if he had been there to save Masae...from doing what she did to Mizuiro...she had willingly killed him but...what if he would have been there to prevent it?

Theo was clueless on how to comfort a grieving mother aside from just...being there? Physically being there...even if she couldn’t see him..maybe just the fact of someone just being there helped? No why would he help...there was nothing for him to even do to help after he was the one who ran all this way just to break her heart by telling her that her other daughter had passed away...

“I-I...I-I wan’t t-to bring her b-back...f-for you...I r-really..d-do...”

He wanted to bring Shizuka back...but Shizuka...would be be much harder since she didn't have the up link rooms like Masae did...It was possible...he could do it if....if only...Hitomi would be patient with him...he was only a simple writer but...its possible to learn something as complex as programming and coding...

“I-I-I...”

He was stuck with his words again, this time he wanted to say something on a more...positive note but it was still saddening...

“W-Would you a-allow me t-to...t-take the d-data that was in t-the location...w-we were held...t-that belongs t-to Masae...I-I c-can...a-and w-want to...b-bring her b-back...d-digitally...”

Theo was now just...rambling...now...he wanted to help but what if this didn’t? What if this wasn’t enough? If he was successful in his plans...well..he really would be able to bring her daughter back...not physically but...she would be able to talk to her...and hear her...it would still be her but...it wouldn’t be the same...

“I-Im sorry...I-I wish...I c-could bring...M-Masae here p-physically but...I-I can’t...No matter how m-much I would like to...”

[rincorperated]

I'm Sorry || Theo || Hitomi

[masae-atoshi]

Hitomi was thinking about what he said earlier, all the while she tried to keep her breathing steady

“Shizuka’s belongings? N-Not only Masae’s? This is.. great… I will have something… I…”

She plastered on a wide smile as she felt for the cabinet handle, where she kept the tea (not that Theo could really see her unless he decided to stand right next to her to look at her face (she was facing away from the entrance to the kitchen after all)). She heard Theo walk in, which caused her to stop in her tracks and instead start boiling the water. Her hands were shaking- then they weren’t. They went on and off like this as she fumbled for the cabinet handle again.

“All of Masae’s things… her cubes… I can.. maybe I can try to learn it… like she did… maybe I’ll… p-pick up poetry… Yeah… I can do that…”

Theo was speaking again, and Hitomi gladly listened to his soothing voice. She really didn’t mind his presence at all. It had been a horrible silence keeping her company for the past few weeks in her home.

“I-It’s no problem… at… all… Grey-san… A-Any company is… welcome here, really. Please don’t apologize for… for…”

She placed her hand on the edge of one of the boxes of teabags in the cupboard, not realizing how reckless she was being as she searched for the teas. The box fell, bringing on a few others with it, landing on Hitomi’s face before tumbling down to the floor. 

The woman placed her hands on the counter gently, lowering her head, before curling her fingers into fists. Her breathing was heavy; it was clear she needed a moment to recollect her thoughts.

“M…My apologies…”

She knelt down, feeling for the boxes, realizing that some teabags were strewn all over the floor. Her hands shook.

“You’re… fine, this is okay… it’s okay, Masae will-”

Oh, but she knew all too well that Masae wouldn’t. Her eyes teared up for a moment, as she placed her hand over her mouth. She didn’t hear Theo come over before she let out a pained, quiet cry.

“Sh-She’s gone…”

The sound of a broken mother and a woman who forgot how it’s like to be a wife came out of the throat of Hitomi. She clutched her stomach as she continued to cover her mouth, trembling amongst the fallen tea bags and paper bags full of loose tea leaves.

“n-no…”

She closed her eyes and that’s when the tears began to fall. It had finally hit her. It didn’t take her as long as it took with Shizuka, but she hadn’t realized how alone she was going to be until it came to her that… no one would be there to clean up the tea with her.

“w-wake me up, please… please…”

Her words were broken as her sobs racked her body gently.

“this i-is.. isn’t… th.. this isn’t r-real… n-no it c..can’t be… no…”

She shook her head violently, trying to breath but it felt as if the pressure of the heavens above were collapsing her chest. Her daughter was gone. Really gone. Masae. Shizuka. Gone. Just like Nobuyuki… and Hisoka…

“I… I…”

She couldn’t speak anymore. It was hitting her too hard, too quickly. She could only sit there on the kitchen floor, trembling. Her eyes stared out in the distance in front of her, blank… empty…

alone.

alone. forever. there’s no one else left for her…. she knew this all too well…

[romance-editore]

Theo wasn’t sure what was going on in Hitomis head..but..he was going to be there for her? Or so he would hope. He wasn’t even...really anyone important but he still felt the need to try and assist her in any way possible. So he followed her carefully to the kitchen..

Theo quickly went over to her when she started to dig for the tea bags after starting the water...he watched as they tumbled down and he picked them up carefully. Placing them back on the shelf in the cabinet alongside her...before he could hear her let out a weak cry...and he knealt down..what was he to do? How was he to help?

It wasn’t going to be alright and he knew it...no matter how hard he tried? It wasn’t going to help.

He placed a hand on her back...before pulling it away...gently picking up the remaining tea leafs in his hands...he shouldn’t be here...but he wanted to be here to help her.

He didn’t belong here though.

No matter how much he wanted to speak the words were stuck in the back of his thorat. There was nothing he could say that wuld help her? Im sorry for your loss? No that wasn’t even close to what he wanted to say...but what he wanted to say was stuck.

He sat there on his knees frozen in place as Hitomi cried...he wanted to comfort her...but how? How do you comfort someone anymore with the amount of death you have seen? 

He gently hugged her though...maybe a hug was something enough to convy the message of...”Im still here despite you not even knowing me”

What is it like to be Human anymore? 

[rincorperated]

I'm Sorry || Theo || Hitomi

[masae-atoshi]

She made her way to the couch after closing the door, hearing Theo flicking on the light switches. Her hands were shaking as she found a place on the couch and turned to face where she thought Theo may sit. Putting her white cane against the table, she sat up straight, awaiting this… news…

“It has to be something good, it can’t be that, why wasn’t I notified sooner, why isn’t the police here, I-I mean…”

Her palms were starting to sweat yet again, and she found it harder and harder to wipe them on her knees.

“It is odd for you to be here but i-if nothing happened then it isn’t a problem but…”

She heard something being placed on the ground, sort of like a bag with various items in it, however she didn’t question that. She just listened carefully to Theo. On the outside, she somehow managed to remain calm, however inside, it felt as if her lungs were being crushed by the pressure of the ocean. It only made it worse when he mentioned Masae’s bag, but no Masae.

“….h-he’s just stalling…”

His voice was clearly shaking, this much she could hear. But her heart was beating so loud she could hear it in her head. Perhaps this was all a really bad joke with horrible timing for effect. Masae was right in the room, waiting quietly to surprise her mother. She had to be. Masae would do something like that.

<< M-Masae..s-she…p-passed away >>

The rest of Theo’s words became an audio blur in the thin air between them. She couldn’t get past the first four words of his sentence. Holding her breath, Hitomi stared blankly in front of her, looking far off into space more than she already had before.

“she….”

There was mention of Shizuka… and belongings. That much she could make out in the mumbled words that were floating in front of her. She had to say something. She didn’t hear any more words coming from him. The tear that fell onto the side of her hand finally caused her to blink, and gently wipe away the tears. Her head was bowed slightly.

“H-Her… belongings? Is… that the bag… that you…”

She paused, trying to get rid of the shakiness in her breath.

“placed.. on the floor? That’s… th-that’s kind… of you… Thank you, Grey-san…”

She cleared her throat, wiping her face again. The inside of her mouth felt sticky, as if every word she tried to say just got stuck and wouldn’t come out. It felt gross. She cleared her throat once again, before putting on a sweet smile.

“Would you… like some tea? I can make you some. Although, it would be wiser for you to pour your own water, however, I may do so if you wish.”

It seemed that she was completely ignoring any information Theo told her about Masae’s death. She stood, smiling even wider than before.

“A-Actually, I! i-insist! Please, Grey-san, f…follow me to the kitchen… I shall make you some t..tea for… coming over so kindly at this late hour to bring… M… belongings back to me!”

She turned, looking for her white cane, and not even taking a second to wait for Theo. She had walked into the kitchen without another word, and by the time Theo may have followed her, she was already starting to boil water.

[romance-editore]

Theo still had a lump in his throat...he came all this way to relay this message and do what was asked of him not so long ago...he made a promise..he told Masae he would make sure her mother would know what happend...but did she deserve the brutal details? He didn’t think so...he promised Masae he would tell her what happend...but...not in detail...she didn’t need to know that...

After muttering what he had to do after...stalling and taking way to much of Hitomis time in relaying this message...but it was absoletyly nessasry for him to tell her what he had...Theo looked down at Masaes bag after he had spoken....balling his fists hard enough to almost draw blood....

Theo saw her unblinking... he wasn’t blinking much himself as he looked up at her...he felt his stomach twisting into knots...this wasn’t right...but at the same time he did want to be the one she heard it from...how bad would of it been for the authorites to tell her? They didn’t know Masae..They wouldn’t have been able to give what Masae had asked...

His voice was still...small and shaking as he replied once more...

“Y-Yes...I have...her bag...and inside it is a couple o-other things....t-that as well belong t-to you...t-that belonged to S-Shizuka...t-that never were...g-given back...”

Theo closed his eyes...and the image of the bracelets came back to his mind..and Shizuka wearing them...he always thought those bracelets had been beautifully made honestly...and seeing them again really reminded him of her...but it was a pleasant memory...

What came next was unexpected though...Theo could tell that Hitomi was trying her best to...push through this news but...he wasn’t expecting her to offer tea or anything...but if she was wanting to make tea...he wasn’t going to hold her back from that...if anything he would help her...

“I-I can help you....”

He quietly spoke up before getting off the couch and following behind her...she had insisted he would help and he really wasn’t against that..if anything he was here to make sure she was alright ontop of being here with the news...its what...Masae would have wanted...along with Shizuka...right? He wasn’t trying to be a hero...or some savior...he was just trying to be...a good friend...

“It was...r-really no trouble...I-I really don’t...m-mind coming t-this f-far...I d-do...a-appologize for...c-coming so l-late....”

He.. felt awful that there was a chance she was already resting before he had arrived...it was rather late after all..but..he felt it was better to tell her the moment he got out of that prison...than sit and think about it any longer...

[rincorperated]

I'm Sorry || Theo || Hitomi

[masae-atoshi]

Hitomi listened carefully to the unfamiliar voice. It was rather difficult to understand him at first, although she leaned in closer, her blank eyes staring elsewhere, to make sure she was picking up his words, and not the sounds from outside.

The name Theodore Grey rang a bell however…

“Isn’t… he… the one who survived that…”

She turned her head towards the noise, to show that she was still listening. It seems he was having difficulty speaking. This made Hitomi’s hands sweat. She gently wiped her right palm on her pants as the silence only grew louder with every moment he chose to pause. and then…

“M-Masae…?”

The name of her daughter, the one who she prayed for weeks to come back home, was suddenly mentioned, and by the sound of his words, it wasn’t going to be good news. Her hands began to shake, and she found her throat dry.

She wasn’t someone who let in anybody into her home, especially when she was the only one there… however… he seemed familiar.. and he knew something. Gripping the door just a little tighter, Hitomi found her breath again.

“A-Ah, um.. Masae… she… she’s my daughter… is.. i-is everything okay? I… How did you know my name..? And where t-to find me? …although…I… I think I recognize your name, Grey-san…”

She paused, stepping to the side and opening the door a bit further.

“If you… would like… you may come in. We can..”

They simple fact that she was letting him inside made her nervous. This shouldn’t be happening. If this man knew where Masae was, and what happened to her, then why wasn’t she with him? Was she somewhere safe? Was she in the hospital? Did something happen to her while she was there? When would she come back so Hitomi could finally hold her in her arms again?

When?

“We can sit… o-on the couch in the living room…”

She pointed in the general direction into the home, which had all of its lights turned off, and the couch she must’ve been referring to was there, in the darkness.

[romance-editore]

Theo had tried his best to speak smoothly and calmly so that Hitomi could understand him. It may have been hard from how nervous and upset he was at this point. He hadn’t even taken a day to calm down before rushing to Hitomi he had went straight there after R Incorperated finally opened its doors to release him along with the other survivors...but were they even survivors? They were victims of a mass murder for the second time in a row...they just had that off chance of actually...having to walk around with that on their shoulders.

They could have saved them...

He could have saved them.

Theo could hear the sudden change in her voice when she spoke her daughters name but it was to be expected.

“Y-Yes...M-Miss Masae...“

He nodded to himself...he was having difficulties breathing at this point..he was already having his heart pound a million miles per moment.

As Hitomi spoke again..Theo was having trouble forming words again until she mentioned coming into the house...it would be better after all for her to hear this news when she was sitting he felt...

“Y-Yeah...m-may I come in and sit down....? I feel it might be a bit easier and its g-getting rather windy...”

Theo walked in behind Hitomi...gently turning the lights on so that he could watch where he was going and to as well make sure Hitomi would safely make it to a place to sit despite his knowledge of knowing she was used to her disability it still didn’t make him worry any less. 

Theo then sat down...before...quietly addressing her earlier question once she was sitting down herself.

“I-I....know its o-odd for me t-to be here...b-but....

He held the handle of Masaes bag tightly once more...before placing it on the ground and letting go of the strap...

“I found your a-address in your...d-daughters...p-phone after s-searching....M-Masae...”

Theos voice was shaking at this point and it took all his strength at this point to spit out what he needed to...

“M-Masae..s-she...p-passed away...i-in another..massacure..just like S-Shizuka....I...I did all I could t-to protect her...b-but it...w-wasn’t e-enough...I-Im...I-Im sorry...s-she wanted me t-to...g-give you...her b-belongings...“

Theo was trying his best to keep his emotions in check but it was getting hard having to tell the mother of two of his closest friends that her daughter had passed away

[rincorperated]

Once again, there are so many people (even more than last time!) to thank for making this game the best it can be. Everything is under the cut because this is a very very long list!

Keep reading

[rincorperated]

the sun won't rise | umi sakakibara

[shslacrobat]

Umi kept her gaze firm on the tall man that approached her. Working as a nurse, she knew all too well the look on his face. The remorse, guilt, hesitance, of someone being forced to tell another that their loved one died. The minute this Theodore spoke, she knew the answer, but she stayed silent as he worked the words out.

“… An accident?” she echoed monotonously. “He was murdered, wasn’t he? That’s not an accident. Which one of you did it? Or are they dead, too?”

She wanted them to be alive so she could find them. Umi wanted to close her hands around their throat and stand and watch as they died, as they suffered, as they begged for life. Whoever killed her little brother deserved nothing but pain.

“Did he suffer? My brother. Do you think he knew he was going to die?” She felt bad, a little, drilling all of these questions on this obviously uncomfortable boy – clearly Ryuu had meant something to him, or else he wouldn’t have spoken to her. “… Are you his friend?”

[romance-editore]

Theo could see the worry but calmness in the other girls eyes, it hurt him to see someone who looked simular to Ryuu...to be in pain... but he spoke up after she asked a question..

“H-he was...m-murdered...a-and h-his killer...i-is as well d-dead...a-after killing one other a-alonside R-Ryuu...”

Theo wasn’t sure what else to say aside from what had happend in detail, and no one really wanted that so he kept the information to himself. He would be hesistant to begin with if she even asked him to share that.

“I d-don’t t-think he did...h-he seemed a-at peace w-when he passed b-but...t-there was a g-girl...w-who he had f-fallen for...s-shortly b-before he d-died...a-and...I was h-his friend...we were close a-and I tried to keep him safe just like he did for me..”

Theo could talk about the countless times Ryuu had saved his ass from hurting himself..hell he had helped him when he cut himself pretty badly after all....

[rincorperated]

I'm Sorry || Theo || Hitomi

[masae-atoshi]

Hitomi had been sipping tea that evening. One of her friends had just left an hour ago, and she had stopped crying only 30 minutes later. Her shaky hands picked up the tea cup and slowly brought it up to her lips, before placing it back down on the table in front of her. Her friend told her the sun was going to set soon when she left- so by now, it just must’ve been getting dark.

The silence of the house shook her soul. It had been… no… she couldn’t think about that. This was all a nightmare. She had to wake up soon. The deafening silence would soon turn into laughter and the sound of food being prepared by her youngest daughter… the sound of rubik’s cubes and sounds of thought as she worked over another jigsaw puzzle would fill the house again… soon.. soon… any moment now, she would come running to that door, apologizing for being home late again, because Hanako had showed her a new video game and she loved it too much. Right, she must be at Hanako’s now, and soon she’ll come knocking on the do-

knock knock

The woman’s head turned towards the door, her breath halting. She never got visitors at this hour, especially not before a warning call, or…

She gulped, feeling around the sofa for her white cane- something that she has had to use more often, recently- before standing and making her way to the front door.

She looked for the handle almost frantically, hoping that whoever was on the other side would be someone who she was desperate to see. It had to be, it’s been so long, it had to-

Once she finally got the door open, she was met with nothing but silence. No running hugs, no calls for her, no… nothing… Hitomi gulped, blinking a few times before calling out, leaning slightly onto the open door.

“G-Good… evening… er,”

She paused, clearing her throat.

“H-Hello…? May I… know who you are and… why you’re here…?”

[romance-editore]

It was hard to just stand there and wait for their mother to open the door...he had never spoken nor met the woman before...and with what he had to tell her...it wasn’t any easier for himself. His stomach was doing flips and his heart was racing faster than normal from both running and anxiety. When the door crept open Theo looked at the young woman....freezing in his words before speaking after she began to speak...

He blinked a couple times nervously before responding...

“G-Good...E-Evening...Ms.Atoshi...I-Im....T-Theodore Grey...a-and im h-here...b-because....”

The lump in his throat grew before he spoke moments after his last pause.

“I-Im here....b-because something has h-happend to M-Masae...”

The same boy who watched her first daughter die was about to have to tell her that he watched her other daughter die as well...

Theo gripped onto Masaes bag with shaking hands...and let out a held in breath.

[rincorperated]

the sun won't rise | umi sakakibara

She had known, from the very beginning, that it was a bad idea to let him go. Her stupid little brother, always getting himself in trouble, and never thinking things through. Why would anyone accept an invitation to this massive company that no one had heard of? Something was clearly up, so who, in their right mind…?

Umi stood by as the doors finally opened, watching intently as one, two… six people came out. Six, out of the many that she knew had been invited. The two girls Ryuu told her about – the hyper, short one, and the apathetic girl wearing pink, were nowhere to be found, and she was not so naive as to believe they were simply lagging behind.

The woman glanced down to her phone, at the last message she had received from her brother.

[haha of course i’ll be careful! i’ll keep you up to date, but for now i’m gonna look around. love you, sis!]

Careful…

Haha. What even was careful to Ryuunosuke? It was a wonder he hadn’t broken any or all of his bones with all the time he spends in the air.

Are you telling jokes to yourself to calm your nerves, Umi? Rather than stand there like the useless sister you are, you should ask someone. Anything. Anyone. Where is my little brother? What did you do to my brother? Where is he? Where is Ryuu? What happened to Ryuu? Who took him away from me?!

“Um, hey,” she called out to the nearest person, not bothering to ease the severe frown on her face. “… Where is my brother? Ryuunosuke-kun. Where?”

[romance-editore]

As Theo exited the building, on his way to find Masae and Shizukas mother... there were so many unfamilar faces calling out...Theo was drawn to one of them though once he heard the name ‘Ryuunosuke’. His stomach did a backflip...

Theo made his way over to the troubled looking girl...and sadly spoke up...

“R-Ryuunosuke....H-He...”

Theo sighed and looked at the girl with pain in his eyes

“My n-name...i-is T-Theodore Grey...a-and I couldn’t stop this f-from happening again....R-Ryuunosuke...w-was killed....because of an accident....I-Im....I-Im so s-sorry....”

Theo...was frozen in place as he looked away from the girl...balling his fist that was holding Masaes bag.

[rincorperated]

The Beginning of  The End

That was it then. Conor - An - had done it; he had trapped you all in, had been the cause of all this torment and strife for so long. And he paid for it. H.A.R.I had slowly slid from her seat, at some point during all that… and the ding of the elevator sounded her return, approaching with the laptop from the sixth floor and placing it down

“.. I can’t do anything here. One of you needs to be the one to open the building back up. I’m sorry I ended this without doing anything for you.”

One of you moved from your seats, slowly sliding over and accessing R Inc and the password prompt was easily answered.

A-I-Z-A-W-A Access Granted

The floor above had an audible whirr of the main entrance opening back up, and the six remaining visitors wandered into the elevator. The animatronic quickly lead the group to the door and bit her lip.

“R Incorperated now knows of the building being opened back up. They should be around soon to take you all back to your homes, and... If you wish to report them to the authorities, I know everyone will understand. Please though... In honour of those who have fallen...”

H.A.R.I looked towards the group with a strained smile, water-like liquid beading at the corners of her eyes.

“We apologize for your time at R Incorperated. We... The Lumens. Wished that we could’ve done more to stop this from happening. There is so much we wish we had or hadn’t done. In the end...”

H.A.R.I shook her head, looking up towards the second floor then back at the group as she walked away from the door.

“... Every action, in both games. The Lumens truthfully regret, and deeply wish to redeem themselves over it, however intent does not excuse actions.”

The animatronic bowed once more, standing up with a small, warmer smile

“This building will remain, the uplinks, and the digitization of the fallen will be here, even after we close down.... it likely will once the fact this was a front for a group deemed a terrorist organization is spread. We apologize once more.”

With a quick fist hovering over her chest, the animatronic quickly darted to the elevator and pressed one of the buttons, and the sound of cars arriving sounded, signalling the vehicles to bring them away.

Above you, with an audible CLUNK, the beacon at the top of the Lighthouse that housed your fear for the last while turned on, light slowly beginning to turn even through the cloudy day. It was hard to see, but the spinning of the lighthouse… The meaning seemed clear. 

A new light, a new beginning. An attempt at reviving that spark within you that seemed to fade with every passing day within those walls, from H.A.R.I., home, family, loved ones. After so much blood, death, and agony. It was… an odd light in the darkness. The end of the second game, and… from the sounds of it, the final one.

…. You sure hoped it was the last.

[rincorperated]

Keep reading

[rincorperated]

Majority Reached

“6/7 votes for Anguo Lee as the murderer of Yuu Nettle and N.O.T.O.Y.O….as well as… being the mastermind…”

“Which is… correct. Conor Breagadoir, also known as Anguo Lee, had killed the ex-tosser and… .N.O.T.O.Y.O…. and was the one who was behind all of this…”

Thanks H.A.R.I., but didn’t you see that whole epic reveal? no? ok…

“The execution will begin shortly… Anguo Lee, if you have anything else to say… now would be the time to do so…”

[rincorperated]

For the Want of a Sister

An paused for a moment, thinking.  

“Well, no…that’s not entirely true.  That’s all there is to the physical part of this murder.  There was more of a reasoning behind killing Yuu.  And that, is due to the loss of a sister, and our subsequent, different, courses of action. Some quick background information necessary to this: Ai did not grow up with my family; she disappeared during a trip to Japan, when I was twelve and she was six.  When she went missing, I assumed she had been put up for adoption, so I put her out of my mind.  Subsequently, my family became heavily involved in the criminal art of bank heists, of which I was involved.  I was the one in charge of disguises.”  

He glanced over at the wig and prosthetic limbs on the table.  

“Really shows, huh?

Anyway, fast forward about ten years…or move backwards two years from now.  I happen to pick up a copy of the magazine Yansin Beki at a news stand, and recognize my sister as the photographer.  Shocked that I’ve found her, I decide to go over to Japan to seek her out, and make amends.   Had I realized that she had not been given up for adoption, I would’ve made sure we had looked for her…and, to apologize for failing to support her, as an older brother should.  So, I travel to Japan under the name Conor Breagadoir, an alias I’ve been using for some time.  It was easy enough to adapt him into the SHSL Hurler, for finding her at Hope’s Peak.   Before I can even get close to Hope’s Peak, however, I’m kidnapped by a mysterious group, and tortured for seemingly no reason.  This group is, of course, the ones you know as the Inquisitores Lumine.  Starved, beaten, bruised until I could no longer recognize my face in the mirror…and to top it all off,  I’m shown a video of my sister’s execution.  Once I was in stable enough condition to learn what had happened, I learned that the Inquisitores were behind my kidnapping, and my sister’s death.  Naturally, I would want to seek revenge on them, right?  I would want to bring them down in any way I could.  And, being involved in several international crimes, I definitely had a way.

Now, you might be asking now, ‘Why didn’t you just contact the Beacons?’   Well, I did.  About a year and three months ago, I contacted them from Russia.  Speaking with Hiroki Tachibana, I learned…only that the Beacons were loath to disclose information on the Inquisitores that they may or may not have had.  Since I already had contacts of my own, that could guarantee me information on this terrorist group, I decided not to pursue the Beacons as an information source, or aid source.

Anyways, I gathered together a team.  All people I knew from past…endeavors.  I sought a solid lead on the Inquisitores, and, a few months ago, I found it.  R Incorperated.  It seemed suspicious how quickly it had sprung up, so I sent someone to investigate it; all it took was an employee mumbling about how they were working for 'children deemed a terrorist group,’ or something like that, and we all knew what it was.  The reason I decided on a killing game here?  To given them a taste of their own medicine.  If this were still a group operating under the name Yukika Kai gave it, the name that still carried with it her ideals, it needed to be shown that her actions were wrong.   You all were selected randomly, from a list.  As for myself, as Conor Breagadoir still?  First of all, Hope’s Peak likely would’ve been suspicious of a twenty-five-year-old walking around on the premises, regardless of my actual intent.  Second, it might have been too obvious if I entered the game as myself, so I took on a less conspicuous guise.  Which, in hindsight, may have worked a little too well.”

Taking a deep breath, An looked down at the table, then looked over to Yuu’s portrait.  

“As for him?  He was also a torture victim, though for a far shorter time.  His sister was also killed by the Inquisitores, but what does he do?  He joins them.  Aids them, even.  I can’t understand why he would do such a thing, even now.  Not that it’s been very long, but that’s what led to my being emotional enough to beat him with my prosthetic arm, rather than just stab him with the knife, rationally.”

He looked out at everyone else who remained.  

“That’s all there is to this murder, now.  It’s all on the table.”

[rincorperated]

The Tosser Was Lost

“Before I get started, I feel something needs to be clarified.”  

He gestured to the prosthetic arm, then picked it up, brandishing it.  

“This was the murder weapon you all sought, the weapon used to kill Nettle.  I caught him looking through my desk, muttering how he knew that joining the Inquisitores would bite him in the ass one day.  Kh.  If he was right about anything, it was that.  Anyway, I dropped the weapon I was carrying in shock, then unlatched my prosthetic arm and, well…went at it.  That bruise on his face came from hitting the desk before landing on the floor.  He tried to lift himself up a couple of times, but he stopped after a blow to the back of the neck.   So, no, he wasn’t killed from hitting his head on the desk, as you all assumed. Naturally, I was a little horrified once I realized what had happened, but there was nothing I could really do.   Dead is dead, after all; nothing can be done after that.”

"I might’ve done more at the crime scene, but then N.O.T.O.Y.O. showed up.  Taunted me about how she apparently couldn’t wait to see me executed.  I mentioned how I brought a weapon up; that was for the robots. They knew…a little too much about my operations here, so, if they posed a threat, I intended to…well, you saw what happened to her.  I took off these prosthetics, picked up the kitchen knife, and stabbed her.  Right where her power source was.  Hence this…lovely little burn here," 

he said, folding down his collar, and revealing a raw line of skin on his neck, about the same shape and size of the wire Makoto had found.  

"After that, I dismantled her, and made sure she couldn’t be put back together.  Then, I scattered the evidence.  That’s all there is to this murder.”

[rincorperated]

The Tosser Was Lost

“Before I get started, I feel something needs to be clarified.”  

He gestured to the prosthetic arm, then picked it up, brandishing it.  

“This was the murder weapon you all sought, the weapon used to kill Nettle.  I caught him looking through my desk, muttering how he knew that joining the Inquisitores would bite him in the ass one day.  Kh.  If he was right about anything, it was that.  Anyway, I dropped the weapon I was carrying in shock, then unlatched my prosthetic arm and, well…went at it.  That bruise on his face came from hitting the desk before landing on the floor.  He tried to lift himself up a couple of times, but he stopped after a blow to the back of the neck.   So, no, he wasn’t killed from hitting his head on the desk, as you all assumed. Naturally, I was a little horrified once I realized what had happened, but there was nothing I could really do.   Dead is dead, after all; nothing can be done after that.”

"I might’ve done more at the crime scene, but then N.O.T.O.Y.O. showed up.  Taunted me about how she apparently couldn’t wait to see me executed.  I mentioned how I brought a weapon up; that was for the robots. They knew…a little too much about my operations here, so, if they posed a threat, I intended to…well, you saw what happened to her.  I took off these prosthetics, picked up the kitchen knife, and stabbed her.  Right where her power source was.  Hence this…lovely little burn here," 

he said, folding down his collar, and revealing a raw line of skin on his neck, about the same shape and size of the wire Makoto had found.  

"After that, I dismantled her, and made sure she couldn’t be put back together.  Then, I scattered the evidence.  That’s all there is to this murder.”

[shslartisticmemes]

Theo c a n’ t b e f r e e d

[rincorperated]

Conor Bregadoir, SHSL Hurler 

Anguo Lee has revealed himself as the Mastermind.