checkmate

"enjoy, endure, survive each moment as it comes to you in its proper sequence -- a surprise.” yoshimasa oukawa, shsl ??? affiliated with headlock despair { Status: Alive }

[headlockdespair-blog]

I Didn't Want To Do This! || Umi || Closed for Ryan + Yoshimasa

The scrape on her knee ached and stung, but there wasn’t much she could do about it at the time. The pain in her stomach was much stronger than the one on her legs, she never once took a bite of food while she was here and now it was starting to take its toll; even if she wanted to take care of her pathetic injury, she…honestly knew nothing about treating cuts or scrapes. With that, she just left it out in the open for all to see- not that it was anything to really get worked up over, of course. Fresh air would be good for it…right?

Limping to the kitchen, she looked around to make sure no one was around while she was trying to cook. Nearly everyone here was trying to scare her for some reason- especially that Ryan kid! They had no chill whatsoever…sneaking behind her and scaring her when they were in a situation like this- it was just cruel! Umi let out a huff of annoyance before walking over to the nearest cabinet, grabbing the ingredients to make…something. She never really learnt how to cook anything more than instant noodles, but that wouldn’t really fill her up enough…so she had to actually attempt to make something and make it edible. Walking over to the stove with her ingredients, she preheated the stove and placed a pot and pan on the burners. (Boy, wouldn’t it suck if a cougar was suddenly released? Or if there was cyanide inside the burner? Yeah, that would suck.)

She filled the pot up with water, using a cup to bring it from the sink to the stove; she left it to boil as she chopped up some veggies. They…didn’t look the best, but she would take whatever she could get, even if they were cut unevenly and a bit soft. Once she was done with that, she added a bit of cooking oil to the pain and tossed the vegetable inside as well. So far…everything was going just fine! It was surprising, to say the least…but not a bad surprise! A small smile replaced the frown she often wore as she added the noodles to the boiling water, suddenly looking down and thinking about things that no longer mattered. For example, her mind drifted off to the very few memories she had with her now dead friends. Sure, she had Yoshimasa with her now (who was…not really her friend, though they did something for her years ago, something she could never repay them for,) but everyone else was…presumed dead.

{ Good things you don’t plan to make anymore friends, huh? Even when you make some they all die. }

Shaking the negative thoughts out of her head, she did her best to focus solely on her creation- wait…

The smell of smoke filled her lungs as she looked up from the ground, feeling the scorching heat of not only the pan…but also a fire. Guess things were just too good for too long, since now it was all ruined and there was a fire. Fidgeting nervously, Umi backed away slowly and did nothing but stare at the growing flames. H…how was she supposed to put this out!? Would water work? No…she heard that it wouldn’t…so then what would?

Instead of finding out, she stood there and screamed out for help. Nice one.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEK!!! H-HELP! SOMEONE HELP M-ME…! F…FIRE! THERE’S A…A…A FIRE!”

Thanks, Umi!

[abaskervillehound]

Ryan Baskerville was not much of a person to know how to save people, but when there’s danger… they’re normally either the cause of it, or around the area at least. Not that it’s intentional of course, especially in this situation.  It’s not like they’re an arsonist! That’s always an option though, so that’s that.

They were walking around the place in a lax manner, aiming to go ahead and pass the time that they had for a bit longer… oh, hey! Something smells funky! Wow! It seems like something that they should approach, of course! This logic is obviously flawless after all. (Not really.)

"…Hmm."

Annnd then there was a scream. That was enough to go ahead and make them walk on over to where the kitchen was, casually opening the door with a push. 

…Oh, it was this girl! Yes… this girl that liked the bird puns. That reminded them of something…

"Heeeeey! Did you stop drop and roll yet? Or are you going to stand there and do nothing? Wouldn’t want you to go ahead and get burned, y’know. Wouldn’t that be CAWful?"

You’re not helping, Ryan.

[shslconundrum]

Catching a whiff of smoke, Yoshimasa scrunched up their face. Were they imagining that? They tried to find the source but was having some difficulty since they were already unsure of its existence. Nevertheless, they continued down the hall in the way they were walking anyway, hoping the scent would go stronger.

Hopefully they wouldn't have any negative consequences from trying to investigate this.

The scream did not help matters either. Quickly picking up on its owner (much quicker than they were able to detect the smoke), Yoshimasa's eyes grew wide. A faint image of a familiar face popped up in their mind, and they were quick to start dashing... only to realize and remember that they had difficulty running. Nice.

Feeling pain shoot through their leg, they decided to instead speed-walk their way, hurrying as much as they could. Cursing their predicament under their breath, they winced slightly as they attempted to push themself to limit and drag themself into where all the commotion was: the kitchen.

"Gah... Is... Is everything alright here?!"

They halted at the entrance, leaning over a bit and taking a bit to catch their breath after making their exclamation. When they raised their head to see what was before them, they let out a surprised yelp.

"Agh..!! H-How did this even happen?! Is there a fire extinguisher around here? Oh Gods... What in the blazes...?!"

[headlockdespair-blog]

four letter words || yoshimasa || (ab)normal days || [re: event]

Sick.

When the word stuck out in their mind, they recalled simply staying in bed and calling in sick later. They remembered getting a visit sometimes by their best friend just to check up on them. They remembered occasionally toughing it out and attending school anyway but wearing a mask over their mouth to avoid spreading whatever was plaguing them at that very moment.

They could not say they particularly thought of being desperate for the cure. Of course, they would think it over and hope for their illness to be swept away as soon as possible, but to actively get rid of it through something other than medicine? That was a new tactic.

Furthermore, to stain their own hands to retrieve it was such a desperate maneuver that they were stunned by what was even being proposed to them. What was supposed to be a briefing over their state spiraled into… admittedly still a briefing over their current state right now but it held so much more significance now than initially predicted.

「 This would fit you perfectly, right? 」

Huh…? Did they just think that? Covering their mouth, Yoshimasa bit their lower lip as they tensed up. That thought would not be deadly if said aloud, but it would certainly be… strange. Trying to recall the last few moments, they hoped that their suspicion had been right. No, they tried to convince themself that it had been right. They had not said that— they did not! They did not they did not they did not they did NOT!

Clutching their head, they winced. This was not the kinds of thoughts they wanted to have. Not now. Not ever. They dropped to their knees, hunching over a bit as their hands reached for the sides of their head as if a terrible ringing noise was permeating their brain at this very moment.

They would not cry, but this influx of new information and things to adapt to were flooding into their head at an alarming rate. How could they make smart (though most likely risky) maneuvers if they could not even get much of a grip on the current situation before a new aspect was thrown their way? How could they manage? Suddenly, they were starting to miss home, even if it wasn’t the most inviting place…

"Hng.."

[headlockdespair-blog]

Don't give up! || Umi || Closed for Yoshimasa

[shslpinksatin-blog]

A lack of interaction with people really hindered Umi throughout her life. Whether someone was being sarcastic or completely serious just flew right over her head- and this situation was no different. Presumably the thank you she received was completely serious, there were always times when people would sound serious and then laugh when she was completely off. Hopefully he meant it and wasn’t just trying to get a good laugh from her confusion…

"It’s uh…you’re welcome…! And…Thank you…I’ll uh…try my best to smile t-though that…seems like it’ll be a hard task…The same goes for you- even if you’re doing fine I uh…heck…I’m glad y-you’re doing alright, anyw-way…"

She looked down at her feet and played around with her fingers, mentally scolding herself for the mess she made while speaking. Why couldn’t she make any sense while speaking? This…just wasn’t going well. Maybe she would be able to ask her question without much hinderance.

"U-uh um…I…W-well you see…Um…Gosh…I don’t…I c-can’t say it aaah…"

So much for that, Umi. She continued to sputter and play around with her fingers, trying her hardest to spit out the question she’s had for so many years. Her face grew redder with each word she stuttered until finally…she raised her voice. 

"W-why did you save me f-from that car when we were younger…!? I’m not- I’m not angry I’m s-sorry for my outburst but…I just w-want to know why you did that…If um…you’re okay with telling me, anyway…If not t-then it’s okay…!"

Thanks, Umi.

[shslconundrum]

He didn't bother replying to her wish for him to smile as well verbally, but he simply gave a very slight nod of approval. If she was going to make an effort to be happier, than he wouldn't have to worry too much about doing the same. He assumed it would be enough to see her happy to inspire positive feelings within.

In fact, he would be able to say the same for practically anyone. Just like a yawn, laughter and smiles were contagious. It was the bonds between people that truly made one feel alive and to feel alive was to experience bliss even in the midst of darkness and despair.

At least he assumed as much.

Subconciously leaning in a little bit out of anticipation (though it was barely noticeable and would definitely not be nearly enough distance to cause him to fall face-first into the ground not too soon after waking up), he was startled when she at last cried out her concern.

His eyes opened wide and he stumbled back a bit, almost losing his footing through that process instead. He grasped any nearby hard surface to keep his balance though as he took up some time to formulate a proper answer.

"...Don't worry about it."

A cop-out answer. Nevertheless, he hoped that he didn't sound particularly rude when he said so. To combat this, he decided to expand just in case.

"That's all in the past, right? I did it, and I think my motivations for doing so don't really matter. Just know that I'd do it again if I had to, and I wouldn't regret a second of it. ...Except maybe the painful part, but that's alright."

[headlockdespair-blog]

darkest thoughts || yoshimasa || (ab)normal days || [attn: thalia]

[superdupernecromancer]

"Oh, I’m certainly not out to hurt anyone’s feelings! They’re just so… fragile sometimes, wouldn’t you say? The dead have no such morals- only an endless shroud of mystery that can be solved by one with a certain amount of expertise. I have that expertise, or so I’ve been told, and I aim to achieve the same with the living world, one day, so that perhaps all the mysteries of life can be revealed to me.”

…Well, same. Perhaps, somewhere in that pointless and rambling speech, she was trying to admit to the fact that she’d made Umi cry earlier.

"Oh. My ads. Yeah… yes, those do lower the mystique a tad… ahuhu. And yet you’d never come in for a consultation? A shame, a shame. Someone like you is bound to be fraught with mystery."

The necromancer laughs lightly, twisting at the rings adorning her thin fingers. She’d have to make a mental note to not advertise so much- but then again, if the world was apparently going to hell, what did it matter?

"Oh, my dear. I am always on the lookout for a sound alliance. After all, with more whom I can trust, I am granted an ever-growing field of understanding. Ahuhu. And of course, you would benefit as well. I am, after all, quite powerful. So, the street runs both ways, as they say… I think."

[shslconundrum]

"Well, I would just say that you do have such expertise. I mean, it's always better to be confident."

Yoshimasa was unsure what compelled him to speak, but his words were blunt and direct nevertheless. It was probably better this way anyway-- the less dilly-dallying, the better.

"I'm... admittedly not much into anything at all. I spend my time just researching things instead. It's part of my... hobby. Sorry but I'm not the most ideal customer."

His pace slowed down as he very hesitantly spoke of himself. It was best to change the topic and leave this one for death. He closes his eyes and exhaled quietly-- so quiet that it was barely noticeable. He crossed his arms and shifted in his conversational topic.

"Trust? You mean more like a partnership or some other bond, right? ...That just happens to have things coincidentally being exchanged yet kept on both sides. At least, you're awfully persistent for what would just be the equivalent of signing a treaty."

"I'll agree. If this 'ever-growing field of understanding' starts finding its way into my past though, I'll ask you to keep quiet and dismiss it all. I think it's better that way for the both of us. Ignorance is bliss, they say and... I'll assume it's right."

[headlockdespair-blog]

Prologue: Andy & the Gentleman Crook | Kotohiki | Closed: Yoshimasa

[shsldeputysheriff]

He isn’t quite sure how long he’s been staring at his companion, looking into the face of someone who doesn’t know that he’s looking back (or maybe he is, are they having a staring contest right now?). When the other withdraws, asking if he was staring for too long, the deputy has half a mind to tell him that he was being terribly rude, but a joke like that wasn’t funny, nor was Kotohiki a particularly skilled comedian.

"Ah, uuhm — it’s fine, really, honestly, it’s …everything is alright!" he says, snapping back to the present. "U-unless it’s not. There isn’t anything on my face, is there?"

He recalls being told that they were perfectly safe, but he didn’t stop in front of a mirror on his way out — for all he knew he might have suffered a few bumps and bruises from being handled by…well, he assumed the guards had something to do with how all of them ended up in their beds!

"Oh, right, she did say that was our objective," he mutters, scratching the back of his head. "That’s a little troubling, though, isn’t it? She made it sound like we were the only people that haven’t been struck by the disease and…that can’t be right, can it? I’m sure it hasn’t spread that far…"

Unless, of course, Momoku was to be believed, and the deputy had no reason to mistrust her. She’d been awfully nice anyhow.

"Well, if we’re going to be seeing each other around often, an introduction is in order, yes?" he says, extending a hand out towards his companion. "My name is Kotohiki Ando. I’m a…or, uh, I guess I was a deputy sheriff. Dunno if I’m going to be much use here, though.”

[shslconundrum]

Being prompted to answer a question reflecting on the other's appearance, Yoshimasa found himself stumbling over his words despite the fact that all he had to do was state a cold hard fact based only on his own perception. There were no penalties to be had with saying the truth here.

"Erm... No? Agh! I mean, there really isn't anything on your face. You're in tip-top condition."

He weakly laughed, trying to use it to cover up his blunder. Laugh a problem off, and it will be as if it never existed. That sounded... ideal. Yoshimasa was further saved from the topic of their 'objective' of sorts, though he personally had difficulty viewed it as such.

After all, to simply live and be healthy was not too much of a ground-breaking goal. Those were noble standards to already meet in one's regular life prior to being alerted of such a grave situation. It was alerting enough to wake up in a shady place without much recollection, but to be knocked out and relocated once again was another story entirely.

"I... can't say I know myself. I wasn't ever in the know of medical things anyway-- not that remembering anything is any easy, heh... But you're probably right. It would be more strange to enter yet another era of the Plague of sorts... but it's sequel. Can illnesses have sequels?"

That was probably a dumb question, but he threw it out there for the sake of conversation and lightening up the mood. You couldn't persecute him for that now, could you?

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ando-san. I'm sure your skills as a deputy sheriff will find their purpose here soon enough. It's all a matter of proper timing and thinking outside the box to use what you've been blessed with to your advantage no matter the situation. Oh... and my name is Yoshimasa Oukawa."

Holding out a gloved hand, he offered it for a handshake.

[headlockdespair-blog]

Don't give up! || Umi || Closed for Yoshimasa

[shslpinksatin-blog]

Blinking a couple of times, she had no idea how to even respond to what she was just told. Trying her best to not frown or seem incredibly annoyed, Umi felt like it was fair to give Yoshimasa a chance- he probably wasn’t that bad…not that she ever payed much attention.

"…Well…I s-suppose that depends on the p-person…Tr-traditions have nev-ver been my thing…I don’t mind letting you inside, I…I trust you…"

She stepped out of the way to give him some room to walk in before closing the door. Though she didn’t want to have it close all the way…she did trust Yoshimasa, but trusted absolutely no one else. What if they walked in and tried to harm the two of them? There was no time to take the risk!

"Um I…S…Sorry I don’t know what else t-to say…I guess I’m not the best a-at speaking to people uh…how are you t-then? Hopefully better than m-myself…"

There were a lot of questions she wanted to ask now. Was Kaneko-kun still alive? Did Yoshimasa know about how he was doing? Maybe she could finally ask about why he did what he did all those years ago…

…Maybe now wasn’t the time to bring it up, though she would mention it at some point. She had no idea why he was here when they were all Hope’s Peak students, but that wasn’t her business. The incident with the car on the other hand was.

"…Can I uh…ask you…a question? I’ve been curious for…quite s-some time…"

[shslconundrum]

To be trusted...

That was a new feeling. It surely was... euphoric at the very least. Similar to a spring breeze, he could appreciate the fresh air after the chilling, painful gusts from the winter before. It really only made him feel more at peace, and he very quietly chuckled to himself-- so quiet that it might as well be nonexistent. Instead, all it was useful for was displaying a toothy grin.

"Thank you."

It was short, but he hoped it showed his gratitude nonetheless. He hopefully didn't need to use some grand display to convey his emotions. Maybe he was not close enough for Umi to pick up on what he meant with his tone and his words, but he could settle enough for gaining her trust. That was already a step up from typical.

"I'm fine. This isn't much, but I hope you'll feel better than I do soon. A smile fits your face better than one stricken with fear... though that pretty much applies to anyone, huh?"

He wasn't sure what he meant by his own words, but some distance was created nevertheless with his last tid-bit. He needed to understand his own limits and follow them. That was only polite.

"Ah...? What do you mean?"

His face grew stern, genuinely curious for her upcoming inquiry. Her expression was not the most delighted one, so he could only fear for the subject manner.

[headlockdespair-blog]

hello, nurse? buh-bye || yoshimasa || (ab)normal days || [attn: natsume]

Yoshimasa felt the need to go around after a while, finally setting themself into a more comfortable ‘zone’ of sorts. They had had a few conversations by now to adjust themselves accordingly to the new people (well… mostly new people) and this new area, but they had yet to really explore they felt.

So, the student had decided it was best to investigate for the more necessary supplies. Satisfied with knowing that there were sleeping conditions already, they paced around the area with a wary look. It might take a while, but this didn’t seem too large a location…

Entering the kitchen, they set aside some time to look around the equipment. They searched at each nook and cranny, barely realizing that another soul might have entered the immediate area. Turning around with two pans in hand, they stared at the other individual before awkwardly smiling and hitting the two pans together to create a large noise.

"Ahaaah… I was hoping that’d be more like a welcoming gong, but… It works as a nice greeting nevertheless, eh?"

[headlockdespair-blog]

darkest thoughts || yoshimasa || (ab)normal days || [attn: thalia]

[superdupernecromancer]

After her talk with Umi, Thalia was tired. Yes, it was back to her dorm she would go, until something else caught her fancy- but what was this? Someone approaching her as she fiddles with her ID card, searching once more for her room assignment?

And again, she finds herself startled by the familiar face- if not the face, the garish tie! The surprise is quickly wiped away by a smile, of course- she’s nothing if not professional. But then, the person surprises her again, stating her name. Things certainly were mysterious!

"I am aware of your name already, Oukawa-san. The darkness… it cloaks you, concealing you from the view of- well, of most with this gift would be able to see nothing, but I am not the so-called ‘Super High School Level’ for nothing! So, yes… I know you. And you know me. How convenient for our new alliance, wouldn’t you say…?”

Leaping into that already? Someone’s eager. Her mouth parts in apparent consideration, or perhaps a return of the surprise she’d shown earlier- but that would be absurd, of course. She was, again, a professional.

"I was not aware there would be anyone here familiar with me. It is quite exciting, would you not say? Ahuhuhu… there is no need to fret. I do not get nervous easily. It would be ill-befitting of one who communes with the dead, would you not agree? Ah… from my town? Perhaps that is why your presence is so… familiar. Ahu.”

I forgot how I was going to end this post. She just needs to chill.

[shslconundrum]

"Eh...?"

The way the necromancer talked was... admittedly a little difficult to digest. He had to brace through it though for the sake of bettering his bonds and understanding others. Something as simple as speech mannerisms being a little far from standard should be no feat that knocked him down considerably.

"Well, I had no intention of hiding that much information. My memory has yet... to come back to me on anything else. I'm sure it's just a side-effect though."

He spoke hesitantly, watching each word he said. He struggled to remember what he had said in the previous conversation. He supposed if Umi was to enter in the conversation, he might be accused of being a liar. As such, he decided to quickly add in:

"...I know a little bit about important people in my past though. That's fine. If you know more about myself than I, I can't say I'd be too surprised, haha! I'd just be a little... concerned as to how you got it, but no feelings hurt here."

He chuckled sheepishly, scratching at the back of his hand after taking off one of his gloves. It was better to do it this way-- feel the individual strands of his hair running through each finger.

"My reasons for knowing you are probably going to sound really boring after this, but... You have a lot of advertisements. It's kind of hard to miss. Well, I don't know if the same applies right now, but that'll be a fun thing to return to one day if we're ever let out of here."

Bringing back up her sly, somewhat subtle proposal earlier, he laughed quietly.

"Though you have me curious. What kind of alliance are you suggesting at? I didn't think there was much we could do here yet that'd lead to needing one."

[headlockdespair-blog]

Don't give up! || Umi || Closed for Yoshimasa

[shslpinksatin-blog]

The last thing Umi expected to hear was a knock on her door, seeing as she knew absolutely no one and was a nervous mess. Whoever it was had no idea what they were getting themselves into, honestly…especially since she only cared about one person’s well being- or well, she cared about everyone from her old school…

It was the voice that really caught her attention- it seemed too recognizable but she couldn’t exactly pinpoint who it belonged to. She continued to listen until finally it hit her who it was. Yoshimasa Oukawa. Very few people really knew who she was and spoke to her…and Yasuo and Satsuki weren’t around. The only other person it could be was Yoshimasa, which made her…uncertain. She really wasn’t sure how to feel about Yoshimasa being the only person she knew here. Eh, it would have to do.

"…I…I’m here, Oukawa-san…B-but I’m n-not okay…H-how on earth could I be ok-kay…? Um uh…thank you for your concern though…I appreciate- I appreciate it…"

Shaking her head at his comment, she slowly shuffled over to the door and opened it slowly, blinking a couple of times before giving just enough space for him to enter. It wasn’t like her to let someone in her room, but she knew Yoshimasa somewhat, and there was no way he would do anything distasteful or hurt her.

"…P-please don’t worry too much ab-bout me, being concerned f-for me isn’t worth it…Would you like to come in? I’d ha-hate to leave you out there…It’s uh…nice to see you…It’s been s-some time…"

[shslconundrum]

Hearing a reply, his suspicions about the person beyond the door's identity were almost but confirmed. He coughed into his hand, warming his vocal cords a little more as he tried to prep himself to continue the current conversation. He smiled and then frowned and then smiled again, his lips' state wavering between a forced serious expression and letting his child-like giddiness override him, forming irritating bubbles of anxiety within his very being.

...Wow, that sounded a little corny.

"Egh... Sorry, you're right. It was a stupid question to begin with."

He slapped himself quitely with a hand, resting his forehead on it as his eyebrows furrowed and his teeth gritted. Stopping himself from scolding himself for going down such a bad route strategically, he prepared himself by standing upright and proper just in case she was to exit at any time. He would have to listen out for her footsteps.

And right on cue, the door swung open... albeit slowly.

"Ah...? Are you certain about this? I heard most people don't like letting in people of the other sex into their private quarters out of custom... Was that tradition recently thrown out?"

"...Nevertheless, I'm flattered. Thanks. It's nice to see you too."

[headlockdespair-blog]

Prologue: Andy & the Gentleman Crook | Kotohiki | Closed: Yoshimasa

Kotohiki Ando is staring at the ceiling, head resting on a pillow, hat laid out on the bedside table beside him. He’s listening quietly as Momoku makes her speech, then standing, stretching, pulling the cap over his head. He doesn’t say anything — there’s nothing to say and no one to hear him.

Obviously, what’s just been divulged to him is somewhat troubling, and it’s certainly a lot to take in. He’s here, alone with a bunch of strangers, and every other stranger in the world is dying. Or something like that. Is he getting all of this right so far?

He doesn’t care, really. He’s still half asleep and opening his door, heading down the hall until he’s spotted an individual that’s only familiar to him because he’s caught a very quick glimpse of him before, on the bus. But that look had been very brief, as Kotohiki — as he assumed the other student was — had been quickly knocked out with whatever was in those napkins.

"Stop right there, please!" 

His voice is somewhat hoarse and he sounds like one of those wannabe cops from the movies. I need water… 

"Er…sorry," he says after clearing his throat and stepping closer to the other, eliminating the need to shout. "Do you have…any idea what we’re supposed to be doing right now…?"

Other than smiling, and being happy, and living the life of their dreams, of course.

[shslconundrum]

Hearing another voice call out to him, Yoshimasa felt obligated to halt as requested. He supposed no matter whether or not he had known the identity behind the person he would have stopped anyway, but at least right now there was more of a pressing urge to not ignore anyone. If there was a limited population as said, then it would be foolhardy to make a bad first impression already that he would have to lie about later to make up.

Turning, he was somewhat surprised to see the blond's appearance, mostly distracted by the shades upon his face. Finding himself mesmerized with the small accessory, he squinted a bit to take in the small details of it. He was unsure of what to make of this person at just a first glance, but he supposed he shouldn't be judging any book by its cover, no matter how outlandish it was...

"Oh Gods! How long have I been just standing here, looking?!" he cries, realizing his actions.

Perhaps such an accessory wasn't that outlandish. Maybe Yoshimasa just lived in a sheltered area? Eh... That might not be the case so much. It was more likely that he wasn't hanging out with the right crowd or was getting too distracted--

"I... I did that again, didn't I? The, uh... staring thing. Sorry, I don't mean to keep getting lost like that."

Smooth.

"We're not given much to go off of but... It's not a bad idea to learn the location and the people within. We can plan our next movements accordingly-- or er, our daily activities. She did say something along the lines of staying here for the rest of our lives, after all. It's a little hard to ignore."

[headlockdespair-blog]

darkest thoughts || yoshimasa || (ab)normal days || [attn: thalia]

After confronting one familiar face, he supposed it was only natural to incidentally bump into another one right after. That was how fate worked, right? It made “funny coincendences” and whatnot. He supposed he couldn’t really complain. If it made the world go round, and he could not just go and deny the earth and its motions. It was best to just live within it, making your own choices.

This one was a little different though. Instead of being able to say that he knew quite a lot about this individual, all he could do was recognize her on various advertisements. He can’t say he liked dabbling in her work, but it did not hurt to know information on others. He just had to decide whether or not to disregard it.

Feeling the need to become chummy (or at least acquainted) with the others, he loosened his collar and gulped. Pulling on his gloves up his arm, he let out a sigh of sorts and approached the necromancer.

"Hm… Thalia… Might we talk? I was hoping to have a conversation with you. It’s a shame I’ve never met you before since I had plenty of access, but there’s never a time too late, huh? If we’re going to be here forever anyway. Hope that doesn’t make you too nervous."

"My name’s Yoshimasa Oukawa. I’m from around town, I guess you could say, heh. Nice to meet you."

[headlockdespair-blog]

Don't give up! || Umi || Closed for Yoshimasa

It was obvious that this was not a good time to be freaking out, that they all had to stay calm and then everything would be fine…but even then, that made Umi want to panic even more. Where on earth were they exactly? There was no reason to ask why, considering the lady in the lab coat seemed to have explained it pretty well.

This was an apocalypse, and the chances of them dying were lower than most it seemed. That didn’t ease her mind at all. There was still a chance that she would die from this catastrophe, she wasn’t safe.

She took a quick look around the room to see who exactly had been brought to this place. In all honesty, there was only one face she was really looking for, but he was nowhere in sight…

'Kaneko-kun…are you alright…?'

Unable to hold her panic, tears welled up in her eyes and fell down her cheeks; small pained noises escaping her throat, resembling the sound of someone choking. Nothing was okay, it would never be okay again! All of her friends were probably dead or infected and she was told to stay calm and accept her new life in here…forever!?

"O-oh god…! Please…pl-lease tell me…Please tell me I’m dreaming…! Pinch me…! Wake m-me up from this nightm-mare…I need to leave…A-ah…I don’t…I don’t w-want to be alone in here…"

"Please…I don’t…W-what did I ever d-do to deserve this…?"

[shslconundrum]

Upon waking up once more, Yoshimasa was quite... indifferent. He was given a scenario, and he would just have to work with it. There was no use fighting it after all. What was done was done. He left his room upon getting up, though he had to admit he still felt quite wobbly afterward.

He was somewhat worried though. If these sixteen people and a few others were possibly the only ones not infected, his mind began to struggle to remember all the faces on the bus prior to being forcibly knocked out. He didn't see on specific face, did he?

"Satsuki-san... Are you alright?"

He mused to himself, knowing that he would not get an answer just yet. He disliked the odds though. What was he to do now? He could... hope, he supposed.

Hearing a distressed cry, he stopped stiff right after closing the door behind him. Starting at the source, he pin-pointed it to the room directly across his. As the voice continued, he was able to indentify it further.

Umi Sugimura.

His heart fluttered, and his eyes lit up a bit. Feeling his cheeks heat up a bit at just the melodic (okay... maybe not-- he'll admit that much concerning the topic and tone) voice that was somewhat muffled by the physical barrier that closed her room off from the others.

Right, this meant that she was safe, right? Maybe since he did not quite register her face before that this meant that Satsuki was also present. Feeling a glint of hope as well as anxiety in the form of young teen love, he pulled on the individual fingers of his gloves nervously. What to do-- what to do?

Taking a deep breath, he walked forward very carefully and reached his hand out forward. Realizing that it was towards the knob at first, he corrected himself by balling it up into a fist and raising it, knocking softly on the ribbon dancer's door. It was time to make all those years worth it with this one greeting.

"Sugimura-san? Are you there?"

...Of course she was. You heard her. Regretting his word choice, he tried again, scowling at himself.

"Er... Disregard that. Are you okay? I heard you outside... Not that I wanted to eavesdrop on you or anything, but you just happened to be quite..."

"Nevermind. I'll just stop there and be concerned right out here."

[shslconundrum]

thread slots:

- umi - thalia - natsume - kotohiki

[shslconundrum]

here's a full-body ref of yoshimasa i made a while ago!! and here's a version without his jacket on

[headlockdespair-blog]

Ah! Why, you're finally here. I've been waiting for so long... But here you are, healthy and standing. I'm glad you're here. You'll stay, right? Here in this safe haven with me, no? Swear on your life to never leave me, Student Of Hope. I need you.

Headlock Despair: Final Roster

SHSL Ribbon Dancer - Umi Sugimara

SHSL Rapper - Myung-Hee Sang

SHSL Choreographer - Natsume Fukui

SHSL Physical Therapist - Alexei Ivanovich Glazkov

SHSL Ballet Dancer - Posy Renalds

SHSL Necromancer - Thalia Blake

SHSL Fabricator - Ryan Baskerville

SHSL UTAU Producer - Sachihiro Wakahisa

SHSL ??? - Yoshimasa Oukawa

SHSL Deputy Sheriff - Kotohiki Ando

SHSL Contemporary Dancer - Hibiki Kasuga

SHSL Hula Hooper - Hadar Simcha

SHSL Street Musician - Charger Nitrous

SHSL Professional Sleeper - Eddi Asano

SHSL Magicial girl - Atsuko Yumeno

SHSL Yukigassen Player - Yuri Sasaki