WEEK 3

[lockdownmods]

 [ Week 3 rolls around the corner-- with all the loss of joy after the trial. Can you keep up hope after everything that's happened? On top of that... it would seem that that whatever has effected your memories here-- it's beginning to wear away.

You're not stuck in the same place forever. Ssssort of, anyway. The stairs in the main building appear to have been uplocked and now... now you have access to a whole new floor of rooms. At least that's something!

Welcome to week three of the semester.]

LOCATIONS | PROFILES | HAN OFFICE HOURS | MEGUMI OFFICE HOURS

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

Comments

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

[So. The Clown probably knows something then.]

...... Once whatever memories they took from us fully return, I will.

[sendintheclown]

Well, I wouldn't want to spoil any surprises, now.

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

So you do know something then.

[Well... he's probably not getting anything from the clown then. He'll have to ask for more information whenever he remembers the context of this then... so... whatever. Might as well move onto the reason he's even here.]

...... I failed to get revenge on Edogawa Ranpo. Didn't I?

[It... it lines up. The appearance of the man on his likes. Texts being sent to him. Him being the only number on his phone. Poe apparently having friendly contact with him at all. Something changed. And... he's not sure how or why. But.... he'd still have to be out there in the world for it to be possible at all. So... he must have failed to trap him.]

[sendintheclown]

Correct!

[He then, suddenly, bursts out into a fit of laughter that goes on for...a while.]

...I've been holding that back each time you said you'd beat him.

cw:depression and everything that comes with it

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

[Poe... tries to keep his face straight... but only sort of succeeds. On some level he was expecting this, and tried to mentally prepare. Still. It hurts. It hurts so much. Time to internalize all that for later.]

So.... I was right.

[Still... this raises so many more questions. Why... is he in contact with Ranpo? Why is he still going? What reason would he have? Getting revenge... was what kept him going at first. Finding and taking in Karl provided another reason to live as well. But.... he's here without either reason. He was worried about Karl before.... but that shouldn't be a problem anymore.

The Guild should check on him eventually if he's not in contact for a while.... if he's even still apart of it... but it listed the Clown as just the clown and not his actual occupation as a memeber of the Angels of Decay... so perhaps the same applies to him? They just didn't bother to list it. Regardless of that.... if he can't rely on them to find Karl, then maybe Ranpo. If he's in contact with the man, then maybe, just maybe he'll try and check up on him if he doesn't respond in a while....? It's all doubtful though. He knows he's reclusive... and Megumi is going to try and get Karl to stay with someone anyway... so... at this point, he'll probably be fine if Poe dies here.

So then... what now? If he failed to get revenge and Karl is probably in the care of someone better by now... what reason does he have to try and get out of here? Pure spite? He... could probably do that. Hatred kept him going before. It could keep him going again.]


...... What happens afterward?


[He wants to know why he kept going after that. Because despite how much he doesn't want to admit it to himself, Poe is aware deep down that getting revenge is probably not the healthiest reason to live.]

[sendintheclown]

Do you really want to know?

[The truth would surely give Poe hope, and pull him out of the pit that's just opened under his feet, but this complete despair is worth drawing out for just a little longer.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

Yes.

[sendintheclown]

[He leans back in his chair, propping his feet on the desk.]

You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure.

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

......................

[Poe's just stunned for a few long moments before he just.... sighs deeply and leans back in his chair. God he hates this clown. He's not sure why he expected anything.]

You are terrible at this.

[Still... at least he thinks he knows Gogol well enough now to make this guess.]

At least it's probably nothing too horrid... I'm sure you'd rub it in if it was. So... there's still a reason to live in my future. Or... well... memories.

[sendintheclown]

[He says nothing, but his grin confirms it.]

I can't tell you what happens to it though. [...] Oh, I guess saying that gives the idea away, doesn't it?

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

Sort of.... though really. I... I think I'm okay either way here.

[How to put it....]

If I have no reason to live... then I have nothing to lose in being reckless in my pursuit of answers here. If I do... then that's nice if I survive.

[Keyword being if. Never say you will live in a situation you may die in, that is just asking to die.]

[sendintheclown]

[Gogol grins with satisfaction.]

Glad to have helped you come to this conclusion.

[He puts his feet down and leans forward.]

Let me ask you this: why is this so important to you?

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

Well....

[How to put it...]

After... having my life destroyed... my reason to live became getting revenge on Ranpo. Then when I found Karl... I had another one. Taking care of him. Here... Neither of those apply. So... as of this moment, I am left with nothing. And... well... being able to list a solid reason to live... it makes it easier to continue. To tolerate this place longer.

[.......Why is actually venting all this out making him feel better. Talking to the clown wasn't supposed to be cathartic. Why.]

[sendintheclown]

And that's enough for you?

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I suppose.... what... were you expecting something different?

[sendintheclown]

[...]

No, I suppose not.

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

[There's a long silence after that as Poe's not quite sure what to say. Eventually he breaks the silence.]

....... I.... um.... I... suppose that you.... aren't that terrible at this.

[Read: Thank you for listening, it was highly cathartic to vent to you.]

[sendintheclown]

[He laughs.]

I told you!

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

You did indeed.

[Despite the tired tone of voice, there is a small smile on his face that he couldn't quite stop from forming.]

[sendintheclown]

Now.

[He leans forward across the desk.]

For my payment...

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

You said nothing about payment before...

[But... at this point? Whatever.]

What do you want?

[sendintheclown]

I never said it was free.

[He winks.]

Well, what do you have to offer?

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I'm... not sure why I expected anything less at this point.

[He really should have seen this coming.]

Well... I've finished that death trap book you helped brainstorm last Monday.

[He was planning on showing it to Gogol later anyways... but maybe he'll accept this anyway? There's not much else to offer besides his own company, a commission, and some of the random items he keeps getting.]

[sendintheclown]

I thought you'd be sharing that as a gesture of kindness.

[You're not getting out of this so easily.]

Tell you what! [He gets out a notebook, and quickly starts to write on it.] How about the commitment to a favor in return?

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I mean... I was... but besides the items we keep getting... my only other option is offering a free commission.

[He's eyeing that note book with an appropriate degree of suspicion.]

...... Is there really any kind of favor I can offer you?