Song of Dissent

Life had really never been truly fair to Kizamu Shugyoku, was it? In his eyes… It never was. First he was abused and exploited for a large portion of his life and his only reward was being able to keep a job that paid nowhere near enough to the quantity he needed! Those were perhaps the roughest years of his life, and yet… Never once did he thought he would be receiving an early death and yet, it seems like he was so close to victory but in the end, it was all snatched away from him thanks to Takumi. Kizamu became the final murder victim of the murder game Harumi and Alaric had organized and though he voiced his concerns and points of view with the other ghost folk, they also seemed to have taken Harumi’s side because “guilt” was an appropriate punishment for two people who orchestrated the deaths of 10 people… He greeted Keisha with a punch to the gut and Aimi with a punch across her jaw followed by a knee to the gut before being stopped… For the time being at the very least. Kizamu didn’t take well having no closure though… He would be giving Sparrow, Harumi and Hikaru a piece of his mind no matter what!

And that’s a wrap! Thank you everyone so much for playing, reading, and generally being awesome!

If you’d like some more information about this world, here’s some supplementary material:

Dead Blog

Behind The Scenes (It’s quite a read, but it covers pretty much everything about the Dissent world!)

Again, thank you for joining me on this journey! Until next time~

She gives everyone a moment to get situated, whether it be in the wagon or on their own horse.

Is everyone alright? Comfortable?

Once she gets confirmation from everyone, she goes to take her own spot at the front of the wagon...but then stops halfway there.

...Saiko?

Kleis turns back to face the prankster and silently extends a hand to her. There is a look of determination in her eyes, and you can feel her aura from here. Thoughts fill your head in a similar way they did when you touched the lights in the Light Garden, but you know that these are Kleis’ own thoughts. This isn’t her pandering to the will of others right now, this is her own decision, her own determination that she is ready to share with Saiko.

“... H-Huh? You’re serious...… Me..? Like, me, Saiko, me. That message wasn’t supposed to like go to someone else’s brain or something, right...”

The girl looks confused, or more accurately would be to say she looks startled. She looks at Kleis, not entirely believing what she’s been asked.

Of course. I don’t think there’s anyone more suitable for the job. Please don’t leave me hanging.

Saiko links her sleeves together, looking off to the side.

“Well, I mean, of course I’d be... best suited for it, obviously. I’m great.”

She holds a sleeve in front of her face, smiling a little and still looking away.

“... Alright. I got you. Being a vessel for the coolest person in this weird place doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me.”

Kleis laughs and just reaches to ruffle Saiko’s hair.

You do you, Saiko.

And at that moment of contact, Kleis’ body begins to glow with a bright golden light, and for a moment, you’re blinded.

When the glow fades, Kleis is gone, and you notice a faint golden glow from Saiko’s right eye.

...

You get up the next morning, and, after double checking that you had everything you needed, you leave to meet up with Kleis at the front gate. The sun is just beginning to rise, and you feel a wave of warmth wash over you. It’s either the sun or the several grey lights that are following Keisha, you’re not sure.

The front gate has already been opened, and Kleis stands just outside of the Community with several horses from the stables and a wagon. It’s your first time seeing what was outside of the walls in a while, and it’s probably the most beautiful, if not the most lonely sight you’ve ever seen. You knew it was pretty bad outside, but there aren’t even any standing buildings, only the remnants of their foundations. The road has been reduced to nothing but an overgrown dirt path. The light of the rising sun is reflected in a nearby lake, and you can hear geese honking and flying overhead. Kleis looks at your group and smiles.

You look up into the late afternoon sky and breathe in that warm summer air. The lights that reside in the garden swarm you and chirp happily, as if congratulating you on a job well done. Even if it wasn’t technically a “win” for you guys, you can’t help but have some sense of accomplishment. You’re alive. No more deaths. It’s over.

...What now?

You look over at Kleis for guidance, and she seems to understand what you are trying to convey without you having to say anything. And for the first time, not only do you hear the words coming out of her mouth, you also hear it reverberating through your mind. It makes a weird echo effect that you’re not sure she’s aware of.

...I mean, you kids are free to do whatever you want now. There isn’t really a point in staying here anymore. But my plan for now is to take Harumi and Hikaru back to Community #001 and try negotiations with Alaric. Maybe convince him to ease up on his rule a little bit. You’re free to join us, but if you have other places to be, I won’t stop you. I know a lot of you are worried about your friends and family out there. There isn’t really that much in terms of transportation other than the horses at the stables though, so I’d suggest that you pack and rest well before you leave.

Once everyone has said their piece, you notice how silent the courtroom has become. A single voice, feminine and familiar to some, pierces through the silence.

Are you certain this the “justice” you wanted, Kleis?

A small smile crosses Kleis’ lips.

“‘Justice’ isn’t the only domain I govern.”

You just hear a series of long sighs, some of understanding, and some of annoyance. Another voice speaks up, one that some of you would recognize as Frodin’s.

I pray that you children understand exactly what kind of mess you got yourselves into now.

“I’m sure they can manage.”

Silence.

...You do you, then.

And with that, the specters dissipate, leaving just Kleis and Monowolf at their podiums.

“...That’s it. This is the end.”

Monowolf silently nods in reply.

“Then, I’ll see you again soon, Alaric.”

And with that, your vision blurs, and you’re back in the Light Garden. You feel a strange tingle of magic in the air...and then it’s gone. There is an odd feeling of emptiness, and you can’t help but feel as if there’s something missing.

...

Though the volition’s outburst was enough to make Sparrow’s heart race, she knew she had to fight. Despite what Hikaru had said to her, she couldn’t just accept this. Focusing only on herself was impossible. The people she loved were at risk, and she couldn’t stay silent.

“Please... if you take anything from Hikaru and Harumi... you won’t be punishing just them, you’ll be punishing all of us. I- I know I said this before, but I love Hikaru, and I’ll fight to keep him safe. Just seeing him pretend to be someone he’s not... it was one of the most painful parts of all of this. So if you take away part of who he is... I won’t stop until I get it back...”

Sparrow sighed, her face practically flooded in tears, but there was no time to try wiping them away and pulling herself together. She had to do whatever it took to protect Hikaru and Harumi.

Keisha listens in silence from her spot on the floor. Over time, as things are explained, the shaking in her legs stops enough for her to rise to her feet. She leans on the podium for support, closing her eyes for a few short moments. That was a whole lot to take in. To her credit though, she doesn’t seem terribly phased by the Volitions’ outburst. In fact, she seems to strengthen in the face of it. Her lips purse together and she stands up straighter.

“So we’re lookin’ at a bunch o’ magical bullshit then.”

Keisha comments dryly, drumming her fingers on the top of the podium.

“If we’re talkin’ ‘bout virtues, m'pretty sure those’re usually things like patience, courage, wisdom, generosity an’ the like, right? Takin’ away self-control o’ anythin’ else…yer rippin’ away somethin’ that makes 'em human. An’ the thought o’ that happenin’ t'anyone else is frankly disgustin’ t'me. I mean, fuck, e'en when Kleis went all thundaga on Oken an’ zapped the asshole outta him there was just somethin’ wrong 'bout him. It wasn’t him without that an’ it was goddamn unnerving. Harumi is right. If yer pullin’ what’s good from either o’ ‘em, it’s just gonna do more damage.”

She shakes her head, her lip curling. Keisha remembers all too well the damage that lack of restraint had done.

“I gotta disagree with the whole ‘hauntin’‘ thing though. M’sure they’ve got better shit t’do than float ‘round after the two o’ ya like yer Ebenezer Scrooge. Just kinda seems inconvenient fer e’erybody an’ I gotta feelin’ this ain’t exactly somethin’ yer gonna go forgettin’ anytime soon.”

She shrugs. That totally wasn’t the part she should have been focusing on. Keisha goes quiet again for a few moments, thinking before she shifts her weight to one hip, crossing her arms across her chest. She pivots to turn and look back with a bit of a smile towards the spectre behind her: the Merciful.

“A lil ways back, I came t'ya askin’ fer mercy fer Hikaru. I said I’d bet m'life that he regrets his part in all o’ this an’ I ain’t wrong. Ya told me he needed t’ask fer redemption on his own an’ I’ll b’fucked if that ain’t what he just did. Ya also told me ta trust m'intuition, so that’s what m'doin’. An’ it’s tellin’ me that whate'er the hell yer all plannin’ ain’t right.”

With that, she turns back to address the rest of the Volitions. The look in her eyes is considerably harder now.

“After all, y’ain’t blameless in this neither. Alaric mighta commanded ya t’do some shit, but seein’ what’re supposed t’be the Hope o’ Humanity not only neglect t’help stop a group o’ teenagers from bein’ magically tortured but also condemn others t’more sufferin’ don’t exactly inspire a girl with much confidence. Ya wanna punish Harumi an’ Hikaru fer lyin’ an’ bein’ naive? How ‘boutcha take a good look at yerselves. What has yer complacency an’ cowardice gotten us?!”

She grits her teeth, needing to pause to calm herself down. Yelling out her anger at the ones she’s supposed to be bringing to their side isn’t going to help. She takes a few deep breaths and something occurs to her.

“Been on m’own long ‘nough t’not really give two shits ‘bout what the rest o’ humanity wants, but if ya say they’re watchin’ all o’ this…”

Keisha coughs into her fist, clearing her throat before standing up straighter. She’s not quite sure how to do this but she’s going to try. She fixes her gaze straight ahead, not really looking at anyone in particular across the room as she starts to speak.

(~~Background music here!!!~~)

“Howdy folks, this is yer Capt'n speakin’! M'name is Keisha Deering, though I somehow got the feelin’ y'all know that already. I got a few things I’d like t’say ta the lot o’ ya.”

She’s just speaking to thin air. Has Keisha finally lost it? She looks awfully determined though…

“Humanity is callin’ fer action? Fine. Congrats folks, none o’ ya’re bystanders. M’callin’ y’all out! Y'all’re a part o’ this now. When it comes down ta it, yer just as big o’ an influence on these folks as much as anyone else. Ya got a say in the future an’ that makes ya responsible fer what happens next. I believe in Harumi an’ Hikaru. They’ve been manipulated an’ lied ta an’ made their share o’ mistakes, but they’re both good people an’ deserve a second chance. I know I’ve already forgiven ‘em, but t’be honest, they need yours more than just mine. Alaric used ‘em fer his own intentions, fuelin’ a death game from behind the scenes t'quench a rebellion where none shoulda e’er happened, when all we wanted was fer our voices t’be heard. I don’t want war. I want the chaos an’ the pain’ an’ the sufferin’ t’stop. Not just fer me, but fer e’eryone here.”

Keisha’s voice shakes briefly. God she hopes this works. She squares her shoulders and continues.

“Livin’ on with their guilt, always tryin’ t'make it right but knowin’ that they ne'er will…ain’t that punishment 'nough already? Fer fucks sake…addin’ t'all the sufferin’ that’s already been dealt is just gonna bring more! This cycle o’ violence has gotta end. After seein’ e’erythin’ that’s happened here, d’ya honestly think that handin’ out more pain is gonna help solve anythin’? Punishin’ ‘em ain’t gonna turn back time. It ain’t gonna bring the dead back t’life o’ fix the consequences o’ what they’ve done. At this point, any penance ya inflict on’ em is just gonna be like beatin’ a dead horse. Instead, we need t’stand t’gether so somethin’ like this ne’er happens again. Ya gotta take a look at yerselves, at the folks ‘round ya an’ ask “would’ve I done somethin’ different?” In the face o’ fearin’ fer yer life an’ the lives o’ yer family, would ya’ve stood up? It’s real easy t’say thatcha would. It’s real damn easy t’assure yerself thatcha got the courage t’do what’s right, but the truth is that it ain’t easy. Standin’ up fer what ya think is right ain’t easy. Sayin’ what ya really want ain’t easy. Tellin’ the truth ain’t easy. Admitting yer wrong an’ bein’ willin’ t’accept penance fer it ain’t easy. They couldn’t do it before but they’re both doin’ it now an’ I know they’re both goin’ ta take the steps t’do what needs t’be done from now on.”

Keisha smiles at Hikaru and Harumi. They’ve come a long way from how she knew them at the start. She’s so proud of them both.

Harumi blinks and turns towards Hikaru. He isn’t sure on how to react to him. On one hand, he’s ecstatic at how much Hikaru has grown. The boy is finally seeking out what he wants on his own terms, even if Harumi might not agree with most of it. Harumi clenches his jaw before finally nodding. He looks back at the Volitions.

“I don’t want Hikaru to get hurt, so I would like him to have the same privileges. I got him into this mess, so at the very least he should have an equal or more lenient punishment than mine. If… If you think it’s fair, I don’t mind a physical punishment as long as it doesn’t lead to my death or ‘hinder with leading’ as Monowolf-san said. Agonizing pain would be fitting kinda, seeing as how those executions went. This is only for me though. Hikaru can decide if a physical punishment is fair in his case, but in my opinion I think it’s extreme for his actions.”

He’s shaking like a leaf as he speaks. He silently goes over the motives in his head. Harumi looks up at the ceiling, subtracting those that wouldn’t work in his mind. He looks up again once he organizes his thoughts.