EPILOGUE: END.
âThis âs it? The island?â The man speaks to himself, holding a hand above his eyes. He squints his eyes, trying to see where everything was.
It was just like how it was on television.
He looks around the island, the oh-so familiar island that he had grown so used to seeing on just about every television he looked at. He had never stepped foot here, but he knew where everything was. His steps are slow, the sand crunching beneath his feet as he walked. Although he was disgusted with the events that took place on the island, he couldnât help but to look in every direction to see that yep! The convenience store is still there.
Thatâs the fairgrounds.
ThatâsâŚ
⌠Where Celicaâs body hit when she was pushed off the roof.
The man shudders to himself, remembering every brutal death heâs witnessed on the big screens everywhere. He had no time to think about this, however. The mastermind could be watching and could kill him at any given moment. He had to be quick, though he wasnât sure of what could happen. When the team had managed to find the island, he could clearly recall the final trial of the vacation starting to take place.
But he had to act fast. He wasnât sure what would happen to him if he didnât find those remaining before the mastermind could find him, first.
The man hears the sounds of the hotelâs doors opening, and he canât help but to look towards it curiously. He sees the silhouette of four people stumbling out, and itâs only when he sees that they look very familiar - he gasps quietly to himself. Cupping his hands around his lips, he takes in a deep breath and shouts to the group.
âHEY! GUYS!â
His call catches the attention of those alive, as they all stumble towards him rather confusedly. He couldnât blame them, he can admit. This was the first time all of them were seeing somebody who wasnât in their messed up game, but he still canât help but to feel⌠remorse for them. They had started off as such a big group, and now, here he is - looking to the Ultimate Boxer, Idol, Test Taker, and Hikkikomori who seem to look completely and utterly defeated after their last trial.
â...âs this really allâve ya?â He questions them, and they all look at him rather confusedly.
â...Who are you?â Tohru is the first to speak up between the group.
â...Oh, right.â The man pulls his hair out of his face, giving a nervous laugh to the group. He probably shouldâve introduced himself first before anything else, right? Well, considering heâs being asked - itâs better late than never. He holds out a hand to those alive for any one of them to grab and shake, before he continues on with his introduction.
âI actually-- I actually went tâthe same school as allâve âya. Nameâs Oswald, anâ Iâm the Ultimate Mechanic. Itâs a real pleasure meetinâya.â
As heâs doing his introduction, he notices that two of the students wander off from him. He doesnât bother to stop them, however - theyâve been through so much, they probably need a moment. He pulls his hand back after Tohru gives his hand a firm shake and shoves his hands into his pockets, as he turns his attention to look at the boat  resting idly against the dock.
âIâve been partâve a team whoâs been tryinâ tâfind yâall since the game started. I really do wish we couldâa found traces to this island sooner, but itâs better late than never. The minute the mastermind went anâ said that the boat pieces are scattered âround andâya had tâfind âem, the team thought itâd be a good idea to send me.â Turning his attention back to the group, Oswald gives them a small - but an assuring smile.
âSo Iâm here tâget âya outta here and back to civilization.â
Although Tohru had given a lighthearted response to Oswald showing up extremely late, the group had eventually split up. Suki, Akihiko, and Totoko had wandered off someplace else to talk, while Tohru ventured into the hotel to get the parts for the boat for Oswald to fix. Oswald had quite a bit of time to think to himself, wandering onto the boat to get a look at what he had to fix up.
He wondered if he should bring up the fact that he was supposed to be on this vacation to the survivors. He hadnât even mentioned it to the team back in civilization that he had received an invitation from the mastermind herself to join their vacation - but had ultimately turned it down because he was in an entirely different class. Maybe it was a good decision on him to not accept it-? Oswald couldnât help but to think of what wouldâve happened had he decided to join more often than not.
He wasnât sure if he should mention to the others that things back at home werenât as normal as they couldâve been.
Ever since the broadcast went up - it felt like the world split into a heavy debate between hope and despair. He had met so many people who would go out of their way to torment those who wished they could get those shown in the broadcast out and back at home - and had met so many people who despised the broadcast and wanted nothing more than to prove to be of some help. Everything was divided- and he hated having to witness everything with his own eyes. Most of the time, even he didnât share which side he was sided with. Though, he knew he would stick with hope thick and through.
Eventually, Tohru would come out of the hotel, bringing parts of the boat one by one. Oswald would waste no time repairing the boat as quickly as he could, and within the hour, Oswald had managed to fix it up and restore the boat back to its former self.
â...How do you do that so quickly?â Tohru would ask, peeking over Oswaldâs shoulder curiously when he noticed he was done.
Should he mention that heâs a toon, giving him the ability to fix things quicker than others? Oswald thinks on it for a few seconds, but ultimately decides not to.
Besides, considering the fact they had just survived a killing game operated by two toons themselves, Oswald was nervous about what their reaction might be. So he opts to shrug his shoulders instead, giving a sly smile towards Tohru. âIâm the ultimate mechanic fer a reason.â
âYou make a point there, I guessâŚâ Tohruâs voice is quiet, but he shrugs his shoulders and makes his way into the boat, taking the furthest seat away from the others.
It doesnât take longer for the rest to get inside of the boat as well, though. Even though Oswald DID have to go out and find the rest of them, and literally haul Suki over his shoulders so they could all get on, Oswald doesnât waste any time starting the boat up and sailing away from the island.
The survivorâs canât help but to look over the boatâs sides, watching as the island they had grown so used to--the island they all spent their lives on for the past few months on, fade off in the distance. They had been waiting for this day for so long, and while theyâre glad they were able to get away⌠They canât help but to feel a bit melancholy at the thought of leaving. Itâs weird.
Oswald takes notice to the tension in the air rather quickly. His hands on the wheel of the boat, he turns to look over his shoulder to the survivors. He notices theyâre quiet, still looking over the edge of the boat until the island is no longer in sight.
â...Yâguys are real strong, yâknow that?â Oswald breaks the silence.
Although none of them respond back to him, he can feel their eyes looking in on him when he speaks up.
Oswald taps a few fingers against the wheel, taking in a deep breath.
â...ân I wonât lie tâya, Itâs gonna be real hard adjusting to everythinâ again. Nothinâs like how it used tâbe before the broadcast started.â
âIf you donât mind me asking, Oswald-kunâŚâ Totoko speaks up, putting a finger to her cheek curiously. âHow big was the broadcast? Is it really true that it was real big?â
Oswald takes in a deep breath. He realizes now that heâs never actually talked about this with anyone who wasnât in the immediate group setting out to find the survivors, heâs not even sure where to start. But he nods, looking over his shoulder to look towards Totoko. âIt was. It was on every television screen yâlooked at, anâ even if yâtried tâignore it, itâs all everyone talked about.â
âI seeâŚâ Totokoâs voice is quiet, but Oswald can tell thereâs still a hint of curiosity in her voice.
âThen, who was your favorite?â
Oswald can hear Akihiko ask under his breath if thatâs something Totoko should really be asking, and he canât help but to chuckle.. âWell, I donât like thinkinâ of allâve âya as just...characters in a show, âcuz noneâve âya deserved tâgo through that. But if yâreally wanted tâknow who I enjoyed watchinâ the most, it was Peacock.â
He makes sure to put emphasis on the word was.
and itâs quiet between him and the survivors all over again.
But itâs fine. He doesnât mind - he can hear them talk under their breath about everything that had happened until it was completely silent again. He could only assume that they had dozed off, and he didnât want to bother them. They deserved that rest, anyhow. He had to focus on getting them back home.
There was a lot for Oswald to process.
From the fact that he had managed to find the survivors with his team, to the fact that someone he had enjoyed watching whenever she was on screen ended up being the puppet master behind the entire killing game-- from knowing that he had at the very least recognized these people back in school⌠He didnât even know where to start. But he had gotten so lost in his thoughts, he had gone into an auto-pilot of sorts.
While getting lost in his thoughts, Oswald had noticed that the shape of an upcoming land just ahead.
Home.
He takes in a deep breath. Now was the time to tell them - the survivors, that things wouldnât be the same. He had just vaguely mentioned that things would be harder, but he had no idea how to tell them that everything was as divided as it was. He clears his throat, hoping to wake the survivors up. He hears stirring behind him, and knows that now-- this is the time to mention it.
â...I ainât gonna lie tâya guys. Itâs goinâ tâbe hard adjusting to life again.â He speaks up, keeping his focus on the land thatâs ever so slowly getting larger as he approaches it.Â
â...Youâve said this already.â Akihiko speaks up, raising a brow towards Oswald.Â
âI know I have. But I--â Oswald pauses. â... I should tell yâall. Before I left, everythinâ was divided. I met people who wanted tâsave âya, and I met just as many people who watched the broadcast with a smile on their faces. I watched those people torment those who found the broadcast disgustinâ. Iâve even met people who thought allâve it was fictional and relished in cominâ up with theories.âÂ
Itâs silent between the survivors.
â...So things ainât gonna be how yâremember it, anâ Iâm warning âya now to be on your toes. I donât know whatâs goinâ tâhappen when people see yer back. There might be people who will be relieved tâsee âya, and others who will torment ya to hell anâ back.â Oswald lets out a sigh. The land theyâre approaching gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger, until--Â
They reach the dock, reuniting them with the place they had once called home. Oswald stands up from where he sat, looking over his shoulder to the survivors before he steps off the boat.Â
Everything looked trashed. There was no doubt that everything had turned to ruins since he left-- especially with the reveal of the mastermind. He gives a smile to the survivors as they all step off the boat, shoving his hands into his pockets before speaking up again.
â...Welcome home.â He says, locking eyes with everyone. âAnâ stay safe.âÂ
>>>>>>>>>>>> DESPAIRING VACATION: END.Â



















