[action; apt 301]

Predictably, or maybe not so predictably for those who don't know him, when Sakuya wakes up and takes stock of his surroundings he panics, spits out the candy in his mouth(a stranger putting things in his mouth?!), and makes a squawking noise, tumbling off the bed that has been most generously provided. He'd gone to sleep in his lovely mansion, then woken up in a dingy apartment, a filthy bed, and an awful, foreign, unfamiliar simian body! When he stands, wobbling uncertainly, he notes that his pristine white suit(which he does have to admit is quite nice) has become dirty, either from the bed, falling onto the floor, or both. Muttering a few curses under his breath, he begins to dust himself off, though he quickly starts to realize that this won't be nearly enough.

Once he spots the computer, he makes a beeline for it.

[video]

[There is a very angry looking blue-haired teen in the video, looking as though he's about ready to break something.]

I demand to know what kind of foolishness this is! I slept in my own bed last night and I wake up to this filth?! This is unacceptable! I don't know who will see this, but for those who do, I expect a full explanation!

[As the smell of paint and white spirit floods his senses into awareness, partnered with the sickly sweet flavour of cinnamon, Seth opens his eyes. There is something in his mouth, which he spits out into his hand growlingly before he sits up and blinks his vision into focus.]

[Something knocks his foot, and he stares at it baffled. A heavy roll of red tape is at the foot of the unfamiliar bed. He is accustomed to waking up in strangers rooms, but he can usually remember if they've played with bondage tape the night before. He'd usually remember an apparent that looked as weird as this one too, but it was completely alien.]

[He doesn't hear anyone inside, no shower running or piss trickling, just uncomfortable silence.]

[On the nearby bedside table he notices a phone, not his, that is switched on, recording him. He frowns, reaches over, and mutters a few Russian curses under his breath.]

Stupid bastard could have asked before making a video...

[ video ]

[ As he turns on the communicator with one hand, Shirou is busily dusting off an end table with a rag in the other. After a moment, he finishes and sets the rag down, then addresses the Jigokuberry. ]

I don't like to admit it, but it looks like my roommate's become a ghost. His name is Karkat Vantas...he's a weird sort of guy called a "troll," but if his soul is stuck here now, I still want to try to help him. I don't care if that's hard. It's still something I should do.

So, now that I think about it like that...I've got a question. It's serious, so if I hear anybody laughing, I'll get annoyed.

[ He takes a deep breath. ]

Well, it's not that complicated. It's normal for everyone to want to figure a way out of this place...I understand that. But people have only thought about ways for us to get out, right? Us living people who came in here from other places. What I want to know is, do you think there's a way to save the ghosts? I understand that there's probably no way of erasing what they've been through...there's probably no way of giving them life again. But I wonder if there's a way to be their ally here without sacrificing the rest of us. I just wonder that.

[ He hesitates for a few seconds longer, then picks up the rag again and starts checking the underside of the table. ]

That's all. It's probably not something that has an easy answer.

You know... no one wanted to try my last game, even though it seemed like a good way of getting home. [There's the tiniest pout in Viola's voice as she says it.] I couldn't try it on my own... I only have two thumbs, after all.

But I found another game with instructions on my computer. It looks like it's exactly what we need to talk to the spirits here, like I know a lot of people were hoping to do.

Kokkuri-san sounds a lot safer than a ouija board, after all...

[She lets it trail off, deciding that she'll wait for interest to come to her this time than supplying all the information offhand.]

[Viola has tried to sound sweet, charming, and maybe a little eerie when she's been on the networks before, apart from that one time she cried. Now, however, there's a very strong impression that she's breathing hard to bite down fury, and a fury laced with incredible fear at that.

The camera is taken up by an image of a doll, but one painted as to be badly mutilated. The long purple hair is streaked with red blood. The face is gaunt and hollow, with two bloody holes where the eyes should be. Red-black blood tracks down the withered cheeks and down the dress, and there's no legs peeking out from under the skirt.]

Who gave me it?

Take it back! I don't want it!

[She shakes it at the camera.]

I'll wreck it if you do, I promise you! What a terrible trick to play on someone!

[And for her,the worst part is that she's only half faking it.]

[ audio ]

Saber? Saber, are you there?

[ It's a young man's voice, quizzical and increasingly irritated. ]

Sakura...? No, that's not right. Sakura shouldn't be in a place like this, so forget I called for her.

Hmm, I guess Saber's not here either. Anyway, would whoever's there tell me what this place is? I'm going to have to be rude and leave soon, but I'll at least get its name.

[ action ]

[ After he turns off the Jigokuberry, Shirou can be found outside the apartments. He might be staring down a crow, unsure whether it's a familiar or simply a bird, or he might be running after a fleeting ghost, determined to learn more from it. In either case, he's looking really annoyed.

Eventually, he slumps against the wall of the building in frustration. But his hands are still bunched up into fists; he doesn't look like he's admitted defeat against his new surroundings. ]

I found some things on this computer!

[Viola sounds... what. Eager? Peppy? It's as if she's been completely apart from all the horrible things happening in the apartment lately. She might very well be, as a matter of fact. She hasn't come out of her room except to ask Mr Once-ler for some of the food he'd collected a while back, and even then she's mostly convinced him to risk the stairs or the lift to bring it to her. But now she wants some company, or at least to reach out to some of her friends here.]

It looks like instructions for a game. Let me see if I can post this for you so I don't have to read it out...

[TEXT]

The Thumb Game

The Thumb Game (oyayubi sagashi) is a Japanese urban legend about a young woman who died. Anyone who finds her missing thumb will be granted a wish. The game is also sometimes called “Looking for the thumb”.

( Snip! )

[VOICE]

... Did you read it?

I think it sounds almost like fun... we could maybe wish to go home if we did it right!

[And that's that seed sewn, isn't it?]

[ The video feed begins, unknowingly activated, and divulges an unhappy scene. A young child is seated on a bed, knees drawn up to her chest and arms hugging her legs. Though her head is bowed, the thick fall of her golden hair obscuring her face, it is quickly obvious that she is quite upset. She sobs loudly, breath stuttering on every gasping inhale. ]

S-someone...please... I don't w-wanna be alone anymore! Don't make me go back, don't make me go back!

[ Her body trembles all over, a fear so powerful that she hasn't even registered her new surroundings and situation. ]

It isn't supposed to be this way...! N-no... Ib...G-Garry! Help me...! Help me!