[Voice]

[poweryetunknown]

Here's a question.

Do birthdays count if you're dead?

[It's an important question, okay.]

Comments

[poweryetunknown]

Neku Sakuraba.

You don't have to get me anything, though.

[eyewillprotect]

[Oops, caught!]

But it's your birthday, isn't it? So it's important to celebrate it.

[poweryetunknown]

[You're kind of obvious.]

I guess, but someone I don't even really know isn't really expected to get me a present or even acknowledge it.

['Not that I really expect much anyway, but still.']

[eyewillprotect]

I don't think that's true. We were all brought here for some reason or another. I'm sure we are meant to get to know each other and help one another out.

So if it's possible, I would like to know more about you and everybody else here. And if I can help you with anything, even if it's a birthday celebration, I would like to do that.

[poweryetunknown]

['It's like Shiki again oh geez.']

Uh... I guess I can't stop you if you want to...

[eyewillprotect]

[Just shut up and accept her friendship already geeze!]

If there's anything in particular you like, just let me know.

Also, now might be a good time to get to know each other, if that's so much of a problem.

Here, I can even start us off:

As you already know, my name is Aoi Misato. I attended Magami High in Tokyo. Here in Hinoto-Ri, I go on nightly patrols.

[poweryetunknown]

[No never!]

... I'm Neku Sakuraba. I was born and raised in Shinjuku. I'm also dead. I work at a clothes store here in Hinoto-Ri.

[eyewillprotect]

[Ah... he really came out and said it. There's a slight pause, but eventually:]

I am so sorry to hear that, Sakuraba.

[And she means every word.]

[poweryetunknown]

It's not so bad.

[Well, honestly, the whole Game sucked. A lot. But he's not going to tell the whole story to someone he just met.]

Being dead's not too much different from being alive in some ways. I didn't even know I was dead for like three days or so.

[eyewillprotect]

Really? Then does that mean you came here from the afterlife?

[poweryetunknown]

Yeah. Technically, I guess.

[eyewillprotect]

Do you mind if I ask you what that was like?

You don't have to answer if you don't want to.

[poweryetunknown]

It was more like... after death but before the afterlife? I mean... it was a game to have the chance to get back to life, so it wasn't really being permanently dead, possibly.

[eyewillprotect]

A game? You decide between life or death with a game?

[Wh...at?]

[poweryetunknown]

It's more of 'if a person is strong enough and has enough fight left in them to keep going' than just a matter of luck.

... Though I won't deny there's luck involved too.

[eyewillprotect]

That still sounds much different from my world, as far as I know.

What kind of a game is it?

[poweryetunknown]

You have to fight off Noise - monsters, basically - and finish whatever stupid task the Game Master's set for the day. At the end of the week, you fight the Game Master. Usually it's not to the death. Sometimes it is, depending on the Game Master.

[eyewillprotect]

[There's a decent pause before she responds to his text. Even though she still doesn't really know the details...]

That sounds... horrible.

[poweryetunknown]

In a lot of ways, yeah. It was.

[eyewillprotect]

Do you think you will be able to win? That must be how you come back, isn't it?

[poweryetunknown]

... I had to play three times but yeah. It's over.

[eyewillprotect]

So many...?

But if you aren't alive, then...

[This poor, poor boy.]

[poweryetunknown]

I didn't lose... I think. I just haven't gotten back yet.

[eyewillprotect]

[That is... quite a relief to hear!]

I see. In that case, I am very glad for you.