Each of the statues has a small depression at its base. They're empty for all seven, broken and unbroken, though on closer inspection, he can see that the three intact statues are simply round and empty, but the four broken have more specific shapes to them.
"It's not gonna do you any good, kid. Nothing in this room is gonna exist, in the end. If that girl knows what good for her and hers, she'll wipe the rest of 'em out too."
If he's looking around at the fourth door, the fourth item is a handkerchief, folded, with a lipstick kiss mark in one corner.
As always, there is a memory for this one, too: You see a man laughing cheerfully, seated across a campfire from you, exuding a warmth that you feel has to be genuine. Regret is your own loneliness, the greater understanding of a camaraderie and team you could have had, but has been taken from you.
The other person snorts again. "It's not a matter of stopping. It's a matter of never existing at all. I'm guessing no one told you about that."
Turn around and look at who you're talking to, Ruggie, and realize that he was never in the gacha at all,
"Nothing in this whole room was supposed to exist. It only did because of some outsider deciding to give some of us a chance to fight for the right to come out on top... but there's more to winning than just being strong."
"With this?" He gestures to the rest of the room, then shrugs. "You can't. This is the sort of thing they've put on her, and there's not a damn thing you or I can do about it. I gave it a shot, and all I did was die for it."
A pause, and then he taps his nose. "But if you're just looking for her, you won't find her here. How good's your nose?"
"You did." Patxi shakes off the pat, though it appears to be an automatic sort of thing and not any sort of actual dislike. "...And thanks for moving that stuff. I would, but I can't really affect stuff in this room anymore."
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-03 11:49 pm (UTC)Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-03 11:49 pm (UTC)PUT ITEMS IN THE HOLES]
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-03 11:57 pm (UTC)And then, behind him, a low voice, barely above a growl, more annoyed than anything: "What d'you think you're doing?"
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-03 11:59 pm (UTC)Tidying up the place a bit.
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:03 am (UTC)"It's not gonna do you any good, kid. Nothing in this room is gonna exist, in the end. If that girl knows what good for her and hers, she'll wipe the rest of 'em out too."
If he's looking around at the fourth door, the fourth item is a handkerchief, folded, with a lipstick kiss mark in one corner.
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:05 am (UTC)[grabs the hanky]
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:08 am (UTC)The other person snorts again. "It's not a matter of stopping. It's a matter of never existing at all. I'm guessing no one told you about that."
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:13 am (UTC)IS THIS THE FAILED PULLS ROOM
taking the item to put in its proper place]
Sure haven't.
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:21 am (UTC)"Nothing in this whole room was supposed to exist. It only did because of some outsider deciding to give some of us a chance to fight for the right to come out on top... but there's more to winning than just being strong."
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:22 am (UTC)Will power, cash flow, nepotism....
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:27 am (UTC)"Willpower might be the thing. Not that I'd know. My world was a failed one."
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:29 am (UTC)[starts tidying up the room, he's an expert cleaner after all]
You're here though. We're talking.
Who are you?
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:38 am (UTC)He nods once, briefly, curt.
"I'm just a memory, though. There's no one else alive who'll remember me, if Fujimaru goes."
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:39 am (UTC)Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:46 am (UTC)A pause, and then he taps his nose. "But if you're just looking for her, you won't find her here. How good's your nose?"
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:47 am (UTC)So follow my nose t'find her?
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:58 am (UTC)"It's like hunting in the snow. You've gotta be ready to be frustrated and tripped up at every turn, but it'll pay off, as long as you keep going."
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 12:59 am (UTC)I'll get to it then. Did all I could here.
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 01:10 am (UTC)Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 01:13 am (UTC)[stepping out, following the advice to follow his nose, trying to notice any scents]
Re: THE CRYPT
Date: 2022-09-04 01:17 am (UTC)But the traces of Ritsuka herself will lead him down the hall, to this room.