Hope's End Guest Post: Day 6

[skinners_box]

Welcome to Day 6 of Hope’s End! This is where guest writers can have their characters post to the network. These posts will be handled the same way as any other post to the network, but we'll keep them grouped together for everyone's sanity.

All guest characters arrived in Hope’s End with a communicator that resembles a Blackberry. These have text,

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[ Video ] Placeholder

[painted_seals]

[He touched the collar circulating around his neck and frowned. The chain was no longer black but a deep purple.]

Why did the color of our collars change? Is it part of this week's experiments?

[ Video ] 1/???

[fifth_kazekage]

[ Video ] 2/???

[fifth_kazekage]

[ Video ] 3/???

[fifth_kazekage]

[ Video ] 4/???

[fifth_kazekage]

[ Video ] 5/5 DONE

[fifth_kazekage]

[He stares at the small screen for a long time, unsure of whether or not he could trust his eyes to show him the truth. His mind is stunned, just like it had been when he was told what happened to them.

It could be a trick by the Doctors.

Cautiously, tentatively, Gaara ventures in a quiet tone.] ...Sai?

[ Video ]

[painted_seals]

[His ears barely caught the quiet noise.]

--?

[Dark eyes shifted down, frown immediately disappearing when they fell on the familiar shinobi.]

Gaara-sama.[His gaze fell to his collar.] It's the same with you.

[ Locked - Video ]

[fifth_kazekage]

[His eyes widen slightly with surprise.] You... remember who I am. And this place.

[At the mention, one hand lifts to graze against the red collar around his neck.]

...Temporary visitors. They will disappear after reset, next week.

[Not "they", he mentally corrects himself. A short pause as he locks the conversation.]

Sai... You and I... We were terminated. Over a year ago.

[ Locked - Video ]

[painted_seals]

[His brows furrowed at the comment.] Why would I forget you or this place you? [A sudden thought.] Is amnesia part of this week's experiment?

.............

[Suddenly all expression left, mind trying to process the information. He looked back at the image on his device.]

Are you certain?

[ Locked - Video ]

[fifth_kazekage]

No, but... [He trails off, unable to voice his fear for the moment.

He nods slightly, head lowering so his eyes were shielded by his hair.] That is what I was told... by multiple individuals. [A beat.] Lavi is still here. He remembers you.

[ Locked - Video ]

[painted_seals]

A crowd voicing the same words does not make them fact. It may simply be a memory alteration. Do you know what the experiment is this week?
[That would give him a clue.]

Why would Lavi-san forget me within a few days? [In his mind, he had just returned from Bioshock week.]

[ Locked - Video ]

[fifth_kazekage]

Our collars are differently colored... and the date is inconsistent. This event is similar to the occurrence at the Abyss... I suppose.

There doesn't seem to be an experiment this week. The captives are acclimating to the new F3 location.

Because he hasn't seen you in over a year.

[ Locked - Video ]

[painted_seals]

What's the Abyss?

[No experiment, yet their collars, the lapse in memory....]

I see. [He neither accepted the words, nor denied them. He needed more clues before he could make up his mind.]

[ Locked - Video ]

[fifth_kazekage]

......

[His brows furrowed with confusion.]

You... don't remember the Abyss?

[It piqued his suspicions. Was this a trick by the Doctors, after all?]

[ Locked - Video ]

[painted_seals]

Should I?

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[fifth_kazekage]

[His frown deepened.]

We were in the Abyss, prior to... termination. It was an F3 location with numerous temporary visitors.

[That meant Sai didn't remember anything about the sex traders, or their promise. He felt a cold sensation settle inside his chest.]

What is the most recent experiment... that you remember?