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GRAVEYARD
THE MUSEUM
So, you’ve met your end and regardless of your beliefs, the expectation is that is where things end. Rebirth. Damnation. Salvation. A simple black screen… None of those things happen; how (un)fortunate for you. How jarring it must be to have your last moments not be your final moments. On the bright side, all the injuries you’ve sustained are no longer present. You’re as good as new!
Now, whether you’ve met your end violently, peacefully, or something between the two, you’ll find yourself sat in front of a sprawling behemoth of a wall tastefully covered from floor to ceiling (where is the ceiling?) with various objects on display. All of them carefully and neatly framed or kept safe within a box attached to the wall. Not only that, but there are cages hanging from the “ceiling” that contain even more objects for viewing. However, other than the walls, the hanging cages, and the bench—there is no padding on the bench; only a cold, hard surface that does not give—you find yourself sitting on, the rest of this room is completely empty.
At least, after giving a survey of the area, it will be obvious that it isn’t an enclosed space. There is an opening to a hallway—hopefully. Only one way to find out. Spoilers, there are many, many, many other rooms that make up this place.
Oh, but just what is all out on display?
Well, it varies and depends on who is looking. The hanging cages contain skeletons of creatures from home. Whose home? Your home. It’s the same story for everything that has been framed. They’re all images, items, objects—things—from home. Your home. Fortunately, not everything is familiar as unfamiliar items are included in equal parts. How did they all get here? What are they all doing here?
Have you considered the similarities between a museum and a graveyard? Both are places where the living go to marvel at the dead.
Now, whether you’ve met your end violently, peacefully, or something between the two, you’ll find yourself sat in front of a sprawling behemoth of a wall tastefully covered from floor to ceiling (where is the ceiling?) with various objects on display. All of them carefully and neatly framed or kept safe within a box attached to the wall. Not only that, but there are cages hanging from the “ceiling” that contain even more objects for viewing. However, other than the walls, the hanging cages, and the bench—there is no padding on the bench; only a cold, hard surface that does not give—you find yourself sitting on, the rest of this room is completely empty.
At least, after giving a survey of the area, it will be obvious that it isn’t an enclosed space. There is an opening to a hallway—hopefully. Only one way to find out. Spoilers, there are many, many, many other rooms that make up this place.
Oh, but just what is all out on display?
Well, it varies and depends on who is looking. The hanging cages contain skeletons of creatures from home. Whose home? Your home. It’s the same story for everything that has been framed. They’re all images, items, objects—things—from home. Your home. Fortunately, not everything is familiar as unfamiliar items are included in equal parts. How did they all get here? What are they all doing here?
Have you considered the similarities between a museum and a graveyard? Both are places where the living go to marvel at the dead.
EXHIBIT #04 - COMFORT
Likely the first room that you’ll come across after moving from the initial room. This room feels just as grand and just as empty as that room, but at least the walls aren’t covered in things from (your) home. 
Instead, there will be surfaces to claim, if you wish. Beds, sofas, couches, chaises lounge, bean bags, you name it—if someone could consider it comfortable then it will be present in all shapes, sizes, and variations. The only real catch is that each surface will be displayed individually and cannot be moved. Obviously.
Against one of the walls is a very small plaque that reads:
[ FOR DISPLAY ONLY – DO NOT TOUCH ]
Oops.
Instead, there will be surfaces to claim, if you wish. Beds, sofas, couches, chaises lounge, bean bags, you name it—if someone could consider it comfortable then it will be present in all shapes, sizes, and variations. The only real catch is that each surface will be displayed individually and cannot be moved. Obviously.
Against one of the walls is a very small plaque that reads:
[ FOR DISPLAY ONLY – DO NOT TOUCH ]
Oops.
EXHIBIT #09 - VIEWING
What’s a museum without some sort of media installation, hm?
For this room, there is only one thing and one thing only—a projector. For much of the time the projector being on (you can’t turn it off. In fact, where is the projector?), it won’t be displaying anything but a white light on the blank wall opposite of it.
However, while the wall is blank, every so often it’s possible to hear faint voices coming from above. Especially during the night before—you know.
For this room, there is only one thing and one thing only—a projector. For much of the time the projector being on (you can’t turn it off. In fact, where is the projector?), it won’t be displaying anything but a white light on the blank wall opposite of it.
However, while the wall is blank, every so often it’s possible to hear faint voices coming from above. Especially during the night before—you know.
EXHIBIT #03 - GARDEN
It’s here that you can finally see the ceiling even if it’s still more of a “sky” than a true ceiling. 
Those with keen eyes will be able to tell that it’s an artificial sky, and, for those who are less aware, then how it randomly flickers should help with that. Or not. Regardless, the presence of a “sky” isn’t the only surprising thing about this room—it might not even be the first thing that goes noticed. Despite all the expansive and seemingly never-ending hallways that lead to rooms that are void of anything living, this room is alive. Somehow.
A small plaque on the wall will describe this exhibit as an “interactive” medium with gentle suggestions to not be too rough with anything. This exhibition will be a picturesque garden full of all kinds of flowers and plants with a small pond with lily pads and lotus located towards the center of the room. The only physical structure within this room is a very small and simple gazebo containing two chairs and a small table. Perfect for having afternoon tea—if that’s your kind of thing. However, if you were hoping to listen to any bird song, look at what animals have taken residence in the pond, or generally any other kind of life then you’ll be disappointed.
Those with keen eyes will be able to tell that it’s an artificial sky, and, for those who are less aware, then how it randomly flickers should help with that. Or not. Regardless, the presence of a “sky” isn’t the only surprising thing about this room—it might not even be the first thing that goes noticed. Despite all the expansive and seemingly never-ending hallways that lead to rooms that are void of anything living, this room is alive. Somehow.
A small plaque on the wall will describe this exhibit as an “interactive” medium with gentle suggestions to not be too rough with anything. This exhibition will be a picturesque garden full of all kinds of flowers and plants with a small pond with lily pads and lotus located towards the center of the room. The only physical structure within this room is a very small and simple gazebo containing two chairs and a small table. Perfect for having afternoon tea—if that’s your kind of thing. However, if you were hoping to listen to any bird song, look at what animals have taken residence in the pond, or generally any other kind of life then you’ll be disappointed.
EXHIBIT # — ???
Nothing is on display in this room; all that is there is just empty walls, empty “ceilings”, empty floors…
The only thing that can be found is a small, simple white card free from any kind of writing. A completely blank card. If you try to take it out of the room, it will instantly disappear from wherever it was stored and return to the room.
The only thing that can be found is a small, simple white card free from any kind of writing. A completely blank card. If you try to take it out of the room, it will instantly disappear from wherever it was stored and return to the room.
no subject
[Amaya may be a lot more easy to offend than most people realize, but he's coming at it from a sincere angle and isn't implying she needs to be fixed. It's something appreciated, truly. Zvei's secrets are his own, and if he's felt comfortable enough to share them with Yuki, that's enough for her.
Amaya does pause at the line of being exceptionally close. It's not wrong, of course; as confused as it made her feelings to lose both Reiju and Zvei at once, she'd have to be a fool to deny his closeness to her at this point.]
...You are not incorrect; he was...one of the first few people I was willing to open up to, in any way, because he saw me as I was, and...not what I could be, with a little so-called positive influence. I confided in him of my state; he returned the favor.
He is...dear to me, I think.
[But that gets Amaya to pause. She'd nearly broken down on Alhaitham when she realized she didn't actually know what she felt toward Zvei, or even Reiju. All she's known is that negativity, the little bits of negative emotion she can spin positively to try and eek out some meager emotional existence.
But it does mean that Yuki's question is easy to answer.]
If such a thing exists, I have not found it, yet. I've spent fifteen years searching for some sort of cure, and...I'm convinced it does not exist.
[Still, how does she describe it...]
...But even so, I do know that I feel something, towards being reunited with Zvei. It produces...an empty feeling, within me. There is little in the way of sadness, outside of how he and I met our ends; something that I came to terms with, to an extent. There is no anger toward him, nor fear of letting him see me as I am. Most other feelings, they simply turn into a great nothingness that resides within me; I had thought it solely due to magical means, but...
It would seem that how I've grown up has influenced it as well. But...that emptiness, it makes me guess to what it could be--there's an overwhelming sense of it, so I imagine part of it must be happiness. Perhaps elation, as well? Relief, even.
I could guess all day, and that is all I would have to go on.
no subject
He would still wish for her to feel relief and joy in the common way, but ... it seems to him she hits the null value in a dataset - there is nothing to pull from in times of elation, and its meaning draws from what else is absent.
And yet ... that isn't the fully picture, either. Not from how she describes it, he thinks. )
... I believe...
( —his doll nature tells him: interfere. He likes Amaya. He likes Zvei. They don't have to like each other. The trouble with dolls is you eventually outgrow them, and perhaps this is what makes them possessive and protective - desire that each and every person they like be an island, whose horizons don't expand beyond the playroom. If humans - or humanoids - have one another, if they can find companionship together, they won't need a doll like him. They can leave him to gather dust.
... But,
as much as he loves people, he knows they wouldn't be happy playing only with dolls forever. And that is the troubling irony of a doll's love.
... Yuki returns from a brief moment of pensive thought, continuing what he'd begun to say before: )
... If you believe that this absence of ill feeling means you have landed on a space that would be reserved for happiness or relief, then I think it is fair to interpret your state as positive, without need to worry over a label for the precise feeling.
We all experience this world differently, from the colors we see to the memories that define us. And, perhaps, with time, just as a canvas can be tinged with the faintest wash of watercolor, so can this "empty" of yours take on meaning.
no subject
...I would like it, if the day came where that happened. But...I should level with you, that this is in a way, a penance for the things I've done. Even if it does happen...I need to deserve it, first.
[It's gentle when she says it, though she looks a little distant for a moment after doing so.]
But...yes. [Amaya makes a small sound.] My apologies; the way you find such...kind optimism, it reminds me of a dear, old friend of mine.