maladied: (Default)
grabs by the throat ([personal profile] maladied) wrote2025-11-01 12:05 am

GRAVEYARD


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.

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.

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.

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.



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.

vogelfrei: (smile; finding agnika)

[personal profile] vogelfrei 2025-12-08 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It is a very good hug, full of wistfulness and bittersweet sentiment. McGillis let's it linger a moment longer, soaking up the warmth that he's forbidden himself from wanting and that he couldn't have, even if he hadn't.

Ramuda really is precious. There's nothing that could change that now. It's a feeling that will linger forever even long long long after he let's go for good. ]


I couldn't forget if I tried.

[ He does let go now, but his smile is warm as he does. It stings. Of course it does. He's only human, in the end.

McGillis pulls a piece of candy from his pocket. A pink one, one Ramuda had given him. ]


I may not indulge often, but I carry it with me wherever I go. It reminds me I'm not where I used to be.

[ That's about candy in general, but it fits and may explain some things. The candy vanishes back into his pocket. ]

... I just won't let myself get entangled in wondering about what could have been.
lollidrops: (A card-carrying gambler)

[personal profile] lollidrops 2025-12-08 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[ ramuda breathes out when mcgillis lets go, reaching up to fuss with his hair and his face. he's no longer crying but he's sure he looks like a mess right now and though his style is usually casual, he is aware of how he carries himself.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

okay, okay, pull it together—as much as he can anyway. mcgillis has seen him too after all and although he still wants to vibrate off this bench, he does find solace in that. that someone could see him and think he was a person, all on his own. ]


Good! [ to the first part, he needs a second on the latter.

because he's not someone who thinks like that, it goes against his nature both learned and natural. but he's been doing a lot of things he normally doesn't do lately, and this makes him pause. ]


I—[ deep breath ] I won't forget you either, obviously! Not even after we get out of here, which we will!!! And I don't think in what-if's but I'm gonna cherish what we have! What we still have! What we'll always have!
vogelfrei: (smile; absolute bastard)

[personal profile] vogelfrei 2025-12-08 05:59 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's McGillis' turn to need a second. Ramuda is always so energetic and it's easy to get swept along in the energy. It's felt natural weeks ago and it feels natural even now, at the closest junction he's ever been to heartbreak.

The phantom pain in his stomach is only a dull hum now, no longer an overwhelming pressure. ]


Of course. There's more to come, because we're both too stubborn to give in here.

[ His smile grows. They're still friends. Now and for the future. There are not many who can lay claim to that status in his heart. ]

Here's to us, Ramuda Amemura. To our freedom.

[ There's nothing to toast with an no need for a toast to start with but that's fine. It can just be a rallying cry. ]
Edited 2025-12-08 18:00 (UTC)
lollidrops: (I'll only get one chance)

[personal profile] lollidrops 2025-12-08 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
To our freedom and our future! [ he will punch the air like the pink gremlin he is, because they don't have anything to toast with but this is definitely worthy of one. all with a smile that's particularly bright, natural, one with all of his heart and all of his reflections.

because he believes in this, he believes in them, and he believes in their bond even now. more so, actually. ]