On the continued life of CRAUs

[kuukai]

Well, who said my story needs an end? Sometimes th’best stories go on ferever. Played Skyrim lately?

[ The beargirl is sitting on a ledge, contemplating a nearly-full box of Pocky. She rubs the gem embedded in her chest periodically. ]

S’jus’ a matter of whether or not yer tellin’ it. Ya can’t see ev’ry star from Earth, an’ ya can’t find ev’ryone on facebook. [ Sudden grin. ]

I wouldn’ worry. I’ll be around. An’ ya don’ haveta worry abou’ me goin’ away, neither.

I know where home is.

Comments

[justoutrunyou]

I am really not looking forward to life as a CRAU if you guys are all this...

...bittersweet? Like you're sad but you're OK with it.

[spontaneouscombustion]

Hey, Kyouko! Long time no see!

[Pinkie Pie WOULD be much more energetic since it's been a while, but... well what does Kyouko mean?

She WILL give a gentle hug, though.]

[kuukai]

Uh. We all are? I thought this was just me.

Or magical girls. Either one.

[kuukai]

[ She has time to blink maybe once before getting hugged by the pink pony, and throws her arms around Pinkie in a fierce bear hug. ]

No shit. Where th'hell have ya been? Who th'hell didja think was gonna do parties on gemworld without ya?

[justoutrunyou]

Nah you're like...the third one.

I dunno I guess I'm not much better. I've gone through so many people just in my first game that sometimes it's like...oh someone else I liked died? Must be Monday.

[kuukai]

[ Letting out a long breath. ]

Well yeah. I mean... it was almost easier back when I knew I'd only haveta die once.

[justoutrunyou]

Well...come on help me out. This is my first time going to another world with my memories in tact from the last game.

Got any advice to make it less horrible?

[kuukai]

Mm... ya get ta keep livin'. Isn' tha' enough?

Way I understand it, ya die back home.

[justoutrunyou]

There's a difference between being able to stay alive and being allowed to really live.

The way things ended for me back home may not have been good, but at least it was an ending. Every story needs an ending doesn't it?

[kuukai]

...

How old are ya, kid?

[justoutrunyou]

Thirteen.

But my body's been reset every couple of months since I was eleven so yeah...age is weird.

[kuukai]

Okay but still barely old enough ta see th'new Star Wars.

S'not yer time.

Also, whaddya mean reset? Ya some sorta undead?

[justoutrunyou]

No, I mean I was once but not enough to enjoy it.

Every couple of months I get put into a death match arena and have to survive as long as I can. When I die they put my memories into another body. So I "reset". Any scars I got, tattoos, teeth falling out all get reset unless The Capitol decides otherwise.

[kuukai]

... well tha's damn fucked up. Shit. An' ya'd rather stay? Than move on?

[justoutrunyou]

No I...ugh I'm not explaining it.

Of course I want to leave, but not without the people I care about. It's not right that they get stuck dealing with a war while I'm getting whisked away to some new place with new horribleness.

And like I said before, none of you CRAU guys seem all that happy about it. Like sure it sounds great on paper right? Go to a bunch of new worlds and have adventures!

But you guys are all sad about it. So there's gotta be a reason. Probably lots of reasons.

[kuukai]

...

Yeah, okay, sure. There is.

When th'adventurin' ends, ya still gotta live in yer new world. Brush yer teeth, make breakfast, an' all tha'. An' wha' spices tha' life up is th'people yer with. An' they won't necessarily go with ya from world ta world.

Sometimes they do. But there's a girl I knew back home who I've still never been able ta make up with.

S'jus' tha' ya can get lonely after a while. An' desensitized.

But... ya get ta keep livin', an' there's always somethin' new. An' I think tha's how life is, too, if yer not a girl whose growth gets stunted by magic.

[justoutrunyou]

Oh no...don't tell me being a Magi means I'm still not gonna age!

[kuukai]

...

No shit. Yer goin' there?

[justoutrunyou]

S'far as I understand.

Basically the people who have been putting me in these death matches? I got away for awhile, but they caught me and were gonna really mess me up. Like...in my brain and stuff.

...so I kind of panicked and made a contract with that cat thing with the beady eyes.

[kuukai]

S'better'n nothin'.

I don' know a ton abou' tha' place. Mebbe s'better'n it sounds.

But ya gotta watch out fer tha' rat. He's th'reason I died th'first time.

[justoutrunyou]

Well there's a cheery thought.

Was it at least a quick death? I've had both kinds.

[kuukai]

I got yanked out b'fore it happened.

Shit, kid. 'm sorry.

[cyan_maid]

Hey Kyouko.

[It's nice to see a familiar face around these parts every once in a while. It really is.]

You look like you're doing well.

[kuukai]

Hey. [ It's impossible to hide her grin. ] How's th'bakery?

[justoutrunyou]

Lucky break then.

It's not your fault. Half of them were my fault for making stupid mistakes or trying to be brave when I should have just run.