open 💀 second recording | passive dream + extra

[stillarhino]

Sender: Beat
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive Dream Recording
Warnings: Some spoilers for the OG The World Ends With You. Will update as needed.

A smartphone is shoved in front of your face, and confusion takes over, not sure what exactly you're looking at. Then you realize that it's an innocuous advertisement for a piece of jewelry that had shown right before the video played. You turn to the owner, and it takes you a moment to recognize her, your sister Rhyme. She's young, with short, blonde hair framing either side of her face. Her usual beanie is absent from atop her head.

"It's cute, right?" she asks. She's never really had any interest in jewelry before, which only further added to your confusion.

She smiles back at you, noticing the look on your face. "Don't worry. I don't plan on buying it. I probably wouldn't be able to afford it anyway."

A sigh escapes her mouth before she withdraws her arm, turning to lie back on the bed as she proceeds to watch the following video that starts to play.

For a moment you wonder what that was all about before you turn your attention back to the skateboard you'd been working on.

- - -

It's morning and you've been in line since the crack of dawn. You're not a morning person and you let out the biggest yawn, not even bothering to cover your mouth.

A few hours have passed since you got here, able to get a spot in line toward the front of the pack, only beaten by those who camped out the night before. You decided to come out this early only because you learned that the item was limited. Seeing all the people in line before you makes you realize just how coveted this might actually be. For a while, you wonder if you even have a chance of purchasing it.

There are a few whispers from further back in line, and they don't make an effort in keeping their voices down.

"What is he doing here anyway? He looks completely lost."

"Stop that. Maybe he's buying it for his girlfriend or something."

A rush of heat color your cheeks, but you're quick to shoot a glare their way, baring your teeth just to drive the point further. They see you and all of a sudden they have nothing more to say.

- - -

The box in your hand is wrapped messily, the bow atop it leaning off one of the corners. Maybe you should've let someone else do it instead. But it's too late for that now. You rap your knuckles against the door.

It opens to reveal Rhyme. A large smile adorns her face as she greets you but she quickly sees the box in your hand. "Huh? What's this?"

You hand it over to her.

"For me?" She examines it for a while before looking back up to hold your gaze. "Can I open it?" You nod and she immediately begins tearing through the wrapper. When she opens the box within, her face immediately lights up, and whatever anxiety you had felt coming into this washes away.

"Oh gosh! You actually got it." She holds up a cord with a large, brass bell pendant hanging at the end. It's the very same one as the piece featured in the video ad.

Before you can even get a word out, she throws herself at you, jumping to curl her arms around your neck. "Thank you so much, Beat!" A warmth spreads throughout you and you smile, bringing your arms around her to return the embrace, hugging her tight enough to make her giggle in your ear.

And then you wake.

Sender: Beat
To: Close CR (except for Gina and Futaba)
Subject: a little help?
Warnings: Cursing. Will update as needed.

[Forward dated to the 23rd.]

yo i kinda got myself in a predicktament
and i aint sure how im supposed to

[There's a long pause before he continues writing this next part.]

deal with this one
so imma need some advice
any of ya got some time to help a brother out?

[If you're unsure if your character counts for this second part, feel free to poke me at riyuji or at Riyuji#9693 on discord.]

Comments

Sender: Futaba Sakura

[mwehehe]

Aw... this has big Big Brother Energy.

You're really sweet, Bones.

[She definitely misses her own 'big brother' since he seems to have woken up... so seeing this warms her heart. :') It's nice seeing a cute side of Beat like this, she likes it.]

[stillarhino]

[Generally, Beat would be embarrassed when a memory like this would be shown to the village's populace. But when he sees the name of who had sent the message, he doesn't feel that same shame. What had happened between them a month prior flashed in his mind again and he couldn't help but feel self-conscious all of a sudden. Add in the fact that Futaba just called him sweet.

It takes him a while to put pen to paper to reply.]

i just
you know
thought that itd be something shed like

[mwehehe]

You're like

kinda intimidating on first glance 'cause you're a GIANT

but this was nice. You're really thoughtful. Giant guy, heart of gold.

An' I don't mean that it's bad you're intimidating, everyone is intimidating to me at first. But now you're just... Bones, you know?

[That means she LIKES you, Beat. :)]

1/2

[stillarhino]

[There's a scribble that appears on the page that can be translated to Beat getting flustered.]

[stillarhino]

[And then after a moment, AS IF TRYING TO PRETEND THAT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN.]

naw yeah
i remember when the two of us met and you was freaking out about how big i was
yo im glad it aint that way no more shorty

[/////]

[mwehehe]

[pffft he's cute— WAIT NO.....

....

.......no he is and it's weird to think like that but.... but!!!!!!!! He can't see it but she's looking for those slugs around her room.]

Well YEAH you're like, the tallest person I've ever seen! You kept me from blowing away too. I can't do the windy thing like that, but man I wish I could... maybe then I could knock you off your feet, heh heh.

[Wait that—]

I mean! You know! From... being cool!

[Futaba.................... :|]

1/2

[stillarhino]

couldnt let you get blown away yo!
not when the winds was blowing all kinds of shit around
but you dont gotta go do that yo
you already knock me offa my feet

[...Wait, what?]

[stillarhino]

[Then he hastily scrawls something else on.]

from being cool!

[Yes, good save!]

[mwehehe]

[Her own thoughts just pop on the page in the form of her kaomoji that she's usually fond of using, but... this time it's not her! She's focusing too much on it and so here it is, in pictograph form on paper.]

(｡￫ˇ艸￩) (♥ω♥ ) ~♪ (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡(°◡°♡).:｡ (#ﾟﾛﾟ#)

(#ﾟﾛﾟ#)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[There's what looks to be an attempt at erasing her feelings off the page, but they aren't going away.]

[stillarhino]

[Beat just stares at the page as the kaomoji begin to appear on the page and, considering he's seen her write it before, he only assumes that she's the one who writes it... Which leads to him turning beet red on his end once he deciphers the drawings.

Was she trying to tell him something?

But suddenly seeing the strokes being erased and the returning on the page leads to him being even more confused.]

you uh trying to say something shorty?

[WHAT DO THESE MEAN, FUTUBA?]

[mwehehe]

No! Yes! Maybe! I dunno! I didn't write any of that it was dreamotion!! DREAMOTION!!

[So.... technically her, just and overflow of her emotions. That's followed up by one of her own scribbles on the page, followed up by a couple of last kaomoji... for now]

(⊙﹏⊙✿)(╯ಊ╰)

[stillarhino]

[Oh no, she's so cute. AH! There he goes thinking that again. He's never really thought about whenever she gets flustered that way before but now... Now he does.

He takes some time to scribble one of his own.]

(≧∇≦)ﾉ
dreamotion can be hella wack sometimes

[mwehehe]

[!! he's kaomoji'd back at her....! It gives her some warm fuzzy feelings seeing it, actually.]

I've never had it DO that before, it's weird. But you did one too! I'm rubbing off on you, heh heh.

[stillarhino]

yeah that was pretty cool yo
and hey if we aint got stickers i gotta go with the next best thing you know
but i aint some kinda kaomoji master like you tho
still got tons to learn

[She is rubbing off on him!]

[mwehehe]

Heh heh... I guess I'm gonna be Futaba-sensei then, huh?

And now I guess I know it can sense

[there's a brief pause because that was a lot of emotions that spilled out on to the page from her huh.]

uh... emotions and feelings on things. Heh.

[...is she totally thinking about getting kissed again by Beat? YEAH MAYBE]

[stillarhino]

heh imma be counting on ya for this sensei

guess so
its kinda like the stuff with the slugs too
lights getting brighter and all that

[Now he's thinking about it too, but really it's been hard for him not to.]