[Preshow] The Library

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Karl Jak

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A massive, multi-floor room containing books, newspapers, and audio recorders from various points in history across various realities. The people at Syntech have collected a surprisingly enormous library that seems to span time and space.
 

Chara Dreemurr

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Chara had rushed into the library with undignified speed, as she soared into the comfort of books, fireplaces, sofas and gigantic armchairs. It brought back nostalgic memories of being at home with mom, almost a decade ago, back to the fore of her mind, and it was a convenient way to re-center herself.

The roving bands of reporters also gave her nostalgia of a different sort, however, and as she saw that there was still some press buzzing around like fleas around crap, she took a shortcut onto the top of one of the bookshelves, put her feet up against the shelf, and pulled out a book. She had a bit more time before the competition began to restructure and prepare for the fracas. The thought of them kicking her out for sitting up at the top of the shelves briefly crossed her mind but…

what were they gonna do about it? Kill her? She was already a few days away from a very necessary respawn.


She opened the book with a blank expression, ‘theory of quantum entanglement on a macroversal scale’.
She wasn’t looking for any information in particular - It was something she’d read a long time ago, the theory explaining the basis that eventually developed into how she’d taken a shortcut to the top of the bookshelf, stepping out of space and time. No, it was the familiarity she was looking for, the passages speaking of how things connected, how the world changes and shifts depending on observational stimuli. The information was mathematic, devoid of emotion, and had a strict set of order and rules. It gave her a mental foothold to grasp onto while she quietly processed things, along her mind to wander onto

Idly, she wondered if she couldn’t get herself some change of clothes for the tournament. She’d take some syntech branding if she could get a decent enough wardrobe, and she had no interest in wandering around with the same blood-stained clothes day in and day out if she could help it. She’d definitely need to try to get some food in her, given it was a survival island, and she had already resolved that she was ordering the most expensive food possible while she was stuck here.

A thought crossed her mind, that she was fairly certain a DA competitor was generally going to be considered ‘old enough to drink’, even at just nineteen, and she allowed herself a small grin at the notion. For the next little while, Chara Dreemurr could sit back, relax, enjoy some creature comforts, take naps on the bookshelves, and ogle some of the attractive contestants that tended to come through Dante’s Abyss every single year.

And then, Chara Dreemurr would die, slowly and violently most likely, and that was just how life was going to go.

A slight tap on wood broke her out of the line of thought, and she looked down to see a very well-dressed reporter with a very cute cameragirl behind her.

Chara looked down to the two with her usual smile.

“Sorry, This bookshelf is occupied. I am afraid you will have to find your own, ma’am.”

The reporter crossed her arms, a hand glossing through her blonde hair as she stared up at her.

“I’m afraid I’m not here for a bookshelf, miss Chara Dreemurr. I’m here to talk to you. We’d like to ask you a few questions…”

“Well, unfortunately, I’m only really here for bookshelf-related queries. For Chara Dreemurr related queries, you’ll have to check with Gerry at-wait, are you guys live?”

“Of course. DA news travels fast, and we are here to give the people exactly what they want, which, right now, is to know what you want, Miss-”

Chara hopped down without a trace of grace, a bright smile across her features as she looked to the reporter. “So everyone can see this at home?”

“Sure thing. If you’d like to wave to the-” The reporter started to say, but Chara had already snatched the mic from her hands.

“I mostly want to leave, but that’s it’s own thing.” Chara replies to the reporter in a casual tone, before turning directly to the camera.

“Rei, it is going to be okay.” she immediately answered, putting up a hand to the reporter as she tried to talk over her, leaving her to gasp in a mixture of outrage and shock. Fresh meat to this grind, she’d guess. People that came to DA usually sucked to interview, so the surprise was likely genuine.

“I didn’t come here because I wanted to, but I will be alive afterwards. I can’t tell you how or why right now, but I will come find you. You need to go bunk at the hero college for now, alright?”

The Microphone wasn’t ripped from her hands, but the reporter did tilt it back towards her. “This is Grace Coultier, with Chara Dreemurr, excuse me, but what do you think your chances are in your first DA, especially with some seasoned vets rejoining-”

“Probably terrible.” Chara just clipped over in a loud voice, cutting her off as she took the microphone back. “You’ll need to pack up your clothes. Your underwear is still in the Dryer, The pie key is hidden underneath the chex at the top of the fridge, but I’m still expecting you to not eat them all at once, if the college won’t do it, go find Riza in Cevanti, she’s probably got somewhere safe, let her know-”

“Hey, give back the microphone!” Grace spat, her pink suit looking a little the worse for wear as she tried to grab the implement back, but Chara had spent a lot of time dodging bullets with just her wits and her legs, and the reporter was a lot slower than that, so she just continued on with a grin, dodging, weaving, and eventually watching the reporter get tangled up in her own legs and fall in a fairly embarrassing fashion.

“-that if she doesn’t help you, I’ll make it my mission after DA to make sure she never has a clock that accurately tells the time again, and she’ll never be on time to a single meeting ever again. Do not mess around and find out, miss Hawkeye.” Chara would offer with a grin, remembering the harsh woman from Cevanti with a chuckle. She really didn’t need to offer the threat, but it felt good to finally use it. Her mom had talked about the military a little, and Hawkeye was simply too good a soldier for tales of her not to spread. Reputations like that were hazardous to one’s peace of mind, at least with a girl like Chara reading up after a tense alliance during the siege.

“Okay, fine, I guess my interview’s ruined!” the reporter snapped, trying and failing to get to her feet. “Someone has to do this job even if you don’t like it, ya know!”

Chara took the opportunity to lean down, grabbing the woman by the waist as she effortlessly pulled the woman back on her feet, and handed her a handkerchief that came out of a hidden pocket in her sleeve. “And a sister has her own jobs as well.” she’d add, her tone changing as she looked the woman in the eye. “I apologize for teasing you, miss Coultier. It was rude of me.” she added, “I would love to make it up to you with a follow-up interview… perhaps after the Abyss has passed? I Have precious little time to work with.”

“Well… that is…” Grace stammered, clearly realizing this interview had gone completely of the rails.

“Then perhaps you would do me the honor of a date, before the domes close? A quiet evening with an enchanting woman to give me something to hold onto, before my time in the crossroads finally ends. Would you be willing to make my last day here something I can cherish, Miss Courtier?” Chara asks with a smoothness going through her tone.

“I… mean I’m on a schedule and I can’t, really…” Grace mumbles, and as her face softens, and a smile creeps past, not the plastic reporter, but of someone a little more... vulnerable, and at a glance, Chara can suddenly see this woman isn’t much older than she is. She wasn't being pushy just to be a jerk - this might have been her first big job, talking to people like this. She'd figured this was the best personality to arm herself with, and she'd went with it. And that meant Chara had absolutely gone after someone with no defense whatsoever with her teasing this time… which meant the least she could do was to pursue it earnestly.

“Well, if things work out in our favor, you’ll know where to find me, but if the answer is no… I guess now I’ll just have to survive the abyss.” Chara replies with a smile, before walking away with a grin. “Alright, catch me in a couple hours. I’ve got some things to work out before death comes. I’ll give you a real interview. Ciao for now!”

And like that, Chara was gone, slipping around the shelves before seemingly disappearing from existence, leaving Grace and her cameragirl alone.


Grace Courtier took a second, before patting off her sleeves, Giving a grunt before looking to the camera, taking a couple seconds before saying “...Err, that would be very unprofessional. I have no plans on dating a DA contestant at this time. Or… any other time.” The reporter quickly corrected. “Well, this has been an interview with Grace Courtier. We will be having an upcoming review following up on several burning questions for our newest DA contestant with a follow-up interview.”[/i]
 
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Sigmund Vrell

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Sigmund’s mind reeled as it stretched and bent, trying to process the sheer breadth of information which stabbed into it like a knife. Stumbling backwards, his gaze fell away from the eldritch tome in his hands and the cultist snapped back into reality. Dabbing at the tiny trickle of blood dripping from his nose, the young man couldn’t help but grin at the shiver running down his spine.

“Mr Jak sure knows his stuff.” The scion murmured appreciatively as he placed the book back on the shelf. Continuing his browsing of the ‘tomes of forbidden knowledge’ section, the hush of the library was interrupted by a loud conversation a few shelves over. The scholar furrowed his brow as he took the next mind-shattering volume from the shelf, one bound in purple leather with green light visibly pulsating from cuts in the cover.

“Honestly… the manners of some people.” He sighed before listening a little closer. After a moment of shameless eavesdropping, Sigmund realised that this wasn’t any ordinary conversation, another contestant was being interviewed. The high priest perked up with interest.

“Oh wow. I’ve never been interviewed before… hey, why haven’t I been interviewed before?” He thought to himself as he placed the tome back on the shelf and crept closer. “Oh, yeah, the madness.”

The scholar watched the interview patiently, bemused by this ‘Chara Dreemurr’ and her flippant disregard for the interview which quickly U-turned into an offer of a date. She was certainly a curious one, but her attitude wasn’t Sigmund’s main concern. Everyone who entered the Abyss had something that made them stand out. Okuyasu had that bizarre creature(?) he called ‘The Hand’, he had his connection to Gal’skap, and Victor was a massive degenerate. In any case, it wasn’t a competition for your average person, but that’s exactly what this girl seemed to be. How intriguing.

As he ran through possibilities in his mind, the young woman made her way over, leaving the reporters in the dust as she coincidentally came into the same aisle as the cultist. Curiously, she didn’t seem surprised to see another person already standing there, watching her expectantly.

“Wow, you’re lucky, getting an interview like that.” Sigmund said, keeping his voice down lest he dishonour the great name of the library. “People don’t like to ask me questions very much.”

“Well, I cannot imagine why.” Chara replied, smirking a little as she looked the young man up and down. “Does it have anything to do with your habit of spying on people during their own interviews?”

“Perhaps, but that’s a symptom of a much more general problem, I think.” The high priest grinned. “Sigmund Vrell, pleased to meet you.”

“Chara.” The mage responded. Both parties extended their hands to shake, but as soon as Chara realised what was about to happen, she retracted her hand as quickly as she had extended it. Acting casual, she turned to the bookshelf and started to idly run her finger along the spines. “So, are you a contestant too?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes, I am.” Sigmund said, momentarily defeated by the rejected handshake before perking right back up. “It’s my second time, too.”

“I probably should have guessed. You don’t see a lot of spectators dressing as… uniquely as you do.” The seer said.

“Hmm? What’s unusual about my outfit?.” The scion asked curiously, glancing down at his robes. “Well… I suppose it’s not exactly high fashion in the crossroads, is it?”

“Not quite.” Chara chuckled.

“Well, if you don’t mind me saying, your outfit looks… well, very normal.” Sigmund said, nodding at the young woman.

“Actually, I do mind, thank you very much.” Chara said, gasping in mock offence. Distress instantly crossed the high priest’s face and he opened his mouth to apologise, only to be cut off by the mage’s laughter. “Relax, I’m just kidding.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, the cultist waited for an explanation that didn’t come, the two looking at each other in silence for a long moment. “Well?”

“Well what?” Chara asked.

“Well you’re clearly not some just random civilian, right?” Sigmund said. “You don’t just get anyone entering into Dante’s Abyss.”

“Hey, who’s to say I’m not.” The seer grinned. “Maybe I’m just some thrill-seeker.”

“I suppose this is the ultimate thrill.” The scion acknowledged before breaking into a wry grin. “But come now, you don’t really expect me to believe that, do you?”

Chara simply gave him a relaxed smile, unwilling to part with even a sliver of information. How fun!

Changing gears, Sigmund turned to face the bookshelf as she was. “So, what brings you to the library, anyways?”

“Oh, you know, just a bit of light reading.” The quantum scientist remarked, her grin growing a little at her own joke. “How about you?”

“Oh, nice, nice.” The scholar grinned, growing genuinely curious at her choice of literature beyond his mission to uncover her secrets. “I guess you could say that I was doing a little dark reading myself. Which section were you in? It’s always great to meet another book-lover.”

Chara raised an eyebrow at his ‘dark reading’ comment, wondering if it was some strange turn of phrase that she was unfamiliar with. Regardless, she seemed unperturbed by his pressing and turned to point to another section of the library. Poking his head from the aisle, Sigmund followed her gaze to a section labeled… romance and erotica…

“Reading is fine and all, but we could do some ‘live reenactment’ too, if you’d like.” The mage said from behind the cultist. A cold chill of horror ran up his back as he whipped around and pressed himself up against the bookshelf, wishing he had his tome to hide behind, as if it could repel Victor’s spiritual successor.

“N-No, I’m fine, thank you.”
 

Chara Dreemurr

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Sigmund Vrell, Chara immediately noticed, was very good at positioning his hoodie. His clothing was doubtlessly meant to allow a disguise of both identity and mannerisms, at least in her estimations, for why else would he have grown so good at hiding that adorable shade of pink underneath his blue hood. It was a practiced motion that she was sure she wasn’t the first to test. Amidst how utterly dreadful the entire situation was, the fact that this “veteran” entering a death tournament twice would probably be easy enough to eliminate early if she just bent in right now and used a little tongue was hilarious!

The fact this might end in her throat slit at his hands did ruin the mood a little, however, it wasn’t the first time she’d had to operate with an assumption like that and strike up a friendship, so she moved on, backing up a step or two and giving a casual shrug that was Sigmund’s signal to breathe.

“Sorry, I suppose that can at least wait for after the first date, right?” She’d add with a little teasing. “I will see if I can tone it down.” She’d offer, getting an embarrassed nod as the mad scholar took a second to collect himself.

“How about we find a place to sit down and chat? We will shelve your cuteness for the moment…” Chara added, gesturing Sigmund to walk with her. “...Well, mr. 2-time DA winner, I do have a few questions, in exchange for all the information I gave you. Unless we’d like to go back to the subject of when that first date-”

“I would be overjoyed to answer any questions about DA!” Sigmund emphatically cut her off, and Chara suppressed a giggle behind a wry smirk.

“Well… truth be told, while I have signed up for Dante’s Abyss this year, I have no idea what the rules are this time.” Chara would offer, giving a smirk. “Rather impulsive of me. Would you be kind enough to tell me the format this year as we walk?”

Chara listened to Sigmund with a lazy grin hiding her brain’s inner clockwork. The fact this DA was a treasure hunt was itself interesting, not to mention the fact she wouldn’t be forced to kill anyone. Given it was DA, she doubted she’d be able to totally avoid any unnecessary battles - those seemed to be an intimate part of the format - but she could choose not to kill without worrying she’d be sealing her own fate. DA did attract the worst sorts of people, however, so she was equally sure it would be her or one of the other contestants, at some point…

Which brought her to her other concern. Sigmund Vrell. In many ways, he reminded her of his brother Asriel - kind, enthusiastic, naive and endlessly curious. But with more Nerd. A Nerd-sriel. But there were bits of tone that she could hear inside his speech that spoke of something different.

As he showed his delight for orating, and told her of the island, and of who would live and die, she could see it in his face when he spoke of how eliminations worked. Of how people’s heads were blown off if a collar was removed or if a contestant didn’t move sufficiently quickly, or of how important eliminating the competition was…

Sigmund spoke as one who had killed, who would kill again, and who felt no compunction in doing so. His breathing was even, his hands and tone steady… Sigmund Vrell sounded like her brother so, so much, except for that important, concerning detail, and it left a taste like spoiled peaches in her mouth.

“...I see.” Chara finally stated after a moment, absorbing all the information as she pulled herself onto a nearby wicker chair, her eyes never leaving Sigmund Vrell, as she leaned forward.

“Well, with all of that said, how about you tell me a little about why you joined, then?” Chara asked, her curiosity managing to substitute for genuine enthusiasm in her voice as she looked to him.

“Why, to spread the madness of my lord Gal’skap, of course!” Sigmund replied with a smile.

“Gesundheit!”

“No, Gal’skap-ahh, a joke.” Sigmund replied, a starry-eyed enthusiasm replaced with a frown as a little hurt entered his eyes.

“...Sorry, I did not mean to offend you.” Chara would say after a second, as Sigmund gave a sigh. “...Would you be willing to tell me about him? I cannot say I’ve ever heard of a Gal’skap.”

“Gal’skap is an elder god, the god of madness. Is this really the first time you’ve heard of him?”

Chara resisted the urge to say that such was crazy, despite what a good joke it would be, and gave a nod. “So, you are here to proselytize, then?”

“I am here to spread Gal’skap’s good words, yes.” Sigmund would add with an earnest grin. At least he wasn’t bashful about his religious beliefs - Chara would think a little less of a shy missionary - but she gave him a short nod as a way to allow him to go on.

“Gal’skap is manifested in the madness in every human mind, a window by which we can see the true infinite power contained within the universe. A mighty deity who bestows power and knowledge to his chosen members. To praise Gal’skap, to expand your mind to accept him, is to expand what the world is to you!” Sigmund explained, his face leaving the hood as he continued, shaken off by the work of his own Enthusiasm. Chara gave a soft smile, slowly expanding into a grin as she listened to him.

“...That is quite the speech there. I hope they made you the leader with energy like that.”

“I thought you were done making fun.”

“I am.” Chara would reply, leaning a little forward. “If I was to buy into a cult - religion, sorry.”

“It’s quite alright, I’m quite proud of my cult!” Sigmund offered.

“-Then, I think it would be quite hard for me to believe someone who did not come at the subject with motivation. Enthusiasm. You believe quite strongly in your cause.”

“It doesn’t have to just be my cause. A seer would be welcome within Gal’skap’s ranks.” Sigmund would reply with a grin, causing Chara to quirk a smile.

“...Perhaps, but I have other duties that come first. I’m almost done my apprenticeship as a refrigeration mechanic!”

Sigmund would look up to her, the composure breaking slightly at the statement. “...you’re a refrigerator repairman?”


“Yep. Who knows, maybe I’ll be up here fixing a syntech staff fridge someday?” She teased, before turning to grab a book from Sigmund’s pile - the Language of Darkness, chapter 1, apparently.

“Oh, careful with that one, it’s-”

“Dangerous. I had guessed.” Chara would cut off, looking almost resigned at the statement.

“I have a far simpler goal in this tournament.” she’d note, looking to Sigmund with a more serious face than she’d shown, eyes practically boring a hole through the cultist. “Try not to kill, and try not to be killed.”

Sigmund looked up with surprise. “You know that you’re in… I mean, this is the death… are you sure this is where you were supposed to be?” Sigmund asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chara finally chose to level with the Cultist. “I was entered against my will, under the influence of… well, someone unimportant to this current farce, as far as I know. I suspect it was to scope out my capabilities.” She admitted.

Sigmund showed her a look of sympathy at that, though something else glimmered in his eyes too. Something she thought seemed quite… dangerous. “Or to drive you to mental unwellness. Given you’re not convinced he simply wanted to kill you, I’d wager you have a way of coming back.”

Chara gave a smile and a slight shrug. “...Probably. I cannot be completely certain if it will work, however. A lot has happened since my last brush with death.”

Sigmund looked her up and down curiously, and Chara could see something had changed with the look given. She’d piqued his interest, but for what reason, she could not say.

“You remind me of someone I know, a little. Though he would never have admitted a lack of knowledge to a stranger.“

“Who said we were strangers at this point?” Chara would ask with a wry quirk of her mouth. “...it is difficult to find common ground if nothing of your own is volunteered to another, and I would like to find common ground.”

“Because you are trying to maximize your chances of survival?”

Chara’s smile grew a little wider as she closed her eyes. “Well, it’s more that I think you are ultimately a person I could enjoy a quiet conversation with. Someone with a valuable insight, and a reasonable tolerance for bad jokes.” Chara would offer. The words came out focused, deliberate, and not by any accident. Chara didn’t mince words uselessly, after all, and she hoped they would have the desired effect.


She had enough nightmares about enough corpses as it is.

“I want to hope that, should we encounter one another in the tournament, it can be with words instead of bullets.”

Chara gave an apologetic smile, as she suddenly got up, passing the book back to the cult leader with a sigh. “...Though, as it always is, that is up to the choices you make.” she would note, before cocking her head towards the recreation dome. “I would love to talk to you more later, but we have limited time, and if this is indeed my death… I really want to try an alcohol while I have a chance.”

“An alcohol?”

“...Whatever it’s called.” Chara would offer, looking slightly embarrassed. Still, the statement seemed to bring her back from her more serious tone as she looked Sigmund up and down. “...Though if you feel up to it later, you could bring that cute butt over to the bar, and we could have a conversation. My treat.” She joked, aware Karl was paying for everything.

Sigmund sank a little further into the chair at the tease, and Chara did giggle at that as she turned around and headed to the recreation dome. “See ya Sigmund~” she teased, before strolling out of the library.
 
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