and when we burst, start over [ OPEN ]

[cryptologic]

Who: Dipper & YOU
When: IC 5/26
Where: Various
What: Dipper died, but life goes on.
Rating/Warning: Talk of death

[ A: REENTRY ]

[ It’s all the same.

The Powerpoint. The spiel. The drop into VIVID. It’s even the same level he initially arrived in. He’s almost nauseous with the sense of deja vu - if he weren’t already nauseous with the feeling of being alive again.

He’s been dropped into the middle of the Tetris level, and he’s so disoriented at the simple impossibility of life that he reacts slower than he should. It’s not that he didn’t expect to be revived. Logically, he knew he would, but there’s only so far that logic can take him when something so final as death is so casually overwritten.

Finally, he does react - a Tetris block is about to flatten him, and he ducks out of the way. The block should clip his shoulder as he awkwardly run-falls away from it, but...it doesn’t. That’s weird. VIVID must be glitching.

It’s only then that he realizes he might not be the only one in this particular level right now. ]

[ B: REUNIONS ]

[ After logging out of VIVID, Dipper makes his way back to the apartment. It’s the obvious place to go, isn’t it? He definitely doesn’t want to go anywhere else. The thing is...he doesn’t really want to go there, either, and the thought of being isolated in his room once again makes his skin crawl with anxious dread. But he knows he can’t leave his roommates and friends hanging. Dipper can’t be sure who knows what happened to him, but he’s sure at least his close friends could probably guess if they weren’t outright told. They’re a sharp bunch.

He kind of wishes they weren’t so sharp right now.

Though he realizes with sharp responsibility that he can’t keep them in suspense forever, Dipper hesitates in front of the door, because he knows, he knows once he goes inside, the unavoidable things he’s been dreading will happen. He’ll have to own up to what happened. He’ll have to process the tidal wave of emotions he’s only just kept at bay with forced numbness. He’ll be reunited with his friends.

He’ll be reunited with the person who saw him die.

Swallowing against a dry throat, Dipper turns the handle on the front door and heads inside. ]

[ C: REPRIEVE ]

[ After talking to his roommates, there’s only so long that Dipper can stay in the apartment. There’s just too much of something he can’t name, and he has to leave.

Before he does that, he sends out a short message to Minato and Hiro. They knew what had happened to him, and they deserved to know he was back. There are probably others he should text, too, but sending messages to just the two of them already took more out of him than he wanted to admit.

And then, he leaves. Maybe it’s selfish - maybe he should stay where Yu and Rise could know he’s safe and well and alive, but he just can’t stay there anymore. He’s restless. So he heads out to take a walk.

He eventually makes his way to the gardens, hands shoved in his vest pockets and every so often, he turns quickly to glance over his shoulder. That’s strange, he could’ve sworn he saw someone watching him from the corner of his eye. He chalks it up to his nerves getting the better of him, but a nagging voice in the back of his head insists that there’s more to it than that.

The gardens aren’t really his typical go-to place to unwind, but at least they’re quiet and he doesn’t want much more than that at the moment. Eventually, he sits in front of one of the trees and leans back against it. It’s fine, for a moment, until something goes wrong and he falls backwards, right through the tree.

There is absolutely nothing to see here. There is definitely not a kid seemingly fused with the trunk of a tree. Move along. ]

Comments

C

[cresthopes]

[All Takeru could care about was that he didn't have to deal with Hikari being scary anymore! And that he didn't need to see any other creepy things! After his experience with the altar and reliving a horrible memory, the only thing he wanted to do was go out and not think about it.

As he wandered through the gardens, he spotted a familiar person nearby!]

Dipper-san? Dipper-san, is that yo-

[...] Dipper-san!! [Don't mind the poor boy running straight up to him in hopes to get him out of said tree!]

[cryptologic]

[ Dipper only has a moment to wonder what the heck just happened before he hears someone calling out his name. ]

Takeru? [ Don't mind his head sticking out of the other side of the tree now. He moves an arm through it. It's like it's...not even a solid object anymore.

Or maybe it's him that isn't solid anymore. ]

Uhh - don't worry! I'm okay! Iiiiiii think!

[cresthopes]

[As the boy got closer, the more he didn't know what to do! Whatever was going on, he just didn't want his friend to be deleted!]

Are you sure? Because I don't think you are okay, you look like you're stuck!

[He was able to get out of the tree...couldn't he?]

[cryptologic]

Not stuck! See?

[ Dipper sits up, body still phasing through the truck of the tree. It's extremely disorienting. That...can't be good. It's just like the Tetris block in VIVID, but he'd just chalked that up to VIVID being glitchy. What could it mean that it was happening out in the city?

He swallows and attempts a grin for Takeru. ]

Perfectly fine.

[ Ha...ha.

One of his hands is still inside the tree. ]

[cresthopes]

[Despite his words, Takeru still wasn't so sure about that. Even with him phasing through the tree, that didn't stop him from giving Dipper a worried look]

Are you sure? It looks like your hand is still stuck in the tree!

[And yet...somehow, this meeting was starting to look rather familiar. Which was why he gave his hand out to him to see if he needed any help!]

[cryptologic]

Wait, what? [ Dipper glances back as his hand. Yep, it sure is still inside the tree.

He gives it a tug, expecting it to move freely outside of the trunk again, but nothing happens.

...Welp. ]

It's fine! I, uh, want it to be there!

[ Sure, Dip, sure. ]

[cresthopes]

[And here, have the most unconvincing look from the blond! While he might be young, even he can tell he didn't want to be there!]

You sure? I don't think you really want it to be stuck there! How are you going to move or if you want to go somewhere?

[Seriously, Dipper? Seriously???]

[cryptologic]

[ It probably doesn't help that Dipper can't bluff worth spit... ]

I'll, um...figure that out when it comes to it? I mean, I'm sure I'll be able to move it eventually. I just need whatever just happened to happen again.

[ Too bad he has no idea how to make it happen. ]

[cresthopes]

[The joys of being unable to lie. Takeru knows that all too well]

That would mean you need to be see through again! That's kind of scary, that kind of looked like you were glitching!

[Nope, this sure doesn't look familiar here. What are you talking about?]

[cryptologic]

[ Dipper laughs nervously - very nervously. ]

G-glitching? Nah. I mean...that sort of thing only happens in VIVID, right?

[ Evidently not. ]

[cresthopes]

I don't think so! When I first got here, the same thing happened to me! My body looked really weird and it seems like it's happening to you too!

[Please don't tell him you're being deleted, please don't tell him you're being deleted!]

We need you to find someone who can help you out right now!

[cryptologic]

[ He's not being deleted!!

Or, at least - god, hopefully he's not. He really has no idea what's happening to him, though, except that it's more than likely related to circumstances he's not sure if he should tell Takeru about. ]

I-I'll be okay! I mean...what happened to you wore off eventually, right?

[cresthopes]

Yeah but it was still scary though! I thought that I was going to be deleted by the program! I still think you should ask someone to help out with it!

Maybe Hiro-san can do something?

[But then again, Hiro was the only one he knew that knew a lot about computer stuff! Maybe he can help him out??]

[cryptologic]

M-Maybe.

[ He did need to talk to Hiro. About...what had happened to him, but also what had happened after. Dipper didn't know many people who had died in the colony but he knew enough to know that what had happened to him was not the usual process. ]

I'll...definitely talk to him about it. Later.

[cresthopes]

Maybe I can call him now! I think he can help out with this!

[But at the same time, when Takeru was looking for his CereVice, that's when Patamon just gave a pout and started pulling Dipper out! Screw whatever was going on, Dipper needed to get out of the tree right now!]

I think these trees really like you, that's the second time you've been stuck on one of them!

[cryptologic]

No, wait, you don't have to - [ But then Takeru's looking for his CereVice and Patamon starts tugging on him. You know, it'd be really, really nice if his hand came unstuck right about now... ]

Don't remind me. [ Dipper has had a lot of bad run-ins with trees in Cerealia. You'd think with his last name he'd have a bit more luck, but no. ] Hey, careful! I don't want to lose my hand.

[cresthopes]

If you don't, you're just going to be stuck there forever! And I don't think you would like that!

[With the flying potato as he kept tugging him off! Although as hard as he might try, it doesn't seem to be working!!]

But whatever just happened, looks like the tree glued you really badly! It's going to be really boring just standing there!

[cryptologic]

That's not true! I just need to wait until I can phase back out again!

[ When...ever that happens. ]

I bet I can find a way to pass the time. Like...I don't know, got any good riddles for me?

[cresthopes]

Seems like you might be stuck there for a really long time! You sure you don't want my help?

[But as Patamon looked back at Takeru, Takeru looked back at Dipper]

Uh...I think I got one! Do you want to play I Spy until your phase back out or something?

[cryptologic]

[ ...Honestly, yeah, that sounds like the best plan of action. ]

Okay, sure. So, uh...do you want to go first, or should I?

[cresthopes]

Uh...how about you go first? You seem like someone who would be really good at this game!

[Not to mention that he was usually pretty good at this! If she was able to stump Hikari, maybe he could probably do the same for Dipper! ...Maybe!]

[cryptologic]

Uh, okay. Let's see...

[ He casts a look about. There's a variety of things about in the park, but he wonders how hard he should make it. He likes a challenging puzzle, but he doesn't want to make it too tough for Takeru. Then again, he's a smart kid. ]

I've got one. I spy with my little eye, something that is yellow.

[cresthopes]

Yellow huh?

[Takeru said before he started to look around. If he knew Dipper, he probably wouldn't go for something easy! Not after he showed him how to decode all those messages!

He would probably go for something much harder! So....!]

My hair? That's something yellow isn't it?

[cryptologic]

[ He shakes his head, smiling slightly. ]

Nope, that's not it.

[cresthopes]

Awww, really, it's not?

[In hindsight, maybe his blond hair was pretty easy wasn't it?]

Then do I get a clue? Am I near it or something?