[Kazuki's room is diagonal from Bradley's so clearly the best way for them to come across each other is when Bradley is struggling with unlocking the door. He keeps holding up his hand and kind of. Waving at the door. But he's not quite close enough for I.R.I.S. to unlock the door for him.]
Then he smacks his hand against the door, which causes it to open since he's close enough now. But he quickly pulls his hand back when the door opens to keep his fingies safe, and so it closes again.]
[Bradley and Kazuki will undoubtedly pass each other in the halls in the morning. Their rooms are close enough that it's inevitable. He's in a good mood today, positive vibes coming off of him as he waves hello.]
Oh, in that case, yeah, let's go. [ casually getting swept up in good feels woohoo ] He cooked dinner for me the other day - I didn't expect it to be that good.
[ the second that the verdict snaps him out of the stunned state that scien's breakdown threw him into, kazuki escapes the the conference room. but he's not far, rather - off to the side of a hall, somewhere out of the way. he's clearly trying to gather himself, but this whole thing has left him shaken to the core, drowning in confusion, anger, and frustration - and a little bit of fear, if you know what to look for.
he doesn't seem to notice brad immediately, and doesn't look up. ]
[ he stiffens, looking up at bradley with wide eyes. just like the last minutes of trial, he seems to be frozen in place.
but a moment later, it's like his mind restarts and his emotions just flare with anger, none of it directed at bradley. and kazuki finally says, quietly but with feeling, ]
Or something. That stuff they said about the nanites... [ with a little thread of fear, ] I was thinking the same thing. It's happened before in movies and stuff.
Let me tell you something: be that pain in the ass. Don't hold back just because you're worried about steppin' on some toes, if you wanna help then step up and do something to help.
I'm not worried about upsetting him - least of all now. But with someone like him, I think you need to know the way to handle them to get it to work, and I don't.
[ he immediately shoots back but the thing is... he's actually a little hurt? even if he knows it's true. that's a part of himself that kazuki doesn't necessarily like. ]
[It's ok to be in his feelings. He just needs to stay alive and healthy while he processes them. And that means eating food.
Once they get to the vending machines, Bradley will grab a soda and some chips for himself. But he doesn't open them yet, because if Kazuki doesn't make a choice then the soda and chips will be placed into his hands.]
[ brad gets the privilege of meeting kazuki shortly after the pods have reopened and he's gone back in for a bit. he's looking better, more alert, and his hands are unbandaged now!
[Truthfully it's no weirder than some of the shit wizards do to their dead, but Bradley does not say that. Kazuki is a sensitive bean and needs support, not horror stories.]
Yeah, it probably does. It'll get better with time though, it'll feel less weird.
[Eventually so many people will die that there's no avoiding using facilities people died in. Another thing that he does not say to Kazuki since it won't help.]
[Bradley knows all about the dangers lurking in the fine print of promises though, so he expected some kind of problem from the start. He just didn't expect the problem to be murder.]
But it'd be nice to hear you sing once, before you went back to your world.
[They are planetside! Bradley is just hanging around until their work starts later, but when he sees Kazuki he'll go over and loop an arm around his shoulders.]
We get somethin' free for our work here, so we better take what we're owed!
[Off to the bazaar they go! There is a lot of stuff here to look through. Clothes, jewelry, other fancy accessories, you name it and it's here. There's also a tattoo artist, and Bradley is humming in thought at that one.]
Y'know, I've never actually gotten a tattoo. That might be interestin'.
Never really thought about it. But I've seen tattoos before, they look really cool. My Sage's mark is in a weird place too, so I can't even show that off without going shirtless.
It's...complicated. It doesn't really matter here, but it mattered a lot back home. I wouldn't care if people knew here, but he's still stuck in his feelings from back home.
[ kazuki listens in silence, soaking that in. curiosity is eating at him, but he doesn't expect bradley to say much more than that, so he'll let it drop. for now ]
He looked pretty happy to be on this planet, though. I found him trying to take a nap in the snow.
[ it's nighttime on hyros, and kazuki is frozen near the edge of the night market, staring in with apprehension. there's something clutched tight in his hand, but he makes no move to enter just yet. ]
[ how frustrating it is to be scolded like a child. he's eighteen. he shouldn't be so skittish.
kazuki grits his teeth, and pulls on a mask that's definitely scene better days. some of the trim's been ripped away, the lace shredded in places and riddle with dark splotches. ]
I'm fine. Just came to check out the stupid market.
...You can probably get one near the entrance. They can't require masks if they're not going to give you a way to get one.
[ probably... kazuki's going to start heading for it, but - the void catches them first, encapsulating them both in a memory (19:00 - 23:36):
another month, another attack. classes are closed, students released to go home to safety, to their parents. but what good would that do? and why would you leave akito to head home on his own when he's already so on edge?
so you walk together. talk music, as you always do. let your feet take you where they will, no real destination in mind, only looking for whatever will get your minds off of the news looming over the city like a shroud. anything will do, and you're even having a good time, until...
"Ugh," you mutter with a flash of annoyance. "Why is she here?"
your older sister, ichika. akito is already exasperated - he knows that the two of you don't get along, and still he insists on going over to say hello without even giving you a chance to argue. she's just as surprised to see the two of you here, and you're irritated to hear her start nagging you without hesitation. it's late, she says, as if you care. there was another murder, she says, as if you were too blind or too stupid to pick that up when it's all over the news. you glare back at her.
"They closed school today because of the murder. There's nothing to do at home."
what does she expect you to do, stay cooped up all night? it won't do any good. but ichika insists on scolding you like a rebellious child, until akito finally interrupts. she's always been more inclined to listen to him, but never you.
"We're sorry, Ichika," he tells her with that apologetic little smile of his. it's sincere, of course; akito has always been the more patient one between the two of you, and maybe this time, he thinks that he bears some responsibility. "Kazuki was just worried about me."
you don't owe her an explanation. still, you find yourself muttering, "He's been feeling down lately, so I went to hang out with him. It sounds like... it's tough at home for him."
not that it's any of her business. and even then, even then, she insists that you should stay home, even if it's just the two of you at the apartment you and ichika share. you can't help but roll your eyes, temper flaring.
"Ugh, you're annoying. Who cares whether or not we're at home if we don't know when we could die?" you spit venomously. ichika looks like she's been slapped, and that only adds fuel to the fire. how can she call herself a cop and still be so clueless? "Is there any place that we'll be totally safe? Can you guarantee I won't be just killed at home? Even the people at school who act like they're excited about the murders when they happen are actually scared to death inside. ...They're all worried that they'll be next."
and you, of course, are no different. adonis has already proven they don't care who dies, that they'll target anyone, at any time, for any level of crime. you're not delusional enough to think yourself exempt, no matter how brave a face you put on for appearance's sake. so you continue speaking, hurling your words at ichika like rocks, like it's her fault for not understanding. but she never did try, did she? no one ever does.
"Adonis calls their murders righteous judgment, and says that only bad guys will be targeted, but that's not reassuring at all. There isn't anyone alive that hasn't committed some kind of wrongdoing."
neither you, nor ichika, nor akito are free of that. if adonis wants to judge you, any of you, you will die just as easily and miserably as the rest of their victims. you'll become just another number in the countdown, or another so-called "evildoer" or whatever those psychos will call you to justify their actions. it won't matter, in the end.
"Even if they've been trapped in this town, it doesn't mean that we're free from them... I can't stand being chained up any more. They said something's going down in January. When that hits, it'll be the end of Shinjuku. Everything here might all be gone someday. Just let me go enjoy the time I have left."
your sister stares at you in disbelief, until finally, she speaks, pleading with you. "Look... I'm not telling you to stay home... just be careful."
superficial concern. she's never cared before - why should she start now? you don't want to give ichika the satisfaction of feeling right, so instead of acknowledging her, you turn back to akito, noting the ashen pallor of his face with a wave of concern. you mutter an apology to him before leading him away, pointedly changing the conversation back to something more palatable as you turn away from the route home.
just one month until x-day. if you don't live to see what comes after, the least you can do is live as freely as possible until then.
as it fades, kazuki simply utters a curse under his breath. ]
[This sounds serious, with the mention of killings and X-day and 'righteous judgement', but Bradley can't help but notice the relationship between Kazuki and his sister. So he's a younger brother, huh...?]
[He goes to pat Kazuki on the shoulder, but then a memshare!]
---
You're running as fast as your two legs can carry you, dodging around the thorny vines that have taken over most of the castle. Every so often you feel a twitch in your nose, and you have to plug it with your free hand and force the sneeze down. You can't afford to teleport away now, people are counting on you.
"Mitile! Mitile, run away......!"
"I can’t leave you behind, Riquet! ....I-it’s here......"
You grit your teeth as you vault over a low wall. The voices of Mitile and Riquet are echoing through the labyrinth of walls and thorns, distant but clear enough to point you in the right direction.
Your sleeve catches on a thorn, cutting your arm, you barely slow down from the pain.
You hear the roar of the fearsome minotaur, followed by the screams of the two boys. You're getting closer. "Just hold on a little longer," you say, even though you know they can't hear you.
Up over one tall wall, and down you drop into an open courtyard. On the far side, you can see that the minotaur has cornered the two boys, who are hugging each other and crying out in terror.
"No..."
"Mother, please save us!"
But the one who answers Mitile’s cry for help is not his caring mother in heaven. It’s you, the Northern wizard Bradley.
You flick your rifle up, pointing it directly at the minotaur's head. And then you shoot.
"<< Adnopotensum >>!"
Shot through the head, the Minotaur collapses to the ground with a deafening crash.
The two terrified boys look up to you.
"Mister Bradley!"
"Bradley!"
You grin at the relief and joy lighting up their faces.
"Sorry, my bad! That took me some time! I got blasted away by a sneeze, see. So I kept sneezing my way back. Stroke of luck landed me here in time......"
You casually chat away, but then you take notice of the boys’ wet eyes, their swollen ankles, their elbows scraped red. They fought really hard, didn't they. They're still kids, barely 15, and they managed to stare down a minotaur until you could come to their rescue.
You narrows your eyes kindly and pat them both on their shoulders. "Hey, you look like real men right now. You worked hard."
At your praise, Riquet and Mitile’s faces crumple up tearfully. "......W-we did!!"
[ ...it's easy enough to see what he's doing. talking and talking to distract those kids, keep their heads up, keep them looking forward. it's not a bad thing to do - not really, but there's something in it that makes kazuki a little uncomfortable, so he chooses to focus on something else. ]
Basically, everyone who survived the previous calamity- the one before Nero joined the Sage's wizards- got cursed by the calamity. We have no idea how to get rid of our curses either, beyond "defeat the calamity for good".
Honestly, sneeze-teleporting isn't as bad as some of the others. I'll take it over never being able to sleep again.
Dunno. There's some crazy fucks in my world. Consider this: I'm probably the most sane and responsible wizard in the entire Northern Country right now.
[He knows he carries only 2 braincells, that's the point he's trying to make.]
They weren't supposed to be. The briars grew up all around us when some bastard wizard attacked us at the castle. Those two hang out all the time, and they and the Eastern tiny- Shino- got trapped apart from everyone else.
That just sounds like shaved snow, and also kind of unsanitary? Real ice cream is... well, it's cream, with flavorings and stuff mixed in or put on top. Like vanilla or chocolate, and fudge drizzle.
I don't remember everything about my 600 plus years of life, just like you probably don't remember every waking moment of your 18 years. But I remember the important stuff. I remember the things that made me feel happy.
I remember each of my brothers and sister's names and what their voices sound like, even though they've been dead for over 500 years. I remember what my mother looked like, even though she's been dead longer. When you live to be as old as a wizard gets, that's what you end up being: the keeper of the memories of the dead. Who knows how many memories I'll be keeping when I reach a thousand, or even more.
It's just...he's gone now, and I don't think it'll matter for the case. Even if he was strugglin' with his own battles, Nero wouldn't just give up and let someone kill him like that.
[Boy, he wishes he could reach out and pat Kazuki on the head, or pull him into a hug.]
Hey. Rockstar. It's okay. People fuck up, it's in our nature. I didn't exactly help clear things up either.
I know you guys'll take care of Rosamund and solve this mystery. So I'm okay with dyin' if it means pushin' the rest of ya forward towards findin' a way out.
[ there's frustration in his eyes as he looks back at bradley. ]
We're not finding them fast enough. Even if that research log was right and there is a way to bring back the dead, we don't know what the method is, or if it even really works. Until we figure it out, more people are just going to die and that's - that's not okay.
Yeah. People're gonna die, and that's gonna be hard to deal with.
But I choose to believe in those that'll be alive after tomorrow. I believe in you, and everyone else too. Even if I stay dead, even if everyone stays dead, if you can just get back home then that'll be enough.
[ in a flash of anger, kazuki raises his voice to yell. ]
It's not enough! I don't want to be one of the only ones going home! I'm tired of being one of the only ones who's kept safe while everyone else throws themselves into danger or dies!
[ he quiets, for just a moment, and then: ]
Everyone here deserves to make it home. Every last one of us - whatever that means we have to do.
[ no, don't look at him like that - like he's something to be proud of instead of the helpless kid that he really is. he can't stand that, when it feels like there's not a single thing he can do to make anything here any better. ]
We don't have time to let more people die. I don't know how much longer it'll take, or if it's even possible to fix all this.
[ his expression cracks, betraying the fear that still whispers in the back of his mind, all too familiar from the past year or so. ]
I just don't want it to end like this, but we haven't been able to change anything yet.
Those voices in your head? The one's tellin' you "I don't know" or "I can't change anythin'"? That's your brain tryin' to find the easy way out. Because if you 'can't do anythin' then it's not your fault when things go to shit, or at least that's what your brain's tellin' you.
That's why you gotta shut off your brain and listen to your heart. Your brain doubts, but your heart believes.
It's easy to listen to your brain and just sit there and let your fears control you. It's easy, but it's not the right choice. And the right choice is really hard to make, because it's terrifying! Believin' in a future that might not come to pass, standin' up and sayin' "I will change things" when you don't know if you'll pull it off, it's enough to make even grown men shake in their boots. But if you let your heart guide you, you'll find yourself controllin' your fears rather than lettin' your fears control you.
I believe in you, Kazuki. Let my belief be the first step towards you learnin' to believe in yourself too.
It'll keep you from being paralyzed by your own doubts though. Especially right now, when so much is on the line, you have to be able to make a move when it's presented to you.
I only survived Thursday night because I ran to cover the moment I had a chance. I only survived because I laid a false trail of blood for Nero to follow, when I saw I had the chance. Decisions made in mere seconds are what kept me alive.
[A worried frown creases his brow.]
I just...don't want you to get bogged down in your own thoughts and miss that chance. You're like Nero, you get stuck in your own head too much. I don't wanna see you on that other side too.
If I end up with the rest of you, it's not because I want to. I- I'm just not cut out for things like this.
[ kazuki knows his limits. he knows how badly he handles crisis situations. but even on the safe side, he still isn't doing a great job of handling all this. ]
...It doesn't matter. It's not on me to figure everything out alone. Someone else will put the pieces together, we just need to do it in time to actually be able to help.
But this week Bradley isn't stuck in a cell, so he's going to look for Kazuki once the execution is over. How's he looking after all of that? Does he need to be dragged to the bar for a stiff drink this time?]
[ the one good thing about your close cr not being involved in the execution is that it's a little easier to look away when it gets to be too much, and kazuki definitely did. so while he looks a bit shaken, still, he's more stable than say, last week.
he's actually settled somewhere with just one earbud in, tapping at a journal with a half a music score written in, but he looks up to offer brad a nod when he hears him. ]
[Good. Kazuki has been shaken up by far too many of these executions. But then again, that just shows how much he cares about people, which isn't a bad thing.
Instead of his usual way of dragging Kazuki along on whatever idea he has to get the kid to focus on something else, he opts to just quietly sit down next to him and peek at the music score. It's not something he can read, but he can put 2 and 2 together and connect it to the music.]
[He's actually never had sake, so he'll order some for himself too. In the end they get Brad's original drink and then two bottles of sake, along with a couple sake cups.]
It is kinda weird actually. At first I thought it was because we were all together, but that didn't stop any of the previous killers when they were at curfew with their target.
Nope... The only thing I can think of is that Scrap was there, for some reason. I'm still not sure why he's listed as crew now, but he was the one who sold that stuff they used to see through the mist in the first place, so maybe he did something.
[Don't trust it, I've been flipping coins to see if his power activates and it was all-heads during the event, he'll probably biff it on the first try.]
But this isn't a situation where we have to rely on luck, so it can wait.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Weekend 0, Saturday
This is bullshit.
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You have to do it closer, dude, or it's going to be too far to read.
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Then he smacks his hand against the door, which causes it to open since he's close enough now. But he quickly pulls his hand back when the door opens to keep his fingies safe, and so it closes again.]
Bastard! Stay open!
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[He'll listen and hold his hand an inch or two away from the door, and it's finally open and stays open.]
Someone's gonna get chopped in half by this thing.
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[His way just isn't always the normal way.
He steps through the doorway and goes inside, and the door eventually closes behind him. A couple seconds later, it opens again.]
Looks like it's less than a foot to get the door open.
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Well, congrats on figuring that one out. Next step: emoji, or something.
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[It's said with a touch of humor.]
And I already know what an emoji is.
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[ which is a lot, in his opinion. ]
You barely know about planes, but you've got emoji down? Your world sounds pretty weird, dude.
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[But he will send Kazuki an emoji now.]
Adnopotensum
<|:)
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Is this supposed to be a hat?
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[ like so: ]
INTERLUDE
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That's the emoji thing! The previous sage drew them on paper once, they were little round faces like that.
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I know. A bunch of them are like that, but not all of them. There's all kinds.
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Adnopotensum
🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗🍗
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Yeah, that's the spirit.
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🛴🅾️🅾️K ℹ️ ♏️🅰️D3️⃣ 🅰️ 5️⃣3️⃣♑️✝️3️⃣♑️☪️3️⃣
[Nero doesn't need a compass this time. Bradley will be the compass.]
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You don't need to use the emoji letters to type normal words, dude.
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Thanks for the help, tiny rockstar.
[ope there he go back into his room.]
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[ OFFENDED ]
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Adnopotensum
🤏🪨🌟
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Shorter than me.
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You wanna grow up that fast?
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That's still young even by human standards.
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"about to graduate"
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Why are you in such a hurry to grow up? You should be enjoying your youth.
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Week 0, Monday
Hey, wanna go grab breakfast?
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Is Nero-san cooking again?
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[That good mood suddenly blossoms with happy feelings. He adores Nero's cooking.]
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[Off to the mess hall they go!]
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Magic specialty? Does this have something to do with the wizard thing you were talking about?
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My specialty is enhancement magic. I buff other wizards during a fight.
['Buff' being another modern word he learned from the sage.]
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[ he wants to ask about nero's now but that's probably a question for the man himself. ]
But you can't do it here, can you? Someone else mentioned the nanite things screw with that.
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In that case, I want to see it when you get it back. I've never seen real magic before.
[ stop demanding shit you little punk ]
Week 0, Friday
Adnopotensum
WHAT IS THIS?????
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INTERLUDE
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Bean Guy said that a group of people was with the two of them. Were you there too?
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Adnopotensum
Where are you right now?
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[ he may not be able to drink but at least it's away from... everything else. ]
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Once Bradley shows up, he takes note of what Kazuki is drinking and orders the same drink in alcohol form, which he wordlessly slides over to Kazuki.]
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with a humorless laugh, he'll accept that glass and take a swig. the vibes are Not Great, fam. ]
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I heard what happened, from the bean guy.
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It was bad. I - I've never seen anything like that before. Not involving anyone I knew.
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[How do you emotionally support a teenager when you are constipated about your own emotions?
...he orders a drink of his own.]
Lemme know if you want more. I'll get 'em for you.
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[ ...after a moment's hesitation, he says in a small voice, ] It hurt. Some of the others had it worse, but it hurt a lot.
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[He says while drinking his own drink.]
...yeah. You had to feel his emotions while it was happening, didn't you?
[This death was so much more horrific than tutorial deaths usually are.]
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Yeah. I don't think I'll be able to forget it.
w0 saturday
he doesn't seem to notice brad immediately, and doesn't look up. ]
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Without a word, Bradley slips his coat off and drapes it around Kazuki's shoulders. Here, have a security
blanketcoat.]no subject
but a moment later, it's like his mind restarts and his emotions just flare with anger, none of it directed at bradley. and kazuki finally says, quietly but with feeling, ]
What the fuck.
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[He feels you, Kazuki. Shit's fucked.]
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Even if that's not it, something's wrong.
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[He frowns, and he looks down at his hands.]
Is that why we got two different feelings from him? Was one from the nanites?
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It's just... something was off. But I don't know him that well, and I don't how to ask him without him being a pain in the ass.
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[ he immediately shoots back but the thing is... he's actually a little hurt? even if he knows it's true. that's a part of himself that kazuki doesn't necessarily like. ]
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[He tries to offer up some amused vibes to keep the conversation lighter.]
So how about we go grab some snacks from a vending machine for now? We didn't get to eat during that trial, and I'm starving.
[He figured Kazuki might be hungry too but decides to put that on himself instead of calling Kazuki out again.]
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Yeah. Okay. Something to eat is probably a good idea.
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Once they get to the vending machines, Bradley will grab a soda and some chips for himself. But he doesn't open them yet, because if Kazuki doesn't make a choice then the soda and chips will be placed into his hands.]
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They're not really expecting everyone to keep working for them after this, are they?
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[He's pretty sure they're still going to have to work after this.]
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Don't think I want to.
w1 saturday
but he looks a little skeeved? ]
Feels weird to get healed up where a guy died...
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Yeah, it probably does. It'll get better with time though, it'll feel less weird.
[Eventually so many people will die that there's no avoiding using facilities people died in. Another thing that he does not say to Kazuki since it won't help.]
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[And he's actually been to prison, so he knows!]
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I wish we could just go home. None of us signed up for this.
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[Bradley knows all about the dangers lurking in the fine print of promises though, so he expected some kind of problem from the start. He just didn't expect the problem to be murder.]
But it'd be nice to hear you sing once, before you went back to your world.
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...Sing? I don't sing.
[ besides his voice being a raspy mess ]
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I can probably do that after I go back in one more time. They're better, but not back at a hundred percent just yet.
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Week 2, Wednesday (before mini-event)
Hey! Let's go check out the bazaar.
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Okay, okay. Are you looking for something in particular?
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[His 'look' is several piercings and rings on his fingers.]
Maybe we can get somethin' for you too.
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[ kazuki, who is also adorned will a billion accessories at any given moment, ]
Depends on what they've got, but we'll see.
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[Off to the bazaar they go! There is a lot of stuff here to look through. Clothes, jewelry, other fancy accessories, you name it and it's here. There's also a tattoo artist, and Bradley is humming in thought at that one.]
Y'know, I've never actually gotten a tattoo. That might be interestin'.
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[ he's probably looking at the jewelry because he's a slut for that stuff ]
...What kind of tattoo would you even get?
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Never really thought about it. But I've seen tattoos before, they look really cool. My Sage's mark is in a weird place too, so I can't even show that off without going shirtless.
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[He pats his hand on his right flank: middle of his right side, more towards his back.]
Nero's is on his left arm, right below his shoulder. Sometimes they're way more visible though, like Tiny from Central, his is on his forehead.
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shakes that thought off. ]
...If they're meant to be proof, then why wouldn't they always be visible? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?
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[He doesn't make the rules though, so!]
I could go shirtless, but too many people would swoon, so it's for the best that I don't.
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1/2
[He's got oneitis but he's also kind of vain.]
2/2
[Suddenly remembering he's supposed to be quiet about his feelings.]
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[RIP their anonymity.]
Don't tell Nero, he'll never talk to me again if he thinks everyone knows.
[This is hours before Nero blatantly kisses Bradley during the mini-event so lmao. It won't be secret for long.]
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Okay. Aren't you guys, like, hundreds of years old, though? Why does it matter if anyone else knows?
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It's...complicated. It doesn't really matter here, but it mattered a lot back home. I wouldn't care if people knew here, but he's still stuck in his feelings from back home.
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[Not until memshare week at least lol
But he's walking through the bazaar now, looking at all the offerings.]
It'd be nice if he loosened up a bit, but that's just how he is.
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He looked pretty happy to be on this planet, though. I found him trying to take a nap in the snow.
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Not surprised. Even though he lives in Eastern Country now, he originally came from the North.
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...I get it, though. It kind of reminds me of my hometown, too.
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[It's one of Bradley's favorite things about Nero.]
Yeah? You from a snowy place?
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[He pauses all of a sudden though. On one of the jewelry tables, there is a ring that he's looking at.]
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[ leans in to be nosy. ]
...Kind of fancy.
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[Light blue. Nero's blue.]
You don't see that a lot in sapphires.
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[ he can guess at the connection. ]
You sure that wouldn't be too much for him? With whatever baggage he's got.
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I'm not gonna give it to him today. But, y'know, it'd be nice to have on hand. For when he's ready.
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If he's really like that, though, you'll be waiting a while. Especially if things go the way we're expecting this week.
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That must be nice, huh. You get all the time in the world to do whatever.
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w3 monday
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He's just casually sauntering over and standing next to him, like it's no big deal and Kazuki isn't trying to be sneaky or anything.]
So. What're we doin' tonight?
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I- I don't know. I might just go back to the ship, it's - it's still hot out, so...
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[It's a gentle chiding. He's trying to get Kazuki to open up, so he can help.]
Since we're already here, you might as well tell me what's on your mind.
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kazuki grits his teeth, and pulls on a mask that's definitely scene better days. some of the trim's been ripped away, the lace shredded in places and riddle with dark splotches. ]
I'm fine. Just came to check out the stupid market.
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's not a bad idea. Someone here might be able to repair that.
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I'm not worried about repairing it. It's fine as it is. I'll just replace it if anything.
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Then why'd you bring it?
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...fuck.
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...You can probably get one near the entrance. They can't require masks if they're not going to give you a way to get one.
[ probably... kazuki's going to start heading for it, but - the void catches them first, encapsulating them both in a memory (19:00 - 23:36):as it fades, kazuki simply utters a curse under his breath. ]
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Sounds like you're not on good terms with her.
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That's good. Siblings shouldn't be mad at each other for too long. I'd get mad at my big brothers and sisters too, but we always made up in the end.
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...It was like that for years. It only changed in the past month, before we woke up on the ship.
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What changed it?
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...She finally started listening to me.
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Good. It's hard to form strong bonds if you don't listen. Glad she came around on that.
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[He goes to pat Kazuki on the shoulder, but then a memshare!]
---
You're running as fast as your two legs can carry you, dodging around the thorny vines that have taken over most of the castle. Every so often you feel a twitch in your nose, and you have to plug it with your free hand and force the sneeze down. You can't afford to teleport away now, people are counting on you.
"Mitile! Mitile, run away......!"
"I can’t leave you behind, Riquet! ....I-it’s here......"
You grit your teeth as you vault over a low wall. The voices of Mitile and Riquet are echoing through the labyrinth of walls and thorns, distant but clear enough to point you in the right direction.
Your sleeve catches on a thorn, cutting your arm, you barely slow down from the pain.
You hear the roar of the fearsome minotaur, followed by the screams of the two boys. You're getting closer. "Just hold on a little longer," you say, even though you know they can't hear you.
Up over one tall wall, and down you drop into an open courtyard. On the far side, you can see that the minotaur has cornered the two boys, who are hugging each other and crying out in terror.
"No..."
"Mother, please save us!"
But the one who answers Mitile’s cry for help is not his caring mother in heaven. It’s you, the Northern wizard Bradley.
You flick your rifle up, pointing it directly at the minotaur's head. And then you shoot.
"<< Adnopotensum >>!"
Shot through the head, the Minotaur collapses to the ground with a deafening crash.
The two terrified boys look up to you.
"Mister Bradley!"
"Bradley!"
You grin at the relief and joy lighting up their faces.
"Sorry, my bad! That took me some time! I got blasted away by a sneeze, see. So I kept sneezing my way back. Stroke of luck landed me here in time......"
You casually chat away, but then you take notice of the boys’ wet eyes, their swollen ankles, their elbows scraped red. They fought really hard, didn't they. They're still kids, barely 15, and they managed to stare down a minotaur until you could come to their rescue.
You narrows your eyes kindly and pat them both on their shoulders. "Hey, you look like real men right now. You worked hard."
At your praise, Riquet and Mitile’s faces crumple up tearfully. "......W-we did!!"
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"Sneezing your way back?"
[ the fuck does that mean. ]
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Basically, everyone who survived the previous calamity- the one before Nero joined the Sage's wizards- got cursed by the calamity. We have no idea how to get rid of our curses either, beyond "defeat the calamity for good".
Honestly, sneeze-teleporting isn't as bad as some of the others. I'll take it over never being able to sleep again.
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...That... Yeah. That sounds miserable.
[ what the fuck ]
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[What the fuck indeed.]
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what ]
The entire moon? A whole celestial body tries to kill you?
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[He knows he carries only 2 braincells, that's the point he's trying to make.]
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[Bradley like "this fucker is even stupider than me!"]
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...But you guys are still going back?
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Plus the Central and Southern tinies would never forgive us if we didn't come back.
[Riquet and Mitile, from the memory.]
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And a couple of kids were fighting that thing because...?
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We got really lucky. Nobody died from that.
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Sounds like it. [ ... ] Why did they attack...?
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Well, at least you got them out safe.
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[ cringe. ]
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Week 4, Tuesday
Hey what's this
[He sends a picture of the ice cream trucks in the north part of the mega park.]
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Not yet. It's not like any ice cream we have back home.
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We would scoop up snow from outside and then put anything sweet we had on top of that.
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Real ice cream is... well, it's cream, with flavorings and stuff mixed in or put on top. Like vanilla or chocolate, and fudge drizzle.
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That sounds good.
Adnopotensum
But some of these have ice cream on sticks.
[He sends the following picture.]
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...Some of them are supposed to be characters from shows or movies, but they aren't well designed.
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Yeah, this one looks like it's in pain.
Oh
Oh shit I found it.
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This is better than the sad girl ice cream though.
Adnopotensum
Hey you should come over and have ice cream too.
w4 friday
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Adnopotensum
My room.
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[ knock, knock. ]
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Bradley looks like shit. Pale, kind of listless. But he does manage a little smile for Kazuki.]
Hey, tiny rockstar.
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Is there anything I can do to help? I know I'm not... Nero-san, but still.
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Right, gotcha. And you don't gotta be Nero, you just gotta be yourself.
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You didn't answer.
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[...]
He was the last one. The last of the people who knew me as a kid. The last of my 'family'. I know I ain't fully alone, but...it's hard.
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...I'm sorry.
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[He sighs, and shakes his head.]
I'll be better after this weekend. Once we know what happened. But I got a hell of a temper, and if anyone badmouths Nero I won't be able to take it.
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I remember each of my brothers and sister's names and what their voices sound like, even though they've been dead for over 500 years. I remember what my mother looked like, even though she's been dead longer. When you live to be as old as a wizard gets, that's what you end up being: the keeper of the memories of the dead. Who knows how many memories I'll be keeping when I reach a thousand, or even more.
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[ the idea of outliving your family and friends is a little terrifying, kazuki thinks. and now he's lost nero, too? ]
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[His gaze is a bit sad as he says that. He's definitely thinking of someone specific when he says that.]
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Like...?
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It's nothing important. Just observations from long ago.
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If you say so.
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It's just...he's gone now, and I don't think it'll matter for the case. Even if he was strugglin' with his own battles, Nero wouldn't just give up and let someone kill him like that.
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...All we can do is just try to figure it out tomorrow. For him and Ragnvindr-san.
w4 saturday
You said he made the first move?
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Yeah. Pretty much as soon as the 'murder time' began, he turned and stabbed me with that big knife in his hands.
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...We fucked up. [ voting for anyone is terrible. voting for someone who acted in self-defense is even worse. ] I- I'm sorry, Bain-san.
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Hey. Rockstar. It's okay. People fuck up, it's in our nature. I didn't exactly help clear things up either.
I know you guys'll take care of Rosamund and solve this mystery. So I'm okay with dyin' if it means pushin' the rest of ya forward towards findin' a way out.
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I don't want either of you to die, but... someone shouldn't die for protecting themselves.
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[...]
Well shit.
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Yeah. I don't think anyone knows what to expect for Rosamund-san now.
[ and he is. very obviously worried about that and just upset about everything! wow! ]
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Hey. Listen to me.
[He's using a calm voice, to try and help Kazuki stay calm.]
All the problems here, they have solutions. It's just a matter of finding 'em.
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We're not finding them fast enough. Even if that research log was right and there is a way to bring back the dead, we don't know what the method is, or if it even really works. Until we figure it out, more people are just going to die and that's - that's not okay.
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But I choose to believe in those that'll be alive after tomorrow. I believe in you, and everyone else too. Even if I stay dead, even if everyone stays dead, if you can just get back home then that'll be enough.
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It's not enough! I don't want to be one of the only ones going home! I'm tired of being one of the only ones who's kept safe while everyone else throws themselves into danger or dies!
[ he quiets, for just a moment, and then: ]
Everyone here deserves to make it home. Every last one of us - whatever that means we have to do.
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Instead, pride shines in his eyes as he speaks.]
Good. Hold onto that feeling, let it keep you strong and focused, and figure out a way to send us all home.
[He's always loved people who struggle against their shitty circumstances.]
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We don't have time to let more people die. I don't know how much longer it'll take, or if it's even possible to fix all this.
[ his expression cracks, betraying the fear that still whispers in the back of his mind, all too familiar from the past year or so. ]
I just don't want it to end like this, but we haven't been able to change anything yet.
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With some effort, Bradley gets up from the cot and walks over to the barrier.]
C'mere.
[He'll hold up a hand to press against the barrier. It's the best he can do for now, but he'll still try.]
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...but he sighs, and steps forward to touch the glass with his hand, too. ]
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That's why you gotta shut off your brain and listen to your heart. Your brain doubts, but your heart believes.
It's easy to listen to your brain and just sit there and let your fears control you. It's easy, but it's not the right choice. And the right choice is really hard to make, because it's terrifying! Believin' in a future that might not come to pass, standin' up and sayin' "I will change things" when you don't know if you'll pull it off, it's enough to make even grown men shake in their boots. But if you let your heart guide you, you'll find yourself controllin' your fears rather than lettin' your fears control you.
I believe in you, Kazuki. Let my belief be the first step towards you learnin' to believe in yourself too.
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[ shakes his head. ]
Someone will probably find an answer, we just need to hurry up so no one else has to die.
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[Bradley certainly got all of his scars by following his heart.]
But you'll be in a better place because of it.
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[ frustrated, he drops his hand back to his side. ]
We're all looking for the answers. But "following our hearts" isn't going to bring anyoen back or stop what's happening.
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I only survived Thursday night because I ran to cover the moment I had a chance. I only survived because I laid a false trail of blood for Nero to follow, when I saw I had the chance. Decisions made in mere seconds are what kept me alive.
[A worried frown creases his brow.]
I just...don't want you to get bogged down in your own thoughts and miss that chance. You're like Nero, you get stuck in your own head too much. I don't wanna see you on that other side too.
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[ kazuki knows his limits. he knows how badly he handles crisis situations. but even on the safe side, he still isn't doing a great job of handling all this. ]
...It doesn't matter. It's not on me to figure everything out alone. Someone else will put the pieces together, we just need to do it in time to actually be able to help.
[ before all of them are killed, or something. ]
Week 5, Sunday
But this week Bradley isn't stuck in a cell, so he's going to look for Kazuki once the execution is over. How's he looking after all of that? Does he need to be dragged to the bar for a stiff drink this time?]
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he's actually settled somewhere with just one earbud in, tapping at a journal with a half a music score written in, but he looks up to offer brad a nod when he hears him. ]
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Instead of his usual way of dragging Kazuki along on whatever idea he has to get the kid to focus on something else, he opts to just quietly sit down next to him and peek at the music score. It's not something he can read, but he can put 2 and 2 together and connect it to the music.]
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Didn't think you could read music.
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I've seen papers like this before, but I never did anything with 'em. I just know that the different shapes of the notes are how long they're held.
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[ he nods at that. ]
Where they fall on the score is the type of note you're supposed to play. Like an A, or C.
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[Kazuki did say he was READING sheet music.]
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Right, okay. And what's the symbol at the front of the line for?
[The clef symbol he means.]
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More or less, yeah.
Week 6, Saturday
There's the rockstar! Feel up to a drink? Tonight's a night for celebrating.
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Glad you agree!
[Off to the bar they go! He orders a mixed drink tonight though, instead of his usual whiskey.]
What do you want?
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Sake wouldn't be so bad.
[ he's only had a few times, but he likes the stuff. it's better than a basic beer, too. ]
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[He's actually never had sake, so he'll order some for himself too. In the end they get Brad's original drink and then two bottles of sake, along with a couple sake cups.]
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To everyone leaving here alive.
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To everyone leavin' here alive.
[Toast!]
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he throws back his drink in one shot. ]
...We really needed something good to happen.
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We did. Though havin' everyone survive Friday night was pretty good too.
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[It didn't stop Nero.]
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Maybe since he was helpin' us out, he's counted as crew now? That is pretty weird though.
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I dunno. It just felt kind of sudden to me. The way he just... showed up at the sleepover.
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I didn't talk to him at the sleepover, did you?
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[But now is drink time! He will drink another tiny cup of sake.]
This stuff is good, but why is the cup so small?
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[Which means Bradley will just drink it from the bottle.]
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As if that stops anyone. Baiken-san in particular seems to take it as a personal challenge.
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[He will find out how potent sake is later. For now, he sets the bottle aside and starts drinking his own drink.]
Y'know, with my magic bein' back sometimes, we could go flying.
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[Don't trust it, I've been flipping coins to see if his power activates and it was all-heads during the event, he'll probably biff it on the first try.]
But this isn't a situation where we have to rely on luck, so it can wait.
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[ until suddenly the twins vanish tomorrow ]
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Today's been a very good sign. We'll have to see what the next week brings, since supposedly it's our last week here.
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[Please forgive him, he's a ye olde.]
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