animus_network | 002 ❀ And your World will Burn

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002 ❀ And your World will Burn

It seems I have been returned.

[Chidori's voice is quiet and impassive as usual, and she's as straight to the point as she's ever been. For a moment though, it seems as if that's all she's going to say, but then she takes a deep breath and continues.]

The world was... not as it was, when I was sent back. It is... concerning, to say the least.
If it is not too much, can anyone tell me roughly how long I was gone?

[Another pause, this one even longer, and then quieter still-]

...Minato. Are you still here?

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[She's been waiting since she saw him move, and she turns to face him, expression neutral for a moment. Then her mouth moves, lips curving in the barest intimation of a smile, and she stands, smoothing her skirts carefully.]

If you had only waited a moment... I would have told you where I was.

[ ... He is perfectly inexpressive, though there's the smallest hint of emotion there. Worry, concern. Thankfulness. He doesn't say a word. Maybe words weren't necessary here.

Not when actions could suffice. In particular, this action speaks for itself.

He merely walks up to her, and gives her a loose hug. ... She is family to him. He doesn't know what happened to her, while SEES had taken her. He doesn't know if that barren wasteland she saw was also true...

But he can only offer comfort this way. He can only hope the action speaks for itself, and it isn't until he lets go that he says anything-- ]

... I let you down. I'm sorry.

[ For what happened last time they met. For letting her slip out of his grasp, both before they came to the tower, and afterwards. ]

[She wouldn't expect anything else, though she does appreciate what he does let her see before she's suddenly hugged. It takes her a moment, when it happens, to realize he hasn't collapsed or anything. That he's hugging her and not passing out from overexerting himself like he's prone to doing. And she almost loses the opportunity to return the sentiment before he pulls away. Chidori's hug is no less careful, but it's stronger- the ruins their world had been when she'd returned, the absolute loneliness of the place... until that moment, she hadn't realized just how much it had affected her. She's almost hesitant to let him go when he finally starts to pull away, but she lets him, and her lips press tight at the apology, head shaking.

She doesn't fault him, of course- there are things greater than their control at work here. But Minato is Minato, and she knows he won't let that affect what he thinks he could or should have done. She can't say she doesn't understand though.]

No, I'm the one who's sorry. I left you alone again...

[Because she'd seen how he'd been here by himself, without the rest of their 'family'. She hadn't wanted him to wind up like that again if she could do anything--

But she had, and while she knew it wasn't her fault as much as it wasn't Minato's, she still said it, because it was true.]

[ ... He feels responsible. Responsible mostly because they were his family, and he failed to protect them. He only pulls away because he really doesn't want to seem as weak as he feels right now, because the truth of the matter is, he was worried, and he didn't want to lose her again.

There's a slight pause on his end. He turns away, trying to regain some semblance of his normal unbothered exterior, because it would be a lie to say he may or may not have been fighting a small smile himself. ]

... I'm... just glad you're alive.

[ A moment's pause, because normally he wouldn't be this emotional or admit it because he'd feel weak--but it's true. The seconds go by far too slowly, before he takes a breath. There will be time to talk to her about what he is certain she has seen later.

For now... another question, unrelated, to hopefully avoid that topic. ]

I've had a lot of time to consider things... and there are some things I want to talk to you about. But first... do you mind if I ask you what happened when SEES took you from us?

[ He is sure that probably felt like a lifetime ago to her, but he has to make sure. It isn't said, but it's obvious from his tone that he wants to know if they... did anything awful to her. He hopes not, of course, but they were affiliated with the Kirijo Group, after all. ]

[She would be a terrible friend if she couldn't tell that much at least, but she doesn't mention it- she doesn't need to. She just lets him work through whatever is going through his mind- it's usually better that way.]

I would not die so easily, Minato.

[She frowns a little at the question, considering, and then-]

I... was not there for long. They... did not know about what happened with Medea, without my suppressants. I did not pay them much attention. Even though that idiot, he--

[She stops then, embarrassed and displeased- both with herself for not bothering to understand the situation and getting herself captured, and with Junpei for not knowing how to leave her alone. So she sighs and shakes her head a little, and looks back up at him levelly.]

It isn't worth mentioning, besides.

[ He does frown, however slightly. ]

... It's worth mentioning because we were doing everything we could when you were taken to get you out. We were worried.

[ It's also worth mentioning that far too many things have not precisely gone his way of late, but he did not honestly care if SEES believed he murdered one of their own. He was not that dirty, but he'd let them think it. Perhaps it would make them fear him all the more. ]

I'm not surprised they didn't understand... they're just idiots following orders.

[ There... is something he wants to say, but he can't quite bring himself to say it... though he has to try, right? Why not. He's been giving this one a LOT of thought. ]

... But there may be a chance for us here, even though I hate to admit it.

I know you were. I was going to escape, the second I was well enough.

[And she'd planned to, certainly. Especially with things going the way they had been.]

For as bright as some of them seem like they are, they are foolish and easily led astray.

[She hesitates at that, doesn't quite know how to take that 'us'- but she asks, because she's not the type who wouldn't. Her hand settles on his shoulder, lightly, and she looks at him almost worriedly.]

A chance for us?

[ That is all beside the point. He has to have the courage to say this... ]

... I've been thinking about this place. If people just come back when they die... what's going to happen to us if we stay here?

[ In other words: even if their time runs out, will they just... revive? ]

We do need to go back. But if the others came here... do you think that things would change? Maybe--

[ ... Maybe they could find a cure here? Not just a elongated death sentence. But he doesn't want to give her hope. They had to live without it. ]

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002 ❀ And your World will Burn

[action; Minato stop being so adorable]

[action; no he won't stop being adorable]

[action; oh well thats okay too I guess]

[action forever; ;w;]

[action ;A;]

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