maskormenace | Capsule 006 💊 (Video) [Locked from Tetsuo]

[It's late at night, well past 11pm when the feed clicks on. At first it doesn't look like anything, a bunch of blackness with one bright light in the distance. It looks like a lamppost...or what's left of one. It seems to have been literally broken in half by impact alone, the metal completely snapped instead of bent, the upper half lying on the sidewalk and facing up. Sparks fly from the base of it, the cord obviously cut there when it was snapped. Whatever hit it...well, it had to be going at an incredible speed.

But the feed turns, towards a closer, brighter lamppost that seems to be intact, Kaneda sitting in front of it on the sidewalk.

Well, you look like you've seen better days, buddy.

He doesn't say anything at first, more so trying to catch his breath as a hand reaches up to his head. Face contorting into a wince as his fingers rake through his hair. When his gloved hand comes out, he looks at it as if he just found a gross bug.

Blood. Even better.]

Dammit.

[Whatever mirth he had in his voice earlier that night from the comm is gone, and the glitter in his eyes is lost. Oh yeah, he was recording, wasn't he. Those eyes turn towards the screen, away from the broken lamppost that he was seemingly fixated on. His voice is low, and some of his words are a little slurred as he tries to make a coherent sentence.]

Don't care who it is, but I need a healer. Or a way back.

[He's not too far from the house, but walking is just not happening.]

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Please be careful.

... I made it private. Can you tell me what happened?

[He pauses, craning his neck (and then consequently rubbing it, because man was it sore) to see if Tetsuo was around, or if anyone was for that matter.

When the coast seems clear, he exhales, trying to form his words as best he can.]

It's Tetsuo--doubt I had to really tell you that one.

Wanted to know something about back home, and didn't get the answer he wanted.

[See: someone said no.]

... What did he want to know?

I don't know much about your world. But I'd like to learn, if that's okay.

[Minato is taking on his favorite role here-- that of patient, quiet listener. There isn't even overt concern, though there's a thrum of it there, an undercurrent beneath the surface. On the surface, there's nothing to apply pressure with at all.]

...

The future. My present.

[He shakes his head, trying not to let those thoughts into his mind. Even without actively hiding them from Tetsuo, it wasn't a moment in his life he wants to relive anytime soon.

And with the way he is, already vulnerable, he has to keep himself steeled.]

He can't find out.

[Minato's mind jumps to one conclusion immediately. Exclusively and explicitly because Kaneda sounds so like his own lurking concern about Ken finding out about him, except of course with a different tenor; one devoid of violence but nonetheless similar in the inherent grief.]

He dies, doesn't he, [he sighs out, a long exhalation as his eyes close. Somehow, he just knows. In a murmur,] That's getting common around here...

[When Minato says that, he vents out a sigh, his breath a little shaky from both the pain and the conversation.]

Not dead, just gone.

[Which isn't necessarily helpful, but a distinct difference.]

But what happens...he couldn't take it.

... What's the difference?

[This seems like an important distinction. And Minato knows from talking to many, many people, that it usually helps to have to explain a situation to someone outside of it. It never seems to work for him, but he's used to being the exception. He suspects it might help Kaneda to air it to a neutral party.

Plus, he really does want to know, just in case he's ever in a position to help.]

...He's just...gone.

[It's not really helpful, but that's how Kaneda describes it best. But he can hear Minato's curiosity, and really, explaining like this didn't really show much of a difference.

So he'll try to elaborate. Without bringing out any painful demons.]

Kind of like how we leave this place to go back home. We're not dead. Just...not here.

[Minato should probably ask how that works, but he's from P3. He'd never gotten a real explanation for why his friends forgot him through February, either. He's used to not getting explanations.]

It must be hard to get to see him here after that, but have things go so rough between you.

[Don't ask him, man. He's been inbetween worlds once and let him tell you it's a strange trip even when you're spoonfed some cryptic bullshit.]

I kinda fucked up from the start. Told him enough to get him wanting more.

And it wouldn't be better if he knew?

Timelines are so complicated... [Minato is getting kind of sick of them.]

He couldn't handle it.

[A pause. It's not the way he wants it to come across, so--]

I barely could.

Kaneda... I'm sorry.

Maybe things can be better here. We'll all try to help you, and Tetsuo-san.

...

[An exhale, looking at his hand.]

Well. Guess I'm gonna need it, huh?

[There's a little bit of wryness and a lot of compassion as he answers,] We all do. You return the favor, too. So don't worry about it.

I watch your back, you watch mine.

Guess I can deal with that.

Good.

Did someone get to you?

Ken's on his way. I'm as good as safe.

Then I'll let you go, since you're in good hands.

Capsule 006 💊 (Video) [Locked from Tetsuo]

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