[video]

[glassinine]

[The thing about employing text is that when you start using it when all your broadcasts are in video, people tend to question why you've suddenly switched. So he makes the decision to instead compose himself as best as he can and use video instead.

Unfortunately, he always sort of overestimates his ability to compose himself. He certainly doesn't seem distraught, or panicked, or anything of the sort, but he's definitely shaky. This is definitely a far cry from his normal, slow, quiet, lengthy broadcasts.]

I'm leaving on a business trip abroad for...some length of time. I'm - not certain how long. Please don't try to contact me; I'll be far too busy to answer any messages.

Good day.

Comments

video; private

[glassinine]

Yes, it will.

[He grits his jaw and closes his eyes and grinds out:]

If a man is diseased, he gets quarantined. He doesn't keep...walking around spreading poison to others because he might learn how to contain himself.

video; private

[earnedmystripes]

[It seems as if Edgeworth has hit a nerve, because something flashes in his eyes, then, his hand curls into a fist at his side. When he responds, it's bitten out through gritted teeth and clenched jaw, a half-snarl:]

It's not a disease.

[For how venomously it's spoken, he might as well have said go fuck yourself.]

video; private

[glassinine]

[That does get Edgeworth's attention. He's never heard that tone before, and it's vicious enough that it breaks through even his self-absorbed misery for a moment. He stares at the feed for a few seconds, mouth very slightly open; then he closes his mouth again, and looks away, and says quietly:]

Mine is. That's all it is. It is an infection that I spread that attacks the mind. That harms the victim's sanity. Your ability can be used to save people, Mr. Kaburagi, and you have my admiration for that. Mine...

[His lips thin.]

Mine cannot.

video; private

[earnedmystripes]

[If he'd spoken of the details of his power earlier, Kotetsu might have tried to find out more, tried to figure out exactly what they were dealing with and help Edgeworth think of how he can use his power to help rather than harm. But he's pushed the wrong button, set Kotetsu off and so he barely hears any of that, all he hears is more of the same, and in his ears, it translates to NEXTs are a disease. He's heard that kind of thinking before. It's the kind of thinking that creates people like Jake and Kriem, the kind that makes kids like Tony feel like they have to harm, because that's all they're good for so they might as well own it. His blood boils with the indignation, the hurt, the anger, and he doesn't listen to Edgeworth. He just snaps back, still in that venomous, enraged growl.]

Then fine. Fine, run like a fucking coward. Run away from your duty and everything you wanted to protect and everyone who wanted to protect you, because you hurt someone with your power. As if you're the only one who's ever had to deal with that.

Back home, we don't get that option. We don't get funds from the government for signing a piece of paper to go out of the country and hide. We have to live with the fear and the scorn and the mistrust, and struggle for our entire lives to make something good out of ourselves with these powers we never asked for. But if you can't be assed to put in the effort, then fine. Get out.

[/DISCONNECT.]

text, private

[glassinine]

[He doesn't try calling back. Instead, he sends a single text:]

Goodbye.

text, private

[earnedmystripes]

[Kotetsu doesn't look at his communicator again after he hangs up, so it's not until much later that night that he sees Edgeworth's message. It's just one word, but seeing it across the screen of his communicator when he finally turns it back on hits him like a punch in the gut. He stares at the message for a long time, and part of him just wants to leave it. Wants to let his anger stand, because he doesn't want to deal with the fact that Edgeworth just leaving like this upsets him. He wants to go find Edgeworth and punch him in the face for being an idiot.

He spends the better part of half an hour just glaring at the goddamn text as if he could change it by mere dint of his frustration, and then eventually, finally, he answers with an even briefer text of his own.]

bye

[Not 'see you', not 'later', not even 'take care'. He really doesn't believe he'll ever see Edgeworth again, and something about that is more painful than he ever would've imagined.]