009. Anonymous Text/Action for Goldenrod City

[ardent]

[ANONYMOUS TEXT]

[The anon text on the network tonight is simple and to-the-point, hitting at about eleven at night; it seems that somebody isn't sleeping easily.]

Is there a way to stop hating someone?

If not, is there at least a way to stop being so angry about it all the time?




[ACTION]

[While he's not straying too far from the house he and his classmates have more or less taken over (with the assistance of a ridiculous amount of Eevees), Ishimaru can be found wandering around outside tonight; he's staying close to the breeding center and the like, but he's definitely seeming more restless than usual, his actions aimless. He's been having difficulty sleeping for almost a week now; it probably shows in his mannerisms and his speech - everything has been seeming less enthusiastic than usual - but he's been trying to keep up appearances, if nothing else.

At least he's not alone for the time being; he's got Eeveemaru with him - one of the members of the great furball legion from the house, all decked out in what looks like a little replica of Ishimaru's coat and armband (because if Togami thinks he's getting any aspect of this back - Eevee or outfit - he's got another thought coming to him, apparently). The thing is just kind of chilling on his shoulders for now, seeming a bit bewildered at being outside at a reasonably late hour but not too bothered otherwise; once in a while it bats at something not visible to anyone but there nonetheless - seems he's got Aiko with him as well, though the Misdreavus isn't visible for now.

It's late, and he's tired, but at least the night is nice, if a bit overcast. Maybe it'll rain soon, who knows. He just doesn't feel like being inside.]

Comments

[ardent]

...Did you think that it killed me?

[It's blunt as hell, but there's nothing pointed or accusatory behind it; just a question.]

[diamondo]

[Mondo manages to keep himself from flinching, but his expression shifts a bit into something that looks somewhat angry, but isn't quite reaching it.]

I didn't know. I had no way of knowing. I mean you weren't responding, so I just sorta thought the worst...

[ardent]

[...oh, that's...that's not good, is it, um.]

Nothing's going to hurt me like that here, kyoudai.

[diamondo]

Yeah, I know. You've got your Pokémon here to protect you.

[After a moment of thought, he adds onto that.]

And you've got me! I won't let anything like that happen to you!

[ardent]

Of course I do, and you know I trust you on that! There's nothing wrong, I've just been thinking too much about that dream lately; it'll pass eventually!

[diamondo]

Yeah, I'm sure it will. But like I said, if you wanna talk about it, I'm here for you!

[ardent]

[He hesitates for a moment; he's tempted to reassure him again that everything's okay, that it was just a dream and it didn't matter, but this time, there's something stopping him.

He can't really explain what it is; maybe it's just the knowledge that they seem to remember the same things happening. It makes everything seem more like it could have actually been real; if that's the case...]

...Celes-kun was there. In the dream, I mean.

[diamondo]

...I saw her too. What happened? Did she say something!?

[Obviously she hadn't killed Ishimaru again, since he passed out while they were fighting the... whatever that thing was.]

[ardent]

[Gently caress, this was a mistake, wasn't it. He flinches sharply; he knows he shouldn't have said anything.]

...Sort of, kyoudai - it wasn't anything too bad, and she didn't...do anything to me, though I think I know how I died.

[diamondo]

[Mondo's not sure what that flinch is for - perhaps Ishimaru doesn't want to talk about this? - but he reaches out to touch Ishimaru's shoulder reassuringly.]

What happened? Did she tell you what happened in that fucking school?

[Or maybe... did he see her carrying around that hammer?]

[ardent]

No, but she had a weapon with her. It was kind of a strange one; not one I'd imagine she'd pick without a reason.

[diamondo]

...A hammer?

[That makes sense, but why would she use a hammer of all things? She must have gotten it once another floor opened up after the second trial, but why would the school have a hammer?]

So you think she did you in with that? Shit. Shit. I'm so sorry, kyoudai.

[ardent]

It wouldn't surprise me.

She...we got in a fight. It wasn't a physical fight, but it wasn't good, either.

[diamondo]

She tried to start shit with you? What did you say?

[ardent]

...It was...strange, I don't really remember what started it, but somehow I don't think she meant to? She got really upset, anyway.

[diamondo]

[Mondo tips his head slightly at that.]

She got upset? I've never seen her upset. Seems like she's always in control of the situation. Then what happened? She said something that pissed you off?

[ardent]

...No.

[He hesitates for a moment before continuing.]

She said she was sorry, but she never bothered telling us that because we wouldn't believe her anyway. And that she didn't understand why we accept Kuwata-kun and...you, but treat her like a monster. It wasn't backhanded, she seemed really upset.

And I...I don't know, I got to a point where I couldn't react to it anymore. I yelled at her, and then I just...stopped, and I couldn't really feel anything for a while.

[diamondo]

[Mondo flinches sharply at that and moves away, once again staring up at the sky. He lets Ishimaru finish and then remains silent for a moment, not really sure what to say.]

...Maybe I'll try talking to her. I talked to Kuwata about it and that seemed to help.

[He doubts she'll listen to him, but it can't hurt to try.]

Maybe it's for the best that you didn't get too upset. There's only so much you can take, y'know? You just have to let it go after awhile.

[ardent]

You've seen her for the last few days. She's acting like none of that happened. I can't even be sure that it did - it's possible that it was all made up, that it was just something I wanted to hear her say.

...I don't know, kyoudai. It's...

[He hesitates. Shakes his head.]

...I don't know anymore.

[diamondo]

I'm still gonna try talking to her. It can't hurt. If she's really upset about it, maybe she'll agree to talk to me.

[Admittedly he can't say he knows what it's like because he doesn't. He hasn't killed Fujisaki yet. She might refuse to speak to him due to that. She might refuse to speak to him because she likes pretending that everything is alright. But he'll never know if he doesn't try.]

It'll be alright, kyoudai. We're here now. We don't have to worry about that fucking school or what happened there. I mean, we're never gonna forget it and I don't think we should, but we've got plenty of time to heal here.

[Well, hopefully they have plenty of time. Fujisaki and Asahina didn't.]

[ardent]

[Ishimaru tenses up sharply at that, and it takes him a moment to find words; he can feel his hands twitching a bit, and he's quick to form fists at his sides.]

...If you're going to talk to Celes-kun, then there's something else that you need to know about what happened back in Hope's Peak.

[diamondo]

Yeah? What is it?

[He doesn't like the sound of that...]

[ardent]

She's going to insist that she didn't kill me.

[He hesitates again, unable to make eye contact.]

...She's...technically correct.

[diamondo]

[He was going to say that she's the "queen of liars," of course she'd claim otherwise, but Ishimaru's words stop him in his tracks and Mondo's blood runs cold.]

What? If she didn't kill you... who did?

[ardent]

...It was Yamada-kun.

[His gaze is quick to dart down toward the ground; he can't bring himself to try to amend that.]

It was Celes-kun's idea, and she convinced him to kill me. But it was Yamada-kun who carried out the actual murder.