psychedelica | (no subject)

(no subject)

-- Belph!

[ Hikage sees him leaving the scene, and follows after him not long after, catching up to him as soon as he's able to. He seemed like a man on a mission. Normally, he'd just leave Belph to said mission - but he finds that he can't. In a sense, Belph reminds him of himself; both of them seem on the verge of disappearing at any moment with how little attachment they have to their lives. He doesn't want to leave him alone when he'd been looking so fragile before.

It's been a while since he cared about someone. ]

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[...

hikage's not wrong, but still, belph forces a smile when he sees hikage. admittedly, it's hard to look genuine when you're covered in crimson ink.]

Good to see you're still alive and kicking.

Shut up.

[ he's dead as hell and not sure if that was an intentional joke or not - either way, it's plain to see that Belph isn't actually in the mood for jokes. Hikage's gotten good at recognizing forced smiles like that one over the years. ]

Are you okay?

... It doesn't matter. There are things I have to do.

[he can't fall apart before then.]

It matters to me.

[ he says this in complete seriousness. And he's sure Belph will laugh it off the way he always does, but Hikage means it. He endured Hikage's company; even after learning about him, he stayed at his side, trusted him enough to confide in him when he wouldn't confide in anyone else. And now Hikage cares. He needs to take responsibility for that. ]

What do you need to do? I'll help you.

[...

he's glad, if hikage can say something like that. that's one of the reasons why he wants to win this, after all: to show hikage that the rest of the world is still fighting for.

even if hikage might only care through extension of him and steph, it'll have to be enough.]

Did you ask the Crafters what Steph and I were wondering—about the balance of objectives?

Yeah.

[ it's an evasion and he knows it, but he'll let it pass; it's information he needed to give to Belph and Steph, anyway. ]

If one side is wiped out, then Tiger wins. She gets all the ink, including ours, and can use it for whatever she wants. Dragon didn't seem to think she'd spare us.

Do you know if it matters to Dragon if one faction has completed a significant amount more objectives than another?

... Also, have you picked your trial item yet?

I doubt it. There's some number that each faction needs to complete, right? As long as we do that, it should be enough.

[ as for the second part... Hikage hesitates, then shakes his head. ]

... I'm not so sure anymore, but...

[well, they'll have to sort that out later.]

Focus on Fane, El-Melloi, or Evan's death, if you can.

Why?

[ did Ion complete his objective - is that what happened? He wasn't there to see it. ]

Tell me what you know. [ he lifts a hand, hesitating for a moment, then puts it on Belph's shoulder. His touch is awkward, but his grip is firm. ] Help me choose.

[ there's a lot riding on him tonight. ]

... Natsuo's death was ordered by the Crafters. Ion chose to die to complete his objective—they enlisted my help in ensuring that. Depending on how things go... it's possible that he might be brought back to life.

Fane is likely the Blotter kill, but I don't know for sure. I have no idea about El-Melloi or Evan.

[ so he was right about that. He'd chided Ion before for his decision, but in the end, it was the right thing to do... even if it's hurting Belph and Steph now. Natsuo is less clear - he assumes Belph heard about that from his Editor friend. ]

Do you have a Blotter suspect?

[...]

No. The only person I could eliminate by virtue of being a past Blotter, Akechi aside, is now dead.

So, I don't know.

[ blotters can only act once, then. That's new information to him.

His mind is still racing. He has to make a decision. Before, it was so easy; he didn't care what happened to him or anything else. Now, though - now, if he makes a mistake, then the tiny flicker of hope he's pinned everything on could be snuffed out in an instant.

This isn't even what he wanted to talk about. ]

... What were you going to do before I stopped you, Belph?

[well, it's more of an assumption than anything, admittedly.]

... First: oh my god, Hikage. Why does everything I say fly over your head?

Second: I'm making preparations for tomorrow.

Because you're never honest...! You never say what you're feeling or what you're really thinking. Why do I have to play your guessing games?!

[ he's been told by others plenty of time that he's never honest; Hikage feels like he finally understands what they meant now that he's met Belph. ]

I want to end this the right way. I'm betting everything I have on you and Steph. Stop toying with me.

[he throws his hands up in the air, exasperated.]

I was a Blotter, Hikage! You were right back then!

[ that stuns him into silence for a brief few seconds. Truth be told, he's more surprised that Belph is telling him this than that he killed someone. That doesn't matter to Hikage. His hand squeezes tightly around the other man's shoulder. ]

So what? Are you preparing to be chosen tomorrow, then? I won't let that happen. I told you.

... I don't know. It might come up, since Melloi is dead. I really don't know what's going to happen tomorrow...

[he's not afraid to die—though he is afraid that shirasu will go down with him. he's afraid of what his death will do to hikage.

but sooner or later, he expects to pay for what he's done.]

What does he have to do with you?

[ he shakes his head. No, he won't let that happen. If Belph won't protect himself, then he'll have to protect him. That's fine.

He's already done enough. ]

I'll pin the blame on someone else. It'll be easy for me. Then you'll be fine. [ and he has suspects. ] Can you vouch for Nico or Zelos?

He was my Blotter partner. It's possible someone killed him to avenge Reyna.

[...]

I don't want you to scapegoat someone else for my sake, Hikage. Putting aside that I don't even know if anyone knows about me... let's just figure out the truth tomorrow.

To answer your question, though: no.

Idiot... I can't figure it out tomorrow. I have to make my decision tonight.

[ but he thinks he's already made it. ]

... It's not just for you. You're not the only one who needs my protection tonight. [ a pause. ] ... You're just the one who matters more.

[that's... not a declaration he expected hikage to make. frankly, he's not sure how to respond to it.]

... For what it's worth, I don't plan on dying this weekend. There's still one last task I'll have to carry out before I can die.

[he smiles wryly, before reaching to flick hikage's forehead.]

So don't make that face, you idiot.

[but also who the hell is hikage protecting.]

Edited 2018-07-21 05:57 (UTC)

Stop talking about dying.

[ he squishes his eyes shut when his forehead is flicked, but doesn't back off, though he does let go of Belph. He doesn't seem convinced. ]

... All right.

[he's still going to think about it, so the problem has in no way been solved, but he won't upset hikage further.]

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