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[ Like she wouldn't find an excuse. ]

Yep! I don't think they'll be offering free kisses in the gardens, though.

If they were, that'd make it a bad spot to go for some alone time.

[A crowd of kiss fiends swarming the gardens... though he's sure that wouldn't exactly be the case. Maybe.]

Don't worry, I think your lips are safe for another day.

[ What a reassurance. ]

It's not like I was worried about it...

[Oh, good, he sounds convincing. Excellent. He's the champion.]

But it's good to know, isn't it? It's still a good spot for alone time!

Guess so. We won't be pushed out by crowds looking for kisses.

[He shakes his head lightly as they walk on.]

[ She grins, and then focuses on getting there-- and once they've arrived, she takes a deep breath and stretches on her toes. ]

Better?

Mm.

[A sound of affirmation and Naoki stretches slightly himself, relieved to be out of a crush of people. He doesn't mind being around people generally, but so many in one space... hahh. He looks around them before moving to walk further into the gardens.] Better. I can actually hear myself here.

[It wasn't that bad, really, which is why he grins.]

You weren't too overwhelmed, were you?

Nah, no worries. It just gets a bit uncomfortable.

[Now, if there were a lot of people panicking or frightened, that'd be a whole other story.]

But, you know, there's one thing about sensing things from others that I don't mind. It's like getting to feel how alive the people around you are. [Eh, it might be a strange sentiment, 'cause you can just look and talk with a person to realise that much, but emotions can be so vivid and strong.]

From what you said forever ago-- there weren't a whole lot of humans around you, were there?

[ He'd been so surprised to see her at first, hadn't he? ]

...Yeah. [He faces away as he talks, looking toward trees, plants, flowers.] Back in my world, just before I got here, there weren't any others left. Aside from me and Raidou.

[Hence his, yeah, surprise.]

Raidou-- wait, the guy with the flaming tiger?

[ NOT A EUPHEMISM. ]

... And does that have anything to do with you getting a demon body, then?

Gdon? Yeah, that's Raidou. [He turns around, though, and his smile is wry.] He doesn't know who I am, though. He's a different Raidou... or something.

But... After the Conception happened, my body was turned into a demon's. [He flicks up a finger.] People put the Conception into motion, and the Conception is when a world is ended for the sake of making it over again.

[ ... Hold on. She's going to fold her arms across her chest. ]

Your world was ended??

I mean, sure, I guess that happened to all of us if I'm supposed to believe the higher-ups, which I don't but--

[He nods once, his expression a little tense. When he'd arrived, after that whole spiel... he thinks that he laughed about it. Who could destroy an already destroyed world, alien or not?]

Mine was already destroyed before I wound up here. What happened was that everything and everyone except for a few people were annihilated. What the world was twisted into after the Conception is the Vortex World.

It's a wasteland, with some of the remains of Tokyo... filled with demons. Instead of a sun or moon, there's Kagutsuchi. It's a source of light, but also whoever can make it to Kagutsuchi gets to decide what the world will be recreated as...

[ ... She's going to listen, and slowly shake her head, expression gaining a level of concern. ]

That's kind of a huge decision to make... especially right after losing everything you ever knew.

[Naoki looks down slightly, frowning. He hasn't told this to anyone here, not like this, and her concern... It brings strange mixed feelings.]

Yeah.

Me, though, I... wasn't supposed to be one of those who'd decide how the world would be. What I was supposed to do in that world was pick one of the Reasons, the philosophies, that the other remaining people came up with. And then I'd side with them. I'd fight for them...or something like that.

[Bitter, bitter, hollow feelings, those idiots, why did they want to make those kinds of selfish, cruel, empty worlds what was wrong with theirs just like it was, why couldn't he--]

A champion of the cause... huh?

... [ But she's frowning. He doesn't seem to be remotely happy about any of this. Did that mean there wasn't a Reason he agreed with? ]

Or something like that. [A tool, he thinks. Something to turn the gears, someone to run the errands, someone, something--]

But... a world where each person creates their own world around them, without anyone else ever being involved. A world where the strong rule and the weak die. A world where every bit of individuality is erased, where there's no self, just endless peace.

[...

He goes for a smile, trying to lighten up from the somber conversation.] I just want my old world back, honestly. As flawed as it might be.

Those are some pretty intense reasons.

[ And she can't say she likes any of them, so she smiles back at him. ]

But I like that choice of yours pretty well myself.

[A soft laugh.]

Thanks. I don't know if I'll be able to do anything in the end still, but...

When I get back, I'll find out if I can or can't for myself. [He has to. There's nothing else left, after all. But, he turns now and starts walking, waving a hand. Come on, Yang! They're here, they might as well have a walk around the gardens.]

[ She'll jog after him until she falls into step. ]

Sorry-- I kind of made it heavy, huh?

[He glances over to her, slowing his pace slightly so they can walk together.]

It's okay. [Naoki's all right with saying this much. Even if it brings up bad memories. That said...] I'm more worried about if I ended up getting you down.

Who, me?

[ She taps her fist against her chest, grinning. ]

It takes a lot to keep me down!

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