flaredo | Inbox;

...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!

I thought so.

[Grinning, he reaches over... but he doesn't try to ruffle her hair, he just kinda goes to catch at the end of it nearest to him very lightly with his fingers before pulling away.] In that case, it's all good. You don't have anything to apologise for.

[ ... Well, it's better than getting her hair ruffled, and her smile softens. ]

Then I'll help keep the mood up instead.

[He realised from last time she probably doesn't want her hair mussed!! So he's compromising. Settling. No matter how strong the temptation to ruffle is.]

I'm counting on you. [And with a gesture of one hand.] It's hard to get all down when we're surrounded by plants and flowers and stuff anyway.

Right? The air smells a lot better here-- it makes it easier to relax.

-- Not that I'm tired.

You're not? Even though we were all searching and everything all day?

[LIES.]

I've got the stamina of a champion!

[ PROVE OTHERWISE. ]

Well, champion, you've gotta rest sometime.

[He elbows her lightly, making his way toward one of the fountains in the gardens.]

You say that, but I didn't do any fighting on my end. Except for haggling with the clerks.

[ But she'll follow him anyway. ]

Eh, punching seems easier and quicker to me.

[He gets close to one of the fountains, to where the water feeds into a pond and leans over it to peer in curiously.]

...Anyway, we split up into pairs in ViViD. So there was less work.

Teamwork! I'm proud of you, Naoki.

[ As she perches on the side of the fountain. Okay, maybe she's a little worn out. ]

Even I can manage some teamwork now and again.

[He makes a sound at her, a good-natured huffing, and moves to sit. Not on the side of the fountain, but on the ground, propping his arms on his knees. He leans back against the fountain next to where she's perched with a light sigh.

It really does smell nice here, and it's nice and quiet.]

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