The Fifteen Strangers Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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15strangers2018-08-15 01:03 pm
strangerpeople) wrote in 15strangers2018-08-15 01:03 pm
Entry tags:
FINAL INVESTIGATION
[Well, your time, your anger, your losses have led up to this.
It's time to go, and that blue card will give access to the floors above. In particular, there is the floor Barbara mentioned before the throne room, which seems to be a good idea to check out beforehand.
Indeed, it's much like the previous floors the Strangers had lived in, only smaller.]
[There is another elevator in the area, but that is inaccessible. Even using Marie's card doesn't seem to work on it. Hm. No matter. Marie's card works on all of these rooms, so it's fine, right?
In any case, if there's answers to be found about just whose in charge - and what in the world is going on - this is the last chance of finding them. You've all gotten this far, and as your teams descend on the rooms, you can feel the end is near. Hopefully, that end is not that of the universe - or of Ivy.
Good hunting, Titled.]
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[He's not happy about being vulnerable in front of others, but the idea of not remembering, when it's not on his own terms and it's imperfect like this... no.]
Let's do this.
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[ All right Naoya, after all that commotion he'll put you in and grab your tapes, one after another. Best to get all the memories done in sequential numbering order. ]
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[The third one...]
[He curls up, trying to not scream, but there's a hugely pained grunt. It feels like he's been kicked in the gut.]
[He's too late. He already lost. He already fought Kazuya... screamed at him to hate him, but the boy had refused.]
[He's shaking. He's shaking, and there's tears in his eyes, but he's not sure if they're sorrow or anger. Possibly both.]
... Keep going.
[His teeth are gritted, trying to hold his emotions in.]
[The last two memories aren't so bad - the rock he used to kill Abel, and what Adam and Eve looked like. As the machine powers down he untenses slightly, lifting the robe to cover his face.]
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But.
He is trying. ]
Mister Naoya?
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I'm... too late. We already fought, he already defeated me, he's likely on his way to meet with the King's Gate as we speak...
He doesn't hate me. And I don't understand why.
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It... strikes a chord in him.
"Charlotte. There's something I want to tell you. I'm not who you think I am. I lied to you all this time. [...] My name is not C, it's Vincent."
...
"I know who you are, Vincent. You're no loser god. I think you're wonderful."
And that smile... god, that smile. ]
... I've been there. It's called empathy. Human compassion. I didn't think such a thing existed in people anymore, but... they still make their own choices. It doesn't mean they want you to hurt. That's... the best I can guess.
... But you were still indirectly hurt, weren't you?
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He knows who I am. He knows who he is, or who part of him was. That piece of Abel...
His death plunged his soul into the demon world, becoming a demon, before he broke apart and the shards were inherited by human souls. I don't understand why he doesn't hate me.
Whatever pain he might have caused me... it doesn't matter. But I don't understand. This isn't empathy, it's... stupidity. Or ignorance. Or something.
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I think... you want it to be that. But that's not the case.
[ He... can't help thinking of her right now. Scarlett. ]
... After all, what you expect and what reality is are two different things. I imagine he was thinking, "that's my family."
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... If he loved me, then he'd listen to me. I practically raised him!
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... I wish caring for someone meant obeying them... my daughter often completely ignores what I ask of her...
[ A sigh. ]
I don't think he was thinking things through. Or maybe he was afraid. Or perhaps he was convinced it was the best choice for some reason.
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[And it hurts. Every time he has to kill an Abel, it tears at him. It's not regret or a wish to be forgiven, because that would imply that it's something that he was wrong about - and he's not.]
[But it's some form of grief, at least. Some flashback to the first time, and what came after.]
I... don't want him to have to die. But I have no choice now.
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[ ... He doesn't want to see anyone have to go through another Vincent. ]
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And yet - Jonathan's heart feels like it's tearing itself in two, hearing those raw words from Naoya. He doesn't understand. He truly doesn't understand, even now, even knowing his own brother forgave him, he doesn't understand -
It is suddenly brutally clear why he didn't die in the library that day. There have been moments, even after everything else, where he's wondered. But he thinks he gets it now, thinks that maybe he understands. There's no way someone who can't understand why someone else cared about him beyond death and Hell itself would have murdered someone else who can't understand why anyone cares if he lives or dies, never mind that Naoya's simply not that kind of person. Even if he were, it's not something he'd have done, after that talk they had, or during it. He's not that kind of man, not so far as Jonathan's seen.
C has him, but Jonathan can't leave well enough alone.]
Naoya? I....
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... What is it?
[There's too much. He's starting to get a headache, and this is all so much.]
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It seems only fair to return that earlier favor, now. Jonathan gestures without saying anything, opening his arms to offer the option of a hug if Naoya can stand, and then reaches forward to gently push some of his hair back from his face.]
I don't think it's "not hating". Not that it's hating you, though. It's not "not hating". For the same reasons I can't say about you or Yurick... no, he doesn't hate you, and I know you don't get that, but... the love between brothers don't make any more sense then any other kind of love, really.
I mean, you were talking about someone you were a brother to who was... part of Abel, too, weren't you?
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... Yes. I practically raised him, after I moved in with him. After... well. After I killed this life's parents.
[He's just going to let that hang there for a moment.]
He... he's very important to me, yes. I don't... ugh. I'm going to have to kill him. I don't... want to have to do that. But there's no other option, now.
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[He was raised not to eavesdrop, so if this is something he went over with C, Jonathan missed it. It's an honest, plain, simple question. He holds Naoya steady, and after a moment of hesitation gently pets his hair the way he's done Jonathan's own more than once now.]
I... I'm not going to ask why you killed them, just - did you mean your parents or his parents?
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My parents. I didn't need to traumatize him that early. He was barely more than a toddler at the time.
... He's set in his path now. Unless he's killed at the King's Gate - and I don't think he will be - he'll be recognized as the King of Demons by Babel. And after that, Yehowah will snatch him up to do... whatever. I don't know. Kill unbelievers, maybe.
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He'd been standing off to the side, listening quietly. His brow is knit tightly as he looks to the floor for a while... And then, when there's an opening that doesn't involve outright interrupting anything, he's just going to walk over to firmly hug Naoya. ]
We'll figure something out... I won't give up. [ a deep breath ] I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I've got your back, no matter what.
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[... Even for him... even for someone as stoic and calm as him, there's a breaking point. And Akira is so much like him - so many of him. So focused on the right thing, even if it means breaking the rules. Fragile and innocent and lonely and it's... hard. His head feels like it's splitting apart and it's all he can do to cling to Akira, press his face against the other's shoulder, and start crying.]
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As he swallows that down, he lifts his hand to gently rest it against Naoya's upper back. He won't... outright pet him, because his friend - his brother... doesn't seem like someone who'd want to be babied over something like this. Instead, he just lets it rest there - a more solid reminder of his promise.
Then, after a soft, deep breath, he just leaves it at two whispered words: ]
I'm here.
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I'll... be all right. Well. As much as I ever am... but I'll cope. I... mm. At least... it seems like there are people here willing to help me, heh.
... Not what I expected, but I'm... glad.
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I know you will be.
[ As all right as Naoya ever is, he means. ]
There are people willing to help you. And... even if everyone else here stood against you, I'd still be here, by your side.