breaks_destiny | 008th Shattering * Action/Audio (forward dated to Monday)

[He felt something was wrong the moment he woke up and Haruki was nowhere to be seen. The guy had a knack for waking up first and lately had kind of gotten the habit of chilling close to Keiichi until he woke up. It was reassuring, to wake up and always see the other around. It made him less scared of Hanyuu going back in a matter of days, because Haruki would still be there.

Haruki was permanent. Until Keiichi gets up and checks his room, only to find it eerily and familiarly empty.

He doesn't stop to wonder about if Shiki and Neku are still asleep or not, Keiichi ransacks the room completely, as if expecting everything to be hiding somewhere, for Haruki himself to be hiding. He finds some things but none of them bring up hope to him. A Malnosso report... Pictures of all the members of the brigade, some he knew, some he didn't and guesses were former members... And letters to Haruki's father... There is no way Haruki would left those behind if he had a said in the matter.

Still that didn't stop him from trying to find the guy somewhere at the village. A hopeless search that finds him running around, checking empty houses and apartments. It would be far easier if he could teleport around or something.

Eventually though he gives up and finally opens his journal. He pauses for a second and puts up a half-hearted filter, unable to come up with anything better right now.]

[Voice || Filtered from Winry || 30% Unhackable]

Those who knew him. Haruki Suzumiya has gone back home.

[His voice is serious and partially broken, but still firm.]

SOS Brigade, I know I'm not one to say this but I hope all of you attend to today's meeting at least. [At least. What is going to happen with the Brigade? Will Taichi go on with it or will it crumble without Haruki?

Really, how can a person with so much impact on this just go back home like that? Keiichi can't even try to think up of all the people that has been left behind right now. There's a special someone thought, to whom he has to talk in person.]

[Filtered to Winry || 30% Unhackable]

Winry, where are you? I need to talk with you.

[ooc: Question for Brigade members!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Keiichi gets a bit serious as he looks at Minato. The other guy looks so unaffected... He knew that he and Haruki weren't precisely best friends, probably like Haruki and himself, but still he had seen them work together, spend time together without biting each other's throats. Honestly, he can't help to feel a bit annoyed at the lack of effect that Haruki's banishment has on Minato.

However, any annoyance he has goes through the drain in the next second. hasn't he seen this before? Someone who should show some reaction remaining mostly cold and distant at first sight? Where had it been? Where-... Ah, that's right. Rika. It takes him a moment to be sure, her expression reminded him of Bernkastel but the witch's eyes were too empty, different from the expression he had in his mind now. When had it been? When had he seen it?

Many times actually, hadn't he? Many worlds, at different times. An expression he never paid attention to, that was in the background of the whole scene. Like when they found Rena cutting two corpses in pieces and she told them her story... Rika had had a distant expression, as if unaffected, it had been for a second, for a moment but... It had been there. And at other times... He could almost see her, standing by the window, looking at them from the distance as he tells them his plan to get the government to help Satoko who was in the claws of her uncle... Satoko's uncle, huh? He hadn't seen him directly, not in this life at least.

Excuse Keiichi for apparently losing himself in thought for a while, Minato. he'll talk eventually thought, his tone rather cryptic.]

How many times has it happened to you? People leaving you behind? You seem almost unaffected by this, after all.

[Is it an accusation? Or just a statement? There's a difference betwen Minato's attitude that reminds him of Rika's and Rika's attitude back then.]

But what I'm hearing doesn't match the way you seem to be now.

[There's a small flicker of emotion. Keiichi's pretty perceptive. But now that he's been called on it he can't ignore the question. He raises his shoulders slightly.]

It always happens eventually.

[but that's a depressing line to leave on Keiichi, so he adds] But that's okay. Memories don't change.

Until you leave this place.

[Keiichi replies sharply, before he smiles confidently and proudly.]

Or until you smash destiny with your own hands. If it 'always happens eventually', then just stop it from happening. Miracles don't come to those who don't work for them, you know.

[He won't leave, destiny or whatever force is working against them. He won't leave, he has decided that right now and he will prove that he can change anything close to destiny once again.]

You'll see. You'll leave and return several times before I set foot out of here for even a second! It's a man's promise!

I know. [but even a changed destiny isn't always a happily ever after. Still, he's content with that, if he can enjoy this for as long as possible.] But I'm not planning on leaving either.

[Keiichi snorts.]

I know that. That's why I said that. After all, the way this place is supposed to work we could get to live a long life here together with friends we would have never met otherwise and, once we're old and satisfied, return to our worlds to... Dunno, continue with whatever we were doing?

Like keep on living to a future with a wife and a child who would get a name I wouldn't remember where I picked it up from but that I had to give him no matter what... Or like traveling through places endlessly... Or like existing in a plane where no one would see or notice you, being trapped there forever... Or like to be dead...

[A depressed sigh assaults him here.]

Not all of us have a world to return to, actually, or rather a life to return to... But if we got to be able to have a long life in this place, even if it's a prison, then it would compensate it all? In some universal karmic way or something, because if we get to break destiny by remaining here for so long, maybe we could also break it and remember everything upon returning anyway.

[A pause and then he scratches his head.]

Ah, I bet you think I'm just being an idiot. Whatever, let's change the subject! You wanted to talk with me for something?

[If not he'll be the one to start.]

[...yeah, it's probably a good idea to stay away from discussing that topic more. He nods.]

I wondered what you're planning now. Are you staying with Shiki and Neku?

[he will end printing a bulletin with the summary of his schedules if more people as for his plans. At least Minato has been more specific so there's no need to give the full list, right?]

Shiki and Neku are good people, but we both know I stayed there mostly because Haruki. Without him here... I may not have flipped but I don't trust myself to not do it later or something.

[An embarrassed pause.]

I was kind of going to ask if you had a couch where I could crash for today.

And to ask you if you knew of any free houses close to yours so that I could move there with Hanyuu. With her with me and having you close enough to help us if anything happens, it doesn't sound like a bad plan to me.

[you should because you need 24 hour surveillance mr level 5]

I can do better. We have a futon.

[as for the second question] ...I think next door is free, actually.

[What will you do when Rena is here again? Handcuff her to you? ... Oh, wait...]

A futon? Yeah, that does sound better.

[A smile, okay so he didn't think Minato would say no but still, he isn't really comfortable having to be so dependent.]

How is it? It's just Hanyuu and me but extra room wouldn't hurt in case some miracle happens and someone else comes.

[Someone who's not Takano.]

It should be fine. Probably the same size as our house.

[He nods.]

That sounds good, it's... Three rooms? And a storage room if I remember correctly?

[he nods.]

So you'll stay over today?

Yeah, if you let me, that is.

[A sigh, he has been doing that a lot today.]

There are other things I have to tell you about thought... I'm not sure if I should tell Minako too, being your sister and all. I kind of feel a bit bad of telling you things and not saying much to her.

[Not that he has had the chance to but...]

Other things?

[...what else could have happened :/]

Well... Remember what I told you about the kind of time loop Hinamizawa was trapped in and the multiple worlds?

[he nods, waiting for Keiichi to elaborate. That's something you don't really forget...]

I... I didn't explain you exactly why the loop existed, right?

[Pretty sure he didn't and Minato didn't ask.]

008th Shattering * Action/Audio (forward dated to Monday)

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