#boughtastar

❝  good  morning!  ❞      the  puppet  greeted  brightly.      ❝  where  will  we  be  going  today,  mother?  what  will  you  show  me?  ❞      he  stumbled  a  bit,  trying  to  keep  pace  with  his  creator’s  longer  strides.  (  he  wondered  if  he  would  ever  be  as  tall  as  she.  )      ❝  i  have  learned  something  very  interesting.  is  it  true  there  is  a  sweet  food  that  resembles  colorful  little  balls  on  a  stick?  could  we  eat  some  together?  ❞      the  puppet  smiled  up  at  her  expectantly.  he  had  also  learned  that  food  made  many  people  happy.  perhaps  this  would  be  the  day  she  saw  fit  to  humor  him!

❝  oh,  definitely.  ❞      aether  replied  on  reflex,  flashing  the  deaconess  his  most  reassuring  smile.      ❝  never  better,  thanks  to  you!  in  fact . . .  i’ll  just  be  getting  out  of  your  hair,  now.  ❞      of  course,  the  moment  he  tried  getting  up  (  already  mulling  over  where  to  go  NEXT  )  the  world  itself  seemed  to  go  a  bit  sideways  —  or  was  he  really  that  unsteady  on  his  feet?  ah,  maybe  the  traveler  wasn’t  as  okay  as  he  would  have  hoped.  the  blond  took  a  quick  glance  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eye,  and . . .  yeah,  there  was  no  way  barbara  didn’t  see  him  stumble  a  bit  there.  that  was . . .  embarrassing.

aether  rubbed  the  back  of  his  head  sheepishly,  fingers  dragging  over  thick  bandages  interwoven  with  golden  locks.  okay.  maybe  that  hilichurl  got  him  better  than  he  thought.

❝  well,  i’ll . . .  probably  hold  off  on  any  gliding  for  the  time  being.  ❞      a  joke.  one  that  fell  a  bit  flat,  all  things  considered.  (  he  just  didn’t  want  her  to  WORRY.  )  aether  knew  the  smartest  move  would  be  to  take  it  easy  while  he  recovered.  unfortunately,  the  traveler  had  never  been  good  at  staying  still  for  very  long  —  especially  after  how  much  time  he  had  spent  asleep.  every  moment  spent  doing  nothing,  even  if  all  he  did  do  was  as  simple  as  catching  the  sunset  or  trying  a  new  food,  felt  like  a  moment  wasted.  another  setback  pushing  him  farther  and  farther  away  from  lumine.  (  whose  absence  ACHED  like  an  open  wound.  )

still,  acting  recklessly  and  running  off  now  would  probably  only  lead  to  MORE  injuries.      ❝  you  don’t  need  a  hand  with  anything  around  here,  do  you?  you  know,  while  i’m  here.  ❞      at  least  he  could  try  to  compromise.

"well, i mean, back on earth we didn't have anyone like the adepti or even the archons. sure, we had a lot of mythologies and religions, but we didn't have...you know, gods walking among us, being active forces, any of that."

coryn supposed it was a strange thing to think about in a world where the gods were such a presence, but it was yet another thing that differed from earth. it was almost surreal to be able to discuss that fact with someone whose presence was so heavily influenced by gods and adepti alike.

♔     𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓇𝑜 𝓃𝒶𝒾 .      ♔

          she   had   managed   to   hide      for   a   while   without   being   caught .      even   without   any   real   world   experience ,      she   was   used   to   listening   for   audio   cues   in   games .      enough   so   that   she’d   managed   to   keep   away   any   other   living   thing   on   her   own   for   at   least   a   few   weeks   now .      but   she’d   known   it   couldn’t   last   forever .      only   hoped   that   she   could   wait   out   whatever   the   hell   was   happening   between   the   adults   &&   children   in   this   town .

          she’d   seen   the   broadcast ,      of   course .      kids   who   had   been   her   classmates   now   out   to   murder   every   adult   they   could   find      —      brainwashing   every   other   child   they   could   find   with   those   weird   bear   helmets .      or   at   least ,      that’s   what   she   was   pretty   sure   happened .      couldn’t   imagine   that   every   kid   in   the   city   had   suddenly   decided   to   participate   in   it .      certainly   didn’t   want   to   risk   finding   out   whether   she   was   right   or   wrong .      not   after   what   she’d   watched   those   creepy   robots   do   to   her   brother .

          at   this   point      —      the   only   reason   she   was   alive   was   because   she   couldn’t   die .      always   figured   that   this   wouldn’t   be   a   choice   she   would   need   to   make      —      assumed   that   if   either   of   them   died ,      both   of   them   would .     but   that   robot   had   only   looked   at   her   before   it   moved   on .      didn't   even   try   to   hurt   her .      &&   then   he   told   her   to   run .      &&   she   understood ,      just   like   she   always   did .      he   didn’t   want   her   to   turn   into   one   of   them ,      &&   if   she   wasn’t   going   to   die ,      she   needed   to   hide ,      because   the   only   alternative   was   to   be   forced   to   take   part   in   it .

          that   was   what   she’d   done ,      too ,      because   she   couldn’t   kill   herself .      wasn’t   a   matter   of   beliefs   or   desire ,      but  of   fear .      because   she   didn’t   really   want   to   die      —      she   wanted   him   to   be   alive .      because   pain   was   still   something   she   was   afraid   of .      so   she’d   been   hiding   out      —      only   leaving   when   others   seemed   to   consistently   get   too   close   or   she   ran   out   of   food .      &&   this   moment   was   one   of   the   latter .

          most   places   had   long   since   been   raided ,      but   there   were   scraps   to   be   found   all   the   same .      she   had   found   one   place   now      —      a   bakery   where   a   few   loaves   of   very   stale   bread   &&   some   equally   stale   pastries   remained   in   the   back .      it   wouldn’t   be   good ,      but   it   was   food ,      &&   she’d   never   really   been   that   picky .      was   in   the   middle   of   shoving   what   she   could   in   what   was   once   her   school   bag   when   she   heard   the   door   to   the   entrance   open .

          immediately ,      she’d   scan   the   place   for   another   exit      —      but   there   wasn’t   one .      no   visible   backdoor   &&   not   enough   time   to   look   for   one ,      considering   the   sound   of   footsteps      (      definitely   human      —      not   a   robot .      but   that   was   even   worse .      the   robots   could   only   seem   to   see   things   close   to   them ,      &&   as   long   as   she   hid ,      they   would   leave   eventually .      humans   weren’t   so   predictable   &&   were   far   more   perceptive .      )      so   she   needed   to   hide      —      which   left   another   problem .      the   room   is   too   open .

          sure ,      there   were   tables   &&   counters   &&   various   baking   appliances ,      but   it   would   be   child’s   play   to   find   someone   under   any   of   them .      it   was   too   easy   to   see   under   them .      so   she   did   the   only   other   thing   she   could   think   of      —      rolling   a   rack   of   shelves   away   from   between   two   others ,      cringing   at   the   sound   of   metal   wheels   against   tile   as   she’d   slip   behind   it ,      trying   to   pull   it   back   as   close   to   herself   as   possible ,      hugging   her   bag   tightly   to   her   chest   as   footsteps   grew   closer .

               ❝ ... what’s this? oh, you poor thing. don’t tell me you’re SCARED. ❞ the mocking tone in his voice was lighthearted, but thick —— condescending to the point of obvious parody. ❝ here i was working under the assumption you were much BRAVER than this, dear champion. ❞ bede shook his head with a heavy      ( exaggerated ) sigh.

              ❝ it’s gone. don’t worry. ❞ the gym leader continued —— this time, with a significantly more SERIOUS edge to his voice. ❝ you’re not about to give up, are you? we’ve come too far to back down now. ❞ bede clicked his tongue, gaze darting to and fro as if searching for any unwanted EAVESDROPPERS. ❝ in fact, i refuse to let that happen. haven’t you considered how it might reflect on me if you go running off with your tail between your legs? ❞ of course, he could continue along by his lonesome —— but where was the FUN in that? bede was hardly one to startle easily.      ( in fact, he mostly thought it would be amusing to see vincent’s reactions to the whole ordeal. )

                ❝ anyway, it’s borderline INSULTING you think there’s reason to be afraid in the first place. i’m here with you, aren’t i? ❞ he punctuated the question by offering the other boy an arm and a smirk —— though noticeably one a bit SOFTER around the edges than bede’s usual prideful sneer.

          “i haven’t sat and watched an entire tv series through since...” uh oh, that pause certainly doesn’t mean anything recently. did summaries count? ( no. ) did, uh...reading through the entirety of wikis and tv tropes count? ( no. ) oh no.

          IT   HAD   ALREADY   BEEN      getting   dark   when   they   left   the   house      —      not   that   kotoko   really   minded .      after   all ,      she   ended   up   being   awake   way   later   even   more   when   she   had   to   stay   after   shows   because   of   the   men   who   paid   for   her .      at   least   this   was   something   FUN ,      though .      a   trip   out   so   that   amanda   could   do   some   of   her   art   without   anyone   finding   out   that   it   was   her .      (      except   kotoko ,      of   course ,      but   she   was   getting   better   at   keeping   secrets   than   she   had   been   before .      would   NEVER   turn   in   one   of   her   favorite   people   in   the   world .      )

          she’d   been   watching   intently   as   the   artist   worked       —      nearly   mesmerized   by   how   it   had   come   together   into   something   so   much   cooler   than   just   plain   concrete .      made   her   wonder   why   it   was   ILLEGAL   in   the   first   place ,      when   in   her   opinion ,      at   least ,      it   gave   the   stone   a   whole   new   personality .      made   it   interesting   to   look   at   instead   of   boring .      she   wouldn’t   ask ,      though       —      didn’t   want   to   disturb   the   other   girl’s   concentration   when   she   remained   so   intent   on   it ,      the   same   way   at   a   performance   the   audience   always   waits   until   after   a   musical   number   to   applaud .

          All he could do was strive, every day, to make his bros proud. Both Taka, and Daiya. This was why he still wore his Crazy Diamond jacket while riding. The gang may not have held the strength it once did, but it still commanded some respect, and the symbol on that jacket was still very much well-known. To Mondo, a badge of honor he would never lose.

          On this fine afternoon, the road took Mondo to Towa City. The bridge had been reconstructed, so he rode right on in. The city was a dismal sight; rubble and debris everywhere, bodies still being removed from the streets. Idly, the memory crossed Mondo’s mind; Naegi had mentioned this to him. Towa City, the Warriors of Hope...Makoto’s sister was here. Toko, too - sure as hell not someone Mondo looked forward to seeing. But, since he was here - and driven by his curiosity - he figured he might as well take a look around. See how he could help.

          Motorcycle pulled up and parked just outside the hotel Naegi had mentioned. It took some time for Mondo to find it, but hell, he was getting tired, and it was getting late. Anything else could wait until the morning. Entering, Mondo rolled his shoulders, eyes rolling over the setting within. He didn’t see anyone, so he shrugged, and moved forward, heavy footsteps echoing on the floor. It didn’t take long. As he neared the desk, the two locked eyes.

          “‘Sup, Fukawa?” He greeted flatly; Mondo really had very little desire to talk to her. God forbid she should start one of her fantasies in front of him again - a horrifying thought. But, this time, he happened to be lucky.

          “Tch- a-as if you c-care...” The girl grumbled under her breath, averting her eyes from him just as he did from her; a mutual dislike. She never did like his brash attitude. Nor his loud mouth. “J-just...go do wh-whatever you’re going to do.” Wasn’t like he’d have money on him anyway.

          Mondo shrugged; good enough for him. Turned the corner to venture further into the hotel - and bumped right into...some kid? It wasn’t one of the kids he remembered from what Naegi told him - not one of the Warriors of Hope. Somewhat of a relief, he supposed. Last thing he needed was some killer brat bothering him while he was there. Still, he wasn’t without manners.

          “Sorry ‘bout that, kid. Didn’t see ya there.” Mondo paused; initially he’d planned to just go lie down as soon as he found a bed, but now he was curious. Children wandering around on their lonesome wasn’t...a normal sight, to him. But then, he didn’t have the full story on what happened in Towa. Just bits and pieces. His first thought was that she was with Komaru - so, he figured he may as well ask. “You here with Naegi?”