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kiatheinsomniac · 4 years

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Chapter III: Rooftop Talks

Part one: here Part two: here

Every student was gathered in the hall. (Y/n) looked around oddly, taking a mental headcount. There were only twenty-five students. That was one class.

They had just met the principal, Crawford Starrick who was standing on a podium and had just announced that they were allowed to have their first day to themselves in order to familiarise themselves with the building and the grounds. Perfectly timed, he asked if anyone had any questions. A few hands went up, along with (Y/n)’s.

“So, do we get to go out on the weekends at all?” Asked a boy who looked strikingly similar to Evie. (Y/n) concluded that this must be her twin, Jacob.

“If you’re willing to make the walk.” The principal replied. (Y/n)’s brows shot up, recalling how long the drive had been through the woods; she couldn’t imagine walking that distance. She was called on next.

“Is this everyone? I mean, it’s only one class unless we’re being split into two smaller classes.” She pointed out her observation.

“Each student here is handpicked for success.” The reactions to this were a mix of straightening backs with pride and scoffing, “We want you all to achieve your very best and thought a singular class would better achieve that.” He explained. (Y/n) nodded her head but something about it felt odd. Just one class? Then again, it could be down to the school being new and having to prove its worth before it could accept more students. “Kassandra.” He called on the Greek who had her hand up.

“So what aren’t we allowed to do?” She questioned, not wanting to get into an argument with staff over something she didn’t know.

“Break curfew, start fights, truant, steal, fail to hand in assigned tasks on time, disobey staff, have mobile phones.” The Greek smiled sweetly.

“Ok.” Was her simple answer. (Y/n) squinted her eyes at her slightly. She seemed far too happy with that answer. Why was she smiling so much? Why did her eyes light up?

With no more questions left, they were dismissed to familiarise themselves with the grounds. (Y/n) made her way over to Kassandra, curious. The Greek grabbed her hand and went running down the hall. A few other students watched this, curious before looking to their peers and shrugging, running after them.

When Kassandra finally stopped, they were standing at the top of a staircase by a set of old rusty doors. (Y/n) turned around to see that they had company. Claudia, Aveline and two other boys who (Y/n) didn’t know were all behind Kassandra and herself.

There was a loud creak and snap. Kassandra had kicked the door open, breaking the worn-down lock inside while keeping the doors intact. There was glass on the outside of the metal framing but it was so overgrown with moss that it was difficult to see what was outside. Was this some sort of balcony?

As soon as the doors were opened, it was revealed to be the roof. They all walked out onto it, chattering among themselves while (Y/n) made her way to the edge of the far wall. She could see the lake that gave Vermere Lake Grammar School its name. It was off in the distance, past the extravagant gardens and field with a few layers of trees blocking it from the view if you were on the ground. It appeared to be a clearing in the middle of the sea of green trees and had a stream trickling into it.

(Y/n) took the opportunity to look around the area from a higher viewpoint which she stood on. Trees and trees and trees covered the hills around the school. The colour was quickly becoming sickening to look at everywhere she turned.

Her (e/c) orbs flickered to the gardens and the sports field. She prayed that she wouldn't have to participate in any form of physical education. She had always been far more academic than athletic and saw it as a waste of time - she could be studying something far more useful in her opinion. The gardens were wonderful and defined by tidy gravel paths. The hedges and trees were trimmed to perfection and the colourful pop of the flowerbeds were a nice change from the constant, droning green. There were statues scattered in a grid among the gardens and a large fountain stood proudly in the epicentre of it all. The water was running, putting on a repetitive show, sunlight reflecting off the water and making it sparkle, while statues of cherub angels and mermaids were in the centre. It was a very flamboyant school, indeed.

She shuffled a little closer to the edge before a pair of hands carefully held her sides in a tight, yet cautious grip, causing her to jolt slightly with surprise.

“Careful, don’t fall.” A male voice spoke from behind her. She turned around to see that it was a boy with long brown hair which he swept back into a ponytail, tied with red satin. His skin was softly sunkissed and he had rich brown eyes with golden tones glimmering amongst them. He wore a deep blue high-necked jumper which defined his torso and was tucked into a pair of black trousers which were accompanied by a black Louis Vuitton belt and black suede boots. She took a step from the edge, which inevitably brought her body closer to his, before making her way past him.

She flashed a shy smile, blushing a little at how he'd held her hips, "Thank you." She managed out before making her way over to Claudia and Aveline seeing as she knew them the best. She thought over leaving so abruptly like that. Perhaps he wanted to get to know the other students here too - after all, most people here didn't know one another. She found herself feeling odd and liking how touchy some of the other students were - the way Kassandra had grabbed her hand, the way Arno had grabbed her sides, etcetera. She never got much affection from her parents and never had any friends to give her any either. She quite liked the contact. It was comforting.

What unnerved her though, was the realisation that she was so touch-starved that she was enjoying this from people that she hardly knew. It was quite a shocking sudden realisation, really; something that she didn't want to admit to so she pushed the thought away. She would be getting to know them all soon enough anyway, right? Well, aside from Cesare and Lucrezia. She didn't plan on associating herself with those two.

She hadn't even been here for a whole day and she was already finding out things about herself that she had failed to notice in the past. It only made her lap up all these new changes even more, finally free of that old routine which she was constantly restrained by back at her home.

(Y/n) watched as a blonde male student went running for the lake, followed by an olive-skinned boy who resembled Kassandra a lot.

"Oh, I think they're going to jump in." She pointed out as she gestured her hand towards the two students that were sprinting across the sports field and making a beeline for the lake.

"Of course he is." The Greek girl sighed, a smile on her lips as she watched one of the two boys in particular. "The taller one's my little brother, Alexios; but, a lot of his friends call him Deimos." She paused for a while, her smile lingering as she witnessed her brother and the blonde student strip off as many layers as they could (while staying decent) before plunging off the small pier and into the cold water, "I never liked his friends back home, they were terrible for him. If he's mean to you: don't take it to heart." She rested a hand on (Y/n)'s shoulder to express her sincerity, "Those friends of his made him an asshole but I'm hoping that he will change now that he's not around them anymore. Mater hopes so too."

"Are you here for a change too?" The ebony-haired female prompted, wanting to get her own story across int he process.

"Because I tried to defend him from his friends, I ended up making a lot of enemies back at home." Shrugged, "I've always been one to punch first and ask questions later." (Y/n)'s eyes roved over Kassandra's arms to see how muscular she was. She definitely seemed like she would win a fight. "I suppose I'm looking to try and change myself in that aspect - learn to negotiate. But I know it won't happen overnight." She laughed at herself.

"I mostly accepted the application here because I wanted a change and I don't really have anyone at home." (Y/n) expressed, "I'd wake up and go to my school where I never had any friends, study all break and lunch, go home to paint or read for half an hour, study until dinner then get in the shower and go to sleep." She explained, "I was always home alone a lot because my parents work all the time. I've never been close to them. . . They didn't even drop me off at the airport. . . The family driver was the only one with me. . ." She spoke nonchalantly but Kassandra looked liked like she was on the verge of heartbreak.

For the Greek girl, her family was one of the most important things in her life, her source of happiness. It made her sad to know that her classmate didn't have anyone at all in the world.

"Well, you have friends now." She beamed, throwing an arm around her shoulder, "A lot of people here seem to like you already." Her gaze went back to her brother and the other student who were still swimming in the cold water and her lips tugged into a frown, "He's going to get sick if he stays in there too long. . . I should go get him." And with that, she left and (Y/n) made her way over to Claudia who was standing under a large greenhouse which was on the roof, gesticulating a lot with her hands while Aveline, the boy in blue from earlier, and the other guy were all paying attention to her.

". . . Just imagine it!" She spoke expressively, "Some lights, some chairs, pillows and blankets! If we clean up the glass and the floor and maybe add a few little flowerpots and trinkets on the shelves! This could be an awesome hangout! And, judging by the doors on the way up here, no one comes up here, so we can keep it as a thing between people we like."

"That's quite a cool idea, actually," Aveline spoke from where she was standing inside the rather large greenhouse, a frown tugged at her full lips, "But it would be nicer with some music."

"I bought my guitar with me." The boy that (Y/n) had yet to meet raised his hand in contribution. He had an Italian accent which made (Y/n)'s eyes flicker between him and Claudia, making note of their similarities. She concluded that this was Ezio, Claudia's brother. He, like Arno, suited long brown hair which was tied back - but he had shorter parts that fell loose and framed his angular face neatly. He wore a white hoodie with dark red joggers and white trainers. She wondered why he was dressed so casually until she realised that he and his sister must have had to wake up early to catch the plane and he would have wanted to be comfortable for the journey.

"I'm going to miss my music - I really hate this 'no phones' rule." The one who (Y/n) had briefly spoken to earlier piped up, "I mean, in a controlled environment like a boarding school, they're not exactly going to get in the way of us learning." He shrugged as he leaned against the glass, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Good point." (Y/n) agreed. Ezio turned his eyes to her, not having noticed her before. The Italian raised one of his brows in amusement, a flirtatious and teasing smile tugging at his scarred lips.

"You're quiet." He pointed out.

"Oh, leave her alone, stronzo. She's not one of your easy girls back home and I don't want you sleeping with my friends." Claudia snapped at her older brother, placing her hands on her hips to try and show her authority. Her older brother smiled at this while (Y/n)'s (e/c) eyes widened.

"Whoa, that escalated quickly." She held up her hands, shocked at how the conversation had gone from him teasing her about being quiet to Claudia telling him to not try it on with her.

"Oh, believe me, it would have escalated either way." The female Auditore rolled her chestnut eyes, "I'm sure that as soon as he said that, he would have mentioned something about getting you to moan loudly." She shot an accusing gaze at her brother who tossed his head around, considering his answer with a playful smile.

"Guilty." He confessed, his eyes going back to (Y/n) who felt quite singled out. The other boy clicked his tongue.

"Talking dirty to a girl as soon as you meet her isn't going to get her in your bed." He corrected.

"It isn't?" Ezio shot back, "Oh please, master seducer Arno, share your knowledgable ways with me?"

"Alright, we're leaving." Aveline rolled her eyes, amusement playing on her lips as Claudia followed her and she took (Y/n) by the arm to lead her away as well, "We don't want any part of your guy talk."

"Is your brother always like that?" (Y/n) asked Claudia.

"Yes." Was her blunt reply, "But don't misinterpret him; he respects women a lot even though he sleeps with all the pretty ones he sees. When my ex cheated on me, he broke his nose and when his ex got a new boyfriend, he made sure that he'd be good to her with a heavy threat."

"That's. . . violent but also incredibly sweet?" (Y/n) laughed while she glanced over her shoulder to where Arno and Ezio were having an in-depth discussion about the best way to seduce a woman. She rolled her eyes before following Aveline back downstairs, hoping that she wasn't still the topic of their conversation.

She decided that she wanted to explore the school building.

#assassins creed #assassins creed au #assassins creed modern au #x reader #assassins creed x reader #ezio auditore #kassandra #arno dorian #alexios #highschool au #modern au #the elites

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got7thotsss · 5 years

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Alluring- Gang Member! Youngjae

Inspiration: A writing prompt from Pinterest- "I felt, suddenly, that the centre of this man's attention was a very bad place to be." Warnings: Strong language Summary: A gang member becomes infatuated with you after you serve his table at a restaurant. Pairing: Youngjae x Reader Word Count: 2.4k A/N: I'm really inspired with writing right now, be sure to send in any requests, keep your eyes out for more imagines and scenarios (even if they are slightly terrible lmao) -> Also I accidentally made Y/N slightly British, my bad.

You’re working the mid-week shift. Again. Never catching a break. Your boss has done this at least six weeks in a row now. You’re only supposed to be a part-time worker, weekends only. Just to help your parents make ends meet. They have supported you throughout everything. Your whole life. Now, your parents are struggling to keep their heads above water, both of them are constantly working- never having downtime to relax. They told you not to bother helping, they want you to focus on your studies, but you can’t not help them. You sigh as your co-worker informs you that a group of people need to be served and she’s already behind on the few tables she has. You look over to the people waiting to be seated and do a quick headcount, before grabbing the correct number of menus and walking over to them with your service smile plastered on your face. “Hi, we booked a table for seven under the name of Jackson Wang, for 7 o’clock.” One of the shorter men say, you nod your head and look at the booking form on the podium. You find the name stated and check it off, before asking them all to follow you to the reserved table in the quiet corner, furthest from the door. “Here are the menus, the drinks menus are on the table, I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your orders.” You say, turning to leave. “Sorry, but can we get three bottles of Soju and 7 beers please.” Another man asks, stopping you from turning away. You nod your head and write the drinks down, noting the number of the table so you can add it all to their bill. You smile, before leaving, swiftly walking away from the table and towards the bar. Your colleague is also at the bar, so you both have a little chat whilst you’re getting the drinks ready for your tables. “Dude, the men on my table are so fricking hot, it’s unbelievable. I’m surprised you didn’t take them for yourself to try and help you get over that dickhead.” You say, making her laugh and shake her head at you. You both place all of the drinks for your tables on trays, then go your separate ways to serve your customers. You place down all of the bottles on the table, along with seven glasses, in front of each member. “Are you ready to order yet, or would you like me to come back in a few minutes?” You question, flashing your service smile at the group in general. One of the men catch your eye, his hair is a light brown and is styled up out of his eyes, he has a stern persona about him, but you can see in his eyes that he is a real softie. He gives you a genuine smile, which you can’t help but return. For a moment you forget what you’re supposed to be doing. “Shoot, I’m so sorry, I forgot to do what I was supposed to. Hi, I’m Y/N I’ll be your server this evening.” You rush out, awkwardly double clicking the pen in your hand. “I think we’re ready to order now.” The alluring male speaks up, looking around at the other men at the table and they nod their heads in agreement. You nod your head in a bid to get them to start reeling off their orders. After writing their orders down and repeating them back to the men, just to be sure, your make your way to the kitchen to hand their order in. You make your way to a different table to clear up as the guests are getting ready to leave. You can’t help but let your gaze wander over to the man at the table in the corner. Once or twice you catch his eye, but immediately become flustered and look away again. In your flustered state, you manage to walk into the corner of a table and silently curse in your head. “Y/N, oh my God, are you okay? That looked like it hurt like a bitch.” Your co-worker says, as you arrive back at the bar. “It did, I’m having a really hard time not swearing out loud right now. There’s gonna be a massive bruise there for like a whole week.” You respond, making your friend laugh at your misfortune. “Plus the table of hot men saw the whole thing.” She says, making you throw a glare her way. “Of course they did. They should take full responsibility for my embarrassment though. The cute one with the tough exterior keeps making eye-contact with me and throwing me off.” “Which cute one with the tough exterior. Last time I checked, they were all cute with tough exteriors.” You shake your head at her, then enter the kitchen to see if their order is ready yet. You find that it is, so you start piling their plates on your arms, managing three plates, being followed by another server with another three plates. You deliver them to the table, apologising for the wait (despite there not being a long wait, it’s just one of them things you have to do to keep your job.) You hurry back to the kitchen to grab the remaining meal, before returning to the table and placing it in front of the brooding male that seems to have you all hot and bothered. “Is there anything I can do to help you all this evening? Is everything up to your standards?” You question, with the familiar customer smile plastered across your face. “Yeah, can you take Youngjae’s number, so we can stop hearing him bang on about how much he fancies you please?” The tallest questions, making your eyes dart all over their faces, not seeing any form of joking in any of their eyes. Your hand shoots up to brush your hair behind your ear, before you realise that your hair is pulled back into a bun, to stop it from getting into the food. “Fuck off Yugyeom, look now, you’ve embarrassed the poor girl.” Another says. “Hey, you’re just pissed, because he actually has the balls to say something.” The shorter one from earlier adds. “Let’s just see what the girl has to say, alright?” After this is said, all eyes are on you, causing heat to rush up your neck and your eyes to grow in size. “I’m sorry, which one of you are Youngjae?” You respond in a quiet voice, unconsciously taking a step back. “That would be me.” The one that has had you flustered all night admits, you notice a slight confidence to his voice, making you even more flustered. It’s as though he knows what he’s been doing to you since he first walked in. “Technically, I’m not allowed to be involved with the customers I’m serving.” You say, absentmindedly shifting your weight from one foot to another. “But…” He trails off, the corner of his mouth starting to turn upwards into a smirk, why does it seem like he’s reading your mind? “But, I s’pose I can make an exception, just this once.” You add, twirling your ring around your finger to distract yourself from his immense beauty. “Good. Here you go, sign the message off with your name Y/N and I’ll get back to you immediately.” He says, passing you a business card. You look at it and notice a number on it, you turn it over, only to see that the card is literally just a number- no name, no address, nothing. You nod your head, then quickly spin on your heel and rush away back to the bar, where your friend is. From the look she is giving you, she witnessed the entire situation you encountered. You manage to not embarrass yourself further in front of the men, they finish their meal and pay, before leaving. Soon, the restaurant is empty bar the workers. You and your friend are placing the chairs on the tables and chatting, until she gasps, making you almost drop the chair you are turning. “I just realised where I know them men from!” She exclaims, you throw her a confused glare, as you finish placing the chair on the table, “they’re in an infamous gang.” “Of-bloody-course they are, the one time I find a guy that actually seems decent from the get-go is actually in a fricking gang.” You say, throwing your hands up in exasperation. “Are you still gonna message him though?” “No, I don’t wanna be in the centre of his attention. It doesn’t seem like a good place to be, to be honest with you.” “I don’t blame you- no man is worth putting yourself or your family in danger, even if they are that darn hot.” She states, making you nod your head in agreement.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

It has been a week since you were gifted with the gang member’s number. Meaning you have spent a whole week weighing up the pros and cons of becoming acquainted with a gang member. The only reason you haven’t thrown his number away is because he looked like such a nice person. His eyes looked so inquisitive, but at the same time closed off. You want to get to know him, but you are also scared of what the consequences could be- you don’t want your family to be affected by your mistakes. You’ve already caused your parents enough hardships. C’mon, you’re the reason they’re so in-debt. You didn’t HAVE to go to college, but you wanted to and whatever you want your parents will provide- even when the scholarship fell through, they still let you attend the most prestigious college in your area. Prestigious, in this case, meaning expensive. That is the sole reason for you working as hard as you do at that darned restaurant. You can’t let your parents suffer on their own because of you. “Hi, my name is Y/N, I’ll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with any drinks?” You state, after approaching your last table of the night. “I’ll have a coke and whatever you’re having.” The man says, you look up at him and recognise him as Youngjae. “I’m not allowed to take drinks from customers.” You respond, swallowing the lump in your throat, that came up the moment you heard his voice. “My apologies, join me after your shift for a drink then. We need to chat.” He states, before standing up and leaving. “What the fuck? He didn’t even say where to join him.” You mumble to yourself, before cleaning up the last table you served and clocking out of your shift. Your friend stops you before you are able to leave the premises. “I saw Mr gang member.” She says, giving you a stern look. “Me too, I didn’t invite him if that’s what you’re thinking, he just turned up and told me to join him for a drink. I think that’s the least I can do, after taking his number and not messaging him.” You speculated, she gives you a funny look, but nods her head, allowing your departure. You get to the front of the restaurant and are met with the mysterious man. He offers you his hand, which you take because why not. You thought you would feel weird, holding someone’s hand (that isn’t your parents’) for the first time, but with the risk of being a cringey fuckwit, it just felt right. He leads you to a bar around the corner from the restaurant you work in, holding the door open for you and everything, being a proper gentleman. He even lets you order for yourself, which you feel is a rarity. “So, you didn’t message.” He says, once you are both sat at a table in the corner of the quiet bar, your drink of choice in front of you. “I’m sorry. I wanted to, but I wasn’t sure.” You say, he gives you an understanding look and a nod of his head, for you to carry on, “You see, I heard you’re in a gang *he nods his head* and I don’t want my family to get into shit if things don’t work out between us.” “I see, I understand why you would be worried. The way it seems to have been put forward to you does make it sound horrendous. Are you okay with me defending myself?” He asks, you nod your head, taking a small sip from your drink and motioning for him to continue, “It is true that I am in a gang, but the gang I am in partake in very little violence. We mostly deal with money, no drugs, little violence and even less death. That being said, I’m ninety-nine percent sure that your family will not get hurt.” “Oh, well, erm, okay. Thank you for clarifying that for me.” You say, giving him a timid smile, he returns the smile, before realising that you’re finished with what you were saying. “Oh, you’re finished. I thought you were gonna say something else for some reason.” He says, nervously chuckling. A red tinge starts to appear on his cheeks, you assume it’s because of the alcohol. “Can you give me some time to decide please? I really need to weigh out my options and with this new information there are way more things to decide from.” You respond after a moment or two of hesitation. He looks at you long and hard, before nodding his head. “Of course, you have my number, please do message me. Even if it is to tell me to piss off, because I’d rather know that you’ve decided the rejection route than be waiting forever for a text to come that never will.” He says. You nod your head with a smile on your face, you feel like you’ve made your mind up already, but you refuse to admit that after asking for more time to think about it. You both finish your drinks, using this time to get to know each other- helping you add more and more reasons to the pros list. He even drives you home, on the way you realise that he didn’t have an alcoholic beverage, meaning the red tint on his cheeks was him actually blushing. When you get home you think about messaging him straight away, but decide against it, realising you should probably save yourself a little dignity. You distract yourself from the *extremely* hot male, by doing some research for a paper you have due in next week. After approximately one hour and thirty-seven minutes, you can’t help but compose a text for the man you can’t seem to get off your mind. You sign off with your name, as instructed and gingerly wait for a reply.

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jokikudistrict · 6 years

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Post-Trial City Escape [Arisa, Shu (Tomomi), Uta (Yatagarasu), Jo (Asa), Hideo, Keiichi, Dororou, Akihiko (Noctem), Seishiro, Kimiko, Mirai, Yoshiko]

Following the screen blacking out, there is a few fleeting moments for everyone in attendance to process what they'd just heard. What they'd just seen.

But it is only a brief time, before the familiar mechanical grating sounds begin once more and the floor beneath the students slowly raises the group back up to the surface of the park. The scent of smoke, the uncomfortable heat, the debris of the exploded Karoshi-kuma, all remain relatively untouched from where they'd left it. And with the number of students remaining the same as when they had entered the trial this time, it was truly as if nothing had happened.

The flickering lights and chaos that had consumed the city had, for the moment, ceased. The bots that had been patrolling the streets were still and silent. Looking up toward the countdown clock, it seemed to have resumed a normal speed, but the number that displayed brought them no comfort. 58:37....58:36...58:35...

They were running out of time.

-------------

Akihiko had, for the most part, known what to expect with an outcome like this. He knew that the execution would happen and that there was no doubt that they had the right person. He knew he'd never see his fallen classmates or his friends again.

He didn't know if there was even a way to properly escape this place but then Kojima provided them the key. Akihiko didn't know whether or not to feel relieved seeing Ike be destroyed. There was this rotting feeling settling in the pit of his stomach when he saw that unfold. It was only growing and spreading through his bloodstream to every inch of his body.

His own heart pounded away until it felt like it would explode. It almost did as he watched Kojima be executed by robots with the faces of the people he knew and of Hime. He had to lean against his podium, head down as he stared at its surface. Maybe he was trying to commit this all to memory so he'd never forget the extremely bitter sense of victory that lingered in his mouth. Once they were returned it took all of his strength not to break down. He wanted to run out of the city and into the warm embrace of familiarity. He wanted to cling to his family and only friend prior to this incident as he sobbed his heart out. He wanted to forget every bloodstained memory.

But he had a promise to keep.

With his bag of his belongings that he had packed before coming to what he knew would be the final trial secured to his person, Akihiko ran back to the apartments. He didn't hesitate as he ran into the wellness center searching for a warm presence from a cold body.

"Muffin!!!" he shouted. "Muffin we did it, w- we gotta hurry so I can take you home with us!"

-------------

Yoshiko felt... Dizzy. Everything happens so much. She just wanted to go back to bed, maybe cuddling Mirai, and sleep this all off. But there was still work to do. Gates to be opened, business to be finished. She expected everyone to swarm to the gates, but instead... Akihiko was running off towards the apartments. Surely he was going to talk to Muffin.

And that gave the drummer an idea.

She kissed Mirai's cheek, promising that she'll be back soon, she started downtown. She should be getting her things from the apartments. She should be making sure she has her clothes, her items, somehow her drum set. But she needed to talk to some bots first.

"Puddle?" she called, opening the bar door. "Puddle, we did it, I... I wanted to thank you."

-------------

( tw: swearing )

Watching Kojima get dragged away was probably one of the best images Arisa had seen in her life. As she watched him, she wiggled her fingers in farewell with a grin on her face that didn't fall even during the execution. Hell, she even found herself mentally cheering her departed classmates' android selves on! It hurt seeing Rachele so soon after she had left them, but....it wasn't really Rachele, was it? Could they....Could they be counted as living? It seemed like a philosophical thing that people with beards pondered while drinking wine, and Arisa neither had the brains to do so nor the pallet for adult grape juice.

Either way, she had never been happier to see an old man get beat up. Easily one of the top...twenty moments of her life. Even if it was slightly marred by the fact that Haruna and Alastor were present. And Heloise. Even if it was great hearing her call someone deserving of it pathetic.

Still, she had a few things to pack up. Her cosmetics were expensive, but the pictures left in her apartment were priceless. She figured everyone else could take care of the bots...

Having long since released Dororou from her hold (quite literally seconds after Tomomi had told her to), she glanced at all of her classmates from her position at Megumi's podium. She spoke both to herself and to the person next to her, voice flooded with awe, "We did it....We're going home. Oh my god we're going home. We're going home and we solved this place and everyone outside is still safe oh my god....IDK how we gon' get home since we don't know where we are, but we're gonna. Holy sh-t...."

-------------

Tomomi had no response for the brutality they'd just witnessed. There was no punishment more fitting, yet none more difficult and painful to watch. The bots' eerie, uncanny movements sent an uncomfortable chill up their spine. Survivor's guilt flared up and for a little while, they were afraid that their former classmates might turn their ire on the living, on Tomomi, for not preventing this. It was only a small relief that they hadn't. After it was over, they rubbed at their eyes, slowly brought their hands down their face. Was it finished, now? Was it finally done?

They opened their eyes again upon hearing Arisa's voice next to them. "We're going home," They echoed quietly, with a small, weak smile. "You'll get to see Mitsugi again, everyone...Everyone will get to see their loved ones again. It's over..." They kept the bits of cynicism that still burned in the back of their mind squarely to themself.

When they resurfaced, Tomomi kept their eyes on the timer. Not a lot, but maybe just enough to take care of some last orders of business. Noticing the others splitting off already, they noted, "Looks like we'll need to do one last headcount before we exit."

They intended to follow suit nonetheless, but before they started towards the apartments, they turned their attention to Arisa and asked, "Is there anything you need to do before we leave? If there's something sentimental you'd like, and can carry with you, I'd recommend grabbing that now."

-------------

"We're going home."

Keiichi rubbed his face with both hands with his eyes wide at the ground. He didn't know what home was exactly. Where was he supposed to go exactly after they'd leave? Everyone had someone or something they were excited to run to, but everything Keiichi had thought he was fighting to survive for was gone, wasn't it? The image of his dad's face-- the mastermind-- looking at him with a proud smile made his eyes sting weirdly.

His eyes flicked upwards, realizing that everyone was rushing out and splitting off. He shook his head, following wordlessly behind the others while watching some rush off to different places with their own missions in mind.

-------------

Admittedly, watching everyone sprint off, knowing that pretty soon.. they'll all be released... left a stinging feeling on Kimiko's chest. Everyone here had a chance to get out, go home, and get the help they needed to piece together everything that shattered while in this place, and Kimiko... she didn't know what was to become of her. Of course, she had time to pay, but if no one knew was really happened here--- would there be anything done, really? Her steps were slow, her arms filled with the things she previously placed on her podium.

She was tired, and nothing genuinely felt real, I mean, who goes through something like this? Yawning, she blinks her eyes a few times to refocus her vision. There wasn't anywhere she wanted to be right now, not a single place here grasping her interest long enough to focus on the task of walking there.

Instead, she found a comfortable place to sit o the curb, and chose to wait.. just, wait until everything is all over. Then, she'd see what to do next.

-------------

Well. That was a thing.

Air eluded her yet again, wisps of oxygen always seeming to taunt her nostrils— close enough to feel, but not enough to breathe. It always seemed to do that: sending her hunting for breath when panic slimmed her respiratory gateways, when she needed air the most.

Anxiety bristled at the base of her neck, reverberating down her spine and down her wrists, imaginary fingertips entangling themselves with her own. Mirai bit her lip, shuddering slightly as she stood in silence, before steeling her shoulders and standing as tall as a girl her height could.

The show of violence they’d seen was indescribable. Deserved, yet impossible to properly encapsulate in language alone. There was some peace in seeing their fallen classmates say their final piece, and yet...bittersweet all the same.

But above all else lingered the steady realization that home was finally within reach.

Back to her mother, back to her computer, back to a house with one long-untouched room.

Back to everything, yet as a different Mirai.

The rpg developer nodded as Yoshiko took off on some quest, and she folded her hands in front of her.

“...guys? Is there any way we could...take the bots with us?”

-------------

Keiichi blinked at Mirai awkwardly.

-------------

“Like...Puddle, and Chirp and Cap and Muffin,” she said softly. “Kojima-san too, of course, he’s shaped like a friend...but are they able to leave the city?”

-------------

Tomomi's own smile was returned by Arisa's signature thousand watt beam. It was easy to be in a good mood after a brutal execution when the person who had just been beaten to death kind of trapped you in a murder game with kids who were either your age or younger than you and his android who was totally just a better, updated version of him. She knocks her hip gently against their own, "....You'll get to see him, too. I promised we would both get out so you could meet him, yeah? Silly of you to think that changed, y'know." She says and giggles.

She sighs, "Yeah, I hafta grab my photos and the books I got. Probably some other things, too...." She makes a note to grab Heloise's filched diamond. Even if the other girl didn't care about it, it felt wrong to just....leave it here. "I have a spare bag you can use in my room, I think. I can just buy new clothes once we're outta here. I brought, uh, a lot."

Taking a deep breath and putting her hands on her hips, she begins to walk back to the apartment complex, watching the others go their separate ways....Makes you think..., "When we get out....are we all just gonna go our separate ways? It would feel weird to....not see them again, don'tcha think? Mmmm, I wonder. Ah, and....Keiichi....wonder what he's gonna do...." Poor....bot-boy lost his whole family....

-------------

As Aki burst into the room, Muffin powered on and looked toward him with a concerned, yet grateful expression.

“You…did…?” It echoed, suddenly beaming out and hurrying toward him to give him a hug, “I’m so proud of you all…! I knew…I knew you could all win…” It was then that the next thing he said processed, “Take me…home? I can…leave?”

It looked around, seeming uncertain of what to expect.

----

Puddle, meanwhile, had been quietly standing behind the bar as it always was, not expecting to see visitors come through those doors ever again. It looked up in surprise as Yoshiko stepped in, but quickly resumed its calm and aloof persona.

“Well I’ll be damned…had the feeling you kids would pull through.” It chuckled, “Still…you came by to thank me…? Jeez…here I figured you’d make a bee line straight for the doors as soon as you could…what’re you thanking me for?”

-------------

They'd almost forgotten they'd be set to meet Arisa's friend. "Ah, that's right. So, we really are square then? Hmm...Guess I'll have to do my best not to disappoint, won't I?" Tomomi laughed a little too, somewhat nervously.

They nodded thoughtfully. "That sounds good, although you'd be better off with the bag than I would. I only need one, maybe two things, that's all." They could leave plenty of things to be destroyed, but too much work was put into that TV for them to just abandon it.

Tomomi was close enough to hear Mirai's question, and they piped up in response, "I should hope so. We're going to need some kind of tangible evidence of this place's existence to bring out with us, something more than just our word. And with what they've done for us..."

They quieted down again, feeling a bit awkward about admitting they'd grown attached to those robots. They kept pace with Arisa, was quick to reply to her questions, "I hope not. I'd like to think everyone could keep looking out for each other, even on the outside, but ultimately it comes down to each individual decision..." Their tone grew more hesitant as they continued, "I...Personally, I'd like to stay in contact with you all...though I would understand completely if no one wanted to, with me. And, Keiichi...I just don't know about him..."

Tomomi quickened their pace into the apartments, feeling more than ready to shuffle on up the stairs past that conversation.

-------------

Akihiko wants to cry and smiles at Muffin. He leans against a counter to support his wobbling legs. "Yes! W- We won..." He said, finally calming down a bit. "I... I don't know but I promised, right?" Crap Asa or Tomomi would've been more useful than him.

"So I'll do my best!" He was confident. Or trying to be.

-------------

Jo clutches the chip in their hand tightly, sighing quietly. They could go home. They never thought they'd be this excited over it.

"Meet me at the gate when y'all're ready to go," they announce, hopefully before everyone starts running off. Then they turn to Mirai. "I'd like to bring the bots. I don't think anyone here would argue. Of course, the choice is ultimately up to them, I guess."

-------------

"Puddle, I... You kept my spirits up!" Yoshiko replied, grinning. Suddenly the tears started, just slowly crawling down her cheeks. "Get it, spirits, you work in a bar, haha........ Anyways, anyways, I wanted... I wanted to see if you can come with us? You don't deserve to be stuck here, none of you four do... I think Akihiko-kun went to Muffin, we can go get Cap and Chirp and... We can go somewhere nicer than here."

-------------

There wasn't a lot of time to think. Kojima didn't make it easy to get another word in. They watched silently in horror as Ike's head was knocked clean off. If it were any more graphic, everything in their stomach might have come back up, but the chip was what they focused on. Seeing it getting tossed to Jo, Seishiro only looked to Kojima once more before the metal collar clasped around his neck and dragged him off into the final execution. Only this time...? Seishiro didn't feel an ounce of remorse or guilt. A feeling they were beginning to get good at recognizing bubbled up in their chest, allowing Seishiro to watch as their robotic classmates did away with Kojima.

There was a moment that...Seishiro felt bad. The ending. [email protected] look on his face and the several gunshots to the face was enough for Seishiro to look away. And that was all they wrote. The game was over. Seishiro's legs trembled before their knees buckled from under them. Relief was the first thing they felt with the growing sense of hope that washed over. Seishiro was going to go home, see their moms and finally hug their dad. The thought alone was enough for them to pull themself together. They acted alone in the moment, waiting for the elevator to bring them all back up. Jo's statement was heard, but Seishiro didn't make a move to acknowledge it.

With that, Seishiro took off towards the Cafe where Cap would have been. Bursting through the doors, they don't waste time in tugging at them and motioning towards the door. "C-Cap, we did it, Cap, we gotta go." Their expression was pleading, almost urgent. "I-I'm not leaving you here and we have less than an hour before..." Before something. Seishiro didn't know what though. "B-But we did it..! K-Kojima is dead and we can leave..! P-Please..."

-------------

Hideo had more or less shut down long before the execution, as soon as the violence started he'd just curled up and covered his head with his arms, blocking it all out. Maybe it was cowardly, but he just... didn't want any part of this. He just wanted it to be over, he just wanted to go home. And it's really for the best that he didn't witness any of the execution itself, since there's no chance he would've remained conscious through it.

Only when it's all over and the platform jerking and rising back up into the park alerts him to the fact that they're finally, finally being let out does he lower his arms and lift his head, blinking around in tearful confusion as he sees some of his classmates splitting off in different directions. Right... right, they have to go, they have to... He stands up and reaches for Jo and Uta. "Th-the bots, Muffin, Puddle... we sh-should see if we can bring them..."

-------------

Her face explodes into red and she laughs nervously, "Y-Yeah....Yeah, ah, sorry about before, ah....why don't we just never mention. Um. That. Ever again. For your sake and mine." She says and rubs the back of her neck, "I'm sure he'll think you're great, though!"

"I'd like if we could do that, too....Obviously, some of us might never get along as well as others might, but....there are some things you go through together and you don't separate after. I think a murder game is one of them. I'd like to stay in contact with you as well. And the others, of course. But, um, def you. I don't see why you always seem so....I don't know, sure? That we don't wanna talk with you after this...Jeez, did I make friends with the two people in this place who thought like that?" Arisa feels a bit of a sting to her heart after remembering Rachele and her own words. Oof..., "But I def wanna stay your friend. If you'll still have me, of course."

Arriving at her room, she walks in and begins to take down her pictures and gently places them in her bag, grabbing the framed picture of Mitsugi and herself off of her dresser and....decides to leave the one of her and her parents. There's....Well. There's really no reason to take it. So, she packs the last of her things including her book on foxes and the two on geometry before stepping out and heading out of the apartment building, just sort of....standing in front of it. It wasn't home, but....it did hold a lot of memories now. Mostly terrible ones. She wouldn't be sad to see it go.

-------------

Muffin smiled at Aki, gently patting his head. "You did so well.....y...you all did so well...."

The bot released Akihiko from the hug, rolling backward with a slight wobble and some grating squeak sounds. It looked around the Wellness Center, unclear what exactly it is processing. "I...only left this room once before....and, well...that was brief...do you think....all of us will be okay out there...?"

Puddle listened to Yoshiko, letting out another slightly louder chuckle at the joke. "Man...you humans really are so weird...still making jokes at a time like this, taking time from your escape to look out for things like me...talking about stuff we deserve or don't..." Puddle shook its head, "...somewhere nicer, huh? Sounds like something I could get behind, kid...I'm not technically supposed to leave my post here. No clue if it'll zap me for trying but...well...wouldn't be the first time I've broken protocol, huh?"

The bot set its rag down and looked around the Ashpit Bar, seeming to be reminiscing about its place of residence for what had to have been more than ten years at this point. After a moment, it wheeled out from behind the bar, pulling a cord and flat disc with it, before nodding to the drummer.

"Yeah, sure kid...let's get you all the hell outta here..."

---

Cap didn't even get a moment to greet Seishiro as they burst into the cafe, before the skater was tugging at its arm and leading it toward the door.

"Wha-! Whoa, you're back! You're okay! You did it!!!" Cap resisted being pulled a little, mainly out of its internal programming as opposed to any sort of desire to stay, "Wait wait wait, you came here for me instead of just leaving? Hun-- you're...that's...you guys are all the sweetest..."

It seemed almost at a loss for words, for once, it reached up with its free hand to touch the sticker on its screen, "I've never had friends like you before...you really think they'll have a place for us out there?"

-------------

Jo takes Hideo's hand, nodding. "I think some of the others want to take them, too. We can go check, but since I have the key I don't want to be away from the gate for too long."

-------------

"That makes sense... um, is there anything else you wanted to grab before we leave...? From your room or...?" He asks, already starting towards the apartments to check on Muffin.

-------------

He welcomes the hug and holds the robot close before letting go. Akihiko, admittedly, hadn't thought that far ahead. "I think... that no matter what, we'll find a way. You all have done so much for us! You gave me that clue, saved our lives countless of times, e- encouraged me to keep going even when I really didn't want to...!" He was already tearing up. What a crybaby.

"Muffin you've saved my life so many times and I wanna save yours too! Without you, there's no way we could've won..."

-------------

Seishiro stared at Cap, feeling them resist a little and took that as a sign to cool it on the dragging. Their hands remained though, looking up with wide eyes. What were they saying..? Seishiro shook their head almost immediately. There's a waver in their tone too, suddenly feeling really emotional over all of this. It was like reality hit them completely. "O-Of course...Of course I came back. I-I...I can't..we all can't leave here without you." They swallow any emotion down for the time being and smile brightly. "If there isn't...I'll make sure there is a place in the world for you. I promise you that."

-------------

"I don't really have anything." They shake their head. "Just, like, clothes. Those're replaceable."

-------------

(tw: swearing)

Uta was suspended in a moment of starstruck awe. They were imprisoned, forced to kill, witness inexcusable and sadistic slaughters from coerced murder, and ultimately recorded to have their likeliness uploaded to robotic bodies. But was it all worth it to hear Otome Ito's voice? Absof-ckingulutely. But, as always, he was brought back to attention with the touch of his significant others. They were on the move already so Uta stumbles along.

"Yeah, uh, we can just go. Whatever you all wanna do I'm fine with." Uta murmurs rather dismissively. They were going home, yeah? That would mean...

-------------

"The, um, apartments first then..." Hideo slows down a bit when Uta stumbles, making sure it's easier for him to keep up, but still leads them all in that direction, anxious to check in on Muffin.

-------------

Muffin looked up and smiled even brighter as the newcomers stepped in. Its wheel made a grinding sound as the bot hurried over to greet them with a hug (or head pat, as the case may be). 'Y-you did it...!"

Cap smiled at Seishiro's response, fixing up its scarf with a determined nod, "You'd really go out of your way to do all that for me? You really are the sweetest...! How can I say no to something like that...?" The bot looked around the cafe, paused, and wheeled itself back behind the counter to retrieve its charging dock before following Seishiro out.

-------------

Seishiro nodded once more, hoping that their little speech was enough to convince them. “I promise.” With their charging dock in hand, Seishiro led the way out of the Cafe. They refused to look back on it like Cap had. There were more melancholy memories associated with the building than Seishiro cared to admit, but... This was it. Taking Caps free hand, they walked towards the Apartments in hopes of seeing others. They did take off without telling anyone where they were headed.

-------------

Despite everything, seeing how happy Muffin looks makes Hideo feel better, and he lets go of Jo and Uta just long enough to give the bot a hug. "Y-yeah, we did... you're coming home with us, right?" He glances over at Akihiko too, smiling a bit tiredly when he sees him, oh good someone else was here to look after Muffin as well. "I, um, want to bring the other bots, too... if they want to come..."

-------------

Yoshiko grins, practically bouncing. "Rules are made to be broken! But we caught the guy doing all this, so technically, there are no rules anymore... But yeah! Let's go!" When Puddle agrees and comes out from behind the bar, she eagerly runs towards the door, holding it open for the bot. "We're all meeting at the gates, do you know how to get there? I need to grab some things that I left here, then I'll be right back to ya."

-------------

Muffin looked from person to person and nodded, "...home..." It seemed thoughtful, "I used to think this room was home, but...I'm happy to go anywhere with all of you...!" Muffin smiled and nodded certainly, "...you care about all of us, too...you're all so kind..."

Puddle followed, hesitating slightly at the threshold before rolling out of the door for the first time. It looked around, taking in the sights of the city in silence. "The gates? Never been outside before, I only ever saw this city through the security feed when I wasn't supposed to check...you might have to point me in the right direction, kid..."

-------------

In the apartments, Tomomi went off to their own room. Every space-themed decoration had long stopped being a comfort to them, and they hardly felt bad about not grabbing any of it. However, they did linger in front of the dresser, eyes fixed on the malfunctioning TV head resting atop it. They were sure their friend wouldn't be upset about it in the long run, but he'd done so much with it, they still wanted to preserve it. They held it carefully in their hands, stared down at the vague reflection of their face in the blank, dark screen. That's not right, is it?

They breathed in a deep sigh and held the TV under one arm, while their other hand made its way up to their forehead. They began to run their fingers through their hair, then pulled slowly until it was all completely removed, both the wig and the cap underneath. They tossed it near the bed, not caring where it landed, and reran their fingers through their hair, their real, albeit even messier, dark red hair. They'd already given up hiding before anyway, right? What would anyone care if they added Tomomi Sugawara to the list of the dead?

They nabbed their cape as well, bundled it up with the TV, and left. With a quick stop to the bathroom to splash their face with a little bit of water, they made their way down the stairs and successfully navigated them without tripping over a single one. They stopped at the entrance to the medical office, poked their head in just a bit to see what all the commotion was about.

"Has everyone's favorite robo-friend been successfully acquired? If ol' Muffin over there hasn't been persuaded enough by all of you guys already, I don't know what in this world would work," Shu remarked with a grin.

-------------

Akihiko turned around when the others entered so he could wipe his fast. He was crying and had promised himself to try to stop doing that so much so he didn't want the others to see. When he thought he was more settled he turned back and returned Hideo's smile. The demon prince made a mental note to apologize to the three for worrying them during that whole no impulse thing. That proooobably didn't matter to him, but he still felt bad about it. Before he could speak someone else entered.

"Who are-- Tomomi?" he tilted his head to the side a bit staring at the stranger who.... looked kinda like Tomomi and was wearing Tomomi's clothes but... Akihiko glared a bit, moving forward to approach the stranger. He wasn't letting anyone else get hurt. Over his dead body!!

"Explain. Quickly."

This was pure anger fueling his strength but his voice sounded as calm as could be. Jo and Hideo were his friends! He would protect them. And Uta was okay... difficult to get along with but okay so he didn't want to lose that one either!!

-------------

All things considered, they really should have expected that kind of reaction, but Shu still couldn't help but take a step back and put their hands up defensively (as best they could) at Akihiko's anger. For a few seconds, they looked surprised, before their expression settled into an apologetic one.

"Those are good instincts, but no need for alarm there, buddy, it's still me. I mean, um, I uh," They laughed, then coughed, then cleared their throat. Mostly they were just trying to think of an easy way to explain themself and found it...difficult.

"I've...said some small untruths in the past, but I'm still very much the person you already know! It's just...Well, Tomomi was a...ah, a false identity. With um, a whole different look, and everything, that doesn't look like my face. I made them up to get into the academy, but I don't see the point in acting like them anymore." They rubbed at the back of their neck, unable to hide how nervous they were in admitting it. "My name is Shubaki Nagui, but uh, you can call me Shu. I'm sorry I never told you before, I really, truly wanted to but, it felt like there was never a good time. I was scared somethin' might happen and, uh...it's all a long story, I'd be glad to explain all of it once we're out of here, if...if you would still want to...know...um..."

"But yes! Are ya getting everything together okay? Everything going well in here? All square?"

-------------

Akihiko's shoulders immediately slumped. He wasn't good at staying mad at friends, even when it was slightly okay to do so. So Tomomi was someone older than him and... lying. He truly believed in Tomomi-- "Shu..." It felt odd to say but he looked up and sighed with relief smiling. He probably should've asked more questions but with all the time he spent with them, he figured it'd be too much to lie.

"I- I think I'm kinda relieved because I always thought you were more mature than me," he half joked. "But yes, and we're taking Muffin with us!"

-------------

"...wow, a fake identity. Can you imagine the shock on my face now?" Uta said with all the vibrancy and life of a dead cockroach "We can discuss this pleasant surprise once we're out of here."

-------------

After waiting a few more than a couple of minutes for Tomomi to join her, Arisa was beginning to grow nervous. Was everything alright? They said they didn't have a lot to get from their room, right? What had held them up? For a little bit, she managed to convince herself to stay put and to simply let them figure out whatever seemed to be the issue, but she really didn't want for something to have happened when she didn't know it so soon after they had won. The danger should be gone, but that didn't mean it felt like it 100%....

Her mind made up, she decided to head back into the apartment building to see if they simply needed help carrying something. She wouldn't want them falling down the stairs, after all....

Commotion caught her attention, though, and so did their voice. Heading over to where the sounds were coming from, she was very, very confused. Very confused. That....That was their voice. And that was their clothing (god knows no one else would ever wear something as.....brave as that. Except Jo, perhaps.). So, where were they? After a bit of serious thinking, she finally decided that eavesdropping would get her some answers. She might have come into the conversation late, but she could pick up the bits and pieces she had missed. Oh. This....This was not what she thought they meant when they said they weren't the person she thought they were.

They meant it literally.

On one hand, this was a pretty serious lie. On the other, she had lied worse before so. She would be a hypocrite. "....You know, just because your fake identity has the complexity of a bowl of water doesn't mean you have to hate on ones with actual depth. Yours was just your godsona. And it wasn't even original."

-------------

Hideo is just happy that Muffin is agreeing to come along, and that Akihiko is smiling too. Everything feels a little rushed and erratic right now, but... they're going home. Finally. Home. He glances over at Tomomi - or the Shu formerly known as Tomomi - taking in their new appearance.

"Right, we are... um, I'm going to go make sure the other bots are coming, too." Hideo strangely, or perhaps not so strangely, doesn't seem to have much of a reaction to the reveal. He does give Arisa an odd look, what is she talking about, but then he just pats Muffin on the shoulder and heads for the door again. Gotta go fast! "I-I'm going to check on Puddle and Cap and PSB2-san... um, if anyone doesn't want to come I'll meet you at the gate..."

-------------

Akihiko covers his mouth when he laughs. It's the end of this terrible city and some people still have energy to argue. He waves off Hideo and turns back to Muffin. "I can escort you to the gate and wait with you there," he said, hoping the bot would agree to this. "I... probably shouldn't be running around too much. I almost reopened my wounds a few times so... better play it safe," he laughed a little nervously. That no impulse thing almost killed him so many times!

"I'll be glad to see my family and friends again... And even happier that everyone will get to meet them!" He smiles over to Arisa as well. Maybe she and Itsuki could be friends. They'd probably get along, he thinks.

-------------

"I wouldn't call an extra layer 'depth'. Then again, you're shallower than a dried puddle, anything can be considered deep." Uta scoffed back before tailing behind Hideo. Now that their lives were in less danger, he could snark just a bit more.

-------------

She laughs a bit at Akihiko's words and nods, "Same, dude, I can't wait to get outta here....God, I'm excited...." Her joyful mood is fouled a bit when Uta speaks up (as it almost always is) and she rolls her eyes, moving her hand like a hand puppet, scrunching up her face, and sticking her tongue out and she mocked him, "Blah, blah, blah, my name is Uta Kichiemon and I'm just angry someone insulted the """OC""" I came up with while I was shopping at Hot Topic."

Still, she turns her attention to Shu and smiles, "God, I am so glad that you aren't a teenager. Now, you have an excuse to be so out of touch with teen society! But it's alright, it's still endearing and amusing." She would probably freak out later, but now was a Happy Time.

-------------

Muffin seems distressed by the arguing, "G-guys--! Please....y...you all won....you did it-- please don't....hurt each other anymore......."

-------------

Shu was relieved it seemed to go down so well with the small group. It gave them hope when some of the people they felt the closest to out of the class didn't look too upset with them. They even snickered a little at Uta's comment. It did feel a little silly when some of the others had just as much of a fake persona as they did.

"Well, as long as you're not seein' fit to turn your back on this decrepit, grizzled, aging old 26 year old windbag..." They (half) joked in Arisa and Akihiko's direction before turning their attention to those remaining, and Muffin. Ah, geez, it never felt good to see Muffin distressed.

"Yeah, gotta second the doc, here. No need get at each other at a time like this..." They paused, thought about what they had to do now. "I'll get out of the way if everything's taken care of in here then. I've got what I need, so I'll just, ah, help out wherever else it might be needed." They turned their attention to Arisa again, thinking they'd follow behind to see if she had other plans, unless they were otherwise needed.

-------------

"Sure, sure!" Yoshiko tells Puddle. With both of them out of the bar, Yoshiko is practically hopping towards the gate. She smiles over at Puddle as she approaches. "Here we are!" she says excitedly. "Now we just gotta wait for it to be opened..."

-------------

Seishiro entered the apartments with Cap in hand, holding their other bag tightly to their side. There seemed to be people conjugating in front of the wellness center and headed towards there. Stopping dead in their tracks, there’s an odd look on their face when they see this read haired person. “U-Uh...”

-------------

Jo looks at Shu. "How old are you?" Thanks

-------------

"I'm t...twenty six. Er, like I said, never was a good time to bring that sort of thing up...y'know?"

They also waved to Seishiro and Cap. "Ah, so we've got at least two robots accounted for now, good job."

-------------

"T- Twenty-six?!" Akihiko was amazed by this!!

-------------

(swearing cw)

"Never was a..." Jo grits their teeth. "No. Any time would've been a good f*ckin' time. Do you not realize how creepy that is? Treating teenagers - children - like they're your peers? Leading them on in letting them treat you that way? When one literally had a crush on you."

They grit their teeth, ball their hands into fists.

No. This was not... it shouldn't be the time, but it needed to be said.

"It's creepy. You're creepy."

-------------

Hideo pauses in the hallway, happy to see Seishiro and Cap and starting to wave at them before the conversation behind him recaptures his attention. "Jo..." He turns and reaches a hand out to gently touch one of theirs. "You're not wrong, but... c-come on, let's just go?"

-------------

“H-hey, hey, hey, hey...! You’re right. Totally. It’s so creepy, but I’mma need at least two more weeks before I hear/smell another murder, a’ight? So just, uh, c’mon with us.” Uta rearranges however he needs to hold both their hands (or at the very lease, hold one and skim the other, cane dangling) “Please, babe?”

-------------

All she does at their reply to her is laugh before fake-gasping and putting her hands on her hips, "Twenty-six!? You're ancient! How did you not crumble to dust during this game, jeez!" She says and beams, "Even if you're an old geezer...you're still, like, basically one of my only close friends. So, as long as you ain't gonna leave this bright eyed, obnoxiously loud, overly dramatic eighteen year old, then def, yeah. I still wanna be your friend."

"I just wanna pick up Chirp. In case no one has yet."

With Jo, though, her hackles raise and she balls her fists, frowning and glaring at them, "Okay, um, well, sweetie since I was the major part of your argument there I can tell you to can it, and leave them alone. They never did anything wrong except bluff about their age and name which, hey, your....Uta did half of that and lied through omission about being a literal murderer so, like.....Hmmmmmm, maybe back off??" Even if this wasn't her battle and she had been told to stop fighting, she'd never followed directions very well.

-------------

Muffin still looked from person to person, seeming more and more concerned as the harsh words didn't let up and as some fists were clenched. "P....please---n...no more violence....no more yelling..." The bot tried to reach out to soothe both Jo and Arisa, only turning to be distracted when...another bot was ushered in.

"O-oh--"

Cap waved enthusiastically as it was ushered into the wellness center, "No wonder you kids didn't drop by all too often, this place is huuuuge! Ah, a few more of my best customers! Hello sweethearts! Sorry I don't have your usual orders with me, but it looks like we're just about out of time here~! I wish I could have brought something to help you celebrate, though..."

Puddle nodded at Yoshiko, still looking around the completely foreign landscape of the city. "Man, wonder what this must've looked like in its heyday...used to be full of workers..."

-------------

Seishiro pushed past a few people. Whatever with the hostilities at this point, it could be settled outside when they all got out. Sei doesn’t waste any time in heading towards Muffin and throwing themself at them with a hug, only to see Akihiko and beaming at him brightly.

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Great, so this is happening. Hideo feels suddenly, overwhelmingly exhausted. "No, Arisa-san. Jo's right, this is different than just using a fake name. I knew they were hiding something but not... not this, and... I told them things and talked to them in a way I wouldn't have if I'd known how much older they were. This actually makes me really uncomfortable but I don't want to deal with it right now. Too much... too much has happened... I just want to get my friends, the ones who are still alive, and go home."

Hideo doesn't wait for a response, he doesn't want to turn this into an argument or hear Arisa get aggressive and nasty again. Besides, she wanted to pick up Chirp, it would be better if they all focused on things they needed to do.

"Hi Cap, I'm glad you're coming with us." He smiles, albeit shakily, at the other bot, "We'll be right back." And then he leaves the building as quickly as he can while carefully tugging Jo and Uta along with him.

He's gonna head towards the bar first, not knowing Yoshiko already got Puddle.

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"!" Muffin eagerly returned Seishiro's hug, giving their back a gentle rub as it did so, "Y-you did it...! I'm....so proud...."

---

As they arrive at the Ashpit Bar, it is...entirely empty. Looks like Puddle has left, perhaps looking toward the gate you would see the form of the bot waiting with Yoshiko.

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"Oh," Hideo is a little surprised but for ease of moving things along he can take a quick look and see Puddle with Yoshiko, which is a relief, he's happy someone already persuaded the bot to come with them. And since Seishiro got Cap and Arisa mentioned getting Chirp... Hideo heads over to the Police/Fire Station quickly to see if PSB2 is still at the front desk. "Hey, PSB2-san... we're all leaving the city now, do you want to come with us?"

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The bot stationed behind the counter is silent, except for a whirring sound that indicates it is processing the question. "I must remain at my post, citizen. Does this answer your query to your satisfaction?"

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"But..." Hideo looks Distressed, "If you stay then you could... everything is going to be destroyed..."

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"Let 'em sink with the ship. Lava. Yeah." Uta sighs "Anyone or anything else you wanna rescue? The refrigerator, maybe?"

-------------

Keiichi never moved from his place once everyone had split off. He had taken a seat on the curb, his head in his hands. It looked like he was trying to figure things out for himself, post-escape.

-------------

( tw: swearing )

Arisa watches the party leave and scowls. Who did they think they were....!? After a few more seconds, she gets her temper under control and smiles up at....Shu. Shubaki. Not Tomomi but kind of still Tomomi. "I'm gonna go run and get Chirp if you wanna tag along!!" She says and hefts her bag back onto her shoulder and heads to Fujifudo.

Once there, she knocks on the door to the kitchen and opens it only far enough for her to poke her head in, "Knock-knock, Chirp-san!" She cheers, "We won!! We beat the old sh*thead who put this whole thing together and we're going TF home!! Um....please come with us? I don't know what's going to happen to the city, but it's gonna be destroyed....you've helped us so much, you're like part of our effed up little family."

-------------

"Your concern is noted, valued citizen. I will examine evacuation protocol if my sensors indicate danger. Does this solve your immediate concerns to your satisfaction?"

As Arisa rushed into the kitchen, the smell of food was remarkably absent. Chirp was standing by the utensils, looking them over rather quietly. It turned to her in surprise as her request was heard.

"I had little doubt you'd do it one way or another. With students as fearless as you, there are few who could compare, hm?" It looked along the counter and sink, all freshly cleaned, "Come with you? You humans...you're inviting me to a family? Here I thought you wouldn't think twice to forget the curmudgeonly old chef while you rush to your homes. But...where would I go? What kitchen can even compare to what I had here? I trust you have something in mind? You wouldn't leave me to rust, would you? I might just blow a circuit if I cannot cook again..."

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( tw: swearing )

She smiled at the bot brightly and walked into the kitchen fully, figuring it couldn't brandish its weapons of cooking utensils at her for coming in uninvited. Arisa laughed and waved her hand, "Yeah, we got guts in this class, I can def say that much....But yeah, totally! Ain't we all a family at this point? I mean, I dunno what a real family is actually like, but I can imagine it's something like this....Why would we forget you? It wouldn't be right for us to leave you behind, not when you helped us so much! And made us food which is basically the only way I stayed alive." She says and laughs. "I mean, you can come and cook at my house? My parents ain't home ninety percent of the time, and we have this huge ass kitchen that don't get used since I dunno how to use it....and, uh, I kinda...always order out? But, if you would like, we can do that?"

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Akihiko was thoroughly uncomfortable with everything going on. He... didn't care to think about how he spoke to Shu. Sure he might've talked down to them a few times thinking they were younger but there was still... he didn't know, boundaries? He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.

"Hey, um, Shu-san... whatever your reasoning was, I'm sure it's good... I'm glad you're making it out alive and that we can, you know, get to know the real you better... I mean I guess I get everyone's complaints but, uh, don't let it get you down, okay? I'm sure you didn't mean for any of this to happen the way it did so..." He shrugged, he was doing his best. In any case, Akihiko's nerves pretty much disappeared when he saw Seishiro smile at him. He smiled back at them but now felt self conscious again. Geez, that was another conversation he needed to have when they all managed to escape.

"A- Anyways," he started, turning back to Muffin, "we should go back to the gate... We don't know exactly how this place will go down so I really don't want to be around for it."

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"I wouldn't know what the word means, I'm afraid. I've spent the past ten or so years cooking and cleaning by myself, day in and day out. Minus some gaps, of course. You kids are the most company I've had in quite some time, for better or worse..." It said that, giving a cursory glance toward the knives and shaking its head, "You say that offer as if you are prepared to surrender your entire kitchen over to my control. That's quite the offer..."

It seemed to be considering it, at the very least, but the bot finally crossed two of its arms and nodded.

"Very well. I will accompany you out. My fate from there can be determined." It wheeled its way toward the door, barely giving a second glance back toward its prison as it left to follow Arisa.

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Seeing that Aki had smiled back, Seishiro felt better knowing that he was at least okay. For now...Seishiro looked to this red haired character...Tomomi...or rather Shu. That’s what Seishiro was hearing. This situation was getting awkward. Pulling away from Muffin, Seishiro moved towards the door and looked to the rest of their peers. “I-If we’re done here, I don’t think there’s much of a point t-to stick around much longer. W-We should go.”

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Yoshiko was talking Puddle's ear... Noise receptors? off about back home, about her music and her concerts and how she wishes she could bring them, but it might be hard... But they could make it work! After a little bit, she blinks. "Oh, I wanted... I wanted to go grab things at the apartments! Please wait, I'll be right back." She took off running to the apartments.

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"If... If you're sure..." Hideo says with no less concern, and he squeezes Uta's hand gently, a silent plea to bear with him. "Just don't let yourself be destroyed, okay?"

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Smiling, she speaks sincerely, "I guess we're both kinda similar in that way, huh? Alone. I wasn't alone as much as you were, though. I'm sorry y'got trapped here for so long. It sucks...But I hope that our company can make up for it! You'll always have two loud and hungry kids in the house! Athletes eat a lot. Well, my friend and I do, at least." She explains, trying to convince it to come, even if the convincing wasn't necessary. "It is! My parents wouldn't even notice!" Not that they went into the kitchen to notice.

"Awesome!!! Let's get outta here, then!"

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Shu leaned against the wall behind them with a somewhat contemplative look. The three had already left before they could really articulate their thoughts, and maybe it was for the better. They didn't need to get defensive and rash now, and they knew it wouldn't be their place to argue, anyway. They nodded to Arisa when she let them know where she was off to, was thinking they might join to go and finally meet Chirp properly, but then Akihiko spoke to them. While they appreciated the support, they shook their head at his words.

"Thank you. I understand it, though - I didn't exactly explain myself fully well, did I? And I did lie this whole time. They've got plenty reason to be mad. Had to figure it wouldn't go all that smoothly. At least nobody'll have to see or deal with this mug going forward."

"You're right though, I definitely didn't anticipate anything turning out the way that it did. I came in to find the evidence to solve a decade old mystery, thinking everyone else was just an obstacle to work around while I focused on my case - N-no offense intended - but now I'm walking out of an even bigger incident alive and having made some friends, even if only temporarily."

"...Listen to me talk and talk, geez. I won't be holding you up no more." Both Seishiro and Akihiko were getting ready to go, and here Shu was rambling on. They started towards the door of the room as well, even took a few steps outside to indicate their readiness.

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Muffin looked at Akihiko, then Seishiro, and nodded, "R-right--! To....'home' then....? L...let's go..." It hesitantly began to follow the group's lead out of the door.

Before exiting, Muffin turned its attention to Shu and smiled brightly. "Temporarily? I...I think I would like to always be your friend...if you'd let me..."

PSB2 made an affirmative beep, "Safety protocol will be observed, valued citizen."

"It sounds like I will not be expected to make meals to the scale I was here...we will see how this arrangement works. You humans are baffling to me." Chirp responded almost haughtily, "If this is a sincere offer, then I hope you are prepared to meet my expectations for ingredients and tools."

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"I throw a lot of parties, actually. One every week or so. My cheer squad comes over sometimes, too. You'll be cooking large amounts on certain days!" She explains, hoping to placate the bot with the schedule update. "It's as sincere as could be. Name an ingredient or tool and it's yours! I could get you some saffron or just about anything...." She explained as she walked with the bot to the gate, stopping nearby and beginning to rock on her heels. She still had to wait before going any closer.

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"Thank you." Hideo reaches out and pats PSB2 on the head very lightly. "Okay... I think I'm ready to go..."

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Just as Seishiro was stepping from out of the Wellness Center, they remembered something. The color in their face deepened and they turned around to face the bots and others. “I-I’ll be right back.” That’s when they took off up into the apartments, Seishiro searching their pockets for their keycard to get into their room. How could they forget that. It was a silly thing they wrote but it was important. Stepping into their room, the skater took a good look around. It was...still a mess from weeks ago. They didn’t even wanna know how the floor was doing and moved to their closet. There were a lot of things in there that could be replaced, but the memories still remained.

It was hard knowing they wouldn’t be able to take a lot of this stuff back with them, but... Closing the door, they grab the rabbit sitting on their bed before looking to the top of their dresser and picking up the journal that sat on top. One more entry wouldn’t hurt. Seishiro takes a few minutes to write something down before placing it in their bag and making their way back downstairs.

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After departing from Puddle for the moment, Yoshiko ran up the stairs to her apartment. She opened the door, and ran to the dresser. She pulled out her brass knuckles and stared at them. Did she need this still? She wanted to be able to physically protect herself but... But does she really need to fight anymore? After thinking for a few moments, she puts them back in the drawer and shuts it.

She looked around the room, thinking, before grabbing... Some cups of instant ramen. She shoved them into her bag, and quickly left the room. She hurried down the stairs and back to the gate.

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After collecting himself a bit over at the cave, Dororou rides the monorail back to the cityscape. He tries to see as much as he can one last time... in spite of everything that went wrong here, it still had its highlights. His trust might have faltered there, but in the end he legitimately cared about the others. He didn't have much to gather from his room, since he lost most of his stuff with the fanny pack, but he managed to put together a bag of some papers, his plushie, and a couple pieces of his clothes - as well as snagging a banana or two for the road eating one there. He makes his way the gate - only to stop to take one final look at the park. The lack of indication of what just unfolded felt really weird to him, (if we ignore the giant crater, heh) it just looked like a normal park. But never mind that, it was in the past now. Back to the gate. As expected he wasn't the first to arrive, so he waved out, a grin on his face as he approached. The tears had dried by now but the stains were faintly visible when he got closer.

"Nyuff, nyuff, nyuff! Hope I didn't keep you all waiting! Though..."

He cuts himself off... he was gonna ask about that one thing but it's probably nothing...

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The bots looked at one another, seeming surprised by the similarities they all shared. They took a few brief moments-- to everyone else, it would appear as if they were merely making small beeps, but they were in fact taking that time to finally meet one another.

Finally, Puddle was the first to turn toward the group, "Looks like we've got, ah....everyone here, huh?" It turned to look at the gates, then at the security kiosk, "Guess this is the way to the outside then...you all ready to go?"

Cap spoke up in a chipper-as-ever voice, "I say let's go~! I bet you all can't wait! You've earned this, lovelies, no need for a victory lap here!"

Muffin was next, rolling much more slowly and loudly than the other bots, but still turning to the class with the warmest of smiled, "...I'm...I'm very proud of all of you....w-we should go....I-I think you'll all be happier once we go out there.....and safer, too..."

Chirp was the last to speak up, crossing two of its arms and regarding the class-- most of whom it had never met-- with a quick glance, "Let us be off. I cannot provide for you out there, so I hope none of you feel particularly hungry."

With that, Jo made their way to the security kiosk and tapped away at the keyboard before slipping the key into the slot.

#Chapter 5 #Endgame #Yatagarasu #Arisa #Asa #Hideo #Seishiro #Yoshiko #Mirai #Tomomi #Prince Noctem Abel Rose #Dororou #Kimiko #Keiichi

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cloudvelundr · 7 years

Text

Erstwhile (wip)

When the observation booth door closed behind Lazard it took too much effort not to sag in relief – he couldn’t. Not in front of the other Directors, not right now. But reporters. Ech.

Heidegger caught it anyway. “Gya,” he scoffed, commiserating in this at least, “Still on about the recruitment numbers?”

“If only. They know the levels are fine. No, they’ve sent Arbour and her ilk.”

“Ah, the gossip rags.” He paused to take in the field and dismiss it. “Anyone interesting?”

“Not hardly.” He looked over the training grounds, milling with recruits so green their sweats hadn’t a speck of dirt on them, though that would change as soon as the sergeants made their way from the podium to the field. “Only Anna Dias, and she wasn’t interested in the press conference.” Not much a conference. “She was scoping the courses.”

“Hrmf.”

Lazard rather agreed. It was what they were nominally there to do, not that there was much to see. The little training fields housed obstacle courses, the field, track, a few basic workout installations and a small range out near the rear of the compound – this was a small facility, one of several, and existed primarily for the boot-camp about to begin below. There was little to say of the recruits themselves either, only input to the system in the last few days after their initial medical check – no wasting time on those who didn’t pass. Likewise, paper tests would follow and psych evals after that. Some outstanding individuals might be offered mako testing at the end of the program, but they wouldn’t have a good starting picture for at least two weeks, and the reporters – Dias – wouldn’t see any of that.

He really shouldn’t see it or need to either, come to it, but such was PR.

Thank Shiva for one-way mirrors.

Lazard picked a seat by the window – may as well keep an eye out – and pulled out a data pad.

Palmer was dozing in a back corner, a plate on his lap, when Lazard raised his head some time later. Heidegger was in deep conversation with Scarlet – that never boded well – and Tuesti was gesturing was he showed something to Veld, likely some new tower renovation plan by the actual interest in Veld’s eye. That or sketches to update to the training facilities. Reeve was often distracted with shiny carrots like that.

Down below the recruits were racing through one of the obstacle courses, covered in mud, new cloths new no more. He’d been able to pick out a few until the mud pits, but now only one stood out by virtue of being a human tank. He could halfway pick a handful of smaller ones, slight enough that they had to be potential Turks – even from a distance he was fairly certain they didn’t meet the height requirements for infantry and definitely not for SOLDIER. Aside from the odd spectacular wipe-out it wasn’t particularly riveting. He couldn’t see the stands but doubted the reporters were much more interested than they were.

As such he was the first one to see the light.

He was about to turn back to his work when it started, a glimmer on the ground that shimmered and moved. He noticed in distant horror at the greenish cast of it that it was under someone when it burst in a pillar of brilliant, undeniable lifestream.

It blazed like a tower on fire, too long and too hot, before it slowly began to crumble under the weight of itself.

Several people were swearing.

(“There isn’t even any mako here!” Reeve managed to sound vaguely affronted under the breathlessness. His prospectors would hear about this.)

The light slowly dimmed and he could see the Sergeant making headcounts at the gates leaving of the fields. Gods help them if they’d lost anyone.

On this day of all days – the press was going to have a field day.

#velundr writes #long post #ffvii #i didn't want to waste the urge to write rare as it's been #this is the start of something that's been on my mind a while #consider it a prologue?#who knows if i'll get anything else down but we'll see #... i punned and only just noticed le whoops

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kisstheprincessofpurewhite · 5 years

Text

Dusty Skirmishes Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you for all the support, please check out the FFN and Ao3 versions for full author’s notes

Sheriff Skywalker wasted little time for celebration, Mara noted. A glass of champagne, more or less a sip, before getting back to business. A school district would have to be charted, and a census taken. He asked for permission to leave his sister with her as well as another woman from Tatooine to assist her. Mara promised the help of all her men, including Cassian's, and the protection of the women Luke was putting in her charge.

He returned by the end of the day with two trunks, a young woman, and a contract. She signed it right there on Kaytoo's podium, offering him another drink. He politely refused, apologizing for taking so long to return.

"It ain't nothing, sheriff. Came quicker than a jackrabbit spotted by a coyote, and I make my business in men coming quick."

He didn't acknowledge her comment, but she thought his face might have turned redder. In the lighting of the parlor, it was hard to tell, and it was considerably warmer than usual, she felt.

He thanked her for looking after Miss Organa and Miss Erso. "If you have a hotel in town, I'm sure that would suit them just fine," he had said.

She waved that idea out of the air. "They'll stay here, Sheriff." She took pleasure in seeing the color drain from his face, and she laughed. "You think this place is only a cathouse? How little you know, Sheriff. The two young ladies will stay in my apartments on the third floor, no clients are allowed past the second. There's a separate entrance. I take great care of my guests."

That relieved him of some stress, she could tell. He was looking to leave, she saw, and noticed it was almost dark by then.

"Why don't you stay the night?" She wasn't sure if she wanted him to refuse or accept, or even why she had offered. She had been very careful to never let men stay overnight that were not clientele or employed by her. But something told her she would never have to worry about this man overstepping his bounds.

He refused, saying he needed to be close to Tatooine just in case. He came back the next morning, telling her he was going to Crait, another town that shared a border with Yavin and Tatooine. Mara sent Cassian and Bodhi with him, Solo, and that Indian fellow, which left Chirrut and Baze to stand guard along with Kaytoo as doorman.

Madame Ahsoka, who had plucked Mara out from under a man and placed her under a wing, had started out as three women in a covered wagon, taking turns with clientele. The first purchase she'd made with their profits was hiring a bodyguard. Ahsoka was the one who taught Mara that the ability to conduct business safely was the number one priority, and she had never forgotten that lesson. As the town grew around the good madame's business, there had never been a question when she had been alive who the town answered to. The folks back east would scoff at a woman running a town, much less the owner of a whorehouse, but the citizens of Yavin never forgot who brought them there, and who kept them safe. When she passed, Mara had done her best to keep the same attitude. The sheriff served her, and she kept her people and her girls safe.

She showed Miss Organa the secret entrance to her apartments, and told her that if she needed to leave the brothel, to take Chirrut with her for protection. The young woman gave her an incredulous look, and Mara laughed.

"I know what you're thinking, he don't look like much more than a blind, pious old man. You'll just have to trust me, no harm will come to you with him," she assured, sitting at her desk across from her guest.

"How does a man like that come to be in your pocket?" Miss Organa asked, not convinced.

"In another life, he'd been a man of God. But then the Devil came knocking at his door." Mara poured both of them a drink and took a sip. "He preaches for the girls on Sundays, and reminds us all of God's love." Miss Organa nodded, taking a drink of her own. Mara gestured to the office. "Feel free to do any work you need in here. Anything you might need, let any of my men or girls know, and they'll get it to you. Also, be sure not to use the entrance to the parlor unless you'd like to meet some maybe not-so-friendly characters."

"Thank you, Ms. Jade."

"Please, Mara."

"Leia. Thank you for allowing me to stay here, Mara."

She chuckled. "Why of course, I'd never ask for you to go anyplace else. This place is safer than any hotel and has better company than any saloon."

Leia did her work from Mara's office, having Baze or Chirrut bring her the information she needed. Though she did leave occasionally to see sites or take headcounts herself.

Miss Erso helped Leia most days, or else sat and read in her room. She had taken quite a liking to Chirrut, who seemed to soothe her after the tragedy of losing her parents. Cassian had also been visiting the old priest more since the young Miss Erso had been staying with them, and Mara was sure it wasn't to confess his sins.

Sheriff Skywalker had seen to it that Cassian didn't spend all his time in Yavin. Most days he was negotiating with other towns, or helping take headcounts. Crait had agreed, Mustafar had not. But it was easy for them out in Mustafar, they didn't share a border with Scarif, and if Sheriff Skywalker's crazy plan worked, they wouldn't have to worry about annexation. Skywalker had come the night after they had disagreed and told her how smug Mayor Tarkin had looked.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say he wants us to fail," he said, after a half-bottle between the two of them. "Doesn't he know that if we fail, he will have a border with Scarif?"

"Maybe that's what he wants," Mara suggests. "Not everyone can hate being annexed, or else more would've tried what we are."

Luke shook his head. "Word is getting out about our proposal. One of Sheriff Jarrus' men from out in Geonosis visited me in Tatooine yesterday. He was sent with a sealed message saying Geonosis would comply with being annexed by Tatooine."

That was bad, but she faked a smile anyway. "That don't mean nothing, Sheriff. They see the other towns meeting and colluding, and they got scared. It don't mean they know about the plan."

"Or that everyone knows about it. And anyway we can't add Geonosis because they share a border with Mustafar but not any of the other towns that have agreed."

"They share one with Kyloth, don't they?" Mara blew smoke out and took another drag of her cigarette.

He squinted, seemingly trying to recall his mental map in a drunken haze. "I do not recall." Luke took his own drag.

"Well, if they do and Kyloth agrees, we'll have Mustafar surrounded."

He shifted in his seat uneasily. "That may be, or they'll be secured in their plan to stay out of ours. I don't like the idea of bullying whole towns into following my say."

He said goodbye soon after, limping back to Tatooine. The men from Tatooine didn't visit very often, mostly the Sheriff to update her on his quest. But there was one other man that made the occasional visit: the wayward Han Solo. The first of his visits was a night much like any other. Baze was off keeping the peace, and taking census. Chirrut was in his spot on the stool in the corner, praying most likely. Men were talking to the girls, liquor was flowing, and all was well with her business when Han Solo made a move to enter Ahsoka's.

"5 to stay the night," Mara reminded him. "And I'm sure I have no need to tell you again that Qi'ra left us, so you'll have to find a new favorite."

He looked surprised, then smirked. "I'm not staying the night, madame. Jus' want to make sure the ladies are settled in."

"I can do that just fine, Solo. Pay up or get out."

He held up his hands and pulled his purse from his pocket. He separated one five credit coin from the rest, dropping it into Kaytoo's open hand. He passed by, and Mara pushed a drink towards him. "Welcome, good sir. May you find what you're looking for tonight."

He raised the glass, but did not drink. "Where's Miss Organa?"

Mara's eyebrows shot up. She was sure he would let up the ruse of checking on the women when he'd passed the rope and go straight for her girls.

"My office, but she's working, I wouldn't-"

"Cheers, madame." He turned and walked away as soon as she spoke, and Mara watched him go. She wasn't sure if she should be happy or concerned.

The large wardrobe had seemed out of place in an office, but Leia had done her best to put it out of her mind. Her hostess had opened her home and her town, and Leia didn't want to repay her by snooping around her things. It had plagued her thoughts for days, and when Mara left her alone to "make the rounds," Leia couldn't ignore her curiosity any longer. The wardrobe was large, and well made. She couldn't imagine what it must've cost to make, and then to ship out here. The contents were recognizable immediately to Leia. What her hostess would do with gowns in her office of all places, Leia was unsure, but they were there-all tailormade in various fashions. She assumed they were the latest fashion from back east, but Leia had lost touch with that life when she had boarded a train five years ago.

She pulled a particular one down, white and gold-a dress you might wear to the fair or for New Years. There was a mirror next to a screen, and Leia held the dress up against her chest to look at herself. A moment of vanity, the first she had allowed herself in a long time. There was a chuckle from across the room and she nearly cried out in fear. But a glance told her it was only Mr. Solo. She sighed, and turned to put the gown away.

"Don't scare me like that, Mr. Solo," she chastised him, shutting the wardrobe. "You shouldn't even be here. Don't you know the meaning of propriety?"

"Excuse me, sweetheart, but I didn't just ride from Kyloth to Tatooine and back to be given a lecture," He said, taking a seat on the couch near the door.

"Then why did you come, Mr. Solo? You could have stayed in Tatooine, or perhaps you were looking for some female companionship." Leia sat with her back to him, making note of the census data Baze had given her earlier the day.

The cowboy was silent for a moment. "D'it bother you to think who I may have spent my night with?"

Leia hadn't anticipated that question, and her face burned with embarrassment. She didn't want to face this now, now that there were so many other, more important things to occupy her mind. The plan to keep them all safe was still in its infancy, she was barred from joining Luke as well as sleeping in her own bed, and Jyn cried herself to sleep every night. And here was Mr. Han Solo, asking a question that hurt her chest to think about. "It is none of my concern or business who you invite into your bed, Mr. Solo."

He chuckled. "I thought everything that happened around here was your business."

She shook her head. There was a small pause, and it seemed like they would sit in silence until one of them left. Han spoke first. "I had to make sure you were settled in and doing well."

"You mean Miss Erso, and I." Leia didn't look back as she spoke, sure her face was red.

"Her too, but, in truth, I came to see that the madame hadn't recruited you. She can be quite persuasive."

She turned back and glared at him, his face split into a smirk and she fumed. "What kind of woman do you think I am?"

"One who could give the whole West a lecture whether it deserved it or not."

Her anger faded at the mention of the West. Such a wild place it was. Such a wild life she was living as she made sense of census data and county layouts.

"That life is dying," she said.

Han yawned. "And it's a crying shame." He took a drink and wiped his mouth on his sleeve almost as if to illustrate his point, though Leia was sure this was lost on him. "Used to be a body could find himself out there in the dust. He'd go out a green boy, lost, and come back a man, found."

Leia wouldn't consider Mr. Solo to be a found man, but thought there might be some truth to his statement. After-all, isn't that what she had done?

Mr. Solo continued. "Now it's all statehood and laws. Beginning to feel like I'm back in Corellia."

This admission was surprising to her. "You're from Corellia, Mr. Solo?"

"Yes ma'am, born and raised." That would explain the "ma'am"ing and the "sweetheart", those Southern men were known for their pet-names.

She did some math in her head, estimating his age. "Were you in the war?"

He flinched a little, and Leia regretted what she had said immediately. Though it explained how a boy from Corellia would end up herding cattle in Alderaan territory. How many veterans had come out west to find what they had lost on the battlefield?

"Yes'm." He took another drink, and Leia felt it best to talk about something different.

"I was born in Tatooine, I was adopted by and sent to live with my cousins, the Organas, after my mother died in childbirth."

"They sent you away to be civilized. But the West roped you right back in, I see." His smirk was back.

She smiled. "Civilization isn't so bad."

"Miss your fancy dresses?" He gestured to the wardrobe and Leia blushed.

"I can live without the frivolities that come with it. But there's something to be said about the safety the state gives you." She didn't meet his eyes as she spoke. "They weren't kidding when they called it the Wild West. And I suppose when I was young I thought it romantic to return here to the dust and find where I'd come from. But a young woman's family was murdered in their house within these past weeks, and there's no recourse? That would never happen in Coruscant. Anarchy is very liberating until you have something to protect." She yawned, itching for a stretch. She stood, and Mr. Solo did too. "It's late, I ought to go to bed, Mr. Solo."

"I had best be getting back too. Long day tomorrow, just like all the others."

They stared at each other from across the room, and it seemed almost like he took a step towards her direction, away from the door, when Mara came in. Mr. Solo excused himself, and Mara sent her to bed.

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