I go to the first place on -- what was her name? Honami? -- Honami's list, and find absolutely nothing. It's a big warehouse and everything seems above board. When I grill the secretary to find out if there have been any underhand activities she just tells me politely that if I'm going to ask crazy questions I'll have to leave, so I have to assume there are NO underhand activities going on there.
I decide on a slightly different approach for the second place. I approach it cautiously -- it's huge, and there are too many people around for me to feel entirely comfortable. I join a queue of people picking up crates and hauling them inside. The crates are heavy! I break off from the main group once I've dropped mine off, pretending I'm looking for the bathroom.
I head deeper and deeper into this enormous place. Wonder if I'll find anything.
Ah. There's someone up ahead. I approach him with my story in mind, feeling very proud of himself. "Hey, can you help me find the-"
Oh, no. No no no... if he knows my name, he has to be working for him. There's no other reason why he'd be here. He wants to take me back.
That doesn't mean I'm not going down without a fight, however. I get ready-- I'm weaker than usual, but I can still hold my own-- for a little while, at least.
He tenses instantly when I mention his friends. I thought he was tense enough before. He takes a step towards me and grabs the front of my shirt. "I need your help-- now."
I put a hand on his shoulder gently, not sure if it'll calm him at all or if he'll just reflexively hit me. I don't know what the hell he's been through but it's obviously been bad. "I'm here to help. I'm Ken. Let's get you out of here first, okay?"
He places a hand on my shoulder, and it's been so long since someone's touched me without plans to hurt me that I can't help but shudder. I try to shake it off. "... Right, Ken. Ken." He says he's here to help-- and for now at least, I guess I have no choice but to trust him.
Carefully, I need him down a hallway. "We're looking for an elevator that should take to a floor with the office I'm looking for-- keep up and keep quiet."
His shoulder's rock-hard under my fingers, and he shudders. I take my hand off him, not wanting to freak him out any more than he is already.
...what's been done to him?
I follow him down the hallway, watching him more carefully than I'm watching my surroundings, which is probably a mistake, but I don't particularly want to explain to his friends just why I let him collapse from exhaustion and injure himself. If he's going to fall over, I'll have to catch him.
I count my steps, trying to remember where the elevator. I've been in here before, yes, but I didn't really have time to memorize my surroundings. Let's see, turn here, walk down there... there we go. I might actually get out of here in one piece.
I press the elevator button, and in the few seconds it takes for it to come up, I realize Ken has seen my friends-- or at least some of them. "Are they okay?" I keep my voice low, but it still sounds cracked.
We make it to the elevator without mishap, though there are a few difficult moments where Tatsuya reacts as if something's coming, but I can't hear anything. I don't know if it's because he's so incredibly on edge that he's imagining things, or if it's because he's so attuned to this place that he's hearing things I'm missing, or if I just have cheese in my ears.
I'm following his lead for now. If he starts to wobble, or doesn't know what to do, then I'll take control. But he knows this situation and I don't. "Are they okay?"
I'm puzzled for a moment, but then I realize who he means. "I only saw Honami, Domon and Sion," I say softly. "They're all looking for you. All worried about you. But they seem okay in themselves."
I sag against the wall. At least they're okay. But I still don't know anything about Yuuri. Or Ayase. Please be all right please be alive...
The doors swishing open snaps me out of my thoughts. "C'mon." I'm really not looking forward to being in an enclosed space again, even for a little while, but if it means saving my friends, I can do it.
He looks relieved when I tell him they're all okay. The door opens. Where are we?!
I follow him out into the corridor. It's blindingly white, white walls, white floors, and well lit. Featureless apart from the strip lighting. "Where are we going, Tatsuya? You need a doctor," I say softly. I understand going on past the point of collapse -- I've done it myself when I've been especially pissed off -- but I don't like the madness in his eyes.
I can't help it, I have to laugh at that. "I really don't think a doctor could help me." I don't think anyone could at this point, actually. But I don't care about myself; I just want to save my friends.
The doors open again, and not a moment too soon. "Third door on the left, I think." The last time I was here he'd pumped me full of something, but I have a gut feeling.
I stop and lean against the wall, folding my arms. "If you want me to help you, you have to tell me what we're doing. I have to get you out of here, Tatsuya, because if I don't, your friends are going to kill me. I need to know what we're doing."
I've seen people want to kill me many times, and I recognize it very easily. Domon in particular was upset, not just about Tatsuya, I think, but if I piss him off he'll throttle me when I'm asleep. I'd prefer to avoid that.
I stare at him, trying to get my point across. "I want to help. But you need to tell me what's going on. Please."
I can feel myself tense up. I don't need him to ask questions, I need him to help me save my friends-- but then I hear the part about getting me out of here. Oh God, I want to get out of here...
"M-my Changer." I hold up my bare wrist. "He took my Changer, but if I can find it we can get out of here-- and help the others."
"Okay. Thank you," I say, immediately getting up and following him again. "But if we can't find it, we might have to get out of here anyway, yeah? I can henshin, and I can help you escape, but if we're discovered we might get rushed."
... Wait. He can henshin? "Just who are you?" My dad better not be messing with the few bits of info he was able to get from Time Fire's suit.
Right. Escaping. Getting away from here, form him, and back to my friends. "I'm pretty sure it's here, though." I twist the knob, and big surprise, it's locked. It's really hard not to start screaming at this point.
I decide on a slightly different approach for the second place. I approach it cautiously -- it's huge, and there are too many people around for me to feel entirely comfortable. I join a queue of people picking up crates and hauling them inside. The crates are heavy! I break off from the main group once I've dropped mine off, pretending I'm looking for the bathroom.
I head deeper and deeper into this enormous place. Wonder if I'll find anything.
Ah. There's someone up ahead. I approach him with my story in mind, feeling very proud of himself. "Hey, can you help me find the-"
Is that who I think it is?
"Asami Tatsuya?" I say cautiously.
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That doesn't mean I'm not going down without a fight, however. I get ready-- I'm weaker than usual, but I can still hold my own-- for a little while, at least.
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"Hey, hey, hey, I'm not looking for a fight," I say hastily. "I'm looking for you, actually. Your friends sent me. Are you okay? You look like hell."
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Stop thinking about that. Try to find some way to save them.
I grab the stranger by the shirt. "I need your help-- now."
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I put a hand on his shoulder gently, not sure if it'll calm him at all or if he'll just reflexively hit me. I don't know what the hell he's been through but it's obviously been bad. "I'm here to help. I'm Ken. Let's get you out of here first, okay?"
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Carefully, I need him down a hallway. "We're looking for an elevator that should take to a floor with the office I'm looking for-- keep up and keep quiet."
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...what's been done to him?
I follow him down the hallway, watching him more carefully than I'm watching my surroundings, which is probably a mistake, but I don't particularly want to explain to his friends just why I let him collapse from exhaustion and injure himself. If he's going to fall over, I'll have to catch him.
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I press the elevator button, and in the few seconds it takes for it to come up, I realize Ken has seen my friends-- or at least some of them. "Are they okay?" I keep my voice low, but it still sounds cracked.
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I'm following his lead for now. If he starts to wobble, or doesn't know what to do, then I'll take control. But he knows this situation and I don't. "Are they okay?"
I'm puzzled for a moment, but then I realize who he means. "I only saw Honami, Domon and Sion," I say softly. "They're all looking for you. All worried about you. But they seem okay in themselves."
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The doors swishing open snaps me out of my thoughts. "C'mon." I'm really not looking forward to being in an enclosed space again, even for a little while, but if it means saving my friends, I can do it.
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I follow him out into the corridor. It's blindingly white, white walls, white floors, and well lit. Featureless apart from the strip lighting. "Where are we going, Tatsuya? You need a doctor," I say softly. I understand going on past the point of collapse -- I've done it myself when I've been especially pissed off -- but I don't like the madness in his eyes.
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I can't help it, I have to laugh at that. "I really don't think a doctor could help me." I don't think anyone could at this point, actually. But I don't care about myself; I just want to save my friends.
The doors open again, and not a moment too soon. "Third door on the left, I think." The last time I was here he'd pumped me full of something, but I have a gut feeling.
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I've seen people want to kill me many times, and I recognize it very easily. Domon in particular was upset, not just about Tatsuya, I think, but if I piss him off he'll throttle me when I'm asleep. I'd prefer to avoid that.
I stare at him, trying to get my point across. "I want to help. But you need to tell me what's going on. Please."
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"M-my Changer." I hold up my bare wrist. "He took my Changer, but if I can find it we can get out of here-- and help the others."
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Right. Escaping. Getting away from here, form him, and back to my friends. "I'm pretty sure it's here, though." I twist the knob, and big surprise, it's locked. It's really hard not to start screaming at this point.
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