VOICEMAIL
[ The phone only rings for a little bit before Ryoji picks up generally; however, should you not get him, you'll find his voicemail is rather confidence-filled. ... Which isn't surprising, really. ]
Hi! You've reached the phone of the one and only Ryoji Mochizuki. Un~fortunately, I can't pick up right now, so all you lovely ladies should just drop ( Read more... )
Hi! You've reached the phone of the one and only Ryoji Mochizuki. Un~fortunately, I can't pick up right now, so all you lovely ladies should just drop ( Read more... )
Ryoji-kun, do you think we could talk soon? It has to do with SEES.
[aka it's kinda srs bsns.]
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[ But he'll help if he can. ]
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It deals with Tartarus as well. Are you at the dorms?
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[ He shakes his head. What is this about? ]
Is it... about Yukari-chan?
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[Click!
He'll stroll down, then, hands in his pockets and expression contemplative. He wants to know what this Abyss of Time nonsense is. Considering what Ryoji knew about Tartarus (because of what he was, of course--)...well. It was worth a try.]
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Though for once he seemed serious.
This was obviously very serious indeed. ]
... What's up? This sounds pretty serious. ... Something's happened no one anticipated, hasn't it.
[ It's a statement, not a question. ]
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Have you ever heard of a place called the Abyss of Time?
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[ He closes his eyes momentarily. It... sounded familiar. Like something deep within his memory, hidden behind a door he'd never... thought to open before.
All he needed to do was grab the knob and open it... right?
There's a long pause as he repeats the words to himself, thinking deeply about it. ]
Tartarus is a large foundation. It's very existence warped time and space itself, creating the Dark Hour. But it also left a pocket beneath it... I think the scientists who made me studied it, but determined it was just that--an isolated pocket that was harmless.
That might be what you're thinking of. Even with Tartarus gone, I think... this pocket could exist without it, since they're not connected by any real means, other than that both were created from the same properties and brought about by those experiments.
If that's the case... the name is probably completely true, Minato. But what does this have to do with Yukari and the others?
[ No honorifics. He's serious. ]
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They're trapped within it.
[Hands in his pockets still, he shrugs, looking towards the door of their makeshift dorm.]
They can't leave the dorm.
[A considering pause. He looks back at Ryoji now, expression a mix of uncertainty, seriousness and concern.]
And somehow, Aigis inherited my ability.
[...he's worried. Because he knows how it ended with he himself. A contract, a journey, and...an end.]
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Like the Dark Hour, for example. I wouldn't be surprised if that space found was connected to the dorms through the time and space manipulation both the Dark Hour and Tartarus were built from. They probably won't be able to leave until it's destroyed, either, because something unnatural like that... it can grow in unexpected ways.
I'm certain no one anticipated it, but... if this was after you stopped Nyx...
[ He's quiet for a moment. ]
Aigis... she may have gained your power for the same reason. The Abyss probably distorts timespace and even the people in it... there's no telling what effect it would have on a machine like Aigis. A human is different, but Aigis was built from a lot of complex things, and she's just as connected due to how she sealed me...
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... Even so, whatever the case is, I don't think she'll die. The Abyss just has to be gotten rid of... it's not like Nyx. It's an isolated pocket that's probably just grown out of control.
[ ... Another pause goes here, and his serious expression turns to an apologetic one. ]
... I wish I could tell you more, but... I don't really understand it well myself. Sorry. I couldn't possibly tell you what could be contained inside... just guess at it.
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Finally, he nods to show his understanding, expression still somewhat tense.]
I see. It's a...butterfly effect.
[...huh. And then his shoulders slump slightly as he releases the tension in his body, attempting to relax.]
...They'll be alright. We've faced worse than whatever it will throw at them.
[But...that's just it, huh? We. And now? Now it's they. He still have the utmost faith in him. But it's tough to know that they're facing something so difficult, so dangerous, and he's here and unable to help them. ...even back home, he isn't there to help them at all.
Aniki was right. A leader never had the right to die.]
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Aigis is with them. She's strong... you've taught her a lot. The ability may be a slight burden, but she's still a very logical, kind-hearted person. She's capable of being a really good leader for them. If they show up here, though, Minato-kun...
[ He seems pretty concerned. ]
We HAVE to talk to them. All of them, at one time. The least we can do is tell them we have faith in them...
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You're right. We need to gather SEES again; it isn't fair to them that things have been so chaotic.
Senpai disappeared again, and I don't think he'll be back any time soon. If we can just gather the ones who are here, we could at least discuss things so that we're all on the same page.
It won't help anyone to hide things.
[It's a big step, and he knows it...because it involves revealing his death, and the end of what happened. But that's...only fair, right? He can't keep hiding things from SEES like this.]
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[ A solemn tone, and a small, if forced, smile at that. ]
What we need right now though... is more information on this Abyss of Time. It's probably based off of or similar to Tartarus, but...
[ He considers. ]
We also need to know how they're doing. Because if some of them come here from after graduation... then you're going to need to be the one to pull them back together again if it's been as hard without you as I think it probably was for them.
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[He knows, from seeing Yukari, just how hard things have been with his death--it wasn't fair at all, but that's how it was. All of the people affected by it...
A firm, solemn tone.]
What's most important is how they're doing when they arrive. Yukari-chan is doing better now, but...
["But I went to your fu--"
Oh yes, he remembers.]
...If we leave again, it'll be as a team.
[He says it firmly, and he means it. If he goes anywhere ever again--it will be with his teammates, with Ryoji, and not by himself. He won't leave them behind.]
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