18th Chain; voice [return from canon-update]

[little_bandages]

[There's the sound of traffic and people talking in the city, and a pause before a familiar teenage voice starts to speak:]

--This is Ritsuka. Ritsuka Aoyagi.

According to the date the greeter gave me, I've only been gone a few days. Sorry I wasn't showing up to work and stuff.

Tch. The Core pulled me here in my school slippers...

Comments

video;

[topslug]

[ Well, this explains a fair bit, like why she hasn't seen him at Funtom. ]

Welcome back, Aoyagi-kun.

video;

[little_bandages]

[Ritsuka turns on the video to talk to her. He's dressed in a light hooded jacket and rather small shorts, and there are several fresh bandages on his face and various spots on his body.]

Hey, Katsuragi-san. I just got your message. Do you still need a photographer?

video;

[topslug]

Yes, we do-- Mr. Townshend can't take all the photos himself.

[ As she answers, her voice is already lightly distracted, though it only takes a moment to take in his appearance. ]

--what happened to you?

video;

[little_bandages]

I'd be happy to help. It'll be good to build up my portfolio.

[Ritsuka's ear flicks. He's at a bus stop.]

--I went home. It was almost a month's time for me.

video;

[topslug]

A whole month... [ She'd known time could pass differently, outside, but it's quite a different thing to know it for sure. ]

... You got hurt.

[little_bandages]

Mm-hm. I started to think maybe this whole year in Siren's Port was a weird dream...

[pause] Lots of stuff happened. It was kinda nice seeing everyone, though. [He wishes he could've brought more pictures back with him.]

[topslug]

You could remember being here? [ That's a first. ]

... Did you see your friend-- the one you stay with, here-- back home? [ She means Soubi, but she can't remember his name off the top of her head. ]

[little_bandages]

It was just a feeling. But I've been through so weird things, so. [shrug]

Soubi. Yeah, I saw him. We helped his friend at a big convention, even.

[topslug]

But he never left the city, did he?

[little_bandages]

...I don't know, I don't think so. I haven't gotten a chance to ask him.

Everything seemed just like it was, like I hadn't been gone at all.

[topslug]

[ That sounds a little more consistent with what she's heard. After a moment: ]

How did you get hurt?

[little_bandages]

[Ritsuka genuinely isn't sure how he should answer. Yuiko's asked him about the bruises and cuts and he tells the truth, but there hasn't ever really been an adult who outright asks.

He doesn't want to lie, but he doesn't want to talk about it, either.]

--It didn't happen here, so don't worry about it.

[topslug]

Maybe not, but it did happen. And that's what matters.

[ A pause. ]

Would you like to meet up somewhere? I've picked up a trick or two that might help. [ Meaning: magic. ]

[little_bandages]

[...............]

No. Don't need it.

[topslug]

[ And in response, a level gaze. ]

Won't you let me do at least that much?

[little_bandages]

...I can't right now, okay? I just got back. [Soubi is very upset, Ritsuka doesn't want to disappear on him again, and he doesn't want to have this conversation with Soubi hovering either.

And the more he can delay having to witness that stare, the better.]