27 彡 [video]

[toplay_thefool]

[FILTERED AWAY FROM CHILDREN // 90%]

At some time during the past week, a nine year old girl was... Kidnapped and murdered. [Souji's expression is grave, but something about the set of his jaw suggests a well-contained anger.] We're still trying to discern details, but I think it goes without saying that we need to be far more cautious. Even if it

Comments

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[notmycreampuffs]

Hey, sorry to put this on you now, [even truthfully, her tone grim but set,] but I need to talk to you. In person.

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[toplay_thefool]

... [His brow furrows, but he nods.] Sure. Where do you want me to meet you?

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[notmycreampuffs]

At the temple, [and she doesn't add the 'now', but there's a certain urgency to her tone. She already feels her nerve draining.]

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[toplay_thefool]

Alright. I'll be there in ten minutes.

[And, true to his word, he'll be showing up shortly.]

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[notmycreampuffs]

[She's already waiting, sitting against the wall's edge, knees drawn up. Littlest little nod as she gets up,]

Hey, thanks for coming. Um, [say it, just say it - ] it's about Adachi.

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[toplay_thefool]

[He returns the nod as she speaks, but as she completes the sentence he goes still. There's nary a flicker of surprise upon his face, but something in him seems to tense at the sound of that name.

He knew it. There wasn't much that he could imagine Saki wanting to talk to him about in private, in person.

So it's not surprise at all, not really. But he still feels a sharp spike of cold anger in his gut.

Another nod, his voice largely unchanged.]

Tell me what happened.

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[notmycreampuffs]

[It takes her a second, but she does. An abbreviation of the entire encounter, starting how he had flown into a fury at the mere sight of her, pulling out a gun and threatening to shoot her, and ending with -- that thing, those tense few seconds when it had nearly struck her with its glaive.

She doesn't bother with the minute details, such as how she had tried to get him too angry to focus or the various insults Adachi had slung at her.]

He implied that he'd -- lose control for real if the truce was broken.

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[toplay_thefool]

[The words are chilling on so many levels. The incident itself, the amount of people being embroiled in all this, the confirmation that Adachi remembers everything... Souji is silent, but it's a heavy type of silence, one thick with thought.

This, technically, is a break of the pact he made with Adachi. He's well within the boundaries of that truce to make it known, to tell people, to warn them - or, at least, to warn Adachi that he knows. But what then? He doesn't know Adachi's mind, doesn't want to begin knowing, but he's fairly certain that if Adachi becomes aware Saki told him...

It's a tangled web, and one he's heistant to move too much into.

He's not even sure he wants to tell Kanji, and Teddie, and Yosuke, even though the thought of omitting it... lying... makes him sick.]

...This will be why he's keeping such a low profile, I assume.

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[notmycreampuffs]

I don't know, [said a bit curtly.

She doesn't tell him about the encounter during the Easter festivities.]

But -- you said he claimed he didn't know anything, that he was from too far back. Obviously he was lying, if he reacted that way.

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[toplay_thefool]

We'd considered that he might be lying, but we didn't have proof. [It had been pure speculation born of suspicion, but there was no hint of vindication at finding out he'd been right. Just a nauseating sort of resignation.]

You haven't seen him since?

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[notmycreampuffs]

Just once, but that was a little while ago. He's been keeping his distance.

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[toplay_thefool]

[He nods, eyes downcast, his expression pensive.

He needs to think about this, needs to take time and consider it. ]

...I might need to talk to the others that know about this. Okay?

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[notmycreampuffs]

[A small hesitation, then she nods, more resigned than anything.] Yeah, whatever. I can't stop you.

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[toplay_thefool]

I appreciate you telling me. [The words sound a little hollow, and he holds back a sigh, looking at her again.] Are you alright?

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[notmycreampuffs]

Yeah, [in a prim tone. Little shrug, littler smile.] Yeah, I'm okay.

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[toplay_thefool]

I'm... glad he didn't get to harm you.

[wow this is kinda awkward]