A mostly useless video post; backdated to the 20th

[trainwrecking]

[He spent three hours staring at his (now mostly functional) watch, rehearsing this a hundred times. Shouldn't it be fine?

Unfortunately, no, thanks to the TRIHARDO virus. The feed opens to a sterile white room and a bandaged up redhead, who seems to be doing his best to appear confident and normal despite the lingering rasp in his voice. haha! "normal"]

A-a-ano, ahh, hello, it's— No, that's stupid, I mean to say— er, no, I, um—

You don't have to do this if— a-ah, ehhh, umm... I... I-I... uhh.

...

N-nevermind. I forgot what I was going to ask. Ahah... [No! TRY EVEN HARDER. TRIHARDO.]

Wait! [Cue an emphatic gesture for "WAIT."] No, ahh, that wasn't true..! I would really appreciate it if someone could get something for me!

Or— uh, if you can sew, that would be great too.

Ahh, uhh, I'll do anything I can in return! Ahh, no, that was worse than when I practiced... Eh? Did I leave the video go—

Comments

[Private]

[trainwrecking]

I did. I knew I was going to...

[Death and Otonashi are well-acquainted. The truth of that circumvented fate could never have been anything but obvious.]

But I didn't know that... you would--that I could wake up again. You...

[The incomplete thought lays heavy in the air. She came back to save him.]

[Private]

[eyewillprotect]

[She lowers her head in thought. Her friends back home had known, of course-- they had been there to see her power themselves. They had all agreed to help protect and guide the growth of her power.

However, it was also one that she had so wanted to keep secret, even in this world where people had powers even greater than those she had originally gained when the Dragon Stream was first disrupted. Being able to stave off death is not a power that should be used lightly, but even still, she had done so twice now in Hinoto-Ri, and been caught both times.

The woman before, the Death - she seemed to understand Aoi's power instinctively. But now that the time had come, could she-- should she explain it?]

...

I... think you understand, too. That power of mine... It would be better if people didn't know about it.

[Her voice is very quiet.]

[trainwrecking]

R-really..? [He had no idea she was such a busy figure about town. Maybe he should leave the house more.]

If that's the case, then it should be okay. Right? Heh.

[trainwrecking]

Ah, hey! Yeah, it's still okay to visit. I'm in room 103--

[He quickly catches his mistake and shakes his head, stifling a cough.]

Er, sorry, it's 210 now.

[trainwrecking]

Some people don't get affected by these ripples of... temporary insanity.

[Or more specifically with the SSS, worsening of pre-existing insanity. Whatever the case, at least someone was spared.]

If you really feel okay, I'm just looking for something to wear when I get out. As, uh, modest as wearing a hospital gown would be... [Well, it wouldn't be. At all.]

[Private]

[trainwrecking]

I've... been saying that it--it was a close call.

[Indeed, he seemed to understand the gravity of such a thing. Even in a world where death was inconsequential, he never saw it as quite the same trivial ordeal that most others did.

So easily could people begin to see death as a fleeting inconvenience instead of a permanent end. Otonashi had witnessed that shift.

Not again. Not here.]

But my friends from the afterlife... they might see through it. [Perhaps not. Maybe nobody would press him further on the impossibility of his survival. Like Hizumi, maybe they would focus on his self-sacrificing nature and its role in both Aoi and Otonashi's hospital stay.]

[leadthebeats]

As long as they don't kill or hurt anybody, that type of insanity is completely fine.

[ After all, it's not her problem! ]

I have some SSS uniforms with me, if you'll take those.

[all_wound_up]

Right! I'll be over as soon as I can.

[Private]

[eyewillprotect]

[That... would be a problem, wouldn't it.]

If there's any way at all for you to hide it... please. I--

...I probably shouldn't have used it then. It's... not a power that should be used lightly.

[She knows she's being selfish, imposing this request upon him even though in the end, it is her fault he has to worry about it in the first place. But at the same time...

She doesn't regret bringing him back in the slightest.]

[a_gentle_boy]

I'll be up as soon as I can!

[The cheerful voice vanishes and within the next ten minutes, there is a knock on the door. The bag - plus Lucas - will appear.]

Hello...! Sorry to interrupt. Is this Otonashi's room?

[frequent_flyer]

[Lose an eye?]

[A hint of bitterness flashed across his eyes, quickly chased away by one of those familiar grins. He was still mad at himself for not being there to help... he didn't know anything was happening until it was over.]

A joke? I thought it was just a "get well soon" present... [The buzzing and bumping appeared not to faze him.] Ah! By the way... [He lifted the grocery bag into his lap, retrieving a four-pack of Buckstars canned coffee, setting it on the bedside table.]

[But that wasn't all, he also produced a pair of old GameSlave handheld consoles and a link cable.] I found this fighting game I thought you might like... do you feel well enough to play with me? [Hinata, one of his hands is all bandaged up...]

[trainwrecking]

Okay, sounds great. I'll be... well, here... [Obviously!]

[trainwrecking]

[As soon as he hears that knocking, he sits up straight and places the old, worn paperback book in his lap.]

Yeah, that's right! Please come in. [He'll wait for Lucas to enter before giving formal thanks, but he's already bright with gratitude.]

1/?

[trainwrecking]

But I haven't been to that apartment in months...

[So whatever it was could so easily spoil. Something like a cake would have become a science project--and possibly gained sentience eventually--if Hinata hadn't noticed the box.]

A-are those--? [He motions to the coffee as if to ask if those were actually for him. But then:]

Hey, that game... Monster Battle Heroes? Isn't that one where you can create your own monster? [Not that he'd create an ugly one or anything, that's not why he's smiling.]

gfhfgjgf

[trainwrecking]

[Oh, he should probably open that box. Right. Using his good hand, he nudges the lid off the oddly lively box. Maybe it was really fine?]

?F???,dslfsd ugh numbers

[trainwrecking]

[... A fly flies out. Then a moth. This is unusual, but not yet unnerving. A luna moth. Pretty, but disruptive.

A centipede crawls to the top of the box. It's at this point that Otonashi shoves the box aside, because honestly. This had to be a joke.]

ok one more

[trainwrecking]

[Wait, are those--]

W-what is this?! [A wasp angrily flies out, followed by a few bees, a horsefly, and a palmetto bug. This prompts the scream and Otonashi's harsh kick to the no longer buzzing box. The butterly and caterpiller on the inside appear to be dead already.]

[trainwrecking]

[Once the more horrifying, predatory bugs start to dive in for prey, Otonashi begins forcing himself out of bed and starts pulling IVs, monitors, and supports out. ABANDON SHIP, ABANDON SHIP!]

[Private]

[trainwrecking]

Yeah. [It's unclear at first just what he's agreeing to or affirming as he presses his lips together in a hard line, thoughtful.]

I... don't want you to have to use it again. Not on me or anyone else. I'll do what I can to keep that power safe, but... if I have to tell them, at least, I'll make sure they understand why.

[It's the least that he can promise. It goes without saying that this will be kept from Noda, especially, due to the purple-haired boy's volatile nature.]

[Private]

[eyewillprotect]

...That's all I can ask.

[It's her own fault that it came to this, after all.]

...This power... inspired wars in my world. I want to help Hinoto-Ri grow, but if people here were to find out about my power...

[...The same events could repeat, just as they had in her own time.]

I don't want to cause another battle. Not because of this.

[Private]

[trainwrecking]

I'll do what I can. I really owe you...

[It's a debt that he's not sure where to begin repaying.]

Ah... people would covet a power like that. Everyone would want it for themselves, wouldn't they? The power to revive dead allies...

But you-- you can't use it without cost, can you? [Her eye. There had been no injury sustained to it, and yet she had been clutching it, visibly in pain. The eyepatch is the final proof, isn't it?

Something happened.]

[Private]

[eyewillprotect]

[She shakes her head.]

Please don't think of it that way-- [She pauses to give a few more coughs.]

--I don't regret bringing you back. Even though it's dangerous, I... didn't want you to die.

[And then he mentions the cost, and she nearly brings a hand to her eye out of reflex, although she stops the movement.]

...It's a small price to pay.

[a_gentle_boy]

[The bag plus Lucas will stumble into the room and deposit itself at Otonashi's feet. When the boy emerges from behind the bundle of clothing, he gives a bright smile.]

I hope it all fits. ...I wasn't very sure about exactly what the numbers meant, so I bought three of each kind. I can bring the ones that you don't like back later.

[.......someone was being affected by the bug going around it seemed.]

[all_wound_up]

[doop doop timeskip

And soon enough, Nano's knocking on his door!]

[Private]

[trainwrecking]

Hah... But that's how it is.

[He appreciates her role in saving his life, of course. But him being here still leaves that burning question. She says it was only a small price, but--]

... What was it?