It's a rather quaint town when you get down to it. At least, that's what the Sheriff would argue. Warm and dry in the mornings and afternoons with a brisk coolness in the evenings. The perfect type of weather to just sit out on your rocking chair and observe the comings and goings.
... Of course, there's not much in the way of comings and goings when there aren't any actual people here to watch. Nevertheless, don't let that get you down! The town is your oyster and those roosters won't stop crowing until everyone's out of bed. Up and at 'em, rise and shine, it's time to make the day yours!
After all, there's nothing wrong with the town today and you might just want to savor it while it lasts.
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[He doesn't address her question, because... yeah.
Nodding, he reaches down to pick up Sei's mangled body. The touch of Sei's sword reminds him—he should probably do something about that, if nothing else. Even if they can't prevent the Sheriff from doing as he pleases with the corpse, they can preserve Sei's sword. It was probably important to her, after all.
But that can wait until they reach their destination.]
[ Well, at least for now she seems all out of morbid commentary. He'll know she's ready to go by her hand on his arm; frankly, she needs the help balancing with only one crutch and she can also direct him better by touch. She won't say anything at all, actually.
Just lead the way to the graveyard, trying her best not to think of how they're both covered now in Sei's quickly cooling blood. ]
[He walks slowly, so as to support Xion, also painfully aware of the blood on him, and the blood that seeps through his fingers.
Inside is a hollow ache, surrounded by the uncertainty of how to handle his own feelings, let alone Xion's. He's grateful that Xion says nothing, despite knowing that she's not even remotely okay; it lets him pretend that he is.
Likewise, he's silent as they walk towards the graveyard.]
[ It's a lonely walk, one Xion spends lost in her own, dark thoughts.
She keeps thinking about Seizaburo's smile, or what it felt like when they held hands.
I promise not to ever give up, Miss Xion, so will you promise me the same thing?
She honestly barely realizes that they've arrived at the graveyard until it practically smacks her in the face. Even then she doesn't speak, just helping to direct Shinnosuke inside and get the two of them over to Seizaburo's grave.
Once they finally make it, she'll linger, her fingers curling on Shinnosuke's arm. ]
I wonder how many of our friends we'll have to bury, before the end.
[ Assuming they both make it. You know. Anyway bye she's going to go get a shovel ]
[He almost wants to remind Xion of what she told him before—the conviction she had about how if one of them died, then the other would simply have to win the game. Where is that resolve now?
But he doesn't, because he honestly has no idea how Xion might react, and he'd rather not provoke a response outside of his expectations at the moment.
As Xion walks away, Shinnosuke carefully places Sei's body on the ground, to the side of her grave. Before standing back up, though, he makes sure to remove Sei's sword. Holding it in his hands, he looks up at the sky (a sky he can't see, but still).]
... Hey, idiot. [...] Well, I guess I should be nice now that you're dead. Seizaburo, if you can hear me from wherever... you're going to have to tell us sometime what you want us to do with your sword.
[ It doesn't take her long to return with a shovel. She's limping very badly, with only one crutch, and as the adrenaline seeps out of her, the pain from her fall is catching up to her. Even if Shinnosuke could see her, though, she wouldn't be giving any sign. The blessings of a high pain tolerance and a poker face that only works when she is too emotionally overtaxed to realize she needs to pretend to be okay. ]
I don't know how much I can help, [ she says softly. ] But I can tell you where to dig.
[ Xion will pass the shovel to him, and if her fingers linger against his hands for just a moment too long, it's probably because she wants to cry again and this is the most reassurance she'll allow herself. ]
[After attaching Sei's sheath to his belt, he takes the shovel. And when Xion's fingers linger... he knows he should shut down whatever path she's heading towards; whether these signs are from a simple need for comfort or something more is beyond him at the moment, but it shouldn't matter. In spite of that—it's too late for everything, isn't it?
He's already made his decision.
And so he lets her, before his grip tightens around the shovel. He swallows the lump threatening to form in his throat]
[ Xion will lever herself down slowly to sit beside her friend's corpse. Maybe it's morbid, but strangely, it gives her some small comfort right now. To be near Sei, even as just a watchful guard in these last moments.
She'll remain quiet for a while, only speaking up to murmur needed changes of direction for Shinnosuke, but finally she asks: ]
[ There's a shivery laugh in her voice that might just be the threat of tears. It's hard to tell. She'll murmur a change in direction before continuing: ]
Who knows? Because you seem like you'll break otherwise, probably.
[His tone is flat, as he follows Xion's instructions. He doesn't entirely know how to answer her, when that's not the sort of thing people tell him—he's never needed the reminder.
When you're not living for yourself, giving up isn't an option.]
Living is hard work. Harder work than being dead, at least. It's easy for the dying to tell those who survive not to give up.
... Well, that's how people are. Like I said at the start of this game... how you feel is probably "normal".
[It never really gets easier in the moment. He knows this well as someone who, unfortunately, has been through this song and dance more times than he'd like.]
Go through this enough times and either you learn that you can't handle it, and so you give up, or you learn how to suck it up and deal with it.
[Again, even if in a different context, he's already made his decision.]
[ That conversation.... that feels like a whole lifetime ago now. When Shinnosuke called her normal, and they didn't know anything about each other, and she wanted to believe he'd be wrong about this game.
He wasn't. ]
I'm not so sure that's what being strong means, anymore.
[ She'll pause to offer some directions, and wait a moment for him to correct course. ]
I don't think being strong is not showing emotion, or even just surviving. I think ... it's about supporting other people, and letting them support you, too. So that everyone can keep going.
I really don't know if I'll live till the end of this game. But until then, I want ... to keep going.
[He listens to her directions, remaining quiet for a few moments even once she's finished speaking.
He doesn't know if he personally agrees, but...]
Whatever you've decided, stick to it. If you want to die, then die. If you want to keep going, then keep going. In a place like this, there's no time to waste on people half-assing decisions.
[ The words are sort of irritated, but then, all at once, she stops herself. Realization of what she was about to say, the defense she was about to make, silences her. For a long moment all she'll do is provide quiet directions. ]
... I'll keep going. I was never going to do anything else.
Then do whatever works for you. If you think that's getting close to and "supporting others", then just remember that this might not be the last friend you'll have to bury.
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robowest2017-02-13 12:00 pm
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[ yikes.
is it worse or better that she doesn't even sound bitter this time? just ... tired. ]
If you can pick him up, I'll direct you.
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Nodding, he reaches down to pick up Sei's mangled body. The touch of Sei's sword reminds him—he should probably do something about that, if nothing else. Even if they can't prevent the Sheriff from doing as he pleases with the corpse, they can preserve Sei's sword. It was probably important to her, after all.
But that can wait until they reach their destination.]
All right.
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Just lead the way to the graveyard, trying her best not to think of how they're both covered now in Sei's quickly cooling blood. ]
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Inside is a hollow ache, surrounded by the uncertainty of how to handle his own feelings, let alone Xion's. He's grateful that Xion says nothing, despite knowing that she's not even remotely okay; it lets him pretend that he is.
Likewise, he's silent as they walk towards the graveyard.]
no subject
She keeps thinking about Seizaburo's smile, or what it felt like when they held hands.
I promise not to ever give up, Miss Xion, so will you promise me the same thing?
She honestly barely realizes that they've arrived at the graveyard until it practically smacks her in the face. Even then she doesn't speak, just helping to direct Shinnosuke inside and get the two of them over to Seizaburo's grave.
Once they finally make it, she'll linger, her fingers curling on Shinnosuke's arm. ]
I wonder how many of our friends we'll have to bury, before the end.
[ Assuming they both make it. You know. Anyway bye she's going to go get a shovel ]
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But he doesn't, because he honestly has no idea how Xion might react, and he'd rather not provoke a response outside of his expectations at the moment.
As Xion walks away, Shinnosuke carefully places Sei's body on the ground, to the side of her grave. Before standing back up, though, he makes sure to remove Sei's sword. Holding it in his hands, he looks up at the sky (a sky he can't see, but still).]
... Hey, idiot. [...] Well, I guess I should be nice now that you're dead. Seizaburo, if you can hear me from wherever... you're going to have to tell us sometime what you want us to do with your sword.
[And then, more quietly:]
Damn it.
[Damn you for dying on us.]
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I don't know how much I can help, [ she says softly. ] But I can tell you where to dig.
[ Xion will pass the shovel to him, and if her fingers linger against his hands for just a moment too long, it's probably because she wants to cry again and this is the most reassurance she'll allow herself. ]
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He's already made his decision.
And so he lets her, before his grip tightens around the shovel. He swallows the lump threatening to form in his throat]
Got it.
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She'll remain quiet for a while, only speaking up to murmur needed changes of direction for Shinnosuke, but finally she asks: ]
Did you hear what he said? Right before he died.
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No. I wasn't standing close enough.
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[ There's a shivery laugh in her voice that might just be the threat of tears. It's hard to tell. She'll murmur a change in direction before continuing: ]
Why do people keep saying that to me?
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[His tone is flat, as he follows Xion's instructions. He doesn't entirely know how to answer her, when that's not the sort of thing people tell him—he's never needed the reminder.
When you're not living for yourself, giving up isn't an option.]
Living is hard work. Harder work than being dead, at least. It's easy for the dying to tell those who survive not to give up.
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Maybe it's just ... a way of expressing the things they wanted to do, but can't, anymore.
[ ... ]
I keep thinking I'll get used to it. Watching people die. Especially people I love. Somehow, though... the pain is always the same.
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[It never really gets easier in the moment. He knows this well as someone who, unfortunately, has been through this song and dance more times than he'd like.]
Go through this enough times and either you learn that you can't handle it, and so you give up, or you learn how to suck it up and deal with it.
[Again, even if in a different context, he's already made his decision.]
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He wasn't. ]
I'm not so sure that's what being strong means, anymore.
[ She'll pause to offer some directions, and wait a moment for him to correct course. ]
I don't think being strong is not showing emotion, or even just surviving. I think ... it's about supporting other people, and letting them support you, too. So that everyone can keep going.
I really don't know if I'll live till the end of this game. But until then, I want ... to keep going.
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He doesn't know if he personally agrees, but...]
Whatever you've decided, stick to it. If you want to die, then die. If you want to keep going, then keep going. In a place like this, there's no time to waste on people half-assing decisions.
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[ The words are sort of irritated, but then, all at once, she stops herself. Realization of what she was about to say, the defense she was about to make, silences her. For a long moment all she'll do is provide quiet directions. ]
... I'll keep going. I was never going to do anything else.
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You prepared to deal with that?
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When she does speak, her voice is firm with that same resolve. ]
Yes.
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[If Xion can stay on that path, then... that'd be heartening. Shinnosuke, after all, gave up on that a long time ago.]