2 - Nest
[KRAKOW]
“You think they got here already?” Ichika asked Sakuto, as they made their way towards the park where the etup was supposed to happen. The Heisei deduced that it would be far less risky to et in places such as parks or even forests than cramped buildings which could be filled with wires or recording equipnt.
“Not a chance. Oskar’s always late.” Sakuto sighed.
“Hey, after we et those people, can we go out to eat?” Yumichi asked, holding onto her sister’s hand and making sure to keep up with their walking pace.
“Sure.”
“Ughhh...but I want it now...” Yumichi grunted.
“I literally just told you that you’re gonna get sothing to eat, and you’re complaining? Be a little patient, damn it!” Ichika said.
“Ugh, I wish the eting was as short as possible.”
“That entirely depends on stuff.” Sakuto said. “Might last a few hours, might last just short of an hour. Might even last a few seconds.”
“Sakuto, knock it off.” Ichika said. “No killing. Not in front of Yumichi, at least.”
“I’m sure he’s seen worse.” Sakuto yawned. After feeling Ichika’s angered glare, he backed down on his intentions. “Fine, I’ll be a pacifist.”
“Walking around like this, had and Ichika been a little older we’d be mistaken for a family...”
Sakuto sighed, with a faint smile erging on his face.
“It feels nice.”
“Ichika, I can sense them. They’re over there.” Sakuto said. “How do we approach them?”
“What do you an?”
“I an, we can’t just walk up to them, right?” Sakuto asked. “We gotta make a spectacle. Gotta look cool.” He fully expected to have to convince Ichika and bear the weight of her disappointed glance, but instead, he was pleasantly surprised.
“And how do you wanna make that grand entrance?” Ichika asked.
“I thought of a giant ice shard falling down.” Sakuto said. “Then, I pop out of the shadows and slice it apart, and I strike a pose while the ice is falling around anywhere.”
“Or we could put our soul presences to the maximum.” Ichika said. “And we could approach them, you making a bunch of shadows behind you, and creating a trail of ice.”
“Or, or, or, how about-!” Sakuto noticed sothing pinching him.
“Hey, mister, don’t forget about ! I want to do sothing cool too!” Yumichi mumbled.
“Right... So how do we organize this?”
“Hey, are you guys gonna co up to us at so point?” Zawadski yelled from a distance. All three of them sighed in disappointnt.
Sakuto faded into the shadows and popped out right next to Zawadski.
“Already here.” He said.
“You might as well tell how the hell you can do that since we have so free ti.” Zawadski said. “The last ti I saw those shadows this close, I had to die quite a few tis.”
“It’s a long story.” Sakuto said. “What matters is what ca of it. Hey, we never got to properly talk, right?”
“Yeah. You were, uhh...quite the grump back then.” Zawadski said. “I’m betting everything’s alright given how happy you looked next to her.” He said, pointing at Ichika in the distance, who was approaching the group in a not-as-cool fashion.
“Really? That’s how I looked?” Sakuto asked. “You sure you’re not imaging stuff?”
“I’ve observed people since I opened my eyes in whatever hospital was unfortunate enough to shelter .” Zawadski chuckled. “Believe , the difference for you is night and day.”
“Fair observation, I guess.” Sakuto said. “What I wanted to talk to you about is your ability. I an, holy shit, I hope you know the extent of what you can do.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry, I abuse it all the ti.” Zawadski said. “Living a genuinely perfect life. Hey, you only live once, so might as well say ‘fuck it’ and go for a perfect run.”
“Doesn’t it get you desensitized though?” Sakuto asked. “I an, not fearing any consequences, never failing or making mistakes...”
“I thought about it too.” Zawadski sighed. “Yeah, it does get pretty ssy in my head at tis. At so point I just stopped thinking about it and just started enjoying life. And besides, if I don’t do what I do, a lot of things will go to shit.”
“Yeah, sa thing here.” Sakuto said. “I’m not trying to brag, but...”
“Yeah, no, I know what you an.” Zawadski said. “You’re the strongest without a doubt. , however, I’m the most...how do I say it...”
“Essential?”
“Kind of, but...”
“Yeah, I think I know what you an.” Sakuto said.
“Every mber of the Heisei fulfills a special role.” Zawadski said. “Everyone is the best at sothing. I got the role of the trickster or strategic deploynt guy, you uhh...you got the walking nuclear cannon role. It is what it is.”
“Hoping I don’t get to use that nuclear stuff too often though.” Sakuto said. “Fuck, man. Things aren’t looking too good recently.”
“Yeah. Especially after what you told us about that Dima guy.” Zawadski yawned. “Had it been Mr. Kamiki here, he’d cut that fella’s head right off. He does not like suspicious people getting anywhere close to him.”
The two were suddenly distracted by a scream of excitent.
“Yuuka Hoshikawa?!” Yumichi yelled out in the distance, quickly rushing towards his idol. “Is...is...is that really you?”
Yuuka turned around, looking at the boy with confusion and, a mont later, adoration.
“Of course it’s ! Your favorite digital creature!” Yuuka smiled, patting Yumichi. The latter looked like he was about to explode with the force of a collapsing star from joy.
“I watch all your videos! And all your streams!” Yumichi said, too joyful to even move. “I follow and listen to all of your songs too! You’re the best! You’re the best!”
“He’s a hopeless fan...” Ichika sighed, approaching Yuuka. “I didn’t tell him that you were gonna be here though. Hell, he wasn’t even supposed to be here.”
“He seems like the sweetest kid ever.” Yuuka said. “He has your eyes. Is he your brother?”
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“Yep.” Ichika chuckled. “He’s unfortunate enough to share blood with .”
“He’s well mannered too.” Yuuka said.
“Just look at how happy he is!!! This is exactly why I do what I do, he’s so happy it makes want to throw up!!!”
“All my kittens are like this, right? I love them! I love them so so so so so so so so so much!!!!!!!”
“Did you dye your hair? It looks really pretty.” Yuuka asked, holding one of Ichika’s snow white bangs. “What paint brand did you use?”
“The soulful type. This happened to when I used my acclamation.” Ichika said. “It’s been like that ever since. Hey, I’m not complaining, though. I’ve always wanted to color one of my bangs, and it always kept getting delayed...”
“Please tell you wanted this sa color, because it looks so so so cute on you!” Yuuka said.
“I actually did!” Ichika said. “It’s such a coincidence...hey, one of the reasons I believe there’s no such thing as a coincidence in life. It looks-”
Ichika felt sothing touch her leg.
“Yumichi?” Ichika asked with murderous intent, slowly turning her head towards her brother. “Why did you kick in the leg?”
“Because you’re stealing her from !” Yumichi said, standing between her and Yuuka as if he was protecting Yuuka from a world-ending threat.
“I haven’t the slightest clue on how he’s even so obsessed with you.” Ichika said.
“It is what it is.” Yuuka smiled. She kissed Yumichi on the forehead. “Thank you for being a true kitten!”
Yumichi’s head collapsed into a black hole.
“That gives us so ti to chat, I guess.” Ichika sighed. “Smart move.”
“Hm?”
“I never got to have a few words with you, but...how do you handle having so many eyes on you? I an, so many people are looking up at you. I don’t think all of them love you, right?”
“Hah, they don’t.” Yuuka said. “There are many people who hate , who can’t wait to see fall and who keep typing an things in my chat.”
“So how do you cope with it?” Ichika asked.
“Well, to be honest...”
“I don’t!”
“...huh?” Ichika was baffled at this level of honesty.
“The an stuff always gets to my head.” Yuuka cheerfully said. “It keeps up at night, and I keep ego surfing and reading all the bad things that people type about on social dia! It’s unhealthy and it sotis makes cry or break stuff!”
“Hah, uhh...” Ichika didn’t know how to reply. “And...what keeps you sane?”
“The thought that whoever is typing all of that an stuff is probably so soulless loser that I can kill at any mont with no legal consequences! :D” Yuuka smiled.
“I see...”
“Do you struggle with people disliking you?” Yuuka asked. “Is that why you asked?”
“Not really, I was just curious.” Ichika replied. “I kinda stopped caring about all of that stuff.”
“That’s great!” Yuuka cheered. She whipped her phone out and prepared to take a selfie with Ichika. “Let’s rember this!”
Ichika smiled at the cara. The smile was pretty, a little sad, but really pretty. The next one to be in such a picture was Yumichi - he took a few dozen such pictures with his second favorite idol of all ti.
While at the sa ti, in a slightly further area of the park...
“Oh my God, she’s here...”
“Who is?” Both Oskar and Dima were surprised at Ausra’s remark.
“T-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-the captain...”
“I didn’t talk to her much during the joint training sessions, but...she seed positively impressed by my performance...I hope...ahhh, she’s so cool...I hope she thinks highly of !”
“Then go on and conquer the world.” Oskar said. “We’ll fall behind a little if you wanna talk to her privately.”
“I can’t just do that! What if she thinks I’m not worth it?” Ausra asked, panicking. “What if she doesn’t even pay attention to ?!”
“Captain!” Oskar exclaid from a distance. “We’ve arrived. Dima is with .” The callout caught her attention. Jian and Ichigo were at a distance, and while Ichigo was on his phone, Jian walked a little towards the two.
“See? Now she paid attention to you.” Oskar said, playfully shoving Ausra forward a little. “Go on. Speak your mind with her.”
“Asshole!” Ausra barked at him, before walking towards Jian, with her face staring at the ground. “Thanks.” She whispered once she got a little further away.
“So what’s all of this about anyways? You ntioned my na to them specifically, didn’t you?” Dima asked. “What’s going on?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.” Oskar said. “And hopefully I’ll find sothing out too.”
“C-c-c-c-c-captain-commander Jian Fang!” Ausra said, bowing down, her face as red as a ruby. “At your service!”
“The formality is obsolete in this environnt.” Jian replied.
“A-a-a-a-a-----I’m sorry!” Ausra said. Quickly straightening up and even putting one of her hands in her pocket to show her ‘informality’. “Hey, uhh...what’s up, bro?” Jian suddenly realized that perhaps she could’ve worded things more differently, but didn’t really know how.
“She looks so beautiful!!!”
“No, that is not...what I ant...” Jian said. “I...pleasure to et you, Ausra.” She added at the end of the sentence, just as her brain was slowly turning into a pile of mush. “I was greatly impressed by your performance during the training. I think you were trying a little too hard, though.”
“Ah, yes! I...I’ll make sure to uhh...” Ausra said. Slowly she finally took the mask off, and with a deep breath, said in a slightly disappointed voice. “I’m sorry. I just admire you a lot.”
“That is...encouraging to hear.” Jian said.
“I an, really, you’re one of the strongest and coolest, and you’re also our captain.” Ausra said. “It’s thanks to you that Nachtfallen was a success, and you helped save all of us during the war too.”
“I am greatly pleased to hear that.” Jian said, after a brief silence and a sudden wave of self-reflection. “Perhaps this may sound disillusioning, but I am far from the strongest in the Heisei.”
“Sa. I’m probably one of the weakest.” Ausra said, a little saddened. “Especially with monsters like Sakuto and now Ichika around. But...I still think you’re the strongest!”
“And why is that?”
“Well, you’re the captain. You bear responsibility for all of us. And you guide all of us. We can win battles on our own, but without you, we wouldn’t win any wars...if that makes sense.” Ausra explained. “I wish I was like you.”
“Why do you wish so?” Jian asked. “Why would anyone wish that?”
“I want to be strong. But not just strong like them, I want to be strong like you.” Ausra said, smiling at her. “And I want people to rely on and trust . I want to be there for them.”
“I’m sure that with your current rate of growth you will beco a fearso soulful.” Jian said.
“They idolize , but for what?”
“Do they not see her?”
Jian, in the corner of her eye, saw that kid with a pretty face. In the distance, amongst the trees, playing around with a bow and arrow.
“Do they even know about her? If they looked that way, would they still want to look at ?”
“Captain, it looks like everyone’s here.” Sakuto said, popping out of a shadow behind her. “Oh, hey Ausra.”
“You could’ve just walked up to her, you know?” Ausra complained.
“Of course Sakuto can allow himself to behave like this in front of the captain herself! Being strong gives you crazy privileges!”
“My bad, I convinced him to do that.” Zawadski said. “The rule of cool is the supre force of the universe. I think now that everyone is here, we can actually talk about the important stuff.”
And a few monts later, everyone gathered around. On a patch of grass, close to so old and wise trees, with a layer of clouds suffocating the sky, they all assembled. The last person to join in was...
“Ichika, hold my hand.” Sakuto said.
“Sure, but...why?”
“The first reason is that I like holding hands with you, I think it’s really cute and it feels reassuring.” Sakuto explained. “Second reason is so I don’t beat that guy’s teeth in. Sothing’s off.”
”Your own distrust of him before his apparent ‘amnesia’ shouldn’t have an input on what happens here.” Ichika comnted. “Though his soul presence is extraordinarily weak...”
They all gathered in a semi-circle, and Dima was in front of them, with Oskar standing right next to him. Jian took a step forward.
“Dima, you are under arrest for treason against the Heisei and the GSC.” Jian said. “But, considering your current predicant, we will not take imdiate action. As long as you wish to cooperate with us.”
“I-what? What the fuck are you on about?” Dima asked. “Who did I betray? What did I even do?! Hey, Oskar, what did I do?” He asked his only friend present.
“Just...look, they’re gonna ask you questions, you just have to answer them. And don’t lie.” Oskar said. He too had a difficult ti processing everything.
“Dima.” Jian asked, now appearing more and more intimidating. “State your full na and your soul expression.”
“My na is Dima.” Dima said. “My soul expression is, uhh...”
The crowd fell silent.
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