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[ he's bleeding, but when is he not? the more suspicious sight would have been a nicolas brown without injury, and especially considering the extent of the fight they'd all just had to slog through. some died, some didn't. some are still in the process of.
he finds her, but not because he's looking for her. his feet were moving (minutes away from dragging, but the celebre is still coursing, still hanging unto its last few minutes) and somehow she's there, looking worse for wear but the death he smells in the air isn't hers.
good.
he waits until she sees him before gesturing — a fist, then two fingers slicing diagonally through the air. ]
he finds her, but not because he's looking for her. his feet were moving (minutes away from dragging, but the celebre is still coursing, still hanging unto its last few minutes) and somehow she's there, looking worse for wear but the death he smells in the air isn't hers.
good.
he waits until she sees him before gesturing — a fist, then two fingers slicing diagonally through the air. ]
[ his limp is a little more obvious now. which is why she'll probably find him off to the side, by some fallen debris. leaning enough that he's put some pressure off his leg, but not quite so heavily that she may find it suspicious. the celebre is all but gone from his system now, and his body screams with a pain that he manages to hide from his posture.
behind him, the camp has begun to pick itself back up. clean the area, bury their dead.
he hadn't stuck around long enough to see how many holes were being dug.
tucked away in his own little corner, he'd argue that he isn't hiding, to anyone willing to listen. but there's no denying the solitude of this chosen spot, away from eyes that have already cried too many tears of grief and frustration. ]
behind him, the camp has begun to pick itself back up. clean the area, bury their dead.
he hadn't stuck around long enough to see how many holes were being dug.
tucked away in his own little corner, he'd argue that he isn't hiding, to anyone willing to listen. but there's no denying the solitude of this chosen spot, away from eyes that have already cried too many tears of grief and frustration. ]
[ he will not be mourned.
for him, there will be no big ceremony. no quiet time taken away from training and cataloging and demolitioning. he will not have tears shed in his name — fake or obligatory or otherwise — because he has done nothing to warrant them.
his life is no loss, and his death will be even less. ]
PlUM.
[ in his fist is an empty pill bottle, drained and downed no more than five seconds ago. the boy's scent is in the air, and he knows he will be heard.
he is a fighter. a weapon. a shield. and he will die as tools do — by wearing out their use. ]
for him, there will be no big ceremony. no quiet time taken away from training and cataloging and demolitioning. he will not have tears shed in his name — fake or obligatory or otherwise — because he has done nothing to warrant them.
his life is no loss, and his death will be even less. ]
PlUM.
[ in his fist is an empty pill bottle, drained and downed no more than five seconds ago. the boy's scent is in the air, and he knows he will be heard.
he is a fighter. a weapon. a shield. and he will die as tools do — by wearing out their use. ]
[ men make plans, and god laughs.
nic has never believed in a god, though he does enjoy reading about them. spirituality is not a luxury twilights are taken to indulging in, because no twilight will look at their life and think, oh yes — someone must surely be watching over me. though the urge to blame it all on some grand, celestial being is tempting; though perhaps the sting of misfortune wouldn't be nearly so sharp if one could pretend they didn't deserve it.
he had hoped death would come quickly. that every blow from hibari's tonfa would push him closer and closer to that final doorstep but in the air, he is not shoved, but guided. gently.
on his back, with his sharp eyes turned towards an unfamiliar sky that is all too clear. he sucks in a ragged breath, and glances towards his companion. ]
nic has never believed in a god, though he does enjoy reading about them. spirituality is not a luxury twilights are taken to indulging in, because no twilight will look at their life and think, oh yes — someone must surely be watching over me. though the urge to blame it all on some grand, celestial being is tempting; though perhaps the sting of misfortune wouldn't be nearly so sharp if one could pretend they didn't deserve it.
he had hoped death would come quickly. that every blow from hibari's tonfa would push him closer and closer to that final doorstep but in the air, he is not shoved, but guided. gently.
on his back, with his sharp eyes turned towards an unfamiliar sky that is all too clear. he sucks in a ragged breath, and glances towards his companion. ]
[She always did find him wallflowering, didn't she?
Havoc's got a few cuts, a few bruises, but all in all she's remarkably uninjured for the grueling fight they all just endured. A bit green around the gills, a touch ragged looking. The benefits of working in her old team again, in sync and, oh, yeah- working with a woman who could stop and rewind time at her will didn't hurt, either.
But it didn't prevent her from having to pay for all of the abilities she'd used while time was frozen. She'd had the luxury of paying her obeisance off mouthful by mouthful instead of leaving it for a pint of steaming hot blood come the end of it all, but. She was currently looking for a sufficiently out of the way but not dangerous place to try her best not to vomit up a stomachfull of blood that wasn't hers.
Which is where she finds Nic.]
You still alive?
[A recycled line, but she's too tired for an original, taking in what she can about his condition, (injured, but standing), before she moves to stand near him-
And proceeds to gag, averting her head and putting a hand over her mouth.]
Havoc's got a few cuts, a few bruises, but all in all she's remarkably uninjured for the grueling fight they all just endured. A bit green around the gills, a touch ragged looking. The benefits of working in her old team again, in sync and, oh, yeah- working with a woman who could stop and rewind time at her will didn't hurt, either.
But it didn't prevent her from having to pay for all of the abilities she'd used while time was frozen. She'd had the luxury of paying her obeisance off mouthful by mouthful instead of leaving it for a pint of steaming hot blood come the end of it all, but. She was currently looking for a sufficiently out of the way but not dangerous place to try her best not to vomit up a stomachfull of blood that wasn't hers.
Which is where she finds Nic.]
You still alive?
[A recycled line, but she's too tired for an original, taking in what she can about his condition, (injured, but standing), before she moves to stand near him-
And proceeds to gag, averting her head and putting a hand over her mouth.]
[ she steps into view, and he is confused. she hadn't smelled like he thought she would, like he is used to, but then again, he never did ever catch her immediately after the rituals involved with her condition.
she speaks, and her breath gives her away, though the gagging gesture is also confirmation enough. humorous enough that he doesn't even blink at the irony of her words.
or maybe that just gives him more reason to smile. ]
nAH.
she speaks, and her breath gives her away, though the gagging gesture is also confirmation enough. humorous enough that he doesn't even blink at the irony of her words.
or maybe that just gives him more reason to smile. ]
nAH.
[She doesn't answer for a minute, busy suppressing her gag reflex with one hand while the other roots around in the black bio-bag at her hip, coming out with a small bag of pills.
The next minute is for popping two in her mouth and convincing her body to swallow them dry. Nausea suppressants.
She'd have to pay the price all over again if she threw it up too soon.]
Very funny.
[Is what she finally gets out, hand still hovering and ready to force herself to choke down anything that might threaten to come up. She reeks of ozone and barely fresh blood.]
What happened to you?
The next minute is for popping two in her mouth and convincing her body to swallow them dry. Nausea suppressants.
She'd have to pay the price all over again if she threw it up too soon.]
Very funny.
[Is what she finally gets out, hand still hovering and ready to force herself to choke down anything that might threaten to come up. She reeks of ozone and barely fresh blood.]
What happened to you?
[ it's only now that he takes the time to truly assess the damage. outwardly, he looks like he normally does after walking away from a fight. battered, bruised, cut up and bleeding in places that have barely begun to heal from the last time. a laceration alone his left leg has been bleeding profusely since he'd received it, but the color and material of his pants hide most of what dull noses cannot sense. he is standing, even if it's more like leaning, and there is a dry humor in his eyes and quirk of his mouth that seems to suggest all is well. all will be well.
inwardly, there is a clock counting down. the vials that dagger had given him — a drug unlike any celebre he'd ever had before — they had taken their toll, and his organs are slowly paying for them. he is no doctor, but he imagines each one slowly blackening and withering away, at least that's how it feels, though one would assume he's more than used to his body giving up on him by now. ]
i FeLl.
[ he falls down a lot. ]
inwardly, there is a clock counting down. the vials that dagger had given him — a drug unlike any celebre he'd ever had before — they had taken their toll, and his organs are slowly paying for them. he is no doctor, but he imagines each one slowly blackening and withering away, at least that's how it feels, though one would assume he's more than used to his body giving up on him by now. ]
i FeLl.
[ he falls down a lot. ]
[Hibari is gone, as far as Kino can tell—even if not, the kid wasn't paying him any mind (for now), too busy focusing on Nic. The traveler wasn't exactly medically-minded, but they tended to know when someone was too far gone. The way blood loss gave the skin a kind of deathly pallor, and there was something in the sound of his jagged breath that sounded... Kino's expression darkens. Fluid in the lungs, most likely.
He's dying.
He's dying. He's dying. He's dying, he's dying—
Kino actually functions surprisingly well under duress. They'd always had a level head, and Master had taught them well (though many might take issue with her methods). But this is different. This is—this is Nic, and Kino knows the nanites can help a lot but can they help this much? But—it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, because Kino is already reaching for their nanite gun in the things they keep in the pouch on their bag,] Nic, hold on, I'm... [even though they know he can't hear or understand and...
Instead they pull out something else. Something that they had, in a moment of panic, forgotten that they had up until this point. Something they kept along at all times. Just in case.
But what was that case? The question in Kino's eyes asks that: is it now? Will it help? Will it? He hadn't given them proper instructions—
The kid drops to their knees by Nic's head, popping the cap off of the pen and without second thought pressing the needle into the dying man's neck. He'd done the same for them, not too long ago.
It has to help. It has to.
Kino doesn't want him to leave.]
He's dying.
He's dying. He's dying. He's dying, he's dying—
Kino actually functions surprisingly well under duress. They'd always had a level head, and Master had taught them well (though many might take issue with her methods). But this is different. This is—this is Nic, and Kino knows the nanites can help a lot but can they help this much? But—it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, because Kino is already reaching for their nanite gun in the things they keep in the pouch on their bag,] Nic, hold on, I'm... [even though they know he can't hear or understand and...
Instead they pull out something else. Something that they had, in a moment of panic, forgotten that they had up until this point. Something they kept along at all times. Just in case.
But what was that case? The question in Kino's eyes asks that: is it now? Will it help? Will it? He hadn't given them proper instructions—
The kid drops to their knees by Nic's head, popping the cap off of the pen and without second thought pressing the needle into the dying man's neck. He'd done the same for them, not too long ago.
It has to help. It has to.
Kino doesn't want him to leave.]
[He's dead.
Kino remains seated by his head for a few minutes, hugging their knees so close to their chest they feel they might truly fall in on the emptiness that has begun to eat away there. A sort of void that froze the air in their lungs, made each heartbeat a staggered sort of staccato.
Finally, they reach for the blackglass in their pocket.]
TO: hinata.shouyou@cdc.org
FROM: kino@cdc.org
Please come quickly.
Nic is dead.
[I don't know what to do.]
Kino remains seated by his head for a few minutes, hugging their knees so close to their chest they feel they might truly fall in on the emptiness that has begun to eat away there. A sort of void that froze the air in their lungs, made each heartbeat a staggered sort of staccato.
Finally, they reach for the blackglass in their pocket.]
TO: hinata.shouyou@cdc.org
FROM: kino@cdc.org
Please come quickly.
Nic is dead.
[I don't know what to do.]
[the battle shortly over, the monster slain, the scourges mostly dead. not-so-silent aftermath, the crew a wounded dog hidden to lick its wounds and count its dead. when the text arrives, his first thought: how.]
[the second thought:]
FROM: hinata.shouyou@cdc.org
Don't joke like that Kino
[(she never joked.)]
[he's fast. he moves without believing his own disbelief, though as he draws nearer, he runs faster. the sight that greets Kino's solitary misery is a wide-eyed, shell-shocked looking teenaged boy, whole body (bruised but clean, exhausted but aware) pulling to an abrupt halt the moment he clears the underbrush enough to see.]
[it takes a while. he doesn't send any more texts before arriving.]
[the second thought:]
FROM: hinata.shouyou@cdc.org
Don't joke like that Kino
[(she never joked.)]
[he's fast. he moves without believing his own disbelief, though as he draws nearer, he runs faster. the sight that greets Kino's solitary misery is a wide-eyed, shell-shocked looking teenaged boy, whole body (bruised but clean, exhausted but aware) pulling to an abrupt halt the moment he clears the underbrush enough to see.]
[it takes a while. he doesn't send any more texts before arriving.]
[Kino wouldn't see the reply until later. They had dropped the blackglass back into their satchel after sending the messages, returning to stillness. Knees held close to their chest, chin resting on top. Staring at Nic but not really seeing him. They can feel the buzz of the reply, but they forget about it within a few moments.
Silence. Well, in a way. Kino's breathing. Wind between the branches of Machan trees. The sound of birdsong that Kino had never heard before. It was so strange how something that should be familiar only went further to remind how far away they were from anything Kino might recognize.
The birds—Nic had been watching them when he died. He'd almost... seemed happy.
"Once, a man told me that watching the birds fly made him want to go on a journey."
The same was true for Kino. How many times had Kino said that? They should understand, but they can't. Not right now.
It's not too much longer before the sound of a cadence of footsteps and quick breathing announce Hinata arriving. Kino doesn't look up to him. They don't need to to know who it is.
Kino doesn't speak for a while either. Not until it becomes a question who would speak first.]
Who else do we need to tell?
[Kino's voice sounds very far away.]
Silence. Well, in a way. Kino's breathing. Wind between the branches of Machan trees. The sound of birdsong that Kino had never heard before. It was so strange how something that should be familiar only went further to remind how far away they were from anything Kino might recognize.
The birds—Nic had been watching them when he died. He'd almost... seemed happy.
"Once, a man told me that watching the birds fly made him want to go on a journey."
The same was true for Kino. How many times had Kino said that? They should understand, but they can't. Not right now.
It's not too much longer before the sound of a cadence of footsteps and quick breathing announce Hinata arriving. Kino doesn't look up to him. They don't need to to know who it is.
Kino doesn't speak for a while either. Not until it becomes a question who would speak first.]
Who else do we need to tell?
[Kino's voice sounds very far away.]
What happened?
[he can't move. he doesn't.]
Why is he here? Why is he...?
[as if Kino hadn't spoken at all. brown eyes catch on the still form, bloodied and bruised. the birds overhead, the small body curled up next to it. he can't think. he doesn't move. it just doesn't make sense. so much blood. why wasn't any of it wrapped? why out here, away from camp? Kino had to know. there had to be a reason.]
[but why?]
[he can't move. he doesn't.]
Why is he here? Why is he...?
[as if Kino hadn't spoken at all. brown eyes catch on the still form, bloodied and bruised. the birds overhead, the small body curled up next to it. he can't think. he doesn't move. it just doesn't make sense. so much blood. why wasn't any of it wrapped? why out here, away from camp? Kino had to know. there had to be a reason.]
[but why?]
[Kino doesn't know. They really don't.
The kid takes a moment before replying, words issuing after one another one by one, oddly systematic and mechanical.] He was fighting with Hibari when I found him.
[Why? Kino lived with Hibari, and he was strange—thorny, somewhat confrontational—but why had he been fighting with Nic like that, especially when the man was wounded in such a way? Didn't he know? Why didn't he try to help? Get him to the medical rover? Something? They could heal practically anything here—
Why?
I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.]
Before that, I— [A break, a pause, something sticking in Kino's throat and they shake their head, turning their face away.
Part of this still feels like their fault.]
The kid takes a moment before replying, words issuing after one another one by one, oddly systematic and mechanical.] He was fighting with Hibari when I found him.
[Why? Kino lived with Hibari, and he was strange—thorny, somewhat confrontational—but why had he been fighting with Nic like that, especially when the man was wounded in such a way? Didn't he know? Why didn't he try to help? Get him to the medical rover? Something? They could heal practically anything here—
Why?
I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.]
Before that, I— [A break, a pause, something sticking in Kino's throat and they shake their head, turning their face away.
Part of this still feels like their fault.]
[That answer draws a suspicious raise of brow from Havoc, an expression as much as she can manage when she's dividing her mental faculties between this conversation and convincing her body it should let that shock of iron intake stay in her stomach.]
From what?
[She didn't think she saw any broken bones- though she knew he was strong enough to hide a good deal of potential pain... She couldn't reason out the reason to hide such now that the battle was over, and so couldn't see why anyone else would do something she seemed illogical. Contractor shortsight.]
From what?
[She didn't think she saw any broken bones- though she knew he was strong enough to hide a good deal of potential pain... She couldn't reason out the reason to hide such now that the battle was over, and so couldn't see why anyone else would do something she seemed illogical. Contractor shortsight.]
[wiih Hibari?]
[wounds this deep, blood flowing that far. no breathing. Hinata takes a small step forward, knees weak - but he remains standing, upward and upright, even though he can't look away from the body. just a body, a broken, bled, useless thing. if caught in the midst of a fight, he'd had the energy to move. if he'd had the energy to move, he could have lived. it doesn't make sense. he hated medical, he'd said he hated medical, but he could have lived.]
[with Hibari?]
[couldn't swallow, throat too dry.]
It's going to be okay. [slips out before he can catch it, slithers on like a trout through a stream.] I'll call Tess. She... They were friends.
[-- couldn't rely on her to know what to do, but Tess please come quick it's important a text sent with eyes that could barely hold steady on the blackglass. after, feeling far away as if watching from behind a screen (Kino looked so small. like after the Black Box),]
Where's Hibari?
[wounds this deep, blood flowing that far. no breathing. Hinata takes a small step forward, knees weak - but he remains standing, upward and upright, even though he can't look away from the body. just a body, a broken, bled, useless thing. if caught in the midst of a fight, he'd had the energy to move. if he'd had the energy to move, he could have lived. it doesn't make sense. he hated medical, he'd said he hated medical, but he could have lived.]
[with Hibari?]
[couldn't swallow, throat too dry.]
It's going to be okay. [slips out before he can catch it, slithers on like a trout through a stream.] I'll call Tess. She... They were friends.
[-- couldn't rely on her to know what to do, but Tess please come quick it's important a text sent with eyes that could barely hold steady on the blackglass. after, feeling far away as if watching from behind a screen (Kino looked so small. like after the Black Box),]
Where's Hibari?
[Kino doesn't know.
He lived in their rover. They spoke to him occasionally, though it always felt something like a chore. Kino usually erred on the side of politeness, though—a gesture here, an occasional question on how he was faring. Well wishes when one left to go on some sort of mission or other. And after all of this, after all that they had gone through today, withstanding tears in the sky and god-knows-what pouring from them to do them all harm, he had dueled with a dying man and only pushed him closer to the end. So close that Kino hadn't been able to pull him back.
Kino has witnessed a person go from a living, breathing, animate, conscious entity to an object before. They had caused such a transmogrification on many, many occasions—directly and indirectly. This one felt the most palpable, though. They had known Nic far longer than any other person they had seen die. They had... they had started to rely on him, in a way.
They can't look away from the wounds, the still chest.
Okay? That's the first thing that breaks Kino's gaze from Nic's body, looking to Hinata. Something new stabs at them. Guilt. He looked awful too, shock chasing the color from his face—pale, like a ghost. Kino should have tried to offer some consoling words, but—
Tess. Kino's eyes grow a shade darker. Right. Tess.
The kid's head bows again, and they reach forward to pick something off of the ground. A white pen, something written in English on it—the opened side bearing a needle. Kino puts the cap back on it. It was done. It hadn't worked. Kino still didn't even know what it was supposed to do. Apparently not enough.]
I don't know. He didn't say, and I didn't watch him leave.
[Kino keeps holding onto the pen.]
He lived in their rover. They spoke to him occasionally, though it always felt something like a chore. Kino usually erred on the side of politeness, though—a gesture here, an occasional question on how he was faring. Well wishes when one left to go on some sort of mission or other. And after all of this, after all that they had gone through today, withstanding tears in the sky and god-knows-what pouring from them to do them all harm, he had dueled with a dying man and only pushed him closer to the end. So close that Kino hadn't been able to pull him back.
Kino has witnessed a person go from a living, breathing, animate, conscious entity to an object before. They had caused such a transmogrification on many, many occasions—directly and indirectly. This one felt the most palpable, though. They had known Nic far longer than any other person they had seen die. They had... they had started to rely on him, in a way.
They can't look away from the wounds, the still chest.
Okay? That's the first thing that breaks Kino's gaze from Nic's body, looking to Hinata. Something new stabs at them. Guilt. He looked awful too, shock chasing the color from his face—pale, like a ghost. Kino should have tried to offer some consoling words, but—
Tess. Kino's eyes grow a shade darker. Right. Tess.
The kid's head bows again, and they reach forward to pick something off of the ground. A white pen, something written in English on it—the opened side bearing a needle. Kino puts the cap back on it. It was done. It hadn't worked. Kino still didn't even know what it was supposed to do. Apparently not enough.]
I don't know. He didn't say, and I didn't watch him leave.
[Kino keeps holding onto the pen.]
[blackglass in hand, screen a bright glow in the forest's light. patterns on the ground, patterns over the body. groves, gouges, gashes: like Parker's, only worse, still as stone and so much worse. probably cold to the touch (the neraki hadn't been, charred forms under ash and persecution). probably in rigor mortis. how did you tell a sleeping animal from a dead one? didn't need to look for breath. you looked, and you knew. that one's dead. this one's dead. Nic Brown is dead.]
[didn't matter that it wasn't right. it simply was.]
[hands over his head, fingers lacing awkward at his crown. felt like something should've jumped out but it didn't. felt apprehension, the restlessness begin, no outlet but another kid as distraught as him. they'd learned sign language together. they'd trick or treated, American style. that stupid monkey outfit. one foot fell in front of the other, mouth shut. paced a tight, one-two-three-four-turn, one-two-three-four-turn, to the side of the body, gaze catching red on the fifth count but otherwise looking ahead. didn't feel like much. felt like waiting. didn't know what for - Tess couldn't fix this. what was the next step? was there a next step? that meant Nic was dead.]
[Nic is dead.]
[where was Hibari?]
What's that? In your hand?
[too late to be natural, the silence having extended for solid minutes. at least it came at all. he didn't stop pacing.]
[didn't matter that it wasn't right. it simply was.]
[hands over his head, fingers lacing awkward at his crown. felt like something should've jumped out but it didn't. felt apprehension, the restlessness begin, no outlet but another kid as distraught as him. they'd learned sign language together. they'd trick or treated, American style. that stupid monkey outfit. one foot fell in front of the other, mouth shut. paced a tight, one-two-three-four-turn, one-two-three-four-turn, to the side of the body, gaze catching red on the fifth count but otherwise looking ahead. didn't feel like much. felt like waiting. didn't know what for - Tess couldn't fix this. what was the next step? was there a next step? that meant Nic was dead.]
[Nic is dead.]
[where was Hibari?]
What's that? In your hand?
[too late to be natural, the silence having extended for solid minutes. at least it came at all. he didn't stop pacing.]
Edited 2015-03-16 06:25 (UTC)
[He'd been strong. Kino had seen him go through a lot. When they had barely emerged from the jekhe forest, blood swimming with venom that made their head spin, hands shake, stomach churn—everything had been going wrong and they might've fallen unconscious (or worse) had Nic not showed up to help. Even as he did that, bleeding and facing the effects of the venom himself. And then he'd carried Kino on his back while wheeling Hermes along towards the shore to find others from their group.
Kino thinks of that as they watch Nic's still body. That, and the very hazy memories they have of when they were dreadfully ill aboard the Neheda—one of the few that had gotten only sicker with the first "cure," a small kid hidden in a corner of the infirmary who probably would've been one of the last to get the second cure had Nic not noticed and picked them up, gotten someone's attention.
They couldn't allow themself to rely on him anymore. He's gone. He's dead. He's never coming back.
Kino doesn't want to come back either.
For right now, in the face of it, Kino is still. They always are—slow to process, wheels turning gradually. Hinata might be restless, an object in motion staying in motion, but Kino was building up potential energy.
It would start to burn soon. Kino wanted to leave. It's how they grieved. Some might call it cowardly, cruel, unworthy of others, but it's their natural response. When something dug too deep, clawed too close, Kino turned and walked away. Found a new country to visit. Found new people to entertain briefly before moving on once more.
They couldn't do that here. Trapped. Trapped with memories that wouldn't disappear with time because they would be reminded of the empty space a person might've occupied had they not—
Kino turns the pen over in their hand.]
I'm... not sure. An injection. [There was a lot Kino didn't know or understand about Nic Brown, but it hadn't seemed to matter. Now...] He gave it to me a while ago. Said... I'd know when to use it.
[Kino's brow knits close together for a moment, then calm. Nothing.] It didn't help him.
Kino thinks of that as they watch Nic's still body. That, and the very hazy memories they have of when they were dreadfully ill aboard the Neheda—one of the few that had gotten only sicker with the first "cure," a small kid hidden in a corner of the infirmary who probably would've been one of the last to get the second cure had Nic not noticed and picked them up, gotten someone's attention.
They couldn't allow themself to rely on him anymore. He's gone. He's dead. He's never coming back.
Kino doesn't want to come back either.
For right now, in the face of it, Kino is still. They always are—slow to process, wheels turning gradually. Hinata might be restless, an object in motion staying in motion, but Kino was building up potential energy.
It would start to burn soon. Kino wanted to leave. It's how they grieved. Some might call it cowardly, cruel, unworthy of others, but it's their natural response. When something dug too deep, clawed too close, Kino turned and walked away. Found a new country to visit. Found new people to entertain briefly before moving on once more.
They couldn't do that here. Trapped. Trapped with memories that wouldn't disappear with time because they would be reminded of the empty space a person might've occupied had they not—
Kino turns the pen over in their hand.]
I'm... not sure. An injection. [There was a lot Kino didn't know or understand about Nic Brown, but it hadn't seemed to matter. Now...] He gave it to me a while ago. Said... I'd know when to use it.
[Kino's brow knits close together for a moment, then calm. Nothing.] It didn't help him.
[The last thing she wants is a cryptic text message. Not another, even if Niko's hadn't been half so cryptic as it had been blunt. But it's not one she's likely to ignore, even if she might want to in one way or another.
She doesn't run. He'd had time to text over call. Stil, she moves with purpose, quick businesslike steps that tell more emotion then the rest of her put together. Sets the cuff to tracking for the second time that day, and follows it's directions to somewhere secluded and quiet and familiar for it.
She doesn't stop when she sees Hinata- alive. An anxious line, arms set tense. But she does when she gets close enough to see Kino, small body tucked up on the ground and-
Footsteps stop all at once, hands covered in dirt and blood at her side, far enough she can't see what they're hovering over. Just a body.
But of course she can. She's not blind, even if her eyes would never be as sharp as his. All familiar and she knew if he was alive this isn't how these kids would look.]
Fuck. [Her voice doesn't crack or break. Practically spat out and too loud in the quiet place of Macha after a battle. Frank in some way.]
She doesn't run. He'd had time to text over call. Stil, she moves with purpose, quick businesslike steps that tell more emotion then the rest of her put together. Sets the cuff to tracking for the second time that day, and follows it's directions to somewhere secluded and quiet and familiar for it.
She doesn't stop when she sees Hinata- alive. An anxious line, arms set tense. But she does when she gets close enough to see Kino, small body tucked up on the ground and-
Footsteps stop all at once, hands covered in dirt and blood at her side, far enough she can't see what they're hovering over. Just a body.
But of course she can. She's not blind, even if her eyes would never be as sharp as his. All familiar and she knew if he was alive this isn't how these kids would look.]
Fuck. [Her voice doesn't crack or break. Practically spat out and too loud in the quiet place of Macha after a battle. Frank in some way.]
Edited 2015-03-16 14:01 (UTC)
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