[15strangers] [Private Conversation] [Week 1, Day 1] [Minato]

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb leads the other back towards his room, opening the door for him and ushering him inside. Hopefully no one else saw that, or they might be suspicious. He lets out a long breath.]

... I suppose we should clear some things up...

Comments

[biddentodance]

[He didn't hesitate to agree to talk privately. He still mostly trusts Caleb. Mostly.]

Guess this means you remember the Vespertine as well as I do.

[katzenpfote]

Ja, ja. Of course I do, though I have already told someone I do not. I do not intend to make myself known as a killer... but I wanted to clear up whatever questions you might have and... also ask that you do not spread around what I did. If anything really did happen, since we are here and you are alive.

[biddentodance]

[So Caleb has already lied to someone. And wants Minato to keep the secret. Well... Minato is good enough at that. He's not really sure why Caleb isn't just lying to him, too, but he's glad he isn't.

Questions, huh... He stares at the floor silently for a long moment. The trial and execution aren't weighing on him, but something else is.]

Why? What was so important that you- had to-- ["kill someone"... He should be able to say it. But he can't.]

[katzenpfote]

[Of course he'd ask that. Of course. Stupid, to think that this boy wouldn't ask that.]

[He's silent for a long moment, and then sighs, scratching at his arms.]

There is a man in my world... who deserves to die. Who needs to be removed - ideally with his whole group, but I will take him for a start. He... it is difficult to explain without all of the politics, but part of what he has done is take young people - no more than your age - and brainwashed them. He has turned them into assassins for the Empire, trained to burn and destroy whatever even slightly smells of treason. And he has given them false memories of their loved ones being traitors, sending them to destroy those people as a final test. He is a wicked man, he is -

[He suddenly goes pale, feeling around his coat and near his neck, checking his pockets.]

No. No, it can't be gone - no!

[biddentodance]

[In that moment of silence, Minato's expression shifts. Regret. Apology. A little bit of shame. He opens his mouth, about to say that Caleb doesn't have to answer, doesn't have to tell him anything.

But then he's answering. And it's worse than Minato could have imagined. Much worse. Parts of it make him think of Strega. And, uncomfortably, he is a tiny bit reminded of SEES. He can't respond for a long while after that... What can he say to that? He's deep in thought by the time Caleb starts searching desperately for something, and it startles him a little.]

What- what is it? What's missing?

[katzenpfote]

M... my amulet. It prevents him from scrying or detecting me. I... I took it from one of his men guarding the asylum... he could find me now... I’m sure he’s looking for me...

[Why did he not think of this earlier? He looks down at his hands - they’re trembling. His entire body is shaking. His vision starts to go faint, and he blinks, just barely focusing again.]

[biddentodance]

[Minato isn't unintelligent. And this is making quite the story.] ....Said you were missing about eleven years....

[He doesn't know how to help/ Caleb is panicking, and Minato doesn't know how to help... He raises a hand, but doesn't reach to touch.]

Widogast-san-- Widogast-san, breathe. Don't....know for sure, but I don't think we're somewhere he can reach. Not easily.

[katzenpfote]

[He takes a deep breath, and then another. Maybe that's true. They do seem to be on another plane or... something. Scrying doesn't work across planes, does it? He's pretty sure it doesn't. Maybe it does. He doesn't know. He doesn't know. He should know this.]

[He slumps against the wall, pushing his hair back before scratching more violently at his covered arms.]

M... maybe. Ja. Maybe you're right. I... in any case... if he got his hands on anyone here... there's not much he wouldn't do if he wanted to. He is... cruel. Efficient. And not fond of f... failure. Or those who have failed. Especially those who he has... shown some secrets to. Who know of things that are supposed to be only whispered myths.

[biddentodance]

[His voice is steady. Firm. Failure or not, Minato is still a leader. And he knows how to be a rock in a storm.]

Know this isn't a normal train. Found something - implied the train is flying. Not something we can do in Japan, and Japan's known for its trains. Going to be okay, Widogast-san. ....Won't let him hurt you.

[Because that's what happened, isn't it? That seems to be the case. That's where those missing years went, lost to the brainwashing?]

What does the amulet look like? Will try to find it.

[katzenpfote]

It is... I could draw it for you. There is a sigil on it. and beads interspersed with beads that have rings around them.

... A flying train is... ah. Interesting. This contraption is quite advanced for where I am from. ... But if he wants to hurt you, or me, or anyone here... we cannot stop him.

[biddentodance]

[He nods.] Will find paper. Alright? We'll find it.

...It's...strange. Everything looks like...around a hundred years ago, maybe a little more. And from halfway around the world from Japan. So...if this is advanced, for you, then...

[Time. Time's been a mess. He's relatively certain they're beyond this person's reach...]

Stronger than I look, Widogast-san. [Not that he's in any condition to fight, considering all he's got right now is boxing.] And I don't care if I get hurt.

[katzenpfote]

It is 835 Post-Divergence. I do not know what Japan is.

... You do not deserve to get hurt for my sake. You have already been hurt enough by me.

[biddentodance]

...2009, "After Death" or Common Era, whichever. [Pretty huge year difference.] Japan's a country. Volcanic islands.

[...Ah. There it is. The mention of what he deserves again.] ...Don't know my past, Widogast-san. Should've died a long time ago.

[katzenpfote]

I've seen some islands... one with a volcano before.

... Well, I assume the Raven Queen might want to come after you for still being around... but the fact still remains. No one here deserves being hurt by that man.

[Maybe him. Maybe not. He's not sure.]

Not a man who forces children to kill.

[biddentodance]

Have lived all over the country, so..... Southern parts are warm. Not quite tropical. But the northernmost island is cold and snowy.

[Maybe talking a bit about Japan, giving the man something else to think about, will help. The mention of a "Raven Queen" makes him think of Nyx... Caleb is still talking like Minato hasn't lost all right to a bright future. Or any future.]

Least of all you. Were one of them, right? The kids he did this to.

[katzenpfote]

... I was. The only one of my group who broke. I don't know how many groups he did this to. He needs to be stopped. He made us kill our family, our parents, and think it was the right thing to do with fake memories of treason.

[biddentodance]

Will do everything I can to help you get your amulet and get back. I promise. Deserve better than this, Widogast-san.

[katzenpfote]

... No. I don't. But you do.

[biddentodance]

[He shakes his head slowly, expression a little bit pained.]

You do. Were used like- like a weapon. Things he made you do are his fault, not yours...

You're not a bad person.

[But Minato does deserve this, after everything. The focus is on Caleb, though. No one cares to know a failure's mistakes anyway.]

[katzenpfote]

... I was. But it is still my responsibility to correct. Not yours.

This is...

[He sighs deeply.]

Perhaps a bit too much to ask someone I do not truly know, but... you do not seem to think you deserve better? Or am I reading this wrong?

[biddentodance]

[Called out.... He looks away.]

Doesn't matter what I think.

[katzenpfote]

... I am not the one who is best at this... ah...

Why not?

[biddentodance]

[It's hard to talk about. Not something he does talk about. But Caleb's voice reminds him of Akihiko, and it's.... It's uncomfortable, having to put this into words. Having to think about this.]

Not the kind of person people care about. I don't matter.

[The way he says it, so matter-of-fact, like that's not even a bad thing. He's accepted this. Fully. He, as a person, is entirely unimportant.]

[katzenpfote]

... As a certified piece of shit type of person I can tell that’s not true.

[biddentodance]

It is. [His reply is quiet, calm. This is a matter of how the world works. As absolute as death.]

And you're not.