[ You arrive at the railway station, worried to death about what you're doing. You'd already gone through a lot to maintain possession of her phone, and now you had to present your findings to him. In your mind, a hundred horrible scenarios play out, leading to Kakyoin Noriaki, the man you've followed for the last year, falling into despair.
But that wouldn't happen, right? As such, this was just... normal anxiety. You just had to tell him what you found. ]
Sorry, I had a few things happen and I wasn't sure what to do about it. I figured I should probably talk to you first.
[ There's clear concern on his face, but he remains calm for the time being. ]
"It's okay, Asakura. I'm right here, so try to relax and just tell me."
[ He has no idea.
The first thing you do is tell him about the encounter you had with another magi. One you and the rest of the other magi had been searching for, waiting for to help you out. She'd already helped you out earlier in the day, with a group of shadowy monsters gathering around you and you, too weak to do anything about it.
Saved again, by a stranger.
You presented what she had told you, and with a final bit of info, he responds with a polite smile. ]
"That's fantastic, Asakura, thank you so much. See, I told you what you were doing was vital."
[ It was what you had hoped to hear, only in better circumstances. You had to help in some way, you couldn't let Kakyoin down, not again. Even though... you know that what comes next was the true test. He asks about the bad news, and you hesitate. It takes a moment, but you finally start talking. ]
Kakyoin-kun-- [ You hesitate again, but try to will yourself through it. You were strong before, you can't stop now. ]
...I found one other thing. I found it near the apartments in Minami-ku. I didn't look too much into it, but... you need to have it. I'm positive about that.
[ His facial expression changed, and he looked as if he were bracing for the worst. He was listening... and your heart pounds out of your chest. You breathe in deeply before you reach into your pocket-- pulling out a phone with a blue panda phone charm dangling off of it. You stare, as if you're reconfirming that it's real and in your grasp, and you hold it out.
Without skipping a beat, he remarks. ]
"That's Sachiko's phone."
[ In a complete statement. While he was forcing himself to sound calm, his gloved hand quivered slightly to take it. ]
"Where did you find Sachiko's phone, Asakura."
[ ...When did he start calling her 'Sachiko'? No, that wasn't important. What was important that he figured it out right away, and you explained everything that led up to that point. Finding the phone near the apartments, getting a phone call that for all rights and purposes, should have been impossible. The person on the other phone was long dead. A thought permeated between the two of you, that this was from the previous year-- when the group of magi had planned to meet you and everyone else in Nyoi-cho, and two wound up dead. The other two... dying the month previous.
You express your belief in Sachiko, and Kakyoin expresses himself, believing your story. He tries to convince himself that she might just be in hiding, trying not to befall the same fate as the others, and you can tell... that he's not doing a good job of it. He had to believe that, that she's hiding from Yamashita.
...Yamashita. That man said that you sounded just like her, when the idea of presenting Kakyoin with the phone came up. You have to set the record straight-- ]
...I just want to know one thing, Kakyoin-kun. I want to know that we can count on you to help us get through this. Whatever comes out of this city, I want to know you'll stil bet here, standing with us.
[ You can see the range of emotions he makes before he takes a slow breath. Would he be angry? This wasn't anything he wanted in the first place. You and the rest of the magi had forced this onto his shoulders. Yet as he removed his glasses to focus on you, you feel your heart beat grow quicker, as if he's going to say something cutting. ]
"[ She ] will never get the Witch that she wants from me. No matter how this ends, that will not change. " [ After recalling his own journey, and how if things fell apart, he'd have others to fall back on for assistance. You included. ] "...I've already lost everything a few times over. I can put myself back together again from one or two more."
[ You want to feel relieved at his determination, but instead you feel shame. Why had you doubted him in the first place? Because someone wanted to make you feel bad about this? To make you think he was that unstable? Worst of all: why would you doubt him, when he believed in you so much? After all, you always ran when things got tough, that you would never be able to stand beside him. Yet, here you were. ]
That's what I wanted to hear. Thank you. [ You look relieved, but you still speak. ] There's a lot that still needs to be done... but we can do this. I know we can. Some of us... just have a lot of growing up to do.
[ Though there was a melancholy feeling in the air, Kakyoin remains resolute. ]
"We've done better with less information, and screwed up with more than we have now. I'll take 'might not completely fail' as far as chances go." [ A brief pause... ] "...I'm going to need you with me, Asakura. For as long as you're able to be."
[ There are always going to be certain things holding you back from truly thinking, you can be a magi. But, that feeling of being needed persisted... and so, you needed to as well. If you couldn't be there for your best friend, you had to be there for Taiga, for Kakyoin, and for any of the other magi that needed you. ]
I'll be here. No matter what, I promise. I'm on your side.
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story 4
But that wouldn't happen, right? As such, this was just... normal anxiety. You just had to tell him what you found. ]
Sorry, I had a few things happen and I wasn't sure what to do about it. I figured I should probably talk to you first.
[ There's clear concern on his face, but he remains calm for the time being. ]
"It's okay, Asakura. I'm right here, so try to relax and just tell me."
[ He has no idea.
The first thing you do is tell him about the encounter you had with another magi. One you and the rest of the other magi had been searching for, waiting for to help you out. She'd already helped you out earlier in the day, with a group of shadowy monsters gathering around you and you, too weak to do anything about it.
Saved again, by a stranger.
You presented what she had told you, and with a final bit of info, he responds with a polite smile. ]
"That's fantastic, Asakura, thank you so much. See, I told you what you were doing was vital."
[ It was what you had hoped to hear, only in better circumstances. You had to help in some way, you couldn't let Kakyoin down, not again. Even though... you know that what comes next was the true test. He asks about the bad news, and you hesitate. It takes a moment, but you finally start talking. ]
Kakyoin-kun-- [ You hesitate again, but try to will yourself through it. You were strong before, you can't stop now. ]
...I found one other thing. I found it near the apartments in Minami-ku. I didn't look too much into it, but... you need to have it. I'm positive about that.
[ His facial expression changed, and he looked as if he were bracing for the worst. He was listening... and your heart pounds out of your chest. You breathe in deeply before you reach into your pocket-- pulling out a phone with a blue panda phone charm dangling off of it. You stare, as if you're reconfirming that it's real and in your grasp, and you hold it out.
Without skipping a beat, he remarks. ]
"That's Sachiko's phone."
[ In a complete statement. While he was forcing himself to sound calm, his gloved hand quivered slightly to take it. ]
"Where did you find Sachiko's phone, Asakura."
[ ...When did he start calling her 'Sachiko'? No, that wasn't important. What was important that he figured it out right away, and you explained everything that led up to that point. Finding the phone near the apartments, getting a phone call that for all rights and purposes, should have been impossible. The person on the other phone was long dead. A thought permeated between the two of you, that this was from the previous year-- when the group of magi had planned to meet you and everyone else in Nyoi-cho, and two wound up dead. The other two... dying the month previous.
You express your belief in Sachiko, and Kakyoin expresses himself, believing your story. He tries to convince himself that she might just be in hiding, trying not to befall the same fate as the others, and you can tell... that he's not doing a good job of it. He had to believe that, that she's hiding from Yamashita.
...Yamashita. That man said that you sounded just like her, when the idea of presenting Kakyoin with the phone came up. You have to set the record straight-- ]
...I just want to know one thing, Kakyoin-kun. I want to know that we can count on you to help us get through this. Whatever comes out of this city, I want to know you'll stil bet here, standing with us.
[ You can see the range of emotions he makes before he takes a slow breath. Would he be angry? This wasn't anything he wanted in the first place. You and the rest of the magi had forced this onto his shoulders. Yet as he removed his glasses to focus on you, you feel your heart beat grow quicker, as if he's going to say something cutting. ]
"[ She ] will never get the Witch that she wants from me. No matter how this ends, that will not change. " [ After recalling his own journey, and how if things fell apart, he'd have others to fall back on for assistance. You included. ] "...I've already lost everything a few times over. I can put myself back together again from one or two more."
[ You want to feel relieved at his determination, but instead you feel shame. Why had you doubted him in the first place? Because someone wanted to make you feel bad about this? To make you think he was that unstable? Worst of all: why would you doubt him, when he believed in you so much? After all, you always ran when things got tough, that you would never be able to stand beside him. Yet, here you were. ]
That's what I wanted to hear. Thank you. [ You look relieved, but you still speak. ] There's a lot that still needs to be done... but we can do this. I know we can. Some of us... just have a lot of growing up to do.
[ Though there was a melancholy feeling in the air, Kakyoin remains resolute. ]
"We've done better with less information, and screwed up with more than we have now. I'll take 'might not completely fail' as far as chances go." [ A brief pause... ] "...I'm going to need you with me, Asakura. For as long as you're able to be."
[ There are always going to be certain things holding you back from truly thinking, you can be a magi. But, that feeling of being needed persisted... and so, you needed to as well. If you couldn't be there for your best friend, you had to be there for Taiga, for Kakyoin, and for any of the other magi that needed you. ]
I'll be here. No matter what, I promise. I'm on your side.