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. . .

[ Mizuki doesn't really know what to expect when she pokes at her charm. She jumps, and if it hadn't been attached to her wrist, she would have dropped it entirely. The combination of the loud static and the familiar voice that's desperately trying to come through is enough, and as she struggles to read the words that are running concurrent to the recording, she feels frozen.

Fear? No, it couldn't be. Mizuki isn't scared of anything, least of all this idea of suddenly having to face the consequences of her actions. She answers, half expecting the static to swallow up her own voice too. ]

I always knew. I knew it couldn't be that easy.

[ Fucking cockroach. Her voice shakes like she's about to cry. She is loathe to admit she feels relief, because maybe that means she didn't kill him after all; but it is laced with that very same guilt and regret that has been nagging at her, because she knows that she did. ]

Where have you been hiding?

[Saito can't help but scoff at the emotion that freely seeps into her voice. Her own words imply her relief is not due to the fact she didn't get rid of him, but because him not being dead by her hands means she's clear her of her crime. She thinks her morals make her so much better than him, but she's just a selfish brat.

The temptation to ignore her is there, but the question that follows next dissolves this whim. For the past several weeks, he's been limiting his trips outside, staying in his inn room whenever he's assaulted by all kinds of bizarre mental instabilities he's sure aren't originally his brain's doing. All this time, thinking of a way to make her life miserable in return for the favor.

For taking his only source of happiness away from him.]

Who knows?̷̸ M̶a̵y̴b̶e̷ ̸I̷'̶v̴e̵ ̷b̶e̴e̶n̷ ̷t̶h̷e̷ ̷monster h̴i̷d̸i̴n̷g̸ ̴u̷n̵d̴e̶r̷ ̶y̵o̸u̶r̵ ̴b̶e̶d̸.̷

[ From the way she glances sideways in thought without even an eyeroll, it appears that she may have been taking him at his word. She quickly realizes how ridiculous that would be, however, giving an unseen shake of her head. She also shakes her wrist carrying the charm, like shaking a cell phone with bad signal. ]

What's wrong with your charm?

[ ...... But is that the question she really wants to ask? ]

Where are you?

[Is that concern he hears in the second question? It's so hypocritical of her it's almost funny.]

Who knows. Maybe y̵o̵u̶ ̷b̵r̶o̵k̵e̸ ̴i̴t̷ ̸ when you s̴t̷a̷b̶b̶e̸d̶ ̵m̶e̷ ̴t̷o̶ ̶d̶e̶a̷t̸h̶.

[And whether his brain is willing to reward him for killing or not, he's convinced he should return the favor. Kill her as many times as necessary until she loses her super strength. An eye for an eye.]

In o̴u̶r̶ room. Have you finally decided to c̷o̶m̶e̸ ̵b̴a̵c̴k̵ ̶h̴o̶m̴e̸?

[ She hates the way she winces at his words, hates that she can't tell him he's wrong. Hates that she hates him and knows his true nature, watched him commit atrocities and yet is still plagued with this guilt. All because her actions went against everything she'd worked to become.

The inner conflict is so much that she nearly rips the charm right off her wrist, with the overwhelming urge to stop on it until it's nothing more than rubble; but somehow, she holds back. ]

An inn isn't a home. I don't have a home. [ Not here. Sorry, Vi. ]

[Truth be told, Saito doesn't think any fondly of this shared space they were given as a temporary home, either. But until this current journey is over, he can adapt to the situation just fine. Unlike a certain someone hung up on semantics.]

That's because Mewzuki keeps running a̸w̶a̴y̸ ̷f̶r̶o̴m̷ ̸h̵o̵m̷e̵ like the stray kitten she is.

[His effort to sound cutesy might even evoke some memories in her. But that's not the point now, what he wants to know is:]

Are you coming over to see m̵e̴w̷?

[He's well aware it won't take long for her to reach the room, if she decides against her better judgement. Better be prepared for the opportunity.]

[ He enjoys making this so very, very hard. Without caring whether he could or couldn't see it, Mizuki rolls her eyes. ]

You know, I was. If only so I wouldn't have to keep listening to that stupid static, but you're making me reconsider.

[ She buries that part of her that actually wants to see him still alive. At this point, she won't be surprised if it's some kind of trick, but stranger things have happened here. The image of Tokiko, alive and well and decidedly not cut in two, putting in an offering to Those Who Were There, lives rent free in her mind. ]

[The cutesy talk comes to a sudden halt, spurred by her reconsideration of paying him a visit rather than by the eye roll that seeps into her voice.]

Aren't you c̷u̶r̷i̸o̸u̸s̷, though?

[First and foremost, as to how he is still alive—]

"Ẅ̴͚h̸̢͠a̷̤̚t̴͕̿ is going on here? There's ṉ̴͋ỏ̷͇ ̷̻̂w̸͓̋a̷͈͑y̴̲͝ ̵̞̈t̶̖͌h̷̨͆i̴̖͋ṡ̵̰ ̵̦̆b̶̞̂a̷̭͋s̴̤͂t̵̳̆a̶̦͊r̵͇̎d̴͉̿ is still alive, I m̵a̶d̷e̸ ̸s̴u̸r̸e̶ of it!" That's what you're thinking, isn't it? Just so you know, I lost my physical body when y̷o̷u̴ ̸k̷i̷l̴l̸e̸d̴ ̷m̴e̷, but my spirit can somehow communicate through this device. Just not without... i̸n̵t̴e̴r̷f̴e̸r̷e̴n̸c̴e̵s̸, as you've noticed.

[Saito imagines she will suspect it's a blatant lie, even if her current owner hasn't spoken to her about their encounter in the woods. But at this point, all he wants is to keep her from deviating from her original intention. As to why his device is glitching is also unknown to him, but given the timing and the deceiving nature of this place, it wouldn't be weird if it's somehow related to his own mind glitching.]

Aaand now you're trying to convince me you're a ghost.

[ Well, okay. That tracks, but it's not like he's wrong. She does kind of want to know what kind of zombie abomination he's become. Guilt eats at her, but not necessarily so much that she'll risk seeing him in some random room out of literally hundreds in the inn.

A sigh can be heard, and she continues, since it was an idle thought she doesn't expect a response to. ]

Fine. I'll see you, but not there.

[ Pick somewhere else. ]

[The lie still got her back on the right track, so it's a win for him. But as for that new condition she's imposing...

With how fickle(r) and (even more) unstable his mind has been, especially today, leaving the room might not be such a good idea. The outburst of messages alone is enough proof of that; even though it did bring a desirable result.]

Why not? Even if you think you ḍ̵͌ȍ̶̬n̶̨͝'̵̥̍t̵̛̮ have a home, it doesn't change the fact this used to be y̸͙̕ȯ̴̻ŭ̶ͅr̴̜̊ ̵͚̇h̴͎͆o̸̻̐m̵̭̊ĕ̵̟ for a while. You m̵̨͛ą̸̊d̷͉̐e̷͈̽ ̶̹̿m̶͓̎e̴̦̓m̸̥̀ò̶̥r̵̢͝ḯ̶͓e̷̗͝s̸̜̐ here.

[ Good idea or not, she doesn't think being in the same room in private would be much better. Someone like Vi would make things worse, and she doesn't want to involve anyone else in the first place. She can be heard clicking her tongue. ]

Fake ones don't count. And it's not that deep, dude. [ Does she really have to explain??? ]

...Can you just pick somewhere?

[And he responds to the click of her tongue with a feigned sigh of exasperation. But well, she hasn't retracted yet, that's what matters. He can improvise.]

Fine. Then how about that flower shop near the alley where w̶e̷ ̴m̸e̴t̴ ̴t̵h̸e̸ ̷o̴t̶h̶e̶r̴ time? If you're in the mood to pay a little visit to your feline friend y̸o̸u̵ ̵b̸u̷r̵i̵e̶d̶ ̷t̷h̴e̸r̸e̸ with your own hands. And maybe d̷i̵g̵ ̷m̴e̵ ̷a̶ ̸g̸r̶a̵v̸e̵ right next to theirs, and get some f̵l̸o̶w̷e̴r̴s̴ for both of us while you're at it.

[ She buried them with her own hands, but at least she didn't kill them. Immediately she's disinclined to agree, either because of the unpleasantness of the memory, or because it's him. In her attempt to react as little as possible, a low groan under her breath can still be heard after a long pause.

This isn't going to work. He's being so dramatic right now, but he kind of deserves it. ]

...The beach.

[ She meant it as a question. An alternative suggestion. It doesn't come out that way. ]

.̶̫̂.̴͎̃.̷̘̾ ̶̼̋.̸̕͜.̸̧̊.̶̳͝

[There's a short sequence of seconds spent in silence on his end, only interrupted by background noises. A muffled thud of the device landing on a soft surface; followed a short moment later by the soft creaking of the bed as he plops himself next to the object.

The maps given for free around the city aren't very detailed, are they...? But if they're to be trusted, this beach she just suggested doesn't seem to be that far away from town... even on foot.]

... All right. A̷n̷y̴w̶h̷e̵r̵e̶ ̴i̵s̴ ̷f̶i̸n̶e̴ so long as it's within walking distance from the inn. I'm not some m̴o̵n̶s̴t̶e̵r̴ with super speed, unlike a c̶e̷r̶t̸a̶i̸n̵ ̴s̵o̴m̷e̶o̵n̶e̴.

[Not quite the classic the pot calling the kettle black, since they're both monsters in different senses. But it's close to that.]

[ It's definitely close enough to that.

Mizuki doesn't deny it, doesn't say anything and just lets him have it. She lingers, and for a moment, she thinks about hanging up right then and there, but she doesn't. Mainly because... Well. ]

I'll be there in half an hour.

[ She'll wrap up some things at the farm first.

This is a terrible idea.

......She hangs up. ]

[How kind of her to give him a head start. Hadn't she hung up already, Saito would be probably voicing out that thought now.

Thirty minutes should even be enough for him to get there before she does; but lying in wait for an ambush in a wide open place like the beach only lowers his chances of catching her off guard, considering she already has every reason to keep her guard up around him, especially now. She's not the brightest brat out there, but she likely knows a grudge can push him to even more extreme extents.

In fact, the prospect of getting back at her without needing to hold back even lifts his sour mood somewhat, awakening memories of the thrill that would often precede the explosion of raw glee when he took a human life. There is a distant buzz in some nook of his mind in response to that memory, accompanied by a stinging sensation that seems to stem from within his head. He pushes the thought and memory aside for now, to avoid the pesky interventions. Just another side-effect of death in this realm.

Thirty minutes is more than enough time for him to get out of bed, grab the Evolver and his knife, and get ready to leave the room. Then make his way towards the appointed place, and loiter around a couple of minutes in some corner of the town to pass time before heading to "meet" the cyan haired girl.

This is shaping up to be a wonderful idea so far.]

[ Unfortunately for Saito, Mizuki still manages to get there before him. How long before is not immediately obvious. She'd been anxious, and probably cut the farm work she'd planned to do short. (Sorry, Astralin.)

At first, she scans the shoreline, but there's not much aside from a couple stray dogs that promptly run off when they see her. The constant, melodic waves coming in and out of shore are a comfort, and eventually, she's taken off her boots to walk barefoot, squishing the sand beneath her toes. She wanders close enough to wet her feet, but after she starts to feel the cold travel through her bones from the water, she pulls back onto the dry sand.

Her hold on the boots loosen, and they land with a gentle plop, wobbling before they steady.

Now what? She turns to scan the direction she came from, but all she's met with are her own footprints. When she doesn't see Saito, she thinks about making herself comfortable in the sand.

Unexpectedly, she hears his voice. It's not too late to turn back, you know, he says. But you don't run, do you?

Her hair stands on the back of neck, but it's not him. That voice is too genuine, too annoyingly soft. And she's learned to ignore it after all the time, because nothing's ever come of it. She knows Date isn't magically going to show up, and probably never would. Lucky bastard. ]

[Just as Saito imagined, once the shoreline comes into view, Miewzuki is already there. Guard down, facing the sea — the opposite direction of the (alternative) route he's coming from. She's not only kind for giving him a head start (that he intentionally wasted), she's also naive for assuming he wouldn't try to ambush her.

If he comes too close, she's bound to hear his movements against the tranquility of the waves. Using their distance as auditory cover, he cocks the Evolver and takes aim. Even with one single eye at this distance, if he aims for a body shot, he's confident he won't miss. And if he misses any vital organs, he can finish her off with a second or third shot. Preferably, to her head.

The passing thought of seeing her brain burst like fireworks is thrilling, but controversially creates a sense of vertigo in the split moment his finger is pulling the trigger.

Instead of his voice, the first sound that will reach Mizuki's ears is the strident gunshot piercing through the quiet serenity.]

[ It happens in an instant. The waves are loud, but not loud of enough to disguise the sounds of a gunshot. Mizuki straightens her back, alert as she jumps out of her skin, and without even realizing it, she's swing her pipe in a hard arc as she turns around with terrifying speed. Her eyes are wide and her heart is beating fast when the pipe meets the bullet with a loud ricochet, sounding with a loud metallic clash as it flies harmlessly (mostly?) into the sea.

Holy shit. Was she just lucky, or did her training and her instincts actually kick in at just the right time? She didn't have Aiba to tell her that. ]

Hey—!

[ Ugh. She doesn't even think too much about it. It'll be totally embarassing if it turned out to be someone like Jinx! But she'll growl under her breath anyway, ignoring the slight shaking in her limbs. ]

You missed. [ In a slight raised voice and against the sea breeze, she's clearly looking for him. She almost sounds disappointed, but a part of her also seems... exasperated. ] Come on. You're the one who wanted to meet, so stop being so predictable.

[He missed the shot, but certainly did not miss her attitude (pun intended). Taking advantage of the fact he hasn't been spotted yet, Saito takes aim at her form again—

But since when did she begin swirling without even moving from that same spot where she's still standing? And not only her, the carpet of sand beneath her, and the waves breaking on the shore... everything is moving erratically. He feels his balance swaying along, but only tightens his hold on the gun's grip. With an annoyed click of his tongue, he tries to renew his focus: the one responsible for putting him in this current state is right there, merely a couple of steps away! He wants — needs — fill that (supposedly) still body with bullet holes, to make her go through the same torment and satiate his anger!

But that thought only fuels the distortions further, as though some kind of firewall was installed in his mind to block or corrupt attempts to access the functions of his brain that once brought him gratification.]

[This is clearly not going to work in his favor. Not from this distance, at least. Upon this realization, he fires a second time. This time, the bullet is directed to (and disappears into) the nothingness of the sky above them.

If the loud noise alone isn't enough to draw her attention to his direction—]

Aah. Looks like I missed again. How predictable was that, now?

. . .

[ She does flinch at the second shot, covering her ears, but she doesn't jump this time. She'll wait it out, then when it feels like the smoke has cleared, she opens her eyes and uncover her ears just in time to hear his voice. She looks up, but... there's no sign of the bullet.

Great.

She looks at Saito, but she won't answer the question. ]

Are you done? [ On second thought: ] ...Go on, waste the rest. I'll wait.

[And much to Saito's chagrin, she doesn't take the freaking hint. Wonderful. With everything spinning around him, there is no point in even trying to shoot her. He could shoot himself and pray that next time he wakes up from certain death, it won't be with a glitched brain.

But even if it's an amusing solution, it's not a very practical one.

He takes a tentative step forwards, lowering the Evolver, so its muzzle is now facing the ground and not pointed at Mizuki's direction. But the unnatural tipsiness is still there; as though he was intoxicated by his exaggerated thirst for spilling blood — the same way alcohol should be consumed in moderation, or else it can leave one's balance shattered for a good while.

He leans against the nearest object he can use for support: a large wooden bench facing the sea.]

Won't you come over here? [He gives a very slow and slight nod of his head towards the object his free hand is too busy gripping onto like it's the only thing saving him from collapsing.] We should sit down to talk.

[ It would have been an extremely traumatizing solution for Mizuki, however. But since Saito wouldn't have been around to see the effects, the amusement in it is rather rendered moot.

Either way, Mizuki isn't thinking about that, even as he makes his appearance. It appears as though his entire weight or close to it is on this bench, and she has to remind himself that this man just tried to kill her. Twice. It's so annoying... Between this and her lingering guilt, how is she supposed to stay mad at him? ]

......

[ She aches to say something witty. Instead, she just makes her approach, slow and steady, never taking her eyes off the Evolver in his hand. Though her pipe is lowered, her posture remains defensive.

Though the closer she gets, the more that hardened look will melt as she takes a really, really good look at him, boring holes into his soul. ]

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