[Hinata's voice is a little distant, and there's a kind of vacancy in his eyes. He doesn't look lost so much as, well. He looks numb about it all, though it hurts him, very much so.]
[Leon can guess what's probably going on there. How do you even react to news like that? He's upset himself to hear it, and they hadn't even been his classmates . . .
(Shit. His classmates?! Are they still here? What if they disappeared too?! He makes a note to contact them as soon as he's got a moment, or at least check for them in the CereVice . . . though maybe he really ought to text. He's not sure he'll trust it until he hears they're still here from their own--fingers, whatever.)
He reaches out to put his hand on Hinata's back as they walk, comforting.]
. . . That sucks. You guys were close, huh . . . that really, really fuckin' sucks. Sorry.
[Hinata looks over at him, gratitude tinging his expression.] Thanks, Kuwata. [He appreciates the comforting, even though he's still wanting to get some booze to just, you know, numb this for a while.]
This kind of thing's happened to me before, but...
In the last place I was in, Kuzuryuu, Pekoyama and Tanaka showed up there. They didn't all disappear at the same time like here, but they still disappeared eventually. So did some of my other friends.
[Nanami, for one. Sonia... is still there, possibly. God, he wishes she found her way out of Haven.]
[It gets worse?! It got worse. Please let this bar be close by; they're both going to need it. He just follows Hinata's lead, keeping close to him and watching his face--but he definitely cringes when that bombshell drops.]
I guess it ain't like it's surprising . . . it'd be more surprising if everyone came and went at once. But that's still messed up, man. What's up with them leavin' you behind, huh?
. . . Not that I want you to go to that freaky code place. Don't do that either!
[Hinata manages a small chuckle, shaking his head.]
I'm not. I still have things I need to do.
[But, leaving him behind, huh...? He hasn't thought of it like that, but it's just a little painful to do so. He might've done the same thing to his close friends back in Haven, though. He wonders about that a lot.]
I'm sure if they had a choice, they wouldn't choose this. Though, if I could send them all home safely, I'd want to... [But he doesn't think they do go home safely. Things are tricky.]
[Would Leon want to send his classmates home safe if he could? It's hard to even think about; he's never considered it before. But his immediate thought on the matter is less giving than Hinata's. Don't you dare leave me here!
Not that he knows if they're going to have any other options in the end, but he tries not to think about what the future holds for a guy who's dead and his classmates who aren't.
It's probably moot anyway, because he agrees.]
But we probably can't anyway. I mean--when we went into that place, I didn't know what was goin' on, but Mary told me later that that's where all the people who leave here end up.
Since we're all just "code". [Hinata's lips thin but he's actually accepted this. Otherwise, there would've been things they should've been able to do. It's a weird feeling, being code and he's not even going to try to venture into the existential territory of "does that mean we're actually alive or...?" because oh boy.]
It's probably like their database.
[Is it better to be tucked away there than in storage? Probably. Hinata doesn't know much about Haven's "storage" but he can't imagine it has any good effects on people.]
[There's a touch of a pleading note in his voice. Leon's not quite at the level of acceptance that Hinata is yet on that topic . . . although he has to admit that the longer this goes on, the less he can argue with it. A lot of what happens here makes more sense if they're code being tweaked than if they're actual human beings being magically affected somehow. A human being can't "glitch."
But it still weirds him out to think about. He shoves his hands in his pockets, watching Hinata sidelong as they walk.]
I used to think that was all part of some CERES bullshit story, but--I guess it makes more sense than most stuff I could think of. Not like I know how "code" works anyway.
Well... the code part. I don't know about everything else.
[Hinata shakes his head helplessly.] And it's 'cause of some other things I've come to believe it. Like-- when we tried using an x-ray, a few people and I, it didn't work. And the edges of my body kinda glitched out.
[He frowns down at himself.]
And something happened to my friend Yang when she went on CERES's tour... that was like that.
[--ah, they got onto this subject. Oops. He meant to just drag him along drinking.]
Yeah, some stuff happened to Kirigiri too. It was a lot like the stuff that happened to us after the tours, where people's eyes got messed up and they started goin' through things and . . .
[And, yes, they somehow ended up here. Dammit. Leon groans, combing his fingers through his hair reflexively.]
You ever been here before? Man, all the stuff that got wrecked in the flood . . .
[Yet another sobering thought. All of these thoughts in his head right now are way too sober.]
I can't even believe stuff's gettin' fixed as fast as it is. I mean, when it happened, I was like, is this just how the place is gonna be now? Who even knows how to fix a whole building? But I guess at least some people here do!
[Not that he hadn't done it before. He'd gone to school in Japan, after all. But there's mopping, and then there's mopping after a massive flood.]
But that's on a totally different level from . . .
[He gestures uselessly when words fail him. From, thing, stuff, the kind of thing he's talking about--]
. . . See, I don't even know the first thing about fixing a whole building! It's crazy, man! Good thing it wasn't just me here to take care of it, is what I mean. That's what landlords are for! But I guess CERES is supposed to be our landlords, and they just bailed instead! Never thought I'd miss those guys.
[He follows Hinata's gaze. He has no idea what he's looking at or for, though, or if he could even see it from here; he's never paid attention to where CERES is stationed in the colony. But he can imagine what Hinata's doing.]
Not that I'm sayin' don't do it. Someone probably should, and I dunno when you're gonna get a better chance. But you're not gonna go alone, right?
'Course not. I can think of a few people who'd want to go with me.
[Well, not all of them have superpowers or abilities or anything so it might be a dangerous gamble... it'd be dangerous anyway, so that's not something they can let stop them. Hinata might get reckless when he's emotionally fraught, whoops.]
Not a lot of people, because it'll probably be dangerous either way, but a small group or something...?
Soooo . . . what d'you think you're even gonna be doing?
[He's torn between asking to be one of those people and staying the fuck out of this. In spirit, he wants to go. Leon would like nothing more than to have a hand in tearing CERES apart, however that may happen, and this seems like a good first step. But then there's the practical side of things, which is . . . all of the actually having to do anything . . . all the danger, risk, and so on. Not to mention, he's one of those people without any superpowers.]
The first step would be the actual breaking in part--preferably, I'd like to be able to find where they store their data or where they might watch the implants from. Where they might even be controlled or whatever from...
[Hinata frowns as he gazes ahead of him, thinking it over.]
It'd involve scoping out the place, making a plan, all without CERES picking up on it.
[Leon's dubious . . . although if anyone could do it, he'd trust it would be Hinata. He's still not over the whole making an x-ray machine thing. This guy could probably pull off some serious Mission Impossible shit.
Maybe. On the other hand, CERES is pretty hardcore themselves. Leon watches Hinata's face; the guy's lost in thought, obviously taking this seriously.]
I don't wanna get into anything that's gonna get me killed, y'know?
[Aw, if he knew Leon was thinking about that, he'd get embarrassed--]
There's... definitely a risk for that here.
[It's why he hasn't said anything about asking Leon to come along. He doesn't want the guy to risk his life. Hinata... well, it's not like he wants to die or that he doesn't find the possibility scary, but some things he wants to do more than he doesn't want to do others.]
[Do the part that doesn't get him killed...] In that case, what about being a person who keeps watch? You'd have to keep outta sight, but we might need help when we get out.
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[Hinata's voice is a little distant, and there's a kind of vacancy in his eyes. He doesn't look lost so much as, well. He looks numb about it all, though it hurts him, very much so.]
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(Shit. His classmates?! Are they still here? What if they disappeared too?! He makes a note to contact them as soon as he's got a moment, or at least check for them in the CereVice . . . though maybe he really ought to text. He's not sure he'll trust it until he hears they're still here from their own--fingers, whatever.)
He reaches out to put his hand on Hinata's back as they walk, comforting.]
. . . That sucks. You guys were close, huh . . . that really, really fuckin' sucks. Sorry.
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This kind of thing's happened to me before, but...
In the last place I was in, Kuzuryuu, Pekoyama and Tanaka showed up there. They didn't all disappear at the same time like here, but they still disappeared eventually. So did some of my other friends.
[Nanami, for one. Sonia... is still there, possibly. God, he wishes she found her way out of Haven.]
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I guess it ain't like it's surprising . . . it'd be more surprising if everyone came and went at once. But that's still messed up, man. What's up with them leavin' you behind, huh?
. . . Not that I want you to go to that freaky code place. Don't do that either!
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I'm not. I still have things I need to do.
[But, leaving him behind, huh...? He hasn't thought of it like that, but it's just a little painful to do so. He might've done the same thing to his close friends back in Haven, though. He wonders about that a lot.]
I'm sure if they had a choice, they wouldn't choose this. Though, if I could send them all home safely, I'd want to... [But he doesn't think they do go home safely. Things are tricky.]
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[Would Leon want to send his classmates home safe if he could? It's hard to even think about; he's never considered it before. But his immediate thought on the matter is less giving than Hinata's. Don't you dare leave me here!
Not that he knows if they're going to have any other options in the end, but he tries not to think about what the future holds for a guy who's dead and his classmates who aren't.
It's probably moot anyway, because he agrees.]
But we probably can't anyway. I mean--when we went into that place, I didn't know what was goin' on, but Mary told me later that that's where all the people who leave here end up.
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Since we're all just "code". [Hinata's lips thin but he's actually accepted this. Otherwise, there would've been things they should've been able to do. It's a weird feeling, being code and he's not even going to try to venture into the existential territory of "does that mean we're actually alive or...?" because oh boy.]
It's probably like their database.
[Is it better to be tucked away there than in storage? Probably. Hinata doesn't know much about Haven's "storage" but he can't imagine it has any good effects on people.]
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[There's a touch of a pleading note in his voice. Leon's not quite at the level of acceptance that Hinata is yet on that topic . . . although he has to admit that the longer this goes on, the less he can argue with it. A lot of what happens here makes more sense if they're code being tweaked than if they're actual human beings being magically affected somehow. A human being can't "glitch."
But it still weirds him out to think about. He shoves his hands in his pockets, watching Hinata sidelong as they walk.]
I used to think that was all part of some CERES bullshit story, but--I guess it makes more sense than most stuff I could think of. Not like I know how "code" works anyway.
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[Hinata shakes his head helplessly.] And it's 'cause of some other things I've come to believe it. Like-- when we tried using an x-ray, a few people and I, it didn't work. And the edges of my body kinda glitched out.
[He frowns down at himself.]
And something happened to my friend Yang when she went on CERES's tour... that was like that.
[--ah, they got onto this subject. Oops. He meant to just drag him along drinking.]
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[And, yes, they somehow ended up here. Dammit. Leon groans, combing his fingers through his hair reflexively.]
We really both need drinks by now, huh?
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[But it's okay, THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY. That is to say, they're nearing the bar that Hinata vaguely mentioned.]
Tenka's--a friend of mine--bar got wrecked in that flood or I woulda got you to go there, but this one seems like it'll be good enough.
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[Yet another sobering thought. All of these thoughts in his head right now are way too sober.]
I can't even believe stuff's gettin' fixed as fast as it is. I mean, when it happened, I was like, is this just how the place is gonna be now? Who even knows how to fix a whole building? But I guess at least some people here do!
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[Hinata nods though wow way to keep up the sobering thoughts Leon!! Hinata doesn't actually seem to mind, though.]
I'm sure some of them didn't know before, though... learning when you really need the skill helps you improve fast, sometimes.
[Though the added pressure probably ain't the best...]
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[Not that he hadn't done it before. He'd gone to school in Japan, after all. But there's mopping, and then there's mopping after a massive flood.]
But that's on a totally different level from . . .
[He gestures uselessly when words fail him. From, thing, stuff, the kind of thing he's talking about--]
. . . See, I don't even know the first thing about fixing a whole building! It's crazy, man! Good thing it wasn't just me here to take care of it, is what I mean. That's what landlords are for! But I guess CERES is supposed to be our landlords, and they just bailed instead! Never thought I'd miss those guys.
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[SNIFFS. Hinata has NO LOVE AT ALL for corporations, though his voice is light enough. He's trying not to take it too too seriously.]
Who knows, maybe this time they've gone off the planet altogether. And we can get some real investigating done.
[Breaking and entering type investigating.
His favourite kind. (No.) (Yes.) (Maybe.)]
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[That sounds weak, though, and it comes out weak, and he feels the need to clarify it once it's out, hunching his shoulders in a shrug.]
I mean, I guess I miss the stuff they gave us, but not actually them-them. What we need is, like, CERES's good twin or something!
[And then, because the mention of investigating peaks his interest:]
Are you gonna try breaking in while they're gone or something?
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[Hinata glances off, in the direction of their headquarters, his eyes narrow with thought.]
Maybe they're not keeping as close an eye on things right now.
[And he can achieve VICTORY. Something like it, at least.]
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[He follows Hinata's gaze. He has no idea what he's looking at or for, though, or if he could even see it from here; he's never paid attention to where CERES is stationed in the colony. But he can imagine what Hinata's doing.]
Not that I'm sayin' don't do it. Someone probably should, and I dunno when you're gonna get a better chance. But you're not gonna go alone, right?
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[Well, not all of them have superpowers or abilities or anything so it might be a dangerous gamble... it'd be dangerous anyway, so that's not something they can let stop them. Hinata might get reckless when he's emotionally fraught, whoops.]
Not a lot of people, because it'll probably be dangerous either way, but a small group or something...?
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[He's torn between asking to be one of those people and staying the fuck out of this. In spirit, he wants to go. Leon would like nothing more than to have a hand in tearing CERES apart, however that may happen, and this seems like a good first step. But then there's the practical side of things, which is . . . all of the actually having to do anything . . . all the danger, risk, and so on. Not to mention, he's one of those people without any superpowers.]
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[Hinata frowns as he gazes ahead of him, thinking it over.]
It'd involve scoping out the place, making a plan, all without CERES picking up on it.
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[Leon's dubious . . . although if anyone could do it, he'd trust it would be Hinata. He's still not over the whole making an x-ray machine thing. This guy could probably pull off some serious Mission Impossible shit.
Maybe. On the other hand, CERES is pretty hardcore themselves. Leon watches Hinata's face; the guy's lost in thought, obviously taking this seriously.]
I don't wanna get into anything that's gonna get me killed, y'know?
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There's... definitely a risk for that here.
[It's why he hasn't said anything about asking Leon to come along. He doesn't want the guy to risk his life. Hinata... well, it's not like he wants to die or that he doesn't find the possibility scary, but some things he wants to do more than he doesn't want to do others.]
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[He hates feeling useless and he doesn't want to die. What's a boy to do? It's so annoying!]
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[Do the part that doesn't get him killed...] In that case, what about being a person who keeps watch? You'd have to keep outta sight, but we might need help when we get out.
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