[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.
Yeah, no problem! You can totally count on me! You won't have to worry about a thiiing!
[It strikes him that he's not really sure what he's supposed to do other than wait, but that'll probably become more clear later . . . when they're not just idly talking about the possibility while on the way to a bar.
He drapes his arm over Hinata's shoulder, all friendly. Booze is only going to make him worse.]
Pekoyama'll be totally impressed when we save her!
Hey, we're gonna save 'em all, don't get me wrong! But y'know, I like the others, and I wanna see 'em again . . . but when it comes to maybe getting a thank-you hug, I only care about Pekoyama, know what I mean?
C'mon, man, I know that, but can't a guy have dreams?
[Having spoken to Pekoyama for more than thirty seconds, he's pretty aware of her . . . stoicism. Seriously, he's expecting to get maybe 25% of a smile for his awesome rescue which is definitely going to happen!]
All three of those guys are pretty closed-off types, huh?
[Hinata scrunches up his nose, looking thoughtful.] They've slipped up and accidentally told me things, sometimes. It makes me think that they do actually want to talk more, but it's difficult to actually come out and just say it.
[It's not like there's not stuff Leon has trouble coming out and saying, too . . . but that's exactly why he's not going to go into that now. Not enough alcohol in him. He looks almost guilty for a moment, though, because he's pretty sure he falls into that category.
Although "want to" is relative, here.
And either way, he's not nearly as much like that as either of the three who left, as far as he can tell.]
I mean, if you're a yakuza, that's probably part of the business or whatever, huh? I dunno Tanaka's excuse, though. He's just himself!
Ah, well, Tanaka's got his own things, too... I think he had a rough time with people when he was a kid.
[And eating his mother's "poison cooking" his whole life probably didn't help, either.]
I didn't ever really get a straight answer out of him. But I did get a vague idea, and then he let me be his friend. We "shared power". [Air quotes.] Through a handshake.
[Shit. The thought of his own classmates just leaving him here is almost choking. After everything that's happened with them, all of his fucked up feelings over everything, if he woke up one day and they were just gone--
He squeezes his arm tighter around Hinata's shoulder, reflexively.]
Hey, you still got Komaeda, right? That's something!
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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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[Yes, excellent. This sounds like a good compromise. Leon reaches over to whack Hinata on the back, all hyped up.]
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Thanks. It's good to have someone like that-- I mean, if we had to run outta there fast, it'd be easier knowing someone's waiting outside for us.
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[It strikes him that he's not really sure what he's supposed to do other than wait, but that'll probably become more clear later . . . when they're not just idly talking about the possibility while on the way to a bar.
He drapes his arm over Hinata's shoulder, all friendly. Booze is only going to make him worse.]
Pekoyama'll be totally impressed when we save her!
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Why just Pekoyama...?
[WHY NOT THE OTHER ONES TOO.]
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[How could you possibly not.]
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[Pause. This is serious.]
I'm pretty sure Pekoyama isn't the type for thank-you hugs. [At all. He can't picture it. At all.]
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[Having spoken to Pekoyama for more than thirty seconds, he's pretty aware of her . . . stoicism. Seriously, he's expecting to get maybe 25% of a smile for his awesome rescue which is definitely going to happen!]
All three of those guys are pretty closed-off types, huh?
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[Hinata scrunches up his nose, looking thoughtful.] They've slipped up and accidentally told me things, sometimes. It makes me think that they do actually want to talk more, but it's difficult to actually come out and just say it.
But a lot of people are like that, right?
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[It's not like there's not stuff Leon has trouble coming out and saying, too . . . but that's exactly why he's not going to go into that now. Not enough alcohol in him. He looks almost guilty for a moment, though, because he's pretty sure he falls into that category.
Although "want to" is relative, here.
And either way, he's not nearly as much like that as either of the three who left, as far as he can tell.]
I mean, if you're a yakuza, that's probably part of the business or whatever, huh? I dunno Tanaka's excuse, though. He's just himself!
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[And eating his mother's "poison cooking" his whole life probably didn't help, either.]
I didn't ever really get a straight answer out of him. But I did get a vague idea, and then he let me be his friend. We "shared power". [Air quotes.] Through a handshake.
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[And yeah, Leon had tried. He had been firmly rebuffed, in favor of "the most impotent mortal," which he's still not over, by the way.]
That guy . . .
[But he trails off for a moment.]
--I'll miss him. He saved my ass a couple times.
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I will, too. He saved me-- all of us, before. Back home.
[He combs his fingers through his hair.] We might see him again. I never know when, with these places, but people're always coming and going.
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[Shit. The thought of his own classmates just leaving him here is almost choking. After everything that's happened with them, all of his fucked up feelings over everything, if he woke up one day and they were just gone--
He squeezes his arm tighter around Hinata's shoulder, reflexively.]
Hey, you still got Komaeda, right? That's something!
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