Game 022 [Action] - Warning: Do Not Poke, Contents Under Pressure

[neverplaysfair]

[ Today, there is a one-man pride parade Joshua on a mission. A mission that just happens to involve (somehow) a little too casually strolling from Community Housing 5 to House 10. After the events in the Closed Space, Josh is going to be having a little chat with Haruki.

Feel free to intercept him along the way or be intercepted like Shiki was in her post, yes this is a little bit after that let's assume she got sidetracked and made it to the house before he did or something idk, but residents of House 10 will before long hear a knocking at their door. ]

Comments

[neverplaysfair]

I don't trust your words, either.

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

After seeing how desperate I got to save the city, you really think I don't want to ensure her safety? She could be crumbling without you, and we both know it.

You're the one who could protect her. I've got nothing to go back to but punishment.

[neverplaysfair]

There are other ways of "ensuring her safety", and you and I both know it. Don't bother trying to deny it, Sanae.

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

Taking Shibuya from you wouldn't put the city in safer hands, Josh. Even if I did want the job, it wouldn't benefit anyone.

[neverplaysfair]

I didn't mean you.

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

Then why are you acting like I'm gonna pull a gun on you at any second?

[ Except without the gun -- he can do much worse than that, and he knows that Joshua knows it. ]

[neverplaysfair]

You would hand her over to one tainted and corrupted by Taboo Noise. Given that, I wouldn't put anything past you.

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

I wasn't about to hand her over to anyone. I gave a weapon to one of your Reapers, nothing more than that.

So long as you don't shoot me again, I'm not interested in fighting.

[neverplaysfair]

You gave him that weapon with the intention of letting him bring me down and take over. No matter how you try to spin it, you condoned one so impure taking the seat of Composer.

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

I gave him a chance, I didn't make it absolutely certain that he'd win his fight.

... but I won't deny that having Sho take the city would be preferable to seeing her fall.

[neverplaysfair]

... How are you not understanding the damage that would have done?! You of all people, Sanae!

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

I know that there were risks, but I considered them workable. It was dangerous to everyone, but it would have been worth it if it meant Shibuya's survival.

[ It feels like they've had this same conversation a million times, and the look on Joshua's face is making him frustrated and annoyed and sad and guilty, even though he'd do it again.

This place makes him too close to human.

This is not the talk he came here for. ]

[neverplaysfair]

She would have fallen strongly and swiftly if Sho had taken over in his state. He would have destroyed Shibuya. Maybe even enough to put her into quarantine, and that recovery would have taken much longer than any reboot I might have done.

[ Josh doesn't understand why Sanae refuses to see sense. He can't understand why he won't apologize for what he's done, or even admit that he was wrong in the first place. Just the amount of Taboo Noise released over the course of two weeks was sickening, way too close to flooding the UG and destroying so much. Having something like that running her...

At the thought, Joshua feels his stomach turn, and pain shoots up his back. He manages to suppress it to little more than a quick flutter of his wings. ]

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

There was a chance of that. It was a gamble. But there was also a chance that he could be controlled, manipulated into becoming more stable, or that someone else could take his seat, or that They would intervene -- it was a last-resort backup plan, Joshua. It would buy her time. It was the only thing I had left.

I want to tell you I'm sorry for putting Shibuya in danger. But I don't regret it.

[neverplaysfair]

How far would she have to fall?

[ He's becoming upset, actually upset. And he knows it's straining the connection, because whenever he was upset back home, something in Shibuya would react to it, always, whether he meant it to or not. He can feel it burning at his shoulders, and it's painful enough that he can't even spare the thought to wonder if his shoulder blades are actively bruising and rotting this very moment. ]

How far would she have to decay before you said "enough"?! There's a point where you have to give up on a UG, you know this! Once it reaches some level, time can only cause more damage! I judged where that threshold was, and you had the audacity to question-!

[ Suddenly pain shoots through Joshua and he stumbles backwards a little, cringing. In a flash, a scorch mark appears along the ground to his left. After a moment he's left shivering slightly, glaring at Hanekoma. ]

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

[ Sanae's about to argue, but then-- he doesn't even know what it is that's going on, but it startles him out of whatever he was about to say. After a beat he takes a few steps back, hoping that'll lessen the tension that seems to be hurting Joshua.

Everything on his face has given way to wary interest. ]

... what is it?

[neverplaysfair]

Nothing. [ He practically hisses the word, his teeth clenched. Whatever is happening, he doesn't want Hanekoma to know about it. He doesn't want him to be able to use it. Still, he can only suppress his shivering; it won't stop completely. ]

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

I won't try to fix it, alright? I just wanna know what it is.

[ His gaze flicks between Joshua and the new scorch mark on the ground. ]

If I wanted to kill you, Josh, I wouldn't use something like this to do it. You'd at least get a fighting chance.

[neverplaysfair]

It's nothing, Sanae. [ He takes a couple steps back. For now, he just wants to keep the information from him, not let him see his back, not let him learn what's going on. It's too dangerous to let him know anything anymore. ] I'm fine.

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

You still think I've spent half a year lying about not being against you? There's no reason for it. This place is too unpredictable to support whatever long-term evil plans you think I've got.

[ This is going nowhere and he's well aware of it. Openly frustrated, Sanae steps back and turns to go. ]

You're torturing yourself over nothing, Josh. Feel free to keep going, but when you want help, I'll be here.

[neverplaysfair]

[ He doesn't believe you. He is going to slowly back away in the direction he was going until you are well out of sight and sensing range. ]

[nattocat.livejournal.com]

[ Well, before he lets Josh get away, might as well call after him-- ]

And I want my spray paint back!

[ And then he'll turn his back on Joshua, unafraid, and head back the way he came. ]

[neverplaysfair]

[ You're not getting it back, Sanae. Not anytime soon. ]