Sechzehn

[soulsborderline]

[It was far less noticeable this time, but anyone observant might have noticed that Asuka wasn't out last night patrolling for Shadows, nor around today enjoying her lack of school. That would be because in the last 24 hours, she went home for several weeks.]

[Video]

[Which is leading to a video, apparently completely unintentional, of the girl curled up on a sidewalk out in the middle of the city. It's not the Dark Hour yet, but the streets are pretty deserted anyway, the few natives passing by ignoring the girl in a strange, skintight outfit, even if she seemed vaguely familiar.]

[The camera rolls for close to a minute on her unmoving, but obviously breathing form, before suddenly cutting to a a huge, confusingly cut-together mess of memories, or possibly memories of memories, all pouring out at once.]

[Asuka says nothing and doesn't move before the video ends.]

Comments

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

...?

[video]

[soulsborderline]

[Asuka eventually picks the phone back up again. Her face is red, but not tear-streaked, and her voice is hoarse, but steady as it usually is.]

What?

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

You disappeared again.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

No shit.

Why the hell am I back here, anyway?!

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

To be trapped, or to escape. One or the other.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

WHY?! It's not like anything we do here matters! No one even dies here!

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

You're the one who's always upset because I don't care about anything.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

Well...

...

Maybe you've got the right idea!

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

It's obvious that the reason you're saying that is the confusing mess in your video. Don't be stupid.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

...........

What confusing mess?

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

I have no idea. Either way, nobody can understand it, so don't worry about your memories being displayed.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

That's still happening?

.......

What...did you see?

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

A floating creature that couldn't be shot, and you struggling against something invisible, and then an infinite loop that made no sense.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

That...

It showed my memories, didn't it.

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

It's still happening.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

So everyone in this world saw that.

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

If they were watching.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

That's terrific.

I'm just going to die now.

Not like it matters here.

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

Nobody will even understand it.

[video] 1/2

[soulsborderline]

Just because you crawled out of a puddle or something--!

[video]

[soulsborderline]

Dammit. None of this is happening. It can't. I can't be...

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

You're back and away from whatever that is, so it doesn't matter.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

AWAY FROM IT?!

That is my life, you absolute moron! It's not just something I'm...I'm running away from when I come here!

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

You hate everything, so why should it matter to you?

[video]

[soulsborderline]

Because I hate you more than anything else!

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

I didn't do anything to you.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

SHUT UP!

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

If you hate me, it makes sense that everybody else should hate me, too, but they don't hate me. They don't see me as an enemy. They don't even see me as anything unlike them. It doesn't make any sense!

[video]

[soulsborderline]

I don't give a crap what you are except an idiot who can't understand anybody or anything!

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

I'm not an idiot.

[video]

[soulsborderline]

[Asuka makes some unintelligible noise of either disagreement or rage before hurling her phone to the other side of the street and curling back into a ball. She just can't deal with anyone right now, let alone a relatively calm and rational Kaoru.]

[video]

[breatheinthefog]

*Welp. Kaoru closes the phone and punches a wall.*

[needsteaplz]

[Saori's quiet, not really sure what to say after seeing such a memory.]

...Asuka? Where are you?

[soulsborderline]

Back here, apparently.

[needsteaplz]

Well, besides that...I do want to find you after all.

[soulsborderline]

No. Go away.

[needsteaplz]

Do you think I'm gonna honestly just leave you on the street like that?! Stay there, I'll find you somehow.

[Sorry Asuka, Saori's mother mode is in effect and there is nothing you can do about it.]

[soulsborderline]

[Asuka's not exactly moving, so she'll still likely be lying there when Saori finds her, if Saori looks hard enough...]

[needsteaplz]

[She does eventually find Asuka and approaches her.]

Asuka, I'm here. I'll take you back to the tea house.

[soulsborderline]

Do whatever you want.

[needsteaplz]

[She nods in acknowledgement and then proceeds to pick Asuka, princess-carrying style down the street. Screw the people staring, she's worried about Asuka's welfare.]

Just hang in there, alright? We'll be there shortly.

[soulsborderline]

......