now we've got bad blood

[notsosou]

Who: Shin & close CR (and the Nanamis if desired)
What: Despairzone 2022, Flipside
When: Hope your Valentine's Day is going well, Shin's sure isn't
Where: People's phones and dorm doors, Moon 1
Warnings: Past abuse/toxic friendship is likely to come up



Midori is here. Let Sara and Alice know.

Eight words from Ranger that make Shin feel like all of his blood has turned to ice. His mouth is dry and his mind whirling as he stares down at the screen, thoughts and implications racing frantically through a brain that otherwise might as well have been suddenly replaced with cotton wool or cottage cheese.

He feels sick. With only a token effort at excusing himself, he just runs straight out of the room to the nearest bathroom. It's an off-kilter blur of the mirror, and the twinned shine off fixtures, and his own nausea and ragged frantic breathing, until the fact he's clutching his phone still tight enough for it to maybe break registers through the pain in his hand.

He swallows thickly, and tries to breathe, and sends a reply to Ranger with the slow, deliberate effort of someone trying to do something delicate while out of it. If this is some kind of joke, it's not funny at all. He tries to collect himself, pull himself back together into one place, every nerve on high alert because he can't afford to fall apart if this is true. He's staring at the screen with intensity and a taut, shivering frame. Ranger is... well he's not the sort to outright lie, right? Just mislead. So this is true? Probably... he'd really like this to not be happening.

His hand buries itself in the wool of Nene's scarf. It's a comfort and it isn't. He doesn't know anything. He- he needs to know what's going on.

No reply.

Here in Yogen Shin's let himself get comfortable, sprawled out like ivy, retreating with frost, reaching up towards sunlight, putting down roots. It's not until the possibility that he might need to withdraw completely back into his shell appears that so does the lurching horror that he just might not fit any more. Vulnerabilities exposed no matter what he does, and so many.

All he can do is try. There's nothing to do but to try, and warn as many people as possible before Midori gets his hooks in them like he did to him. He sends his final text to Ranger and lets his head thunk back against the bathroom wall, exhaling. Right now, Shin is at the closest to an advantage he'll get... he just needs to hold onto that.

He lifts up his phone again, and bracing with the other hand, gets to his feet.

Comments

[rearranger]

[ His expression remains blank despite the words thrown about, and with the colorful ice cream cone hiding his mouth Ranger's expression seems emptier than ever.The word are on the tip of his tounge though, the reminder of how quick Sou Hiyori and Sara Chidoun are to throw aside their allies the moment things become inconvenient for them. He stops short of it as Joe and Alice alike interrupt, and Ranger realizes there's no need for such such things. He bites his tongue and stays his hand, tapping fingers against the wall behind him.

But the suggestion of "other things" sticks in his mind, nails itself to the wall and ensures it'll always be there on display, because there's so many ways to fill in that blank. Other things, solutions for when one becomes a threat. So then, other things await him once it becomes convenient. But that empty expression of his reveals nothing. ]

Right. So far all I've got is that we can strike deals, and I guess his memory's janky.

[ He waves his hand dismissively. It's something like that anyway. Nobody's memory seems to be quite right upon arriving here, and aside from that he remembers less than the lot of them, so he doesn't seem to think much of it. No more than he can emphasize with it not being an accident due to personal feelings. ]

No need to prove yourself. You're doing fine, kiddo. You're already more useful than the idiots around here that keep murdering each other for funsies.

[ What with the three bodies they have already and all. All else aside, a fourth based on a grudge from home wouldn't be a good look, but he keeps that thought to himself. ]

But keeping an eye on him is fine. That about settle it?

[ Or are there other options to be discussed? It does seem to answer the original question, though. ]

[notsosou]

[As far as Shin's concerned, it doesn't settle it at all... but he knows when he's outvoted.]

We'll watch him... and then what? By the time he does anything, we'll have lost any advantage we have right now! If drowning isn't enough, what will be?

[They're just kicking the can down the road, when it'll be much harder to deal with! But it's like the last flare or flicker of a flame before it goes out, spent of fuel. He fiddles with Nene's scarf, exhaling.]

Guess that's how it is, huh... Watching and some kind of deal...

...

[These things are always exhausting for him... he's done. He's not going to even ask what kind of deal.]

[samuraiwomen]

[ She gives Joe a long, unsteady look and then shakes her head. No...she doesn't want Joe by her side like this. The...things Midori did, that he said about her. The idea of Joe interacting with any of it makes her sick. ]

Fine. It's settled. Alice and I will watch him. [ Ignoring the offer doesn't feel good, but she steels her tone. ] Joe...just don't go near him again. Promise me that?

[ She doesn't pull her arm away, but she turns, very clearly trying to end the conversation when she looks at Sou instead. ]

Just remember what I told you a few months ago Sou...it won't be like that anymore. He doesn't think of you the way he used to. [ It might be a cold comfort, but its all she can offer him. She and Alice are the only two who met Midori on the fourth floor. ]

[gatetohell]

[ Ranger and Alice say he's doing fine, but any comfort from that is gone when Sara tells Joe to stay away. He swears he can feel his heart hit his stomach when she says that. Part of him understands where she's coming from especially given what happened earlier. But now he regrets mentioning it. He's made everything worse for this whole group. And now Sara is pushing him away....

His grip loosens on his arm until he finally pulls away from her, holding his arms close to himself. Joe frowns toward the ground as he shakes his head in return. ]

Sorry... but no. I'm not... I'm not going to promise that, Sara.

[ He won't make a promise he can't keep. Or intends to. ]

Don't say I'm not useless then tell me to do nothing. I get it... you're scared. All of you. But like... if you don't let me help, then how do you think that makes me feel?

[ His hands smart for a moment before he can finally look at her again. ]

If you don't want me around, then just tell me to leave. Cause I will. But I'm not going to just sit around and wait for something to happen. Not anymore.

[shimashima]

[ Ranger mentions Midori's memory as though it's merely a throwaway remark, but is that really the case? Why would he bother speaking of it at all, if it's irrelevant, nothing more than the usual confusion around here? Very little seems settled, even after the discussion — in fact, it's plain to see that no one is satisfied with the outcome.

Ranger remains impossible to read. The others are frustrated. For the moment, while Sara Chidouin and Jou Tazuna are at odds, Alice thinks it best to keep any comments of his own brief. ]

...If we can't agree on anything properly, we'll be the ones at a disadvantage, won't we?

[rearranger]

[ There's always a reason that Ranger says and does things, and now is no exception. It's a little bit of playing along with Midori's game, and it's a little bit of a warning as well. It shouldn't come as a surprise now, though he won't go so far as to say that he's faking it. It could be amnesia, or it could just be that he was taken from a time before his meddling began. He doesn't look much different now than he had then.

But there's a little bit off interest too. If he does play at amnesia, if he pretends to be in such a vulnerable state, will anyone try to use it to their advantage? They would have it more at that time than ever, and it would be the perfect opportunity to try and dispose of them. It would only require a little arm twisting and clever play and it could be quite the position for someone so eager to work up trust.

...

Well, Midori can handle himself.

The rest he quietly files away. The desire for an advantage, the begrudging acceptance, the conflicting answers, a desire to act and a desire for unity. He takes them in impassively. ]

Not just with him.

[ They will be if they can't even begin to come to a consensus on this, how will they handle bigger threats? Ranger can handle Midori by himself when it comes down to it, as they're completely at the mercy of one another. He glances to Joe, considering for a few seconds. He continues on for his benefit, ]

... Midori is the Floormaster responsible for the fourth and fifth floors. You could think of it as a memorial service, so it's kinda what you'd expect. There's a graveyard and grieving, and there's a celebration of love and bonds. He's an intelligent and pragmatic person.

[ That should be enough to summarize it, Ranger thinks. If others wish to weigh in, they may, but this should be enough to give a rough idea of who he is. The fact he's one of ASUNARO's Floormasters speaks volumes by itself. ]