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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 1:48:18 GMT -5
By the time the demon calling itself Abel returned to the Hotel he called "home", it was noon of the next day. Sometime during the night, he had changed outfits. These clothes he'd gotten out of straight intimidation instead of choosing to steal them. The large nine-inch long horns extending from his skull had helped a fair bit with that, as well as his constantly slitted eyes and strange markings. Presently, he was wearing a pair of baggy pants and a hooded jacket. The hood was pulled up over his horns, and while the points were prominent, it was likely that anyone who knew about his headphones would assume those were what had caused those points. His cape had been removed and was being held folded-up under his arm.
He paused as he reached his door. For a long time he'd felt something off about this hotel, but it was only now beginning to hit him just what was so off about this place. It wasn't those weird spatial distortions that plagued this place... it was that inexplicable feeling that there was something there that shouldn't be. And for some reason, he could see the blue outlines of something that was there now. They hadn't just been here, they'd been all over town. This was just where they were most concentrated.
Abel ignored the spirits and pulled his door open. He frowned. It was a bit cold in there, colder than normal. He could see Seth asleep on his bed, and Atsuro sitting on a chair in front of where his window should be. He pulled down his hood and looked toward Seth.
Atsuro had stayed awake through the whole night, and at the moment, he was dead tired. He had to stay awake until Abel at least made it home or Seth woke up. He'd nearly nodded off at one point, but the thought of what Abel might do to him if he found both him and Seth asleep kept him awake. He'd been nodding off again when Abel arrived at the Hotel, but the sound of someone opening the door had jerked Atsuro back awake.
"Abel--" Atsuro trailed off as Abel pulled down his hood. Atsuro lay back a bit in his chair, but his eyes remained transfixed on Abel's head. In the end, he looked more than a bit scared. So Seth had been right about Abel getting horns... it looked like Atsuro was going to get to see first hand how Abel handled things now.
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Post by mugenginga on Sept 23, 2010 1:54:45 GMT -5
It was probably unfortunate for Seth he didn't wake. Atsuro likely had no idea why he was out so hard. It wasn't something that could really be explained. The truth was, Seth was lucky to still be sane. Five thousand years of memories had been regained in a single moment. That's all it had taken, the screams before Hitoshura had attempted to kill him had been attempts by his psyche to process the flood. In fact, had he not been "killed" then, he would have snapped.
What it meant was that Seth had been exhausted. Not just physically, although that had been a part as well. His mental exhaustion had been off the charts. So he slept, even as Abel opened the door. There was blood smeared on the sheets, but by this point it had all dried. Seth's position hadn't changed from when he fell asleep. The cape was still thrown over the top of the haori, and his left hand still held it shut. His breaths were stable, but he was clean out. Someone would have to wake him, and standard words would not cut it.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 2:57:07 GMT -5
Abel ignored Atsuro. His expression was flat as he walked over to Seth and began shaking him a bit roughly. It was to wake Seth up, but the way Abel was shaking Seth was likely to injure him. Something Atsuro realized as he jumped up and grabbed Abel's arm.
"Abel, stop! He's just exhausted from yesterday," Atsuro said. Abel looked back at Atsuro, then released Seth's shoulder.
"Sorry," Abel said in a low voice. Atsuro's expression was fairly pained. This still sounded like K1. Hell, its way of speech seemed like K1, too. The Abel Atsuro had known during their stay in the demon realm wouldn't have said anything, he would have just punished Atsuro for stopping him. Atsuro knew both K1 and Abel... but this person in front of him was more foreign. It was both like them and not like them at all.
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Post by mugenginga on Sept 23, 2010 3:02:21 GMT -5
Seth woke up as his shoulder dislocated from the shake. He pretty much bolted up in the bed, grabbing his shoulder in pained surprise. His breath caught when he saw Abel, and he frowned and looked towards his shoulder. He didn't say anything as he clenched his teeth and pushed the limb back into joint. There was a hiss of pain followed by a long exhale. He was pumping the fist of his left hand, avoiding eye contact with Abel. Questions about the window and drawer were probably coming soon... he wasn't really aware of Atsuro's mood.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 3:13:02 GMT -5
Abel didn't even blink as Seth shot up in bed. He waited until Seth had relocated his shoulder before speaking.
"The lock on the drawer I was keeping the items in and the window are both broken," Abel observed. "What happened?"
It took Atsuro a moment to respond. The entire moment it took to think up an answer, Abel was staring at him. No, not staring at him. He couldn't do that with those slitted pupils of his. It was more like he was staring into him. There was a bit more pain at that. Just like how Seth used to before he got his memories back.
"We think someone tried to break in and take the Items. Somehow they got in and then tried to throw your clock out the window," Atsuro said.
Abel didn't directly respond to that, only giving a small nod and turning toward. Seth. "Seth, you smell like blood. You need to go clean yourself up."
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Post by mugenginga on Sept 23, 2010 3:48:13 GMT -5
Seth seemed surprised that Abel didn't react to the issue with the Items. After all, they had been what Abel wanted him to watch. So if they'd almost been stolen with no confirmation how it had happened, it seemed obvious to him that he hadn't been watching them well. He looked down at the mess he was at the words and nodded. He swung his legs over the bed and stood up.
"Understood, Yo... Abel," Seth glanced back at the blood smeared sheets before looking back towards Abel, "Did you want me to handle those as well?"
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 3:56:16 GMT -5
Abel nodded. He doubted he would be returning to the hotel much over the next few days, but it would be easier for them all if they just washed the stains out now. His expression for the most part was the same, but he actually looked glad that Seth had managed to get his name, not his title out.
Atsuro didn't say anything. He still wasn't sure what to think about this demon. It was K1, but it wasn't. It was Abel, but it wasn't. Something about its mannerisms hovered between K1 and Abel. Abel turned and looked toward Atsuro before taking the cape he still had held under his arm and holding the bundle open over the other, unoccupied bed in the room.
Out of the cloak fell a pair of headphones. They were old and cracked, and of a model you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere. There was an odd antenna piece in the back that was being held together by tape in some places. Abel looked down at the headphones before looking at Atsuro.
"Could you fix these?"
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Post by mugenginga on Sept 23, 2010 4:00:19 GMT -5
Seth nodded to confirm he'd heard. He turned towards the bed and pulled off the sheets. It was technically the hotel that was supposed to handle it, but there was no need to cause them more trouble than they had in the past. Seth took the pile into his arms, considering saying something further. He decided against it, and headed into the connected bathroom. He'd take care of the sheets after he bathed. There wasn't a need to go walking around like this.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 4:22:02 GMT -5
"Abel, aren't these..." Atsuro looked up at Abel. His headphones. Those old broken things Abel had for years. The ones he'd worn through the Lockdown, through the fights in the Demon Realm, and through their ordeal here. The white plastic was no longer as vivid a shade anymore, the pink bits on the tops had worn away, and the long red cord looked about ready to tear off. On the underside of the left headphone, written in permanent marker, was "To Keiichi from Naoya".
Atsuro looked back up at Abel, or more specifically, his horns. There was no way Abel could wear these headphones now. Even with the main part of the headphone going over Abel's ear, the horns would still cause issues.
"Why?" Atsuro asked.
"...Naoya bought me these headphones years ago. I want to keep them as a memento," Abel said. He shook his head. "It's stupid. He'll be back in a few years. But I still want to keep something of his..."
"K1..." Atsuro whispered. Abel shook his head and sat down on the now sheetsless bed.
"...I'm sorry, Atsuro," Abel said with a bit of a somber expression. "I can't be the K1 you remembered anymore. I tried that, and all it did was get Kaido and Cain killed. But... just because I don't have that humanity anymore doesn't mean I don't still have those memories." He smiled, and it was a bit unsettling due to the slitted eyes. "I still remember being your friend, Atsuro."
Atsuro smiled a bit at that. "...yeah."
"...If you want to leave the Court, I won't hold it against you," Abel continued. Atsuro's eyes widened before he gave a bitter smile. So Abel had known about his intentions after all.
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Post by mugenginga on Sept 23, 2010 13:34:26 GMT -5
Seth turned the faucet on in the shower before peeling off his clothes. It was peeling because the dried blood had caused them to stick in several places. They made a heavier sound than normal when they hit the laminated floor. About the only piece Seth was careful with was Cain's haori. He actually hung it up and made a mental note to wash it seperately from everything else. After that he climbed in and actually turned on the shower. The difference of hot water to his chilled skin made him hop back, but after a few moments he stood back under the water. The blood washing off was enough that the water going down the drain was almost red.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 14:43:18 GMT -5
There were a few moments of silence between Atsuro and Abel. Abel wasn't speaking, and Atsuro seemed to be trying to find the right words. Finally, Atsuro gave a bit of a broken chuckle.
"...You knew, huh?"
"You only agreed to help K1. I'm not really K1 anymore... K1 was a fool and a coward, and it's because I held onto that for so long that Naoya and Kaido are--"
"That's not true!"
Abel blinked and looked up at Atsuro.
"You weren't a coward. You were scared and freaked out and confused, just like the rest of us, and you did what you thought was right. And when you realized just how bad of a decision it was, it was too late for anything to be changed," Atsuro said. There were tears rolling down his cheeks. "What could you do? You were just a normal guy who was given the most impossible choice ever. Become demon king and save humanity, or let everyone die and lose their free will. What kind of choice is that supposed to be? Who the hell comes up to a normal kid like us and tells them that the world rests on their shoulders?"
"Atsuro..." Abel breathed.
"Dammit, none of this has been fair! You're just a normal kid! And that bastard Naoya and those angels have all been using you from the very beginning! You didn't do anything to deserve this!" Atsuro cried. "I don't blame you for anything that's happened, K1! You were forced into all of this by Naoya and the angels, and all you've done is what you thought was right! And no matter what happens, I still support you! But I can't do that if you let go of everything that made you you."
He looked down and gave a pained smile. "I want you to be able to go back to Yuzu with a smile on your face."
Abel continued looking down. The two of them sat in silence with only the sound of the shower in the background. Finally, Atsuro picked up the headphones from the bed. He reached into his pocket and took out his COMP before placing it next to Abel. He walked toward the door of the room and put his hand on the doorknob before turning back toward Abel.
"See you later."
He pulled the door open and walked out. The door closed behind Atsuro with a silent click, leaving only Abel and the solitary COMP in the room.
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Post by mugenginga on Sept 23, 2010 14:52:35 GMT -5
It was a full half hour before the water stopped. In truth, Seth had stayed in as the temperature changed. He didn't let it get icy, but it was by no means warm by the time he was done. He stepped out of the shower and noted that it seemed very quiet in the other room. He took the towel and ran it over his hair a few times before tying it around his waist. He'd intended on taking the laundry out, but the silence was bothering him. He opened the door and stuck his head out.
"Abel...?" He blinked and noticed the room before hanging his head, "I... thank you. For letting him go."
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 15:13:11 GMT -5
Abel didn't seem to hear Seth. He was hunched over, and still looking down at the ground in the same position he had been in when Atsuro left. He wasn't crying, but he didn't need to be to show how he felt right now.
"...It was the least I could do for him," Abel said. He gave a bitter smile. "Mata ne", he'd said as he left. Those words had been nothing more than a punch in the gut to Abel. What kind of person says they'll see you again when they're leaving your army?
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Post by mugenginga on Sept 23, 2010 15:20:38 GMT -5
Seth frowned at Abel's pose and words. He looked back towards the bathroom for a second before stepping out and closing the door. The laundry could wait. He walked over to Abel and sat down next to him on the bed. Atsuro's words last night had been hinting at what he thought, then. It hadn't been said directly, but Atsuro had been asking him to take care of Abel.
"Are you going after Hitoshura and Lucifer before we leave, then?"
He didn't bring up anything else, if only cause he was sure Abel knew. They'd have to leave, quite possibly for the last time, some of the friends Abel had made. Atsuro among them, it wasn't right to take him back to the world as they'd made it. He also knew that Abel was probably quite aware Hitoshura would be better as an ally than an enemy. Lucifer too, really. But that was something Abel had to decide. Seth wondered if he was being too practical.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Sept 23, 2010 15:59:43 GMT -5
Abel nodded. "I want to do something about Nyarlathotep before we leave, as well."
In normal circumstances, he would have been willing to leave behind a troublesome demon. But Nyarlathotep was crafty, and most importantly, he was dangerous. Abel didn't want to leave Yuugi-tachi to deal with Nyarlathotep. He was well aware of Nyarlathotep's fascination with Persona users, particularly Wild Card users like Souji and Minato. If Nyarlathotep stayed alive and on the run, Yuugi would likely die.
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