Post by SHOZO on Sept 12, 2015 21:27:33 GMT -6
(this takes a few days before Revolution Roulette 2)
SHOZO wasn’t doing so well. Indeed, that was perhaps an understatement. The mentally unstable Revolutionary had just lost his family again. The adopted family that he’d opened his heart to, that he felt truly understood him and the tragedies he’d endured. Now they were just dust in his past, same as everything else. He felt he was at the end of his ability to react to that. He’d screamed plenty, he’d cried plenty, he’d laughed so much. The whole spectrum. Now he could move on.
That thought made him laugh. Him, moving on. What a great one.
He opened the door to the restaurant he’d been sent the address of, and stepped in to find it almost entirely empty. If he wasn’t broken, he’d find it eerie. There was some staff working, but beyond that and one table, there was not a soul. That one table was clearly for him, considering the one who contacted him to offer him dinner was sitting there.
He walked up and took his seat across from Shinji Oshima.
Oshima smiled at him.
Shinji Oshima: Hello, Shozo. How are you doing?
SHOZO: Finding new ways to deal with losing my family. I’ve spent a lot of time upside down, watching TV.
Shinji Oshima: And how is that?
SHOZO: It’s like watching things I’ve already seen for the first time. It’s really helped keep my mind off of everyone abandoning me yet again just like everytime before and surely anytime after this too.
Oshima just nodded, as a waiter stepped up and deposited a plate containing a rather juicy looking steak in front of each man. SHOZO looked confused.
SHOZO: I didn’t order.
Shinji Oshima: But that’s what you’d want the most, isn’t it?
SHOZO: ...yeah.
Oshima smiled again.
Shinji Oshima: Then it’s fine, right?
SHOZO nodded this time after a moment.
SHOZO: Sure...so what happened to you?
Oshima looked briefly at his left arm, held up in a sling, before he looked back at SHOZO.
Shinji Oshima: Let’s just say that I’ve started to share your dislike of certain people.
SHOZO: Is that why you wanted to feed me?
Oshima nodded with a smile.
Shinji Oshima: Correct. As I only do things in exchange for being fed, I felt it was only fair that I offer food to you in exchange for something.
SHOZO: And what’s that?
Shinji Oshima: I want you to listen to a story, Shozo.
SHOZO raised an eyebrow, before shrugging.
SHOZO: I’ll listen. I hope it’s worth a laugh.
He let out a tiny chuckle.
SHOZO: Laughing at things is one of the things I have left.
Oshima’s smile was a knowing one.
Shinji Oshima: Oh it’ll cause a riot in you. For this story we’ll need to go back quite a few years. In 1985, at the age of 23, a young man was making his way home. By some awful chance, he managed to find himself stumbling across the one robber who managed to have acquired a gun despite the strict laws against them. And that young man tried to take the robber down...and took a bullet to the head for it. And he died, that young man did. That young Ryoma Arino.
SHOZO looked confused at this story, as Oshima took a break to work into his steak. Or try to, at least. With his left arm in a sling, it proved extremely difficult to use one hand to keep the steak down for the other to cut. Quickly he grew annoyed, dropped both utensils and simply picking the steak up and biting into it, tearing off some meat to chew. SHOZO was an impatient man, and was about to demand he go on when, as if on cue, Oshima swallowed and continued on.
Shinji Oshima: And the strangest thing happened. The young man woke up. He was covered in blood, and when he looked behind him he saw where his brains had splattered on the wall behind him. And yet he was fine. Not a single bit out of place. He ran, of course, because he was confused and afraid.
The look on SHOZO’s face was one of annoyance and anger.
SHOZO: I don’t get the point of this fantasy story. As nice as it is to imagine Ryoma shot dead, it’s a wasteofmytime.
Oshima shook his head.
Shinji Oshima: Shozo, Shozo, Shozo. Why would I lie, or make things up?
SHOZO scowls, ready to answer. And Oshima already knows that, already hears the words. So he interrupted, by standing up. As he stood, SHOZO heard a kind of sticky sound, along with the sound of wet clothing pulling away from the chair. He leaned forward over his food to look at Oshima’s chair, and his eyes widened as he saw it covered in blood. Oshima snapped his fingers once, to get SHOZO’s attention. When he looked up, Oshima turned around, allowing SHOZO to view his back. The back of his suit was torn up, looking like a blade had cut it many, many times, slicing his flesh. He could see the rivulets of blood rushing down his back, down his legs, to drip onto his shoes and the floor. Oshima turns back around to face the confused, shocked SHOZO.
Shinji Oshima: It’s against the “rules” for me to tell the truth. But sometimes you must bleed for the truth. You know this.
SHOZO nodded, slowly. This was crazy, of course. But SHOZO was already crazy, so why not believe this insanity too?
SHOZO: ...even if I dooo believe you’re telling the truth...I don’t see whatithas to do with anything now.
Oshima smiled as he took his seat again.
Shinji Oshima: Then let me continue the story. As time went on, this young Ryoma began to think of what was going on as a curse. He thought that, somehow, he had done something to make it so he could never die. A hellish immortality, he thought of it as. He sought ways to free himself of it, and these attempts ended all the same way. He woke up. Little did he know then of the triad of truths. One, was that he had done nothing to deserve this curse. It was one that had been present in the blood that coursed through his veins for centuries. Two, was that it was not immortality. All he had was the ability to come back from death, so long as it was not natural causes. And three.
He grinned at this one.
Shinji Oshima: That he passed it down.
SHOZO’s eyes widened. He already could see where this was heading.
SHOZO: No. Not another word. Iwon’tlistentothis! I refuse this! YOU ARE LYING!
Oshima shakes his head.
Shinji Oshima: The only ones lying are those closest to you, who told you that grim news so long ago.
For a moment Oshima looks thoughtful.
Shinji Oshima: Though, I suppose in a way it was never a lie. Your brother truly did die. But here’s the thing…
He takes a moment to tear another bite of steak off before continuing, just to make SHOZO twitch more.
Shinji Oshima: He came back.
SHOZO’s breathing had picked up so much, Oshima half expected him to clutch at his chest and collapse. For a second he viewed the possibility of it, viewing what would happen after if that happened. How happy people would be. It made him chuckle. SHOZO thought he was laughing at him.
SHOZO: Stop stop stop stopstopstopstop!
His hand clutched at his fork, and Oshima was all too aware of the possibility of him trying to stab him with it. In 95% of those, he’d go for the eye. In 100% of those, seeing the fork simply pass through him would be the mental break that left him comatose.
SHOZO: I can believeRyomalying, but Kiriko never would! You didn’thearhervoice! That was real, thatwas NOTALIE!
Oshima just smiled. He’d said what he expected him to most likely say. The ones most useful.
Shinji Oshima: Ah, yes, Kiriko...tell me, when was the last time you saw her?
SHOZO’s head tilted in confusion at the sudden change in topic.
SHOZO: Notsince past Monday. I...only see her on show days lately.
Shinji Oshima: Why would that be, I wonder…
He shrugged.
Shinji Oshima: I wonder what it would be like.
SHOZO: What?
Shinji Oshima: To be so destroyed by a death so fresh. Your mind confused, your heart bleeding. Just wandering the streets, trying to make sense of why the world would do this to you, why it would do this to him. And then you see him. Stumbling around, confused. His stab wounds still not healed. Fresh from escaping the morgue. The love of your life, dead but no longer, in front of you.
SHOZO was silent.
Shinji Oshima: What could a person, already stretched to the breaking point, do? I imagine they might lead their poor confused lover to a storage locker they have and just...lock them up in it. Get some chains and locks, to make sure he can’t leave the room when she brings him food. And just have that become their world.
He smiled.
Shinji Oshima: Something like that would just burn all the emotion out of a person, wouldn’t it?
SHOZO: That’s...nonono, that’s no. No no no.
He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t even begin to comprehend it. His father, sure. He could believe him keeping something from him. It was easy, it was what he was used to. But Kiriko was his friend. They had cried over the loss together, she had stood at his side when everyone else disappeared, when all of his family turned against him.
She was all he had left.
SHOZO: You’relying.
Shinji Oshima: I’m the only truthful one around here. I mean, it would explain why she’s been gone, wouldn’t it? If, somehow, your brother got out of that locker she kept him in...she’d focus all of her time on trying to find him, right? Just coming to this country long enough to stand with you for a little amount of time, then off home to search again.
SHOZO reacted as Oshima expected. He slammed his fists into the table before swiping them along, knocking plates and glasses off to crash to pieces on the floor.
SHOZO: STOPTALKING!
Oshima just smiled.
Shinji Oshima: If you don’t believe me...then just ask her yourself.
SHOZO stared at him with a look of confusion, until he heard the door of the restaurant open. He turned his head to see Kiriko enter. She saw him, eyes immediately drifting down to the things he had just knocked over, and she sighed. SHOZO looked back at Oshima, who just kept smiling, before he turned to face Kiriko as she approached.
Kiriko Miura: I got your text, Shozo.
SHOZO’s eye briefly twitched, and he knew without looking that Oshima was smiling wider. When had he left his phone unattended? He couldn’t be sure…
SHOZO: Surprised you showed up. Didn’t think you were hereee...
Kiriko Miura: It’s almost show day, that’s why I’m here. Keep track of the days.
SHOZO: Can’t blameme. You’re gone for so long now.
Kiriko Miura: Ah, that. I’m…
A momentary pause.
Kiriko Miura: Busy.
SHOZO didn’t say anything. He was too focused on what he’d seen on her face. As she replied to him, during that tiny pause, he had seen something. Just a tiny flicker. Of worry, of shock.. Emotion on the emotionless woman.
SHOZO’s hands shot out and immediately wrapped around Kiriko’s throat, tightening quickly and taking her ability to breathe away. The few staff around them looked ready to do something, but a look from Oshima sent them scuttling off. Just as Kiriko thought of kicking him, he swept one of her legs out from under her, sending her falling back, SHOZO going down with her, as he continued to choke her. Her hands went to his, nails digging into his skin as she repeatedly scratched and tore at his hands, causing blood to flow from his hands. But he was far too gone to feel that pain, instead screaming at her.
SHOZO: I’LLFUCKINGKILLYOUYOUC-
His shoulder was suddenly grabbed, and he was pulled off of her just enough that he had to release the hold he had on her throat. Kiriko dropped to the floor, coughing and grasping her throat. SHOZO turned his head to look at Oshima, hate in his eyes.
SHOZO: DON’TGETIN my way!
Shinji Oshima: But isn’t killing her a waste?
SHOZO: Howwww? SHE KEPT IT FROM ME!
Shinji Oshima: Of course she did. But just think of what she must have thought that whole time. “Ah, what have I done to deserve this? This husk that was my love. This can’t be him, it can’t be. Why me? What did I do wrong? Is this what I get for not saving him?” Over and over...
He looked down for a moment at Kiriko, and smiled at the genuine shock on her face. Her thoughts, spoken by him.
Shinji Oshima: Thoughts like that killed her. What’s the point in killing a corpse?
SHOZO seemed to consider this, and finally nodded.
SHOZO: A waste of time.
Oshima nodded.
Shinji Oshima: Correct. Besides...there’s so many better for you to focus on. Like the people Ryusei is with now.
SHOZO: ...who?
Shinji Oshima: Well, there’s your father for one. Considering he was the one who got him out of Kiriko’s storage locker.
Kiriko Miura: w-what?
SHOZO: ...willingly?
Shinji Oshima: Very much so.
SHOZO couldn’t understand that. Ryusei was with Ryoma? But, Ryoma was the one to blame for Ryusei’s death. If Ryoma hadn’t of cruelly cut him off monetarily, then Ryusei would have never had to borrow money that he couldn’t pay back, and be stabbed to death for it. And yet he’d stand with that man? And never say a word to his little brother, who was drowning in his own sorrow due to his death?
what was happening
SHOZO: Whoelse?
Shinji Oshima: Well there’s the people trying to get rid of those curses and that’s a long list and right now only one of those matters to you. The moth.
SHOZO: what.
Oshima nodded.
Shinji Oshima: Oh yes. Ophelia and your brother, they’re in the same happy little group of curse-busters.
what. what. what.
why.
what was his brother doing hanging around the woman who hated him? why was he in the same group or whatever the hell it is with her? why would he do that why would he be there how could he when all she wants it to kill him why why why
SHOZO: iiiiiii dont understaaand….
Shinji Oshima: Can you imagine it? She’s thinking right now about how she knows more about your brother than you do. And she’s laughing.
no no no nononononodeaddeaddeadSHEWASDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEAD
SHOZO: gaaahhhhhhHHHHhhhhhh
He had one hand to his head, his forehead pounding.
SHOZO: Ithurts tothink right now so bad. I just want to di-
He stopped suddenly. His head tilted slightly, as some thought came to him.
SHOZO: Wait wait wait. So-so-so, Ryoma got...shot in the head.
Oshima nods.
Shinji Oshima: Right above his right eye.
SHOZO: And from that he came back. And Ryusei was...stabbed. So many times. And he...came back.
Shinji Oshima: Mmmhmmm.
SHOZO: So that would mean….that….
Oshima smiles.
Shinji Oshima: Well “no one” could be 100% certain, bloodline curses are a funny thing. But yes, Shozo. It’s extremely likely that, if you were to die...you would come back.
SHOZO’s eye twitched. His hands started to shake. They reached up and grasped his head, fingers clawing into the back of his ears.
The one thing he wanted, more than anything. He wanted to die, he wanted to pass on, he wanted to finally be rid of all this pain and hurt and the dead weight in his chest and the burn of his mind continually fraying.
It was all he wanted it was all he wanted it was ALL HE WANTED
and he’d never get it
It was just a little giggle at first. But within moments it turned to a high laughter, his hands suddenly coming down from his ears, fingertips red from where his nails had pierced the flesh of his ears. And he kept laughing, until it suddenly stopped, his head falling forward, arms drooping to his sides. For a second, it looked like SHOZO had just passed out. Or died.
SHOZO: IIIIIIIIIIIII understand.
His head lifted up, looking Oshima in the eye.
SHOZO: I understandwhattodo now.
He giggled.
SHOZO: I knowmypurpose. I was wrong but now, now, nowwwwww...
He stood up, stumbling backwards from how quickly he stood. He didn’t even seem to notice Kiriko or Oshima now.
SHOZO: I know what the crime is.
And without another word or look at them, the broken young man turns and walks away. Oshima watched him leave through the door before he stood, that same wet sound being heard again as he did. He was satisfied, happy even.
Shinji Oshima: SHOZO now knows what he needs to know for the next step of his Path to occur. And this is the messiest Path this could take. I’m so pleased.
Kiriko coughs again.
Kiriko Miura: Why...
Oshima looks down at her, and the smile on his face isn’t quite right.
Shinji Oshima: What can I say...Shozo’s not the only one who doesn’t take death well.
And the lights then flicker for a moment, and in the space of that moment Oshima disappears. Leaving Kiriko alone, on the floor of the restaurant, coughing repeatedly as she tries to process everything that just happened.
And left wondering what awful Fate this meant for everyone.
SHOZO wasn’t doing so well. Indeed, that was perhaps an understatement. The mentally unstable Revolutionary had just lost his family again. The adopted family that he’d opened his heart to, that he felt truly understood him and the tragedies he’d endured. Now they were just dust in his past, same as everything else. He felt he was at the end of his ability to react to that. He’d screamed plenty, he’d cried plenty, he’d laughed so much. The whole spectrum. Now he could move on.
That thought made him laugh. Him, moving on. What a great one.
He opened the door to the restaurant he’d been sent the address of, and stepped in to find it almost entirely empty. If he wasn’t broken, he’d find it eerie. There was some staff working, but beyond that and one table, there was not a soul. That one table was clearly for him, considering the one who contacted him to offer him dinner was sitting there.
He walked up and took his seat across from Shinji Oshima.
Oshima smiled at him.
Shinji Oshima: Hello, Shozo. How are you doing?
SHOZO: Finding new ways to deal with losing my family. I’ve spent a lot of time upside down, watching TV.
Shinji Oshima: And how is that?
SHOZO: It’s like watching things I’ve already seen for the first time. It’s really helped keep my mind off of everyone abandoning me yet again just like everytime before and surely anytime after this too.
Oshima just nodded, as a waiter stepped up and deposited a plate containing a rather juicy looking steak in front of each man. SHOZO looked confused.
SHOZO: I didn’t order.
Shinji Oshima: But that’s what you’d want the most, isn’t it?
SHOZO: ...yeah.
Oshima smiled again.
Shinji Oshima: Then it’s fine, right?
SHOZO nodded this time after a moment.
SHOZO: Sure...so what happened to you?
Oshima looked briefly at his left arm, held up in a sling, before he looked back at SHOZO.
Shinji Oshima: Let’s just say that I’ve started to share your dislike of certain people.
SHOZO: Is that why you wanted to feed me?
Oshima nodded with a smile.
Shinji Oshima: Correct. As I only do things in exchange for being fed, I felt it was only fair that I offer food to you in exchange for something.
SHOZO: And what’s that?
Shinji Oshima: I want you to listen to a story, Shozo.
SHOZO raised an eyebrow, before shrugging.
SHOZO: I’ll listen. I hope it’s worth a laugh.
He let out a tiny chuckle.
SHOZO: Laughing at things is one of the things I have left.
Oshima’s smile was a knowing one.
Shinji Oshima: Oh it’ll cause a riot in you. For this story we’ll need to go back quite a few years. In 1985, at the age of 23, a young man was making his way home. By some awful chance, he managed to find himself stumbling across the one robber who managed to have acquired a gun despite the strict laws against them. And that young man tried to take the robber down...and took a bullet to the head for it. And he died, that young man did. That young Ryoma Arino.
SHOZO looked confused at this story, as Oshima took a break to work into his steak. Or try to, at least. With his left arm in a sling, it proved extremely difficult to use one hand to keep the steak down for the other to cut. Quickly he grew annoyed, dropped both utensils and simply picking the steak up and biting into it, tearing off some meat to chew. SHOZO was an impatient man, and was about to demand he go on when, as if on cue, Oshima swallowed and continued on.
Shinji Oshima: And the strangest thing happened. The young man woke up. He was covered in blood, and when he looked behind him he saw where his brains had splattered on the wall behind him. And yet he was fine. Not a single bit out of place. He ran, of course, because he was confused and afraid.
The look on SHOZO’s face was one of annoyance and anger.
SHOZO: I don’t get the point of this fantasy story. As nice as it is to imagine Ryoma shot dead, it’s a wasteofmytime.
Oshima shook his head.
Shinji Oshima: Shozo, Shozo, Shozo. Why would I lie, or make things up?
SHOZO scowls, ready to answer. And Oshima already knows that, already hears the words. So he interrupted, by standing up. As he stood, SHOZO heard a kind of sticky sound, along with the sound of wet clothing pulling away from the chair. He leaned forward over his food to look at Oshima’s chair, and his eyes widened as he saw it covered in blood. Oshima snapped his fingers once, to get SHOZO’s attention. When he looked up, Oshima turned around, allowing SHOZO to view his back. The back of his suit was torn up, looking like a blade had cut it many, many times, slicing his flesh. He could see the rivulets of blood rushing down his back, down his legs, to drip onto his shoes and the floor. Oshima turns back around to face the confused, shocked SHOZO.
Shinji Oshima: It’s against the “rules” for me to tell the truth. But sometimes you must bleed for the truth. You know this.
SHOZO nodded, slowly. This was crazy, of course. But SHOZO was already crazy, so why not believe this insanity too?
SHOZO: ...even if I dooo believe you’re telling the truth...I don’t see whatithas to do with anything now.
Oshima smiled as he took his seat again.
Shinji Oshima: Then let me continue the story. As time went on, this young Ryoma began to think of what was going on as a curse. He thought that, somehow, he had done something to make it so he could never die. A hellish immortality, he thought of it as. He sought ways to free himself of it, and these attempts ended all the same way. He woke up. Little did he know then of the triad of truths. One, was that he had done nothing to deserve this curse. It was one that had been present in the blood that coursed through his veins for centuries. Two, was that it was not immortality. All he had was the ability to come back from death, so long as it was not natural causes. And three.
He grinned at this one.
Shinji Oshima: That he passed it down.
SHOZO’s eyes widened. He already could see where this was heading.
SHOZO: No. Not another word. Iwon’tlistentothis! I refuse this! YOU ARE LYING!
Oshima shakes his head.
Shinji Oshima: The only ones lying are those closest to you, who told you that grim news so long ago.
For a moment Oshima looks thoughtful.
Shinji Oshima: Though, I suppose in a way it was never a lie. Your brother truly did die. But here’s the thing…
He takes a moment to tear another bite of steak off before continuing, just to make SHOZO twitch more.
Shinji Oshima: He came back.
SHOZO’s breathing had picked up so much, Oshima half expected him to clutch at his chest and collapse. For a second he viewed the possibility of it, viewing what would happen after if that happened. How happy people would be. It made him chuckle. SHOZO thought he was laughing at him.
SHOZO: Stop stop stop stopstopstopstop!
His hand clutched at his fork, and Oshima was all too aware of the possibility of him trying to stab him with it. In 95% of those, he’d go for the eye. In 100% of those, seeing the fork simply pass through him would be the mental break that left him comatose.
SHOZO: I can believeRyomalying, but Kiriko never would! You didn’thearhervoice! That was real, thatwas NOTALIE!
Oshima just smiled. He’d said what he expected him to most likely say. The ones most useful.
Shinji Oshima: Ah, yes, Kiriko...tell me, when was the last time you saw her?
SHOZO’s head tilted in confusion at the sudden change in topic.
SHOZO: Notsince past Monday. I...only see her on show days lately.
Shinji Oshima: Why would that be, I wonder…
He shrugged.
Shinji Oshima: I wonder what it would be like.
SHOZO: What?
Shinji Oshima: To be so destroyed by a death so fresh. Your mind confused, your heart bleeding. Just wandering the streets, trying to make sense of why the world would do this to you, why it would do this to him. And then you see him. Stumbling around, confused. His stab wounds still not healed. Fresh from escaping the morgue. The love of your life, dead but no longer, in front of you.
SHOZO was silent.
Shinji Oshima: What could a person, already stretched to the breaking point, do? I imagine they might lead their poor confused lover to a storage locker they have and just...lock them up in it. Get some chains and locks, to make sure he can’t leave the room when she brings him food. And just have that become their world.
He smiled.
Shinji Oshima: Something like that would just burn all the emotion out of a person, wouldn’t it?
SHOZO: That’s...nonono, that’s no. No no no.
He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t even begin to comprehend it. His father, sure. He could believe him keeping something from him. It was easy, it was what he was used to. But Kiriko was his friend. They had cried over the loss together, she had stood at his side when everyone else disappeared, when all of his family turned against him.
She was all he had left.
SHOZO: You’relying.
Shinji Oshima: I’m the only truthful one around here. I mean, it would explain why she’s been gone, wouldn’t it? If, somehow, your brother got out of that locker she kept him in...she’d focus all of her time on trying to find him, right? Just coming to this country long enough to stand with you for a little amount of time, then off home to search again.
SHOZO reacted as Oshima expected. He slammed his fists into the table before swiping them along, knocking plates and glasses off to crash to pieces on the floor.
SHOZO: STOPTALKING!
Oshima just smiled.
Shinji Oshima: If you don’t believe me...then just ask her yourself.
SHOZO stared at him with a look of confusion, until he heard the door of the restaurant open. He turned his head to see Kiriko enter. She saw him, eyes immediately drifting down to the things he had just knocked over, and she sighed. SHOZO looked back at Oshima, who just kept smiling, before he turned to face Kiriko as she approached.
Kiriko Miura: I got your text, Shozo.
SHOZO’s eye briefly twitched, and he knew without looking that Oshima was smiling wider. When had he left his phone unattended? He couldn’t be sure…
SHOZO: Surprised you showed up. Didn’t think you were hereee...
Kiriko Miura: It’s almost show day, that’s why I’m here. Keep track of the days.
SHOZO: Can’t blameme. You’re gone for so long now.
Kiriko Miura: Ah, that. I’m…
A momentary pause.
Kiriko Miura: Busy.
SHOZO didn’t say anything. He was too focused on what he’d seen on her face. As she replied to him, during that tiny pause, he had seen something. Just a tiny flicker. Of worry, of shock.. Emotion on the emotionless woman.
SHOZO’s hands shot out and immediately wrapped around Kiriko’s throat, tightening quickly and taking her ability to breathe away. The few staff around them looked ready to do something, but a look from Oshima sent them scuttling off. Just as Kiriko thought of kicking him, he swept one of her legs out from under her, sending her falling back, SHOZO going down with her, as he continued to choke her. Her hands went to his, nails digging into his skin as she repeatedly scratched and tore at his hands, causing blood to flow from his hands. But he was far too gone to feel that pain, instead screaming at her.
SHOZO: I’LLFUCKINGKILLYOUYOUC-
His shoulder was suddenly grabbed, and he was pulled off of her just enough that he had to release the hold he had on her throat. Kiriko dropped to the floor, coughing and grasping her throat. SHOZO turned his head to look at Oshima, hate in his eyes.
SHOZO: DON’TGETIN my way!
Shinji Oshima: But isn’t killing her a waste?
SHOZO: Howwww? SHE KEPT IT FROM ME!
Shinji Oshima: Of course she did. But just think of what she must have thought that whole time. “Ah, what have I done to deserve this? This husk that was my love. This can’t be him, it can’t be. Why me? What did I do wrong? Is this what I get for not saving him?” Over and over...
He looked down for a moment at Kiriko, and smiled at the genuine shock on her face. Her thoughts, spoken by him.
Shinji Oshima: Thoughts like that killed her. What’s the point in killing a corpse?
SHOZO seemed to consider this, and finally nodded.
SHOZO: A waste of time.
Oshima nodded.
Shinji Oshima: Correct. Besides...there’s so many better for you to focus on. Like the people Ryusei is with now.
SHOZO: ...who?
Shinji Oshima: Well, there’s your father for one. Considering he was the one who got him out of Kiriko’s storage locker.
Kiriko Miura: w-what?
SHOZO: ...willingly?
Shinji Oshima: Very much so.
SHOZO couldn’t understand that. Ryusei was with Ryoma? But, Ryoma was the one to blame for Ryusei’s death. If Ryoma hadn’t of cruelly cut him off monetarily, then Ryusei would have never had to borrow money that he couldn’t pay back, and be stabbed to death for it. And yet he’d stand with that man? And never say a word to his little brother, who was drowning in his own sorrow due to his death?
what was happening
SHOZO: Whoelse?
Shinji Oshima: Well there’s the people trying to get rid of those curses and that’s a long list and right now only one of those matters to you. The moth.
SHOZO: what.
Oshima nodded.
Shinji Oshima: Oh yes. Ophelia and your brother, they’re in the same happy little group of curse-busters.
what. what. what.
why.
what was his brother doing hanging around the woman who hated him? why was he in the same group or whatever the hell it is with her? why would he do that why would he be there how could he when all she wants it to kill him why why why
SHOZO: iiiiiii dont understaaand….
Shinji Oshima: Can you imagine it? She’s thinking right now about how she knows more about your brother than you do. And she’s laughing.
no no no nononononodeaddeaddeadSHEWASDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEADDEAD
SHOZO: gaaahhhhhhHHHHhhhhhh
He had one hand to his head, his forehead pounding.
SHOZO: Ithurts tothink right now so bad. I just want to di-
He stopped suddenly. His head tilted slightly, as some thought came to him.
SHOZO: Wait wait wait. So-so-so, Ryoma got...shot in the head.
Oshima nods.
Shinji Oshima: Right above his right eye.
SHOZO: And from that he came back. And Ryusei was...stabbed. So many times. And he...came back.
Shinji Oshima: Mmmhmmm.
SHOZO: So that would mean….that….
Oshima smiles.
Shinji Oshima: Well “no one” could be 100% certain, bloodline curses are a funny thing. But yes, Shozo. It’s extremely likely that, if you were to die...you would come back.
SHOZO’s eye twitched. His hands started to shake. They reached up and grasped his head, fingers clawing into the back of his ears.
The one thing he wanted, more than anything. He wanted to die, he wanted to pass on, he wanted to finally be rid of all this pain and hurt and the dead weight in his chest and the burn of his mind continually fraying.
It was all he wanted it was all he wanted it was ALL HE WANTED
and he’d never get it
It was just a little giggle at first. But within moments it turned to a high laughter, his hands suddenly coming down from his ears, fingertips red from where his nails had pierced the flesh of his ears. And he kept laughing, until it suddenly stopped, his head falling forward, arms drooping to his sides. For a second, it looked like SHOZO had just passed out. Or died.
SHOZO: IIIIIIIIIIIII understand.
His head lifted up, looking Oshima in the eye.
SHOZO: I understandwhattodo now.
He giggled.
SHOZO: I knowmypurpose. I was wrong but now, now, nowwwwww...
He stood up, stumbling backwards from how quickly he stood. He didn’t even seem to notice Kiriko or Oshima now.
SHOZO: I know what the crime is.
And without another word or look at them, the broken young man turns and walks away. Oshima watched him leave through the door before he stood, that same wet sound being heard again as he did. He was satisfied, happy even.
Shinji Oshima: SHOZO now knows what he needs to know for the next step of his Path to occur. And this is the messiest Path this could take. I’m so pleased.
Kiriko coughs again.
Kiriko Miura: Why...
Oshima looks down at her, and the smile on his face isn’t quite right.
Shinji Oshima: What can I say...Shozo’s not the only one who doesn’t take death well.
And the lights then flicker for a moment, and in the space of that moment Oshima disappears. Leaving Kiriko alone, on the floor of the restaurant, coughing repeatedly as she tries to process everything that just happened.
And left wondering what awful Fate this meant for everyone.
