[Week 5, Sunday: Hikage]

[doublecrows]

[hi, Hikage. there's a creeper lingering in the shadows of a castle hallway, waiting for the chance to speak with you. Akechi please get a better hobby that doesn't involve stalking people]

Hikage-san.

[so!! pleasant!!]

You're the Alchemist, aren't you?

Comments

[doublecrows]

Because you thought I would send ripples of chaos throughout the game.

[he remembers that conversation]

And I wanted your protection.

But it seems as though neither of us truly need the things that originally brought us together.

[psychedelica]

...

[ he's not going to admit anything; he has too much pride. ]

I don't know what either of us "truly need." Maybe we do need revenge and chaos to be happy. [ despite all his years, he has learned precious little about anything other than hate and suffering. he feels like he barely knew himself - even now, he's only grasped the barest understanding. ] ... I just know there's someone here who loves you. Don't throw his feelings away, or you'll regret it.

[ it's not in his nature to dispense advice like this - he doesn't even like Akechi. Does he like Akechi? He doesn't know. Still, he can't bear to watch someone still alive start making the same mistakes he did so long ago. ]

[doublecrows]

[it isn't in Akechi's nature to acknowledge the feelings he may or may not have for other people, either. he still feels that instinct to fight against them, to shove them down, to deny them and focus on himself and himself only bubbling to the surface. and yet. . .]

[. . .]

[he gives a small shrug]

I don't intend to.

[he supposes. . . for now, it's okay to admit, in the most subtle of ways. . . that he knows he's found something too precious to let go of. something other than hatred and anger and bitterness. something other than revenge]