kotetsu.

[allyship]

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[week 5, saturday, post-trial]

[sponsoredby]

[ As he said he would, he's coming to drop by for a visit with him. Finley is pressed close to Kotetsu as he approaches. ]

Hey...

[allyship]

[screams i closed this tab my accident]

... Hey.

[sponsoredby]

[ IT'S OKAY, it happens. ]

What happened... was this something you planned together if you were approached by an angel?

[allyship]

No. [...] There were... certain things we had confided in each other that made me think she would prefer to be targeted than someone completely innocent, and that motivated my decision, but...

The short of it is that I spent the night believing I had to kill her, and she spent it trying to save us both.

[sponsoredby]

[ There's a weak nod at that. ]

You were approached... You didn't have a choice but to kill someone, right?

[allyship]

[he's quiet for a while.]

The compulsion is true. When they approach you, you believe you have to do it, or else there'll be worse consequences by the hands of the other higher beings.

Susato tried to make me see reason that night, but I couldn't accept it. Not until Xie Lian accused me at the end there, and my mind finally cleared.

[sponsoredby]

Despite it being out of control... you're still going to blame yourself, aren't you?

[allyship]

I made my choice in who to kill. I knew it would devastate.

Like the elf girl said, it was cruel to pick a friend—as relieved as I am that Susato fought for her life.

[sponsoredby]

...

I don't know about that. To you, it was a valid choice... that she wanted you to come for her, regardless. Maybe others might look at it as cruel, but... I think you made a choice of someone that would also understand. She wanted to protect you and save you both, but I don't think you should blame yourself for that choice you made.

No choice would have felt right.

[allyship]

... Indeed. My rationale was that it was no less cruel to simply draw a name out of a hat and hope for the best.

[but at this point, he doesn't know what makes sense or what's just his own ego talking.]

She actually drugged me that night. If she'd wanted to, she could've slit my throat right then and there.

[rochalizo is so bad at being evil that he could've died ten minutes into his own murder attempt]

[sponsoredby]

But she wanted to save you instead. She cared about you deeply. And it wouldn't have helped her any if she had... She was no killer.

Just like you're not really a killer.

[ he shakes his head a little. ]

I don't regret my choice for helping save you when you were picked for the execution before. Things were stacked against you and you didn't deserve to die. I still feel that you don't deserve to die.

[allyship]

[...

honestly, at this point, rochalizo's been mostly drained of emotion, ever since he stabbed susato. but something about kotetsu's words make him want to cry.

he looks away.]

She didn't want to let the angels win—to let them use anyone else as a pawn.

[he's just. not going to unpack all that about whether he deserves to die or not.]

[sponsoredby]

[ fair. but kotetsu felt it was important to say these things... to let him know. ]

What she did was very brave and noble. We'll make sure we keep trying to break this cycle and bring everyone back. For her. For you. For everyone.

[allyship]

[it's very touching considering his own family generally shows apathy to the idea of him dying.]

... Yes. We'll do what we can on the other side as well. I doubt Susato will rest even for a moment.

[sponsoredby]

[ they may not have been the closest, but rochalizo was someone he cared about. ]

"We?" Are you going to meet your fate head on tomorrow... like what Nanaly did?

[ And... Yukio, in a sense? ]

[allyship]

... This has not been the first time I've pointed a weapon at a friend, but I'd like for it to be the last. No need to repeat it a third time.

[rochalizo doesn't take issue with killing when he has to, but his heart is weary enough of hurting the people he cares about.]

[sponsoredby]

I'll support your choice until the very end. And I'll keep fighting hard on my end to bring you all back. Because it's what you all deserve.

...And make sure to try to get her to rest. And to get your own rest, too.

[allyship]

... I won't accept anything less than success from you, then.

[no promises on the rest, though.]

[sponsoredby]

Of course. I have a lot of people that would yell at me if I broke my word at this point.

[allyship]

... I can imagine. [...] And of course, we need to get you back to your daughter.

[sponsoredby]

[ There's a soft smile at that and nods. ]

Yeah... I have to make sure not to leave her alone.

[allyship]

... It's been over a month now, has it? I imagine that's quite a long time for you to be separated.

[sponsoredby]

It's a long time for us to be out of contact, but... She lives with my mother and with my job I don't get to see her as often as I'd like.

[1/2]

[allyship]

[








there's a pause where you can tell rochalizo wants to be like "your job pretending to be a masked man?" but he refrains.]

[allyship]

... Still, your love for her is clear, even to a stranger like me.