[closed] i knew you were trouble when you talked in

[psycholawgy]

Who: Athena Cykes psycholawgy & Katsura Koutarou bakudanma
When: Backdated to 28 January
Where: Residential Area
What: Athena's robot friend stopped talking to her after asking too much about CERES, so now she wants to know what he's hiding.
Rating/Warning: Will put something here if needed.

---

Meet me at the 6-10 convenient store by Maple st in 10 minutes.
Important stuff.
CERES.

[ And so, Athena waits in front of a convenient store, sporting crutches, and drinking a box of orange juice. Where is Katsura? Hopefully, he doesn't make a dramatic entrance. ]

Comments

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ He doesn't get why Athena is trying to be so secretive now. It's over, as far as being private about this thing goes, and so Zura will run his mouth as much as he wants about CERES fearlessly.

Katsura, too, isn't in his healthiest condition— but he couldn't turn Athena down when she texted him this.

Coincidentally enough, Katsura is wearing complete black, like so-- turtle neck and pants. It was weird seeing him in non-traditional Japanese clothing, honestly.

The only difference is the fact his right arm is in a sling.
Was that.. black war paint under his eyes and on his cheeks?

He actually doesn't make an extravagant arrival. Instead, he is side stepping to Athena, and muttering under his lips: ]</sub>

"Mosley-san can suck the big one."

_{[ this is the official passcode, fyi...... which there we no need to say because he knows Athena anyway. ]}

[psycholawgy]

[ ... why... why did he just suddenly slide up next to Athena. She tries not to scream. ]

K- Katsura, hey. I was wondering if you could help me out.

I've been interrogating a CERES employee for about a month now, and he's stopped talking to me and even throws garbage at me when I pass by. The guy's definitely hiding something.

[bakudanma]

A word of wisdom because I have had trash thrown at me before.
When life gives you trash, turn around and throw **** at it.

So the even more important question: do you happen to have **** on you? Of any kind.

_{[ why did you ask him to come with you ]}

[psycholawgy]

[ What do those asterisks mean? There are so many four letter words...

She just shakes her head in response.]

No, I don't. BUt the thing is, I want to know what he's hiding, you know? So I want to check his place out while he's away.

... And he's at work right now. [ There's a sense of urgency in her tone. ]

[bakudanma]

Fu haha.
I was hoping you would say something like that. I came here, prepared, just like Lupin III*.

...How do you know where his place is?

[psycholawgy]

I know where almost everybody lives. [ she says so cheerfully. SHE ISN'T A STALKER. ] I jog every morning, and say hello to everyone I meet.

[bakudanma]

I see. Did you come across him on a jog one morning?

[psycholawgy]

Yeah, and we started talking after that. We became friends, sort of!

Until I asked too many questions about CERES...

[bakudanma]

Where does he live? Is it nearby?

[psycholawgy]

Yeah, it is.

Follow me. [ And slowly, she starts walking, taking a turn at the nearby street. ]

[bakudanma]

_{[ Katsura also follows, walking light on his feet as he observes Athena in front of him. She's on crutches; obviously she got hurt during the tours that were offered, and Zura couldn't help but wonder what happened. ]}

Cykes-dono.

...Was it rough for you too?

[psycholawgy]

[ ... she pauses in her steps before answering, and lets out a huge and heavy sigh. ]

It was the scariest experience in my entire life.

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ Katsura cannot say the same. He's seen scary things-- the claws and teeth at the enemy line, their faces stained with the blood of his comrades'-- their words, speaking words of death into the ghosty and chilled air. He's held people in his arms as they perish into a cold existence and felt their ghosts brush against his shoulders as they leave their bodies. No, a few scary robots with their guns pointed at him didn't scare him at all.

Athena is younger, though, and ambitious and strong in Zura's eyes. Seeing her shaken like this makes him frown and he picks up the pace to walk alongside with her.

Katsura can be a person who is particular about his use of space and who is allowed in it, but he doesn't feel himself hesitant to drape his good arm around Athena's shoulders as they walk.

He peers at her to read her expression and so she can see that he is being genuine. ]</sub>

You have people here around you in times like this. Always remember that.
_{[ Like him, for example. ]}

[psycholawgy]

[ That's right... and the person she wanted comfort from the most pretty much scolded her. It wasn't the kind of comfort she was looking for, but she's glad to know that there are people out there who are concerned for her. ]

I'm-- I'm sorry about what happened to you, too.

The tour was a bust, wasn't it?

[bakudanma]

It wasn't.
We sacrificed some things, but we made some discoveries and we are stepping in the right direction.

Revolutionizing takes baby steps, you see. I know this of all people.
You cannot conquer something bigger than you just over night. Even the mightiest ants cannot carry an entire slice of bread. They have to take little pieces at a time.

What is important is those who made it out alive.
.. I'm glad you did.

[psycholawgy]

[ Katsura has it right... ]

We were sent out the colony. That was the only discovery we made.

Did you think there was a jungle outside the city?

[bakudanma]

I knew there had to be a world outside of here. A jungle does not surprise me.

_{[ He keeps his arm around her and he won't let her go until they find the house they're going to be sneaking into. ]}

We discovered what I speculate to be a Flamine, but I am not certain.

[psycholawgy]

But it wasn't a jungle. It was like... a dumpsite? A junkyard. And the trash were sentient.

[bakudanma]

_{[ huh ]}
Do you think this place was a different world before CERES established itself and maybe.. changed it?

[psycholawgy]

... Maybe it was a reclaimed land.

[ And there's an apartment a couple feet away. Athena points to it with one of her crutches. ]

I want to see what he's hiding without getting caught... can you pick locks? You seem like the type who can do that.

[bakudanma]

Pick locks? Aren't most of the apartments opened by our CERES card?
_{[ and here we go: ]}

Does it have a window?

[psycholawgy]

WE CAN'T LEAVE A TRACE THAT WE WERE IN!

[ So windows are an obvious no! But-- ]

Can you enter through a window without leaving a trace, Katsura?

[bakudanma]

_{[ He likes the windows ... ]}
I can get into it without leaving a trace, Cykes-dono. I'm not that sort of criminal who leaves a mess.

_{[ except that time he broke into Yata's apartment by dismantling his door. ]}

[psycholawgy]

[ Alright, just as long as hE DOESN'T LEAVE A GODDAMN SANDAL ON THE GROUND. She trusts Katsura. ]

Let's go then. Please help me out, too.

[ She looks at her watch. ] He should have left an hour ago, and he'll be back by five in the afternoon. We have lots of time to snoop around.

[bakudanma]

Feel free to snoop all you want. I need to find the window.
Is there something particular you're looking for?