Keeping in the know

[star_of_sad]

[1]
[Setsuko had a lot to think of. Black Charisma's madness, and what Xine said... all important and difficult matters. Matters which she cannot tackle, definitely not now - but they reminded her of something else, which is why she is packed up and leaving. No, not forever - it's just a short trip.]

Please stay well while I'm gone, okay everyone? I promise, it won't take long. I'll stay in contact so if something happens, you'll know right away.

[She smiles - in an unforced, but naturally sad way.]

I'm going to talk to Toby's fiancee. After all that happened...

She deserves to know what actually happened.

[2]
[A day or two later, Setsuko is back, safe and sound.]


...

[And very pensive.]

Comments

2

[majestic_keiki]

Welcome back.

[Kei's there to greet her, pausing a bit before continuing.]

Something wrong?

[star_of_sad]

Ah, Kei.

[Setsuko waves a little.]

Hello. No, everything's alright. It's just...

Well, I visited her, as I said I would. Toby's fiancee.

[majestic_keiki]

Right. How did it go? [Clearly there was something there.]

[star_of_sad]

[Setsuko takes a deep breath.]

She... well.

She moved on. It has been such a long time since she heard of Toby last...

He didn't make contact since Chief's death. That's when I was thrown to Paradigm City, and Toby was rescued by Chimera.

[majestic_keiki]

So she thought he was already dead or had left her?

[star_of_sad]

I... really, I'm not sure. This is a dangerous position, and being in Glory Stars was even more dangerous. She knew that bad things were happening around Unity Group.

But, she thanked me. For making it clear. It's almost like... like we were relieved out there, to admit it. Both of us.

[majestic_keiki]

[Kei doesn't immediately reply. This was way too far out of her experience to really know what to say.]

[star_of_sad]

I know why Toby didn't try to contact her. He was tracking Asakim and had to lie low. He couldn't afford to blow his cover.

But, later on, when we reunited...

You know we were close. Not just friends... I think more than that. Or, even if we weren't there just yet, we were getting there. In time... But, I knew Toby was engaged. I still remembered, I just didn't want to remember.

That was a really selfish and horrible thing of me, wasn't it?

[majestic_keiki]

I don't know...If anybody was selfish it was him if he'd lied to her or tried being with both of you.

[star_of_sad]

No, he didn't do any of these things! For what we know, if I asked him he could just turn me down... we didn't get that far, yet.

[majestic_keiki]

Then I think it was okay.

[star_of_sad]

I'm probably overthinking it, aren't I? Don't worry, Kei. I am not beating myself up over what have I done, or what I didn't do.

What I do feel mostly... relief.

[majestic_keiki]

[Setsuko gets a nod and one of Kei's brighter smiles, perking up a bit herself.]

That's good.

[star_of_sad]

I can't stay sad forever, can I?

[majestic_keiki]

Right. Hopefully things will get better for others as well.

[star_of_sad]

Yes. I can only hope that they will.

But then... you are all here to help with that, right? As much as we can.

[majestic_keiki]

I guess. Even if times have been rough for a lot of people, lately.

[star_of_sad]

And... it sounds like at least some of those rough events were orchestrated. All by the same people.

[majestic_keiki]

Yes. We just need to win to make sure it doesn't happen again.

...Doesn't sound too much better.

2

[cloningblues]

Ah, Setsuko.

...Did it go well?

[Asagi sounds like he's worried it didn't.]

[star_of_sad]

I'd say... pretty well, all things considered. At least, I think so.

[cloningblues]

I see. That's good.

Did you tell her the details? About Asakim and all? Or did you spare her this stuff?

[star_of_sad]

I told her we were fighting a powerful enemy. A well known nemesis of Unity Group, and Glory Stars too in a way. But...

[Setsuko hesitates.]

[cloningblues]

No. I understand. I don't think she needs to hear about everything Asakim did.

[star_of_sad]

Yeah...

She didn't hear anything from Toby after the dimensional ripple. The one that, well, was my doing - after Chief died. As far as she is concerned, this is when he died as well.

[cloningblues]

...Does she blame you?

[star_of_sad]

No. She... doesn't know I caused that either. But I told her that Toby was alive afterwards. She didn't know - he didn't contact her in any way.

But she was not sad to hear that. Rather, I would say she was... relieved.

[cloningblues]

It's better to know the bad truth than stay uncertain and expert the worst, huh...

[star_of_sad]

Yes. Especially if the expectation can be even worse than the truth.

[cloningblues]

Do you feel like a burden was taken off you?

[star_of_sad]

You... could say that, yes.

At the very least I feel more at peace with what happened. It's no less sad but, somehow, I think I can live with it a little bit easier.

2

[deathflag_survivor]

So how did it go?

[star_of_sad]

Ah.

[Setsuko snaps out of it.]

Not bad, actually. It went better than I expected.

[deathflag_survivor]

Really?

[That actually surprised him.]

Considering how Toby died, I would've expected you would've had more... difficulty.

[God knows how he was when Jessica died.]

[star_of_sad]

It was a long time ago. She had time to come to terms with reality.

In a way, we all did.

[deathflag_survivor]

We all usually do if we want to keep on living.

[Though speaking of life and death...]

You didn't happen to see Toby again out there when the Virgola... took that bad hit, did you?

[star_of_sad]

No...

[Setsuko shakes her head.]

I didn't see anyone or anything. It wasn't too pleasant... but I don't think it felt like a real death. I don't think what happened out there was for real at all.

[deathflag_survivor]

Well yeah it wasn't real real, but still we- ... it's just that-...

Aaagh. Just when we were thinking the PRAYER crap was dead and buried.

[star_of_sad]

It was too easy. After all the trouble PRAYERs gave everyone, getting rid of them all forever like that felt... too good to be true.