[Private Level 2 to basically everyone Tachibana knows well]

[triggerhappytraitor]

Sayoko--

This world's Sayoko is here. Alive.

[[There might be a bit of a note of panic in his mental voice]]

She saw me. Recognized me...!

....and she's a Pillar.



[[Anyone who comes looking will find him in the garage, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, Garren hovering worriedly at his side.]]

Comments

[vrepit_no]

Stay there, okay? I'll be right there. Leave the door open for me?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[There's no reply because he just nodded. Which doesn't really come across the network to well.

But his door is open, Garren fretting back and forth from it to the couch.]]

[vrepit_no]

[It doesn't take him long to get there, and he pauses just long enough to scoop Garren up and set him on his shoulder before coming to sit next to Tachibana.]

Hey. You're not alone, all right? We'll work through this together. Have you had anything to eat or drink yet?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[Garren clings to Shiro's shirt collar for the ride over before hopping down to look up at his Slammer in worry]]

[[Tachibana glances up before shaking his head]]

I just...

[[he lets out a deep breath, running his hands through his hair before leaning back against the couch, looking up at the ceiling.]]

Kenzaki's overlay... and Sayoko's... both of them...

[[he trails off a moment before a small, humorless huff of laughter escapes him.]]

Even when it is me that dies... [[the words are quiet for their weight, his eyes closing]]

[vrepit_no]

[gently] I'm going to need you to talk me through this, Tachibana. Tell me what happened, what she told you, what you're feeling and what you're assuming. Think you can help me out here? Did you see her first? Or Kenzaki first?

[triggerhappytraitor]

... I didn't speak with her. I ran away when I realized...

[[he trails off, pressing his lips together unhappily before letting out another slow breath]]

Kenzaki-- Most of Kenzaki's overlays are him at the core. Kentrolite... something hurt him. Acting like Therion did after-- [[a moment as he all but winces, pressing his lips together again]] -- after he saw Karis murdered.

That Sayoko recognized me... a version of me had to have existed here. And that she's a Pillar...

[[He closes his eyes again, expression pained]]

[vrepit_no]

...

[That has implications, but it there's not enough evidence yet. Tachibana's not a person for physical comfort as far as Shiro can tell or there would be hugs right now. But he needs information before he shakes things up.]

Did you talk to Kentrolite at all?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[Hugs would just befuddle him, especially in his already a bit shaken state]]

[[He nods]]

I was stupid and called him by Kenzaki's name in confusion at first. Thought he was just playing around. [[a deep sigh]] He got upset when I said he reminded me of someone else... got more and more upset as we talked. [[another puff of humourless laughter]] Even said I was "just as thick" as someone else...

[[and now he's kicking himself for not putting it together then]]

[vrepit_no]

He doesn't know you like this, Tachibana.... It's not a reflection on you. You got under his skin. That doesn't mean it's all over.

[Never did answer the food question, did he. Well, Shiro has some snacks in his hammerspace. He pulls out a handful of Nutter Butter cookies and a red sports drink, pressing them into Tachibana's hands.]

Eat. It'll help the shaky feeling. Take a deep breath.

[triggerhappytraitor]

I reminded him of this world's me. [[it's a soft correction]]

[[He blinks at the cookies and drink before shaking his head slightly.]] It's not-- [[A hesitation. He's not good at this explaining feelings like. Yelling about things defensively, he could do, but this? There was too much, all wrapped in a need to do something to fix it somehow. If his other self's death had caused this... ]]

[vrepit_no]

Just one.

[Shiro's gently insistent. Not going to take no for an answer here, mister. You're in shock, even if it is minor, and eating gives the body something to focus on. It really will help.]

I know it's hard to talk about. Could you show me instead? Would that be okay?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[And there's that fidgeting that was so often present when Tachibana was uncomfortable. It's a better sign than the worn look. ]]

...I don't know how to do that, on my own.

[[but Shiro had seen... basically most of the worst of his memories, in the dungeon. So at least there wasn't that fear to get in the way.]]

[vrepit_no]

You and me both. [sigh.]

All right. So you reminded him of this world's version of yourself. He said as much?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[A small, awkward hesitation as he fidgets with the cookie in his hands.]]

He didn't say who. Just that it was just the same as someone. Stopped himself before he said who.

[vrepit_no]

Okay. And then you met this world's Miss Sayako.

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[Tachibana nodded, fingers stilling]]

She's... one of the stone people, here. But she still recognized me, the same shock as if it was... [[he trails off, pressing his lips together]]

She wouldn't recognize me if I never existed, in this world... And losing all hope...

[[he trailed off again]]

She's never been there, in worlds where I'm still myself... Garren's world, she had been killed... and in that world... he's who I would have been, if I had had an overlay.

[vrepit_no]

Which you think means that whomever was in your place here, has passed away. She saw you, recognized him in you. Did she say anything to you before you left?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[he shakes his head]]

...I teleported away before she could say anything...

[[and he looks very very guilty at that]]

[vrepit_no]

Can you articulate why you teleported? Were you frightened?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[He hesitates, fiddling again with the still uneaten cookie before shaking his head]] I don't think so... Not-- not like... not that sort of afraid.

[[It was hard to put into words, the feeling that had him panicking. It had been such a shock...]]

[vrepit_no]

[He has an idea what it might be.]

Was it love. She surprised you, but there she was, right in front of you. You suddenly had hope. But she became a Pillar. You couldn't handle the emotional influx and needed to get away before you showed it?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[A long silence as he continues to fidget]]

...I'm not the me she knew. What right did I have to show up in front of her like a ghost? To have the illusion of someone she'd lost back for a short time...

[[he trails off, shaking his head]] With how much it hurt, even just the memories of overlays being with her... how much crueler would this be?

[vrepit_no]

You can't help being yourself. And you didn't have any way to know she was here. You didn't exactly do it on purpose.

Look at me, please.

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[There's a long, hesitant moment before he finally does, expression unsure and unhappy.]]

[vrepit_no]

[He holds Tachibana's eyes firmly, tired empathy creating crows feet around his eyes.]

It is impossible. For you to have known.

[A brief pause for that to sink in. No, don't you drop your gaze, Mister.]

Let me ask you something. When you were in those other worlds. The ones where you saw Sayoko alive and well there. It hurt like the dickens, but would you have rather not seen her? Would you have rather found out after the jaunt that she'd been there and you hadn't had the chance to look at her one more time and hear her voice?