[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

[chalicejoker]

So you've had time to calm down. She's probably worried now...

[Meanwhile, Hajime reaches up to absentmindedly rub his neck.]

Therion? He...went to great lengths to try to get Karis back...

[Look, he didn't see a lot of the other ramifications there, what with being busy getting decapitated and all.]

[triggerhappytraitor]

...He was angry. Lashing out. Trying to act tough and fight the world to hide that he was hurting.

He's alone, Hajime. And so is Sayoko...

[chalicejoker]

...we're not infiltrated, and they're alone.

[Hajime looks increasingly more uneasy, though at least he's stopped rubbing at his neck.]

There were other versions of us here once, weren't there?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[A small nod]] There must have been...

Kentrolite even said that I was acting the same as someone else. Wouldn't finish saying who. Stopped himself before he could say the name.

[chalicejoker]

...interesting.

[Hajime has to wonder if Kentrolite had thought something similar of him, if there had been any sort of similar relationship there...]

I wonder if it would be possible for us to find out for sure without asking them. It wouldn't be quite so...awkward.

[triggerhappytraitor]

Asking others, maybe. Or having others ask.

[[A moment's unhappy pause]]

...that she's a Pillar....

[chalicejoker]

She took it hard.

[Hajime's speaking kind of quietly now.]

As far as I recall, you took it hard as well.

[There's a pause.]

Grief comes in a lot of different forms.

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[He's still a moment before nodding. That it did hit her so hard... it hurts. For all his wishing that she had been the one to live instead of him... He hadn't at all thought it would be like this.]]

...and I just made it worse, showing up like a ghost and then vanishing.

[chalicejoker]

And that's why I can go find her again, give you some time to get it together, and then I can bring her back here.

Or my place, if you want more neutral ground.

[triggerhappytraitor]

The hell would I even say to her?

It's not like she's like you, she wouldn't have the same memories at all. I'd just mess up her memories of her version of me...

[chalicejoker]

You vanished like a ghost.

You could...I don't know, explain that you're a parallel universe version of the guy she knew.

[There's a long pause.]

Didn't it help you, knowing there were worlds where she'd lived?

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[there's a long moment of quiet before he nods]]

[chalicejoker]

And that might help her too.

[Hajime pushes the pot of oden at Tachibana.]

Settle down, eat something, and while you do that, Ryo and I will go find her again.

[Why is he feeling like his mother right now?]

[triggerhappytraitor]

Wait--

[[Tachibana reaches out, stopping just short of grabbing Hajime's hand]]

What if she recognizes you as well?

[chalicejoker]

I've got experience with "hello, I'm not quite the person you knew, I'm from another timeline or universe."

You don't. I can be more diplomatic.

[This actually sets Ryo off into a giggle fit. Hajime! Diplomatic? That's funny.]

[triggerhappytraitor]

[[A small puff of amusement escapes Tachibana as well.]]

You can, when there's an actual need?

[chalicejoker]

Every so often.

["Planets have to be in alignment!" adds Ryo.]

[triggerhappytraitor]

Let's hope that they are, this time. [[and he finally is starting to relax]]

...Thank you.

[[The words are quiet and soft, but very genuine.]]