(Oh, and there's... well, he's surprised. When he closes the door, he sort of just stands there, looking at Hikaru like she's spoken Schwann's ghost into the room.)
Nobody's been able to, except for me. I don't know why.
...
[She speaks her next words carefully, confident but with a gentle tone.]
I've only told a couple people, and I asked all of them, as a task, to not say anything unless it's actually needed. Xie Lian, Won-san, and Chiron-sensei. They all know I wanted to talk to you about this, myself.
...
I don't have a lot. But I can read it for you. Maybe... you can figure out the parts I couldn't.
(He feels... cold. Anxious, even. And he looks away for a moment, as if considering if he really wants to hear this but... that's stupid. Of course he wants to hear it. He's never been one to shy away from learning anything, even now--)
I'll try to help. And I won't tell anyone. I promise.
[fun fact i originally wrote a very nice tag for this and then refreshed the page on mobile and lost the whole thing so i had to go and angrily water my plants for a minute
anyway
She'll quietly nod, gesturing for them to sit on the floor.]
Do you have any more paper?
Would you write it down, while I read it? I can try to count how many letters are missing as I go.
(Just gonna dig through his tree for some paper and a pen!!
And he'll sit down in front of her! And just... wait to take notes. But you know, this pen in his hand doesn't even feel real. He kind fo wonders if he's lost his sense of touch but he's pretty sure its just
[She takes her time, halting whenever there is an issue with the text and counting exactly how many boxes there are.
And I'm gonna make our lives easier because Eski needs to go to bed.
"Sorry I can't be there for you.
Each team must ki████w███ to █e█████t███████. How far are you willi██ to go, while ignori█g the feelings of o██ers? Think carefu███ on what's mos█ impor███t to you, and wheth███it's worth it.
(Honestly, he stops writing towards the end, his pen tripping over the paper and stopping right at the end of the only other complete sentence in the message.
He manages to continue writing, his script practically illegible lines to catch up with her but when it's all finished. When everything is written down in front of him, he's staring at the message, eyes wide and fixated on a certain point.
"Don't trust Hilda")
Why... would he say this...?
(His voice is quiet, tense as he tries to keep it level.)
[Yeah, that's... about what she expected. She quietly lowers her phone to check over his writing, wincing at how broken it gets.]
I... don't know. I really don't. But the fact that he wouldn't put a reason why, even a little bit... it's not like him.
It's why I wanted to show you. I... know Hilda-chan is really important. So maybe...
[...]
Maybe she just... has something she can't say right now. Or something different we can't know about. Maybe Schwann knows, or thinks he knows. I... don't know.
All I know is that... that I don't want to use this letter as a reason for anyone to do anything to her.
The words keep repeating. There's a whole message and this is the part he seems to be stuck on right now. He tries to read the other words. Even with the parts missing, the message seems clear enough and those... also hit him.
One arrow.
Another.
Just another hit at his heart and he lets out a short, broken laugh.)
Haaah... I wonder what they know. (The dead. If they're watching. If they're trying to speak to them.) The dead aren't supposed to speak.
(But if they can... who else are they talking to? What else are they saying? Aaah, it's funny how haunted everything is.)
She's not the only one. (With things she can't say.) Hey, Hikaru.
Thanks for showing me this but... can you leave now? We can talk later... but we have other things to focus on like the trial.
She carefully lifts her own little finger, hooking it around his and bobbing their hands.]
I won't tell. I promise I won't.
[She grabs her PHS, quickly lifting to her feet and casting more than one glance behind her as she heads for the door and makes sure its locked behind her.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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You can talk to me whenever you want.
(Even when he'd rather be alone. He's not the type of person that can ignore people who are troubled.)
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...And if what I want to talk about is just... you, Nii-chan?
Would you still let me?
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... Well, there's plenty to talk about. I'm sure we'd find something.
(Maybe just not what she wants to talk about.)
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Okay.
[She'll carefully move back into the room, waiting until he's closed the door behind him.
...]
...Schwann sent me something this morning, Claude. On my PHS.
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... The messages to the dead.
(That memo. She wrote to them?)
Are you certain it's from him?
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A lot of it has blacked out letters, and I can tell he tried to sign his name, even though part of it is missing... but...
Yes, Nii-chan. I do think it was him.
He... mentioned something about Hilda-chan.
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I don't think I can see it.
(But... as soon as she mentions Hilda, his eyes light up with... concern? He's worried,)
Why would he mention Hilda?
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...
[She speaks her next words carefully, confident but with a gentle tone.]
I've only told a couple people, and I asked all of them, as a task, to not say anything unless it's actually needed. Xie Lian, Won-san, and Chiron-sensei. They all know I wanted to talk to you about this, myself.
...
I don't have a lot. But I can read it for you. Maybe... you can figure out the parts I couldn't.
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I'll try to help. And I won't tell anyone. I promise.
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anyway
She'll quietly nod, gesturing for them to sit on the floor.]
Do you have any more paper?
Would you write it down, while I read it? I can try to count how many letters are missing as I go.
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(Just gonna dig through his tree for some paper and a pen!!
And he'll sit down in front of her! And just... wait to take notes. But you know, this pen in his hand doesn't even feel real. He kind fo wonders if he's lost his sense of touch but he's pretty sure its just
dread right now. He's ready!!!)
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And I'm gonna make our lives easier because Eski needs to go to bed.
"Sorry I can't be there for you.
Each team must ki████w███ to █e█████t███████. How far are you willi██ to go, while ignori█g the feelings of o██ers? Think carefu███ on what's mos█ impor███t to you, and wheth███it's worth it.
Don't trust Hilda nor Vezda. Protect the ████s.
-S███a██"]
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He manages to continue writing, his script practically illegible lines to catch up with her but when it's all finished. When everything is written down in front of him, he's staring at the message, eyes wide and fixated on a certain point.
"Don't trust Hilda")
Why... would he say this...?
(His voice is quiet, tense as he tries to keep it level.)
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I... don't know. I really don't. But the fact that he wouldn't put a reason why, even a little bit... it's not like him.
It's why I wanted to show you. I... know Hilda-chan is really important. So maybe...
[...]
Maybe she just... has something she can't say right now. Or something different we can't know about. Maybe Schwann knows, or thinks he knows. I... don't know.
All I know is that... that I don't want to use this letter as a reason for anyone to do anything to her.
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Don't trust Hilda
The words keep repeating. There's a whole message and this is the part he seems to be stuck on right now. He tries to read the other words. Even with the parts missing, the message seems clear enough and those... also hit him.
One arrow.
Another.
Just another hit at his heart and he lets out a short, broken laugh.)
Haaah... I wonder what they know. (The dead. If they're watching. If they're trying to speak to them.) The dead aren't supposed to speak.
(But if they can... who else are they talking to? What else are they saying? Aaah, it's funny how haunted everything is.)
She's not the only one. (With things she can't say.) Hey, Hikaru.
Thanks for showing me this but... can you leave now? We can talk later... but we have other things to focus on like the trial.
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...Leave? [already? But his voice is broken, and so is his smile, and she wants to reach out but she knows he's going to pull away...
...]
Um.. yeah. Yeah, I can... I can go, but...
[...]
I'm gonna come find you later, okay? Even if you can't talk... I can come anyway.
I don't want you to feel alone, Nii-chan.
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(Leave.)
We'll talk later. (And even if his hand feels heavy (so, so heavy) he holds it up, pinky out,) I promise.
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...
She carefully lifts her own little finger, hooking it around his and bobbing their hands.]
I won't tell. I promise I won't.
[She grabs her PHS, quickly lifting to her feet and casting more than one glance behind her as she heads for the door and makes sure its locked behind her.
Claudd... what in the world was even happening?]