Memory - All courts - Video

[ringbeast]

It was hard enough for him, knowing that his grandmother was aware that he would die in the absence of phantoms to eat... But when she offered herself up to be turned into one in order to ensure his ability to survive, it was even worse.

She knew she'd die. Haruto had given her the speech and everything. Gates turn into phantoms when they fall to despair. He had tried so hard to keep his secret from her, he'd known that she was just going to make things even harder... But he hadn't realized it would come to this. There she was... telling the phantom to kill her.

And then Shunpei was captured and held for ransom... With her as the payment. She wanted to go. She ordered him to take her. He'd never felt so miserable in his entire life. His chest hurt just thinking about it. She was always giving of herself to take care of him... And he'd only just realized.

In this memory, he stands in front of the door of the spare room in Remnants, knocks, and pushes it open, face drawn and serious.

"Kousuke..." She says.

"Gramma..." he answers. "Let's go back to Fukui right now, okay?"

"No, Kousuke!" she yells. He jumps, hands at his side like a child... Always like that with her.

She sighs. "How shameful... Yesterday, that's all I wanted to hear. But now, it's the last thing I want to hear!"

He turns, shouting back. "I finally figured it out! How you felt... You've been worried about me this whole time. I finally get it..." He feels his eyes filling with tears, his throat tightens. "But if I lost you now... I'd be the one to fall into despair."

She starts to cry, too. "You silly boy! I would despair if you sacrificed anyone else for my sake!"

"Gramma..." He sniffles back.

"You need to get ready, Kousuke!" She insists, shaking him. "You don't want to abandon Shunpei, either, do you?"

He shakes his head, tears beginning to fall, and then she offers something to him. He doesn't cry very often... He doesn't smile very often when he does. But seeing the origami lion she made him, the symbol of his identity as beast, he smiles even as the tears fall from his eyes.

"That's my gramma..." he whispers. "You saw right through me..."

She pats him gently, reminding him of all the times she took care of him over the years. And then the two of them come up with a plan, together.

Comments

video; private.

[zingers]

[ he clears his throat, awkwardly rubbing his neck, but there's something like empathy in his eyes. ]

That's rough, man.

video; private

[ringbeast]

Ah... Uh...

[He's not sure how to respond, really. He saw Peter's memory, where his secret was kind-of sort-of revealed... But as embarrassing as that was, he didn't cry. Still, Peter's not making fun of him. He sighs out as he gives in.]

Yeah. My parents work a lot, so my gramma kind of sort of raised me. We all lived together in the big family manor. She was real strict cos I was always getting in it, y'know. So when the whole wizard thing happened I, uh. Tried to keep it a secret. I was worried she'd yell at me.

But, uh. She was just really scared for me. I'm safe here, mostly. Enough magic just around that I don't gotta worry too hard about it unless I run outta mana. But I came close, y'know.

Yeah so sorry I got pushy with your own memory. I guess I shoulda known better.

video; private

[zingers]

It's cool, man. Mine seems funnier on the surface. [ and angstier when you add in the costs of a reveal. ]

[ he hesitates. ] My parents didn't raise me, either. I mean, my aunt and uncle did. And when my uncle died, I — I get it; that's all. Sorry this got aired on the network, but for the record, you're handling it better than I did.

[ with the lack of spazzing and mumbling. ]

[ringbeast]

Eh... I mean, it seemed like a comedy routine, you coulda played it off like that. Haha.

[He gives Peter a sympathetic look. Haruto was an orphan too, it seems like they're everywhere nowadays.]

Eh... Thanks. I mean, nobody's really talked to me about it so that might be part of it. I'm just embarrassed everybody saw me cry, is all. Also I mean, I got powers and I'm always runnin' around telling people about it so I got nothing to hide.

private, audio;

[ringwizard]

[ There's a long pause - he'd suspected something like that had happened, it wasn't like he'd been left entirely in the dark when they put together their plan to save everyone, but this? This is the kind of thing that's hard for him to broach. It's too familiar. He keeps it light, not really willing to revisit this bad memory too much. It's over now. ]

So that's how it went.

private, audio;

[ringbeast]

Aw man! I was hopin' you wouldn't watch it. Seein' me cry at my gramma like a kid. So lame.

[He sighs, grumbling under his breath.]

So, what, you gonna make fun of me now?

[ringwizard]

Make fun of you for what? [ There's legitimate irritation in his voice. ] Caring about your grandmother? I think I'm the last person who can make fun of you for caring if she'd sacrificed herself.

[ringbeast]

[There's a small, surprised noise on his end as Haruto fires back. He feels an immediate sense of guilt at his immediate reaction. Not really the nicest thing to say to an orphan, he belatedly realizes.]

Well.... I mean... It was a private moment. I cried. You know. I'm touchy, that's all.

[He sighs.]

Sorry. Hey, you know, she asked me about you a few times after that.

[ringwizard]

Well, now that everyone's seen you crying like a baby over your Grandma, you can cry at will and nothing will be that embarrassing. Call it an early boon.

[ He laughs a little. ]

I'm sure only half as many times as she asked you about Shunpei. [ A pause. ] What'd she ask?

[ringbeast]

[He glares at the locket, but of course Haruto can't see it.]

Jeez. As if I cry about anything that isn't important!

[He growls.]

I kinda don't wanna tell you now. It was mostly like... How's Haruto doing, is he eating right? Make sure you back him up all right and don't slack off.

And then I'd be like Gramma he's my rival not my partner, I'm not gonna ask him how he's eating. Then she'd make me promise to buy you food with the money she was givin' me.

[ringwizard]

[ Perfectly innocent: ] So where's the food you owe me, then?

[ He sighs. ] I'll have to thank her when I get back.

[ringbeast]

Whaaa, like you don't remember how I took you guys out to korean bbq after you found out I was rich.

[He grumbles.] Shunpei wouldn't let me get away with it, after I stole your ham and all.

[ringwizard]

It only went downhill after you took that ham... [ Is he still mad about the ham? Yes, he is still mad about the ham. ]

You owe me dinner when we get back anyway. One Korean barbecue trip wouldn't satisfy your Grandma's worries, would it? [ Haruto that's not how you ask someone out. ]

[ringbeast]

You care wayy too much about that ham.

[He sighs.]

Hell, when we get back from here, I'll take you out to sushi. All you can eat.

[ringwizard]

I had to watch it be murdered. I'm torn up over it!

[ He sounds smug. ] Good. I missed sushi while I was away... no one makes it properly.

[ringbeast]

You did not, I ate it all after you left. Big baby.

You're tellin' me. There's some good food abroad, but the Japanese food just ain't as good. Ugh, I miss miso soup.

[ringwizard]

I was lucky enough to meet a Japanese couple in France who made me some stuff to take when I went on to Spain, but other than that it was local food all the way down. [ He hums, sounding thoughtful. ] I wonder if they have magic miso here... The rest of it wouldn't be too hard to put together. Right?

[ringbeast]

That's nice. We mostly ate local foods, but there was rice, there. Ate whatever I could find when I was on my way back to Japan...

[He perks up.]

Well, if we can get mayo, we can probably get miso. Past that I guess just soy sauce and mirin and we're good. But riiiice.

Wonder if they'd let me cook.

[ringwizard]

Rice... rice.

[ Now he misses rice. Damn you, Kousuke Nitoh. ]

I don't see why not. They do seem to want to play nice a little... and we're court wizards, right?

[ringbeast]

[Join the club.]

Maybe I'll tell 'em I need it for a spell or something, ha ha.

[ringwizard]

Potion-making?

[ringbeast]

I'll tell them I need it for a special charm called a mochi that cures homesickness.

[ringwizard]

If you're not careful, you'll be cooking for everybody Japanese in this whole world, you know.

[ringbeast]

Aw heck, just use your copy spell.

[ringwizard]

That's not how copy works---!!

[ringbeast]

Well then it's useless!

[ringwizard]

Shut up, it is not!

[ringbeast]

Can it even make copies? It's less useful than a copy machine!

1/3

[ringwizard]

2/3

[ringwizard]

It makes copies of the most important thing in the world.

3/3 done

[ringwizard]

Me.

lmao

[ringbeast]

Pff, I already got more of you than I can deal with.

[ringwizard]

I'll show you more me than you can deal with, Kousuke. [ It's light. ]

[ringbeast]

Wh-

[Thankfully this isn't video. He flushes hard and puts a hand over his mouth, swallowing. It takes him a long minute to get himself together to respond.]

Pffffff...! I don't think you know who you're dealing with!

[He coughs lightly.]

A-anyway, like... I'll see you later or whatever.

[ringwizard]

[ Is he laughing? Yeah, but into his cardigan. ] I'll be ready.

Bye bye~