first shot • video

[severing]

[Dated to the morning of the 31st. He's... making the most out of the day? o/]

Hey Saya, happy birthday!

[Did that catch your attention? Too bad, since this is really just meant for Saya, but Train can't be bothered to filter this part.]

—It is your birthday, right? Anyway, since I'm pretty sure it is, let's go celebrate! I bet you know where all the good places to eat here are, so I'll leave you in charge of that. I can... go fetch milk? You probably wouldn't tell me what you want even if I asked, anyway.

[A pause]

Oh yeah! Since I don't know whether your observational skills are lacking or you've just been avoiding me, I'm giving you until noon to reply! If you don't say anything by then, I'm gonna assume you're hiding and find you. And in case you don't know...

[He smirks.]

I'm pretty good at finding people who don't want to be found. And don't think running will work either.

[Grin~]

So! You've got until noon!

[The feed appears to end—]

[Filtered to Saya; unhackable]

[—and now his expression becomes serious.]

... At least tell me what's going on. This isn't like the other times, is it? You're really real this time, right?

Comments

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

[CHUGGING CHUGGING CHUGGING- Done!

Taking a breath of fresh air before giving that license a once-over.

... huh.]

And how long have you had that on your person?

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

[Attempting to count the months on his fingers—]

It's been eight months since Creed... about six months since that fight...

[GAH TOO MUCH MATH INVOLVED. He grins, scratching the back of his neck.]

... A long time!

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

[... Wow, he's relaxed a lot. But as he mentions Creed, she remembers her little Christmas gift.]

Creed...

So you took him out, huh?

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I beat him.

[A pause]

... You really don't remember?

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

What I don't remember is another list entirely, you know that.

[A bit of a laugh.]

So I figure that makes it your job to fill me in.

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

[A smile]

You know what I meant.

[Then he looks up.]

But geez... that's a lot to fill you in on. Do you want me to start from the beginning or just when you started to show up?

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

Whatever you think is important, I guess. Bullet point it for me.

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

Short and simple—that works for me.

[Hmm. Important points? He chugs down some milk, before continuing.]

First, I took your advice and left Chronos. And then became a sweeper, obviously.

Second, I got some partners! They're not here, though. Which kind of sucks.

Third, I kicked Creed's ass!

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S BTW, JAN

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

To the first, I approve. Good job!

To the second, I'm surprised. Maybe they'll turn up.

To the third... I've got a question.

[... A bit of a sigh. She knows that when bounties are up that high, you can turn 'em in dead or alive.]

Is he still breathing?

FFFF, HAPPY NEW YEARS TO YOU TOO <3

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

[His smile softens. If Saya really didn't remember... then he was expecting this question.]

Still breathing, still alive, and, well... maybe not still entirely functional anymore, but he'll probably recover. One of his allies is looking after him now, I think.

<333

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

[For a while, she's quiet. That's... not really what she expected, all things considered. Her last memories had Train so angry after all.

Once she finally regains herself, she can't seem to do anything but laugh.]

You're full of surprises, aren't you Train?

<3333

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

Is it really that surprising?

[... Though considering he had intended to kill Creed at first, he knows her surprise is justified.]

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

Do I need to show you my impression of you during your Chronos days?

[She just laughs a little bit.]

But if you managed to run across Creed again, I guess you didn't take my advice.

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

... About forgetting you, you mean?

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[A huff.]

Really, I ask you to do one thing for me and you can't follow through, Train? Wasted my dying breaths on that message!

[She's... not as angry as she lets on, but she's still pretty miffed about it.]

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

Haha, yeah, sorry about that, Saya!

[A grin~]

—Though not really. That's one piece of advice I don't plan on ever taking.

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

[She frowns, genuinely confused at that one.]

Why's that? I mean, it works. You would've been able to get along so much better.

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

Because that's not how I live. I don't believe in forgetting, Saya—not the important things.

[Because really—]

To me, the past is something that'll always be there. So, all that's left to do is accept it and use it to become stronger.

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

[... Yeah, she can't wrap her head around that just yet. Her past isn't there and she's accepted that. In her head, forgetting is sometimes the only way you can be stronger.]

Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

[And that's that.]

So, since you lost, it's up to you to find a place to eat. Go with your instincts and I'll tell you if it's any good or not.

[Because chances are that she's already eaten at most available restaraunts in Vatheon.]

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

[A sigh]

Geez, you're really leaving this up to me? But fine—I guess I should honour the birthday girl's wishes.

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

[Just a cheeky smile.]

That's what I thought! Lead the way~

Speaking of birthdays, I've got a bit of a dilemma ever since I started thinking about this day. Hear me out?

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

[And so he starts walking, while chugging down the rest of his milk.]

Huh? What's up?

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

[Are you ready for this? This is a question has been bothering her for days on end-]

You think I can get away with still calling myself nineteen? 'cause I mean technically I'm not gonna get any older one way or another.

[sweepered.livejournal.com]

... That's actually been bugging you? I say go with whatever you want. You wanna be nineteen, then go ahead and call yourself nineteen. Your situation's weird enough for it to work.

[sweeperesque.livejournal.com]

Isn't it?

Eh, it's not that big of a deal, I think it's just the moral issue going on with it. It's not a lie, but it's certainly not the truth.

To be honest, I'm not sure what's going on with me being here. It's an extra ten months I never would've bet my money on.