open to any Go-Busters players from any universe incl Mushverse, ogods what am I doing

[loveenetronkurorin]

I sit back in my chair, tapping a pencil on the desk idly as I think about the latest reports.

We've made so much headway. But there's still so far to go.

Comments

[greypleather]

Hiromu is, as per usual, far too positive for my tastes. For that, I'm not quite sure I can trust him not to try and make a break for it. I know the idea of locking my brother up bothers him.

It takes me a moment of consideration to position myself beside him, take his arm. I realize I haven't touched him outside of battle in... well, in thirteen years. And even so, this is different. He's only an avatar. But he won't meet my eyes.

I'm thankful for the whole squad of security. I let them lead the way and simply follow them distractedly, one hand at my brother's elbow.

He's muttering under his breath, and it takes me a moment to track that he's speaking pure French.

[red_pleather]

I walk ahead of the brothers, casting an eye back now and then to check on them.

Emeric's speaking in French. I wonder what he's saying?

We arrive before long, and the door opens. I go inside ahead of Emeric.

[interpolate]

I'm not saying much mostly a string of creative curses and a running commentary of annoyance. Etienne undoubtedly knows what I'm saying, but Hiromu and the squad escorting us are surely in the dark. Not that it matters.

I take in the doorway to the cell I'm to be kept in now while Hiromu steps forward first. I glance at my brother and sigh a bit.

"Are you coming too?" I ask him, mostly out of curiosity. He looks back at me, and I am stricken for a moment by the age in his eyes.

"I said I would. Go on." He shoos me forward and I obey, stepping into the cell, aware I might not leave it again.

[red_pleather]

I walk in calmly and sit down on the bed, smiling just a little at Eti and Emi as they follow. "We won't leave you alone," I tell Emi. "No matter what."

[interpolate]

Well, at least there is a bit. I pass Hiromu with very little notice or attention paid and flop down on the bed with a grumble.

"Here I was expecting a prison cell."

Etienne is in the hall still, insisting to the armed escort that two Go-Busters could easily deal with any infractions. I disagree as a general rule, but in my currently weakened state I suppose he's right.

[red_pleather]

"We treat people humanely," I say quietly. "The Commander may ask you to do things, but you have the right to refuse."

[interpolate]

His idealism is beginning to wear. "There's nothing inhumane about a prison cell, Hiromu." I grumble softly, rolling my eyes.

I feel very petulant, but I suppose I'm entitled, considering I am still being held against my will regardless of how idealistic Hiromu is or how foolish EMC can be. I'm stuck here, I can't leave. That's enough for me to be irritable.

My brother closes the door behind him and leans back against it and starts rhythmically thumping his head against the door.

[red_pleather]

I shrug; he has a point. But. "I don't want you in here either," I admit, sighing. "But we can deal with it."

What's Eti-

I dart up and get a hand between his head and the door, glowering at him.

[greypleather]

I'm not really surprised when Hiromu sticks his hand between my head and the door, but I glare at him halfheartedly anyway.

"This is ridiculous." I inform him simply. "What are we going to tell Ryuuji? Youko? Masato-san?"

Emeric... Enter... My brother scoffs from his position on the bed. I think he's trying to fall asleep. I didn't know avatars could.

This entire situation is so frustrating. I shift aside one step and resume the knocking of my head against the wall.

[red_pleather]

"We'll tell them what happened," I say blankly, not quite understanding the question. He's glaring at me for the hand, but he's not moving it, at least.

The commander appears at the door.

[greypleather]

I almost tumble backwards through the door when it opens, but I manage to lurch forward (and land against Hiromu, but at least I trust him to hold me up) rather than collapsing against the commander.

Mon dieu, he doesn't look happy at all, does he?

"Commander?"

I restrain the impulse to look over my shoulder at my brother, but for his part he's being cautiously quiet.

[red_pleather]

I grab Etienne, and we manage not to go over.

Kuroki has his arms folded. "What can you tell us about Messiah?" he rumbles.

[interpolate]

I scoff at their commander, Kuroki is his name, and I scoff at him, rolling over on the bed that, for all of the insistence on hospitality I find it is not even a little bit as comfortable as Etienne's.

Still. I squint at him and scoff and sigh and then shake my head.

"I have my programming, you understand. I can't betray Messiah willingly."

[loveenetronkurorin]

I grumble under my breath. "You're a human being, how can you be programmed like that?"

The vaccine programs are disturbing enough.

[interpolate]

"You have been listening too much to Hiromu, commander." I can't quite keep the sing-song tone of mockery out of my voice, and I notice from the corner of my eye my brother raising one eyebrow at me. I wonder if he can't believe my flippancy, or whether he's merely amused by it.

"I am not nearly as human as he would have you believe. No more human than your Beet Buster, to be sure."

[red_pleather]

The commander and I turn identical expressions of outrage on him at that. I grimace, trying to change mine.

"You're both human," Kuroki grinds out. "Tell me."

[interpolate]

I smirk at their annoyance. Outrage, really, and while it wasn't my intent, it is certainly not unwelcome. I'd rather they be outraged by me than consistently trying to trust me.

"Tell you what, Kuroki? That I'm still the precocious eleven-year-old that used to patter around your feet while you worked? Perhaps Beet Buster is different, I'll allow you that. But I am the product of what Majesté has made of me. Do not doubt my loyalty to it."

[loveenetronkurorin]

I don't let him see just how much that pisses me off. Hurts me.

Whatever.

I wonder, if I'd been there that night, if any of it would've been different. If we could've kept Emeric from Messiah's clutches. "I don't," I grind out, though I see Hiromu flinch infinitesimally. "But you're also human. Somewhere in there, you're also human."

[interpolate]

I can tell. Even though he's hiding it from me, from his own subordinates, I can tell that there's pain there, and I think I know why.

"Oh, non non non, I don't believe that. I don't believe I have been human for a long time, Kuroki."

"Enter..." My brother growls. He has a hand on Hiromu's arm. I roll my eyes at that.

"No, I'm quite sure the humanity was crushed out of me many years ago."

[red_pleather]

I'm about ready to dart forward, put myself in between the two of them, but Etienne's hand on my arm stops me for now.

"Bullshit," the commander says. "Utter bullshit. I don't care what was done to you. You're still human."

...he'd better mean that he doesn't care about what was done to Emi in this context because if he means he doesn't care at all, hell with Ryuu-san, I'll punch him.

[interpolate]

I turn my eyes on Hiromu and my brother at those words. I'm sure Hiromu would sell his own arm if it would convince me to abandon Messiah and run to them with open arms like a wounded lamb.

"Tch." I look up at Kuroki again, catching my brother tensing as though he knows what I'm about to say. "You are incorrect. I have ceased to be human, I guarantee you that. How much of this was Messiah's doing and how much happened by choice, well. The lines are murky."

[red_pleather]

I grimace as if hit in the gut, but I'm all right. I'm fine. It's not a surprise. I'll deal with it-

I force my hand to unclench from around Eti's wrist.

"Doesn't mean you can't come back to us," I say firmly.

[greypleather]

Part of me is angry to hear my brother, or at least someone who looks like him, speaking in that way. Being so flippant, being so rude when we're just trying to help him...

But it dawns on me slowly and I reach for Hiromu as he tries to pull away. My eyes are fixed on my brother, or what's left of him.

"Maybe he doesn't want to." I say with every bit as much intent as Hiromu has. "It's his own fault, if he'd rather be destroyed."

I try not to notice the slightest glimmer of what looks like approval in my brother's eyes.

[red_pleather]

Eti's reaching for me. I don't fight it for now, I'm grateful for his touch, but I'm so tense I'm practically vibrating.

"He's trying to make us give up on him?" I glare at Eti, though I'm not mad at him, then I turn the same glare to Emi. "That's not his damn choice."

[interpolate]

I glance between the two of them curiously, noting the power play there, and resolving that I might have to get involved so to speak if Hiromu ever looks at my brother that way again.

"Oh, but it is, Red Buster." I'm only using his stupid call sign because I know it gets under his skin. Maybe I'm more human than I let myself get credit for. But not likely. "It is my choice, just as it was then, just as it will ever be. I don't want to be here, you know that."