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.

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[loveenetronkurorin]

Hiromu's so tense he's practically vibrating.

I sigh. "I can't force you to accept it. But if you have any feeling for everyone here, for your brother," I make that word especially harsh, because hell if I won't do anything I have to do to save him, to save the rest of us, "then think about it the other way. What can you do for us?"

[interpolate]

My eyes scan across all three of them, settling for a moment on Hiromu, and then I turn away, crossing my arms.

Petulant, perhaps. But I am drastically out of my element, a prisoner in all but name, and frustrated too. I'm allowed to be petulant occasionally.

"I am already doing all I can to help my brother. I would extend the offer further, perhaps, if I thought there was any chance of it being even considered, much less accepted. We are on diametrically opposed sides of this issue, I imagine we always will be."

I glance over my shoulder at them, just a glance, before tearing my eyes away again. "I would think, if you are so dedicated to the eradication of Vaglass, perhaps you would do well to kill me now, while I'm at your sweet mercy."

[red_pleather]

"Don't think I'm not considering it," Kuroki snaps. I'm in between them without consciously remembering moving, whether or not I used my speed.

I stare at Emi, a hand hovering about an inch from his chest, my palm flat, as if I'm about to touch his heart. I don't do it. Not quite. I don't want to push him.

Kuroki quietens behind me, but the thing is, we're not on opposite sides. We just approach things differently, sometimes. I'm not fighting him. I'm just making an attempt with Emi.

"Tell me," I say to Emi, eyes intent on his. "How would you extend the offer further."

[interpolate]

I think Hiromu is as surprised at his daring as I am. I look into his eyes briefly, but I find I can't hold his gaze.

My brother is still by the door. I glance towards him, just for a moment, and notice he's taken another step forward, angling himself between Kuroki and the pair of us. Odd. I can't tell who's protecting who anymore.

"You were very nearly family. All of you. We didn't have friends, you know. Extended family. It was just work, my parent's work, all the time."

I meet his eyes again, just for a moment. They're like fire, and I can't keep it up. "If I thought you would agree to ceasing your incessant attacks, if I thought for a moment that thirteen years of devoted duty would be enough to buy your lives, I would do it."

[red_pleather]

Eti's moved behind us, too. But I can't tell any more where the threat's coming from. Who's being protected. Who's in the most danger.

I don't want Kuroki taken apart. I don't want Emi frightened into helping.

I don't think either will happen, but it's difficult not to be aware of all these possibilities humming around us.

I keep my eyes on Emi's, but he drops his. I frown. "If we stop attacking Vaglass, you'll try to spare our lives?" Is that what he's saying?

[interpolate]

"That's what I said," I pause for a moment, then manage to look up to his eyes again. It's hard, I just wish I knew why. "'iromu."

My brother makes a strangled sound in the doorway, and I tear my eyes away from Hiromu's to watch him take a step back, behind Kuroki again, to the wall, where he slumps as if stricken. I almost leap to his defense, though I haven't got a clue what could be hurting him in such a way, but I'm sure any moves I make now would be seen only as threatening.

"I'm fine," he mutters after a moment. "Just. Dieu soit maudit." He has a hand over his eyes. I imagine my words were hard for him to hear.

[red_pleather]

...that lilt in his voice.

I'm catapaulted back thirteen years ago, when he first said my name. I was completely, solemnly fascinated by how different it sounded. How he made it sound special, just between him and me.

I cast a look back at Eti, horrified by his reaction, but the commander's crouching next to him. I can talk to Eti later.

"We can't stop fighting," I tell Emi -- because he's Emi right now, definitely not Enter -- quietly, seriously.

[interpolate]

He's so stupid. So trusting. I look up at him, and now I can meet his eyes. Because now I know it's irrelevant.

"Neither can I." I respond seriously.

My brother makes another, smaller strangled sound, but this time I don't look at him.

[red_pleather]

Something's broken in him, and I don't know if it was a good break or a bad break. He's looking at me just fine now.

Probably bad.

"We can't stop fighting you just because you promise to spare us," I say, feeling unutterably tired. "I know that's a concession, Emi. But we can't. We can't let innocents get hurt."

[interpolate]

I shrug at his dire pronouncement, then look away again. Turn away, actually, turn my back on him and the whole ridiculous notion of family.

"Then I hardly doubt Messiah will ever be willing to spare your lives."

I do glance around when the door opens, and Etienne leaves the room. It makes me ache, but the truth hurts, I suppose.

[red_pleather]

...shit, what do I do now.

I don't want to leave Emi, but Eti's so upset.

"We need Messiah to stop. That simple, that hard. Just stop." I do reach out and touch him, briefly, my hand on his heart. "To let us all live as we should."

[interpolate]

I turn again to Hiromu, expecting him to leave to my brother's aid, but he doesn't. Not immediately, anyway. He keeps his attention on me, even has the audacity to touch my chest, and I don't have the drive to shove him away, or even to knock his hand away.

"Messiah has my body, Hiromu." I tell him. No point in playing coy, or pulling punches. "It is the only thing keeping me alive. I can't disobey Messiah."

[red_pleather]

I shudder a little, because it's a horrible thought. His body...

"Then we have to work on freeing your body."

[interpolate]

"Pas possible." I growl. "It will not happen. Stop. Stop trying to be a hero, Hiromu. You can't save everyone. Cut your losses. Do it now, before you get hurt."

I wonder if I'm even talking about myself anymore.

[red_pleather]

I grin, because I have him now. "I don't care if I get hurt. I care if I give up."

I narrow my eyes. "I'm not giving up, Emeric. Not ever. We will save you."

[interpolate]

"You have already failed!"

Probably dangerous. Probably a problem. Probably not going to end well, but I lunge at him, slamming him to the floor.

I can't teleport, I can't access the subdimension directly, but I still have access to certain modifications. The blade slides out, caressing the back of my hand, my thumb and last finger framing it gently. I press the sharp edge to Hiromu's throat, and wait for Kuroki to shoot me.

"Now? Even now you will save me?"

[red_pleather]

He shouts, then hurls himself at me. Thanks to my speed, I see it, but he's too close and I don't have room, I can't get out of the way.

My back and shoulders slam into the floor, hard, and I oof into his face.

There's a knife to my throat, and Kuroki's growling a threat behind Enter. I gaze up at him, anger flaring in my eyes, but I'm not about to back down. "Always."

[interpolate]

I snarl, but the fight has left me as quickly as it came. I hiss, more at myself than at either of them, and crawl away from him, making sure to shove him as far away from me as I can as I go.

"Go away. Go! If you're not going to finish it, then just leave."

[red_pleather]

The commander's telling him to stand down. Emi backs off, shoving me hard back into the wall.

I get to my feet, watching him warily. "Yoko's more mature than you are, some days," I observe. "I'll leave if you really want me to. But I'm coming back."

[interpolate]

I ignore him. Maybe that will work. I fix my eyes on Kuroki instead.

"Take him out of here, Kuroki. Take him away, or I really will kill him next time, and force your hand."

I turn away again, arms crossed. "Go see to my brother, Hiromu."

[loveenetronkurorin]

Hiromu doesn't believe that Enter might kill him.

I... I don't think I do, either, but I don't want to push him. He's incredibly dangerous. "Hiromu," I rumble.

Hiromu nods, touches Enter's shoulder fleetingly, then heads over to the door with me.

[greypleather]

I probably should have been stronger, or better, or... or better able to deal with. I probably shouldn't have walked out like that.

Well, too late now. I did. I can't go back now. I didn't get far, though, just out into the hallway where I slumped to the floor, put my head to my knees, and tried to calm down.

[red_pleather]

The Commander puts more guards around Enter's cell, warning them to be careful of their own safety as well.

I sit down next to Eti. The Commander says, "Both of you. Be careful. See the doctor if you need to. Hiromu. Look after him."

Then he walks off, and you can practically see the grey cloud trailing behind him.

[greypleather]

I look up when they leave the room, manage to get my face into some semblance of order, and even nod at the commander's orders. Hell, I even manage a pathetic excuse for a salute. It's better than nothing.

But as soon as he's gone, I look at Hiromu for only a second before I dissolve.

I'm not crying.

Yet.

"I don't think it's really him, though, Hiromu, I really don't." I whimper at last.

[red_pleather]

Eti looks like hell, and I'm about to observe that with some alarm when he loses it.

I tchh, and wrap my arms around him. I know how to do this, at least. People are hard. Upset is hard. Hugging is easy.

He's incredibly tense.

"Why?" I ask softly.