[Fourze characters/Liveman family/anyone really/go wild]

[catcameback]

To switch, or not to switch?

Why is it called a Switch anyway? It's obviously a button.

To press, then, or not to press? That is the question.

Comments

[catcameback]

It can't be.

Less time than I thought must have passed between my... destruction, and my miraculous awakening.

Ankh's pet human looks exactly the same.

[hinooo]

I'm scouring the grass methodically. Maybe the pieces fell out of my pocket. Or a bird pecked them out and then dropped them somewhere.

I have to find him.

I see a person-shape on my right, and murmur absently, "Excuse me."

[catcameback]

I tilt my head curious. He's searching for something. But it's definitely him.

"I'm not sure there is an excuse for you, OOO."

[hinooo]

My head jerks around and I yell in shock. Kazari? Here?!

I scramble to my feet and drop into a defensive position. He called me OOO. Maybe he doesn't know I can't transform. "K-Kazari?"

[catcameback]

He doesn't transform immediately. Curious.

But neither can I. Yet. I hope.

Still, he should be able to answer the questions that Jou could not.

"It certainly seems that way, doesn't it." I do a little half skip-step closer to him and bow. "At your service."

[hinooo]

I take a step back automatically, but can't help peering at him. Why hasn't he attacked? It won't take him long to realise just how vulnerable I am without any Medals, without Ankh.

"But how? You -- um, you..." I trail off stupidly.

[catcameback]

Yes, this is exactly what I wanted to know. I get right into his face and squint at him.

"I what? What happened to me?" I take a half-step back and start circling him. "What happened to you? You beat the doctor, I take it?"

[hinooo]

I jerkily turn to keep him in sight. I don't *like* it when he does this. "Yes, but why don't you know what happened to you?"

[catcameback]

"I don't remember, obviously." That's half a lie. I don't remember much of anything after that back-stabbing Doctor's arm going through my chest, but I can piece together a general picture of my own destruction. "And the others? You destroyed them all, too, I imagine." I stop, since he's not going to let me circle him properly.

I'm amazed he hasn't transformed yet. "And Ankh?"

[hinooo]

"Okay," I say warily. He looks the same -- but not quite. What's going on with him?

"Yes. They're gone," I tell him, almost apologetically, but then he asks about Ankh. I gulp. "I -- I don't know."

[catcameback]

"He didn't turn on you, in the end, then?" I muse. Impressive. I wouldn't have put it past Ankh, of course. He was nearly as intelligent as me, nearly as capable of scheming.

I hesitate a moment before asking the next question. He hasn't transformed, but obviously he has no way of knowing that I can't do so either. "Where are my Cores?"

[hinooo]

"N-No," I say, because I'm not about to tell Kazari what happened. I knew Ankh would help.

...

I stand up straight, now, and scratch my head. "You don't know? But you've got at least one, right?"

[catcameback]

"No." Of course not. Ankh was in a strange position. His human host clouded his judgement. Made him think he could feel things. He obviously didn't have a clue.

Ah. "Of course," I lie, smoothly as I can manage. "But of course I want the rest of them, the ones that went... missing." That were stolen from me. "The doctor had them. Where are they now?"

[hinooo]

I can't even sense them any more without the purple ones. I never thought I'd miss them so badly.

I furrow my eyebrows. "All destroyed. I thought that included all of yours."

[catcameback]

Not what I wanted to hear. I snarl before I can help myself, I almost grab him, shake him, demand to know how he could let that happen. If I didn't know what feeling sick felt like before, I do now.

Then it sinks in.

"All of them?" I take another step back, smirking. "Except Ankh's?" I assume.

[hinooo]

I flinch when he snarls, but I don't move away. I'll do whatever I have to, if he attacks.

"Sort of," I agree cautiously.

[catcameback]

Not the answer I was expecting. I inch closer again, looking him up and down. He still dresses stupidly. Nothing has changed, except...

"Where is he?" I ask, looking around as if expecting him to come flying out of the sky. "You didn't destroy him too, did you?"

[hinooo]

I make an incoherent sound, but shake my head. "No. Not really. I think."

Ah, I don't want to explain to him, but he's half-guessed already.

[catcameback]

I wonder if I can trust him. I doubt he'll ever trust me, but then, his entire reason for fighting was to protect humans, was it not? Aren't I now human, at least somewhat?

I start to circle him again. "He couldn't decide whether to stab you in the back or not, could he? Very indecisive. Always has been."

[hinooo]

I don't turn with him this time. Too afraid he'll read everything off my face. "We managed to find common ground," I agree tentatively.

[catcameback]

"It wouldn't be the first time Ankh sided with OOO against the rest of us." I purr. Frustrated, I stop in front of him again and squint at his face.

"They're all gone? All of them? The purple ones too?"

[hinooo]

I repress a shudder. I'm not completely helpless, and if he only has one Medal -- I still don't know how he has one Medal at all -- he's not completely powered up, either.

...I open my mouth to consider lying about that, but my face gives me away instantly. "Y-Yes."

[catcameback]

Another growl escapes me and I consider grabbing him again, but that's not going to endear me to him at all.

I turn away to kick at the ground instead. I glance over my shoulder at him with a frown. "Then you're as helpless as me?" This might be dangerous to admit.

[hinooo]

He growls again, and I move into a defensive position automatically, but then...

"You have a Medal, though?" I query, dumbfounded. "You're not helpless?"

[catcameback]

"Tch." Just a little hiss. "I lied, obviously."

I turn and spread my hands. Then, in a possibly risky move, I hold out my left arm, the still healing marks where I'd clawed myself open upon... waking. "I lied."