pokebox | LOCKED TO ardent

[The apartment is dark and empty and too large to be comfortable; Ishida awakens to an unfamiliar bed and a throbbing pain in his head, the slowly-subsiding pain ebbing out through his body and starting out so intense that he swears he can feel his pulse in his fingertips and what should be the center of his broken left wrist. That's the first thing he notices, once he manages to open his eyes - not the strangeness of the room but rather the fact that his left arm can suddenly support his weight when he pushes himself up into a sitting position, and it's only then that he startles properly. He's out of bed almost instantly; a quick surveying of the room is all it really takes to verify that there's nothing right about this place, nothing familiar. The mirror propped up on the vanity across the room startles him, as mirrors often do; he turns it facedown hard as he leaves the room, the frame clattering loudly against the polished wood of the dresser.

The loud noise gets another noise in turn from the next room over, something or someone hitting the floor, likely startled; Ishida tenses immediately.

He isn't subtle when he opens the door, but he is swift about it, his hands closing sharply into fists at his sides; he freezes up, however, when he sees the source of the sound - someone stupidly familiar, dark hair and red eyes and heavy combat boots causing that heavy thud against the ground, now stepping back away from him as though confused.

He really can't blame the guy; it's weird to see him here like this. Just the same, Ishida knows him well, even though they've never spoken - he was created to protect him, after all.

He looks Ishimaru over, his gaze darkening a little at those deep circles around his eyes, the way he's taking just a bit too long to respond, the fact that he seems dazed and scared now that the initial surprise is wearing off; after a moment, Ishida reaches out toward him, offering his hand for a reason he can't quite figure out.]

Looks like it's you and me now; you better get used to it.

[It takes Ishimaru a while to get used to him; Ishida is strange, for lack of a better term, and it becomes immediately clear that while he's more or less got his face, Ishida is also painfully bitter - hot-tempered and angry and refusing to talk about anything that happened back in Hope's Peak. But he doesn't leave him, either, permanently or otherwise; he seems unwilling to leave the building for any longer than necessary, but it quickly becomes plain that if Ishimaru were to have anyone as an ally in the event of some sort of apocalypse, Ishida would probably be a good one - he's always the first up if he hears something that shouldn't be there, always with a weapon close at hand. Something blunt, never anything ranged; Ishimaru's never asked him about it, but it looks to be a metal bar of some sort, probably salvaged on one of his trips out.

Ishimaru isn't going to complain, however; he's well past that point. He just hopes Ishida doesn't kill anyone when he does go out.

For his part, Ishimaru still doesn't speak much; it hasn't been anything he's been inclined to do, not since that first day here when he'd awakened to see Ishida leaning up against the wall near the door. They'd spoken some, they'd gotten to know each other - as well as one could get to know Ishida, anyway, as he'd proven about as good at small talk as Ishimaru was. Afterwards, however, Ishimaru was content to lapse back into silence, spending long periods of time just wandering about the strangely empty apartment. Sometimes he'd stay at the window for long periods of time, just staring out at the rain; sometimes he'd blank out and forget where he was and Ishida would snap at him when he would come back in from exploring the areas near the building, telling him to not just stand there in the middle of the room like that, it creeped him out. Ishimaru would usually turn to leave then, only to find Ishida taking his hand and leading him upstairs, chastising him the entire way for doing "that mobilized corpse thing" and urging him to lie down again and stay put.

He never knew what prompted Ishida to lie down with him; Ishida was always a bit capricious in general, but sometimes he would join Ishimaru in bed, curling up next to him and pulling Ishimaru over to him. Ishimaru would sometimes put his head down on Ishida's chest when he did that, though he didn't like doing it; Ishida's heartbeat was always intensely fast, for some reason Ishimaru could never quite make out - it was disconcerting.

But the days pass, and after a while this almost becomes normal; Ishimaru isn't sure what happened to cause this in the first place, but Ishida's presence is just as comforting as it is foreign - it's not like having his brother back, but it's probably the next best thing.]

[Of course, the fact that Ishimaru never leaves the fucking apartment proves to be more of a hindrance than anything; it means Ishida's usually out in the goddamn rain, for one thing. For another...

...ah, fuck it, the rain's bad enough.

He'd left the small stash of impromptu bludgeoning tools with Ishimaru in case he needs them - not like he thinks Ishimaru will actually stop being catatonic enough to use them even if he does need them, but you know, hope springs eternal. He's pressed back against some random person's doorframe - hopefully they won't mind, but even if they do they'll just have to deal with it until Ishida feels like moving, because it's an overhang and it's convenient and it's giving him some quality time to realize exactly how much he hates being wet. He can hear someone approaching and for a moment he's tempted to mouth off, thinking he's been found out and he's about to be told to move, but before he can truly start getting shitty with them he does them the favor of waiting and making sure they aren't actually approaching him. And they aren't, it's someone returning home next door, and it's only when Ishida decides to actually spare them some sort of half-glance to verify that he's not about to be bitched at that he gets a good look at the guy.

And then he's staring, and he's sure he's going to be staring forever because there's no goddamn way.]

What the -

[The words aren't nearly as loud as they could have been, but there's still plenty of volume; he's more than willing to ensure that he's heard next time around.]

Kyoudai - the fuck are you doing here?

[Mondo starts at the all-too-familiar term, surprised to hear it here of all places. It wouldn't have bothered him in the school. But he doesn't have a brother here, and he's certainly not close enough to anyone here to justify using that term. He turns (admittedly a bit slowly - some part of him is keenly aware that he could have misheard that; he doesn't want to have misheard that) and stares.

The clothes are recognizable of course, as is the haircut and the red eyes. It's the hair color that's throwing him off, as well as the... well, the eyeflames. They're still going despite the rain and Mondo has to wonder what in the good hell he's looking at.]

...Kyoudai?

[It's a question if only because he's genuinely not sure if this is Ishimaru. He's never seen anything like this before - certainly not here, where everything seems even more normal and routine than back home. This wouldn't be bothering him so badly if Ishimaru--

...No, wait. This can't be Ishimaru. He just cussed. There's no way this is Ishimaru. He has the clothes and the eyes and even the voice, but it's not Ishimaru. Ishimaru would never cuss like that.]

...Who the hell are you?

[Ishida's expression flickers at that; he doesn't seem hurt, exactly, but that's because he's too confused to be properly hurt in the first place. He hesitates for a moment before he shrugs a bit, a smirk crossing his features.]

Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know me, right? Not properly, anyway!

[Unless...it's not possible that he has the wrong person entirely, is it?]

But it is you, right? Oowada? Somehow I don't think I'd be fuckin' mistaken about that!

Yeah, it's me. But who are you? Are you Ishimaru?

[Because the eyeflames are weirding him out something fierce.]

...No. Not really.

[He folds his arms across his chest at that; there's really not much of a way to explain this quickly, and he doesn't exactly want to try, either. Not where they're standing, anyway.]

Look, are you going to make me explain this out in the pouring rain? Because as happy as I am to see you again, you bastard, I'd really rather not!

Ah, yeah, let's head inside. C'mon.

[Mondo motions for Ishimaru(?) to join him inside his apartment. The place is pretty sparsely decorated (he never could figure out what to decorate with now that he doesn't have the gang to return to). It's rather plain, but he likes it.]

So who are you?

[Ishida follows Mondo without protesting any, though he promptly sets to looking around the apartment, pacing around the front room as though assessing it; he twitches a little at Mondo's words, though, and it's clear that he's trying not to look as displeased as he is with that when he turns back to face him.]

You really don't remember me at all...? I'm here 'cause of you, kyoudai!

[The assertion is loud, but it's definitely not angry.]

We talked to you a few days after the execution happened - you're the reason I'm here!

What?

["We"? But really, everything about this is striking him as horribly wrong.]

That's not possible. I was here. You couldn't have talked to me. What are you going on about, huh?

[He knows this probably isn't the best way to address this not-Ishimaru, but this entire situation is making him anxious.]

What?!

[The questioning only serves to make him defensive; he steps back, clearly agitated and trying to put a bit more distance between Mondo and himself.]

Things went to shit after the trial - I don't know how long it was, probably a few days, I never was very clear on that! But apparently it fucked him up really badly, and then he went to talk to you and now I'm here; I'm supposed to protect him, because fuck only knows he won't do it himself!

You really don't remember any of that shit?!

[Mondo hasn't forgotten the trial. He hasn't forgotten the way Ishimaru defended him and tried so hard to ask for more time, even when they all knew that his time was up. Ishimaru hadn't even voted for him. Mondo folded his arms, glancing away immediately. Yes, he knew he had hurt Ishimaru horribly, but for some reason he didn't think it would be so bad that some other person would have to take care of him.]

...There were only fifteen of us in the school. Where did you come from?

[He decided to try focusing on that first. It was easier than addressing what all this person had said. He wasn't sure he could really do that.]

[While it doesn't quite cut the hotbloodedness entirely, that question seems to stall it a bit, at least.]

That...is a damn good question, actually.

[...]

A really damn good question...

[How do you even - ]

I'm not...I didn't come from outside the school or anything! I came from him, I guess. Some combination of him and you, after he talked to you.

...Huh?

[Some combination of the two of them? Well, if he didn't come from outside the school, did that mean that he was some alternate personality of Ishimaru's? That didn't really make sense though; how did Ishimaru's hair go white and why were his eyes on fire? Mondo rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly.]

Some combination of both of us?

[But... that would explain the cussing, wouldn't it? And that would explain the marks under his eyes - Ishimaru had clearly attempted to mimic his eye makeup, though Mondo had to wonder how he had gotten it so perfect so quickly. Maybe it had taken him a long time to put it on, who knew?]

You still haven't given me a name. What should I call you?

Yeah, exactly! That's what I've said, isn't it?!

[Presumably the same way Fukawa's tongue is suddenly a fucking foot long when Syo shows up.

Either way, Ishida just shrugs at that last question; the status quo seems to have been reset, at least somewhat.]

Ishida! It makes the most sense, doesn't it?

Ishida... Yeah, I guess it does, huh?

[Mondo laughed awkwardly, not really sure what else to do with this strange version of Ishimaru. Clearly he was created as a defense mechanism to cope with Mondo's death, but what the hell is he supposed to do with Ishida now that he's here?]

So uh... I guess you just recently woke up here, huh?

{That means...]

Wait, you died!?

...Yeah. We...we're dead, yeah.

[His expression tightens considerably at that, his body tensing again.]

Like I said, we had a way to talk to you, but one of those stupid motherfuckers inside the school stole it - it pissed me off, it was like losing you all over again! I-I guess that's why what happened next happened at all; I got a letter that night, saying that whoever'd sent it had found some place in the school that looked like a way out - somewhere they could see the outside. They didn't want me to talk to anyone, to keep Monobear from finding out, but I was told to meet them in one of the rooms we got unlocked upstairs, before the wake-up call went out.

I...It looks like a really fuckin' obvious trap now, I know that! But I didn't know what the fuck else to do, and I thought the others got the same letter - but there was no one else there when I got there, and I thought I'd wait for them for the next ten minutes or so, you know how those bastards are always late...

Well, I guess someone came in behind me and they...they hit me. They had some sort of weapon, I couldn't really see it in the fucking dark but it was really heavy, they caught me in the head and I...guess I dropped then. My memory of it really sucks from then on, I don't know if he was more awake than I was at that point or if I was just really dazed or what! But there was blood everywhere and I know I fought back, and they tried to take that fucking letter from me and just ended up ripping the shit out of it but they didn't seem to care because they got most of it. I tried to get up but they had another go at me; they hit my left wrist to get me to stop blocking them and I'm pretty sure they managed to fuck up my wrist and kill the shit out of my watch in the same swing, I could feel both of them break.

Then they hit me in the head again and I...blacked out. And then I woke up here.

[Mondo is silent, listening to Ishida speak. He isn't sure when he started shaking, but he's fully aware of it by the time Ishida finishes. He clenches and releases his hands repeatedly, trying to get some of the stress out. He wants nothing more than to figure out who the bastard was that did it and rearrange their face (unless they're a girl, but he doubts a girl would be strong enough to break Ishimaru's wrist, even with a weapon... unless it was Sakura, but he doubts she would ever do something like that). He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath to try to calm himself.]

I'm so sorry. I... don't know how you were able to talk to me 'cause I certainly don't remember that, but I'm sorry you lost that. I'm sorry you died. Shit, I'm sorry all that happened to you guys.

[Clearly this is some part of Ishimaru - there's no way both of them could die like that otherwise.]

But... you're here now. You're safe. Nothing like that'll ever happen again.

[For a moment Ishida seems unsure of what to do with those reassurances; he can tell that Mondo's upset with what he's been told, but he doesn't know what to do about it.

He nods eventually, though, the gesture determined.]

Yeah, yeah! I know! Everything'll be okay here - I've been here for a few days, and it's kind of been a trip because I wasn't expecting this sort of shit, but no one's tried to pull anything stupid!

And besides, you're here - it's...it's really fuckin' good to see you! So don't worry, okay, you don't have anything to be sorry for!

[It's good to see that Ishida's determined about something, and even better to see that he's not hung up over his own death. Mondo certainly was, but more than that, he was hung up over Fujisaki's. He still isn't okay with it. But that's not the point, at least Ishida isn't stuck on it.]

Yeah, but it sucks that it happened to you. I would never wish that on fucking Togami, much less on someone I actually like.

[After a moment of thought, he reaches out to clap a hand to Ishida's shoulder.]

Well, it's nice to meet you, Ishida! I'm glad someone was there to look out for Ishimaru after I... y'know.

[...shit, Ishimaru. Ishida's been gone longer than usual; he should probably at least go check on the idiot, make sure he's okay and hasn't just decided to swallow the contents of the medicine cabinet while Ishida's been out - or, you know, that he's not just doing that creepy thing he does where he just kind of stands in the middle of some random room staring at nothing...

...actually.]

Yeah, it's been great - look, I'll be back in like an hour, if that works? I've got something for you!

Ah, yeah? Alright. I'll be here, okay?

[Whatever it is, it sounds kind of urgent. Mondo nods and moves to take a seat on the couch, gesturing to the door.]

I'll see you in an hour, then!

[Ishida leaves without saying anything further, quite simply turning and leaving as briskly as possible without flat-out bolting - it's less through worry or nerves and more through sheer excitement. The apartment they've been staying in is less than ten minutes from here, so he's not concerned about the timeframe he'd given; he'd overshot intensely because he has no idea how lucid Ishimaru's going to be today. Some days he's all right, and he'll respond without too much prompting; other days Ishida really can't be fucked to bother with him outside of making sure he doesn't accidentally off himself somehow, because he can't even be sure that Ishimaru is hearing him or able to understand anything he's saying. Those latter days are disturbing as hell, given that Ishimaru will go through the daily motions but otherwise won't be responsive, nor will he eat anything; there have been more of them lately, now that the novelty of their new surroundings seems to have worn off.

As it turns out, he's not terribly lucid today, either, but at the very least Ishimaru actually reacts when he storms in, soaked with rain and turning the air blue about it; it's clear that Ishida's startled him, and he eventually finds him with his back pressed up against the wall in the hallway at the top of the stairs, one of those blunt weapons in his hands, as Ishida had been trying to teach him to do. He's not sure whether he's more proud of him for actually listening and moving to defend himself, or just...kind of disturbed at how goddamn insane he looks in the process and how quickly he slackens and stops defending himself once he sees who it is. The effect is unnerving, whatever spark had been present in Ishimaru's eyes deadening immediately, and Ishida tries not to feel too agitated with him for it as he makes his way up the stairs.]

It's about time you listened to me! Now come on, we're going outside.

[That's punctuated with an abrupt huff of irritation when Ishimaru just kind of blinks at him. He genuinely can't tell if Ishimaru is withdrawing again or just not wanting to go, but either way, it's annoying the hell out of him; he reaches out, grabbing Ishimaru by the wrist to lead him down stairs, and he's quick to get snappish when that's met with a soft noise of protest.]

Yeah, yeah, you don't want to fucking go, what else is new. It's worth it, you just have to stop being so fucking stubborn!

[Another soft complaint is pretty much all he got for his effort; he sighs before sharply tightening his grip, ignoring the squirming that gets in response.]

Hey. Hey, come on - you know I wouldn't fucking lie to you, it'll be okay! I...look, I found a way for you to see kyoudai again!

[He's somewhere between relieved and wanting to just roll his eyes at the fact that that, finally, seems to get Ishimaru's attention.]

[Ishimaru isn't sure whether he would have preferred a complete stranger breaking in or dealing with Ishida when he's in one of his moods; he's rougher than he usually is with him today - it's not the same as guiding Ishimaru one place or another when he loses himself for a while, and it isn't the same as when he tries to encourage him to go out. This is far more aggressive, on the verge of threatening, and Ishimaru isn't even sure what he's done to warrant this sort of crazy - he can think of many reasons why he doesn't want to go out, the most pressing being "because it's raining" and "because I'm not up to it - before Ishida finally explains himself.

That explanation stops him cold; he almost doesn't want to believe him. The last few times he's heard that sort of thing have ended in disaster; his first thought is that Ishida is just going to use this against him as well, to get him to do whatever he wants. His ability to trust people has dropped sharply since the incident in Hope's Peak; he's hesitant to believe anything dealing with getting to see Mondo again. But he can't deny that the idea also brings with it the first surge of hope he's felt in a long time; after a moment he lets any resistance he was putting up go slack, and he allows Ishida to lead him downstairs and out of the apartment.

Granted, Ishida is muttering the entire way and he swears profusely once they're out of the apartment and back in the rain, but that's clearly just how things are going to be.

He can't bring himself to be bothered by the way that Ishida refuses to let go of his hand, even when they're in public; for the time being he's content to be led, especially since he has no idea where they're going. They aren't leaving the residential area of town; after a while he has to ask, forcing the words out as though his body has quite simply forgotten how to speak entirely.]

Where...where did you find him, anyway?

[Ishida just shakes his head at that, though he does turn to smirk back at him, his words enthusiastic.

You'll see - we're almost there!

Ishimaru still doesn't see when they stop in front of one of those apartments; Ishida still isn't letting go of his hand, reaching out with the opposite one to bang roughly on the door. There's not much to do but wait, once that's done - well, wait and kind of look at Ishida oddly when he mutters something about being early, anyway.]

Hey, I thought you said you'd need an hour--

[But Mondo cuts himself off there, staring as he opens the door. It's almost surreal to see Ishida and Ishimaru standing side-by-side. The uniform is the same, the haircut is the same, the eyes are the same (though one set is on fire), and Mondo can't do anything for a moment but stare. He opens his mouth, closes it. Opens it again. He's trying to find something to say that won't sound retarded as hell, but he's definitely not doing a good enough job.]

C-come on in.

[He fumbles over the words more than he'd care to admit and steps back, allowing them both entrance to his apartment. He hasn't missed the way Ishida's keeping hold of Ishimaru's hand, or the rather dazed look Ishimaru's wearing. He just kind of wants to hug them both and never let go, but that seems a bit ridiculous, doesn't it?]

Kyoudai...

[He's addressing Ishimaru, but after a moment he glances at Ishida to include him as well - he's not sure what to call Ishida, but since Ishida seemed to think calling him that was alright, he might as well use it for him too - then he starts again.]

Kyoudai, I'm so glad to see you. Both of you. I mean, the circumstances are shitty and fuck, I wish you hadn't-- Never mind. You're here now and you're safe here. You guys can stay with me! If... if you want, that is.

[He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. Man, this is way more awkward than he would have assumed. He finally reaches out to squeeze Ishimaru's shoulder, forcing a grin.]

I've missed you.

LOCKED TO ardent

1/3

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject