Floor 1, Room 6

[annihilator]

MALICE

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Comments

[annihilator]

'Course you can. You're good at it.

[Malice glances back over at the phantoms and... oh, look they're fading. Slowly, one by one, they begin to fade out of sight. Some of them look back over before they go, but only Cody waves as a farewell.

Malice remains staring at the spot they were for a moment before he turns his attention back to Yamato.]

Believe me, I'd like nothin' more.

[Things will be different this time, he tells himself. They have to be.]

I'm not gonna make the same mistake again. Not that I could anyway, not like my ol' lady's hangin' 'round here willin' to offer me anythin'.

[He scoffs at that and moves to sit on his bed.]

[dadsandals]

[ He's glad to see the phantoms fading, though. The atmosphere seems a lot less tense and emotionally charged. Must mean Malice is feeling better. That's a nice thought. ]

You have people who'd set you straight, too. And people who might possibly go after her if they saw her.

[ Assuming he's told anyone else about this, anyway. ]

If anything, you can put me in both categories. I'd do my best to keep her from bothering you.

[ Is this way of saying he'll protect Malice...? Even he's not sure. It's not like Malice really needs that, anyway, but. Let him have this, okay. ]

1/2

[annihilator]

I'm really hopin' we get to keep our magic when we go home... 'cause vampires are real weak to magic...

[You see where he's going with this, right?]

There's a reason I'm so fond of fire!

[PREPARING TO BEAT UP HIS MOM, LET'S GOOOOOO]

[annihilator]

...But you don't have'ta worry 'bout me. I'll figure out some way to handle her.

[He wants revenge, after all. It's on his to-do list.]

Thanks, though. I really do appreciate it; y'all have really been good to me an' I'm not really sure how I got so luck to end up with a group that's so willin' to help out.

[dadsandals]

Yeah, yeah...I see where you're going with this...

[ The right thing to do would be to discourage him from violence, but also, no. Have you met Malice.

Anyway. ]

Eh, I like to think that people are dishing out what they're getting. The people who care about you are fine with things because you're doing the same for them in return. I don't think everyone's the type to put themselves forward for just anyone.

[annihilator]

[🎉🎉🎉 violence!!! 🎉🎉🎉]

Hah, true enough. I am tryin' to do better by people, anyway. Helps that this's a whole different world an' a whole new set of rules; definitely better than bein' back home!

[no shitty vampire nobles to deal with!!! 10/10 would get spirited away again.]

[dadsandals]

Yeah. I get that.

[ Home... Will he have one when he gets back? ]

So far, seems like you're doing pretty alright.

[annihilator]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[...]

Oh, an' if you could keep this 'tween the two of us? Ain't all that fond of the idea of others hearin' 'bout it. If I'm gonna tell 'em, I want it to be on my own terms.

[dadsandals]

Of course I won't. That's your business to discuss, not mine. You kept mine secret, after all.

[ So, yeah. Secret's safe with him. ]

[annihilator]

'Course, an' I'm still not gonna talk 'bout it. But thanks, I appreciate it. It's gettin' easier to talk 'bout it now, anyway.

[Though this one sort of forced his hand... Oh well, at least it worked out well enough.]

Oh right, you brought a book with you, what is it?

[dadsandals]

To be honest, I'm not sure. It just appeared in my room. Haven't opened it or anything just yet, but I was wondering if you've also been getting random gifts appearing.

[ It seems pretty sus... ]

[annihilator]

Yeah, I have. That's what caused [gestures toward the window] all'a that. It was some kinda... ointment, I guess. So be careful 'round that if you get any.

[Though maybe it would be less distressing for you...? Eh, better be safe than sorry.]

Might as well see what that book's about though, yeah? Could be interestin'.

[dadsandals]

At least there's two of us, if something strange were to happen.

[ He looks at Malice before he opens the book. There's a flash of light that emits from it, and just like Malice's phantoms, some of Yamato's own appear as well.

Riku, Iori, Tamaki, Sougo, Nagi and Mitsuki. All of them are in the room now, looking at Yamato with warm smiles on their faces.

He's speechless for a moment...then he utters a word under his breath:

IDOLiSH7. ]

[annihilator]

[Okay, why does the book do the same thing as the ointment?? That doesn't make sense!! Complaints aside, this is... definitely not great. He remembers what Yamato's told him about IDOLiSH7, so he recognizes the name and now he can put faces to the other members, but...]

You miss 'em, yeah?

[dadsandals]

Yeah. I do.

[ His voice gets shaky. Quiet. ]

A lot, actually.

[annihilator]

[...]

Tell me 'bout 'em. If you wanna, I mean.

[dadsandals]

Yeah.

[ He points at each of them as he speaks: ]

Riku's our center. He's got the best singing voice, and he's passionate about singing and being an idol. Iori's the serious one, but he's a softie on the inside.

Tama and Iori are classmates. He loves pudding. Sou's got big dreams and he's extremely dedicated to music.

Nagi...he's the heart of the group. He believes in us more than anyone else in the world. And Mitsu– he knows me best. He wasn't necessarily the ideal idol at first, but he's worked hard and his charisma shines through.

[annihilator]

[Malice looks them all over one by one as Yamato speaks. Each of them sound so vibrant and charming in their own ways, and hearing Yamato speak of them really does confirm what he already knew - that of course Yamato misses them dearly, because they're his close friends.]

They sound like great people. An' I'm sure they miss you too.

[dadsandals]

...I sure hope so.

[ When he first got here, he'd accepted that he'd lost his place. Now however, he sees things differently. He wants to return. He wants them to have a place for him again, despite everything. ]

If they didn't, I couldn't blame them. I hurt them. I...well, you know the story.

[annihilator]

Yeah. But I think they'd want to hear you out, at least. Figure out why it happened the way it did. An' I wouldn't be surprised at all if they decided to forgive you.

[Both because humans seem to have a tendency to keep reaching out to others, and because they all seem like caring individuals. And also because it's Yamato, and who wouldn't like Yamato enough to forgive him??]

[dadsandals]

You wouldn't be surprised?

[ That gets a chuckle out of him. It's not mean-spirited, but he still has to know, even if his question's only half-serious: ]

You think that highly of me, huh?

[annihilator]

'Course I do!

[He reaches over to gently sock Yamato in the arm. It's still a bit too strong of a hit, but he tried...]

You've been nothin' but good to me, an' I've no doubt you'd wanna do right by 'em when you get back. So why wouldn't they wanna give you another chance?

[dadsandals]

Ow-

[ Buddy....... One day, you'll learn.....

It doesn't wipe the smile off of his face, though! At least there's that. ]

Heh. I'm just an old man trying his best. [ To be a good friend and all that. He leans back in his seat. ] I didn't think befriending a vampire would be something I'd ever get to do, but here we are.

[annihilator]

You ain't that old, are you?

[Unless his guess on human ages is completely off... how old are you, Yamato??? But anyway, that gets a laugh from him.]

It sure ain't common where I'm from! But I'm glad, gettin' a chance to meet y'all's been good for me.

[dadsandals]

Twenty-two.

[ See? That's plenty old. (My bones are creaking as I type this.) ]

You think you'd wanna stay away from home, even if we had the chance to go back?