repudiate | ｏｎｅ。ａｕｄｉｏ。

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ｏｎｅ。ａｕｄｉｏ。

[ There are a few slight moments of silence - perhaps, if you listen closely enough, you can hear some slight sounds of nature from the forest's edge in the background - before a girl speaks up with a quite deadpan (and calm, considering the situation) tone. ]

Am I being reduced to this again this soon already? I really must be popular with all of you witches. So, which one of you do I have the honor of dealing with this time? Bernkastel again, or even that Featherine witch? ... Either way, you can come out and start laughing now. If you're looking for your cue, this is it.

[ She pauses for a moment, as if she actually does expect someone to pop up. But when it doesn't happen, she just continues talking. ]

It's pretty inconsiderate to let someone waiting after dragging them in, you know. Although I guess I should expect as much from the lot of you.

And what's up with these wings? 'Sure, let's give her pink wings this time just to see the look on her face, ahahaha' or whatever, right? I'm not laughing, but surely you predicted as much.

... Any normal person would start to think I'm going insane by now, like I'm talking to myself. Ah.. it's useless, it's all useless. Does anyone who's not me feel like speaking up already?

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... You have a pretty strange policy on friends, whoever you may be.

[ Because, you know, Ange's policy is to just not make them at all. ]

Oh, that sounds just great. I seriously can't wait to experience all of that wonderful stuff our captors have decided to give to us. I wonder if these Malnosso can beat the witches. They'll have to be pretty creative for that.

Besides, even if I die.. I'm not permitted to stay dead either way, for better or for worse. At least that's something I'm used to.

I know, but I don't care about being strange. Do you?

[Mostly because when he had no friends it didn't go well for him, so it's better to have friends, even if some are questionable.]

I will leave that for you to decide, since you seem to be more familiar with witches, though I would like to hear the verdict once you reach one. "Malnosso, better or worse than the witches?" It's an interesting debate.

At least you aren't required to pay for anything here, fresh food is supplied every day and even if you destroy a whole building it will be in perfect state the next day. When they aren't doing experiments, life is actually pretty peaceful here. Unless there's a draft or some of the most dangerous residents decides to cause a riot.

Isn't saying 'strange' subjective in the first place? I know plenty of people would find me really strange, but others would find me normal. It depends on one's point of view. But.. being friends with Bernkastel of all people is a definite constant in strangeness.

Is that so? I'll be sure to tell you all about it once I get to experience more of these Malnosso. You're right, I have quite some experience with witches. Maybe you could even call me an expert on this sort of thing by now. But.. I'll need a name to remember who to tell it to later on, I guess.

Destroy a building.. I guess I should be honored you think someone like me seems capable of such a thing. What do you expect me to do, kick against one of its walls until it decides to drop over?

It'll only be a constant until she gets bored of me, that's for sure.

[Meaning when she makes her move and he's destroyed at least once. But until then... He got stuck in this for going to her himself, when he didn't know better, now he has to deal with it.]

A name, right. Sorry for that, my name's Keiichi Maebara, just your normal, average and boring local guy.

[Well, not really but for the most of it he is pretty normal and average.]

It was just an example, I don't know if you could do that. But I know there are people here capable of it. Anyway, kicking it would take too long, you should try explosives for that.

Are you truly satisfied with just putting up with that witch until she throws you away because you're not interesting enough anymore? [ It's not as easily understandable of a concept for Ange, to be honest, although she's willing to accept this guy is just crazy or something. ] I can tell you it isn't very pleasant to be thrown away as a piece.

I suppose I should give you my own in return. Ange Ushiromiya, not quite your normal, average and boring local girl, more or less, if you want to believe all my old classmates.

Capable of it.. Do you say that any special sort of powers are available even in captivity?

... And yeah, I'll remember that one next time I try blowing up a building. Thanks.

Well, you see, Luceti isn't that big of a place, and I'm not one capable of hiding extremely well from a witch who wants to find me. I don't put up with her unless she comes to find me, but when she does... It's either that or have her as a direct enemy.

Being thrown away as a piece isn't pleasant, I have an idea of it. But I also have an idea of what she does to those who aren't even her pieces to begin with.

[For a brief moment he wonders if all those failed words could be seen as being thrown away as a piece. But that's a thought that settles from another idea, a blatant suspicion that he has had since Bernkastel appeared and that he, definitively, doesn't want to clear.]

It's nice to meet you, Ange. I don't know your old classmates but based on personal experience I won't give them much credit.

And... Well, there are all kinds of people here, witches, humans, demons, giant wolves... People with enough strength to destroy a building from a punch aren't nothing new. Though everyone says that powers are capped down here, which makes me not want to see what they are capable of when they are at full power.

[ Oh, wait, that little fact there is interesting.. ]

A witch who.. wants to find you? ... What sort of business does Bernkastel have with you, aside from that whole 'friendly acquaintance who might or might not actually just stab me in the back' thing? And as to what she does.. that witch's favorite pasttime is dragging out the guts. Something like that should tell you more than enough.

I suppose in some ways they were wrong, in others they were right. I can't say I've ever particularly cared about their opinion or gave them too much value.

[ That last part makes her pause for a moment. Ange actually ponders trying to summon the seven sisters - her friends - for a split second, but decides against it. She could try it later for all it's worth. There were still more pressing matters at hand now. ]

Witches, demons and giant wolves.. Seems like I've truly stumbled into a fun world. [ The sarcasm is thick in her voice. ] Just what I've always wanted, constantly being surrounded by people who could kill me as easy as they can sneeze.

Well, I don't know if she wants to find me, but she sure likes to come to meet me even if I don't go after her. Granted it doesn't happen often, so I suppose it's mostly a way to make sure I don't break down without her being there to see it and have fun.

[He hasn't even talked to her ever since Takano was returned, and seeing that Takano isn't there anymore he actually wonders if Bernkastel will keep bothering or what she will try to do. For now he tries to keep his way far from hers. Keiichi is silent at the part regarding dragging out the guts, for anyone who sees his face it's clear that there's something in his mind but he keeps it to himself in a deep part of his mind.]

Well, if it serves for comfort, I have no powers or anything special and I haven't died even once since I was brought here, more than a year ago. And I have been through dangerous situations.

[Not to mention that Bernkastel is around and all, Keiichi wonders if it could be considered a miracle that he has survived so long.]

Ah, so it's more of a thing where she just won't leave you alone, even if you wanted her to. I guess that's something I can relate to, at the very least. Then again, telling her to go away would only make her insist on stopping by again and again, knowing her.

Don't worry, I'm not as helpless as I might seem. If anything happens, I'm pretty sure I can defend myself. [ If she doesn't die at least once during her stay here, Ange will be surprised as well, considering Bernkastel is here. ]

... Besides, I'm not here alone. My older brother is here too, so if anything the two of us can rely on each other.

[ Because she doesn't want to see anything happen to Battler, wouldn't be able to bear it. Even if saving him would mean dying again.. Then that'd be fine. ]

Exactly, which is why I decided to count her as a friendly acquaintance. It works so far, kind of, she won't turn up if you want her to most of the times.

Oh, so you're not alone? You're lucky, many people appear without anyone from their worlds here. Though others do. When I first arrived three of my friends were here, so it wasn't too terrible to settle in.

[There's a sound as if he was going to continue but he stops. Should he mention that people can leave without warning just as much as they arrive?]

In that case maybe I should just walk up to her and tell her how much I'd like to be friends with her. Surely she'll accept that. Maybe we can even hold hands and skip through the flowers, wouldn't that be great?

[ Obviously sarcasm, it isn't even hard to tell. Being friends with Bernkastel is just a no-go for Ange. ]

Yeah.. In this case, I've truly been lucky. You could say him being here is even a luxury of sorts for me. I didn't have this chance back home. ... I guess these Malnosso can do some things right in the end.

Don't forget the part where you enjoy a tea together and some sweets.

[Yeah, he notes the sarcasm and actually answers with his own. No, really, even if he's weird he has a clear idea about Bernkastel already. He's just not as blatant as Ange it seems.]

That happens often too, this place is capable of pulling people from any point in time, future or past. And no matter if the person was dead or alive. It's kind of the only luxury though, don't expect much more from them.

Right, that sounds exactly like the kind of thing she'd enjoy. We could go watch some play so she could go and throw popcorn at the characters.

[ She can't just not be blantant when it comes down to Bernkastel. Perhaps ranting this much about her is just Ange's way of trying to get rid of the slight anxiety growing in her gut just at the idea of her being in this place. ]

... This much is all I need. [ Her voice levels up from the deadpan slightly, to a form resembling determination. ] If I'm given a chance to be with my older brother again, I won't waste it. I'll find a way for everything to be alright, one way or another.

And have a sleepover and hug your pillows while talking about the boys you like!

[Girls do that, don't they? Keiichi doesn't mind her ranting, honestly he knows that sometimes it's needed.]

That's no good, if this much is really all you need they will have an easy time hurting you even more in the future. But I like the spirit on the rest of that, this is really a great chance for anything and everything, one shouldn't waste it.

What does "everything to be alright" means for you, exactly?

Oh, I'm sure she has plenty of boys she likes. ... Maybe that's the reason she won't leave you alone. < Congratulations. >

[ Deadpanning is a form of venting, obviously.. ]

If you turn it the other way around, it would be even easier to hurt someone who needs a lot of things, considering there's no way they could acquire them all as easily. But I digress. A timetable of avoiding Bernkastel and spending more time with Battler onii-chan sounds just fine with me.

For him to be okay. And.. preferably for me to be okay too so I'm able to spend time with him, but it's less of a priority.

It could be, unfortunately she's not really my type. Guess that means eventually this relationship of ours is going to end with someone tore in pieces.

[Probably him. The English use catches his attention, it's not hard to tie the dots. Bernkastel knew someone who used English at times, this girl knows Bernkastel and she uses English expressions... At least one. And she seems the type to not give up at obstacles and the like. So she must be the girl Bernkastel was talking about months ago. Not that she said much but it gives Keiichi a better idea on what kind of person Ange is, in which case... Well, it may be better for her to know it already.]

That's true, but you can't be hurt by having something taken away from you when you have never had it to begin with. Someone who wants many things will never acquire all of them, but it's harder to know what they have already to take away from them when one wants to hurt them.

Luceti is a fickle place, people arrive without warning. And leave in the same manner. It may take years, months... Or days.

[He knows it by personal experience.]

So be sure to get a timetable as full of your brother as possible. Even if normally you would be able to spend time with him anyway.

Be sure to not break her heart or at least let her down gently. Otherwise she might decide to break something of yours in return.

[ Of course she's just still deadpanning, perhaps on the edge of actually joking, but the last part wouldn't be all that strange for Bernkastel. ]

[ But at his other words.. She turns quiet for a few moments. She had only been here for a moment, so she hadn't quite considered the option yet that they might not go home together. One of them might be left behind. She might be left behind yet again. Her breath sticks in the back of her throat for a moment. Somehow the thought of being left here while Battler left feels worse than any thought of what Bernkastel could do to here.

Now she was given this one chance.. She couldn't let it slip away. Not now. ]

... Hah.. This place truly is heartless, isn't it.

[ It comes out a little weak, much weaker than she would have liked to sound - so she mans up immediately. ]

Don't worry, I have every intention of spending as much time with him as this place allows me. I'm not someone to waste a chance when it's given to me. Especially not such an obvious and big chance.

I'll find a way for the two of us to be together, even if it's just for a few moments.

Don't worry, I can be a perfect gentleman when I have to. And I don't want anything of mine broken so I will take care with her.

[Certainly, being broken by Bernkastel isn't something he can't imagine. It's a feeling he has had for a long while, the constant danger, the fact of being walking on a mine field. But without anything really happening there's only so far he can go with his wariness unless he wants to end being paranoid. Thus he will "take care" with her and be as careful as possible. Who knows, if he resists long enough maybe she will leave before anything bad actually happens and if he doesn't give her direct reasons to go after him with thirst for blood all the better.]

[The silence isn't surprising, he can't blame her for it. Part of him still regrets saying it but... He really hates to be pessimistic but after what he has gone through he can't help it. Better be warned than to find herself all alone one day suddenly. He hadn't even considered the possibility of them leaving until it happened, so soon after he arrived. And when Rena returned for a few days... A few weeks... It wasn't even a month, not even the major part of it.

If Ange's chances to be with her brother are really as slim as they seem from her words then she should focus more on being with him now than worrying about Bernkastel or anything else. Every little sister deserves to be able to be with her older brother and take advantage of that chance as much as possible... If Satoko had come... If she ever arrived here and Satoshi was still around, Keiichi would make sure they could be together as much as possible. Even if Takano had still been there. Even if the whole Luceti was involved in chaos, he would do everything in his hand to allow them to be really together since they couldn't be so back at their world.]

Rather than call it heartless I would call it broken hearted. It would seem to suit it more given how sometimes it seems to aim to have that effect on us.

[He sighs lightly before conjuring up a bright smile.]

But, what may happen tomorrow or in a few months doesn't really matter now. We can't live scared the whole time, so do your best to be with your brother. I'll bet for you two to be able to be together for a long time.

Oh, and don't worry about your home world, whatever may be left pending for you or him to do, will remain pending until you return or are sent back. People have returned to their worlds and later been sent back here again and they affirm that we are sent back to the exact moment we were taken from. Handy, isn't it?

A perfect gentleman? Seems I've been lucky with the sort of people contacting me right off the bat. If only more people were like that, Maebara-san.

[ Yes, she's still deadpanning, but it isn't full out sarcasm - Keiichi seems pretty decent so far, after all. Although calling him a perfect gentleman might be going a little far in this case. ]

This place is an one in a million chance and a curse, a hell at the same time.. That's right, this truly is the perfect place for that witch to reside. A place where she can just sit back with some popcorn and watch all that misery unfold.. Ah, it's useless, it's all useless.

Don't think I've given up just yet. If I'm given this chance so far, I wouldn't mind going as far as smashing fate or giving up anything else for it to remain like this. If anything, I won't allow cruel fate or this place to tear us apart again. Even if it'd be the last thing I'd do, metaphorically speaking.

I wasn't really busy with anything in particular back home, but yeah, I guess it's still good to know. [ Back home she was just stuck as a toy in the witches' toybox, after all, just waiting until it was her turn again for them to play with her again as they pleased. Finding out the truth of Rokkenjima.. It's all she has left. Her only last task.

And then? What would there be left of 'Ushiromiya Ange' after that..? ]

Well, only sometimes. I have to admit that I still have a long way to go about that, but I try my best. For example, it's my policy to do my best so a lady doesn't cry or isn't upset.

[It is, indeed. Even if it comes out from him not wanting to cause pain to any girl ever again, no matter their age or the method.]

Ah, and you can call me Keiichi. Maebara-san, makes me think of my father or when a teacher would scold me at class.

[Or of Oishi coming to ask questions... He can't remember what they would talk about or the general circumstances, but it's an echo scarred in his memory. Oishi's voice calling him "Maebara-sa~n", dragging the end of it like the smoke of a cigarette. It gave him an ominous feeling, as if hearing Oishi calling him meant that something bad had happened, that something bad would happen... It didn't help that the man's voice sounded distorted and twisted, it was him, clear enough, but it felt so different from the Oishi he knew.

He never minded it before, but after coming here, after the echoes began to be more and more usual, he had come to dislike being called that way. He really didn't want or need more things that brought on echoes, ever since Haruki had told him about the "time loop"... It had been like when water stored in a dam filters through a small crack in the wall, little by little, until someone -Haruki- opens the doors and the water comes down pouring, wildly and chaotic.]

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