walkersystem | 6 ✶ video/action ✶ fourth wall

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6 ✶ video/action ✶ fourth wall

... did everybody get their powers back?

[A video that's short and sweet and shows cautious excitement, but also a trace of fear.]

It's not another dream, right?

[Action anywhere: Guess who REALLY LIKES HAVING HER POWER BACK? It's Molly. She's gonna be leaning back against a tree with her knees drawn up and her Johto and Kanto map books against her legs, flipping through and marking stuff that follows some kind of logic that's not immediately apparent.]

[That is, when she's not just looking around somewhat anxiously - she's confident she'll find her way back since she can see people again, but she still doesn't like the shifting world all that much. It's unpredictable. She could end up anywhere, and she does; the shifting routes can lead you pretty stray even when you're just trying to get back to Goldenrod.]

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You're not heavy at all! I figured you'd be so small, that you'd be as heavy as an elephant!

[Rin, that's not how science works...

AHAHA TINY CHILD REVENGE DOES NOT PHASE HIM. In fact, he actually puts her down after that. See, even Rin must obey the Magic Words. He takes a seat right in front of her, his tail curled by his side.]

_{[And Molly's just about to point out that science does Not In Fact work that way, still a little breathless in that gleeful way when she sits down in the grass, but then she spots his tail again and points.]}

There! What's that?

Do you have a tail?

_{[She just sounds really curious, not judgmental - it's kinda cool, honestly. Like. Everybody kinda wanted a tail at some point.]}

Huh? [His tail gives a quick twitch and curls up a little closer to him.]

Oh that. ...Yeah, I got one. [He notices her tone of voice. It keeps him from immediately pulling it away. ...Wasn't she even a little scared?]

_{[Why would she be scared of a tail though? She notices he seems embarrassed and gives him a quick smile.]}

That's so weird. Why do you have one?

[TINY ONE, HE KNOWS IT IS WEIRD... But he laughs a bit at himself. There are a thousand reasons to be apprehensive but he really doesn't want to dwell on how things could go wrong. He'd rather plow through. BUT MOLLY IS A LITTLE CHILD AND HER REACTION MIGHT NOT BE ANY BETTER...]

'Cuz I'm half-demon. I could keep it hidden but it's pretty uncomfortable -- ehehehe...

_{[Um wait ... wait hold up, like a demon? Like a demon demon, like the bad guys everywhere? Molly's not more religious than your average American child, but that still definitely gives her pause.]

[But Rin is a good guy, so he can't reall be a demon or anything. Obviously.]}

Like ... a real demon?

Aren't demons supposed to be bad?

_{[Just confirm you're not bad.]}

[O-Okay, so far that's better than running off... Rin's not 100% sure what to say to that because while he isn't the most religious kid out there, he did grow up with a priest so...]

Most demons are. So if you ever see one, you better get away from it! [HE WILL LITERALLY BURN ANY DEMON ALIVE IF IT SO MUCH AS LOOKS AT MOLLY THE WRONG WAY.] - But there are some that aren't bad at all. My cat sidhe - that's my familiar - he's the greatest! But he's as lazy as any cat when he wants to be. And some demons, they just wanna be left alone.

[-- at least in Japan. And even then, it doesn't begin to explain other demons like - like the ones directly related to Satan.]

[Is Rin bad? He doesn't think so, but he's aware that there will always be that apprehension others have around him. No telling when he'll suddenly flame up. He doesn't mean to square his shoulders, as if he were bracing for impact.]

... Do you think I'm bad?

_{[She listens attentively because she does want to hear this, to understand how what she thought she knew could possibly work with Rin. And it still doesn't, really, but she guesses it works out if demons really are different.]

[So she nods as she listens, and then she shakes her head at the question.]}

No. That's why it's so weird that you're a demon.

_{[Cause she still firmly believes he's a good guy. He's kind to her, and has helped her and had played around with her, and demons wouldn't do that. She knows what they'd really do if they could. So she just has to make this fit, and that's what might take a few moments.]}

[It might get easier to say what he is over time, but it was still so hard to come to terms with how others would respond. And so far the people he's spoken to about it in Johto haven't been afraid of it.

It's... A weirdly wonderful thing, to know that there are people who aren't afraid of what he is. Molly's observation shakes him up a bit. Didn't someone else mention something like that before? A terrible warm feeling spreads through his chest. Maybe...]

Is it weird 'cuz I'm not scary right now? [He's seen himself at his worst. ... He's pretty sure he must be frightening to look upon.]

Yeah, I guess.

_{[She tilts her head to one side, studies him for a moment. She's never even once considered him scary, which is why her response is a little halting - it's not that she hesitates on whether he is or not, it's just something she hadn't even thought about, cause it's so obvious.]

[Of course Rin isn't scary. She knows he can be grumpy and kinda standoffish but that's the worst she's ever seen him, and that was way back, before they really knew each other.]

[So after a second of that reflection, she lets a teasing smile spread instead.]}

I've seen way scarier.

[He really shouldn't be surprised anymore that there are people who see him as a person as opposed to what he can do and the sort of power he wields. The truth is, it will always be there, in the back of his mind like a tiny hornet trying to sting its way out of his mind. It hurts - much more than he will ever be willing to let on.

And then this little girl - she doesn't see him as a demon. Even though he knows it's okay now because she hasn't seen the fire or the horns or - gosh, anything else - he can't help but feel validated as a person. He can't help but feel that everything is going to be okay because she didn't think less of him. ...And that's already more than what he got back home.

He tries not to flinch or shy away from her study of him. Is she noticing how sharp his teeth really are? Is she unnerved by how his ears stick out from under his messy hair?

But...

Then she had to go and make a joke of it. Rin can't help the easy laugh that makes its way out of him. He relaxes, not realizing how tense he kept his shoulders.]

Oh yeah? And what've you seen that's so scary? I'm sure I've got way more fangs than any monster hiding under your bed!

_{[She wrinkles her nose in a playful challenge when she smiles back at him, but there's a moment there where she's quiet other than a soft laugh in turn, avoiding the question.]

[She doesn't really want to talk about what she's seen that's scary. But she manages to dodge it at least somewhat smoothly when she does notice the teeth, especially as he calls attention to them.]}

Let me see!

_{[She leans forwards on her hands, looking at his grin.]}

Wow. What do you need those for?

[ - oh no, don't give him that sort of half-hearted reply! He'll let it slide with the distraction she's looking for.

No one's really asked what they were for. He's definitely caught off guard. He flexes his jaw and runs his tongue over each sharp tooth.]

I dunno, they're sort of a package deal.

[He figured they were for tearing into things. Eating food like steak was A LOT EASIER when his teeth were this sharp - but he's not sure why a demon would need them.

He could make a joke like "the better to eat you with, my dear" but he is 100% sure that it will backfire.]

Why do you have teeth? [BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HER QUESTION SOUNDS LIKE TO HIM...]

To eat ice cream with.

_{[Because let's keep it light and playful as much as possible, right?]}

[YEP. THEY CAN BE SERIOUS LATER.]

You'd get brain freeze in five seconds if you did that!!

_{[Can they be serious never??]}

No I wouldn't!

[NEVER EVER]

Yes you would! All your baby teeth would turn into ice cubes!

I don't even have all my baby teeth!

That's because they've already turned into ice cubes!

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6 ✶ video/action ✶ fourth wall

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