applenet | 0 Days Remain

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After the vision, and realizing that they still have an hour before the curfew, a message shows up on their program...

Luci: Finally! Human minds can be so fragile...

Luci: You saw it, right? What do you think?

Luci: Does it make you angry or terrified?

Luci: I don't really care but if you answered yes to either of those, good!

Luci: I've got presents for you, lambs.

Luci: Once an apple falls from the tree, it's hard to stop gravity.

Luci: They will try.

Luci: Already a few of you didn't make it.

Luci: But you are all stronger than you look! Amazing, I know.

Luci: SO LISTEN UP! See that dot on the map?

Luci: No? Maybe arrows will help?

That's where you saw that vision.

Luci: It's just about twenty minutes away from the central part of Green Valley's fancy-ass school. You know the 'World Famous' apple orchards out in the back? The very first subway station?

Luci: If you want to know more about what you saw and any other questions that might be burning in your mind, I suggest you hop into the underground city subway and wait until midnight strikes then sneak out to it. Don't think the city will care for less than fifty people going there anyway. Staying after darkness is normal anyway, right?

Luci: When we get there, you'll get a brand new message.

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[Whenever Ayu gets that window open, she might notice her brother already standing outside, fidgeting nervously as he tries to split his attention between the bright light of his phone screen and the window of her room. She's much more likely to exit from her window than from the door, right? That's the Ayu thing to do.

He's also got an old plastic beam-sword stuffed in his backpack. He found the sword in the back of his closet and a beat-up toy that can barely stay lit seems like a better option than nothing at all, right?]

...It's dangerous to go alone. [Holding out a half-eaten roll of lifesavers. Take one!]

...I should've known you'd be out here first.

[She had a mini-meltdown. She even cried a little, because she just watched two people die, and it all feels real and unreal at the same time. She closes the window almost all the way behind her, leaving it open just enough that she can sneak back in. At least Mom is working tonight.

It takes Ayu a moment to get down. She has to walk to the edge of the roof and unroll the fire escape ladder and climb down from there. After that, she just has to hope she gets home in time to pull it back up.]

I should be saying that to you. [She takes the entire half-roll.] ...Were you gonna leave without me? That's not fair, you know.

[Natsume actually feels weirdly numb about all this right now. He's just seen a horrifically real nightmare, much more disturbing than the visions he's had so far, and now he's sneaking out in the middle of the night with his baby sister to face what is quite possibly certain doom. It feels unreal. He got this far on autopilot before reality started to set in, which is why Ayu might notice him casting nervous glances around in case somebody catches them out here.]

You know I wouldn't do that. [He opens his mouth to complain about the stolen roll as well, but - no, this isn't the time for that.] You're really gonna go, though?

[Stay home, sis....having you with him is a nice comfort but also......]

I don't not know. We're kind of treading undtreaded waters right now. But I don't like to think you would.

[She feels a little bad for admitting it. She needs to say something that's really Ayu-like, doesn't she? He's just as nervous as she is. Well, he's older, so maybe less. She's not sure. She crosses her arms and looks him over, concern written all over her face. What do they do from here? They could be going off to die, and she's scared.]

I have to go. Uncle Kiran will probably be there. How could I stay at home and just wait for you two, huh? Besides, someone has to protect you. I've been brushing up on my Rokken...my fighting skills are at their peak, y'know.

[How's he supposed to feel about that answer...he honestly isn't sure. He isn't sure about anything right now. Are any of them sure about anything?

Besides Uncle Kiran. He seems about the same as ever, judging by his network comments. It's kind of comforting.

Natsu manages to crack a small smile, partly at her comment and partly because smiles would probably help here.]

Does that make me the princess? If you're protecting me.

[Give him another few moments to get over his hesitation and he'll start moving. To adventure! And death!]

You were always the princess, big bro.

[It's always been that way. To her, anyways. Despite having no friends of her own, she's always thought that maybe Natsume has a hard time at school, or...he's going to be bullied again...she wants to protect him, because that's what family does! And without him...that thought really scares her, Ayu would never be able to complete that sentence.]

I'm more of the Evil Queen type, don't you think? I'd totally be cast as the evil stepsister, or the idol who isn't as nice as the others to get what she wants. C'mon, let's move it. Just follow me, I'll get us there.

[Since she's not the princess, she starts to walk...okay, maybe she's just pretending not to be scared, but it's helping.]

You're a little small to be queen...maybe the idol who reveals fifty episodes in that she's not that mean after all.

[It's true that Natsume has trouble making friends and stuff, and he realizes he's definitely not the hero type, but...he doesn't exactly want to be a princess, either. He's pretty sure Ayu's lonely - maybe she doesn't get along with her classmates - but he's not sure how to help, besides being there for her. You're a good girl, Ayu! Your bro believes in you!!!

.....Either way, he's definitely not a princess. He walks with her, also pretending not to be scared, their combined lack of scaredness maybe helping them to actually be a little less scared.]

That sounds boring. You know what would be fun? If there was a hero who betrayed his party at the last second in an RPG because he wanted to see what would happen.

[Maybe casually talking about betrayal so late at night is a bad idea, but it feels like an okay topic for Ayu. Anything to get their mind off the visions that they just had and more focused on...well, anything else.]

Hey, old man uncle's probably gonna be there, too, huh? What a bum. He didn't even offer us a ride.

That'd be interesting in an RPG, yeah...

[Emphasis on "in an RPG," because honestly it feels vaguely like they've walked into a horror RPG themselves, and he doesn't wanna meet a hero like that in real life.]

Maybe we can complain to him when we see him. Tell him he's a terrible uncle, maybe he'll make up for it with better Christmas presents. [Walking, walking...he can't help looking around as they go, wary of any suspicious noises. You know, like trees rustling or wind blowing. He's nervous! A nervous Natsu doing his best to not look nervous!]

You don't have to ask. I know this isn't a game. If it were a game, we'd be having more fun, so I know it's not one.

[She's just going to clear up any of those doubts before they come to light, alright? Good. Talking about their uncle is a good distraction, too. Ayu waits at an intersection before motioning for Natsume to dash across with her.]

I can see that working. "Just one Christmas, uncle? Remember that time we almost died because no one picked us up on their way to the creepy abandoned subway station?" That one works every time.

[Of course it's not a game, it's an anime! Just look at the Persona you haven't summoned yet! Also it's actually kinda exciting to run around in an empty city with nobody around. Scary, and incredibly dangerous, but still. There's not a single car! Except for probably Uncle Kiran's, wherever he is.

He makes sure to watch out anyway, as he dashes across with Ayu.]

Yeah, there's no way he could turn that down. Think we could get a few video games out of him? Or maybe a new camera.

Woah, a new camera? Are you thinking about me or you? Because if you're interested in filming, you'll have to call me "Miss Maruyama" when I give you my lessons...actually, that'd make me sound old.

[It'd be super cool if her big bro took up photography, though. She could be the journalist and on air pretty reporter girl, and he could be the abused and weary camerman who does all the hard work and is never appreciated it for it.]

It's really weird being out after curfew, huh? Not even I dared to ever try this unless I was just heading next door or something.

If it was me, I'd probably just photograph Mocky....

[Best cat ever!!! though thinking seriously, if he really did take up photography he probably would take a lot of nature shots...and the occasional Ayu vid, maybe. Not that he's doing it. He knows what you're after, sis!!]

I don't know if anyone would normally go out after curfew...considering. [Danger time...] ...We'll be fine though.

Well, cat videos are the new Hollywood. That's what someone on a comments section said once, so it must be true.

[Is she kidding? ...Why does it sound like she's not kidding?]

Of course we will. We played Laurinda's Awakening, didn't we? So...so it'll be just like that dungeon. We'll find the feather, and we'll jump over every gap standing in our way.

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tfw you use imgur to get the expressions you need

thank you imgur

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