i am a cage in search of a bird

[crocodiline]

[ The figure inside the frosted glass snaps her fingers, and the glass falls away, sliding into grooves in the ground below. Inside, behind additional bulletproof glass, sits a woman, legs up on a transparent glass desk, absentmindedly petting a... whatever this thing is.

Say hello to your mastermind, everyone! ]

Hey there, everyone. Nice to talk to you in person - my name is Cipher, welcome to my city. Sorry I took so long to show up in person. No need to get up on my account - how about we talk business?

[ Let's drive. ]

Comments

[withagun]

F- Forrest- san...

[ It seems in the last almost two months, Hodaka hasn't gotten any better at receiving hugs. But, receive it he does, and return it he does, after a moment of sputtering. It's tight. ]

...Hi. I've...missed you. [ Sorry. ]

[visiblepattern]

[So much tight hugging, oh my god.]

I've missed you too, I'm so glad to see you...

[...!!!]

Oh, I've been taking care of Rain, he's somewhere safe right now, we can go get him in a minute if you'd like.

[withagun]

[ A nice firm hug from a boy who isn't use to that yet, it's okay. ]

You- you have?! Oh... Thank you, I... I'm so sorry, to have left all of you with that responsibility...

[ But, a moment later. ]

And...for how much... I'm sorry I didn't...come talk to you.

[ As someone who was not entirely...together, in his last hours, Hodaka's been wanting to say this, for a long time. ]

[visiblepattern]

[Oh...]

It's all right, I'm not... You know I'm not mad at you, right? I meant what I said, I'm not mad and I don't hate you.

[...]

...Thank you. For the letter. It really meant a lot.

[withagun]

I know. I...never thought you did, I just—

[ A moment. ]

...I would've...liked to tell you those things in person, instead.

[visiblepattern]

[...Okay, we're crying a little now but it's the sort he can smile through, just let him wipe that away a bit, good god.]

If I could help at least a little bit back then, I'm glad. Even if things didn't work out. And... Well, now we've got time to do the things we couldn't before, right?

[withagun]

[ One cry deserves another. Emotions are very high. ]

...Mmhm. You did- a-and...we do. We really do.

[visiblepattern]

I want to... I want to keep in contact with you, even after all of this is over. She said there's a way to do that, and I... I want to keep being friends with you for as long as you're okay with that.

[withagun]

Yeah! Yeah, definitely, ah—

[ And... Hodaka's remembered a few things. ]

Mm... I...want to, as well. But, going back home... There's some things I'm going to...have to figure out. I'm sort of...wanted by the police.

[visiblepattern]

[Oh. Hmmm...]

We don't have to go back to the exact same time and place we were taken from, from the sound of it... Granted, I don't know how much that would help...

[withagun]

...It...simplifies a little...

[ He pauses. ]

At least... Everyone else won't be in more trouble, because of that. I don't know about... If we could go earlier because I think that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, messing with...the past, but...

[ He really hasn't been thinking about this. He's gonna need to now. ]

[visiblepattern]

Well, I'm not going to just leave you to try to figure it out on your own... We can sit and try to figure it out together, once we're away from this place.

[withagun]

Mm, yeah. Yeah, this is all a little...overwhelming, I think? Maybe...after something to eat. Ah- I really am feeling hungry again. It was- it was so weird, there was food but we never needed to sleep or felt like eating, but I still needed to breathe, and...

[ He's rambling a little. Sensory overload. ]

[visiblepattern]

[Just, let his fingers play with your hair a little, you.]

It's all right. Take all the time you need. Let's go get you some food, I know Zinda brought some...

[Come on, this is kind of a lot but let's go.]

[withagun]

[ That's fine. That's...absolutely fine, his face is slightly flushed from the excitement of it all and also the hair playing is something he's not used to but. ]

Snacks! She- gave me something, um... [ He's dropped it. He's still the same kinda hapless boy.

But throughout all of this he is not inclined to let go of Forrest or at least venture too far. ]