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[The link appears to have been... dropped. It's just sitting on the floor of a hallway in Trion's temple. There's a partial view of a nearby room, the door half-open and sitting strangely on its hinges. The room itself appears... trashed. Like the storm blew through the room as well as the Haven.]

[Everything is absolutely still. Absolutely silent.]

[For several minutes.]

[And then something slams itself down off-screen, hard enough to rattle the Link itself. It actually vibrates a few inches forward at the impact.]

[Someone laughs. There's no amusement in the sound, only smug satisfaction.]

Look! Look, look, look!

[The voice is probably familiar, but the cadence is all wrong. The speaker grabs the Link, jerking it toward the room.]

I did it. I did it so well too, didn't I? You thought you had me -- what was it? What was it? Are you punishing me? Is that it?

No, no. That won't do. I got out!

[More laughter. Delighted, echoing laughter.]

[And all of the sudden, a face pops on-screen, upside down. The smile it wears is sharp, harsh. It's... Kagerou?]

Aren't. You. Proud? Brave Police.

[There is a fevered light in his optics -- both of which are visible now, the scanner no longer marking half his face. And then the feed goes dark.]

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[There's a low, displeased hiss in response. His wings mantle again, broader, like he's trying to make himself look bigger, or stronger. His optics glow madly. Darting from one side to another, like he's looking for a way out.]

[He doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to submit. But fine. Very well. If he must.]

Let's make it fast, mm?

Just do it. Come on.

[He'll shift and start moving back for the main doors, trying to corral Kagerou into going with him without getting ahead of the ninjabot and without touching him. As much as he wants to wrap an arm around his shoulders or put a hand on his arm, he's half-sure that'll result in another emotional/verbal snap.]

Tch. Touchy. Touchy. I didn't do anything and you're so touchy.

[He keeps muttering to himself, though. But does start to move, in little fits and starts, as if to prove he's doing this of his own volition, and nothing else.]

[As if the pistol is completely forgotten.]

[Kagerou is moving. However he feels he needs to, he's moving, and in the direction Deckard needs him to. That's enough. He won't say or do more for now, just make his way for the front doors, even steps ahead enough to grasp a handle and pull the door open himself, gesturing Kagerou forward. The doors are massive enough that they can walk out together, abreast. Deckard's reluctant to let the broken ninjabot get either much ahead or at all behind him, as either could go badly wrong.]

[Of course he ducks out first. That hasn't changed, at least. He's still eager to see the sky. Deckerd can't fly, after all. Not without his additions.]

[But he won't tun his back. Not on this one. Not when he's dared to be so disobedient. There should be a reprisal coming. And he wants to see it. Maybe avoid it if he can.]

We're here. Happy?

Pay attention.

[The words come out in a growl, and he JUST manages to hide the wince at his own tone. Just a little longer . . . hopefully he only has to keep this damned charade up a little longer. It's almost a wonder Kagerou hasn't seen through the act yet. Then again, he seems to be only seeing what he wants to anyway . . . hence bringing him out here - to make him see something he /has/ to acknowledge as being other than what he's expecting, what he's used to.]

[He shifts away from the door, coming up a little forward of being abreast with the ninjabot, outside of arm's reach. His pistol is still leveled in one hand. He's moved specifically so that Kagerou can glance out and away without taking his gaze /too/ far off him. He sweeps out with his other hand.]

Look. Tell me what you see.

[He hisses, his lips peeling back off his teeth in a snarl. He stays like that for a moment, teeth bared, wings spread, looking like some kind of crazed bird demon than the quiet, solemn ninja he usually is -- like he could snap, bite, at any provocation. The attitude is irking him. He can't lash out because this one is the leader.]

[So all that's left is empty rage.]

[It's a long, tense moment before he moves to obey. He values his life too much to be more disobedient than this. He didn't strive to live, didn't manipulate and twist his double around just to be killed by the Brave Police.]

If I must. Oh fearless leader.

[He whips around, expecting to see the city, to see the familiar lines of buildings. Instead...]

[He freezes.]

[His head jerks wildly, body twitching, threatening to leap into the air, to jump up on a railing. To fly away shrieking denial.]

[Instead, he whirls back around, his face again a mask of rage, the snarl back on his lips.]

What is this! What did -- what did you do!

[Deckard watches the initial mental struggle, at once braced to defend himself against attack and wishing desperately he could somehow manage to calm the madness, his Super A.I. sparking and heart /hurting/ for the ninjabot.]

[Then Kagerou finally looks . . . and whirls back on him. He maintains his calm in the face of the other's rage.]

I'm flattered, Kagerou. [His voice is flat, not at all "friendly" but he's dropped the pretense of "mean/demanding/ugly".] I'm flattered that you think I have that kind of power. I don't. You want to know how you ended up in a room you don't recognize? It's because you're not even on the same planet. This isn't Tokyo or Nanamagari, Kagerou. This isn't anywhere in Japan. This isn't even Earth. This is a place where different realities collide apparently. And no, I don't know how you got here anymore than I know how /I/ got here. I said before that I took you for someone else? I know that you are Kagerou . . . you're just not the Kagerou I'm used to. Just like I'm not your Deckard. And from what you've indicated, I'm glad. I don't want to be your Deckard. He's . . . he's a monster.

[He'll say more given the chance, but for a moment, he stumbles on that last part - him . . . a monster . . . WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?]

Don't you say that! You always think -- you always said this was our world so why -- why, why, why did you do this! What--!

[His vents are cycling sharply. His optics blazing, and his whole body shaking with the effort of restraining himself. He looks half-panicked. Completely mad. There is nothing sane behind those darting, wild optics.]

[He makes a sharp, sudden lunge toward the other BP, restraining himself at the very last second.]

[No. No, this is all wrong. There should be a fight. There should be a struggle. Something. But there are only words. Denial he doesn't understand. None of this makes sense. Just as suddenly as he lunged forward, he darts backward, hissing, wings spread.]

[He can't stay here.]

[No, he has to move. There's a wild, avian scream, and he leaps straight upward. He has to move, to think. The others will know -- they'll see.]

[Deckard backpedals at the lunge. He'd begun to lower his pistol but it snaps back up on reflex, and then he tosses it down altogether as he brings his arms up defensively. He would not, HE WOULD NOT, shoot Kagerou, not even in self-defense. There was another way to handle this, there had to be. His mind is racing even as Kagerou catches himself at last instant. The shriek startles Deckard, and then Kagerou is leaping away. Damn!]

Kagerou! Kagerou, no! Come back here! Come back!!

[He can't follow. He can't fly, and even on foot, he's not fast enough. He knows Kagerou's speed. He's seen it in Shadowmaru. All he can do is watch . . . watch and hope that the broken ninjabot will be all right. He'd turn up again. He'd have to! And by then, hopefully Deckard would have better answers.]

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