034: No Reply

[contract_star]

[Hei appears on the Plane--with a cat. A relatively normal black cat, aside from the purple eyes. The cat looks sleepy and somewhat disgruntled, bristling a bit at the suddenness of the Plane. It lets out a meow.]

This is the Astral Plane, Mao. All those times I disappeared, all the weird things that were happening? That was because of this place.

[The cat struggles in Hei's arms so Hei sits down and sets the cat on the Astral Floor. Mao crouches down, eyes wide as he stares out across the Plane.]

I always wanted to show you this place. You and Yin. I thought you'd like it. I hated not being able to bring you two here. Though I guess I can now.

[Mao meows loudly. Hei smiles, a genuine smile--though some might notice a hint of sadness there.]

Comments

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

... I'm sorry. It was telling me about.. about that, wasn't it?

[Nods silently.]

[contract_star]

...I think I'm...still to close to it.

[The hallucination is actually starting to fade. The beetles are flooding over Hei and Ryotarou's feet, and meanwhile the people watching are dissolving into sand. Hei just focuses on breathing.]

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[Ryotarou looks concerned.] I couldn't have helped things, though...

[contract_star]

[Doesn't answer right away, focusing on working his way through it. The last of the hallucination dissipates and he lets out a sigh.]

They're getting easier to deal with.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

That's good. ... Right?

[contract_star]

Definitely.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[And he just smiles a little. He's glad Hei is getting better. Now he just needs to do the same.]