Zero Heart: The Sequel

[hunting]

[Ace is probably experiencing a very violent and jarring drop that will deposit him (none too gently) right in the center of that familiar river of blood. Which means that, yep, that nagging sensation at the back of Ace's throat is back.

1]

Comments

[deadofknight]

[to Zero]

Are you the one dropping the temperature?

[hunting]

[Ichiru interrupts:]

"He's not the only one with some control over this place. He just has more. Call it a... reflex."

[deadofknight]

[ignoring Ichiru, watching Zero out of the corner of his eye like he's still waiting for answer. 'x']

[hunting]

[Just looks even more exhausted at this exchange and shakes his head, as the temperature returns to normal.]

"... what are you gong to do now?"

[deadofknight]

[finishes binding Ichiru up; assume any parts of ichiru's body he didn't get with the rope were bound with cloth scrounged from elsewhere. 'x']

Put him in an out-of-the-way corner for safekeeping.

[hunting]

"... not the tree. That won't help. Whatever it means to him... it means something else to me. Despite what he said before... that can't change."

[Actually sounds almost... harsh here.]

[hunting]

[Ichiru gives Zero a look that's pretty much impossible to read.]

[deadofknight]

[to Zero again]

Any suggestions, then?

[hunting]

[Sounding very quiet now, struggling with his words a bit.]

"The past... The present's been blocked for a while now...

Nobody can leave the past."

[deadofknight]

["The present" must be Aather...and the tree had memories, but it wasn't anywhere that Zero's mentioned before. But the school...]

Are you saying I should leave him with Yuuki?

[hunting]

"I'm just giving you a location. There's more to that part than her memory.

But... what she represents won't falter now. That aspect's choices are set by mine."

[deadofknight]

I'm going to take your word for it. I'll take him to Yuuki and see what she has to say.

[hunting]

[Just nods and turns to Ichiru.]

"I can't keep doing this..."

[deadofknight]

[waiting for them to finish, quietly pulling out a few last wads of cloth...]

[hunting]

[Ichiru just gives him an eerily soft, bemused look.]

"Zero always comes back. In the end."

[hunting]

[Turns head to the side.]

[deadofknight]

[striding over to the now well-and-truly trussed up Ichiru]

Any last words?

[hunting]

[Ichiru just gives a disinterested stare.]

[deadofknight]

[looking at Zero questioningly? do you have any last words?]

[hunting]

[Backing into his hybrid tree again and sliding his back down it.]

"Don't end this without taking care of that other problem. I can't give any advice for that one though..."

[deadofknight]

I'll take care of it.

[picking Ichiru up to carry out the door~ since he obviously can't walk anymore.]

[hunting]

[The second Ace leaves that door, his hunger returns to what it was.]

[deadofknight]

[annoying, but bearable. 8|

now, where's Yuuki?]

[hunting]

[She is looking VERY CONFUSED by Ace's return.]

[deadofknight]

[gently~ setting Ichiru down.]

What's the matter, Yuuki?