CICONIA: WHEN THEY CRY

[insinning]

It's a holy night. Silent night.

All is calm.

Everything is b r i g h t.

Comments

[insinning]

Ah...

[ Urk. Sinclair tries to fix it as they walk to the training room but it really doesn't work.]

How mad was Coach...?

[dissimulative]

Very. I could practically see steam coming out of his ears.

[ Exaggeration, but not totally invalid. ]

[insinning]

... maybe I should start wearing a helmet.

[ Not that he would get hit directly but he's seen those fists cave in a couple of skulls (metaphorically)]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria laughs a little. ]

Well! He's probably extra pissed today because he brought the third member but you weren't there to greet nor practice with them. They looked so hopeful too.

[ He sighs in a dramatic way while shrugging his arms outward. ]

It's like working up to deliver the rejection allll over again.

[insinning]

[Sinclair rubs the back of his neck, looking anxious]

Ah...they weren't feeling too badly, right?

[ It wasn't anything personal, except it was. And...with that 'control' in someone else's hands, he wasn't sure he could rest easy]

[dissimulative]

I dunno.

[ He shrugs again. ]

But that probably won't matter anyway, huh?

[insinning]

[ Sinclair shakes his head. They'll never be a three person kette again. ]

No. Not at all.

[ So he just needs to make himself colder]

[dissimulative]

I'll hold you back if you overdo it.

[ He says this every time, but he never really does it. Despite talking about leaving the excited newcomer, he feels nothing about them. ]

[insinning]

I'd appreciate that.

[ Even so, he's glad to know someone is watching his back. He exhales slowly when they reach the training rooms. He's ready. Maybe.]

[dissimulative]

[ He's with you, Sinclair. It's okay.

Oria opens the door to the training rooms and the newcomer looks really friendly, even waving at the two when they come in. In stark contrast, their managing coach looks like he's about to blow his own head off from anger.

"What did I say about uninformed absences?? More importantly, you have a member of the kette joining you!" ]

Hey, chill. Your blood pressure is gonna go off the charts again.

[ "Severine, shut up." ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair's expression tightens briefly, and he lowers his head in acknowledgement]

...sorry. I had a hard time getting up after yesterday.

[Was that passive aggressive? Maybe. He never quite knew what the coach knew - he was the 'tool' after all. A loan from a laboratory. He glances over at the too friendly looking newcomer and feels guilt competing with resentment]

[dissimulative]

[ The coach looks like he needs a smoke.

"I don't need to know your private life. Just tell me if you can't make it. That's all."

The new member laughs a little nervously while their face reddens a little. Oria catches onto this and almost snorts. ]

[insinning]

[...? Sinclair looks around in confusion]

...it's not private though? I was having my check ups. I thought they would have told you.

[What???]

[dissimulative]

[ "Boy, I didn't hear jack shit."

Meanwhile, Oria whispers to Sinclair that it sounded as if he was bedding someone last night instead. ]

1/3

[insinning]

[... ]

2/3

[insinning]

[!!!!! ]

3/3

[insinning]

Who would think that?!?!

[ Sinclair yelps, forgetting himself entirely]

It really was a hospital visit!

[dissimulative]

Three people, apparently.

[ Oria snickers.

But then the newbie finally speaks up.

"Hello! My name is Katherine. I worked really hard to get into this kette and I look forward to working with you!"

Oria has an expression that seems to say "oh we're gonna have to be dream crushers". ]

[insinning]

You're the worst.

[ But the grumbling ends when Katherine speaks up and Sinclair's expression freezes a little.

It's... not a nice feeling, this mixture of overwhelming resentment and guilt]

... that's ...

[dissimulative]

[ Oria watches Sinclair hesitate and holds back a sigh. He sneakily touches Sinclair's back as if to remind him that he can take over if he wants. If it's too hard. ]

[insinning]

...

[ Sinclair looks back gratefully and steels himself. It's cruel. But what they keep doing to him and Oria... isn't that cruel too?

He knows Oria would be fine with being the 'bad' guy. But he doesn't want to keep putting that on Oria too]

I'm sorry. I don't know what they told you. But the third member of our kette will always be Aria. That's why we're not a kette now. Just...

[dissimulative]

[ Despite all that, Katherine keeps her head up high.

"I heard about that. I'm sorry for your loss, but I heard that they will be taking away your equipment if you no longer choose to cooperate. If that's the case, it will just be me in this kette instead."

Oria frowns, about to interject, but the coach cuts in.

"Katherine is right. If you two are no longer cooperative, then we'll get someone who can despite your qualifications." ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair goes very still and for a moment, all he can hear is the blood rushing through his ears]

...will you? Is this you trying to blackmail us now?

[ something dark and bitter rises up in his chest, overwhelming in his resentment. He hated this, hated them]

And what did the Military Research Centre agree to that?

[ In the lab, he heard everything even if he didn't want to. He wasn't stupid. Even among children, there was only so many people who could use their p3 ability without dying a miserable death. Like--

Don't think about that. That's not what happened to her, that was a lie, every single one.

Every single adult here was a liar. And that girl, did she really think she was doing, pulling that?]

[dissimulative]

[ "I'm not trying to get you guys kicked out! That was just what I heard! If anything, I wouldn't want you two to stop doing what you do, but..."

Katherine looks almost defeated. What would it matter if they didn't accept her anyway? However, the coach speaks up.

"They've delayed it long enough for you two to get your shit together. You're free to grieve about your loss, but not in a way that involves everyone else. Do I need to remind you that the equipment isn't yours, but rental from the government? They won't see the point of lending it to you two anymore if you don't do what they say."

There's not much else to say about that. Oria is aware that the coach is just a mouthpiece to get the government's names across and has nothing against him either. Even if they had been doing a great job as a two-person unit, the government still wants them to be three. There were more than enough kids trying to train to become the next kette member. There's no use for a tool that won't listen, like a gun that shoots despite no one having pulled the trigger.

Would Sinclair have suffered all that for nothing?

Oria holds onto his hand and gives it a firm squeeze. Don't lose your temper here. ]

[insinning]

[ Breathe in, out. Carefully. He squeezes Oria's hand back in turn. He doesn't want to go back there, to those labs and end up

stop stop stop

His expression remains dark and he lets out a slow, breath. Take those thoughts. Fold them down. Put them away. And then...

Logically, he knows neither Katherine or Coach are responsible for this. But if Sinclair had always been logical, he never would have ended up where he did.]

You'll all just do whatever you want in the end, wont you? Whatever you say, sir.