[ guy already feels like he's intruding as he steps into this scene. but todomatsu doesn't seem to be actively bleeding anymore, just.... sore. and maybe having kind of a mental breakdown. the scene means nothing to him.... except are these guys supposed to be his brothers or.... replicas?? ]

[ just kidding, probably ]

Hey, sorry to barge in like this.

[ foremost ]

I know we haven't really talked before, but... I'm Guy. I just wanted to check on you.

[ i didn't consider the replica angle until i was setting this up for anise and then i was just like AH

he's not one to open up much to anyone, so he's definitely uncomfortable with showing any of this — the scenery or his physical condition, both of which feel like very visible displays of weakness — to someone he hasn't spoken with at length, and he's inclined to think that all the near-strangers checking on him now are just doing it out of social pressure or obligation. because that's the only reason he'd be doing it if he were them.

he shrugs, sitting up a little straighter. ]

...I've been a lot better, but I guess I've been worse too.

[ though it's usually been a lot more temporary. ]

I wasn't the worst off anyway.

[ anise and guy: rePLICAS!!!!!!! ]

[ totty: they're my brothers you weirdos ]

[ anyway, guy does his best to avoid looking at the scenery, since he gets the feeling todomatsu is uncomfortable. he's a pretty guarded guy himself, so he both gets it and is quick to assume that's the case ]

Still. As if things weren't shitty enough here....

I won't push you if you don't want to talk about it.... but if you do....

[ nods. ]

I don't, but I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.

[ in kind of the dismissive customer service voice of a secretary who's being paid to be polite but isn't really going to relay your message. i'm sorry he's like this.

at least since he's ~hungry for company~ with the effect this week i can force him to talk about things that aren't that instead of just saying bye. ]

...But yeah, the level of shittiness here is pretty impressive.

[ a glance toward the not-replica at the far end of the bar from him. anyone can become a failure but it takes hard work to become a piece of shit. ]

Sure.

[ well, he wasn't expecting too much so it doesn't offend him. it's not like he'd want to talk about his REPLICAAAAA business with a relative stranger, either. ]

[ laughing a little in a humorless way ]

No kidding. This ship just keeping getting worse and worse.

[ totty is minding his own business when suddenly a little creature runs into his ankles!! oink onik ]

-- Jade! Get back here!!

[ OMG THIS IS SUCH A RETROACTIVE PALATE CLEANSER AFTER THE MISERY OF TODAY... looks fondly up at my little crocheted rappig on top of my desk

anyway he's in like, very loose clothes and just seems kind of tired and hungover. he is very much not prepared for an animal to run into his legs and definitely stumbles a little, though he catches himself on a wall or something before he can fall on his ass. ]

Wha—!!

[ looks back at guy like IS THIS YOURS???? ]

[ i knew you'd appreciate it ]

[ cute little jade (not to be confused with uncute jade) is about the size of a medium dog and very friendly. he oink oinks in hello at totty then decides to flop on his belly. pet him now. ]

Shit, sorry! He got away from me!

[ guy terminator running over to them while jade is looking expectantly up at totty ]

[ well he guesses a dog sized pig is better than a dog sized toad.

that does not, however, mean he wants to pet one, so he's just kind of staring down at cute jade like ???? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME ]

Why do you even have a pig?? This ship's turning into a zoo...

[ uncute jade rolls over to show his tummy. he wants pets, obviously?? wow. ]

... Rappig. And trust me, it wasn't my choice....

[ it was for the comedy ]

[ UNCUTE jade is rolling over for pets?????????????? totty staring at this shitty old megane on the floor. ]

...Rappig??

[ is that exactly what it sounds like... ]

[ NOOOO MY TYPOOOOOOOOO i mean cute jade. help ]

Yeah? You haven't seen one before?

[ scooping jade up into his arms at least so totty is free ]

[ i'm not sorry

i AM, however, sorry for not giving cute jade the pets he deserves. :c totty sucks.

bending down to brush off the stray rappig hairs from his black pants... ]

No...? Is that just like, a special long-eared pig breed or something?

[ that is your worst crime here it's true. guy holding jade ]

Uh.... well... it's a breed of animal we have on Auldrant. [ he covers jade's ears for the next part-- ] They're pretty harmless. Some people eat them, but others like to keep them as pets.

So... like pigs...

[ looks at jade like. tonkotsu.......... ]

They aren't a literal rabbit-pig hybrid, though, right?

[ he doesn't want to imagine the interspecies relations that would have led to that ]

[ tales has not explained rappigs to my knowledge so i refuse to explain tiehr ]

No? They're just rappigs.

[ giving him an odd look because rappigs are perfectly normal creatures in tales of the abyss, okay ]

[ i remember when todomatsu was a pink hot twink. why couldn't we go back to those days...... ]

Hey.

[ mood: sombre ]

[ it feels so far away. even more so because he's been flickering back and forth between color and grayscale since the trial, so he's even less pink than usual now. ]

Hey. [ ... ] That was pretty awful, huh?

[ his sol anime is getting more and more dangan rompa adaptation..... sad ]

It really was.

[ teenage girls!!! ]

They were both kids.

[ i mean tbf people die horribly in it all the time, they just don't stay dead is the difference ]

Yeah... I was really hoping after we figured out Sheba that the other one would be someone who was easier to vote for, but.

[ instead figuring out the second person just made it worse!!! ]

[ they come back!! ]

No such luck.

[ god, teen girls ]

We still don't know what's actually causing this.

[ oh no this is surprisingly cute even with these REPLICAS. just kidding, it's obvious they're brothers. ]

[ awww, totty. guy watches it all play out quietly (though he does think it's weird they have to bribe their father to not go to jail. also was their mom.... dead....? for a bit??), trying not to react. he's quiet after it plays out, but ]

I guess it worked out in the end?

[ welcome to anime, guy. and yeah they're... a very weird family. ]

Yep! No one had to go anywhere!

[ ...technically this might have contributed to some other problems a few episodes down the line but that's not the memory he's thinking about right now. ]

Honestly, I don't think it would have worked anyway. There's no taking the NEET out of those guys.

[ this is his first taste of it.... his descent into weebhood ]

Do you mind if I ask something? What exactly is a "NEET"?

Oh... it's an acronym. "Not in Education, Employment, or Training."

So unemployed trash who live at home and don't do anything, basically.

Huh. I guess I could call Luke a NEET..

[ wow guy ]

I guess that's why your parents were trying to be more strict, huh?

Huh? Wasn't Luke a detective or something?

[ and way to speak ill of the dead bro ]

Yeah. Though in my defense I did have a job at one point, until the rest of them came to my workplace and ruined it.

[ and then he just never made an effort to get another one aside from a couple of penultimate episode situations... ]

No, no, sorry. Not that Luke. A friend of mine back home.

[ the uncute luke..... ]

They sure like to give you a hard time, huh?

[ we are at the water park because why not. guy has his lifeguardesque swim suit on ]

Hey, Todomatsu. How's it going?

[ i assume they are both hurt rusty somewhere too ]

[ assigning this monday so they aren't freezing to death here.

he is indeed rusty in some places, but they're mostly places he's keeping hidden under his shirt; all that's readily visible is a collection of bandaids on the side of his neck that are presumably covering up something. ]

I mean, I've definitely been better, but... fine, I guess.

[ totty... a true millenial.... guy has quite a bit of rust, rip to being a swordsman ]

I guess that's the best we can hope for.

But the pool doesn't look too bad.

[ the mall it is, i guess. he's looking at cute lightweight neck scarves, but will turn to look at guy when he catches him out of the corner of his eye. ]

Oh, hey. Are you doing okay after yesterday?

You were kind of a mess...

[ guy is like weirdly covered up, the only skin visible is his face which has some rust ]

... Yeah, definitely better. Sorry about that.

You helped me, right? [ he remembers that much ]