sholmes and flat catch all

[escardos]

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[escardos]

[ he smiles at him, his voice still even. ]

Yep. When I came here, I was dying.

[greatdeduction]

[EXTREMELY BIG FROWN.]

Not if I have to say anything about it! That settles it. [A snap of the fingers.] You're coming with me if we ever leave this forsaken mess.

[escardos]

E-

[ give him a sec.

flat.exe is buffering. ]

Eeeehhh????? Mister Sholmes, are you sure that’s even a good idea!?

[greatdeduction]

Am I not a great detective? Am I not filled with great ideas? Don't insult me! I'll handcuff you if I have to!

[escardos]

Th-that's not necessary, sir!

[ flat is??? so confused? what is happening!? ]

I mean it's--

[ "okay?" not even he believes that. ]

[greatdeduction]

There will be no complaint or otherwise.

[And his hand at his side clenches, momentarily, into a fist. He looks down at his knees, his voice quiet.]

I won't have you dying on me, Mr. Escardos.

[escardos]

...

[ flat looks at sholmes in silence for a few seconds, before looking down at his own lap. ]

I don't want to die, Mister Sholmes. But I guess it's hard to imagine a place that isn't the world I'm used to.

[greatdeduction]

Then we'll get you used to it. If I go to Kotetsu's world, it shall be new for me as well.

We shall be companions in figuring out the world in front of us. You shan't be alone in that. There will be a place for you there, just as much as there will be a place for me.

[escardos]

Ah...well, at least let me think about it!

[ because moving countries is one thing but moving worlds...

is actually kind of exciting. ]

Shamsiel talked about how it would be nice if we could travel between worlds...I'd really like that, I think. I mean, not to say that I wouldn't want to stay with you or Mister Kotetsu, really! It's just...imagine the possibilities!

[greatdeduction]

It would be exciting, wouldn't it? I like the sound of that, myself...

[But he slaps his knee.]

If you even think of going back to your world for a moment, though, I'll simply go there and drag you out of there myself. I shall not chance it.

[escardos]

W-well, I think that not much would change without me there. Though my Professor would be even more mad than he already was when he found out I went to participate in the War...

[ he rubs the back of his neck. ]

It's just a shame that I won't be able to see my friends again.

[greatdeduction]

Well, we'll simply invite them over. And once everything is done, and we can guarantee your safety, then we'll return you.

[He'll find a way to avoid Flat dying. He'll do everything for that.]

[escardos]

Then I think I might accept! At the very least, please have an open couch for me to stay on when I’m back from visiting others.

[ flat looks happy, but there is just a tinge of confusion in his voice. ]

Why go this far, though? I-I mean, I’m not unhappy! I’m really happy! I just… don’t understand, I guess?

[greatdeduction]

...Mr. Escardos. If I told you that I was returning home to promptly die, how would you feel?

[escardos]

I’d try to find a way to stop it! You shouldn’t die!

[greatdeduction]

Then why won't you let me do the same for you?

[escardos]

I mean…

[ … he wrings his hands together, facing forward. ]

I don’t want to die, but… I think I have to, in order to, um, finish what I’m supposed to do.

[greatdeduction]

[He's frowning.]

And what is that, exactly? What could require your death?

[escardos]

I’m not really sure…

[ flat looks a bit nervous, shrinking back. ]

You’ve already met it, though. Me.

[greatdeduction]

...Ah.

[The other "him".]

Does someone want the other you over you?

[escardos]

My family.

[ he nods. ]

I mean, they’re not the ones that will kill me here but… I guess it kind of works out for them.

[greatdeduction]

How in the world could the death of a child "work out" for them? Their own family.

[His tone is so cold.]

[escardos]

…

[ flat looks a bit puzzled. by this point, he’s learned that he “should” be angry at them. that this “shouldn’t” have ever happened.

but it’s still feels a bit foreign to see someone grow so angry over something that he can’t feel more than ambivalence towards. ]

Honestly, I don’t think they know what it’s supposed to do… they were just scared of me and said that they felt like they had to kill me. Maybe it’s like a mental suggestion, like the Dust Angel. But after I died in that place… [ he gulps. ] I realized that they were kind of right.

[greatdeduction]

...

[Hm. He thinks he knows what he's referring to.]

They were afraid of the "other you", weren't they? Tch. What a pathetic excuse.

[escardos]

...?

[ he tilts his head? ]

An excuse?