Mori's heart

[idolpro]

All at once a rainbow of bright lights feels as if it is bursting through you. It is an intense experience, but not an unpleasant one. As the colours burn through your skin, and lighting begins to spark through your veins, you feel stronger, you could take on the world right now.

Faintly in the distance, beyond the iridescent light show that overwhelms your vision, you can just about make out some silhouettes, but they’re too blurred, too indistinct and too far to tell anything about them. You can’t see them, but you know they’re welcoming you. You’re wanted here, you’re needed here, and the light is guiding you where you’re meant to go.

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[foolmetwice]

[OH NO BUNNY]

[IF ONLY MARS WAS MOVED BY SUCH A THING]

. . . wanna come with me? Neither of us will be lonely then.

[okay he is a little bit]

[idolpro]

. . .

The bunny tries to hop to a lower step with Mars sleeve in its mouth.

[foolmetwice]

I’ll take that as a no.

[still not budging, sorry bunny]

It’s okay. I’m not afraid of what’s up there.

Are you?

[idolpro]

The bunny cannot talk, it continues to stare at him with it's big wide sad eyes.

[foolmetwice]

[holds out both hands towards the bunny, arms extended]

Come with me. Whatever it is, I’ll show you it isn’t something to be ashamed of.

[idolpro]

The bunny is hesitant, but it's clear Mars isnt going to follow it, so it hops into his arms carefully.

[foolmetwice]

[cradles the bun in his arms before standing up again and heading up the stairwell. HE WILL NOT BE DETERRED]

[idolpro]

There's so much filth around you, palpable in the air, the grime feels like it's clinging to you and staining your skin. The bunny only gets more anxious the higher you go, shuffling restlessly in your arms.

But as you near the top of the staircase and another door starts coming into view, the bunny starts to truly panic and scrambles back.

[foolmetwice]

Hey.

[Mars doesn’t do reassuring very well, but he does do firm and determined. his voice is low, not quite commanding, but pointed nonetheless]

It’s fine. It’ll be fine.

[idolpro]

Nope nope nope, it is trying to wriggle out of his arms.

[foolmetwice]

[crouches down to let the rabbit out of his arms, onto the steps]

Hey— you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. But it’s not like you’d be going in alone.

[idolpro]

The bunny hops down a step, torn between wanting to get as much space between it and that door as possible, and not leaving Mars. It stares up at him pleadingly again.

[foolmetwice]

[stooooop looking at him like that!1]

I’ll be back. Wait for me.

[he pats the bunny’s head, before standing up to open the door and step through]

[idolpro]

The bunny quakes in terror as you step through the door onto the rooftop of Aldera junior high. A single notebook sits at the edge of the roof, burned and ruined, next to a pair of red boots.

A younger Mori sits on the railing with his back to you, facing out over the ledge.

[foolmetwice]

[. . .]

[dips his hands into his pockets and steps forward until he’s standing next to Mori, elbow leaning against the railing]

How’s the view up here?

[idolpro]

He hadn't noticed your approach so he's startled when he hears Mars talk.

"What?! What are you doing here??"

[foolmetwice]

I walked up the stairs.

[HE SAYS SO CASUALLY like it's no big deal]

Am I interrupting anything?

[idolpro]

"I'd say intruding is more accurate. You shouldn't be up here."

[foolmetwice]

Yeah, yeah. So I've been told.

[not budging]

Why are you up here, then?

[idolpro]

"Unlike you, this is where I belong."

[foolmetwice]

Yeah? Why's that?

[glancing past the railing, out into the horizon]

I kind of feel like you're hogging the view all to yourself.

[idolpro]

He shrugs. "It's not that great."

[foolmetwice]

No. . .?

[shifts a bit to cross his arms over the railing]

Then I'll ask again: why are you here?

[he asked that once already, so he clarifies]

Something other than "I belong here."

[idolpro]

He shuffles away and snaps, "Why do I have to justify my existence to you?"

[foolmetwice]

You don't.

[he answers quickly, not moving to chase after Mori as he shifts away]

I'm not asking why you exist; I'll accept that you just are, because that's all it takes for me. Just. . . why you're here. On a rooftop. At the top of some extremely difficult to climb steps.

Isolated from everyone else.