entranceway

But what difference does that make?

[He isn't upset, necessarily — maybe a bit annoyed, but mostly, he's confused by it all.]

It should make a big difference. You're telling me it doesn't? Not a single bit?

... Have you done anything that should keep me from helping you?

[It could be anyone who was hurt or injured. It was better if they were healed than to leave them to suffer.]

I think you know the answer to that question.

[Minato tilted his head just slightly, thinking about that response as well.]

... I'm not here to spend my time fighting against a future that I won't ever see.

[He crosses his arms as he considers that. Was that really what he was saying? If that was the case . . . well.]

And I'm not interested in wasting my own time with fighting in general.

[All of that in the future, whatever it was that happened in the years after Minato made his decision at home, it wasn't in his hands. It was all the IT and however they had wanted to deal with him.]

Then don't.

[Minato didn't really want to fight with anyone if he could also help it. Everything revolved around circumstances at specific points in time though.]

Don't let them bother you either.

Easier said than done.

[The words came out a bit too suddenly. He shrugs it off, beginning to tug the rest of his now-irrelevant bandages away.]

It's not like I don't get it. Still makes it a real pain in my ass. [Another pause as he considers that, rubbing at his arm where a deep laceration used to be.] Guess that's life, huh? Give me a break.

[Understandable. It's hard to get away sometimes since the space here was so limiting.]

If it's okay to ask, then what would you like out of life instead?

[He raises an eyebrow at Minato, lifting a hand to scratch at the back of his neck. What did he want, exactly? If only he'd asked that question a few months back. His answer would have been easier then.]

Right now? I don't really know, if we're being honest. That's rich, coming from an adult, right?

[Minato shook his head. It was fine if he didn't know. A lot of people didn't know. And there were lots of reasons why it wasn't known.]

You have time to figure it out. [Luckily, there was time enough for that here.]

What about at home? What's it like there now?

[And what would Adachi want out of life there, if he did know or could imagine it?]

[He shrugs again, dismissively. How was home? How the hell should he know? . . . this conversation was starting to get uncomfortable for him.]

Quiet, I guess? It's not like this place.

I don't think anything is like this place.

[On top of that, they might not even remember ever being here. But that is neither here nor there, is it?]

You should be careful either way.

I think I've gotten that memo loud and clear! Haha . . . ha . . .

... Who'd you run into?

. . . Seta. But— not-Seta.

[Minato nodded. Oh. That Souji.]

His Mirror. You're lucky you didn't get more hurt than you did.

He underestimated me.

What did he want?

My key.

Did he get it?

No, but he definitely took two other keys by force.

[Not that Minato doubted that Adachi couldn't hold his own in a fight. Still though, it's not all that great to hear about things being stolen yet again from the Real Side by Mirrors.]

Then he left, right?

. . . yeah. Then he left.

[Well, it figures the Mirror would leave.]

They don't come on this side often. If you don't want them spying, just break a mirror.

text

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]