biteouttagrimes | IC CONTACT

i want to talk

[He may be slightly going beyond what Bull asked of him, but what's a little harmless conversation between survivors, right?]

[ Sorry bro. Rick don't text. ]

That ain't talkin'. It's readin'. This is talkin'. So talk.

[Is this that generation gap where old men don't know how technology works and how texting is ruining society cause no one calls anyone anymore.]

Bite me.

Figured we could have a nice long chat about something you're into, like my best friend.

[ WHY. Back in my day there were only flip phones and if you wanted to text, you couldn't actually type. You had to use the numbers! And god forbid you went too far when trying to type an S. ]

Look. I get that you're lookin' out for him. But are you really gonna go around and interrogate all the people he talks to like this? Just 'cause someone knows him, just 'cause someone gets along with him, you gotta give 'em the third degree?

That really doin' him any favors?

[BACK IN MY DAY WE ONLY HAD 128 CHARACTERS AND IT WASN'T EVEN TWITTER.]

Just cause someone knows him...you think it's as simple as that?

Yeah. I do. Don't see no other reason why you're comin' at me.

I'm comin' at you because you -know- shit! Saying I can't take care of my friend, saying I--...sending me tex-

[He stops dead. Right there.

His voice straining a moment.

Rick changed to voice the moment he got this message from him. Willingly. He chose voice over text. There's a certain level of honesty in that. Kaneda said he wanted to talk to him, and that's just what he got. No hidden messages, no deleting of communication...it was all right there.

It's enough to make Kaneda's heart leap into his throat.

Not because of what Rick was, but because of what Rick wasn't.]

It's not you....

[ A very long pause as he's trying to digest what the hell this accusation is even about. ]

Is someone tryin'a pretend they're me? Causin' trouble? Ain't that Crane guy, is it?

[ Because that asshole just did the same thing to his son. ]

[There's a moment of silence, as he tries to collect his pride from getting so far off base. He thought he had a lead with this guy, and in the end? It was just someone who actually cared about Tetsuo.

Which was weird in concept, but...they'd gotten along too, once upon a time.

But...He owes the guy an explanation, at least.]

You think I'd be going after you if I knew it was Crane? There's a guy I'd shove my foot into an ass for.

[A small huff.]

Someone's been sending me anonymous texts about Tetsuo, saying shit about our past that he shouldn't know, making everything into a goddamn game...

And then he ups and deletes everything.

You got any evidence? Somethin' he wasn't able to delete?

Used to be a cop. A sheriff.

[ Before this world. Before the zombie apocalypse. ]

Could try an' help out with the investigation. If someone's messin' with you and yours, you gotta end it. You gotta make 'em an example of what happens when they fuck with the wrong person.

[ Kill your problems, ask questions later. What a great rolemodel for these young kids Rick is. ]

Nothing I can hand over to someone. I think he uses magic. Led me out into the forest one day and decided to fuck with my head there.

[Which explains him jumping at ghosts.

The part about being a cop causes a slight flinch behind the feed, wondering if maybe he should've guarded himself against that, ex or not. But he needs to reach out to someone at this point, and Rick had somehow befriended Tetsuo.

Really befriended him.

If anyone wanted the same goal as him, it'd be Rick.]

...He wants me away from Tetsuo for some reason. Like I'm one thing standing in his way. Kinda suspicious if he wants to 'just be friends', you know?

Well like hell I'll let them do that.

[A pause.]

Why'd you stop being a cop, anyway? Arresting punks too exciting for an old guy like you?

[ He pauses after the question, and a thoughtful frown can be heard in his voice. ]

Apocalypse. Undead comin' back to life, eatin' the livin'. Made it to a town where they put me in charge as a cop. But it ain't the same. Not like it was before.

[ But more important than questions about himself is their situation. Rick speaks assurances. ]

We'll find 'im, though, and we'll stop 'im. The guy who's messin' with you an' Tetsuo.

[ Just like that, Rick's inserted himself into the situation. Just like that -- someone who's part of Tetsuo's group is also good with him. Kaneda has only good intentions when it comes to protecting Tetsuo, and it seems as though Tetsuo's gotten himself involved with someone who is less than savory. Unsurprising. But the real people who care about his well being aren't going to stand by and let whoever it is get away with it. ]

Heard somethin' 'bout power nullifiers. From the sound of it, if he leads you anywhere -- you're gonna wanna get one of those. That'll stop 'im from usin' that magic. At least when you're around him. Could get you a gun, too. Got one fer Tetsuo. Gonna teach 'im how to shoot it once he's up and ready.

'We'? You're volunteering for this?

[For the first time in a long while, there was relief washing over Kaneda's face. Rick can't see it, but despite all the help he's gotten on this situation, this is probably the most sure he's felt on it. It's not just him running around Heropa or Maurita Falls on Tetsuo's bread crumbs.

He's quick to grab a piece of paper and write out 'nullifier' in sloppy Japanese, paper rustling beyond the feed sad he softly sounds it out. Pausing at the mention of guns.]

Wait, you're the one who gave him that...?

[ Rick doesn't feel he needs to say it again that he is -- that he's part of this. The question is more out of disbelief. If Kaneda is Tetsuo's close friend, then perhaps Kaneda is also from the same world. And in that case, they were probably largely by themselves. Disbelief in getting help from near strangers is normal. Rick would react much the same if the situation was reversed and it was him and Carl. ]

Yeah. I gave him that.

[ Oh god. His mind immediately jumps to the worst conclusion. ]

Don't tell me he used it without havin' me teach him how first? Did someone get hurt?

[Normally, this would be the part where he told him to mind his own business, that Tetsuo was his problem and not anyone else's. But looking at his position, and looking at how Rick had somehow gotten attached, it wasn't just about the pride anymore.

It'd taken a hit when Bull brought him home.]

I took it off him the moment I saw it. It's with me.

[But still, it gets a laugh out of him.]

...you are the worst cop, you know that?

[ It's with some mild amusement that he says: ]

Used to be one of the best.

[ But oh how far they had come. Still, it's not like the remark about the gun is going to go ignored. Tetsuo got his gun confiscated like he's a little kid? Geesh, he understands Kaneda wants to protect him, but.... ]

You know he needs somethin' to keep himself safe. Somethin' outside of his powers. Can't rely on them. But a gun? Now that is somethin' you can rely on. If you need one, I can get you one, too. But you guys gotta start preparin' for the day when these so called powers of ours are taken away just as easily as they were given to us.

[Kaneda falls silent for a moment, knowing that mentality more than anyone. By either luck or some cruel humor, his powers were anything but flashy, and if he wanted to do damage in this world, he had to rely on weapons, anything he could find.

Nothing new from back home, honestly, but the stakes were raised.

Guess he never considered it with Tetsuo. He'd always had those powers for as long as they'd been on opposite sides.]

Way ahead of you on that--weapons are all I got in this place, you know.

[Still.]

Just didn't want him shooting me up the moment his eyes opened. Stupid idiot's got anger issues and he's kiiiiiiinda not fond of me.

[ He lets out a breath of amusement. ]

But you care about him. An' that's frustratin', right?

[ Slowly, Rick is starting to see the parallels between Kaneda and Tetsuo and himself and Shane. It had been so long since he had time to dwell on what happened with Shane. And he can see himself as both Kaneda and Tetsuo. Hopefully it would end for them much better than it ended for him. ]

He cares, too. Much as he's got them anger issues, don't think he's the type to ignore how much you care 'bout him. He knows that deep down. An' I bet if he ever did take a gun to you, he wouldn't shoot to kill.

[ It's not very comforting. But yeah. Tetsuo probably would shoot Kaneda. Rick will acknowledge that. ]

[A laugh sounds over the feed. God...'frustrating'. That's like saying the Grand Canyon's a hole in the ground. You know...if he knew what the Grand Canyon was.]

Like he'll see it that way. To him? I'm just the one telling him what to do!

[Which he is, but only because that's what keeps Tetsuo alive.]

..You think so, huh. You'd put money on that one?

[A hint of amusement. Funny. He never really thought about it with Tetsuo, if he'd get shot by him. Somehow, he didn't hesitate to say yes inside his head.]

If I had any to put on it, I would. All I got of value right now is a pack of cookies an' you bet I'd lay those down on it.

[ He matches the amusement with his own -- brief and fleeting. ]

Think the thing you don't see is that he sees a lot more than you give him credit for. He's stubborn, ain't gonna budge too easily from his stance on things, an' he'll fight you all the way. But he sees it. He sees it all. What you're doin'. Maybe he don't acknowledge it, maybe he even lies to himself 'bout it. But I know deep down, he sees the truth.

[Oh my god Rick, you're actually making him laugh. It's just as quick and fleeting as the statement itself, soon to die down as he catches his breath.]

You really believe that, don't you?

Hope you're right, because I want more than a bag of damn cookies if you're wrong.

[Look, he can't even say that without another laugh.]

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