heart game - MK, rinku

[wroughtandtempered]

I’m sorry. I tried— I tried, but I can’t keep going—

I don’t think I can do this alone, so— Please. Please—

I need help.

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[grandcaw]

She "laughs" again, then rasps in a low voice:

"Mind your manners, chickie. I'm her grandmother— you may call me Yuuka-obaa."

[noodleboi]

"Sorry to interrupt, Yuuka-obaa. I'm MK and this is Rinku. We're here to help Eve. And help fix what we can. So you happen to know where any shiny mirror pieces might be in this room?" It didn't hurt to ask, right?

[grandcaw]

"Mirror pieces, mirror pieces... well, I don't know about that. Things that look one way to you will look another to me, I'm afraid."

[noodleboi]

"Oh. Okay. Do you mind if we look around and explore in there? Would that be alright?"

[grandcaw]

"Not at all, of course you may. Bless you for being such a polite young man and asking."

[noodleboi]

"Thank you," MK will bow respectfully. Time to check those open boxes first.

[wroughtandtempered]

The boxes are filled with kitchen utensils, appliances, and ingredients, most of which are still in their packaging.

...Something glimmers underneath a spatula.

[noodleboi]

MK very carefully moves the spatula and tries to see what it is.

[wroughtandtempered]

Picking up the spatula fills you with a razor-sharp awareness of all your faults, and a self-consciousness so strong you can hardly speak. But at the same time, you desperately want to— in that moment, you crave connection and want to reach out however you can.

...good news, though! That is a shard of mirror that was under there.

[roundandaround]

Rinku leans in and lights up at the mirror piece.

"Wow, another one!" She smiles widely and then turns to Yuuka. "Hm... Does this mean we should help you unpack and put all your stuff away?"

[noodleboi]

MK's eyes widen. He can't move. That awareness of all of his faults. So many. All his fault. He knows it. Everyone else does too, don't they? They see it. They see it and put up with it but they don't deserve to. A strangled noises escapes him, something like a sob that tries to come out but he wants to throw up at the same time and swallows all of it down.

Mirror shard. He found another one. Three. One to go?

He gently puts the spatula down and reaches in, picking up the glass. He can take the pain. He'll take it all so Rinku doesn't have to.

"This...is my she made me..." He says finally.

[roundandaround]

"MK-san!"

Rinku reaches out to touch his arm. She looks at the kitchen supplies and gulps.

"Did it hurt you again? I can help! Let me take some!"

Her voice wavers, but she nods.

[noodleboi]

The touch snaps him out of his stupor. He looks at Rinku with wide eyes.

"I'm trying to save you," He says and shakes his head. "Just...let me grab it. Then...I could use a hug after. It's okay. I can do this. I'm fine."

He was, indeed, not fine.

[roundandaround]

She gulps. Looks back at him and reaches her hand out to the shard.

"...You, Eve-chan, and everyone else are always working so hard to deal with this stuff. That means I gotta do my best too. I can't sit there while everyone's getting hurt."

Rinku shivers again. She moves to try to touch it.

"We were talking about ambition. That's mine. I can't let you guys get hurt in my place every single time. Because what I want most of all... is to make everyone happy!"

[noodleboi]

MK moves fast to snatch the mirror piece up first.

"It will make me happy letting me protect you. I'm a hero. This is fine. I can do this. I can, Rinku," MK feels guilt bubbling up. One of his faults, he takes on everything. He tries to hold the world up on his breadstick shoulders but he can't help it.

"This is why she made me. I can do this. I-I won't go too far. Just don't, please, don't get hurt. I-I won't forgive myself if you do. A-And Evangeline will be sad. You being safe will make her happy. Okay? I'll protect you. I'll save you!" He wraps his arms around Rinku in a tight hug.

[roundandaround]

Rinku clings back. She sniffles and snuggles on him, her voice turning into his just out of instinct.

"Neechan does want me to be safe. And she's probably worried," she says shakily. "But... Someone made you just to get hurt? Why? But you're so nice! You deserve to be happy too! I don't want to let this stuff hurt you when you went through so much of it before."

[noodleboi]

MK sniffles and looks down at Rinku.

"It's...a long story. But she was trying to save the world. She did. Kinda. This isn't about just me though. If anyone has to find these...I can take it. I know I can. I've taken it before," MK says softly.

He doesn't know how many times...

"I'll save you. I'll keep you safe. I'm the Monkie Kid. Let's have some tea with Yuuka-obaa. And relax."

He won't let her get hurt. Won't hurt Eva again. Won't fail Eve.

He is the Monkie Kid. She made him to be a-

But he isn't going to go that far. This is nothing compared to that.

[roundandaround]

Rinku's voice cracks and returns to her own.

"...You're worth protecting too. Same as Yuuka-obaa says. I'm still gonna do my best," she says, even as she hugs him tightly to try and keep herself from sounding so scared. "You deserve to get to be okay. We all do."

[grandcaw]

You pick up the shard of mirror.

Instantly, pain slices through your fingers— but when you look there’s no sign of blood. Instead, you can hear Eve’s voice, faintly:

“...Maybe I shouldn’t bother. My mouth’s better for biting than talking. ”

...There's a pause, and then Yuuka speaks up.

"Young man. Sit down and have some tea. My granddaughter's troubles won't be going anywhere; you needn't push yourself when they're injuring you, as well."

[noodleboi]

Another painful feeling. No blood. No wounds. Just pain in his hand. He swallows and stares at his hand for a long moment. He nods and will move to the table and sit down. He gently takes a cup of tea in his hands and holds it. He sets the other half of the mirror down and tries to slide in the third piece.

"Just one more...and it'll be finished. We've almost got this part done," MK says softly. Still so concerned about Eve. About Rinku.

[grandcaw]

The pieces fit seamlessly together, merging into one larger chunk. Three quarters of a circular mirror reflects the ceiling of the room.

"Only a little more to go," Yuuka agrees gently. "The last piece is mixed in with some unpleasant things, chickie, so make sure your heart is good and steady before you go looking for it.

You're just as deserving of care as my dear granddaughter, you hear me? So no rushing headlong into it."

[noodleboi]

MK sips his tea.

"I will protect Rinku and make sure she gets out of this okay. And I want to leave this place a little better than I found it," He says softly and the words feel so heavy, like there's some deeper meaning or memory mixed in with them.

"I've been through so much lately...but most of it is my own fault. I caused this. Where I am now. I did it. I'm trying to fix things, to help, to deal with things. Fighting for what you think is right will always lead to pain. And I'll keep fighting."

[grandcaw]

"Young man."

I'm sorry, MK, did you want to be scolded by the tengu? Because you're being scolded now.

"Those are certainly some lovely and very dramatic ideals, but they leave very little room for the important things in life! What is with the young and thinking they have to take responsibility for all things on their own, goodness gracious...

As for the rest— you've already left her heart better than you've found it, even before you stepped foot into it. One of the first things you did on meeting her was help her reconnect with something vital to her; you keep that in mind."

[noodleboi]

MK flinches at the scolding. She reminds him of Pigsy. The scolding is something he would do too. Even sounds similar to how Pigsy would scold him.

"Kinda hard not to take responsibility of all things when a lot of people keeping telling me I should," MK runs his hand through his hair and sips tea again.

"Also...just some stuff I found out about me and my past..." He shakes his head. "It was wanting to help me, right? That part of her I helped her reconnect with?"

[grandcaw]

"Moderation is important," Yuuka says firmly. "It sounds like you have shouldered enough to leave very little room left for joy right now. That's a sad thing, and those pushing so much on you should feel ashamed of themselves."

She takes a sip of her tea.

"...And yes, it was. Eve-chan was forced to part from her compassion for a long time, you see. That you were able to reawaken it in her when she had lost the rest of herself... between that and offering her help when she needed it, you may have saved her."