sevenhorrors | "this is my good luck gun"

[ Ever since the test of courage, it's felt like the barrier walling him off from Thanatos was lifted. There'd been no time to test things out after returning from the gymnasium, but the following day, Minato slips out of the school with his Evoker at his side. He's followed by a creature in tow, bounding after him on all fours. A day after everyone's ordeals, and it seems it's still following him everywhere he goes.

The two-headed creature trails after him as he ventures a bit into the dark woods, away from any prying eyes, though it doesn't seem like he'll notice if anyone follows. He's too preoccupied with fiddling with the pistol at his side. He draws it from its holster, finger on the trigger as he rests its barrel against his temple.

The gesture feels natural by now. Perhaps it always felt that way, leaving him calm and collected as he finally pulls the trigger. A cerulean light fills the area; when it fades, it gives way to a monstrous figure clutching a blade. It roars, surging forward to slice cleanly through a tree before incinerating it with a dark energy, all before circling back to return to the boy's side.

Minato lets out a relieved sigh. ]

...good.

[ Well, that's one worry off his shoulders... ]

[Puck tends to steer clear of the forest for. . . obvious reasons. . . but when he sees a student clad in red (followed by an eldritch. . . thing???) venturing out into the wooded beyond with a pistol in his hands, he feels. . . well. a little too worried not to follow]

[worries that he thinks are founded when he watches the young man lift the weapon to his temple. he recalls their previous conversation-- about how the firearm isn't a fake, but also doesn't shoot real bullets-- but that doesn't stop the way his heart leaps into his throat in SHEER FUCKIN' PANIC]

HEY--!

[his voice echoes across the tree trunks, immediately drowned out the appearance of. . . something big. something imposing. something powerful, even if Puck can only glean as such from the creature's appearance alone]

[and then it is gone, and Puck stumbles back, falling flat on his ass as he inhales a deep breath]

-- what the hell was that!!!

[so loud. . .]

[ Minato quickly turns in the direction of the voice, eyes falling on -- oh. ]

...Mr. Cap?

[ Back into the holster the Evoker goes as he approaches the man with a frown and an index finger pressed against his lips, the universal gesture for Please Quiet Down There Are Big Scary Things Out here (as if he hadn't just blown up a tree --). ]

It's --

[ ........ ]

A friend.

[ He offers his hand as Erebus wanders over too, both heads' headlight eyes boring holes in Edamura. ]

[Mister Cap-- oh. right. he never told Koro that he chose a new name for himself. . . with a slightly strangled noise, he slaps a hand over his mouth. right. quiet]

[a slow exhale, and he reaches out to take Koromaru's hand in his own, gaze shifting slightly towards the creature with glowing red eyes. spooky. . .]

[. . . unsettling. . .]

Is this. . . also a friend?

[whispered, now that he has been reminded of the dangers that lurk between the trees]

No.

[ A quick response because Erebus is NOT A FRIEND. ]

But it hasn't attacked anyone. It's been following me ever since the caves.

[ The creature is now smiling with both heads, big toothy grins as one of its jaws opens and shuts with a click. ]

...please ignore it.

[A BIT. . . INCREDULOUSLY. . . as he stares at Erebus, a sudden chill coursing down his spine]

That's way easier said than done. . .!

That's because you're looking at it.

[ Maybe if he turned around it'd be easier? ]

[okay SMARTASS]

[glowering a bit. . . before he angles his body away so he is no longer looking at Erebus. he does not perceive!!1]

. . . so this thing is part of your "test of courage," then?

[ ?? He's right though?? ]

It is.

...it's usually much bigger.

[ Like, WAY bigger. ]

[he is right that's why he's a SMARTass]

What. . .

Is it?

[turning towards Minato now, pointedly IGNORING Erebus's presence in the conversation]

...

[ He's taking way too long to answer that question. ]

It's...

[ Hm. ]

Back home, it appeared any time enough people despaired.

[. . . oh. so it's a creature from this guy's home world?? does that make things better or worse]

[FROWNS. he is, at least, getting better at accepting the supernatural, so his next question isn't too disbelieving]

Like. . . a monster created from people's. . . feelings?

I think so. ...but I don't know for sure.

[ He's only aware of the correlation between Erebus' appearances and how loudly humanity cried out for it. ]

I think --

[ ... ]

When enough people lose the desire to go through life, it answers that call.

[. . .]

[boy, does this feel. . . heavy]

[he opens his mouth. closes it again. furrows his brows as he tries to think about how to phrase what it is he wants to say next]

And this is. . . what you're afraid of?

[ He looks over at little Erebus who's standing nearby on all fours. His brow creases because it's a little more complex than Edamura's conclusion. It's not necessarily that he fears the world falling into despair in the abstract; it's that he willingly shouldered the burden of holding it back and he failed.

His loved ones are still home, where they could be succumbing to Apathy Syndrome as they speak because he's here and not back there, and the two pairs of eyes now trained on him are a perpetual reminder of it.

But it's close enough, so he answers quietly with a: ]

...yes.

[a simple answer, and yet. . . Puck can't help but feel a certain weight behind it. he isn't sure what it means-- he knows so little about Koromaru's life before the school-- but. . . still]

[. . .]

[he looks back at Erebus, this time steeling himself as he meets that terrifying red gaze with own]

. . . that's a pretty big burden you've been given.

[a small huff]

To be forced to face the collective despair of the people around you.

[ The creature stares back, unmoving, an ever-present existence so long as others dared to lose faith and hope. ]

...is it?

[ It's heavy, but nothing that he can't manage. For who would bear it, if not him?

Minato offers a wan smile. ]

Maybe it would be pretty big, if it weren't for my friends back home.

[ Without them -- it's true; he would have crumbled beneath its weight. ]

[. . .]

[he doesn't look away this time, despite all instincts telling him to]

Your friends?

[at least, not until Minato speaks. only then does he turn his gaze back towards the student in red]

. . . they helped you, then? [a tiny smile] Good. For something so heavy, you need that kind of support!

Yes. They did.

[ He'd never have been able to pull it off without them, without learning to open himself to the people around him through their friendships.

On second thought, with Edamura here the creature doesn't seem so frightening. Even if it was an ever-present reminder of a terrible outcome, the other's presence is a reminder that people could be quite resilient. ]

I guess it's the same here.

[the same here, huh. . . is that how Minato sees his classmates? as a support system in the midst of their otherwise very dire circumstances?]

[hah. . .]

[he opens his mouth to say something, but-- something rustles in the underbrush on their left, and his body suddenly goes stiff, gaze whipping around. being on Anzen, the team that tended to attract the presence of undesirable creatures, it comes as no surprise that he is on such high alert]

-- did you hear that?

[ Minato's already frozen in place, breath held as he listens for that rustling again. There's no need to respond, given how Edamura must already know he'd answer in the affirmative. There'd be no other reason for him to slowly reach for his Evoker again, fingers curling around its grip as he carefully draws it from his holster. ]

...go.

[ As far as he can tell, Edamura doesn't have his own means of attempting to fight off whatever's sniffed them out. ]

I'll be right behind you.

[Minato's right; with no weapons of his own, Puck is basically a sitting duck for the more powerful ghosts in the school. as such. . . when he is told to run, he takes one step back]

[but then he stops]

Wait, and leave you behind? I can't just--

[it's probably a sense of guilt that sees him lingering, knowing that it's likely his fault something has found them. but before he can finish--]

[a large, wolf-like creature tears through the underbrush, fur buzzing with sparks of electricity, claws gouging into the dirt as it races towards them like a bullet shot from a gun. HELLO, NEW FRIEND]

[ "Yes you can," is what Minato thinks to say as he rests his Evoker's barrel against his temple again. ]

It's okay. I'll catch up.

[ It's trial by fire. Nothing like it to help shake the rust off, though that wolf is awfully big, and the electricity dancing across its fur is a warning to stay away. It must be one of the creatures that Mark and Yuffie encountered, and Hanabi's warnings about the giant foot prints also resurfaces.

Even if it can't be beaten, he can at least try to stall long enough for Edamura to flee. So he pulls the trigger, the same grim reaper from earlier reappearing to rush the wolf head-on. It brandishes its blade with a roar, ready to clash to clash with the beast.

Behind Thanatos, Minato yells over his shoulder: ]

Go!

[. . . it's funny, how Edamura now knows what that gun is for. and yet, watching Minato raise it to his temple with finger twitching above the trigger still sends his heart leaping into his throat, choking the air in his lungs with panic that he has not yet learned to quell. maybe it's the sudden gravity of their circumstances, but. . . he feels like the second time is just a bit harder to swallow than the first. especially when that-- creature?? reemerges, slicing through the air towards the wolf-like monster with a ferocity and hunger for violence that someone like poor Edamura simply cannot fathom]

[he takes. . . a step back. . . and prepares to bolt]

[. . .]

[. . . he clenches his hands into fists and shakes all of those thoughts from his head. no. he isn't about to let them cripple him now]

Koromaru!

[Thanatos slams into the raiju head on, knocking the creature off course, sending the large wolf skidding into the underbrush. it growls and gives its large, furry head a shake, but seems otherwise unharmed]

[Edamura rushes forward and snatches Minato's wrist tightly]

It's going to come after me no matter what you do! Come on!

Edited (dwbi…) 2025-08-30 07:57 (UTC)

"this is my good luck gun"

cw: guns, suicidal ideation

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cw suicidal ideation...... P3 lore...... shuts my eyes

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cw: suicidal imagery, guns

cw: p3