pc catchall for junpei (crashout)

[uncurtained]

IM PUTTING THE TIMON GIF IN HERE LATER YOU CANT BEAT ME

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[crashout]

It's not exactly going back in time, but more like moving fluidly through it to different points. In order to SHIFT, you have to be in a deadly amount of danger. While our consciences still live on, the bodies we leave behind end up dying and so do the other versions of ourselves. There have been timelines where we've been shot, poisoned, melted, exploded...[...not great!]

Carlos is the one who figured out SHIFTing first. Once we learned from him, the others started catching on and we were able to jump timelines to get to the one where we were all still alive. Or, at least, according to Carlos. I never made it that far...I was in the middle of the SHIFT when we woke up here.

[uncurtained]

...But you know that you made it okay, according to him.

[Which isn't to say the rest of that isn't awful.]

Seeing all that, though... I can't imagine how hard it must have been.

[crashout]

Yeah. It helps a little, even if I don't get why it happened that way. [But he stares straight ahead.]

...for a while, we didn't remember the other timelines because of the injections at the end of each round. But once we figured out a way to make it stop, they started coming back over time. I think I just...[He shrugs.]

I told you before, I think. My cases weren't exactly clean either. Maybe I'm finally more numb to it than I thought.

[uncurtained]

[Gently:]

I don't think anyone would blame you if you were tired of all of it by now.

[crashout]

Yeah. [...he just rubs a hand over his face, bringing more attention to the bags under his eyes.] But it doesn't really stop. This place kinda proves that.

[uncurtained]

Maybe we'll both get a break after we get out of here.

[Not that she was going through anything as intense as he was before she arrived.]

[crashout]

That'd be nice, wouldn't it? [Zero belief in his tone. He thinks about what's waiting for him.] We can call it something to look forward to.

[uncurtained]

[She glances his way.]

What's the first thing you're going to do?

[crashout]

Promise you won't laugh? [And without even waiting:] A final case report for me and resignation from my job.

[This isn't even a laughable thing.]

[uncurtained]

Right. You said you wanted to move onto something new, right...?

[crashout]

Yeah. I'm still in the interview process, but I should have an answer by the time we finish what we started at the shelter.

[He will just have to convince Akane to bring him along to Crash Keys. Simple.]

[uncurtained]

And what is it that you'll be doing after this?

[crashout]

We have a religious fanatic to catch. Someone who's going to start a nuclear war and kill 8 billion people. Because of the timeline we escaped to, that's the price we're paying.

[He's at least worked that much out based on what he remembers and Carlos telling him they made it to that history where they were all alive.]

[uncurtained]

[After a long moment:]

Holy shit.

[crashout]

Yeah. [Yeah.] ...we're not going to let it happen. We'll find that person and fix the future. But that can't happen if Carlos and I don't get back.

[uncurtained]

...Then we'll make sure nothing happens to you, and we'll bring him back.

[crashout]

I hope you're right. [A very, very tentative form of optimism.] ...so what are we supposed to do now?

[uncurtained]

Live to fight another day...?

[It comes out as a question more than anything else.]

[crashout]

Yeah. Maybe. [...he doesn't sound confident either.] Hey, I'm really sorry but...I think I need to go for a while. [He knows he asked to come here, but he's getting stuck in a cycle of thought he'd rather not deal with in front of another person.]

[uncurtained]

[After a moment, she nods.]

...Yeah, of course. Take as much time as you need.

[crashout]

Thanks, Beck. [And he'll turn around and leave.]