[16: July 25th, Noon | Video]

[topgun_textiles]

[It's already past 100 degrees out, so the video catches Kanji in his usual form-fitting sleeveless tops. He's bruised in several places and bandages are stuck on exposed skin every which way to cover up where beaks and claws had broken skin, but the Meister looks a little more tired than anything else. He runs an upper arm over his forehead to mop up a bit of sweat.]

S'dry heat, I know, but it's still hot as balls out--

[Oh. Shit. The red light's on a little sooner than he thought. Well then. Enjoy your colorful comparison, if you can call it that.]

Uh, sup? ...So it's done. Took down our witch, and we got ourselves another Deathscythe runnin' around. But somethin' went wrong after the witch soul was absorbed, so we had to stay in the clinic for a couple days until Naoto stabilized. Whole lotta power rushin' around in the soul beats the shit outta you. Yeah. Who knew? But...

[He turns the device to look over his shoulder. The detective's on the couch in the apartment living room, testing commands against Watson, the rottweiler pup, who is madly wagging his tail and making huffing noises as he sits, lies down, speaks and so on. Camera's back to the owner, who for the moment is still a little distracted by the scene.]

...We're all good, I think. Gotta check back in a day or two for the all clear, but... shit...

[He tightens his jaw and keeps himself as cool as he can be. But he's not looking at the camera and there's the slight tinge of pink across his face, betraying the demeanor just a little.]

I'm jus'... r-relieved, y'know? I thought I fucked up somehow. So I guess consider this a heads up for the guys out there gettin' close to their last few souls: Keep an eye on your partner. Don't let up.

Comments

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Thanks.

[It's rare for Mello to say this, which might be obvious from the way it comes out gruffly.

This description of absorbing a Witch's soul is far more worrying than he expected. Once, he would've argued to himself that his main concern is remaining effective in battle, but he doesn't even make a pretense of that anymore: he's worried for Near.]

I'm glad she'll be all right. Was she hurt physically at all?

[voice]

[topgun_textiles]

She got scuffed when the witch tried jumpin' us, but I kept my ass planted between 'em. They wanna get to her, they gotta get through me first.

She ain't fragile, but I'd rather take the knocks to the ribs.

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Mm, I'd have done exactly the same.

The Weapon has to actually fight the Witch's soul, in order to absorb it?

[This is the first time he's heard it put that way.]

[voice]

[topgun_textiles]

That's how the docs put it. The Sway of Magic they got's real unstable, but pretty powerful. So I guess it's like tryin' to wrestle a magic crocodile.

[A pause.]

...Shit, that didn't make sense at all.

[voice]

[want_the_world]

Heh, it made sense to me.

The other ninety-nine souls... What you said before seemed to imply the Witch's soul would try to take them for itself? Or at least keep then out of the final battle.