noblerise | IC Inbox

Later in the month. Middle maybe? Some weekend, most like. Need a whole bloody plan of action just to get her outside, let alone to a party.

[Jusis Albarea, you have triggered the shark's scent.]

Who're Elliot and Rean? Friends of yours?

Fair enough. I'm afraid that Saturday evenings are booked for me, but I should be free any other time.

[Uh-oh. Jusis senses danger. Still, he doesn't have much of a way out with this question, so....]

Indeed. They're close friends and classmates from my past life. Elliot thought that we should have lunch or dinner together once a week. This is mostly non-negotiable.

[And, yet, he doesn't seem at all bothered by that. If anything, he sounds slightly rueful, as if he's had that conversation.]

Really?

[The grin on Eunie's face spells your funeral, Jusis. That and the fact he didn't sound put out by this where he'd normally not hide for a second if he was made this very juicy.]

Hehe, I think I can work around that. Why've I never heard of them 'till now? Tell me more about 'em, boss!

[As the camera cuts on, Jusis is standing at what appears to be a small dock, and the dark storm clouds make it appear to be nighttime. An island can barely be made out in the distance, obscured by mist. A few spotlights are trained on him. He's flanked on either side by what looks like police officers with their faces blurred out. His wrists are bound tightly in chains, and the prisoner's uniform hangs off of his frame so loosely that he looks frail and skinny. Maybe he is, judging by how his face looks slightly gaunt, but maybe it’s just the lighting. There are deep bags under Jusis's blue eyes, and his blond hair is unkempt and dirty. Normally composed and calm, Jusis has a look of anger, bitterness, and a hint of defiance in his eyes and on his face.]

I, Jusis Albarea, second son of Helmut Albarea, wish to thank the press for coming here today.

[He sounds as if he’s reading off of a teleprompt, and perhaps that’s on purpose. There’s an almost bored quality to his voice, as if he’s trying to provoke or spite whoever is making him read this aloud.]

On April 3rd, the esteemed court sentenced me to life in prison on Alcatraz. However, in light of newfound evidence, they have decided that this punishment is too... lenient. They feel that I should instead be sentenced to death by gallows.

[The blond glares, now, at whoever is behind the camera. Never before has he looked so murderous. His guards don’t seem to react as Jusis continues reading with barely concealed venom in his tone.]

I will be making a plea for my case, as is required by the state. The hearing will be televised. May God have mercy on my soul.

[Then, suddenly, Jusis breaks and tries to rush at the cameraperson. The guards at his sides are lightning quick to grab him in a bruising grip, but that doesn’t stop him from struggling violently against them. He screams out in German:]

Why?! Because I dared to want something more than the wretched, broken heart I was given? Or is it because I want something that I can never have?

[He seems prepared to say more, but the camera is cut as someone in the uniform of the Black Order steps in front to do... something to him.]

[Morgan hasn't been in Kaisou as long as most of the users of the app, and he's not been entirely happy with the Black Order. But Morgan knows, whatever life he's in, the importance of the people taking care of him. The other Morgan, the one from the past, probably knew the pain of losing people. He's not going to let this happen here.]

No way!

I don't know what it is that your family has done, but I know what you've done! You've helped me, and you've helped everyone in the Black Order here, and I'm not going to let you get hurt! I'm going to save you, no matter what it takes.

[The stage set as a press conference made Diluc's heart sink. It brought to light a memory of this life, curiously watching something similar with his father where a young boy was "introduced" to the public.

All made worse by the fact he was fluent in German and fully understood his last screaming words. Between the bastard his father was and the Order throwing him under the bus.

Diluc would not let this stand. Jusis did not deserve this false justice.]

[Fugo is silent as he watches the message.

There's a part of him that feels sick, almost, as he lowers his phone.

... Pannacotta lost the closest thing he had to a real family on the docks near San Giorgio Maggiore. Patrizio says fuck that.

He doesn't know if this message will get through, and... well, it's in Italian anyway.]

We're coming, Signore Albare-- no. We're coming, Jusis. Just hold on until we can get there. Please... just... hold on.

I'm not going to lose you.

[In German:]

If you think Elliot and Scwarzer are going to let you fuckin' die, Albarea, you're an idiot.

[A beat, and then:]

If you think I'm gonna let you die, you're an idiot. I got a little friend who'll be more than happy to kick the asses of anyone between us and you.

[Oh, Lord. Jusis accidentally signed his own death warrant, here.]

I... suppose they never came up before now.

[And now they have. 💧]

Well, Rean is a kind man who generally has a good head on his shoulders. In the past, he was the heart of our group and kept us together. Today, he's figuring out his major in college and doing odd jobs from what Elliot's told me. I've only recently been able to reconnect with him, but he's kept his kindness. He's also kept his unfortunate habit of throwing himself bodily in the way of any harm to protect people.

[That last part is exasperated. Yet, there's no denying the hint of fondness as he's describing Rean.]

Elliot is the music teacher at Kaisou High and Rean's significant other. He was one of the first to greet me when I first arrived, actually. He's equally kind-hearted, but don't mistake his kindness as meekness. Elliot has a spine made of steel and a strong will to back it up, especially when it comes to music. His methods are on the draconian side when it comes to practice.

[You don't argue with Elliot about anything music related, basically. Not unless you're ready for a battle. Still, there's that fondness again.]

[can you hear eye rolling in a voice mail? you sure can in this one!!!]

[Wherever Jusis might be staying, he'll get a knock on the door. Outside stands a man in dark clothing and a hat. With him, he's carrying a small suitcase.

Jusis, lucky guy, will actually recognize who it is. It's that cryptid of a fedex guy that the Black Order will employ to make deliveries. Maybe he'll even know his name.

Whether he knows that much or not - Jusis should know from experience that Hummel fully intends to stand out there as long as it takes to get someone to answer the door]

[Jusis looks to see who the hell it is before he opens the door. Hummel will be greeted with the sight of his colleague in a black, short-sleeved pajama shirt and pajama pants that might look out of place on him. The blond clearly doesn't give a damn judging by the expression on his face.]

Hummel. I assume you have something for me?

[Maybe he should warn Elliot and Rean about his Fedex cryptid co-worker, but... it's maybe funnier if he doesn't. Or something.]

[Jusis is met with the same intense yet unreadable expression as ever. It's hard to tell if he notices the pants from his expression. Either this guy has a master poker face or there is nothing going on in that brain.

He will at least tip his hat to his fellow colleague]

Yes. Can you verify that you're Jusis Albarea?

[Sir you deliver to him all the time you don't have to keep doing this.]

[Jusis is inclined to believe that there's not a single thought underneath that hat, given how most of his own team has no braincells.]

Yes, one moment.

[He retreats back into the house to grab his license and comes back out to show it to Hummel.]

[Hummel waits for Jusis to come back. When he shows the license, he'll stare at it a long period of time.

...

....Yeah okay checks out. He holds out the suitcase for Jusis to take]

Nice pants, by the way.

[Jusis will take the suitcase.]

Thank you. It's been stressful.

[That's an understatement. Still, the unicorn PJ pants makes him happy so fuck it.]

[Hummel will give a faint expression of relief as Jusis takes the package. Finally, all packages delivered. A job well done, if he says so]

I'm sure. Take it easy, Jusis.

[With that, he'll give his colleague another tip of the hat before turning away. He heads down the apartment stairs. If Jusis watches him go, he can watch the man get on his very normal bike and bike off in the direction of the nearby 7-Eleven. Break time. ✨

Inside the suitcase, Jusis will find an outfit that looks like it's thieves garb made just for him. He'll also find an envelope containing a purchased gift certificate for one free item from the Gacha Goodwill that can be redeemed at anytime. The "from" line of the gift certificate has "The Black Order" written in ornate calligraphy.]

[Velvet had opted to help out the team rescuing Danny, so she hadn't been among Jusis's rescuers. Nor has she come by to check on him. She had too many things she needed to sort out in her brain.

Finally, she'll send a voice message.]

Tell me one thing.

Did you know what would happen to the four volunteers?

[Jusis has been processing as well, not really checking his phone much other than to make sure nobody needs him right that second. On getting Velvet's call, he answers immediately. The blond isn't sure what prompted the question, but he answers with sincere honesty.]

Hell no.

[A lot of his decisions would've been made very differently if he'd known, including his own involvement.]

[There's a pause as if she's debating if she should trust, before she finally lets herself exhale a breath she didn't know she was holding in. His answer was simple and sincere, there was no logical arguments to follow up, meaning she trusts it all the more.

Jusis wasn't like Arthur. She just had to keep telling herself that.]

What about Danny? Is it true he wasn't intended to get involved?

[She has no idea he's unaware]

[That makes him frown.]

Danny? No, it was only supposed to be Takame, Waver, Shroud, and myself.

[There's a sound that indicates Jusis has pulled her up on speaker. He's going through the message archives to understand what she's referring to, as the last thing he saw before being pulled into that prison had been the other three volunteers.]

I specifically made sure that none of the volunteers chosen were under 18.

[And another honest reaction. Good.]

Zhongli told us something went wrong. Instead of Shroud, a kid named Danny got pulled in.

Thought I'd check with you to see if the story's true.

[There's a long pause. He's found the transcript for Shroud's post, and he won't look at the Black Order's chatroom yet since Velvet's told him that. Jusis leans back, rubbing his eyes tiredly, and then takes her off speaker so he can talk to her without God and everybody listening.]

Unfortunately. I'll have to speak with Shroud about the details. I was the first to have been pulled in, so I didn't see what happened to the others.

So you didn't know.

[Ah. Oops. She really thought he didn't know........oh well!!! ]

Danny's fine now. I went with a team of some app users to recover him.

[Thanks to Jusis' gravity magic, the trek out of Trauma Jail and back to Jusis' apartment isn't as excruciating as it could be. Rean half-considers just going back to his own place with Jusis in tow, but decides it's probably best if Jusis gets to relax in his own home for the night.

Rean does his best to avoid any crowded areas on the way back. He knows that if he were in Jusis' place right now, he really wouldn't want to be seen by anyone, and is the golden rule not to treat others how you want to be treated?

Eventually, they do make it back, although managing the door into the building is a somewhat awkward experience. Once they finally reach Jusis' door, Rean pipes up.]

Think you'll be good to stand for long enough to get us in?

IC Inbox

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4/3 Video Pre-Recorded Message

voicemail

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A few days after April's Event | In-Person

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UN: Velvet | Voice

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Post-Alcatraz Doting Time