Ryusei stumbled as he was freed from whatever had been clinging to his legs, and he whirled around, flashlight illumination bouncing every which way.
Don't stop, he'd been commanded. But where had Gabe gone? Despite him saying that, Ryusei couldn't just leave if—
Focus. If it'd been Gabe who'd helped him (it had to have been, right?), he didn't have to do that. That must mean he wanted Ryusei to keep going for... whatever reason, from altruism to personally wanting a fight with whatever it was—but it'd been Gabe who'd said not to let the thing touch them— Focus.
Ryusei knew how this mindset worked. If he didn't keep going, Gabe (wherever he was) would slow down. He'd already helped Ryusei once. And Miketsukami had turned around, Ryusei could see. There was nothing Ryusei could do. The most helpful thing—the least obstructive thing—Ryusei could do now was to continue running. "I'm going," he said. "—Follow quickly if you want the favor repaid."
no subject
Don't stop, he'd been commanded. But where had Gabe gone? Despite him saying that, Ryusei couldn't just leave if—
Focus. If it'd been Gabe who'd helped him (it had to have been, right?), he didn't have to do that. That must mean he wanted Ryusei to keep going for... whatever reason, from altruism to personally wanting a fight with whatever it was—but it'd been Gabe who'd said not to let the thing touch them— Focus.
Ryusei knew how this mindset worked. If he didn't keep going, Gabe (wherever he was) would slow down. He'd already helped Ryusei once. And Miketsukami had turned around, Ryusei could see. There was nothing Ryusei could do. The most helpful thing—the least obstructive thing—Ryusei could do now was to continue running. "I'm going," he said. "—Follow quickly if you want the favor repaid."
He turned to go.