solnet | [Text/accidentally unfiltered] just your run-of-the-mill existential crisis here

[The text is sent out late at night, when everyone should be sleeping. 'Should be' of course being the key phrase. Yukio doesn't sleep much anyways, and even less since the encounter with Minako's shadow.

He's sleep-deprived, and that's probably why he's acting so foolish. He should know to keep his mouth shut. He told Rin he would tell him if there was anything wrong... but if Rin doesn't ask, he shouldn't need to tell.

He really should stop now before he does something stupid like... send a text. He should be stronger than this. He doesn't want to be a burden. He knows he can rely on Rin, but his brother has enough to worry about.

He's being ridiculous. He'll only annoy Rin, or make him angrier. He doesn't need to do this.

But concern and worry and the sickening cocktail of emotions curdling in his stomach motivate him to send out a text anyways.]

Are you awake?

I'm not sure if anyone told you, but I had a run-in with a shadow. I'm not hurt. Maka got me out of there.

I shouldn't have had any trouble, but the shadow looked like Minako. It wasn't her, and I know that, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to fight it. I froze up.

Do you think it's okay to kill those things? Better than it is to kill demons?

If you're still mad, you don't have to answer. I'm sorry. I know this is confusing. I wish I knew for sure what was going on.

I don't like not having the answers.

[Eventually, a second text is sent, once he realizes this wasn't filtered to Rin as he had hoped.]

Disregard the last message. It wasn't meant to be sent.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It takes him a while to respond, staring at the message as the light of the phone illuminates only his face. Ryuji is sleeping next to him, one arm draped over his middle.

Others have already spoken to Yukio and he considers ignoring it, thinking they could discuss it later when they're face to face again, but he finds himself unable to fall back asleep, too.]

i dont have any answers for you on this one bro

all i know is that shadows dont usually have the same minds as demons theyre just sort of

zombies following the orders of the queen

but if it looked like minako

idk... how do we know the ones made from our friends dont think and feel the same way they do when theyre alive

im not mad i just wish id known sooner that her shadow was around

[After the other responses, getting a message from his brother, the person he expected to contact him, only makes Yukio more guilty. He does his best to ignore that.]

I didn't really expect you to have answers. I doubt anyone does.

I just was curious what you thought about this war.

I don't know about the shadows that look like our friends, but when I died, I do have some... small memories about the shadow that looked like me.

I don't know. I'm sorry I didn't mention this to you sooner.

its fine dont stress over it

friend-shadows are still shadows

i don't like having to deal with them but we cant really let them run around attacking others right?

i feel like that's something youd say

Yes, you're right.

I agree with you that we can't let them hurt other people.

If it's out of defense, then we have to do what we can.

yeah see

you always have the right answers little bro (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧