Okay, one, if you want to repeat stuff to yourself? Try Buddhism or something. Positive reinforcement and all that jazz.

Two, you're freaking me out, kid.

[Right. Reminds him of prison. Some of the kids there really got fucked up.]

Alright, kid. Just focus on my voice. You don't have to reply or anything, just listen. Are you listening? You better be listening.

Because this is some awesome stuff I'm gonna say, you wanna be listening for it.

[He pauses a moment, maybe just to see if Sasuke shows any signs of hearing him at all.]

[Right he'll take what he can get.]

I bet you've never been to Alaska. You don't look like the cold-weather type. So I'm gonna tell you about the Northern Lights.

See, I want you to imagine snow. I'm assuming you know snow, everyone knows snow. So imagine this snow is as white as you've ever seen fresh snow to be, and now imagine it's everywhere. The whole landscape is made of snow. And it's freezing cold but all around you. And okay, you're bundled up warm, so mostly it's only your face freezing, what isn't covered.

But that's nothing because there's snow everywhere. Can you see it? It goes for miles in every direction and you can't look at it in the daylight because you'll go blind it's so bright. And at night it almost glows. Just from starlight and the moon.

Still with me? You're out here in the snow. The it's night, and the landscape is glowing this eerie white and maybe it's like being on the moon. Because it's just not real. And the sky comes down right on top of you. The stars seem so close you could touch them--you see that kid? In your head? It's like you on the moon with all the stars right at your fingertips. But the moon's there too, just hanging waiting for you to pick it from the sky.

Now while you're looking at this, there's this ribbon of color that starts to dance above you in the sky. It's crazy, just these brilliant ribbons of light above you, and they turn the snow all kinds of colors. Green and blue and pink and yellow and it's all shifting around, it's like a rainbow at night but it's ten times more than that. Because it's not just the lights in the sky, but the way the ground reflects them.

With me so far, kid? Can you see it?

[Crying, while bad, is an improvement over near-catatonic shock. It means something's coming out. Tommy runs a hand through his hair.]

Just sob it out.

I'm assuming you've got people with you there so I'll spare you the awkward of a stranger watching you, 'kay?

[He hesitates a long time, not sure what else to say but. He's got nothing, and the guy needs people he knows to bring him out of this, not strangers. The sensitive things isn't usually his gig anyway.]

Take care, kid. [He shuts off the feed.]

[Whole thing brings up bad memories.]

...Allen, right? I haven't got him talking. Kid's giving me a serious blue screen. But I'll keep talking to him.

He your friend?

What's an Akuma then? Why's the kid think he is one?

Wow. That sounds fucked up.

Remind me never to visit your world, man.

No kidding. Soul eating robot zombies? You guys do this shit hardcore.