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Ulysses sat on one of the sofas in the dining hall, holding a cup of coffee as he thought about the previous few days.
Most importantly, he thought about the promise he made to Damon during their last ever conversation before he died.
Especially his last cryptic words.
“...What did you want to ask..? You don’t usually ask for a private conversation like this.” Ulysses looked at the other in confusion and concern. It was obvious something wasn’t right but he couldn’t exactly tell *what* was wrong.
Damon sighed and fidgeted with his tie, why was he so nervous? “I just wanted to ask you a favor, that’s all.”
“Hm? Alright then. You’ve helped me before, I don’t mind doing the same.” He took out his pen and opened a blank page in his notebook, ready to write.
“Just… Can you help Kai out for me? When I no longer can?” The debater looked at the ground, his tone of voice hinting at something that the historian couldn’t decipher.
“I.. When you no longer can? What do you mean by that?” The historian couldn’t help but look at the other in shock and confusion.
“You’ll know when the time is right.” The debater responded. “Just take care of him for me. That’s all I ask of you.”
Those last words could only mean one thing: Damon knew he was going to die.
Ulysses should’ve realized what he meant sooner, he knew something was off but he wasn’t able to figure out why . Thinking back on it now, he really should have.
If he knew, if he had done something , maybe Damon would still be with them.
He didn’t know how to help Kai. The influencer refused to let anyone in, especially after the trial.
It was like he had become a different person, someone filled with anger and his heart turning as cold as ice.
It was truly strange and fascinating.
“Kai..? A-Are you alright?” Toshiko asked, her voice trembling from how terrified she was.
It was after Eloise got executed, everyone barely spoke after the fencer and the influencer got into a heated argument near the end of the trial.
No one knew what to say when the two’s words became more venomous. No one knew what to do as Eloise’s voice grew more confident and colder while Kai’s voice became louder and angrier.
“...” Kai stayed quiet but it was obvious he was still pissed about what happened.
“I-It’s okay, Kai! We have to keep on living for Damon, yeah?” Diana nervously said. “We need to keep going to end the killing game, so don’t give up!”
“...Shut up.” He quietly said.
“H-Huh..?” The cosmetologist looked at the influencer in shock.
“I said. Shut! Up!” Kai’s voice grew louder. “None of you understand! Don’t you realize *Damon* was the one guiding the trials?! How are we meant to end this killing game if he’s dead?!”
The influencer had immediately stormed out of the trial grounds, yelling about how he didn’t want anyone’s pity after Jean tried to calm him down.
Ulysses could only watch it all happen. It left him so confused.
Damon knew he would die, so why did he separate himself from Kai? He looked through his notes after the trial and noticed that he always saw the pair together, so why did he go to his dorm alone?
Was he hiding something? The debater’s last actions and words had been cryptic and strange. Far too many questions and far too little answers.
He’d ask Kai about it but the influencer refused to speak to anyone, exploring the new area by himself. And by the looks of it, for hours on end without any sleep.
Of course, he would be a hypocrite to judge others on their sleeping schedules but this new habit is something the influencer had never done before.
Maybe he should brew a cup of coffee for him. The ones here aren’t the best quality but it’ll help him stay awake at least. Plus, it says on the Tozu Trinket that he likes coffee.
…And he doesn’t want to break Damon’s promise either.
It was easy for Ulysses to find Kai, who was currently rummaging through items in the newly unlocked room.
It was clear he didn’t have a wink of sleep at all, his hair was disheveled and his clothes were crumpled. What’s interesting to note is that he still wore Damon’s jacket, another new addition that occurred after the trial.
It’s.. a bit fascinating to see how Damon meant so much to Kai. To see him completely change into something new. Yes, very fascinating.
It doesn’t even seem like this was a first for the influencer, the look in his eyes showed a haunted look. It was like he was remembering a dark past.
Ulysses couldn’t forget the other’s repeating words of “not again” as he sobbed over Damon’s dead body.
History had seemed to repeat for Kai. Did he react the same way the previous time?
“Are you done staring at me?” A cold voice cut off his thoughts, he looked back up to see Kai glaring at him.
“Ah.. Sorry..” Ulysses awkwardly coughed out. “I wanted to give you some coffee..”
Kai looked at the cup with suspicion. “And why is that? You’re not here to kill me are you?”
“N-No! I just thought you needed one so you could stay awake!” He yelped at the accusation.
It’s strange, usually those words would be said with a high-pitched and scared voice but now it was only cold and distrusting.
How could someone change so much in half a week? It was like a cruel metamorphosis, or the death of the previous Kai Monteago.
The influencer scoffed and went back to searching. “I don’t like coffee anyways so just drink it yourself.”
“You.. don’t?” The historian looked at the other in confusion. “But didn’t your-”
“Profile?” The pink haired man cut him off, glaring at the brunette. “It’s all bullshit, Tozu barely got anything right.”
“Oh.” So his plan failed, basically. “What do you like then?”
“...” Kai ignored him and continued searching the room.
After a minute or two of silence, Ulysses sighed. It looks like their conversation is over. “I’ll… go now then.”
The last thing he heard was very faint, he almost didn’t hear it.
“...You aren’t Damon, why would I tell you…”
Ulysses froze at those words for a moment, waiting to see if Kai would say anything else. When it stayed silent, he finally left.
How is he meant to help? He doesn’t know Kai well enough and apparently his profile was mostly lies.
Ulysses sighed again and took a sip of the now lukewarm coffee. He really wished Damon at least could’ve told him some things about Kai. Why was he so cryptic in the first place?
He didn’t understand a single thing, the questions just kept piling up.
What is he meant to do? Why did Damon have to be so vague?
Everything was too confusing. He didn’t know what to do. Kai was right, he isn’t Damon. He doesn’t know the influencer like the debater did.
There’s far too much mystery and misery surrounding the two Ultimates. What secrets did the two share with each other?
Is it bad to wish he wanted to become what Damon was to Kai before he died?