[ Occasionally, Maruki indulges in tiny bouts of spite.
He's not perfect! He never claimed to be perfect. And to be fair, it's not something he genuinely holds against Akechi; he has no ill will toward him whatsoever. But once he found a dark, empty hillside hole to pass out in, he did have the thought that it would have been polite to be invited to the castle at some point, just for a brief respite in its more modern amenities.
Of course, he'd also never impose on Akechi and ask to come over, so that minor irritation circled firmly back to himself and his own behavior, as they all do. God bless Vash for intervening.
That said, it does please him to have Akechi come give him directions that he doesn't need. He packs up his truly pathetic satchel (contents: a potion he will not drink, that contract he hates, and half a sandwich from Eren) and meets Akechi outside the cafe, more grateful than ever. ]
Good afternoon, Akechi-kun. Sorry to impose on your castle. Hopefully Vash asked you before extending the invitation?
[Maybe things would have been different if Doctor Prince Maruki had arrived instead of the humble, kind-hearted researcher who apparated into existence instead. Sucks to suck.
But it's typical - a familiar path leading him back towards the good doctor. Vash, stupid as he is, continues to offer his home to random strays. It'll backfire one day with Akechi or the supposed unknown cognitive psience researcher. It's all-
Just a little too convenient - threads tied into a bow for a bomb wrapped as present. Nothing is coincidental.
When Maruki appears, Akechi pulls his own intense gaze away from his phone screen to the satchel over Maruki's shoulder - armed with the clothes on his back and an ever-present smile.]
It's not my home to impose on. I'm simply living in a room - I had nothing to do with its formation nor do I have a say on who arrives. Your presence will be welcome though. I'm not against your arrival in the slightest.
It's still difficult not to feel like he's crashing in on something he shouldn't be crashing in on, but, well. It is a castle. It's not like they'll be sharing a wall.
(They will be sharing a wall.)
Maruki smiles at him even wider, eyes crinkling up behind his glasses. ]
Thank you. If nothing else, I'll ingratiate myself by cooking dinner tonight. Vash said no one who lives there is much good in the kitchen.
[ He isn't even going to beat around the bush as Akechi leads them to the castle and nods to his phone. ]
I saw. You may be disappointed by our lack of ingredients. I'm not sure what you'll make from what's there, but I'll be certain to repay you for whatever you make. Much like Vash, I'm not picky.
[Leftovers and donuts - somehow there always seems to be one or two of those pastries lying around. Eren's meals sustaining Akechi at a minimum. A debt to Vash paid in portions of those meals, a debt to Maruki paid another way. Trust in the altruism of a man who might be involved in the same shady undercurrents he's woven into is impossible.
Which leads him to clench his phone tight - a single motion sliding it into his pocket as they move, a smile plastering itself to his face with the gesture.]
No, I wasn't. [He was. The :) a grudge burned into his skull.] I've moved on from that fruitless endeavor. I was simply reading other people's bios this month. They're always interesting.
[ It actually makes him laugh, sudden and genuine, the beautiful chaos that was Sleepr forgotten for a second. He'll get back to that. ]
Wait, have I not told you how broke I was in Tokyo? I can cobble together a meal out of just about anything. It won't be gourmet, but I can promise it'll be tasty.
[ He'll go out to pick up ingredients tomorrow, slightly less manic about hoarding his shards now that he has a business license in process. But only slightly. There are other things he knows he needs.
He tucks his hands into his pockets as they walk, kicks a rock out of their path. ]
And you won't be repaying me. As I told Vash, I enjoy cooking for others. If we live together, it's just second nature.
[A broke counselor feels too on the nose to comment on. He's aware it's a field that pays little and burns out those who take it on faster than new graduates can keep up. It's interesting to see how people destroy themselves for the supposed sake of others.]
However you'll have to forgive me for being blunt - my comment wasn't asking for permission. It was to prepare you for what I will do. If you have a preferred method of being paid back, now's the time to let me know.
[No negotiation. Unrelenting. A bitterness sown in his previous conversation boiling over into this one. He doesn't trust Maruki or Vash and isn't about to have multiple people in the same household trying to bait future favors out of him. Zazie, to their credit, asks and wants for nothing.]
My suggestion would be to allow me to purchase some items for you - perhaps a blanket or something useful you might need for the future.
and so the mutual enabling of r/malelivingspaces begins
[ From one guy who pretty much only deals in transactional relationships to another: This is so sad to see in action. Is this how he acts? Ugh.
Maruki won't argue it, though. He understands the impulse. They'll have plenty of time together, anyway. No shortage of opportunities to gently steer Akechi away from thinking of their friendship in terms of debts to be paid. ]
If you insist! A blanket might be nice... I've just been using my coat since the ones on the bed where I was seemed, ah...
[ Wrinkles his nose. This place needs the simple, clean efficiency of a capsule hotel or something. ]
Anyhow, don't put yourself out on my account, really. I'm happy with anything.
The options are dire here. Nothing will replace what Tokyo can offer, unfortunately. At a minimum, I'll make sure you're prepared to sleep in any kind of weather. It's one less worry to concern yourself with.
[It's an easy exchange to make and fair for both parties - the edge in his tone dissipates when Maruki caves. A blanket is simple - likely a pillow too. Meals aren't worth a better mattress, but he can provide the basics from the marketplace. Thin blanket for summer, thick one for potential winter. The thought of being here that long-
He holds back a frustrated exhale - adjusts the cuff of his gloves instead. Whatever. ]
On that note - what else do you have?
[A GUN? Shido's shell company credit card? Diabolical plans written on cognitive papers????]
akechi goro you are the stupidest person on this whole planet
[ He will fully take the satchel off his shoulder and open it to show Akechi. It is incredibly empty. ]
Oh, actually, this belongs to you now.
[ He takes out the potion and hands it off. ]
I saw Eren-kun transform into animals. He explained the potions. I want nothing to do with them. Do whatever you want with it. So now, as you can see, I have nothing but a contract!
give him ur secrets let him eat them [static noises]
[I saw Eren-kun trans- are the last words this bottle will ever hear. An instant and brutal throw at the first glimmer in his peripheral vision. The nearest goddamn window a sudden target of three months of wrath. It doesn't shatter the glass - the bottle is the only causality and the blue liquid seeps against it like forgotten cleaner.
Cool! He feels a little better. What he hell else did Maruki say? His voiced turned to static for a couple minutes. He backtracks. Heard it. Only a contract left. This man truly has nothing.
Akechi arrived in the same manner. It's bizarre how familiar this feels.]
I should have known a researcher would understand how dangerous it is to put our faith in a random bottle of liquid promising power. Mine is in my room as well. Untouched, of course. I refuse to play our captor's games.
[ And there it goes. Secretly, Maruki gets a little satisfaction out of seeing it smash too. He's going to hide his smile in the collar of his jacket like god intended. ]
I know that I'm probably stuck in my ways by only thinking about things in terms of the metrics that I'm used to instead of giving in to the logic of this reality, but in my opinion, a magical potion isn't simply a magical potion. It's more cognitive manipulation. So no, I won't put any faith in it.
[That's a +1 in his book and an apt observation. It's manipulation in some form - cognitive or otherwise. The nefarious nature of the potion's price still looming over those that took it and they seem none the wiser.]
I'm a calm person. I don't feel the need to act out often and as such, I've simply let it be. My only goal is to keep it for negotiation or payment, should the need arise.
[He eyes the sopping mess - watches the blue drip, drip in the rural paths before continuing on their way.]
Perhaps it can even be useful as window cleaner in the future.
[ Oh, they're just +♪♪♪ all over the place, aren't they! Maruki admires that kind of forward thinking. His impulsiveness to destroy that potion immediately was only tempered by his fear that it might explode, or summon monsters, or otherwise maim him somehow. ]
Perhaps. If that's the case, I'd say you've done your good deed for the day.
[ For the most part, Maruki has been Struggling with connecting with people outside of counseling – those transactional relationships and all. Sleepr made it easier, so reminiscent of texting the Phantom Thieves – and this, this wandering and chattering and gentle sarcastic joking is so reminiscent of his time with Akira.
It's a strange thing to consider, especially as he's spent his time here carefully edging around the chasm of disappointment in the middle of his mind that is Akira's absence. He clears his throat to banish the thought. ]
You mentioned the bios on that application – the ones that are auto-generated seem a little too knowledgeable, don't you think?
A detective prince has an image to maintain. One he has a vice grip on, especially around a man who could run to tabloids at best or Shido's shadow at worst. The instantaneous destruction of that bottle doesn't fit that image.
And Maruki doesn't seem to care. Not a single admonishment or threat behind his words, not that he has ground to stand on without proof. Those displays and slips easy to deny when there's only word against word.
Maruki is really full of surprises.
The next question gives him pause - his first Sleepr post a persistent memory. It purveys the truth with an exceptional degree of accuracy. It's something he could check past posts of, though he doubts the same investigative instinct lies within the doctor.
A hand rests under his chin - eyes to the ground and then Maruki himself.]
Sometimes. Other times they seem to be glitches. I witnessed one such instance. [His own. He will deny it until the day he dies.] The distinction is difficult to make unless someone is willing to own up to it. Though it's troubling, isn't it? A contract that owns us, a program that has all our information stored within - we have no agency or privacy here.
[ Investigative instinct? No. Meddlesome nosiness? Yes. Trust and believe, He Will Be Backreading.
But he hasn't had the time or energy yet, too stretched thin between dream counseling, impromptu real counseling, and attempting to reestablish formal counseling.
This is one of the only things he has done entirely unrelated to his job, actually. It's a profound relief. Akechi can't possibly know how much. ]
That was my fear. My first assumption was that it was generating text based on messages that have been sent, even private ones, but then I began to wonder if its scope extended beyond that.
[ If it is a cognitive world, it stands to reason that anything within their cognitions – conscious or unconscious or subconscious – is fair game. ]
... Mm. This place.
[ He would like the privacy of a castle before he says more about cognitive psience, not that it will really make an appreciable difference, but it'll calm his mind. Also, still wild to think he'll be living in a castle! This place indeed.
He reaches into the satchel again to pull out the contract, which has been folded and crumpled pretty carelessly for such a seemingly important document. ]
When I awoke in the labyrinth, I ran into a girl. We both followed our orbs out together and compared our contracts. They're exactly the same. I assume yours is too, as is everyone's. Yes?
[The crumbled piece of paper is familiar, down to the worn erratic folds that show a complete lack of care.
Akechi hadn't been so kind - a 'contract' rolled into a ball between his palms and crushed. It didn't make him feel any better.]
Yes, all I've spoken to concur with that. Every experience has been the same in reference to waking up in the garden with the few items afforded to us and-
[Powers stifled and taken. Weapons in a different reality.]
A contract made under duress in a dream or in death.
[ What he expected. It doesn't confirm or deny anything. It just serves to further his suspicion that this is a cognitive world of some kind – he doesn't know the term Palace yet, but if he did, he'd be half-convinced. A template arrival seems like an obvious clue. A nonspecific contract and the manipulation of forcing their cognitions to conjure the thought of a wish.
Which, well. He has been curious. ]
Can I ask you, Akechi-kun... What were you doing before you were brought here?
[The question registers and then it doesn't. Untangles a sudden thought that bursts into his mind with blinding clarity.
No one has asked him that before and-
It's an invasive question that leads to the typical 'And what about you?' the reason he avoided it in turn. This is where-
Your justice ends.
A soft laugh mixed with an acidic sigh. A hand moved to his head before he realized and-
Someone from his world is here and he needs plausible deniability when real problems start to apparate from the fucking garden. The unintentional grip on his hair a savior, as he feigns deep thought - eyes closed and recalling-
Dripping red, acrid air, a dingy low lit room-
In vivid clarity so he opens them with effort.]
Ah, I apologize. It's been difficult for me to recollect exactly. It was a rather exhausting week, if I recall, and my schedule was packed to the brim. I get nauseous whenever I try to remember-
[Skull fragments, dulled and sharp, splashed against a metal wall and thunk a loud thunk he can't recall if there was any other sound but the thunk. Adrenaline and euphoria overwhelming to the point he might have puked then-
And now.
And so he drops his hand to his side, lets an uneasy smile take over. A gentle, unassuming exhale - like that simple act takes all his problems away.]
That's not the answer you were hoping for, I'm sure - it's not amnesia or anything of the sort. When I have time to reflect, the details will come to me. For now, it only gives me a headache.
[A small wave of his hand, as he adjusts their direction with a slight turn. A looming structure in sight, no longer out of reach.
He needs to lay down.]
But tell me - what were you doing?
wow i love it when they mutually fucking lie to each other
[ When the answer doesn't come easily, and brings along with it apologetic caveats, a whole new file opens in Maruki's mind.
It would be too easy if they all shared something in common with their last remembered moments in their realities, but he already knows just from the few people he's asked that that's not the case. There is very little consistency in their actions or emotional states. Their wishes may or may not have been acute in their consciousness before they were probed to speak it. And those who come from the point of death pose another set of variables entirely. He's not expecting an answer from Akechi that will cast a sudden light onto any patterns or cognitive themes he's missed until now.
But this: The lack of clarity, the nausea, the headache. That's new.
Maruki doesn't interrogate him or let on that this is a new discovery on his side of things. He only looks at Akechi, concerned and sympathetic, and wants to help. ]
When we get to the castle, we don't need to do the crossword. I can make you a cup of tea and let you rest.
[ That's assuming these perpetual bachelors and one (1) bug(?) have tea, but if not, he'll go get some.
He watches as the castle steadily grows closer, larger in size, and speaks easily. ]
Ah, sorry. To answer your question, I was commuting home after visiting an old friend. It was late on Christmas Eve, the subway was relatively empty, and I nodded off.
[ The blood red sky through the high rise windows, his professor's ignorance, the spite and rebellion boiling over inside him, the voice made manifest. The deal they once struck resurfacing, gaining strength, sealing itself to his soul. Azathoth. A new contract.
He looks down at the crumpled paper in his hand and laughs, shrugs, shoves it back in the satchel. ]
I had just signed something before I fell asleep, so seeing the contract when I awoke was a funny coincidence. But that's really the only notable thing about it.
There's no need. Often even water makes it worse when this happens - I'll be fine after laying down for a few moments. It's only a little uncomfortable. In fact, I think the thought of that unfinished puzzle bothers me far more.
[The last thing he wants is some doting nobody trying to make him tea, like he's a child that needs coddled. He'll get back - lay down for a few minutes, let his stomach settle and refocus on weathered spots on the ceiling and-
Focus now on the tale Maruki offers with ease. Christmas Eve. Shido's election is secure - he doesn't need to question that. No doubt in his mind over their plan coming to fruition with the thieves out of commission. A blood drenched body to bring in the new year. When he looks at Maruki, a man none the wiser over the corruption exploiting him, he feels-
Better. Breathes easier. There's a future guaranteed with his presence by his side, no matter how bizarre his background is. A carefree, lackadaisical tone relaying a story to be expected of anyone with a job. Subway. Asleep. Contract.]
I wonder why each of us was chosen. It seems too intentional to be random and yet it's only minor coincidences that bind us all together - sleeping and dying. It's quite the mystery to unravel.
god i woke up to so much good food from you i am SPOILT
[ Too bad, this doting nobody is still going to make him that cup of tea – much later tonight, long after Akechi's stomach is settled. Just as a friendly peace offering between housemates. Get used to it, punk.
Maruki huffs a sigh at the same musing that keeps circling his head. ]
I have a hard time believing that anything that would happen here is random. Even you and I – there must be a reason for it, as there is for everything else. I know I haven't been here long, but the things I've been hearing...
[ He shakes his head and looks sidelong at Akechi. ]
I hope to uncover some of the answers to that mystery through my counseling. If this reality is influenced at all by our cognitions, then the patterns are likely to lie much deeper beneath the surface.
[ Emotional wounds, pains of the heart. Same as it ever was. ]
I could be chasing after the wrong idea, of course. But this does all seem a little t– oh, wow.
[ They're close enough now that the size of the castle becomes clear. Maruki lets the train of thought drop and laughs, a hand through his hair. ]
I know you said it was something out of a fairy tale, but you weren't kidding! And there are really only three of you living here? What do you even do with all of that space!?
Edited (i lied i wanna make it just slightly worse) 2024-05-16 11:51 (UTC)
[It slams into his body - like a door splitting him in two.
If this reality is influenced by our cognitions-
By Mementos.
By a shared delusion.
By the exploitation of a world unknown from someone who can warp, twist and bend reality in a way that feels impossible, until you travel through a world of shadows and humanity's whispers.
The counseling is only useful to Maruki. Information gleaned for him alone to collect and disperse - Akechi on the sidelines waiting for fucking scraps like a hungry dog. Waiting for an kind, benevolent person to spoon feed him information when it's deemed worthy.
If this is Mementos, he's more than capable of figuring out the shit happening here and-
He needs Loki back, more than ever.]
I look forward to the conclusion of your own investigation then. It should be worthwhile and provide some deeper insight that no one else can achieve but yourself.
[The castle's grander is nothing to scoff at. It's an experience most in Tokyo will never have, so Akechi doesn't blame the shocked reaction. It's far better than carving out a shitty life in a hovel underground.]
I'm unsure what Vash does with it. As I said, I only live in a single room and tend to keep to myself. It would be a shame if he decided his benevolence was no longer necessary by us poking around. He's quite kind, but I would hate to push it.
[ Maruki gives him a curious little smile. There's keeping to yourself, and then there's never having even a cursory look around the place where you live. ]
Don't worry, I won't be poking around. I've lived entirely alone for... wow, ten years? Or more? So keeping to myself is all that I know.
[ With that said, he realizes just how strange it will be to share space again after so long – as ever, he rushed into this without much forethought and nothing but faith that it would all work out. Hopefully it will. He just has to remember what it's like to be around people.
He grins sidelong at Akechi as they enter. ]
I won't torment you by asking for a grand tour now. If you show me where that crossword is, I can take a look while you have a quick rest.
I think you'll find it still has the comforts of living alone, despite the amount of people here. The space is large enough that privacy is respected. There are no issues.
[Honestly? Thank god. This is the second time he's had to play tour guide to Maruki in a couple weeks.
He does offer the kindness of verbally pointing out the restroom, the kitchen, a crossword still on a table in a shared living space and-
He's going to just go off and die for awhile. Don't mind him!! It's just [static hours] now.]
[ None the wiser!! Maruki's going to take the opportunity to familiarize himself with the layout of the ground floor and marvel at the fact that wow, yeah, this really is A CASTLE. Guy who has only lived in shoebox apartments in Tokyo says what??
The kitchen needs... a little work... The state of the refrigerator is tragic. What do these guys eat? Zazie eats raw meat and nothing else, apparently, but what about Akechi and Vash??
Take all the time you need, Akechums. This is dire and he has to fix it.
When Akechi eventually comes back to the living area, he'll find two cups of coffee on the table and Maruki curled up in the corner of a sofa with the journal he got to start writing down what he could remember from dream counseling in his lap. He isn't working on the crossword, he's writing an extensive grocery list to get this place fully stocked, but he will say without looking up: ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action, after the sleepr debacle, cw for friendly pleasant domestic content all the way down
He's not perfect! He never claimed to be perfect. And to be fair, it's not something he genuinely holds against Akechi; he has no ill will toward him whatsoever. But once he found a dark, empty hillside hole to pass out in, he did have the thought that it would have been polite to be invited to the castle at some point, just for a brief respite in its more modern amenities.
Of course, he'd also never impose on Akechi and ask to come over, so that minor irritation circled firmly back to himself and his own behavior, as they all do. God bless Vash for intervening.
That said, it does please him to have Akechi come give him directions that he doesn't need. He packs up his truly pathetic satchel (contents: a potion he will not drink, that contract he hates, and half a sandwich from Eren) and meets Akechi outside the cafe, more grateful than ever. ]
Good afternoon, Akechi-kun. Sorry to impose on your castle. Hopefully Vash asked you before extending the invitation?
yeah nothing will get WEIRD at all
But it's typical - a familiar path leading him back towards the good doctor. Vash, stupid as he is, continues to offer his home to random strays. It'll backfire one day with Akechi or the supposed unknown cognitive psience researcher. It's all-
Just a little too convenient - threads tied into a bow for a bomb wrapped as present. Nothing is coincidental.
When Maruki appears, Akechi pulls his own intense gaze away from his phone screen to the satchel over Maruki's shoulder - armed with the clothes on his back and an ever-present smile.]
It's not my home to impose on. I'm simply living in a room - I had nothing to do with its formation nor do I have a say on who arrives. Your presence will be welcome though. I'm not against your arrival in the slightest.
no subject
It's still difficult not to feel like he's crashing in on something he shouldn't be crashing in on, but, well. It is a castle. It's not like they'll be sharing a wall.
(They will be sharing a wall.)
Maruki smiles at him even wider, eyes crinkling up behind his glasses. ]
Thank you. If nothing else, I'll ingratiate myself by cooking dinner tonight. Vash said no one who lives there is much good in the kitchen.
[ He isn't even going to beat around the bush as Akechi leads them to the castle and nods to his phone. ]
Were you still interrogating the moon?
no subject
[Leftovers and donuts - somehow there always seems to be one or two of those pastries lying around. Eren's meals sustaining Akechi at a minimum. A debt to Vash paid in portions of those meals, a debt to Maruki paid another way. Trust in the altruism of a man who might be involved in the same shady undercurrents he's woven into is impossible.
Which leads him to clench his phone tight - a single motion sliding it into his pocket as they move, a smile plastering itself to his face with the gesture.]
No, I wasn't. [He was. The :) a grudge burned into his skull.] I've moved on from that fruitless endeavor. I was simply reading other people's bios this month. They're always interesting.
no subject
Wait, have I not told you how broke I was in Tokyo? I can cobble together a meal out of just about anything. It won't be gourmet, but I can promise it'll be tasty.
[ He'll go out to pick up ingredients tomorrow, slightly less manic about hoarding his shards now that he has a business license in process. But only slightly. There are other things he knows he needs.
He tucks his hands into his pockets as they walk, kicks a rock out of their path. ]
And you won't be repaying me. As I told Vash, I enjoy cooking for others. If we live together, it's just second nature.
[ lethimtakecareofyoulethimtakecareofyoulethimtakecareofyou ]
no subject
[A broke counselor feels too on the nose to comment on. He's aware it's a field that pays little and burns out those who take it on faster than new graduates can keep up. It's interesting to see how people destroy themselves for the supposed sake of others.]
However you'll have to forgive me for being blunt - my comment wasn't asking for permission. It was to prepare you for what I will do. If you have a preferred method of being paid back, now's the time to let me know.
[No negotiation. Unrelenting. A bitterness sown in his previous conversation boiling over into this one. He doesn't trust Maruki or Vash and isn't about to have multiple people in the same household trying to bait future favors out of him. Zazie, to their credit, asks and wants for nothing.]
My suggestion would be to allow me to purchase some items for you - perhaps a blanket or something useful you might need for the future.
and so the mutual enabling of r/malelivingspaces begins
Maruki won't argue it, though. He understands the impulse. They'll have plenty of time together, anyway. No shortage of opportunities to gently steer Akechi away from thinking of their friendship in terms of debts to be paid. ]
If you insist! A blanket might be nice... I've just been using my coat since the ones on the bed where I was seemed, ah...
[ Wrinkles his nose. This place needs the simple, clean efficiency of a capsule hotel or something. ]
Anyhow, don't put yourself out on my account, really. I'm happy with anything.
[dwight voice] BLANKETS, BEANS, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
[It's an easy exchange to make and fair for both parties - the edge in his tone dissipates when Maruki caves. A blanket is simple - likely a pillow too. Meals aren't worth a better mattress, but he can provide the basics from the marketplace. Thin blanket for summer, thick one for potential winter. The thought of being here that long-
He holds back a frustrated exhale - adjusts the cuff of his gloves instead. Whatever. ]
On that note - what else do you have?
[A GUN? Shido's shell company credit card? Diabolical plans written on cognitive papers????]
akechi goro you are the stupidest person on this whole planet
[ He will fully take the satchel off his shoulder and open it to show Akechi. It is incredibly empty. ]
Oh, actually, this belongs to you now.
[ He takes out the potion and hands it off. ]
I saw Eren-kun transform into animals. He explained the potions. I want nothing to do with them. Do whatever you want with it. So now, as you can see, I have nothing but a contract!
give him ur secrets let him eat them [static noises]
Cool! He feels a little better. What he hell else did Maruki say? His voiced turned to static for a couple minutes. He backtracks. Heard it. Only a contract left. This man truly has nothing.
Akechi arrived in the same manner. It's bizarre how familiar this feels.]
I should have known a researcher would understand how dangerous it is to put our faith in a random bottle of liquid promising power. Mine is in my room as well. Untouched, of course. I refuse to play our captor's games.
no subject
I know that I'm probably stuck in my ways by only thinking about things in terms of the metrics that I'm used to instead of giving in to the logic of this reality, but in my opinion, a magical potion isn't simply a magical potion. It's more cognitive manipulation. So no, I won't put any faith in it.
[ Okay, there's no hiding the smile anymore. ]
Why don't you smash yours too?
no subject
I'm a calm person. I don't feel the need to act out often and as such, I've simply let it be. My only goal is to keep it for negotiation or payment, should the need arise.
[He eyes the sopping mess - watches the blue drip, drip in the rural paths before continuing on their way.]
Perhaps it can even be useful as window cleaner in the future.
no subject
Perhaps. If that's the case, I'd say you've done your good deed for the day.
[ For the most part, Maruki has been Struggling with connecting with people outside of counseling – those transactional relationships and all. Sleepr made it easier, so reminiscent of texting the Phantom Thieves – and this, this wandering and chattering and gentle sarcastic joking is so reminiscent of his time with Akira.
It's a strange thing to consider, especially as he's spent his time here carefully edging around the chasm of disappointment in the middle of his mind that is Akira's absence. He clears his throat to banish the thought. ]
You mentioned the bios on that application – the ones that are auto-generated seem a little too knowledgeable, don't you think?
no subject
A detective prince has an image to maintain. One he has a vice grip on, especially around a man who could run to tabloids at best or Shido's shadow at worst. The instantaneous destruction of that bottle doesn't fit that image.
And Maruki doesn't seem to care. Not a single admonishment or threat behind his words, not that he has ground to stand on without proof. Those displays and slips easy to deny when there's only word against word.
Maruki is really full of surprises.
The next question gives him pause - his first Sleepr post a persistent memory. It purveys the truth with an exceptional degree of accuracy. It's something he could check past posts of, though he doubts the same investigative instinct lies within the doctor.
A hand rests under his chin - eyes to the ground and then Maruki himself.]
Sometimes. Other times they seem to be glitches. I witnessed one such instance. [His own. He will deny it until the day he dies.] The distinction is difficult to make unless someone is willing to own up to it. Though it's troubling, isn't it? A contract that owns us, a program that has all our information stored within - we have no agency or privacy here.
no subject
But he hasn't had the time or energy yet, too stretched thin between dream counseling, impromptu real counseling, and attempting to reestablish formal counseling.
This is one of the only things he has done entirely unrelated to his job, actually. It's a profound relief. Akechi can't possibly know how much. ]
That was my fear. My first assumption was that it was generating text based on messages that have been sent, even private ones, but then I began to wonder if its scope extended beyond that.
[ If it is a cognitive world, it stands to reason that anything within their cognitions – conscious or unconscious or subconscious – is fair game. ]
... Mm. This place.
[ He would like the privacy of a castle before he says more about cognitive psience, not that it will really make an appreciable difference, but it'll calm his mind. Also, still wild to think he'll be living in a castle! This place indeed.
He reaches into the satchel again to pull out the contract, which has been folded and crumpled pretty carelessly for such a seemingly important document. ]
When I awoke in the labyrinth, I ran into a girl. We both followed our orbs out together and compared our contracts. They're exactly the same. I assume yours is too, as is everyone's. Yes?
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Akechi hadn't been so kind - a 'contract' rolled into a ball between his palms and crushed. It didn't make him feel any better.]
Yes, all I've spoken to concur with that. Every experience has been the same in reference to waking up in the garden with the few items afforded to us and-
[Powers stifled and taken. Weapons in a different reality.]
A contract made under duress in a dream or in death.
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Which, well. He has been curious. ]
Can I ask you, Akechi-kun... What were you doing before you were brought here?
cw: MURDER, GORE
No one has asked him that before and-
It's an invasive question that leads to the typical 'And what about you?' the reason he avoided it in turn. This is where-
Your justice ends.
A soft laugh mixed with an acidic sigh. A hand moved to his head before he realized and-
Someone from his world is here and he needs plausible deniability when real problems start to apparate from the fucking garden. The unintentional grip on his hair a savior, as he feigns deep thought - eyes closed and recalling-
Dripping red, acrid air, a dingy low lit room-
In vivid clarity so he opens them with effort.]
Ah, I apologize. It's been difficult for me to recollect exactly. It was a rather exhausting week, if I recall, and my schedule was packed to the brim. I get nauseous whenever I try to remember-
[Skull fragments, dulled and sharp, splashed against a metal wall and thunk a loud thunk he can't recall if there was any other sound but the thunk. Adrenaline and euphoria overwhelming to the point he might have puked then-
And now.
And so he drops his hand to his side, lets an uneasy smile take over. A gentle, unassuming exhale - like that simple act takes all his problems away.]
That's not the answer you were hoping for, I'm sure - it's not amnesia or anything of the sort. When I have time to reflect, the details will come to me. For now, it only gives me a headache.
[A small wave of his hand, as he adjusts their direction with a slight turn. A looming structure in sight, no longer out of reach.
He needs to lay down.]
But tell me - what were you doing?
wow i love it when they mutually fucking lie to each other
It would be too easy if they all shared something in common with their last remembered moments in their realities, but he already knows just from the few people he's asked that that's not the case. There is very little consistency in their actions or emotional states. Their wishes may or may not have been acute in their consciousness before they were probed to speak it. And those who come from the point of death pose another set of variables entirely. He's not expecting an answer from Akechi that will cast a sudden light onto any patterns or cognitive themes he's missed until now.
But this: The lack of clarity, the nausea, the headache. That's new.
Maruki doesn't interrogate him or let on that this is a new discovery on his side of things. He only looks at Akechi, concerned and sympathetic, and wants to help. ]
When we get to the castle, we don't need to do the crossword. I can make you a cup of tea and let you rest.
[ That's assuming these perpetual bachelors and one (1) bug(?) have tea, but if not, he'll go get some.
He watches as the castle steadily grows closer, larger in size, and speaks easily. ]
Ah, sorry. To answer your question, I was commuting home after visiting an old friend. It was late on Christmas Eve, the subway was relatively empty, and I nodded off.
[ The blood red sky through the high rise windows, his professor's ignorance, the spite and rebellion boiling over inside him, the voice made manifest. The deal they once struck resurfacing, gaining strength, sealing itself to his soul. Azathoth. A new contract.
He looks down at the crumpled paper in his hand and laughs, shrugs, shoves it back in the satchel. ]
I had just signed something before I fell asleep, so seeing the contract when I awoke was a funny coincidence. But that's really the only notable thing about it.
no it's fine they're good they're gucci
[The last thing he wants is some doting nobody trying to make him tea, like he's a child that needs coddled. He'll get back - lay down for a few minutes, let his stomach settle and refocus on weathered spots on the ceiling and-
Focus now on the tale Maruki offers with ease. Christmas Eve. Shido's election is secure - he doesn't need to question that. No doubt in his mind over their plan coming to fruition with the thieves out of commission. A blood drenched body to bring in the new year. When he looks at Maruki, a man none the wiser over the corruption exploiting him, he feels-
Better. Breathes easier. There's a future guaranteed with his presence by his side, no matter how bizarre his background is. A carefree, lackadaisical tone relaying a story to be expected of anyone with a job. Subway. Asleep. Contract.]
I wonder why each of us was chosen. It seems too intentional to be random and yet it's only minor coincidences that bind us all together - sleeping and dying. It's quite the mystery to unravel.
god i woke up to so much good food from you i am SPOILT
Maruki huffs a sigh at the same musing that keeps circling his head. ]
I have a hard time believing that anything that would happen here is random. Even you and I – there must be a reason for it, as there is for everything else. I know I haven't been here long, but the things I've been hearing...
[ He shakes his head and looks sidelong at Akechi. ]
I hope to uncover some of the answers to that mystery through my counseling. If this reality is influenced at all by our cognitions, then the patterns are likely to lie much deeper beneath the surface.
[ Emotional wounds, pains of the heart. Same as it ever was. ]
I could be chasing after the wrong idea, of course. But this does all seem a little t– oh, wow.
[ They're close enough now that the size of the castle becomes clear. Maruki lets the train of thought drop and laughs, a hand through his hair. ]
I know you said it was something out of a fairy tale, but you weren't kidding! And there are really only three of you living here? What do you even do with all of that space!?
i am MORE SPOILT🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
If this reality is influenced by our cognitions-
By Mementos.
By a shared delusion.
By the exploitation of a world unknown from someone who can warp, twist and bend reality in a way that feels impossible, until you travel through a world of shadows and humanity's whispers.
The counseling is only useful to Maruki. Information gleaned for him alone to collect and disperse - Akechi on the sidelines waiting for fucking scraps like a hungry dog. Waiting for an kind, benevolent person to spoon feed him information when it's deemed worthy.
If this is Mementos, he's more than capable of figuring out the shit happening here and-
He needs Loki back, more than ever.]
I look forward to the conclusion of your own investigation then. It should be worthwhile and provide some deeper insight that no one else can achieve but yourself.
[The castle's grander is nothing to scoff at. It's an experience most in Tokyo will never have, so Akechi doesn't blame the shocked reaction. It's far better than carving out a shitty life in a hovel underground.]
I'm unsure what Vash does with it. As I said, I only live in a single room and tend to keep to myself. It would be a shame if he decided his benevolence was no longer necessary by us poking around. He's quite kind, but I would hate to push it.
[Don't fuck this up FOR HIM MARUKI.]
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Don't worry, I won't be poking around. I've lived entirely alone for... wow, ten years? Or more? So keeping to myself is all that I know.
[ With that said, he realizes just how strange it will be to share space again after so long – as ever, he rushed into this without much forethought and nothing but faith that it would all work out. Hopefully it will. He just has to remember what it's like to be around people.
He grins sidelong at Akechi as they enter. ]
I won't torment you by asking for a grand tour now. If you show me where that crossword is, I can take a look while you have a quick rest.
[ GORO AKECHI DISSOCIATION HOURS 2K24 LET'S GOOOOOO ]
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[Honestly? Thank god. This is the second time he's had to play tour guide to Maruki in a couple weeks.
He does offer the kindness of verbally pointing out the restroom, the kitchen, a crossword still on a table in a shared living space and-
He's going to just go off and die for awhile. Don't mind him!! It's just [static hours] now.]
gives you two domestic castle threads at once
The kitchen needs... a little work... The state of the refrigerator is tragic. What do these guys eat? Zazie eats raw meat and nothing else, apparently, but what about Akechi and Vash??
Take all the time you need, Akechums. This is dire and he has to fix it.
When Akechi eventually comes back to the living area, he'll find two cups of coffee on the table and Maruki curled up in the corner of a sofa with the journal he got to start writing down what he could remember from dream counseling in his lap. He isn't working on the crossword, he's writing an extensive grocery list to get this place fully stocked, but he will say without looking up: ]
Eight letters, suffering from malnutrition.
my life, my happiness, my joy - immense
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so fucking cute i hate everything god. WRAPPED. COOKED. I'M COOKED