catch-all: akira.

[miscakes]

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[. . . closes his eyes, folding his arms as he does so, expression pensive]

And that's why one of the first things Peach asked me was if I always believed everything I saw and heard.

[ha]

I need to thank her for giving me that warning so early. It's colored my perceptions of everything that's happened in this place.

[miscakes]

[He nods, pensive...]

If you truly wish to show your gratitude, then start by convincing the others that the sisters and their master are on our side. The house has been too successful at swaying the opinion of some of the others.

[survivaltricks]

[another curt nod]

Mmm. I've already tried to get people to trust the sisters more. They've been nothing but helpful from my perspective. And while I've been slower to warm up to Master Blue. . .

[hah]

. . . I guess I should see if I can pay them a visit myself.

[miscakes]

It's not a bad idea. Even if they don't grant you an audience, you can still exchange letters with them.

[Go meet god, Akira. It'll be fun.]

[survivaltricks]

[will it. . . . . .]

[he nods, then lets out a breath]

Thanks. . . I appreciate you sharing this with me.

I have one more question, though: who are the two gods involved in this dispute? Blue, and--?

[and. . .?]

[miscakes]

[COOL. There's the praise and validation he demanded. Nice.]

It wasn't clear from the context alone?

[He looks a little surprised, but...]

The house itself is a god. That's why it has the power to reach our worlds.

[survivaltricks]

[another nod]

No, I gathered that. I just wanted to make sure.

You didn't get any information on the nature of their godhood, did you?

[miscakes]

[He shakes his head.]

As you must already know, Master Blue is... not a person of many words.

[survivaltricks]

Yeah. Believe me; I know.

[ALSO, CURIOSITY IS KILLING HIM]

What do they look like?

[miscakes]

[He has to think about it, apparently, because there's a long pause before he speaks up.]

... Humanoid. That's the only way I can think to describe it. Their appearance is completely unlike anyone else in the mansion.

[Sometimes, you lay your eyes on a god and you don't know what the actual fuck you're looking at.]

[survivaltricks]

. . . were they really, really blue?

[look]

[miscakes]

[........ dead eyes him.]

No.

[survivaltricks]

What? Really?

[HE'S SO DISAPPOINTED???]

Plum said they exuded an aura of blue. . .

[miscakes]

Did she? Well, an aura isn't the same as your physical appearance.

[Let Blue be a genderless eldritch god. It's fine.]

[survivaltricks]

[THEY CAN BE A BLUE GENDERLESS ELDRITCH GOD???]

I guess so.

. . . anyway, that takes us one step closer to solving the mysteries of this place.

[miscakes]

[For a moment, it looks like there's something else he wants to say.

... And then he nods.]

Yes, it seems like our collaboration may be closer to an end than we thought. [Taking a sip from his coffee, glancing at the leggy...] Try not to die before you've upheld your end of the bargain.

[survivaltricks]

[. . . Akechi]

[there's a pause as Akira moves another chess piece, and he doesn't look up as he asks]

It doesn't have to end when our mansion adventure does, you know.

[miscakes]

[... He scoffs.]

Our deal will end once we get to the bottom of this. That's what we agreed on.

[survivaltricks]

[looking up now, studying Akechi's face evenly, expression unreadable. especially underneath this mask ]

[. . .]

Then what if I want to change the terms?

[miscakes]

[It's fine? It's fine. Whatever his expression from earlier meant, it seems like it has passed. He just looks... carefully neutral now.]

Then I would think you're a fool.

[survivaltricks]

You already thought that, anyway.

[so. like. nothing would change]

Do you want to alter the terms, too?

[because that pause, that expression, that brief flicker of. . . something at the idea that everything was going to come to an end. . . had to have been more than just a fluke]

[miscakes]

... You're so eager to set yourself up for disappointment?

[...

Well...]

If you want to alter the terms of our agreement, then focus on getting everyone home first. Everything will end if we don't succeed.

[It's not... a no.]

[survivaltricks]

[well]

[it's not a "no," and it's probably the best Akira is going to get in any conversation. even so. . . his mouth twitches, gaze flickering back down to the chess board. he seems. . . well]

[he seems a bit happy]

Then how about this: if we manage to get everyone out of this mansion safely, then we can extend the terms of our agreement to whatever happens back home.

As friends.

[aw he used the f-word. CASUALLY MOVE HIS CHESS PIECE]

[miscakes]

[Ah.

What the fuck.

Akechi stares at him for a moment... and moves his chess piece.]

You truly are beyond my comprehension. [Is that a bad thing, though?] Will what little is left your reputation survive if you decide to associate yourself with a convicted criminal?

[Hm?]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . hm!1]

[Akira's gaze snaps up again so he can blink at Akechi, mild surprise slackening his features. but it only takes a moment for that surprise to morph into understanding, and Akira scoffs in amusement]

I don't care about my reputation.

[HE NEVER HAS. NEVER WILL. FIGHT HIM POPULARITY HE DOESN'T NEED YOU!!]

And technically, I'm still a criminal myself. And I associate with other criminals already.

[maybe not convicted but he and his friends sure did get followed by weird men in black suits and sunglasses]