(open) if you don't want to, i can live with that

[jokey]

Whomst: akira and you~ ✨
What: akira wandering around doing akira things
Where: various places around campus
When: late january
Warnings: none, will update as necessary

i. CHATTY CATTIES

[The resident cats seem familiar, their toe beans pleasantly plump beneath his thumb and their fur silky soft... but something is off. Something doesn't feel quite right, and it's neither their beans nor their silky soft fur, so what could it be?

Stooped in the hallway, Akira turns to the black cat and shakes his head.]

I could've sworn you had a name. [Akira taps his chin, brows scrunched up in thought.] ...Miyuki? No. Morris?

[Akira's been here trying fruitlessly to converse with the cats for the better part of an hour. Crazy? Possibly.]

ii. STEAL BOOK, GET NAILED

[Incidentally, if you're studying hard (or hardly studying) in the library, you'll bump into Akira sooner rather than later. He's quiet, if not exactly shy, and strides up to eye the book in the other student's hands.]

That's a new one. Let me guess, another novel no one's heard of?

[The sharp-eyed might notice that all the fingertips on Akira's right hand have been thickly wrapped in bloodied bandaids. Curious!]

iii. STORE LOSER

[Should someone be headed towards the student store late in the evening, they might coincidentally find Akira giving the vending machine a nice, solid kick. He looks he might fire off a second when he feels the gaze of another student all but boring into him.

Turning, Akira brushes his blazer into place a little too casually. This is exactly what it looks like, and so Akira doesn't bother trying to save face.]

Sorry. The vending machine ate my homework. [Stepping aside, Akira flippantly motions to the machine.] All yours.

Comments

ii!

[mermaidcursed]

( sometimes reading in this place is just a migraine that makes nene wonder if it's even worth the effort. but she's been bored and... well, feeling a little burned out from sewing, and it's not like she can check the garden during the winter, so she might as well try something new. she almost doesn't notice that she recognizes that voice- but she does. and when she looks up, it's a familiar face, too-

akira.

her missing friend and former roommate. )

ah...

( she might stare in shock for a little too long before she realizes, trying to sign out a 'hello' with softly shaking hands, the book tucked between her arm and torso so as to not drop it. it's a test- on a few levels, actually. )

i

[commences]

Be careful, that one has a bad temper.

( as in if someone isn't careful, that one will attack a person in their face then take their eye as a reward after clawing it out. that's what makes the black one so cute, but he laughs as he watches his newfound companion acknowledge the feline. )

It's fought against seven people and a broom.

( no, really )

I hope you aren't Bev's next casualty...

( which is to say that the black cat won. )

[jokey]

[Her reaction isn't quite what Akira was expecting, yet it's not the look of distaste his subconscious anticipated. She's visibly shocked, and with an apologetic tip of his head, Akira dismissively waves a hand.]

Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.

[But he doesn't leave it at that. There has to be some reason why she'd reacted as strongly as she did. His tone softens when he questions her.]

Are you okay?

[jokey]

Seven people and a broom?

[Gasp! Akira regards the cat with awe... feigned as it is. He'd rather not get on any cat's bad side, frankly. That doesn't stop him from turning his back on it to address his classmate.]

That said, Bev's an unusual name. Is that foreign?

[mermaidcursed]

( ... no sign of recognition- both of her, and jsl. she should have expected both, because only a couple of the people who returned after going "missing" remembered everything, and not a lot of people know sign language at all, but she still can't help but deflate a little. quietly, she nods- even if it's a lie. not much can be done to fix this sort of problem, after all. where was her pda... ah.

she digs it out of her pocket and deftly types with one hand while she adjusts the book more comfortably against her before turning the screen towards him, careful not to send the typed words to the forums. )

you're ok
i just wasn't expecting it
you don't remember me, do you?

( a pause- and then she types again, repeating the process. )

don't feel bad if you don't. okay? this place can do things to you like that.

[jokey]

[...She isn't okay, the disappointment on her face clear as day. Akira feels a twinge of guilt, though he can't quite put a finger on why. He doesn't understand her, yet he feels as if he should.

He keeps his expression neutral as he answers her, shaking his head as he does.]

I'm sorry, but I don't. This is the first we've met, as far as I'm aware.

[...]

I can't imagine I'd forget a girl like you. What's your name?

[mermaidcursed]

( nene repeats the process again, smiling as she presents the screen once more. if it's a little bittersweet... well, who could blame her? )

my name is nene yashiro. it's nice to meet you again.
we were friends before. dormmates, too, but everyone in our room vanished around the same time.

( the smile falters, before dropping. )

something happened. not everyone returns from that sort of thing. i'm glad you did, even if you don't know me.

( she actually does know what happened- but, well, you don't just drop 'hey, you were murdered and we could never find the killer' on someone without a little preparation. )

[jokey]

[Yashiro, Akira mouths, but her name doesn't quite make it off the tip of his tongue. No... If they were friends before, then he ought to address her as such.

When her smile falters, Akira's picks up the slack.]

It's nice to meet you again, Nene. I promise not to forget you this time.

[As for "that sort of thing," as she so cryptically puts it... Akira slides into an open seat and motions for Nene to follow.]

Would you mind telling me what happened? I'm curious.

[mermaidcursed]

( he really does need to know, this much is true. in fact, that's an understatement. he could be in danger, and if she let him just wander off without knowing, she'd be allowing it. so, after a moment of worrying her lip, nene nods and sits down, putting the book down. after a couple seconds, she slides it over for him to see, since he was so curious. she thinks it's about ancient mythology? the script in yogen was hard to decipher sometimes.

nene is... painfully slow as she types. it's clear that if she's not rapidly rewording something, she's unsure how to proceed- but eventually, she slides the pda over again, wringing her hands over and over. )

the first thing you have to understand about yogen is that things don't work as they should here
people aren't from the same worlds. magic and things like that are real to some, fiction to others. people can vanish for months at a time and then show up good as new but "reset". being around the wisteria tree's flowers makes you sleepy, and can even knock you out in large enough doses.

death isn't permanent. multiple people were killed and have come back. some remember, some don't.

it was october second. nine people were murdered over night and left around the school. five were by lucifer-san, trying to protect someone he thought was in danger and then himself, later. two were by dito. we still don't know who killed the last two. there was too much happening at once, and one crime scene was tampered with. i know it sounds awful.

you were one of them. you and another boy, also named akira.

( she feels like she needs to apologize. )

[sisters]

( he spares a glance to meet the other's eyes, and after the flicker of surprise passes, a warm smile spreads across his face. )

Not quite.

( shutting the book around his finger to hold the page, he holds it up for the other to see: oranda goldfish definitive care guide. more importantly, while akira gets his look at the title, amami can notice something interesting of his own. )

You're an avid reader, huh?

iii;

[bullchuck]

_{[ That is certainly a kick. Would be a shame if a person got kicked by that leg, wouldn't it? Unless you're Itto who thrives off of fighting. His hair is tied up in a messy bun as he approaches Akira. He pops his lips together, giving the vending machine a good look over before putting his attention on Akira: ]}

Yoooo, what! You're givin' that easily? Just like that? Not even puttin' up a fight, huh! What the hell, man? You gotta get somethin' like this to respect ya!

_{[ BIG OLE SLAP ON THE VENDING MACHINE... ]}

Tell me what happened!

[commences]

Yep! Hm...? ...No one's ever been bold to ask that question.

( actually, it's forbidden lore of the school that komaeda has never told anyone about. at foreign, he smiles to confirm his suspicions, or just to lead him on even more. with one step forward, he'll point to the black cat who seems to be ready to move if they're both too close, and komaeda thinks that someone as expressive as the other is enough company around bev; so he comes closer to him, and not the cat. )

Bev's very usual, you'd die from dehydration if it wasnt. Anyway, it's short for "Beverage".

( what do you think? )

[jokey]

[Akira gives the book's cover a glance, but it was little more than a way to get his foot in the door, really. Nene, and the words typed out on the screen of her PDA, have the whole of his attention.

Upon reading everything, Akira sits back and crosses his arms, speaking quietly, evenly.]

That explains why this place feels as familiar as it doesn't.

[And frankly, it's a lot to take in at once. Akira pinches the bridge of his nose, nursing the beginnings of a headache.]

Why haven't the authorities been called? Do they not care about a bunch of schoolkids murdering each other?

[jokey]

[Oranda goldfish? Akira's seen a few in aquariums and books, but it takes passion to read a whole ass book on properly caring for one. A definitive guide, no less.

Needless to say, Akira doesn't quite share his passion, but he answers that question with an affirmative nod.]

What tipped you off?

[Could it be his lovely blood manicure? Akira lifts his injured hand and shrugs.]

This library's determined to keep its books. I wonder if the librarian personally confiscated my nails in my sleep.

[jokey]

[Here comes trouble. Akira had only intended to test the metal's mettle, but the boy (...whole ass grown man...??) who strides up to him and smacks the damn thing might actually intend to break it. No, he intends to fight it. Uh, but that said—]

Oh. I heard it cry. [the fuck is slapping it gonna do, bro] It says "stop hitting me, I have a wife, four kids and a terminally ill mother."

[jokey]

[Ooh, ✨forbidden lore✨. Akira's curiosity is naturally piqued, though it's immediately(?) apparent what kind of person he's dealing with here. The wise would keep their distance, but Akira's determined to be a fool to the bitter end, standing to size up the other boy more directly. What crazy hair you have, Komaeda...]

Beverage.

[Spoken flatly, as if Akira's not really a fan of the name. He's kinda not, but it's fine!]

And is the other one Burger?

1/2

[bullchuck]

_{[ There's a brief moment where he's processing. Almost as if he is believing Akira. There's even a passing expression of sympathy on his face. It's quite possibly because they don't have devices like this from his real world, so he feels some kind of de-attachment in regards to it. ]}

Wha..

[bullchuck]

No, wait, that ain't true! It's just a big box that gives you snacks when you put money in it! And people have problems all the freaking time with this thing! See, like this..

_{[ Itto jabs a finger against the glass, pointing to some shrimp chips. Excitedly, he turns to look over (and down) at Akira. ]}

That's the one ya wanted, isn't it? 'Course it is!

_{[ Oop. He's wrapping his arms around the machine. Was he really going to try and lift it? ]}

[jokey]

[...Ah. He was only joking?! Akira feels bad for unintentionally misleading this man, pure of heart and dumb of ass as he surely is, so he'll uh. Play along, for now, nodding shallowly.]

Yeah. The plain kind, not the spicy.

[Yet there's the very real possibility that this man's also fucking with him. What, is he really gonna lift the vending machine? No way.]

[commences]

...No, you're not good at naming, are you?

( they could have named her breakfast, but that's not how this works. also, stop looking at his hair, it's actually moving on its own despite there being no apparent breeze where they are.

... )

She's Lily May. ( he looks to the white cat, peering at her golden eyes before following back to meet akira's. ) I'll let you guess what that stands for.

i

[miirai]

Mii... I'm not sure what their names are either, but they don't look like a Miyuki or Morris.

[The small girl pipes up rather cheerfully with a smile on her face; she's actually rather fond of cats.]

[jokey]

Guess not. [wow komaeda very RUDE] I can't hope to top Beverage.

[As for the white cat... hi, lily mays here for oxyclean Akira has a few guesses. He slides his hands into his pockets and gives her a once over.]

She's white like a lily. What's the real answer?

[jokey]

[She's not wrong about that. As much as Akira wants one of them to be his replacement Morgana (whether he's realized that or not), Miyuki and Morris are pretty ill-fitting names.]

You're right, but it beats calling them Cat A and Cat B.

[Before long, Akira stands and straightens up, turning his attention to the small girl in front of him.]

Am I in your way?

[commences]

( STOP!!!! komaeda's going to teach him... how to name cats, since these are the only two of the four pets he'll ever see here.

lily may is so soft and fluffy, she's like a mop of white hair. she'll yawn, when will these slave boys feed her? )

Ahaha... close! You have to give me something for that, Bev was a rare treat, but Lily May is really surprising! What do you have aside from your time, I'd like to take that too!

( smile, smile! )

[jokey]

[Wha... Why does he have to give Komaeda anything?? Akira squints, turning to the cats as if to say you hearing this? This feels like the world's tamest holdup and Akira's not sure how he feels about it.

With a shrug, he takes his hands out of his pockets and presents Komaeda with... well, nothing. Bro, does he look loaded to you?]

Let's cut to the chase: what are you asking for?