Then the white room turns dark. It might seem like the lights are off, but that's wrong. The room itself has turned from that pure white to black. Then even that pure darkness is taken over as hundreds of red eyes surround them.
To his credit, Akechi stays right where he is when the room does its... thing. His expression doesn't change even as the hundreds of eyes surround them, and the house smiles at them. Gross. He glances over to Luna and Akira to make sure they're both still there and not, uh, losing it. But—]
There are a few questions we'd like to ask you.
[No pleasantries because, you know. Fuck the house. This is Luna's idea, though, so she can ask her questions first.]
[Akira can feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as the dark room is suddenly filled iwth hundreds of eyes, each and every gaze piercing as though it's shooting right through him. but he doesn't react. he stays perfectly still, his expression even but firm, his attention seemingly focused on the smile ahead of them]
[but he keeps Akechi and Luna in the corners of his vision, just in case]
[unlike Akechi, he says nothing. he has no questions he wants to ask, but. . . that's only because he doesn't trust the answers he'd get]
[Unlike Akechi, who already has a remarkably ability to detach, and Akira, who has had who knows how many experiences in the Palaces of the corrupt... this kind of out-of-body experience is new for Luna. If she was frightened before, she's terrified now, frozen stiff.
But the cadence of the voice makes her think back to Blue, to the words they had offered and the conversation they had shared.
Do you know what emotions are, Luna?
...
Clenching her hands tightly at her sides, the lights of Luna's eyes slowly turn off, the closest thing she can do to shutting off her view of what's around her. Not the logical. Not the physical. But...]
[ When she speaks, all the eyes focus on Luna at once. The house's smile seems to get even wider, if it's possible. ]
Yes... We do. Would you like to hear it?
[ it does not give any of them a choice. It's a series of incomprehensible noises and a feeling they won't be able to place-- all of it happening at once, echoing in their minds and souls. Its mouth hasn't moved at all through all of it. All in all, it gives off an impression... of a house? ]
He conspicuously steps closer to Luna when all the eyes focus on her, and then—
That happens.
Whatever the fuck that is. A house? It's a house? Ominous house noises???????? He clutches his head, gritting his teeth and saying nothing. Does that count as an answer to the other question on their list? Probably. Either way, he keeps his eyes on that mouth, ready to act the moment things truly go to shit.]
[Luna has two bodyguards then, because Akira easily approaches her from the other side, reaching out to touch her arm gently, fingers pressed against the cool metal of her skeleton. when those incomprehensible. . . noises fill his brain, he hisses in distaste and ducks his head, hand pressed against his forehead as he does his best to keep the hundreds of eyes that surround him in his line of vision]
[he also says nothing!! and will probably stay silent throughout this whole thing, let us be real]
[Well, at least one of us has experience being an object in a sea of other objects, so at least that minute little part of /AUDIO HELL/ doesn't seem peculiar. She stumbles, only righting herself thanks to that hand on her arm. She mutters the barest of thanks to Akira, before intentionally pulling her arm away from him.
Keep your smile to yourself, house, she's not looking...! :( :(]
W-what are your intentions with Blue? Why do you play this... this game with them?
Blue. That quaint name. [ it sounds amused, but doesn't expand on that, its eyes going to look at Akira and Akechi. ] We do not intend anything, silly girl. We already have them. We have been together for so long, now. We play along when they try their little games, to keep things interesting.
[Why is the house a stalker? That's gross, house. He absolutely does not like having all of those eyes staring at him, especially when he's still kind of recovering from the OMINOUS HOUSE NOISES, but... Hm.]
And what will you do once things are no longer interesting?
[Something, something, evil house things, probably.]
[Akira feels a small jolt of-- disappointment? when Luna pulls away. but he drops his hand to his side, understanding that she wants to stand on her own two feet here. especially considering this was her idea]
[and he believes in her, so. . . he'll continue on as moral support]
[Akechi asks his question, and once again Akira stays silent, jaw set and entire body tense and ready to move if necessary]
[She is sorry, Akira, but you are absolutely right sort of kind of.
She tries to keep her mind where it should be... to focus not on the faulty logic and the lies, but on something broader, something that she on self-admittance did not know well, but that was encouraged to seek out.]
Why them? What... what is so special about them that you would both do something like this to so many people -- to so many universes??
Surely if you have control over them, you... you know things they don't. You... you must be very proud of yourself...
They are the same as us. [ it's said dismissively ] They are too young for a settled form yet, still... but their power and reach is the same as ours. They serve our interest now.
[ and now it is focused entirely on Akechi. ]
How can winning ever stop being interesting? We consume souls, and Blue provides us the show. Their struggle only makes it more fun.
[ the eyes are kind of going n_n, so that's fun. ]
[Luna is POINTEDLY TRYING TO IGNORE AKECHI trying to have a moment with the house because WOW THAT'S A BAD IDEA AKECHI.....]
But... why capture them to do all of this? If you have the power and reach that you both say you do, wh...why contain it this way, and why confine yourselves to each other?
Why do you allow it, when you... you could be easily entertained with grander things??
[ even the house is judging akechi. it stops smiling long enough to look confused. do you know how creepy it is for 700 eyes and one mouth to look confused, akechi. ]
We consumed them. [ slowly, like they think all these kids are too stupid to get it. ] Just like we consume souls. Alone, our reach is not as great. But we consumed them. Now we can feed much easier. They do not want to consume, only observe.
[It is very creepy but, also? The house stopped smiling for .5 seconds? He will take that as a victory. (No!!!)
Anyway, the house is annoying him now, so. Stares pointedly back at Akira and shrugs?? It's fine. They'll soon be boiled like lobsters, once the house is done giving them evil speeches.]
[Something about her suddenly goes cold, to hear it talk about devouring souls, the essence of being alive, like it was nothing and everything at the same time. It angers her, not in a way that can be seen in her current form, but one that boils hot in her chest, an unfamiliar and almost unwelcome sensation.
"Do you know what emotions are--"]
Observation is what leads to connection, which is what leads to advancement. If you thought it was a waste... then you would not have sought them out in the first place, would you? That itself is observation.
You speak as though you... you know so much and have so much power, that you have woven something special for yourself and this... this other that you've taken... but you...
[A beat. She exhales sharply, her voice colored with just the faintest hint of disdain.]
...You're really no different than an animal, are you?
[ the good news is, this does not seem to anger the house? rather, it brings the smile back on its face ("face") as it starts to laugh. it echoes around them ]
A predator. And you are our prey. [ it's not great that it agrees, probably. ] Always so indignant and full of fight, yet your fate will always be the same. What is there to observe?
<[ its tone is conversational. almost as if this is just a grand bit of fun toying for it! ]
He looks at Akira. Looks at the smile on the house's "face." Looks... at Luna... as she proceeds to snap at the house. And reaches out to touch her elbow, almost as if signaling for her to calm down. He quickly returns his gaze to the wall, keeping his eyes on its smile.]
I think we have heard what we needed.
[Translation: This is a waste of their time, so maybe they should drop it and go. Like, now.]
[Akira really had intended on staying quiet the entire time, knowing that the house was deceptive, knowing that there was likely little he could say that would be useful. but then the house-- the Oddity-- the. . . whatever this creature is compares them to prey, and something he was holding back inside snaps]
[he steps forward, not quite in front of Luna but certainly ahead of her, eyes flashing]
If I were you, I'd be keeping my eyes sharp.
[points at his own, points at. . . the mouth??? that's not an eye, Akira. but there are like a billion of those so he's just choosing something to point at]
Because in addition to your heart, we're going to take back our freedom. And when that time comes?
You won't be able to stop us.
[OKAY AKIRA he is 100% banking on the house not taking him seriously, honestly]
She doesn't say anything, only finally turning the lights of her eyes back on to finally, actually look at their so-called predator. Logic fights, logic SCREAMS to try and find a way for this all to make sense, to think of something else to ask, to rationalize it out. But Blue was right.
This wasn't wise at all.
Akechi might feel Luna tremble under his touch, as though she means to move forward at any second to do... what, exactly, she doesn't know. She wants to throw herself at this entity, to hope that it would be content, but... this clearly wouldn't be the case, would it?]
This really was a waste, wasn't it... [It's quiet, painfully disappointed, not breaking her eye contact with the walls.]
[ the amusement, unfortunately, stays, even despite akira's Dramatic Moment. ]
So quick to leave. The only problem is... where will you be going?
[ with that ominous comment, the eyes close, the mouth vanishes, and the black fades out of the walls, revealing the bright white of the otherwise empty room ...
and, uh.
that the door's kind of gone right now. and will remain so until about an hour before the mini-event tomorrow, in which they will come out feeling completely physically and mentally drained. but it's just that, right? that's probably not a big consequence.
You have nothing to apologize for. We made our choices, and we're just as responsible for them as you are for yours.
[tilts his head in Akechi's direction]
And Akechi is right. If anything, we got to see the actual face of our enemy. [or at least whatever face it was willing to show] That in and of itself is important.
[...It takes her a good long minute, but she will quietly concede, nodding to herself. They had both insisted, even after argument, even after hashing things out the day before.]
...R-right. Of course...
For it to look at all those lives, and talk about them like they were nothing but... but fuel...
[She sounds... bitter. It's a weird, weird thing to hear from Luna, of all people.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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and ringing
...]
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Then the white room turns dark. It might seem like the lights are off, but that's wrong. The room itself has turned from that pure white to black. Then even that pure darkness is taken over as hundreds of red eyes surround them.
The house smiles at them. ]
Oh... the bell. How quaint. [ its voice echoes eerily, in a fashion not too dissimilar to blue's. ] How may we help you?
[ it might not have a face proper, but that grin is still clearly mocking. ]
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Hm.
Don't like that.
To his credit, Akechi stays right where he is when the room does its... thing. His expression doesn't change even as the hundreds of eyes surround them, and the house smiles at them. Gross. He glances over to Luna and Akira to make sure they're both still there and not, uh, losing it. But—]
There are a few questions we'd like to ask you.
[No pleasantries because, you know. Fuck the house. This is Luna's idea, though, so she can ask her questions first.]
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[but he keeps Akechi and Luna in the corners of his vision, just in case]
[unlike Akechi, he says nothing. he has no questions he wants to ask, but. . . that's only because he doesn't trust the answers he'd get]
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But the cadence of the voice makes her think back to Blue, to the words they had offered and the conversation they had shared.
Do you know what emotions are, Luna?
...
Clenching her hands tightly at her sides, the lights of Luna's eyes slowly turn off, the closest thing she can do to shutting off her view of what's around her. Not the logical. Not the physical. But...]
...
D... Do you have a name?
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Yes... We do. Would you like to hear it?
[ it does not give any of them a choice. It's a series of incomprehensible noises and a feeling they won't be able to place-- all of it happening at once, echoing in their minds and souls. Its mouth hasn't moved at all through all of it. All in all, it gives off an impression... of a house? ]
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He conspicuously steps closer to Luna when all the eyes focus on her, and then—
That happens.
Whatever the fuck that is. A house? It's a house? Ominous house noises???????? He clutches his head, gritting his teeth and saying nothing. Does that count as an answer to the other question on their list? Probably. Either way, he keeps his eyes on that mouth, ready to act the moment things truly go to shit.]
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[he also says nothing!! and will probably stay silent throughout this whole thing, let us be real]
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Keep your smile to yourself, house, she's not looking...! :( :(]
W-what are your intentions with Blue? Why do you play this... this game with them?
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And what will you do once things are no longer interesting?
[Something, something, evil house things, probably.]
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[and he believes in her, so. . . he'll continue on as moral support]
[Akechi asks his question, and once again Akira stays silent, jaw set and entire body tense and ready to move if necessary]
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She tries to keep her mind where it should be... to focus not on the faulty logic and the lies, but on something broader, something that she on self-admittance did not know well, but that was encouraged to seek out.]
Why them? What... what is so special about them that you would both do something like this to so many people -- to so many universes??
Surely if you have control over them, you... you know things they don't. You... you must be very proud of yourself...
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[ and now it is focused entirely on Akechi. ]
How can winning ever stop being interesting? We consume souls, and Blue provides us the show. Their struggle only makes it more fun.
[ the eyes are kind of going n_n, so that's fun. ]
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They are younger, but their power and reach is the same as yours. Did you wish to control them before they could ever become a problem for you?
[luna: feeds the house's ego
meanwhile, akechi: this
It's fine.]
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[from his spot on Luna's other side, Akira shoots Akechi a pointed, somewhat blase look]
[buddy]
[pally]
[friendo]
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But... why capture them to do all of this? If you have the power and reach that you both say you do, wh...why contain it this way, and why confine yourselves to each other?
Why do you allow it, when you... you could be easily entertained with grander things??
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We consumed them. [ slowly, like they think all these kids are too stupid to get it. ] Just like we consume souls. Alone, our reach is not as great. But we consumed them. Now we can feed much easier. They do not want to consume, only observe.
[ the house ... makes a pffft derisive noise. ]
It is a waste.
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Anyway, the house is annoying him now, so. Stares pointedly back at Akira and shrugs?? It's fine. They'll soon be boiled like lobsters, once the house is done giving them evil speeches.]
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[. . . anyway he's still staying quiet. go go Luna keep asking questions!!]
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"Do you know what emotions are--"]
Observation is what leads to connection, which is what leads to advancement. If you thought it was a waste... then you would not have sought them out in the first place, would you? That itself is observation.
You speak as though you... you know so much and have so much power, that you have woven something special for yourself and this... this other that you've taken... but you...
[A beat. She exhales sharply, her voice colored with just the faintest hint of disdain.]
...You're really no different than an animal, are you?
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A predator. And you are our prey. [ it's not great that it agrees, probably. ] Always so indignant and full of fight, yet your fate will always be the same. What is there to observe?
<[ its tone is conversational. almost as if this is just a grand bit of fun toying for it! ]
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He looks at Akira. Looks at the smile on the house's "face." Looks... at Luna... as she proceeds to snap at the house. And reaches out to touch her elbow, almost as if signaling for her to calm down. He quickly returns his gaze to the wall, keeping his eyes on its smile.]
I think we have heard what we needed.
[Translation: This is a waste of their time, so maybe they should drop it and go. Like, now.]
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[. . . oh]
[Akira really had intended on staying quiet the entire time, knowing that the house was deceptive, knowing that there was likely little he could say that would be useful. but then the house-- the Oddity-- the. . . whatever this creature is compares them to prey, and something he was holding back inside snaps]
[he steps forward, not quite in front of Luna but certainly ahead of her, eyes flashing]
If I were you, I'd be keeping my eyes sharp.
[points at his own, points at. . . the mouth??? that's not an eye, Akira. but there are like a billion of those so he's just choosing something to point at]
Because in addition to your heart, we're going to take back our freedom. And when that time comes?
You won't be able to stop us.
[OKAY AKIRA he is 100% banking on the house not taking him seriously, honestly]
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She doesn't say anything, only finally turning the lights of her eyes back on to finally, actually look at their so-called predator. Logic fights, logic SCREAMS to try and find a way for this all to make sense, to think of something else to ask, to rationalize it out. But Blue was right.
This wasn't wise at all.
Akechi might feel Luna tremble under his touch, as though she means to move forward at any second to do... what, exactly, she doesn't know. She wants to throw herself at this entity, to hope that it would be content, but... this clearly wouldn't be the case, would it?]
This really was a waste, wasn't it... [It's quiet, painfully disappointed, not breaking her eye contact with the walls.]
...
Akira.
I think we should leave.
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So quick to leave. The only problem is... where will you be going?
[ with that ominous comment, the eyes close, the mouth vanishes, and the black fades out of the walls, revealing the bright white of the otherwise empty room ...
and, uh.
that the door's kind of gone right now. and will remain so until about an hour before the mini-event tomorrow, in which they will come out feeling completely physically and mentally drained. but it's just that, right? that's probably not a big consequence.
:) ]
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Well, then.]
Think we will be trapped here until we die of starvation?
[Cheerful!]
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[AKECHI]
[anyway he's dead-eye staring at a wall now]
No, probably not. Nie-san was released after a few hours, so we'll probably get the same treatment.
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gonna sink to the ground
and put her face in her hands
it's fine everything's fine]
T-this was such a waste of time....
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[Just saying! He walks over to touch the space where the exit used to be.]
It's useless to lament what we have done. All we can do now is wait it out.
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It wasn't a waste of time. We just have to make use of what little information we were able to get.
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I... I thought there might be a chance to learn, but... I... I don't know if it ever would have listened...
...
I'm sorry. Both of you. Blue said from the start that this wasn't a good idea...
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[Luna, please. Let them own their bad life choices.]
Even if we learned next to nothing, you can't say we're not properly motivated now. Consider it an additional reason to crush this house.
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[tilts his head in Akechi's direction]
And Akechi is right. If anything, we got to see the actual face of our enemy. [or at least whatever face it was willing to show] That in and of itself is important.
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...R-right. Of course...
For it to look at all those lives, and talk about them like they were nothing but... but fuel...
[She sounds... bitter. It's a weird, weird thing to hear from Luna, of all people.]
It really is a horrible thing.