026. [dictated]

[foolreversed]

[it's a while after Adachi discovered his new blank journal that he runs into another surprise: his Christmas present from the castle.

His just closed journal opens back up again as he falls back against his table, knocking it off]

H-How... What... How did you get here!?

[something actually replies back to him, and it sure doesn't sound human... or like any animal. In fact it is very screechy and just bizarre. But at least it sounds... happy?]

Scree!

No... no, no, no! You've gotta go back to where you came from, right now!

...screee?

Go! Oh geez if anyone finds you we are both so screwed.

[a brief silence. TIME TO GET MORE AGGRESSIVE.]

Go on! Get lost! Get the hell outta my sight!

[but then whatever-it-is just makes those screechy noises again. This time very distinctively UNHAPPILY, almost like crying. It also sounds like something just slithered away.]

No! Don't hide behind there! Crap... I'm sorry, I'm not rejecting you! Come on out? Be a good little-


(ooc: so because Adachi had literally nothing he could give a shit about back home, the castle gave him a tame, non-violent baby shadow as a pet. Basically he's got this.)

Comments

[ofhope]

[ Ew, you mean we have to touch?

He considers this condition for a moment, like it might seriously be bothersome, before shrugging and reaching out to snag Adachi's sleeve the same way children often do. ]

Okay, lead the way.

[foolreversed]

[trust me he is repulsed by this idea too.

He sticks his upper torso back in again, yanking Joshua in too

He'll let what he sees do the talking for itself.]

[ofhope]

[ There's barely a microsecond of that before he's immediately stepping away and letting go, ready to go drape himself back over the couch. ]

Booo~ring. There's nothing in there. The Four Seasons room has more going for it.

[foolreversed]

[Adachi meanwhile stays in there for a little bit. It might be different from back home, but it's still brings back a lot of memories.

He finally pulls back out when he starts to feel that familiar headache. This fog stirs up too much.]

It's not really interesting until you put someone in it.

[ofhope]

[ And Joshua has his knuckles pressed to his forehead like he's the one with the headache. And looking very irritated about it. ]

And you're going to put that little blob in there all alone? How cruel.

[ It's a half-hearted insult, though, as he's supremely distracted. ]

But do whatever the hell it is you need to do to make you shut up. There's too much noise all of a sudden.

[foolreversed]

Back home that's where these things lived. I thought there'd be more of his kind in there but...

[poor babby shadow... ;;]

What are you talking about? [OH GEEZUS MAGATSU IZANAGI CAN YOU PLEASE STOP, 10 SECONDS OF FOG AND YOU START GETTING ALL BITCHY QUIT IT at least Adachi's used to it by now fucking persona POWERS AREN'T FUN FUCK]

[ofhope]

[ Joshua, unfortunately, is not used to it. This is not normal noise, this is dysfunctional schizo mpd noise. ]

I said shut up!

[foolreversed]

Whoa! Okay, okay, geez...

[of course he thinks this just means not talking anymore, so he shuts up physically, crouching to the floor to pet his new baby shadow, remembering the time he spent in that place with other shadows, hungry, exhausted and on the run but adored by leagues of monsters...

...yeah he definitely missed them.]

[ofhope]

[ Adachi not talking doesn't really help, but it does keep Joshua from ripping his face off. The fact that he's remaining fairly calm once quiets does help, however. And since the following prominent thoughts are less antagonistic, Joshua does eventually calm down.

It's better without Pandemonium existing in this world. Always better.

Suddenly looking like he just had a long day at work, Joshua rests his cheek against his hand, this time more wearily than angrily. His eyes are more focused now, as focused as the dream-like state can be, but definitely pointed in Adachi's direction. ]

Hm, I suppose you can sympathize. That must be what makes you so angry.

[foolreversed]

What?

[looks up from petting Blacky]

What are you talking about?

[ofhope]

...Nothing. [ A pause. ] Blacky is a terrible name by the way. A child could think up something better.

1/3

[foolreversed]

Well, Fluttershy came up with it and I couldn't think of anything better so-

[foolreversed]

[...hold on.]

Wait.

[foolreversed]

How'd you know his name was Blacky?

[ofhope]

You can be so slow.

[foolreversed]

[til....ts......head...........................

you weird man]

[ofhope]

You should name it El Diablo instead. It's much more intimidating.

[foolreversed]

That's stupid.

[ofhope]

It is not. It's menacing! Do you want him to be bullied? With a name like Blacky, he will be.

[foolreversed]

I don't want him to intimidate people either! I want them to like him if they see him!

Calling him something like that makes him sound like a mean, guard dog or something.

[ofhope]

Well what is he? Can he even do anything?

[ Getting bored fast... ]

[foolreversed]

["LEAVE IF YOU'RE BORED THEN" Adachi would say]

He's a Shadow. They're like... made from fragments of suppressed human thoughts and desires. Or something like that.

[ofhope]

I've heard that term here before. [ Outside of the obvious usage, of course. ]

Some residents went on losses and were called 'Shadows'. They attacked some people or something. Is that the same thing?

[foolreversed]

Huh? Really? Something like that happened here?

Well maybe... it's a little hard to say since I wasn't here to see it. I mean, aside from these little guys, every one has their own Shadow; it's all that ugly stuff they keep to themselves and don't want others to see. I think little kids and the pure of heart are exempt, maybe. But they would usually rather show off- they lash out when they're being denied, but don't go around looking for people to attack. Not in my experience back home anyway. So I really don't know.

Do you know if they had yellow eyes or anything? That's the tell-tale sign. [man now he's really interested. GOTTA GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MYSTERY!!]

[ofhope]

[ He listens quietly, since this is actually useful information. Thoughts and feelings manifested? Sounds messy. And he wonders how pathetic a person would be to create this wimpy Shadow... ]

Who knows. It didn't affect me, so I didn't pay that much attention.

So you have a Shadow, then? You say everybody does, but your noise is unique. I only know a few like that.