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]

[ 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.

[foolreversed]

Of course I do. Colette even met him once. [not that that went well though]

The difference between me and everyone else was that I accepted him immediately. I always knew that ugly side existed and didn't even try to deny it. So there weren't any problems.

[or at least back then there wasn't. Adachi might be surprised to see how things have been changing lately inside his psyche]

1/2

[ofhope]

[ That actually draws a silence out of Joshua, the air no doubt uncomfortable as he just sits there and observes Adachi, leaning against the armrest like he owns it.

Finally; ]

Well I guess you are one step ahead, then. Even if you are extra pathetic. Maybe that's your gift. The braver and nobler ones are too proud to admit their faults.

Still...

[ofhope]

[ He stands suddenly. Too quick to be normal, really. ]

For some reason I don't really like hearing you showed that sort of thing to her. Was it dangerous? It sounds dangerous. I don't like that.

[foolreversed]

[Adachi doesn't even react, save for his eyes shifting into Joshua's direction]

I didn't show it to her intentionally. The castle did weird things to our rooms, causing him to materialize. She decided to come look into mine. He just got to her before I did.

You can not like it all you want but it wasn't my fault, one way or the other. It's not like I invited her in or anything.

[ofhope]

She cares too much. It's her biggest fault, and obvious from the beginning. Someone like you probably shouldn't be associating with her at all, and you know that. I knew that even when I was a wimp.

So you should be more careful. If you do something to hurt her, even if it's 'not your fault', you'll be on a lot of hit lists. That's the only reason they even succeeded in capturing me. And with your age, it would look even worse. You'd be a dirty old man.

She has a sweet face, and a silver tongue. Quite a few hearts are hers.

[foolreversed]

I'm well aware of that.

[normally he couldn't promise anything. He knew he would hurt people whether he wanted to or not. He hurt Nanako, he hurt his partner, he couldn't trust himself with anyone and he usually knew better than to make promises about thee kind of things, even to himself.

Still though... for once...]

I'd never hurt her. I won't let that- or anything happen to her. I'd sooner push her away and make her hate me than let that happen.

[for once he actually believed that.]