text;; dead akechi speaking

[paysforall]

Just out of interest -

Has anyone other than myself and the Ren who blew up part of Shinjuku some months back been doing any significant experiments on the cognitive properties of this space? If so, have you found out anything interesting?

I know there were a group of you training in that tower in Iwatodai, but did you find anything there of interest, or just Shadows to beat up?

For newer arrivals: Hello, this is Shrike, comparative senior citizen of whatever we're calling this place. I come and go, unlike most everyone else, on account of my job. It seems like it's been a few months again, though I did get a few updates on my phone while I was away.

And before you ask: I don't go home under my own power, much less have the ability to send you back. Sorry. Don't sign contracts with strange demigods unless you know what you're getting yourself into, and, in general, try not to die.

Comments

[willowandoak]

yeah we learned u can change ppls hearts without stealing their treasure

[paysforall]

Or causing them significant psychological harm, I assume.

On the one hand, on a professional and personal research level, I want details.

On the other hand, given that the very limited number of 'real' people here with hearts to change... Well, I'll respect whoever's privacy unless they want to come forward.

1/2

[willowandoak]

d(ﾟｰﾟ@)

2/2

[willowandoak]

[ Rather than elaborate on the network, then, Ren pulls up his messages with Shrike and starts texting there. ]

it was me lmao

private texts ehnceforth lmao

[paysforall]

That was my suspicion.

And I am not fooled by your blithe lmaos. Are you alright?

[willowandoak]

u could at least pretend man
but yeah im fine, i let them do it
just weird as fuck to be in ur own palace
and even weirder that it worked, all they did was fucking. give my shadow a pep talk??
thats what ur rlly after. the secret methods

[ That is not, in fact, all that they did, or all that was necessary to change his cognition. But it really seems that way, looking back. ]

dead akechi also speaking

[herewardbound]

Well, from the Tartarus trips I've learned that I generate diegetic combat music

so that's neat

sorry about the soul contract situation, those fucking suck.

[paysforall]

Huh. Only in Tartarus, or also in Mementos/etc?

I know my partner hears diegetic music sometimes, and I think Sakuraba does too, or at least there's some sort of synchronicity with his powers going on, but it's just for them, not everyone else.

Beats being dead. Properly, that is.

[herewardbound]

Both, but it's started relatively recently. No idea why. They do have different musical styles, though.

And admittedly, yeah. Mind if I ask what kind of situation you're in, or is that too personal?

[paysforall]

Interesting. Is it recordable?

Employment as a Reaper in exchange for continued existence. Benefits include the ability to interact with the world of the living; drawbacks include being completely unremarkable to the world of the living. No one forms solid memories of us.

And being technically trapped in another world is also a drawback, of course.

[herewardbound]

I have no idea. Will have to take a microphone in next time.

Also... that's slightly horrifying. Can other Reapers at least interact with you meaningfully, or is this a one-man job?

[seekerofjustice]

It's good to see you, Shrike-san. I don't have much to offer in the way of cognitive psience, but I can confirm that graffiti art fades away like any other property damage.

[paysforall]

Well, that's a pity, frankly. I wonder if we could get it to stick if we all did a mural as a group.

[seekerofjustice]

That's an excellent idea. I would be willing to help experiment with this, if you would like. I've found that I enjoy graffiti art, and it would be nice to have art be able to remain.

[paysforall]

I'm sure there's a few people who would be willing to help out.

It also makes me wonder if I would be able to get the CAT mural from my Shibuya to stick for any length of time. It's a cognitive object in its own right, so it may have more staying power.

[seekerofjustice]

'CAT mural'? It sounds like there must be quite a story behind it, for it to also be a cognitive object.

[phantomlotus]

The Gorbs apparently celebrate holidays, but I'm not saying what one or else it'll return.

Also been trying to experiment with the books around here. It's weird that movies and TV act different, I want to see if I can get books to act the same.

[paysforall]

I admit I've been somewhat distrustful of the books here, at least as far as nonfiction, because it's impossible to tell if they contain truths or what the general public THINKS is true, given the cognitive space.

I assume it's fiction you're trying to manipulate, though.

[phantomlotus]

Yeah, I've been messing around with fiction. I want to see what kind of random stuff it can spout, but for the most part the books just end up pretty normal. It's really disappointing.

[paysforall]

Perhaps they're less influenced because books are generally less influential in pop culture and the collective consciousness.

Perhaps if you target your efforts on creating a tie-in book series to the movies?

[phantomlotus]

Huh, not a bad idea. I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

[odysseyandroid]

Someone damaged property in Shinjuku? Is that not a violation of the law?

What demigods do I need to be concerned of? Are there many? Will a demigod approach me and try to offer me a contract? I will read the fine print if they do, but how will I recognize them? Are there any precautions I need to take?

If you are dead, how are you able to send messages? I will do my best not to die.

Sincerely,
Ulysses

...Someone help this boy, he doesn't know the first thing about texting. Or about interacting with people for that matter.

[paysforall]

[Oh boy. Well, this is certainly a response.]

I'm afraid that you'll find that this place runs on the philosophy of 'no cops, no gods, no masters.' There are no laws here except the ingrained social ones.

There are quite a few demigods of the variety I'm talking about, but if you aren't dead, then you have no cause to worry about them. They don't interact with the living.

A a Reaper, I'm neither fully dead nor truly alive. I have one foot on either side of the line, so to speak, due to the nature of the job.

[odysseyandroid]

In this place specifically there are no laws. Understood.

Technically speaking I am not alive. I am an Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon. My mission is to destroy Shadows. Due to this, I may need more information.

A 'Reaper'. Does this mean you reap the souls of the deceased, like the 'Grim Reaper'?

Sincerely,
Ulysses

[paysforall]

'Technically speaking, not alive' is not the same thing as dead. If you can die, or cease functioning in a similar way, and you haven't, then you don't need to worry.

Not exactly. We deal with the souls of a particular group - those who have chosen to play the Reaper's Game for the chance to come back to life within a certain region, which in my case is the city of Shibuya. But only those who are already dead are supposed to be here, and there's no 'harvesting' or anything of that sort. We have nothing to do with the mechanisms of death itself, only what comes after in specific cases.