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personavelvetroomdr2024-09-04 09:21 pm
Friend or Foe
Location: Kichijoji Square
Interaction: +P4Sumi (engaged)
He finds himself sitting on the top of a pole situated at the very entrance of Kichijoji entrance- watching the crowd ignorantly walk around the premise with some children giggling and pointing up at a grown ass man housing himself at the top of some signal pole like a lost haunted sole. What they don't seem to pay attention to are the tentacles wrapped around the body of the metallic hub, making themselves comfortable as they burrow around Maruki's legs to make sure he's comfortable from the height- making it look like he was in a pod floating in air.
His own feelings however were no less peaceful.
Is it really true that the only thing he did was confront his senior teachers to accept his cognitive research before working with this entity who works like one of his own limbs...this felt immoral somehow.
He supposes that its better that he has this sort of power for now.
We can begin our research again. Doctor. The cure to humanity's true happiness is but a long arduous task.
"Where would you suggest to start?"
A tentacle loosens around the body of the pole and pulls up and pinches its spidery appendage together to point at a certain spot overlooking the general scenic view of Kichijoji's shops and Odaiba as a whole.
Kichijoji was a special place for Akira, wasn't it?
There is a lot of information in his mind but a lot of it doesn't have a source linked to it. Like bubbles popping and coming with no pattern- that's how his memory served him. It made things so much more difficult and now- with the ruckus everywhere; none of this was voing to turn out easy.
A research lab...
Suddenly a voice calls out to him from below as he looks below his pod- only to be shaken by the height. "Woah-!" He siddles back, watching as Yoshizawa-san calls out to him. He doesn’t recognize this one though so its best that he's a little careful.
"Erm...can you put me down, please?"
You don't have to ask twice.
Well all of this is still so new to him. "I'll be with you in just a second, Yoshizawa-san!" He yells down through his pod before nodding at it. Its then he realizes he's still in this strange clinical all white attire. He huffs as he closes his eyes and snaps his fingers.
His clothes manifest again and unlike the unstable transformation from earlier- they change back to his usual therapist clothes from earlier. Much better. He should look more friendly towards the likes of Yoshizawa-san.
Right. Yoshizawa. Not Kasumi.
The tentacles break and slowly wrap around Maruki's legs(while keeping a feet distance between his actual body) as it lowers down before the young woman like a gift. Well, Maruki was still a bit confused as usual but hey- it was not the worst thing ever. It actually came quite handy.
"I learned some interesting info from your friends over there, don't worry," he points his now bare finger towards the south-east. "At the Shibuya Square I mean. I am now 25% sure that we are still dead and going through delirium at its finest but considering how you kids adapted to the situation so easily...perhaps I am overreacting at this point."
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The five-year-old Akira Kurusu (almost six -- but shhh, don't tell anyone!) wanders over to the new place in Odaiba that's just popped up. He's got a big hoodie on to ward off the fall chill, his backpack, and his journal.
The building is very big and futuristic! Akira-kun walks through the front doors with his eyes wide. He told Rock-Akechi-san and Big-Not-Him-san he was going to the Inaba food court, but this is much better! Junes is new but it's already old.
"Hello," one of the receptionists greets him. "Are you here to see Dr. Maruki?"
That's the name he's heard, so yep! Akira-kun nods.
"He'll be with you in just a moment...please take a seat."
Aki-chan does, and waits. He is patient. And a patient! This is fun. (And so is his phone.)
1/2
The next morning is...surprisingly a lot like the rest of his days.
Wallowing away in his own thoughts, making breakfast for himself, it's all in a day's work and then after that? Shujin Academy. That's how his day usually went but now that he's staring down at his half-rotten arm with a dark foreboding tentacle feeding water to one of his potted plants in a can hovering around him- the normal in his life was less to be desired.
Being freelance had its merits with its demerits but its not like he could enjoy them with his injury or with the world surrounding him. After he leaves a quick voice message in Yoshizawa's inbox, he's ready to lie down in bed again and mull over his past life choices for coming here- he jolts awake from a call. He's half excited at the prospect of it being the young redhead but the contact says...something else.
Reception (Work)
Huh.
That is certainly interesting
Re: 2/2
This is immense.
This is your office, doctor. Your lab is still in the works right now but you already have patients and other cognitions to treat!
There is a lab..? I didn't have any seperate office space in Odaiba before- how could this be?
Judging from what Azathoth was telling him yesterday, it probably manifested on the day he stepped foot on this place and now he was walking through his very own white gallant gates that lead to an opulant hall and flashing lights everywhere. Shock and anticipation gushed through him whilst he regarded the place- lips parting in shock at his own workplace. To make a lab here...well let's not get ahead of ourselves here. He has been wearing the same all white outfit since yesterday, albeit he had removed his white gloves for the sake of giving himself to breathe after being stuffed from head to toe in this thing. There's a clean bandage wrapped around his entire right arm- peaking in from his sleeves and right now- he doesn't know what kind of patient his receptionist was talking about. He would much prefer his true outfit but he's...scared of seeing his tattered councillor outfit.
If this outfit is too intimidating though- he will just have to revert back to that.
His surprise doesn't quite diminish as he walks in the main waiting area and looks at the empty seats. On one of them was-
Okay.
Don't panic. Its not him. He's smaller...? Younger. Is that-
"See? He's here now-!" The calm receptionist speaks to the boy while the doctor still stares at him with wide eyes. "Best of luck!" She continues with a smile as she throws him a thumbs-up and nods at Maruki to take the lead.
Great.
He knows that face of course- he can recognize it from anywhere. The bright grey eyes to the messy dark hair- everything about this very sight screamed caution and right now, Maruki just had to make sure this wasn't another rude awakening he wouldn't be prepared for.
"Heyyy there-!" he poses a quick smile to the young man- really trying to keep his face softened as he stares at the innocent glint in those eyes. "What's your name, little guy? Do you...actually know me?"
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Hi! I'm Aki-chan, he tries to say, but what comes out is a little squeak. Darn, his voice is gone again...
He opens up his journal and turns it to the first page, an introduction page decorated with washi tape & stickers of all shapes and sizes, and shows it to Dr. Maruki. In his five-year-old handwriting, it reads:
"Hi! My name is Kurusu Akira. I'm five years old. I have selective mutism, which means I can't talk sometimes. I live with Joker and Crow and Raven in Inaba here. I am still learning the Japanese Manual Syllabary. Thank you for your understanding!"
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"Oh- there's no need to bow!" his guard falls a little as he regards the young boy who bows at him, hands thrown up with a small grin on his face. He really does hope that he's not being too forward with him or scaring him in anyway- he hasn't had such a young patient before. Well, atleast not alone.
His attention is peaked when he catches him removing a journal. He does journalling? With such habits he's already on such a good track but when he shows it to him, the gears click in his head.
Akira Kurusu.
A young version of Akira being here, approaching him like this..."Ah." He nods slowly, keeping his expression careful even if the memories of yesterday were flashing in time and again. Such a young impressionable self like him possibly turning into the leader of the phantom thieves in the future- he could only commend him for who he was. Strong and intelligent. "Wow- you live all the way in Inaba? I really hope your friends know you are here: this place is pretty far from there, you know?"
"Let's see, I know a bit of the syllabary-" He looks down at his hands- one bandaged and one bare hand. He flinches at the sight and fists his palm close before folding it to his back. "..."
I can translate for you.
He brings his other palm up to his eye level and gestures back and forth in a gentle motion. A brief Hello. "I just need to get back to brushing up my skills."
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Maruki chuckles lightly at the kid's excited nature, an honest smile growing on his lips at the thought of running into someone like an innocent little kid in a place like this.
His brows furrow however at the sudden influx of syllabary playing on the boy's fingers. The only few words he gets is- alone at home and burden which makes him frown a little.
Its then Azathoth speaks to him in a light whisper, using a young boy's voice as translation.
Oh.
"Oh no- you are the furthest from a burden, uh," he raises his right hand and points at the boy before bringing a thinking gesture on his head with a smile. "You seem very intelligent as is," he goes along before he sighs and looks away before gesturing at the top of the stairs. For some reason he felt like he knew exactly where to go around a place where he had never been before.
"Would you like to go fo my councilling room then?" he points with a thumb aimed at the stairs before there's a heartfelt grin on his face. "There will be snacks~"
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He takes out his journal. He doesn't have the signs for this yet...
You're not gonna be mean, right?
It's all he can really write.
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Maruki notices the somber look in the kid's eyes, making him stall off a little. Does he not like snacks? "We don't need to have them, I could probably make up something else-" he starts but pauses when he watches him write on his journal. He patiently waits, carefully gauging his reactions.
He leans down a little to take a glance at the writing. Huh. His smile drooping from the sides. "I don't...well this is supposed to be common patient procedure but I was planning to ask you for your friends' contact since they are responsible for you legally speaking- you are a bit young after all, if that makes sense."
"But it was really just that. And some snacks- I am quite hungry myself. We don't need to go to that room if you aren't comfortable."
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Oh...
Maruki grows quiet as a frown appears on his face, reading the message scrawled on the bright pages. "Yes, you have a choice here. I am sorry others don't respect your decisions like this," he shakes his head. "I will just need to collect my registry since that is a part of my counselling."
A tentacle sprouts close to the bottom of his foot, already ready to adhere to his command.
Maruki stomps on the floor to stop the tentacle from moving any further. He knows exactly what it needs to do- its trying to assist him so that he doesn't move from his place.
That will most definitely scare a child...maybe he should-
There's a hint of gold encircling his irises as he snaps his good fingers- watching as the tentacle materializes with bright blue flowers attached to its dark greenish stems. Atleast its less daunting like this as it slowly curls into the ground himself before Maruki gets glimpses of where exactly its going in this large office.
His counselling room.
A minute actualization...
He turns once again to regard the young Akira with a smile. "I just have a...magic assistant," he keeps his voice calm just so that the child doesn't get spooked. "Don't worry about it- would you like to go to the east gate with the small garden constructed there? I have actually not been there myself- if not we can stick to this place."
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"I am still learning to control it."
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Hah. Of course many people here had- one of them even blasted his hand away into bits. He doesn't want to think more about that but he couldn't help but release a wry chuckle- as if that sentence itself had pricked him.
"I..." he stops- his gaze flickering down to the growing darkness still blooming below his feet before offering a small smile at the child. "He's a little scary though...maybe I could..."
His fingers hover in the air as he extends his arm- gesturing forward with a flourish. "Come forth- Azathoth!"
The light around him exploded outward, revealing a massive, writhing form emerging from the void. Azathoth descended slowly, its central eye opening with a wet, visceral sound, the sclera glowing faintly as if watching from beyond time itself. Its endless, shifting tendrils stretched out, some coiling protectively around Maruki while others slithered in anticipation, seeking something unseen.
Azathoth’s form was a paradox—its mass both heavy and intangible, existing as though it were tearing through reality itself. The faint chime of a haunting melody played from nowhere, a sound that gnawed at the edge of comprehension, weaving dread into the very fabric of the air.
He snaps his fingers as the small tendrils dissipate into something like plant stems- the ends of which still grew like flowers.
"That's Azathoth. He can practically be anything you want it to be."
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Interesting.
"...Okay- I will cut to the chase here though," he quickly gets down to squatting to meet the Akira’s eye level. "Do you have any...guardians I can call? I am not telling you to leave- I was just wondering if you informed them that you are here or-"