🌒 [Open]

[wipingallout]

... ... ... ... ?

What is...?

I shouldn't... be awake...


[In the Velvet Room...]

[It's courteous of whatever's going on with Igor's plan here that Hamuko is dressed. She probably shouldn't even have a body... whatever she has going on now... did her body fall comatose without her? Did it die? If it was alive, she surely should be much older. ... ... ... Maybe that all doesn't really matter, right now. She's here, gifted a chance to be around others again. The pinboard catches her attention first, of course. Signs of other people... so many little notes, talking about multiple versions of the same person running around. That's... that's charming... that's fun. ...Even if the notes about Ken Amadas make her sad...]

Hmm... I don't see any other 'me' off the bat...

[She'll take a few minutes once given a pen and some pink paper to doodle a little version of herself, signed with her name and phone number, and add it to the corner of the pinboard.]


[Inaba, Central Shopping District]

[What a fun little town! A charming place... hey, isn't this the town she went to for the volleyball camp? She loved the accommodations, but it's so nice to actually wander the streets and see the little shops. This place is SO rural, Hamuko had never really visited a place this remote, even when jumping between foster homes.] Let's see... what's the good spot for the locals? [No point being a complete tourist shmuck!!]


[Shibuya, Underground Mall]

[Well, since nothing costs anything here... might as well get some cute new clothes, right? Who knows how long she'll be around here, and 'dreaming up' new outfits didn't seem to be a thing. No lucid dreaming here - somehow, Hamuko felt a lot happier with that in mind. Still... the fashion is so different!!]

I just want one cute orange top...!! Is orange out of style? Dang it...


[Iwatodai Dorms]

[Of all of the places she's been having fun goofing off and exploring in, the dorms... she couldn't quite get the courage to open the front. Not just yet.]

Not even Koromaru is out front right now. ...I've gotta apologize...

Comments

[wipingallout]

"If you want to, Vi," Hamuko replied, without a second of hesitation, doubt or shame.

1/2

[unit_8910_wolf]

Zenkichi listened, but it only made him feel worse.

Worse than before. Somehow, guilty.

He had seen the way Hamuko’s eyes had lit up when Akane first mentioned how the Kirijo Group used the name Arisato, how they flaunted it to claim their ongoing success in society. He had seen the hope there, fleeting and fragile, a desperate kind of grasping at the thought that maybe something of her, of her name, still existed in the world.

And yet, now, listening to her talk about it, about how Death had been kind, about how it had wanted to spare them suffering—he couldn’t stomach it.

Not when she smiled like that. Not when she spoke like this.

Not when it reminded him too much of how Akane used to look when she was being “upgraded.”

Zenkichi turned away, jaw tightening. He couldn’t watch her. He couldn’t listen anymore.

“I don’t want to hear any more of that.” His voice was quieter, but firm. He exhaled sharply through his nose. “I know how higher entities act when they don’t want others to suffer. You have no idea what-”

He didn’t want to elaborate more. She just came here and whoever he spoke to were past dwellers of this place he wanted to sort help from or derive connections with. The memory of EMMA was burned into his mind—how she had convinced the world that eternal sleep was a mercy. Eighty fucking percent of it. So what if it needed a fucking friend to understand humans better? She ruined his life. She ruined so many people in the long run how dare does Hamuko think-

Before he could say anything else, though, Akane thwacked his arm.

Zenkichi stopped mid-thought, turning to look at her with a sharp, confused glance. The first time she did something like...

"What?"

"I believe her."

2/2

[unit_8910_wolf]

Her LED eyes flickered as she considered Hamuko, processing what she was about to say. “I… am not human. I am not Death. Nor am I life. But I lived within Wolf too, for the past seven years.” She paused. “I never really thought much about it before I came here. But then I did think about it. And I wanted to understand. So… I requested a human body. To learn. To assist humanity better.”

Zenkichi stilled, watching her now.

Akane continued, “Wolf was kind enough to use the wish event granted by Igor, around two weeks after we arrived, to make that happen.”

She hesitated for a moment, but then pressed on. “I’m still adjusting. I’m still learning. But… I want to be better. I want to be more helpful. I want to learn more about others- cause I am artificially intelligent right? People means information and I will be damned if I don't make use of this opportunity to learn more while I still can.”

There was something so certain in the way she said it—no hesitation, no doubt.

Zenkichi let out a short huff, looking down, rubbing the back of his neck. “It was no big deal,” he muttered, shrugging off the weight of it. “Not like I believe in Christmas wishes anyway.”

He scratched the inside of his palm absently. Not like it mattered that it had been both of their wishes.

He wouldn’t say that part.

That would be selfish. More than the act itself.

[shakenit]

'Vi' is doing funny things to Sumire's stomach. The same kind of funny things as Akira-senpai laughing at something she said that he thinks is funny, or Akechi-san letting the Detective Prince mask down.

...or, now that she thinks about it, Futaba-senpai saying 'Stop Talking Shit About Yourself Challenge!' when she knows exactly how difficult it is.

Oh.

"I. I think I would."

[wipingallout]

She was willing to concede that yes, of course, maybe what remained of Ryoji had disappeared and died after the Seal as well. The Appraiser probably ceased existing, after all... he hadn't returned to school with the rest of them.

Another person dear to her that was now gone... for now, she could bear it. And if she was the only one that remembered Ryoji, then she'd keep him alive in her heart that way.

All of those thoughts, as she thought to speak them, though - fell entirely to the wayside as Akane spoke up for herself, and defended Hamuko. As she explained everything the two had been through in this place so far, how she had a body now, and all of it. It warmed the smile on Hamuko's face, seeing these two... she saw so much of Aigis in them. Finding identity and purpose.

"Even if you aren't a flesh and blood human being, you're a person. I believe that wholeheartedly - I always have," she simply said to both Zenkichi and Akane, voice soft and warm. "If you'll have me, I'd love to get to know you two more, too."

[wipingallout]

"It'll be a blast. What kind of places do you like going to when you eat out instead of cooking? I usually splurge for good seafood or traditional sweets," she chattered, letting Vi have a little breather. Or just stew on it a little more.

[shakenit]

"Um. I don't... I have a high metabolism, so pretty much anywhere that serves hearty portions will be fine." She can figure out what works best nutrition-wise once the menu's in front of her.

[wipingallout]

"Have you tried Wakatsu yet? I always ate there waaaay too many nights in a row before exam week. Gotta get those omega 3s! I think with my grades it paid off, eheheh."

[shakenit]

"I have! It's very good. Aragaki-san also recommended the ramen shop, but I haven't been there yet."

[wipingallout]

"Oooh, Hakagure is great, too!! Their house special is fantastic. A little salt heavy so I always make sure to drink a lot of water after."

[shakenit]

Sumire nods. "I drink a lot of water anyway, but that's still good to know. Something like the burger place, I'd reserve for after a particularly vigorous workout, when I need to replace a lot of calories at once."

[wipingallout]

"If the menu is on the heavier end with Hakagure, we can take the night to break into a pool and burn calories that way - might as well break in the new swimsuits, right?"

[shakenit]

And there's the blushing again, but at least she's also smiling. "I - I guess so."

[wipingallout]

"Heehee. I'm not pushing you around too much, am I? You can always tell me off, I won't be offended - I get caught up in excitement sometimes," Hamuko reassured.

[shakenit]

"You're not. I'm not used to this, but... it's nice."

Kasumi just bulldozed ahead with what she wanted to do, and assumed Sumire was also down for it. Most of the time Sumire convinced herself she was. Hamuko is taking her opinions into account - she's taking charge with the ideas, but Sumire doesn't feel unheard.

[fogboundcrow]

Their food is one of Inaba's local traditions for a reason.

[In any case, Akechi makes his way up to the counter.]

Two orders of the steak croquettes, please.

[The cognition, with its vacant smile, nods along and gets to work. It's all a bit eerie, but he's used to it.]

[wipingallout]

"Heheh. Well, tonight I was just gonna relax, say hi to everyone staying here in the dorm, maybe watch a little tv. You're free to join me!"

[wipingallout]

Not paying for anything still seems so wild! And the people here make it feel very... dreamlike.

[Not a good thing, but... not really a bad thing either. If there weren't other 'aware' people around then it would've been a lot more frustrating.]

[shakenit]

"All right. I'd actually been planning to see what's around for dinner when I came downstairs, if you wanted to help...?"

If she doesn't want to cook, Sumire won't make her.

[wipingallout]

"Sure!! That sounds fun, let's go for it!" Hamuko agreed, hopping up from the couch with a bit of pep.

[shakenit]

The moment Sumire crosses the threshold into the kitchen, something in her posture eases. Calling it confidence might still be a bit of a stretch, but this is where she's the most at home, the most certain of her skills. This is the one thing Kasumi was never better at.

She opens the fridge and starts rooting around. "That's the stuff Aragaki-san wanted... this is somebody's leftovers... good gods, how long has that been in here?... ooh! Could you check the pantry and see how much rice we have?"

So far, she's found the unclaimed makings of a decent stir-fry.

[wipingallout]

"You got it," Hamuko agreed, getting out the rice and, seeing the ingredients coming out and getting a few other staples and some spices that could go well in seasoning rice. Once ingredients were out, Hamuko rolled up her sleeves and washed her hands, ready to cut, mix or saute depending on Vi's instruction.

It looked like she was taking charge, after all - she'd let Vi shine and support, this time around!

[shakenit]

Pork, eggs, snap peas, an onion... "Are you any good at grating apples?"

Those are going into the sauce, for extra fiber and a bit of flavor enhancement.

[wipingallout]

"I've zested lemons - are we looking for peel and the flesh too, or just peel?" Hamuko asked, reaching into the drawer for the grater.

[shakenit]

"Peel and flesh." As for the rice, Sumire sets up a pretty basic seasoning profile that should enhance the stir-fry's flavors without overpowering them, then gets the rice cooker started.