deadtention | R1 DEADLAND PT2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

[That's a second glass... Well, Yoosung surely has a higher tolerance than Mitarai, because his body is so much more fit. Instead of someone being a prude and freaking out, they remain in peaceful silence. Mitarai has only a little sliver of songpyeon left by the time Yoosung asks him the question. He decides to just put it down and leave the crescent moon there to expand.]

I did.

[He looks up at the stars.]

I make wishes every year on Tanabata, the festival about the stars Altair and Vega. I once heard that the time the wish takes to get granted, and the power of the wish they can grant, is correlated to the distance from Earth. Meanwhile this moon is extremely close by comparison... It's almost definitely a backdrop in the simulation, not an object hundreds of thousands of miles away. So I decided to make a wish that would be within the domain of this moon.

Can you guess what it is, Kim-kun? You're the only one who might already know...

[If Mitarai weren't such a disgusting coward, he thinks, under the influence of alcohol, this would be the part where he puts his bare hand over the other man's hand. Instead he just tilts his head like a cat looking at something it likes.]

I want you to do that. As in, whatever was going to happen before the arrival of Waver Velvet-san.

[Yoosung told him to sort out his priorities, and isn't this the best way to start? By getting that information faster? Mitarai still has no idea how that's supposed to work, or whether anyone besides Yoosung could make that offer. He's not even sure Yoosung rejected him as too malicious to inform, it's rather plausible that they parted ways after Waver's arrival only because the situation was awkward. Isn't it?

Mitarai tears his eyes away. His wish is completely pragmatic. Period.]

...it's just a wish, though. Not an order or anything...

[Yoosung didn't turn to look at him when he asked about the wish, so he's still looking at the sky while he talks about Tanabata. Right, it's the Japanese equivalent to their holiday of Chilseok, the one about the separated lovers. Their star festival is a wishing holiday like this moon festival, but he'd never heard of this thing about the distance from earth. He's not sure where he's going with it at first, so he just sips his drink, silently taking it in. He doesn't cast a glance his way until he asks him to guess. Honestly, the thought in his mind is another how should I know, other than what he already knows about Mitarai's desire for them to have been friends. But he can't change the past... so he doesn't think that's it. It's supposed to be a wish for the future anyway.

Yoosung's mind is far from innocent, especially after two glasses, so when he just calls it that at first he stares at Mitarai and mouths the word back at him in confusion. If he's saying the distance between the moon and them is nothing then Yoosung and Mitarai's not-actually-physical bodies could also be considered to have the same amount of distance, at which point there are only so many things he could be saying he wants him to "do." The haze of his traumatic memory is still lingering, though, so it makes him feel an uncomfortable clamminess to think about something like "that." Which is why when he clarifies, Yoosung chuckles nervously and says]

Oh! That... [He just means the data transfer. 'Reach him through the simulation,' as he put it. He's about to just say "is fine then!" But he pauses. Connor told Mishima it was possible to reach someone this way without their consent. Given Mitarai's priorities, he doesn't think he can trust him with this after all. Not without considering all of the possibilities, like what Mishima told him to do. That means he's going to have to step on his Chuseok wish. Feels kinda bad. He takes a long sip... at least he said it wasn't an order.]

I... I'm sorry. I think I have to ask Eve if that would be safe to do.

[Maya was worried about what would happen if data transfer got in the wrong hands. He has to protect her.]

Edited 2018-09-27 18:44 (UTC)

[As soon as Yoosung begins to react, Mitarai suspects his Chuseok wish isn't coming true. Even before, he knew it was unrealistic. Yoosung obviously hadn't been hiding some burning desire to reach him through the simulation; he didn't go out of his way to meet him or bring it up now that they were seeing each other again at this party... not that Mitarai had, either. He certainly didn't send the shut-in Mitarai an email attachment or executable file that would arrive on a chip in his brain or something - there's still no more specific term that comes to mind than reaching through the simulation, he still doesn't know how it works and believed the hand holding was just that touching a gesture of blind trust disrupted by Waver, aka the consequences of Mitarai's actions. Yoosung seems particularly uncomfortable, asked to ante up that level of trust again, and Mitarai tries to wait it out without looking any more demanding or nervous. Taking back the invitation would be interfering with Yoosung's decision in its own way. Still, his eyes are keen when "that..." seems about to—

The pin drops. Mitarai feels an intense despair. The rejection itself is one thing, but Yoosung said something else that sets off Mitarai's negative feelings about his entire situation.]

...Who?

[Yeah... he figured it would hurt to hear. But Yoosung can't pity him too much for that. The fact is just that with Mitarai's talent the way he uses it, he would be uniquely positioned to take advantage of the data transfer for harm. He's assisting Maya and Waver, doing his best to ensure that can never happen.]

She's the AI that's sort of like the manager of the simulation. For the most part she just helps us with stuff though. If you ask her for an item she can get it for you, like ingredients for cooking or video games. I just figured she'd know the most about what the simulation would be, um, capable of.

[It's hard for him to hide the nerves when he puts it like that, though. But maybe that shouldn't matter - he can say whatever the hell he wants to Mitarai.]

But we don't have to do that anyway. I can tell you directly, it'll just take longer.

[The gears are practically audibly turning in Mitarai's head at that nervous statement. Apparently he's not being distrusted with the information itself, but distrusted with the capabilities of the simulation, which raises so many questions that he wants answered very, very badly, even more badly than the concern about the origins of the food or the vidya, though such particular supply acquisition priorities of Yoosung are very characteristic and endearing.]

Edited 2018-09-27 21:35 (UTC)

!!!!!!!!!

[Kim-kun trusts me with the information itself!]

You can?

[Half a glass of baekseju before this was too much; Mitarai feels lightheaded, looking up at Yoosung, waiting for the pin to drop again.]

That's more than enough for me! Thank you so much, Kim-kun! [Mitarai is running out of energy - maybe he's getting overstimulated again. His hands recede into his lap.] We should focus on celebrating for now... Let's do it some other time, soon. That's really alright? [SERIOUSLY, WHERE'S WAVER?]

[Wow... he's not used to having this thought about someone instead of the other way around, but it's like he's a puppy or something.]

Yeah, yeah... um, I always make meals for everyone in the cafeteria, so you can just ask me then.

O-okay! I'll see you there, Kim-kun!

...

[For a second he looked pretty wistful, thinking about how happy Terra might be to see this. That'd just get the mood down, though, because Yoosung and Terra are in separate and comparably poor circumstances. Mitarai fiddles with his chopsticks. He was thinking of going back to the japchae for something to do now that the songpyeon is done and the baekseju is losing its appeal, but maybe he needs to save his energy for tomorrow. His priorities are seriously upside-down.]

No problem~

[It looked like he was about to say something just then. Yoosung tilts his head, waiting to see if he does, but when he doesn't, he decides he should find somewhere to sit if he's going to keep nursing this drink. He already fell on his ass once, and he's not interested in having it happen again. So he just nods after that, and comes over to sit with him. He might as well after they've been talking about things.]

...Well, um, is there anything you want to talk about... like the living? Or anything really.

[He's sipping away. Pick your celebration topic, Mitarai.]

Sure... [He was really expecting that Yoosung might take advantage of this decent stopping point to fuck off and go to bed. There's a boyish part of him immensely curious whether - Yoosung has ever seen anime, or what video games he's been playing. These little fun friendly things like he would do with Terra. But what he also did with Terra was copy his actions as much as possible, so "the living" will do fine enough for Mitarai for now.]

Is there anyone on your mind? Since I know here you haven't been able to see anything for so long... [He looks up at the stars.] Terra might be looking at this in the Astronomy Lab right now. He's always loved stargazing - there's virtually no light pollution where he comes from.

Yeah, there weren't a lot of electronics where he came from. He didn't know what the internet was when I first met him...

[Though the sentimental value of 'looking at the same sky' wouldn't be true, huh. Well, maybe they capture an image of the sky or something...!!]

Terra's my friend, so I'd definitely like to know how he was doing. He was ... probably looking out for you, I assume. He does that.

[fondly said as someone who has also been baby sat.]

That explains so much. He didn't even know what walkie talkies were! [Extremely wistful smile.] We got a matching set, since I wanted to be there for him during the third motive when he lost his emotions.

We would hang out all the time. Sit together at lunch... Party games... He really acted like a best friend to me. The idea was to "show me the way".

Of course, he was very, very upset by those recent events... For so many good reasons...

[Mitarai looks down and takes a single bite of japchae. He doesn't want to downplay his betrayal of Terra but he would also like this to be about Terra and not him.]

Everyone teases Terra a lot for being so, you know, so earnest... He's even taken to thoroughly investigating the rooms that unlock. And he's still close with everyone from your entrance exam, but many of the others too now. Like, like Orga, who's been reaching out to the group a little more lately.

[Yeah....... how bad of Mitarai, when what he did was clearly not "the way." But he would also rather talk about Terra, so he lets it pass, but not without a solemn expression.]

I'm glad he's not letting it break him. He has such a big heart.... I heard that Orga's really smart, so I'm glad they're getting along too. Hank said he's leaving the trials up to Orga and Kurusu now that the police are gone, hehe.

[Shows a lot of faith Hank had in everyone, but he was right, so... good job Mitarai....]

I really do hope he can hang onto that smile like a lantern that never goes out...

[Coincidentally, when the name Kurusu is uttered, Mitarai finds himself too forcefully closing his chopsticks around the noodles in this japchae, repeatedly squishing each one he tries to pick up into separate pieces, until finally he gets himself a chunk of meat and eats that.]

Deep down Orga misses his comrades a lot, I think, but he's worth however many of them there are on his own! He asked questions that... Well, actually, thoroughly caught me and 2-D both... [HE'S SO IMPRESSED BY ORGA AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS!!!??? That's the tone Mitarai tries to convey to Yoosung.]

Edited 2018-09-28 07:06 (UTC)

Lanterns guide you in the dark. I guess that's how he saw his friendship with you. Too bad... you aren't gonna get to see it anymore.

[Terra can never die, he's not allowed. He's even drinking to that.

When it comes to Orga, he just nods.]

Good. I'm not over what 2D did! Dumb bastard... wish I coulda help catch him...

[Mitarai feels his entire body tense up. He thinks, 2-D didn't do anything - even though Mitarai has met him and seen his apologetic responsible demeanor, overall that just cements Mitarai's impression those were completely aberrant behaviors directly forced by the Administration. But for the first time... Unlike at the trial where he fought this point... Another emotion is present to counteract his twisted sense of justice. Because he really does wish Yoosung had helped catch him.

What was it Mom used to say? People without anything nice to say shouldn't say anything at all. She usually meant it in reference to bullies. Has Mitarai??? Become the bully??? The social dynamics don't fit, he's still the odd one out in the middle, but...

Mitarai starts on his baekseju again after all. This should make the shift in topic look natural.]

Max really likes the arcade we got let into recently... Almost everyone does. I really wish I had any more good news about her though... She's, well, mostly in more and more pain...

[When Yoosung isn't drinking, that's what he thinks about 2-D as well. But he still killed Maya, and for that there's a grudge he can never let go of in his heart. One thing Mitarai will never have against him is hurting Yoosung's friend. There also isn't any other outlet for his justified anger when the administration is still out of reach. Luckily, he is as easy to distract as Mitarai had hoped.]

Oh. Poor Max... I wanna play games with her again but that's not... good...

Edited 2018-09-28 16:04 (UTC)

Kim-kun...

[Mitarai makes an anguished empathetic face. Poor Max, and poor Yoosung who has to miss Max, and poor Max who misses Yoosung specifically.]

It's okay...! [That Yoosung feels that way, Mitarai's inflection makes clear; obviously the situation overall is not okay and sucks.] You know it's not quite good, and that's what matters... [Hey, since the AIs can go back and forth to an extremely limited extent, it's not inconceivable that they could possess an arcade machine... but Mitarai is not going to bring that up, for reasons.] Um... Pole position, uh, was one of the games she would play, you know... It would probably also be possible here to, too...

Oh... so if I played Pole Position, there might be a chance that she's playing it too?

[He hasn't played that game yet, but if it's there, that might be nice. He could at least feel connected to a friend by knowing what games she likes.]

Wonder if there'd be a way to tell...

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

[Mitarai picks up one of the halved glass noodles. Presumably he's thinking about this question.]

Unfortunately it seems like our machine and her machine are two separate items...

That's what I thought, but we were able to share the simulation room... it would be useful if we could get into their other electronics. I think.

Oh, really? What are some other electronics you think could be useful?

Haha, I dunno.... I just wanna crash the generator again. Vivi said it's okay cause our power source is separate!

[Getting worked up - not angry at Yoosung, just his interest thoroughly piqued by this]

Then the first generator in the school has an internet connection anyway?

When we found it the first time there was a weird puzzle....

R1 DEADLAND PT2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

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