[Akechi has, apparently, decided to go out on a walk after the execution — which is how he ends up bumping into him by the duck pond. Assuming Nic isn't horribly distracted, Akechi is going to slide into his line of sight and lift a hand up in greeting. Hi. Hello. What's up, Nic.]
[That sure is a greeting! Akechi blinks at him once he sees it, and though he looks far from cheerful with all that's happened, his lips still quirk up a little.]
It's Akechi, Brown-san.
[Not boy detective, please...]
I suppose this may be an stupid question, but... How are you faring?
[Well, in that case, he's flipping to the front page of his notebook where he's written a few commonly needed words, and points to "Nicolas" written at the top. None of this "Brown-san" nonsense. To the question, he shrugs.]
I've been in worse situations than this. But there's usually more I can do about it.
[Yeah sure whatever floats your boat, man. He sure doesn't know what it means but that's fine. He may look vaguely easy asian (he is, half) but he doesn't know shit fuck about it.
He shrugs again. It's frustrating sure but what can you do!!]
[Hilariously, Nic is the first one to ask him this since their arrival... So he looks a little caught off guard before he laughs.]
It's a long story, so I will spare you most of the details. But if you really want to know... [He trails off, tapping his chin as he thinks.] It was around two, maybe three years ago. There was a string of bizarre cases the police could not solve, and I was able to put the pieces together. The adults around me were so impressed, that I was granted a seat at the table... In a manner of speaking.
—Haha, that's a joke. Um... I suppose it says a lot about the faults in the justice system, doesn't it? But it was simple once I stopped thinking of each incident as its own separate case, and instead as pieces of a larger picture. That's where the adults failed.
Sounds like they weren't very good detectives. Though I guess the cops call my partner in to do something similar sometimes too. Don't call him a detective, though.
[He would, so he looks pleased by the fact that Nic skipped ahead and offered that info all by himself.]
Haha... Fotia-san and Thymos-san always end up in the library, don't they? [No surprise there.] But, that's quite helpful. Thank you. Is there anything else you noticed? Or, perhaps, something you were told about by the others?
Out of habit, I guess. Most normals are wary of Twilights, but no one here knows better. [Casually dropping the term. It's on his profile, but without any real context. Either way, he's fairly sure now there's not a need to hide it.]
[It sure is in his profile without context! Which means that, while Akechi is vaguely aware of it, he... doesn't know what the fuck that means. Nic gets a curious look as a result of it.]
Are "Twilights" discriminated against in your world...? [Ah. Wait.] I apologize if it's an insensitive question, but I'm truly unfamiliar with this particular use of the word.
[Nic nods. He didn't really explain when he mentioned it to Lio before, but Akechi seems like the kind of guy who wants Information, so;]
The government tried to make a drug that could create super soldiers. But the people descended from their test subjects ended up dependent on it with a lot of bad side effects, so they called it a failure and quarantined them. That's what Twilights are. We can't leave Ergastulum and have to observe the three laws.
Apparently they're the same as the three laws of robotics, if you know those.
[Nic is honestly surprised at the outrage? He's so used to things being the way they are that he doesn't really think about it. That's just how it's always been? No use getting mad about it, as far as he's concerned.
Even weirder is Akechi being mad about it because it doesn't affect like twice over. He just shrugs, after the surprise settles.]
[Nic sits down, making a face like he's already trying to think out how he wants to word this.]
You're the most normal person who knows about my pills. I've been keeping it to myself because...
That memory everyone got earlier from me, that's how most people treat us Twilights. Like we're beneath them. Monsters. I thought if people knew, they'd feel the same way.
[... There's something funny about being told he's a "normal" person, but Akechi doesn't let it show on his face as he reads what Nic has written down.]
Ah... So that's it. [A pause, as he thinks about how to respond.] We all hail from different worlds. Furthermore, we are all united by a common goal. I suppose it's hard to believe it after you have spent all your life being oppressed, but no one cares about what you are. Who you are is far more valuable to our cause.
[Nic looks at Akechi for a long moment, like he's evaluating him. It's a bit disconcerting the way Nic stares, with his dark eyes, and it's something he does a fair amount.]
Well, it's true enough here, I suppose. Most people are more willing to set aside their prejudices in a crisis situation. [He thinks it would maybe be different if they weren't all under threat.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week one, sunday.
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Boy detective.
[That's sure... A greeting.]
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It's Akechi, Brown-san.
[Not boy detective, please...]
I suppose this may be an stupid question, but... How are you faring?
[With, you know, the scapegoating and all.]
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I've been in worse situations than this. But there's usually more I can do about it.
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Nicolas-san.
[Let him be polite, at least!!]
... Is that so? I'm sorry to hear that. I can only imagine how frustrating it must feel.
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He shrugs again. It's frustrating sure but what can you do!!]
How'd you get to be a detective at your age?
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[Hilariously, Nic is the first one to ask him this since their arrival... So he looks a little caught off guard before he laughs.]
It's a long story, so I will spare you most of the details. But if you really want to know... [He trails off, tapping his chin as he thinks.] It was around two, maybe three years ago. There was a string of bizarre cases the police could not solve, and I was able to put the pieces together. The adults around me were so impressed, that I was granted a seat at the table... In a manner of speaking.
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How'd you solve a case real detectives couldn't solve?
1/2
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He's got a photographic memory. Last time we were in, Chad had him look at crime scene photos to identify the corpses.
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That's amazing... I'm extremely jealous.
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If he were here he'd tell you not to be. There's plenty of things he wishes he could forget seeing
week three, friday.
Nicolas-san, do you have a moment?
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What is it?
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[It's.......... nosy detective stuff! Unfortunately.]
Did you notice anything strange after waking up?
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All four of us in the library woke up knowing all about various mythologies for some reason.
[He pauses, then figures Akechi will ask, so;]
It was me, Lio, Galo, and Horikawa.
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Haha... Fotia-san and Thymos-san always end up in the library, don't they? [No surprise there.] But, that's quite helpful. Thank you. Is there anything else you noticed? Or, perhaps, something you were told about by the others?
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Nothing really. Apparently they always get information effects from the library, though.
Dunno why you think people'd tell me anything. I'm not the most trustworthy looking person here.
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[And that's, hm. Weird. He gives him a curious look, though.]
... Is that what you truly believe, Nicolas-san? We are all in the same situation. We must trust each other and share our information equally.
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Out of habit, I guess. Most normals are wary of Twilights, but no one here knows better.
[Casually dropping the term. It's on his profile, but without any real context. Either way, he's fairly sure now there's not a need to hide it.]
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Are "Twilights" discriminated against in your world...? [Ah. Wait.] I apologize if it's an insensitive question, but I'm truly unfamiliar with this particular use of the word.
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The government tried to make a drug that could create super soldiers. But the people descended from their test subjects ended up dependent on it with a lot of bad side effects, so they called it a failure and quarantined them. That's what Twilights are. We can't leave Ergastulum and have to observe the three laws.
Apparently they're the same as the three laws of robotics, if you know those.
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That's—
[... And then horror becomes indignation.]
That's disgusting. How can your government be so corrupt as to attempt to justify such a crass violation of human rights?
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Even weirder is Akechi being mad about it because it doesn't affect like twice over. He just shrugs, after the surprise settles.]
I don't think they really consider us human.
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[Nic? Nic?? Unfortunately, he's talking to a character from "Are you tired of being nice? Don't you just want to go apeshit?" the video game.]
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There's nothing I can do about what's already happened. I've always lived like this, so I'm used to it.
week 3, sunday
Wondering if I could get your advice.
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... Mine? [???] How can I help?
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You're the most normal person who knows about my pills. I've been keeping it to myself because...
That memory everyone got earlier from me, that's how most people treat us Twilights. Like we're beneath them. Monsters. I thought if people knew, they'd feel the same way.
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Ah... So that's it. [A pause, as he thinks about how to respond.] We all hail from different worlds. Furthermore, we are all united by a common goal. I suppose it's hard to believe it after you have spent all your life being oppressed, but no one cares about what you are. Who you are is far more valuable to our cause.
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Do you really believe that?
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I don't make a habit of saying things I don't believe, Nicolas-san.
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Well, it's true enough here, I suppose. Most people are more willing to set aside their prejudices in a crisis situation.
[He thinks it would maybe be different if they weren't all under threat.]
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[It would probably be the same, tbh. Maybe with a little less casual acceptance of murder, but...]