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[he's not much at all into black licorice, anyway, but at least Twizzlers have a bit of a sweeter tinge to them. and more importantly, it's not anything like the toast and whatever protein he could stomach that he's been living off of the past few weeks. it has potential.]
What the fuck, so you can get actual food here?
[where the hell are his bottles of apple juice and doritos then? but he turns the candy over in his hands, inspecting it. yup ... it looks legit.]
You sure you don't mind sharing? This thing's probably got more flavor than anything else on offer combined.
What the fuck, so you can get actual food here?
[where the hell are his bottles of apple juice and doritos then? but he turns the candy over in his hands, inspecting it. yup ... it looks legit.]
You sure you don't mind sharing? This thing's probably got more flavor than anything else on offer combined.
Uh... not quite. I really don't know how they're even here, but this kid had a bunch of just... stuff? In his room. Stuff that's like. Impossible. Maybe he got lucky or something and hit the jackpot with room claims.
Or it's magic.
Either way, it's kind of delicious magic and I ain't complaining about it.
[He finds a spot on the desk to park his ass onto, the lack of chairs and chill environs in this place really begged to question who the hell the interior decorator was and how he deserved a stern talking to.]
Nah, finish 'em off. I figured you'd enjoy it, so I saved the rest for ya.
Or it's magic.
Either way, it's kind of delicious magic and I ain't complaining about it.
[He finds a spot on the desk to park his ass onto, the lack of chairs and chill environs in this place really begged to question who the hell the interior decorator was and how he deserved a stern talking to.]
Nah, finish 'em off. I figured you'd enjoy it, so I saved the rest for ya.
... Thanks.
[he'll just have a seat on the edge of the bunk and dig in, then — it's still not exactly his favorite candy in the world, but it is something to remind him that he does actually still have taste buds. and even though Twizzlers have pretty much no nutritional value, he somehow feels better. like the fact that he's not eating something cardboard-flavored may have given him more energy.]
What other stuff did that guy have? Makes me think I should have tried snooping in more rooms.
[he'll just have a seat on the edge of the bunk and dig in, then — it's still not exactly his favorite candy in the world, but it is something to remind him that he does actually still have taste buds. and even though Twizzlers have pretty much no nutritional value, he somehow feels better. like the fact that he's not eating something cardboard-flavored may have given him more energy.]
What other stuff did that guy have? Makes me think I should have tried snooping in more rooms.
[Akira is already there when Ryuji opens the door to the unclaimed room.
He's sitting on the arm of the couch, his legs stretched out long and straight in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He's shoving the last bite of what appeared to be an anpan into his mouth, though he wouldn't really call it that; he'd tried to get the food synthesizer to generate a few of the treats, feeling homesick, but they weren't quite right. The consistency of the bun had been a little off and the filling had been the wrong color and didn't taste quite right. But oh well, you take what you get.]
So, [he says through a mouthful of food, pushing himself up off of the arm of the couch and brushing his hands together to clear away the crumbs. He swallows, looking up to set Ryuji in a wide, toothy grin, his hands shoved into his pockets, nonchalant.] How d'you want to get your ass kicked? Your pick.
[He's so generous.]
He's sitting on the arm of the couch, his legs stretched out long and straight in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He's shoving the last bite of what appeared to be an anpan into his mouth, though he wouldn't really call it that; he'd tried to get the food synthesizer to generate a few of the treats, feeling homesick, but they weren't quite right. The consistency of the bun had been a little off and the filling had been the wrong color and didn't taste quite right. But oh well, you take what you get.]
So, [he says through a mouthful of food, pushing himself up off of the arm of the couch and brushing his hands together to clear away the crumbs. He swallows, looking up to set Ryuji in a wide, toothy grin, his hands shoved into his pockets, nonchalant.] How d'you want to get your ass kicked? Your pick.
[He's so generous.]
[Ryuji's eternally hard on himself, there's really no way out of this. His eyebrows furrow, and he takes Haru's suggestions to heart. Man, it's only been a few weeks here and he's already done some really, really stupid stuff.]
Thanks for bein my uhh
Like Tinkerbell? That little fairy thing that tells Peter Pan to stop being such a douchecanoe.
[Does that analogy even work???]
Roger... I'll get my head on straight
Thanks for bein my uhh
Like Tinkerbell? That little fairy thing that tells Peter Pan to stop being such a douchecanoe.
[Does that analogy even work???]
Roger... I'll get my head on straight
Candy... lots of outfits, too. Like, Nike branded shit.
[He got the hunch that there was way, way more stuff in there that lay in hiding, just judging by the way the guy carried himself, but Ryuji didn't press it. Being a thief is all about gaining small amounts of information over time to make judgment calls if something needs to be done. Not that he was outwardly thinking in that line of thought, honestly... he was experiencing the wild high of a sugar rush that was almost 3 weeks overdue.]
Tell me about it. All we got was some coffee cups and a few boring ass books scattered around here. [Whoever these nerds were living here before must've been the type to stay up late, reading.
He sighs, audibly, and peers over at the bed where Dave had situated himself. Oh, yeah they were supposed to talk about video games, but something else hits him that he wanted to ask before. And since Ryuji can't not ask questions that pop into his head---]
What's with the shades, by the way?
[He got the hunch that there was way, way more stuff in there that lay in hiding, just judging by the way the guy carried himself, but Ryuji didn't press it. Being a thief is all about gaining small amounts of information over time to make judgment calls if something needs to be done. Not that he was outwardly thinking in that line of thought, honestly... he was experiencing the wild high of a sugar rush that was almost 3 weeks overdue.]
Tell me about it. All we got was some coffee cups and a few boring ass books scattered around here. [Whoever these nerds were living here before must've been the type to stay up late, reading.
He sighs, audibly, and peers over at the bed where Dave had situated himself. Oh, yeah they were supposed to talk about video games, but something else hits him that he wanted to ask before. And since Ryuji can't not ask questions that pop into his head---]
What's with the shades, by the way?
[Coming into this scene like Odysseus returning home from a long voyage abroad, Ryuji is greeted by the one, the only, Penelope, as he sits furiously devouring a bean bun in the most inelegant way humanly (demonly) possible. Yeah, he gets the homesickness, the longing burn that makes him want to pass by a stall making fresh takoyaki, the way a pork bone broth can waft entire blocks of rundown streets in Tokyo if it's made to simmer just the right way.]
Damn. Where's my 'welcome home, honey'?
[And he smirks back at that wide, rambunctious grin. This was supposed to be a fight to the death, a fight for the honor of the people that they aim to protect. (Who was kidding here, though? Ryo and Ren were both far better suited for being in the protector roles than either of them were- just don't tell either of them that or you're bound to hear an earful). And Ryuji had thought long and hard about how this was going to play out. Venus begged him not to get physical, but there was something beautiful about breaking things.
Destroying something.
Even if it was yourself. He approaches, defiance written into him like it was a form of genetic code. Hands outstretched, he offers them face up.]
Slaps.
Damn. Where's my 'welcome home, honey'?
[And he smirks back at that wide, rambunctious grin. This was supposed to be a fight to the death, a fight for the honor of the people that they aim to protect. (Who was kidding here, though? Ryo and Ren were both far better suited for being in the protector roles than either of them were- just don't tell either of them that or you're bound to hear an earful). And Ryuji had thought long and hard about how this was going to play out. Venus begged him not to get physical, but there was something beautiful about breaking things.
Destroying something.
Even if it was yourself. He approaches, defiance written into him like it was a form of genetic code. Hands outstretched, he offers them face up.]
Slaps.
I'm wearing them as a joke.
[the joke being that he loves them sincerely, for the fact that they are a joke in and of themselves. he loves them so much he has worn them for three years straight.]
My best bro from back home gave them to me — they're the shades from Starsky and Hutch, which means at one point Ben Stiller also had them on his weird face.
[the joke being that he loves them sincerely, for the fact that they are a joke in and of themselves. he loves them so much he has worn them for three years straight.]
My best bro from back home gave them to me — they're the shades from Starsky and Hutch, which means at one point Ben Stiller also had them on his weird face.
That's some serious commitment to a joke, dude.
[And then the great reveal of his plenitude of feelings towards Ben Stiller comes unraveled; Ryuji's jaw drops because that's seriously...]
So that would make your best bro Owen Wilson.
[He wants to ask Dave if he wears them to sleep too, but he's not sure that he wants to know the answer to that question. Best to leave some mystery out there in the world. Either way, he leans back with his head against the wall.]
Sburb, right? [That felt tough to even say, what the hell]
[And then the great reveal of his plenitude of feelings towards Ben Stiller comes unraveled; Ryuji's jaw drops because that's seriously...]
So that would make your best bro Owen Wilson.
[He wants to ask Dave if he wears them to sleep too, but he's not sure that he wants to know the answer to that question. Best to leave some mystery out there in the world. Either way, he leans back with his head against the wall.]
Sburb, right? [That felt tough to even say, what the hell]
He's goofier, maybe. A lot cooler, too.
[Dave cares a lot about John, okay. also, not only has he slept wearing the shades, he has in fact worn other eyewear over them. if he is anything, he is dedicated.]
[but right, video games. the original topic at hand.]
Well, the ultimate goal of Sburb, through a series of extremely stupid and roundabout quests and battles, and if you happen to be lucky enough, is to create a new universe.
[Dave cares a lot about John, okay. also, not only has he slept wearing the shades, he has in fact worn other eyewear over them. if he is anything, he is dedicated.]
[but right, video games. the original topic at hand.]
Well, the ultimate goal of Sburb, through a series of extremely stupid and roundabout quests and battles, and if you happen to be lucky enough, is to create a new universe.
[Is it hard to be cooler than Owen Wilson?
Probably not.
One of those water stains on a piece of wood that resembles the likelihood of good old JC would still rank higher than him, but, he digs it. Ryuji would say similar things about Ren. He understands the concept of best bro-hood way, way too damn much.]
Sounds kinda cool, but I thought this was one of those building-sim games. Never saw any of those that had battles in it.
[Not yet getting that the game he was talking about layered itself right into the perceivable realm of reality.
Am I getting homestuck yet?]
Probably not.
One of those water stains on a piece of wood that resembles the likelihood of good old JC would still rank higher than him, but, he digs it. Ryuji would say similar things about Ren. He understands the concept of best bro-hood way, way too damn much.]
Sounds kinda cool, but I thought this was one of those building-sim games. Never saw any of those that had battles in it.
[Not yet getting that the game he was talking about layered itself right into the perceivable realm of reality.
Am I getting homestuck yet?]
[you are getting it! i'm so sorry.]
Yeah, it is. But even though you start off by building up your house, what you're really doing is helping build the final battlefield.
We never got this far, but based on what I've been told, if you manage to win, you get to go through a door to the new universe and claim the ultimate reward.
[whatever that is. nobody Dave knows has ever explained further than the fact that it is "the ultimate reward." he can only assume, given the fact that the god-tier status exists, that it has something to do with being gods of the new universe.]
Yeah, it is. But even though you start off by building up your house, what you're really doing is helping build the final battlefield.
We never got this far, but based on what I've been told, if you manage to win, you get to go through a door to the new universe and claim the ultimate reward.
[whatever that is. nobody Dave knows has ever explained further than the fact that it is "the ultimate reward." he can only assume, given the fact that the god-tier status exists, that it has something to do with being gods of the new universe.]
[It's okay, I've accepted this into my heart already]
Watch, you get to the end and it's like the mecha anime where it's just a blank room with the words "CONGRATULATIONS" written on a white screen with blank ink.
[That would actually??? be the worst thing that could ever happen, and he'd uninstall so freaking quick.]
Just to mess with ya. But uhh... sheesh, I can't even imagine what a game would offer as the ultimate prize. Godhood? Like, the ability to go back with unlimited resources and build everything as you want it to be?
Watch, you get to the end and it's like the mecha anime where it's just a blank room with the words "CONGRATULATIONS" written on a white screen with blank ink.
[That would actually??? be the worst thing that could ever happen, and he'd uninstall so freaking quick.]
Just to mess with ya. But uhh... sheesh, I can't even imagine what a game would offer as the ultimate prize. Godhood? Like, the ability to go back with unlimited resources and build everything as you want it to be?
[Ryuji is a lot more on the nose than he probably realizes.]
Don't know about resources. It's pretty easy to cheat some moronic crocodiles out of their money in the stock market and buy everything early.
Godhood though? Maybe. It's already a thing built into the game.
Don't know about resources. It's pretty easy to cheat some moronic crocodiles out of their money in the stock market and buy everything early.
Godhood though? Maybe. It's already a thing built into the game.
[He has to pull the brakes on this entire thing to make a very deep, very insightful comment about the state of Dave's universe and the game that tormented him over the past few years---]
Wow, that musta been pretty shady. Stealing their hard earned cash like that. And no one bothered to investi-gator you?
[Little did he know how much Dave was a god's honest crookadile.
And now that that's over, and he hates himself a little bit more than he did a minute ago.]
What does godhood get you? More bridges?
Wow, that musta been pretty shady. Stealing their hard earned cash like that. And no one bothered to investi-gator you?
[Little did he know how much Dave was a god's honest crookadile.
And now that that's over, and he hates himself a little bit more than he did a minute ago.]
What does godhood get you? More bridges?
[ANYWAY.]
It lets you level up even higher, but honestly, the leveling system was stupid and arbitrary anyway. But you also get conditional immortality. The ability to fly. A comfy set of magical pajamas. Divine stuff like that.
It lets you level up even higher, but honestly, the leveling system was stupid and arbitrary anyway. But you also get conditional immortality. The ability to fly. A comfy set of magical pajamas. Divine stuff like that.
[It's bad when your loser friends rub off on you and you become an even higher level loser.
Never to be mentioned of again, but hell, if he isn't scratching the back of his head and smiling like he thinks he's the best worst goddamn thing that graced this side of the station.]
This game kinda sounds like bullshit.
Although no one can deny how awesome comfortable pajamas are.
Never to be mentioned of again, but hell, if he isn't scratching the back of his head and smiling like he thinks he's the best worst goddamn thing that graced this side of the station.]
This game kinda sounds like bullshit.
Although no one can deny how awesome comfortable pajamas are.
[something like a genuine smirk threatens the corners of his mouth. there's nothing that he's said here that would blatantly indicate Sburb isn't just a computer game, that it's the actual, completely fucked up reality he's been living for three years. he hadn't even touched on the worse corners of paradox space and how easy it is for everything to go completely wrong.]
[and yet, he finds those two sentences oddly comforting. like maybe the guy understands more than he's letting on.]
[Dave chews on a Twizzler thoughtfully for a minute.]
Don't think you could sum up Sburb any better than that. Definitely not nearly as fun as Solitaire.
[and yet, he finds those two sentences oddly comforting. like maybe the guy understands more than he's letting on.]
[Dave chews on a Twizzler thoughtfully for a minute.]
Don't think you could sum up Sburb any better than that. Definitely not nearly as fun as Solitaire.
Eh. Maybe we can find a pack of cards in a room or something. At least you'll be occupied for hours.
[With their E-rank luck though? It'd probably be missing exactly one card. Probably a spade, just for the added ironic effect.
He doesn't exactly let on that he's starting to get the feeling that this is bigger than just a game, but it also doesn't freak him out to even know if it was a possibility- that this sort of stuff could exist out there. He looks at Dave, sees him about to offer what looks like a crook to the corner of his lips, and... cool. That's good enough. But so as not to stare, his eyes wander over to the pillow on the bunk.
Although his life wasn't a video game, he wants to come clean and tell him about Yaldabaoth's game. The one where god pitted two kids against each other and stacked the odds so high against them, all to declare that humanity couldn't, and shouldn't be in control of their own desires. Ryuji was real fucking tired of games that had no winning condition.
At least, if you play by the rules.]
Kinda weird though. I mean. Solitaire never gave me any time powers. [Bluntly put.]
[With their E-rank luck though? It'd probably be missing exactly one card. Probably a spade, just for the added ironic effect.
He doesn't exactly let on that he's starting to get the feeling that this is bigger than just a game, but it also doesn't freak him out to even know if it was a possibility- that this sort of stuff could exist out there. He looks at Dave, sees him about to offer what looks like a crook to the corner of his lips, and... cool. That's good enough. But so as not to stare, his eyes wander over to the pillow on the bunk.
Although his life wasn't a video game, he wants to come clean and tell him about Yaldabaoth's game. The one where god pitted two kids against each other and stacked the odds so high against them, all to declare that humanity couldn't, and shouldn't be in control of their own desires. Ryuji was real fucking tired of games that had no winning condition.
At least, if you play by the rules.]
Kinda weird though. I mean. Solitaire never gave me any time powers. [Bluntly put.]
I can't be you conscious all the time, Ryuji-kun. But you know I will always be here to talk some sense into you when you need it.
[Sure, it works.]
Now, tell me more. Were you able to get any good information after causing a fuss? Do we have names? Faces? Any ideas?
[Sure, it works.]
Now, tell me more. Were you able to get any good information after causing a fuss? Do we have names? Faces? Any ideas?
[......]
You probably just weren't playing the right Solitaire.
[it's a weirdly apt metaphor, if you think about it. you start with a deck of cards, shuffled any which way, and with a bit of strategy and a lot of luck, you end the game with all four suits arranged in order. as it should be.]
[it's the same deal with Sburb. it's trying to work with or around the cards your session has dealt you. it's attempting to rearrange the rules as you understand them, even if your little video game rebellion turned out to be something you were meant to do all along. it's sequencing frog DNA like suits of cards. it's attempting to make something as it should be.]
[in any case, Ryuji seems to have a knack for finding the actual meaning behind the jokes and sometimes plain absurd shit Dave says — so maybe he'll take that Solitaire comment for what it actually is. it's an acknowledgment that Ryuji was right — and it's a thanks. for understanding.]
I don't mind telling you more if you're curious. Rose has a lot more working knowledge than I do, though; she even wrote a nigh unreadable GameFaq about it.
You probably just weren't playing the right Solitaire.
[it's a weirdly apt metaphor, if you think about it. you start with a deck of cards, shuffled any which way, and with a bit of strategy and a lot of luck, you end the game with all four suits arranged in order. as it should be.]
[it's the same deal with Sburb. it's trying to work with or around the cards your session has dealt you. it's attempting to rearrange the rules as you understand them, even if your little video game rebellion turned out to be something you were meant to do all along. it's sequencing frog DNA like suits of cards. it's attempting to make something as it should be.]
[in any case, Ryuji seems to have a knack for finding the actual meaning behind the jokes and sometimes plain absurd shit Dave says — so maybe he'll take that Solitaire comment for what it actually is. it's an acknowledgment that Ryuji was right — and it's a thanks. for understanding.]
I don't mind telling you more if you're curious. Rose has a lot more working knowledge than I do, though; she even wrote a nigh unreadable GameFaq about it.
1P games get kinda boring.
[And as someone that gets frequently bored and ends up in mischief, that's never really... that good of a thing. But it's also an unintentionally layered statement, an extra slab of cheese somewhere hidden between the metaphorical sandwich buns.]
Hell yeah, man! I gave you twizzlers... that's clearly the olive branch of revealing deep, dark life secrets.
[And there's... 50? 60? 80? people out there in the station that he can't trust farther than he can throw them. Even if this information isn't TOP SECRET CONFIDENTIAL, it feels like he can open up a little more to Dave. Attempt to grow that small ring of confidence that currently contains 2 people into maybe 3. Either way, it's... kind of nice, and relaxing.]
[And as someone that gets frequently bored and ends up in mischief, that's never really... that good of a thing. But it's also an unintentionally layered statement, an extra slab of cheese somewhere hidden between the metaphorical sandwich buns.]
Hell yeah, man! I gave you twizzlers... that's clearly the olive branch of revealing deep, dark life secrets.
[And there's... 50? 60? 80? people out there in the station that he can't trust farther than he can throw them. Even if this information isn't TOP SECRET CONFIDENTIAL, it feels like he can open up a little more to Dave. Attempt to grow that small ring of confidence that currently contains 2 people into maybe 3. Either way, it's... kind of nice, and relaxing.]
[Dude, don't you even think about takoyaki or tonkotsu ramen around him right now, he will literally explode. All the food here sucks ass and he just wants to go home and go on a culinary tour of Tokyo and eat three times his body weight along the way.
But anyways, they're not here to talk about how they were homesick for the same city (albeit in parallel spaces) and the same food. They were here to kick one another's asses.]
You gotta earn it, sweetheart. [Said with a broad, shit-eating grin.
Akira likes Ryuji, all things said and done. He's aware of the proxy state of this honorary duel, that they were mostly fighting on the behalf of best friends that had gotten off on the wrong foot (to an exponential degree). But, hey, sometimes you had to do stuff like this in life, and Akira just hopes Ryuji won't take it personally when he makes him realize the error of his self-assured ways.
There's a beat of dubious silence when he declares the game. Akira's smile drops momentarily, suspended in a questioning lack of assurance, but then he just shakes his head, his hands coming to rest on his hips.] Cute. It's got that schoolyard nostalgia to it. [He rolls his shoulders in a shrug.] Alright, if you say so.
[He rests his hands over the top of Ryuji's offered palms, tilting his head slightly to one side as his sharp-toothed smile notches a little wider.] Sure you weren't just lookin' for an excuse to hold hands?
[He remains immobile, waiting.]
But anyways, they're not here to talk about how they were homesick for the same city (albeit in parallel spaces) and the same food. They were here to kick one another's asses.]
You gotta earn it, sweetheart. [Said with a broad, shit-eating grin.
Akira likes Ryuji, all things said and done. He's aware of the proxy state of this honorary duel, that they were mostly fighting on the behalf of best friends that had gotten off on the wrong foot (to an exponential degree). But, hey, sometimes you had to do stuff like this in life, and Akira just hopes Ryuji won't take it personally when he makes him realize the error of his self-assured ways.
There's a beat of dubious silence when he declares the game. Akira's smile drops momentarily, suspended in a questioning lack of assurance, but then he just shakes his head, his hands coming to rest on his hips.] Cute. It's got that schoolyard nostalgia to it. [He rolls his shoulders in a shrug.] Alright, if you say so.
[He rests his hands over the top of Ryuji's offered palms, tilting his head slightly to one side as his sharp-toothed smile notches a little wider.] Sure you weren't just lookin' for an excuse to hold hands?
[He remains immobile, waiting.]
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