thefoundation | Opinions without 3.1415 are just Onions (Week1 post trial)

No, and I don't think I look like one either. [ He huffs with an oddly placed smile.

No desserts! And there's only three texts, all from an UNKNOWN sender.

Complete the kaleidoscope.
There is only one way to leave the manor.
The weapon is in your hands. ]

I never really had the reason to use that app, that's all. It always seemed redundant to me when you could just text, but I apparently underestimated the power of animated stickers.

[The huff warrants a bit of a glance over at Hikage before he returns back to phone searching.

Huh. And were all these sent as separate texts at separate times or are we going to be dealing with more of that incomprehensible gibberish? Is there any way to get more information about this unknown texter, like what number they were calling from?]

Some people find them fun, apparently. [Hmm...] 'The weapon is in your hands'... don't tell me you were expected to bash someone over the head with this.

[ Yup, we're dealing with more incomprehensible date gibberish. Time is fake, especially in quarantines and psychadelic mansions apparently. The number of the UNKNOWN sender is less nonsense but not all that helpful as it's just a series of 0's.

Apparently is a mood with the stickers, though that's brushed aside at the mental image of hitting someone over the head with his cellphone. If only it was a Nokia brick there might be actual merit in it, but it does elicit a smile that's on the border between a full grin and laughter. ]

No, no...but we never actually tried it. If that was the key all along, then the master of the mansion really had a terrible sense of humor. [ He almost looks like he's going to laugh again. ]

The actual meaning of that text was to inform us of our ability to create firearms with the power of thought, actually. I'm not capable of it anymore, but if we pictured a gun in our hands: the texture, the weight and so on, it would materialize into reality. That's where my personal firearm came from, but I'm unable to summon and desummon it like I was in Psychadelica.

[...Okay that actually seems like a cool ability. He wouldn't ever need to worry about being disarmed or having it stolen or anything, it would be great??]

Sounds convenient. Did it also come reloaded every time it appeared?

[But wow this sender got the easiest number to remember?? Too bad they don't have reception, otherwise he would've tried calling it. Maybe it's a detail that will come in handy later. Anyways, time to check the camera and photos!! Please have blackmail-worthy material...]

[ Right, it sure would be handy around here too and totally not for any murder opportunities because limes would never do that. ]

It was once you got the hang of it, it took some of the others a while to master summoning theirs and even longer to summon it fast enough to defend themselves. But yeah, it came loaded.

[ The camera is your standard cellphone camera, though the quality isn't great but at least isn't total pixelville here. The photos though are maybe interesting, but definitely cute. Okay maybe the third one isn't even if the girl in it is. ]

[Limes are totally innocent and the meta sees nothing wrong with that statement.

But yeah, let's put the camera aside and stare at these kid pics (and that one weird pic of some other guy feeding a girl? okay dude you have interesting tastes). He recognizes Hikage at least, which is all well and good, but in a way that brings up its own set of questions. So, putting the matter of magical, infinite ammo guns aside with nothing more than a 'huh' in response, he'll flip the phone so the screen and the group picture are on full display to Hikage.]

Did you ever recall anything about this picture?

No. [ Biting his lip, he pauses but then figures he might as well give Date the full story despite what he said earlier. ] At least until recently. Earlier this week I talked with Sakaguchi about his ability, as I was curious if it could help with my amnesia. We decided to try it, despite the risk of him contacting me and...he was able to see a glimpse of my past.

Since then, I've been seeing bits and pieces in my sleep. That I have a twin—how could I forget that? Even if we don't really look alike, even if I can't remember my name, to forget someone that's my other half...

I didn't mention it sooner because I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to think, sorry.

No, it's alright. It would be a lot to take in.

[...]

And you didn't have any of these flashbacks before he used his ability on you, correct? No triggers from seeing or hearing anything else?

Yeah, that's right. [ Again he hesitates, but he had nearly said as much a few hours ago so.... ]

I have an idea of why that is, but that requires another confession. [ A sheepish smile down at his tea. ] I said at trial that I had another way of helping if we needed it, remember? The reason I think I've been able to recall some pieces of my memory to do with that.

I possess an ability that I didn't disclose during the introductions, though I didn't lie—it would be useless in combat. When I touch someone, I can read their memories. I can control it, so it won't happen unless I want it to, except that wasn't the case when Sakaguchi touched me. Both our abilities activated, so he was able to read my memory, and I was able to read his.

[He leans forward with crossed arms on the table as he listens to Hikage explain. It's a role he's used to, whether it's in an investigative or interrogative capacity, and the information gets the gears in his mind turning.]

So it was like some sort of mutual interference, and you're suffering from the aftereffects. [Hm...] Sounds like our circumstances are pretty different.

[ Hikage looks up when Date leans forward, blinking once but not shying away any. ]

Mmhmm, it seems that way. [ Tilting his head slightly. ] "Our" circumstances?

Yeah. [...] Sorry, it's not like I was trying to hide it, but it doesn't usually come up in casual conversation.

[Most of the people he knew back at home were either already aware or never got enough details about his life to make the connection. After a pause, he continues.]

But I'm missing memories too. I don't remember anything beyond the last 6 years of my life, outside of certain flashbacks I've been getting. I didn't think our cases were related, but I was wondering about it all, I guess. I don't get to meet many people with the same issues.

Ah, so that's why you seem so knowledgeable on the subject. No apologies needed, I don't usually speak of my circumstances as freely as I have been, but given our current situation it would be foolish of me to ignore the parallels.

[ He offers a small smile. ] I could try to help you remember, if you like. I'm not sure how deep I'll be able to dive, so I might just see flashes of your life here, but I'm willing to try.

[He's about to respond with some sort of acknowledgement about their current situation, but that offer gets him to stop. It's not really something he had considered for himself even when Hikage talked about it, but having the option right in the open like this... he has to admit he's a little tempted, even if only to check certain things for himself.

...]

Are you sure? You might see some unpleasant things in my head.

I've seen a lot of things in the past and here, already. And it's the least I could do for not being entirely truthful earlier.

[ It could be bad, but also pride and the fact that he figures it won't be as bad as a Sho explosion, so. After a beat he offers his left hand. ]

You don't owe me anything for that.

[...Still. He looks down at the hand before he takes Hikage's left hand in his own, grasping it like he would for a handshake.]

Do I need to do anything?

Thinking about what you want to recall might help, but aside from that no. You shouldn't really feel anything either. [ With that said his right eye flares bright red and Date will feel something—it's akin to a fluttering in his mind, the sensation not altogether unpleasant but odd for sure.

So, what horrors await Hikage on this trip down memory lane? ]

[It is a strange sensation, but he also got miasma'd a week ago and that was awful, so this is nothing. And while he does gather his thoughts to focus on what he wants to remember, what Hikage gets is this:

In a windowless office decorated with a colorful hodge-podge of miscellaneous objects, a woman sits on the desk in front of him as they talk. It's clear they're already in the middle of a conversation about a case involving someone named Shoko Nadami. However, there are points where a separate, somewhat mechanical female voice chimes in with additional details about the victim and her relationship with Date and various other persons of interest in the case, although it's clear that the voice isn't heard by the other woman in the room. Regardless, when they get to the matter of who reported the murder, something kind of fucking weird happens.

The memory cuts off shortly after the hamster(?) jumps onto the desk.]

[ Hikage had been prepared to view something distressing—his memory read with Ango had been far from a pleasant journey, and given Date's occupation the likelihood of viewing a crime scene was just about as likely as... life here, actually. What he hadn't been prepared for was a relatively mundane experience to turn into that.

The experience of having your eyeball hop out of your socket with an apparent life of its own is one he never considered before this very moment. As soon as the memory ends he stumbles back a few steps blinking, his right eye still red and his mouth agape. ]

Your eye is it— Is your eye a gerbil!? Some kind of talking gerbil!? [ Probably not the things he should be asking but lacking context and also being terrible with technology means yolo assumptions are the best he's got. ]

[Aw shit.

He probably should have expected that something like this could happen considering how imprecise Hikage made it sound, but damn. This was not something he had been planning to explain to people in the first place because it honestly was a pain in the ass. It simply brought up too many questions and Aiba was technically confidential, so he usually brushed it off with other excuses and explanations.

But in this case, he must've seen Aiba directly, so he can't really escape this one. But maybe he can still salvage something...?]

Uhh... sure, let's go with that. [...] Also she's a hamster, not a gerbil.

[we're doing great]

Edited 2020-04-29 05:30 (UTC)

[ What a riveting explanation Date, one Hikage mulls over for about .5 seconds before he narrows his eyes. But on the plus side he no longer looks like he's going to jump out of his skin, so there's that at least. ]

Hamsters and gerbils can't talk. [ Wait hold on a second because there's a talking cat here. ] And she didn't have a collar either.

Edited 2020-04-29 05:56 (UTC)

[Okay fine. It really would've been too good to be true if that kind of excuse worked on him, but alas. Horrors of horrors, he might actually have to open himself up to questions about this.

So he begins with a sigh.]

Alright, you got me. ...Her name's Aiba, and she's an artificial intelligence that's programmed into my left eye. I received her about 5 years ago when I was working for the MPD, and she runs support for me when I'm investigating cases. She stays in my eye most of the time, but every now and then, she pops out and takes that hamster form. I'm guessing she must've done something like that in the memory you saw.

[ Blink, blink. Artificial intelligence? Programmed? Hamster form? He has so many questions but let's them mostly go unasked because he doesn't want to look like he's inept when it comes to technology. Which he totally is.

After a few seconds tick by he manages a reasonable response, though "wtf" is still written very clearly on his face. Also at this point, both his eyes are once again purple. ]

Yeah, you were discussing a case that involved someone named Nadami Shoko. Wait, can Aiba hear us right now?

[Yup, that's just about what he expected when it came to this. The world just wasn't ready for Aiba... Interesting point about the eyes though, even if he won't say anything about it right now.

But as for that question.]

...No, I don't think so. She hasn't been working right since I got here, and I didn't tell any of the Foundation's agents about her either. I don't know if she's broken or something else.

Ah—I'm sorry. [ Is that what you're supposed to say in a situation like this? ]

Then does that mean your eye...? [ He taps a finger under his left eye between the two beauty marks he has there. ]

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