Infighting Week Three

[animusmods]

Characters: any character participating in the Infighting event
Setting: pods, week three of the event
Format: any
Summary: All week three Infighting event threads should go in here, to keep things organized.
Warnings: horror, trauma, experiment results, impossible geometry, cabin fever

[Week Three Information]
[Week Two]
[Week One]
Dax's Pod
Riki's Pod
Jason's Pod
End of Week Three

Comments

[princeofjunes]

[Yosuke's been good about keeping his spirits up as best he can under the circumstances, but today... it's a little different. He can be found sitting against a wall, turning a paper figure in his hand around and around as he stares at it blankly, lost in thought]

[BEST BIRTHDAY EVER AMIRITE?]

[notagiraffe]

[For most the week Taiki has been crying, or dancing. But when he sees one of the people who was usually cheerful sat alone he went to sit opposite them.

He couldn't quite find the courage to talk though, so just sat and watched him quietly.]

[princeofjunes]

[It takes him a while to discern that he's being watched, but once he realizes it, he looks up sheepishly and fakes the best smile he can]

Oh hey, did you need something? Sorry I didn't notice you sooner... kinda in my own little world right now.

[notagiraffe]

No... sorry... are you alright... [He looks at him worriedly]

[princeofjunes]

... it's that, obvious, huh?

[He lets out a chuckle despite himself - he's bad enough where an almost complete stranger is asking him if he's alright. Still, without his usual support system, there's no reason to waste any kindness tossed his way]

Sorry, it's just... if I'm keeping track of the days right, today's my birthday. A friend of mine in Jason's group gave me a present, but...

[He trails off, because they've all seen how bad Jason's group has had it lately]

[notagiraffe]

[It was his birthday? Taiki blinked at him sadly, it was sad that he was here on his birthday and then mention of Jason's group made him even sadder.]

How... how old are you today?

[princeofjunes]

I'd be eighteen today, if we were back home.

[Though as soon as the words leave his mouth, he's smiling despite himself]

... that was dumb, it's not like being here makes me a different age.

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki nodded] No... though sometimes the time of year it is when you were last in your world and the time here is different...

[princeofjunes]

[He tilts his head, thinking]

I think I might have missed a few months, but the way things go in here, it feels like I've been here a lot longer than I have.

[He holds out the tiny figure in his hand - it looks like this]

My friend gave this to me at the last big group meeting. An early present.

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki blinked at the figure] What is it?

[princeofjunes]

It's... complicated, but I guess the easiest way to say it is that it's a part of me.

[notagiraffe]

Part of you... sorry I don't understand...

[princeofjunes]

[Yeah, just how the hell is he supposed to explain it without going into the whole 'You're not me!' shadow stuff? Hmm]

It's kind of like my spirit, I guess? I can manifest it in that form and do cool stuff with it.

[notagiraffe]

Oh! Like me and my beast form?

[So he was another creature, even that other form looked human-like as well. That made sense.]

[princeofjunes]

[Beast form? For real? But then, he really shouldn't be surprised with everything he's seen in the tower]

It's not really another form, just another part of me I can bring out. You can seriously switch into another form?

[notagiraffe]

So there can be two of you... sorry... [He nodded at the question and there was a gust of wind before a black horned beast stood where Taiki had been, Yosuke might recognise it from the creature that had ran on the treadmills the week before.]

[princeofjunes]

[He does indeed recognize it! It doesn't stop his jaw from dropping, though]

Hoooooly crap I didn't realize that was you!

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki jumped at the shock and quickly turned back to a human, wrapping Gyousou's cloak around him] Sorry...

[princeofjunes]

No, it's alright! I mean, you didn't eat me or anything. Actually it's pretty cool. Have you always been able to do that?

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki shook his head] I was supposed to be able to... sorry... I mean I have always been a Kirin... but I was lost... I've been able to do it maybe a year now...

[princeofjunes]

A Kirin? That's what it's called? Huh. So what do you do when you're all hulked out, anyway?

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki nodded] I help my king... he's not here though... but before...

[princeofjunes]

King... so you're a royal knight or something like that? Going off on quests, defending the kingdom, all that good stuff?

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki blushed at that and shook his head] I'm not a knight... I'm a Kirin... I have to keep the king on the path of kindness... I'm also a minister but... I'm so small I still don't understand all my work.

[princeofjunes]

[Keep the king on the path of kindness? That doesn't sound like any job he's ever heard of before. He mulls it over for a moment, thinking]

So like... if the king decided to go kill a bunch of innocent people, you're the one that would have to stop him?