closed | if all goes as planned

[sawthelockdown]

Characters: Asako Minegishi (sawthelockdown), CLOSED to Shepard (risingshepard); Naoya (crouching_sin) is getting involved as soon as Shep pushes the Paragon Interrupt button. WHOOPS...
Setting: Wherever the suggestion box is; BACKDATED to before Jason's announcement
Format: Starting on action but whatever works.
Summary: This happened. Asako is going to attempt something incredibly stupid as a result: asking the admins to make what she considers her true personality surface. And then paragon interrupts happen.
Warnings: idk we'll see. So far, just Devil Survivor spoilers.


[It would be so easy, and at least one of the admins would probably think it an enjoyable experiment. "Force Abel's personality to the surface, I don't care how you do it. Naoya needs him back." It'll be simple enough to write.

She's already got the sheet ready, but her hand is shaking. She's not sure she can write properly in this state.]

I can do this...I can do this...I have to do this...

[It's scary, of course it's scary. But maybe it'll be nothing worse than going to sleep for a while? It can't be worse than that.]

I have to, I have to-

[...Footsteps? She looks over her shoulder at the newcomer.]

Oh - heh - sorry, didn't h-hear you come in.

Comments

[sawthelockdown]

... I can't think of anything else. I've tried, but... I think he just really, really misses his brother. Yeah, I'm scared of this, but it's for the best, really. If I can do something to help, I should, right?

[Because this is all she can do.]

[risingshepard]

[...No. No, it most certainly isn't.]

What if it only makes things worse? What then?

[sawthelockdown]

I don't think that's even possible at this point. Nao-nii wants his brother back. I'm a fragment of said brother.

[That emphasis on the word "fragment"...]

So this is as much correcting errors as anything. He's missed his brother this whole time, longer than any of us have been alive. He's been feeling guilty over what happened, so if he gets a chance to talk with his brother, to apologize... No, there's no way this can go wrong. None at all. He needs his brother back, so I'm going to make it happen.

[risingshepard]

[...Hell if she knew what was going on, but there is something about that word she's kept using throughout this conversation that really bugs her. And knowing what the admins have done, they're liable to twist her wishes into something far, far worse.

She's putting a stop to this before it actually happens.] I beg to differ. There's far too many ways for this to go wrong, for you, and for him.

[sawthelockdown]

[She tilts her head quizzically at this.] How so?

[risingshepard]

You're asking them something that they could twist around in the worst possible fashion. How else do you think it could? And even if they did grant your request without doing anything else to you, you'd be proving yourself right about something that wasn't true in the first place.

[sawthelockdown]

[Her eyes narrow.]

How-? The other one, the one who came first, that's the real one. How can that not be true? How can they screw up making a person's real self surface? That isn't possible!

[risingshepard]

[You did not just ignore the fact that they could twist this into something your cousin would hate. You did not.

Shepard leers at Asako, watching her reaction carefully. Any more of this illogical crap and she's going to step in and rectify this herself.] Do I seriously have to repeat myself? That isn't what I'm trying to say here! If you go through with this, there's no telling what else they'll do to you just to spite him!

[sawthelockdown]

[She totally did. But now she's just shaking with rage. Does this woman not get what she's trying to do?!]

If they can't correct this, then who the hell could?! He's upset now, he needs his brother, how else am I supposed to make that happen?!

[Her voice has grown steadily louder and more desperate as she's spoken, rising almost into a screech. She's trying to look tough, but the fact is...well...right now, she isn't.]

[risingshepard]

[Okay. That does it.

She is hauling Asako to her cousin right this instant, whether she likes it or not. One more word out of her mouth and she just might punch the lights out of her instead of doing what she's about to do now.

Ever gotten scooped up without warning like a cat being picked up by the sides? Yeah, that's exactly what's happening here.]

[sawthelockdown]

[Asako is reacting about as poorly as a cat in that situation - hilarious, because with those earphones... There's also the fact that she is small and actually pretty light. All told, she is not menacing at all. More like a kitten that's trying to act like a grown cat.]

Where are you taking me?!

[That said, her voice is already quieter, less loud. She knows she's lost at this point, but that doesn't mean she has to be happy about it... especially since Shepard is taller than her and using that advantage!! This is not fair!]

[risingshepard]

To your cousin. Where else?

[She hadn't properly thanked him for what help he could give last December. Looks like she was going to pay him back now, and probably in very unexpected fashion.

Also, she still have plenty of years ahead of her, she'll grow eventually. 8|]

[sawthelockdown]

[And there goes that facade right down the chute.]

Y-you don't even know who he is, though...besides, he's got enough to deal with.

[You can almost see the ears going down right now, really.]

[risingshepard]

[Poor Asako, stuck between a rock and a hard place...and having height envy, on top of all that.] I'm sure he can make time for family.

[Now, where would she go if she wanted to find the guy in question...the library, perhaps? He seemed pretty well-versed, about as good as Chakwas...well, if she were from another time period, at any rate.]

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya is in the research library, looking over a book on mechanics. The ruckus causes him to look up, and... well.]

... Asako?

[What did you do. :|]

[sawthelockdown]

[There's just some discontent, incoherent mumbling and she looks down at the floor. Somebody is guilty and knows she is in for it.]

[risingshepard]

[Oh, there he was. All the better that he does recognize her; Shepard heads right on over and sets the smaller girl down once she's close.] Sorry for bugging you at a time like this, but as you could probably tell, it's kind of important.

[crouching_sin]

So I see.

[He reaches out to grab her wrist so she doesn't try to get away.]

What happened?

[sawthelockdown]

[She's not even trying to get away, man. She's just looking down at the ground and making noises. She knows she's in trouble.]

[risingshepard]

Your cousin thought waking up Abel was a smart idea.

[There's an odd firmness on "Abel" there...

...And before anyone asks--yup, it's probably as it sounds.]

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya's grip tightens, and he pulls Asako close.]

... Did you not listen to what I said? When I told you that you are not entirely Abel? And that you should never try to be him? You are Asako. Not Abel. You have a fragment of him, which allows you to do some things, but you aren't him.

[He growls low.]

Besides. His personality is much older than yours, and much more stubborn in some ways. You would not likely be able to come back from it.

So don't you dare.

[He looks over at Shepard, expression softening slightly.]

Thank you for bringing her to me. It seems my words aren't enough to teach her things.

[sawthelockdown]

T-that isn't true! I was just - being stubborn - wanted to help.

[Great, now she's made Naoya feel worse. This was the opposite of what she wanted, the absolute opposite, and wow she really feels like crap now. Guilt is a bad feeling, man.]

[risingshepard]

No need to mention it. [...Looking between them for a sec--this was probably a matter they could settle on their own from here.] Should I leave you two be for now?

[crouching_sin]

[He shakes his head slightly. It could be useful to have a fairly neutral third party, and since she already knows there's no point in hiding it.]

I might need help restraining her.

[Not that he expects it... but the insurance is helpful.]

... I know your intentions were good, Asako. But he's... dead. He's not coming back, no matter how many fragments I find. I miss him, yes. But missing someone who will come back and missing someone who won't are entirely different things.

[sawthelockdown]

[There's some grumbling at this - she's not happy at having basically been subdued like a newborn kitten - but...no protest. The fight's gone. As long as she doesn't do this again, everything will be fine, everyone can go on. It stings (after all, she's just a fragment and a fragment should not exist on its own) but...well, it's better than that whole spectacle.]

...all right. [She looks over and up at Shepard, obviously more than a little embarrassed.] S...sorry for dragging you into all this.

[risingshepard]

Well, if you say so. [In that case, she'll just put herself against the wall nearest them for now.

Asako's apology gets a shake of the head, regardless.] I've dealt with this sort of thing before; s' no big deal.

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya pulls Asako in for an awkward sort of hug.]

Please don't try to do something like that again. Promise me.

[sawthelockdown]

[.....What is this affection thingy??? She pats Naoya on the back, awkwardly. This is very awkward.]

Promise.

[The word feels hollow, dry and dusty, but she isn't lying. Today was a complete failure in every way.

(Just like a fragment existing on its own.)

But if this is what it takes to keep things working, then - fine.]