doublesmall | [PCs] team trust no bitch aka team hat aka chuuya & caren

[She sits down, waiting for them to determine who'll be taking first shift as they sleep on and off. She's been using a combination of her hat and the Magdala shroud to prop her head up, used to sleeping in minimalist situations.]

That's correct. It's a medical condition that replicates the physical symptoms of demonic possession.

[She can see no reason to lie.]

What are the physical symptoms of that? I always sort of figured possession would be, you know... pretty subtle.

[conceptually, anyway. but then again he knows jack and shit about demons.]

[She's never particularly secretive about this information, but circumstances mean she's rarely been asked. The last time had taken so long; Caren tries to get to the point this time. Despite the subject material, her voice stays matter-of-fact, even meek.]

It's rarely universal, but the are some common signs. Fatigue, pain, hormonal reactions. You're right: A possessed person might not show any symptoms. But I cannot, technically, become possessed. Say that a force entered a body it couldn't inhabit and tried to get out...

[What's the quickest way for evil to get out of a fleshy prison?]

...I'm guessing they do it pretty violently.

[most of this is still nothing that he knows-- but he can identify with that part, at least. he's experienced what it's like to have something trying to force its way loose.]

Is that what was with the bandages?

[Caren nods twice, both to confirm his assumptions about the violence and the question about the bandages.]

What, did you not believe me? I'm not some tragic, depressed waif.

I believe you, I was just-- thinking of something different, when you said it had to do with your job. Figured you just got injured a lot.

[which, okay, does seem to be the case. just not in any of the ways he would have thought.]

What was your job, anyway, just being a demon trap?

[Caren's lips pinch together.] ... Yes, if you put it that way, I really can't refute what you're saying. I identified the presence of evil for Church exorcists.

[She holds the crook of one arm with the opposite hand. It was, in a way, fulfilling to be so useful. But now, what meaning does it have?]

Is there anything else you need to know? I don't mind answering your questions.

-oh. Shit.

[see, he was halfway joking with that one, but. whoops!

he has the decency to not say anything about it, his expression something approaching apologetic; he does not have the decency to apologize aloud.]

That's about it. One more question, though: what did you lose to be here?

[She forgives him.

That's not a shitpost. It's literally what she does.]

That is... [A little difficult to answer, but-] Well, I don't mind telling you.

Do you believe in anything, Chuuya Nakahara?

Mostly just what I know. Not really sure where I stand on higher powers or anything, but-- well, if they're real then I'm probably on their shit list anyway, so I don't think it really changes anything if I believe in them or don't.

[there are other concepts he believes in, but considering she mentioned the church, he's just assuming she means the religious side of things.]

[Of course he's a pragmatism like that.

How serious she is about what she's about to say becomes clear in how she makes extended, unblinking eye contact with him, her golden eyes burning.]

I would say something to reassure you about your fate, but it seems I don't believe in anything, anymore.

[Get it?]

Anymore-? They can take that kind of thing?

[what the actual fuck.

he didn't exactly assume the prices they paid would be like this, though he was also fairly sure his missing hat wasn't what counted for his own. chuuya's sort of been assuming he doesn't remember owning something, that type of thing.

if they can deny someone their own faith, though... well. fuck.

soon enough that alarm fades, and he gives her a decisive nod-- though there's still something troubled in his expression.]

-then I guess we'll just have to get it back. I don't know about you, but I'm not the type who likes to lose.

I can scarcely recite a prayer.

[She's cool with moving on from this topic as quickly as possible. Caren seems surprised to see how concerned he is, and maybe it's strange to see that his alarm seems more pronounced than even hers.]

Yes, they have't defeated me just yet. This isn't enough to deter me.

Good. We're just getting started.

[he has to wonder, though-- she hasn't actually said she wants to win, and while she doesn't sound like she's going to just give up...

it might come a bit out of nowhere, but after a brief moment of silence chuuya asks-]

-Caren. You do want to live again, right?

[opportunities like this would only be given to people who'll pursue them, or so he wants to think, but then there was that woman who was against playing the game. maybe they're not, after all.]

[She doesn't have to ask what he means when he says they're just getting started. She's not stupid, and the words of the Assassin-class Servant are recent in her mind.]

...

[It's a real, weighty pause.]

It matters less to me than you'd think. But I've been told I need to rail against the system more often, and I wouldn't put my needs in front of yours.

[that pause-- well. gives him pause, and chuuya looks a little uncertain when she gives her answer.

'matters less than you'd think' isn't highly reassuring, but neither is it 'doesn't matter at all'. he'll have to go with that for now.]

...yeah, alright. As long as you're not going to up and decide you want to die for real, I've dealt with that more than enough.

That won't be a problem.

[Asking too many questions is outside of her normal style. She doesn't really care to pry so explicitly. But things have been strange enough that being an observer has been harder.

Caren lifts the arm he'd practiced healing on, the one she'd had to unbandage to cut open.]

So, this...? [He'd asked about it before.] It was from your experience.

Edited 2018-03-08 01:16 (UTC)

Yeah. My old partner was that way. Kept talking about how he wanted to die-- if he were here, I don't think he'd care about winning at all. Probably screw me over just because he thought it was funny.

[there's a good deal more anger in chuuya's tone, here, like he physically cannot mention him without his blood pressure rising. that's probably true.

a moment later, though, he breathes out a laugh without much humor to it.]

But he's still alive, and here I am instead. How's that for irony?

It sounds as though he was inconsiderate of others. [Maybe he really wanted to die, but it seems selfish to her.]

But that's exactly it, Chuuya Nakahara. You are here, and he is not.

[Is she trying to say something kind and calm him down? It could be, if he can sense something in her voice.]

He was an asshole and a waste of bandages, yeah. [understatement, coming from chuuya.] But- guess this just means I ended up more successful than him.

[that certainly is a way to look at it, sure,

he shakes his head, though, looking back to her.]

I told you, it's Chuuya. And speaking of being here... I ought to warn you there's someone here who knows me. An enemy of mine, when we were both alive.

Really? And not the Assassin-class Servant? He certainly talked as if he did.

The- what, that 'Assassin' guy? Yeah, we met, but he didn't mention anything about being someone's servant...

['met'. technically, it isn't wrong, he just doesn't want to tell her he lost a fight already.]

The one I'm talking about is Edogawa Ranpo. Short guy, black hair, glasses, insufferable little shit.

I imagine he isn't anyone's at the moment. You made an impression on him.

[She also doesn't disclose exactly that the impression was or what Assassin said about him.]

I see. Edogawa... What an interesting name. Do you see him as a substantial threat?

[that gets an uncertain look, but- he'll ask more about that in a minute, he's definitely going to want to know what that guy's been saying.

for the moment, though:]

Not a physical threat, he wouldn't be able to beat me in a fight. There's two problems with him: he's a detective where we're from, and he knows I'm from the mafia.

[and so does caren, now.]

[So she does.]

So you have killed before - and probably killed many. [Somehow she knew already, even without talking about it to him and others.]

I'll keep it in mind. With your background, it's possible he'll "put the heat on you," isn't it?

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did you cw for self-harm when you linked this? otherwise i'll do it now

i forgot so thank you

thumbs up

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