thenearshore | [open] you always fold just before you're found out

Who: Davesprite and you!
When: September 21st-22nd
Where: The vicinity of Neith's temple, generally around the Far Shore
What: Davesprite has just remembered Some Shit, specifically that he's a timeline duplicate and all the terribleness that comes with that. Existential crisis time?
Warnings: Self-hate and depression stuff are the main ones, will add any others as they become relevant.

[A: September 21st, abandoned temples and around the Far Shore]

[Waking up to new information that he'd really like to think is a dream (or nightmare) but definitely isn't doesn't get any more fun on repeat, Davesprite's finding. He's had to cut himself off from the question of how exactly he went from human to what he is now a few times in the last few months, so he should be grateful for remembering. But then, he didn't realise exactly how bad remembering was going to make it.

A few poor sword trees stand scattered around the area, probably pilfered from either somewhere on the Near Shore or one of the training grounds. The sword Davesprite has in his hand isn't the one he held in his memories, doesn't have that power - he no longer has that power over time he once did - but somehow, it's calming to reach for what he has left. Something unpleasant still stirs in his gut at having to raise his blade, but it's not the same as what he gets in an actual fight.

One moment, he's standing across the field from the targets, but within the space of a blink, he crosses most of the gap. In another, he's upon them, moving in bursts of speed so concentrated he can't be seen for the moment he makes them, merely seeming to appear briefly to slash at the trees before vanishing again and popping up somewhere else. Only loose orange feathers and deep cuts on the trees mark the path he's taken, and once he's gone through and given each of them a beating hard enough that some are barely even standing anymore, he flashsteps back to the middle of the clearing and sheathes his sword back through himself.

And then he bends under a flush of sweating and lightheadedness, looking like he's about to pass out right there. His past self made it look so easy in that vision, but time is beyond his control now.]

--

[B: September 22nd, Neith's Temple surrounds]

[The sound of electronic music is audible well out into the pathways and land around Neith's temple in the Western District. It's not the raucous interruption of a half-practiced garage band, though - the music is smooth and well-mixed, snatches of violin playing through soft and enigmatic backing. It feels like the right instrument to use here, and he's not sure why, but he doesn't question it as his talons play over his turntables and soundboard, then keyboard and fader, crafting and blending tracks like it's something he was born to do. There are a lot of ways to deal with the memory of what seemed to be everyone important to you in your timeline having died, having to advise someone through their impending cessation of existence and another out of what would have been their death if you hadn't taken yourself back in time to talk him out of it the way it didn't happen the first time. Davesprite, for once, is choosing not to wallow in it. Whatever he is, whatever the nature of his existence might be that another of his selves stands as the "original" and not himself, he owes it to those people to make something out of his survival. He doesn't remember if he did so in his world or not, but considering how he constantly feels about himself, he's going to bet it wasn't the case.

The music becomes more and more eclectic in mood every time it plays, bright and yet sorrowful in parts, and Davesprite seems completely absorbed in it. It's only when he either spots someone coming close enough for him to see or hears a particularly loud interruption that he snaps the speakers off again, feathers standing up a little and giving away his surprise along with the preoccupied flicking of his ghostly tail.]

Shit, hi, sorry, still a work in progress and I'm not taking requests right now, maybe call back later.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I turned it off. Or I turned the speakers off, at least. The electronics are fine.

[As far as he knows, since he's pretty sure just one rough instance of switching off his speakers isn't going to kill them. On the note of nicknames, though, he shrugs.]

Yeah, I'm not that bothered unless it's something grossly uncool, but fuck, don't start calling me brother, that just sounds kinda creepy.

[She might still be testing nicknames, but Davesprite's just going to make absolutely sure she doesn't try the latter suggestion on him.]

[She gasps, hands going to her mouth.]

Creepy?

[She has no intention of using it on him now, but she's worried about calling someone like Raichi 'brother' in front of him now too.]

Wh-why does that sound creepy? I mean, is that... anyone?

[That's probably not the best way to ask her question but she's still very stunned.]

[Davesprite waves a hand somewhat casually.] I dunno, you'd have to ask them, but calling someone like a sibling has some pretty weird implications. Especially if it's just because they're shinki to the same god or something. I mean, I've seen shinki under the same god with insane crushes on each other.

[Cough cough, Chikusa. Though Davesprite will at least do him the courtesy of not mentioning him by name.]

Also, some people would probably just think it was weird to call them a brother or sister. It's a pretty specific kind of relationship.

[Kairi looks incredibly put-out. She can't hide it. It feels like her natural reactions from what she thought she knew about people her own age was all wrong. She tries to open her mouth, but nothing comes out. She has no justification for why she started doing that. Maybe it was just such a specific situation... one that will never be recreated. And that part makes her sad too. She doesn't hate Davesprite for telling her these things. She's just struggling to reconcile them with what she thought she knew.

She closes her eyes, squeezing them shut as she tries to figure out a response. Maybe she doesn't know how a brother and sister are supposed to act after all. All of a sudden she starts missing Lance again too.]

... I'm sorry. I don't ha-have a crush on you, I have Forrest. ... I just want to be your friend.

[And she doesn't expect him to call them friends, even if he's got a positive feeling towards her, hence why she wants to put that out there.]

[Once he sees her uncomfortable reaction, Davesprite feels a little bad for pointing it out, but then again, it's probably better it happens now. Someone was going to point it out at some point, right? It's not his fault if it had to be him.

He's never really been good at calling things not his fault, though.

Something flickers through his expression so fast it's impossible to tell what it is at the mention of having Forrest. It could just be surprise at the fact that she or Forrest is dating, since he hadn't heard about it before, because not even he is acknowledging the faint, odd feeling in his chest.]

I didn't think you did. I'm just saying that most people don't treat shinki as siblings because of stuff like that. It gets weird really easily. But between you and me, there are way better candidates around for the friendship deal than me.

I don't think there's some... form that people need to fill out in order to be a good friend.

[Really, he's more like Chikusa than she's willing to say aloud. He too struggles with Kairi's opinions on how to make friends and what friends do when they're hanging out.]

But... if you want me to list some qualifications, here's a few. You're a good person - I've heard about it from others in passing. I mention I live at Neith's temple now and they ask "Oh so you know Davesprite then" and stories come after that. Hajime doesn't say anything but nice things about you, and you know she speaks her mind, so you're obviously a good shinki to your goddess. Plus - how many others would have been willing to spar with me in the air like that? Or... take the time to tell me things I need to hear sometimes.

[She tries to look plaintive, hoping he'll hear what she's saying back.]

Those are all worthy qualities of a good friend. Even if you don't want to be my friend, I just want you to know that you're... 'a good candidate' in your words.

Hajime speaks her mind as long as it's good, my dude, she's not exactly riding the brutal criticism train to judgetown. I'm not saying there's a form, I'm just saying that sometimes the show does not live up to the hype. [And it's difficult for Davesprite to really call anyone friend with how he tends to keep himself at arms' length as much as possible. How many people actually know anything that deep about him as a person? Two or three, maybe a handful at most, but half of those are out of obligation or catching him at the wrong time.]

It's your business if you want to try, I guess, just don't expect dramatic heart-to-heart outpourings or anything. I think we have different thoughts on what makes a good candidate here.

[She sighs at his words, half expecting something like that. She's still glad she said what she did, though. Then she has a thought and looks back up again.]

Okay, maybe not friend then - but "dude"? Can I call you that and it not be weird?

[She's pretty sure it's innocuous, but then she'd been wrong about brother/sister already, so she's not about to take chances. It's not something she calls anyone else, which is ultimately what she's looking for - a nickname she uses for Davesprite in place of his name when she's trying to be more friendly. So if he'd allow that, she'll take that as her small victory for the day.]

Dude is fine, I call everyone dude. It's like. Standard terms of non-endearment and being too cool to use someone's actual name.

[Look, that might not be how anyone else uses "dude", but it's totally how Davesprite uses it, so he'll just roll with that. It's not something he considers a problem, so he's just hoping she doesn't take it as one when he's just meaning that it's a harmless thing to call someone.]

[Kairi nods.]

Okay. That's works for me.

[For now. If it's something that won't make him uncomfortable, then that's what she'll use.]

So... I guess I'll see you later, dude?

[Since he's given her no indication he's had anything special happen in the last 24 hours. To the surprise of no one.]

[Granted, Davesprite's making a pretty good effort not to indicate that he's had anything special happen in the last 24 hours. Last time he was conflicted enough that Hajime descended on him immediately, but this time, he thinks, he might be able to get away with handling it in his own way.

Nonetheless, he waves a hand towards her briefly in farewell.] Yeah, see you around. Try not to adopt any more siblings.

[open] you always fold just before you're found out

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