That singular fact rings through his mind as he digs the small notebook out of his pocket. This is too important to keep in his phone's notepad section - some Vaeros' approved phone plan doesn't have the reliability of paper and pen.
Maruki's comments noted. It's a good thing. Akechi doesn't want Akira's memory returning. Does. Thinks it would be more satisfying to squeeze the air out of his rival's lungs without him being chained to a table. No longer bruised and beaten - truly alive, willing to fight and able to return the malicious gift Akechi gives with a cruel retribution of his own.
All of which can only happen with confirmed recognition of their real relationship. A complication that would destroy the delicate balance of their household.
It would break Maruki, maybe. He wants to see that too. If it's between keeping Kurusu safe, or standing by the side of a long time ally -
He flips to a blank page. Then another.
There's really no question who would be chosen.]
The facts are this - you and I likely come from the exact same reality. Kurusu Akira's experiences line up with ours to a certain extent. The larger details match, despite your ambiguous place in that world. The outlier is Kurusu.
[It's not weird when they're both so intimately aware of the delicate nature of a human heart. A cognition easily warped by the whim of someone else. It's all too goddamn simple.
Akechi moves over to Maruki once the hastily marked theories flip into view, scratched out light strokes of his pen, overwritten and written and scribbled out along the spaces. He allows the book to be viewed as he speaks.]
Theory one: He ran into someone who has similar abilities to us prior to his arrival. Brainwashing. Shido has a vast array of allies - I'm not aware of the full extent of his resources. I'm only one among many, though to my knowledge, I'm the only one who can access the cognitive world. That doesn't mean another doesn't exist. He may have found out who was traversing around without my input and thought to give another killer a chance to prove themself.
Or perhaps this new intruder may be enacting their own plan, and we may be simple casualties of a power they have yet to gain full control over. This may be permanent or temporary, if we use our own skills as a base for such thoughts.
Theory two: He did it of his own volition. Kurusu is powerful - his abilities exceed most, but he's inexperienced. Ailments backfire. Powers can be repelled. If that's the case, it's temporary. Hours, days, weeks - perhaps months. It will end someday.
Theory three: We are operating on the assumption Vaeros will always capture us the same way, ask the same requests, sign the same contracts - we don't know that for a fact. The man utilizes, exploits and manipulates emotions and memories often. Giving up such things may be a new price for a false wish to be granted. A new leash to keep those coming in complacent and confused.
[With each theory, a flip to a new page and-]
However, my other thoughts don't have such background. They aren't worth speaking at the moment.
[In the end, Kurusu is powerful. Stronger than manipulation. Stronger than most - his skills rival Akechi's own and he's-
Furious. Completely furious that some shitty world, some grotesque power hungry madman, was able to distort him. That Kurusu allowed it.
But Kurusu Akira didn't forget because he's strong. A false world could never overtake him - not permanently.]
cw: MURDER VIOLENT THOUGHTS
That singular fact rings through his mind as he digs the small notebook out of his pocket. This is too important to keep in his phone's notepad section - some Vaeros' approved phone plan doesn't have the reliability of paper and pen.
Maruki's comments noted. It's a good thing. Akechi doesn't want Akira's memory returning. Does. Thinks it would be more satisfying to squeeze the air out of his rival's lungs without him being chained to a table. No longer bruised and beaten - truly alive, willing to fight and able to return the malicious gift Akechi gives with a cruel retribution of his own.
All of which can only happen with confirmed recognition of their real relationship. A complication that would destroy the delicate balance of their household.
It would break Maruki, maybe. He wants to see that too. If it's between keeping Kurusu safe, or standing by the side of a long time ally -
He flips to a blank page. Then another.
There's really no question who would be chosen.]
The facts are this - you and I likely come from the exact same reality. Kurusu Akira's experiences line up with ours to a certain extent. The larger details match, despite your ambiguous place in that world. The outlier is Kurusu.
[It's not weird when they're both so intimately aware of the delicate nature of a human heart. A cognition easily warped by the whim of someone else. It's all too goddamn simple.
Akechi moves over to Maruki once the hastily marked theories flip into view, scratched out light strokes of his pen, overwritten and written and scribbled out along the spaces. He allows the book to be viewed as he speaks.]
Theory one: He ran into someone who has similar abilities to us prior to his arrival. Brainwashing. Shido has a vast array of allies - I'm not aware of the full extent of his resources. I'm only one among many, though to my knowledge, I'm the only one who can access the cognitive world. That doesn't mean another doesn't exist. He may have found out who was traversing around without my input and thought to give another killer a chance to prove themself.
Or perhaps this new intruder may be enacting their own plan, and we may be simple casualties of a power they have yet to gain full control over. This may be permanent or temporary, if we use our own skills as a base for such thoughts.
Theory two: He did it of his own volition. Kurusu is powerful - his abilities exceed most, but he's inexperienced. Ailments backfire. Powers can be repelled. If that's the case, it's temporary. Hours, days, weeks - perhaps months. It will end someday.
Theory three: We are operating on the assumption Vaeros will always capture us the same way, ask the same requests, sign the same contracts - we don't know that for a fact. The man utilizes, exploits and manipulates emotions and memories often. Giving up such things may be a new price for a false wish to be granted. A new leash to keep those coming in complacent and confused.
[With each theory, a flip to a new page and-]
However, my other thoughts don't have such background. They aren't worth speaking at the moment.
[In the end, Kurusu is powerful. Stronger than manipulation. Stronger than most - his skills rival Akechi's own and he's-
Furious. Completely furious that some shitty world, some grotesque power hungry madman, was able to distort him. That Kurusu allowed it.
But Kurusu Akira didn't forget because he's strong. A false world could never overtake him - not permanently.]