samsa | 007 | Text/Action for Goldenrod

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007 | Text/Action for Goldenrod

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[There have no doubt been plenty of people broadcasting their displeasure at the appearance of these creatures that have shown up, and even more talking about strange changes that have suddenly begun to take over their bodies within the last day or so. With each passing hour, the affliction seems to have affected more and more trainers.

At this point, though, Kaneki isn't interested in complaining about the situation on the Network, so he instead has a different question to ask.]

How long do you think this will last?

[That's assuming, of course, if this will even wear off...]

[Action near the edge of the city]

[Staying indoors is a solution that can only last for so long when your body is rapidly changing beyond your control. It started slowly as all things like this seem to at first, beginning with his aching leg and traveling outward from there to the rest of his body. While it wasn't particularly painful any more than the cut had been, it was an ache that settled into his bones in a way that was a little too familiar for his liking.

It wasn't like he had a whole lot of time to think about what was happening, at any rate. His first reaction to the change was initially to contact someone, but that never made it past being just a thought. For some reason, talking to anyone while like this was too daunting to think about, so he didn't. By now, though, he's wondering if maybe that wasn't the best idea.

Kaneki eventually has to leave his hotel room and wander outside thanks to a myriad of tentacles that now protrude from his shoulders and back, making it difficult to avoid undue property damage from being indoors. Not to mention the thick, purple substance that occasionally drips off of them, only to hiss and sizzle wherever it lands. At least going outside closer to dusk and away from the town's center made it less likely that he'd be spotted...maybe. None of his Pokemon are out with him, either, all either in their balls or back in his room. His Gear was left behind as well, so anyone trying to reach him right now won't get a response.

But now that he's out here...he honestly doesn't know what to do. He's had a day or so to actually quietly panic about the situation in private as the changes really took shape, leaving him at a bit of a loss afterwards. He doesn't want to be alone, not really...but he hasn't even gotten to a mirror to see what he looks like. He can't imagine it's good, and just not knowing for sure has his hands (which are blessedly still intact, compared to some) shaking a little at his sides, particularly when he lifts one up to hesitantly run his fingertips along the hard substance that has grown from the crown of his head down over his forehead and the bridge of his nose. It doesn't help that the growth has made it significantly harder to see in any direction that isn't straight on or slightly to either side, meaning that he wouldn't even be able to see if someone decided to approach from behind.]

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[...that actually gets something of a laugh out of him, slightly muffled by the growth covering his face as it is.]

Yeah...so do I.

[Well it's better than keeping quiet and letting the stupid "I thought I was turning into a weapon I'm an idiot" thoughts take over.]

I'd guess so, I'm not gonna lie you look pretty horrifying. And that's weird considering you usually don't.

[It's nothing Maka hasn't seen before, and it's not as though she looks any better, so her tone as she says it is akin to talking about the weather.]

I'm sorry this is what your first Halloween here has to be like.

Mmh...you don't have to apologize. It's not like you caused this to happen.

[He says quietly, folding his arms over his knees.]

This is pretty, uh...apt for Halloween, at least.

Haha, how do you know I didn't? My unluckiness is almost legendary, I wouldn't be surprised if it spread to other people.

[Well, not literally speaking. Maka may be unlucky, but she knows fully well that this is the fault of whoever experimented on those Pokemon.]

...I wonder how the chimera Pokemon are doing right now.

If your unluckiness is legendary, I don't want to know what mine is.

[It's nicer, at least, to talk to someone like this. Even with as upsetting as this situation is. It's like he said to Tsukiyama, he'd almost called someone before but...he just hadn't. Not that it matters much now anyway.

Kaneki turns to look at the slowly setting sun, the beak that hooks sharply out from his face cutting a strange figure against the sky.]

I was told that the Center is giving out devices that are supposed to be able to catch them.

Ah...maybe they'll be helped then, or there's some kind of cure to be found.

[Or the Pokemon will be locked in the dank meme vault and never be spoken of again.

She shifts, head tilting up to watch the sky, expression thoughtful.]

...Hey, Ken. When this is over, why don't we just go back to my house and stay there for a little while? Just to relax, no worrying about traveling or weird happenings. I'm getting a little...tired. [Of all the events.]

...I wouldn't mind that.

[He really, honestly wouldn't. The traveling was nice, but he's never been much for that much moving around. Things have obviously changed since he got here, but...it feels like things haven't just stopped for even a minute since the month started.]

Yeah? I figured you'd be worried about your job here.

[Not that she was planning on just having him leave it or anything, so she adds--]

I have...another Alakazam, she can teleport all over like Flash can. So...why don't you take her for going to work?

[Another pause.]

...Just...rename her, please.

I like working and all, don't get me wrong...but they don't seem to mind it too much when I have to leave for a while. But...that would be great, actually. As long as Carrie doesn't mind it too much.

[She will. Oh, she will.

...of course, now he has to ask.]

Any...reason why?

Considering her namesake, I'm pretty sure she's going to mind. But then, Rikki learned to deal with me, didn't she?

[If by deal she means ignore aggressively.]

...[Sigh.] Soul...someone from my world, he was here a really long time ago, back when I was here the first time. He, uh...started with an Abra...

[God.]

...She has my name.

[Ah.]

I...can see where that would get a little uncomfortable.

[As if he didn't do the exact same thing.]

It's like having my very own clone.

[And she hates it. She hates it a lot.]

I guess at least it's fortunate I didn't turn into an Alakazam for this thing, that'd really show that the universe is actively mocking me.

[He's a bit glad for the pseudo mask over his face right now, if only so Maka won't easily be able to see the smile that twitched onto his face for a moment there.]

I'm sure I can think of some other name that would be fitting.

Just don't name her Christine.

[Really, someday she's gonna have a talk with him about that fascination with horror thing, it might come back to bite him.]

Are you sure? Might fit pretty well with Carrie.

[Or completely contrast her, but you know.]

I think you just like surrounding yourself with possessive Pokemon on purpose, Ken, you have a problem.

[Considering what happened to the owner of Christine and all.]

...you know I think I might name her Christine just because you said that.

[Is he kidding? Who knows.]

Ahaha, brat!

[Maka would reach out to push him, but the very very strong message of "DON'T." coming from Flash keeps her from it.]

Don't expect me to bail you out if she starts making you choke on a hamburger or something.

If she's that much like you that Soul felt like he needed to name her after you, then I'm not too worried.

[...thanks Dadkazam, because there's still a steady flow of poison dripping carelessly from those tentacles of his.]

...[And just like that, her expression flickers and falls into one of quiet thought.]

God, that was a long time ago...five years? It feels like a weird dream.

[And two years spent here, three years next year. She hasn't seen Soul at all in that time, vague memories of him from the first time around occasionally seep in but...]

...Ah, well, as long as you give her time alone to read, I think it'll be fine. [The Alakazam version isn't...as kind to nonsense, though.]

[Ah. Maybe he shouldn't have...no, it's probably fine. Maka has had a lot of time to reflect on her time here after all, hasn't she? He just nods to that, absently lifting a hand to again run it across the mask over his face.]

...did you know that I will have been here for a whole year in a few months?

Uh-huh. It'll be your birthday in a few months, too, and in February it'll have been a year since we met.

[...]

I guess you can call that a "friendiversary."

[That was stupid, Maka knows very well it's stupid, but she's shaking herself out of the Moment to smile so maybe it's all right.]

[Kaneki huffs out a soft laugh, lowering his hand back to his lap.]

I almost forgot about my birthday.

[He'll be 19, won't he? It doesn't even feel like it's been a whole year. It feels like so, so much longer.]

To think, we wouldn't have if it weren't for that dating thing.

[Maka's mind is like a steel trap when it comes to memories, but that detail inexplicably forces a laugh out of her--which is quickly smothered into her...uh, paws.]

Can you imagine explaining that to people from your own world? "Yeah this is my friend I met through a dating survey, we really hit it off." I think Soul would laugh himself into a coma, or say something like "of course you used that to find friends, like anyone would date you."

[...oh my god if he ever actually meets Soul he's going to punch him in the face. ...or not. Maybe.

...MOVING ON.]

Hide probably wouldn't be surprised at all. He'd be more surprised that I managed to get myself on a dating survey in the first place.

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