duelacademynpcs | (no subject)

*Yeah, sure, why not. Might find something good enough to let out my utter shame upon for acting like I did.

Not like that keep-out sign has any worth to it, anyway. It's like an invite for people who aren't paying as much attention as they should.*

*And as you go deeper, you may notice something. Old footprints that look so old they should have faded by now... Two pairs of them, one barefoot, the other in sneakers. The two tracks stretch off into the distance, and... there's a sense of longing to them, like they want to be followed, they want the people who made those tracks to return.*

*... That's... Vaguely odd to him. If they're so faded, there probably isn't any scent, either, to anything... That and the labs might be so musty that it'd be hard to tell.

In his odd sort of state, he starts to follow the prints as they are, or at least try to. Where does this lead him to, anyway?*

*They go down. Through that underground forest (wtf, SAL lab), through halls, through everything... all towards one central room. The farther he gets, the stronger that longing gets as well...*

*... How weird. ~~Also why wasn't I told there was a forest in here, damn, that could have been useful.~~

He still follows, though, wondering, just... What in the world is this? ... And why are the labs like this?*

*You eventually get to a locked steel door... It's rather rusty, but still firm.

However, there's a voice on the other side, calling out.*

Can anyone hear me...?

*... It sorta clicks after standing there for a few moments, standing at the door, that there's a voice. He gets closer to it, and warily calls out.*

... Is someone there?

*From the other side, the voice continues as if Shikou hadn't said anything.*

I'm still here...

*... strange... He calls out a bit louder.*

Who's there?

*There is no response.*

*... Obviously, he must do the one thing he can do, after walking this long.

Break down a damn steel door.

He rams into it with his body, attempting to dent it. It's rusted, right? It shouldn't take as much as a fresh and new steel door, at least...

But it doesn't give yet. He rams into it again. And then again. And then again, each time at least making minor progress in bending in.

Anymore sounds, other than the sound of the steel being whammed into?*

*Well, the thing just crumbled and fell. The room is dark inside, but there's a lightswitch near the door...*

*Oh good and probably nearly had to stop himself due to momentum. He straightens up slightly, and tries to strain his eyes to see through the darkness. He finds the lightswitch though, and flips it on.*

*It's a computer room. A rather large one... The center is a huge bank of computers, with a monitor at the side of the room. However, the lights over at the monitor have broken, leaving the figure sitting in the chair (Backwards, of course, resting its chin on the back of the chair) obscured in shadow.*

Hey... What are humans?

*Eeps slightly at the sudden question, noticing that there is someone there. Takes a slight step forward.*

... What are humans? Beings of sentience. A species of primate, who have evolved to walk on two legs. To have a higher state of mind above other... Animals, I guess. To speak. To feel... *Trails off slightly.*

... Or did you want a different sort of answer, to that? That's only the technical one.

*There's also a glint on the figure's arm that can only be a duel disk.*

"To feel"?

*... At least that's something... There isn't any sort of distinctive smell, is there? At least any that he could sense.*

... To feel. To have emotions that go past what might be necessary to display, to survive.

*None in particular. It's a rather generic 'person' smell, with something flowery that could easily be soap or shampoo.*

What kind of feelings do you have?

*... "Person" at least puts him a bit more at ease.*

Less than I should... ... Who are you? Are you the person who was calling out, before?

*The voice sounds strangely distorted for a moment, as if coming through a telephone with a bad connection.*

"Who am I"...?

*...?*

... Yes, who are you? I heard a voice, before, so...

*The distortion comes back.*

"Who"...?

*... Takes a step forward again.*

... A... Are you alright?

*The distortion and static starts getting worse.*

I... my name...

*Gets up to them, looking worried.*

Your name? What's wrong?

*And suddenly, there's no one there.*

*... stares at the seat in shock.

What he can at least get is that... People usually don't vanish. People don't, just... What in the world?

He tenses up, looking around. Something just feels... Suspicious to him, now. But what is it? How did they vanish?*

*And suddenly, a there are hands around Shikou's neck. Squeezing tightly. The voice is back, distorting even more, static leaking in to every word.

If Shikou can identify the figure, it's a girl actually a bit shorter than him... The smell indicates it's the same one from the chair.

Of course, considering he's being choked, he may have other things on his mind.*

*Oh what what struggles rather well against being choked, coughing, and trying to force off their hands.

If need to, he will kick into her, to stop her from killing him.

If anything though, if he gets away, he certainly... Doesn't look happy about this.*

*About that 'getting away' thing?

It's not happening. The grip just tightens, even more so. It's freakishly strong.*

What... what are humans...

*coughs slightly, of course choking. He's still trying to force them off, even if they have to dig their hands into them.

He's finding it somewhat harder to keep aware, though, and less so that he'd be able to speak.*

*His claws dig in, but... it feels odd. As if the hands gripping him aren't entirely real... Real enough to hurt him, but not real enough for him to hurt back.*

I... am I human too...?

*Well that sorta screws him, doesn't it.

He keeps struggling, trying to get air, trying to breathe, even if just for a moment. His mind starting to blank, his grip weakening...

... And then, the ground begins to shake below them. An earthquake? Only... No, it seems to be more focused.

Around them. Under them. The floor beneath them begins to crack. And eventually starts to open.

It's quickly becoming rather dangerous, isn't it, even as you continue to strangle him? He isn't even aware of what's happening anymore, still trying to get away, though weakly, at this point.*

*The girl immediately lets go and jumps back.*

Ability...?

*He falls to the ground, which luckily still has enough stability to handle it, and the shaking almost just about stops, but... There's still a sort of quiver, though, as though it's ready. Waiting to crack open at a moment's notice.

He coughs, trying to get air, his hand massaging his throat lightly. It's taking all he can to just not.... Collapse and pass out. He's staring though at the girl, his eyes not focusing.*

You are... you will be... what... who am... where is...

*She is frozen, the distortion leaving her voice.*

*He seems to vaguely register that. He coughs again, muttering something...

... Before he finally just gives up on trying to stay awake, and collapses.

The shaking ceases as he hits the ground once more.*

*Once he's unconscious, the girl begins to fade a bit... You can see bits of become simply transparent, and underneath is a bare... wireframe. Her eyes begin to pixel out, vanishing entirely, along with various other bits.

Finally, she simply stares down at Shikou with a blank void where her eyes should be.*

... You aren't... that man.

*When Shikou wakes up, he'll be on the ground outside the labs. A set of barefooted footprints walk out of the lab, to his position, then away, deeper into the forest.*