[ no, it's fine. this puppy can stay. the puppy apparently defended his honor in front of everyone even though it was all so unnecessary??? ryuji is a good boy and giyuu will learn to deal with this.
but giyuu will be on his way back to jungle camp from crab rave if he wants to follow him back. he, unfortunately, not have any crabs from the rave. ]
Sakamoto—what is it?
[ has he ever greeted ryuji?? we just don't know. ]
[It isn't a terrible limp; he doesn't seem to be in pain, but more of a stance choice. Like he's use to walking with a bad leg. He keeps up with Giyuu!]
You sure, man? You say it like it ain't nothin', but doing that to someone else... [A pause. He looks down and away.] Sorry I voted for you to do it.
It isn't nothing, but it's what I've been made responsible.
[ demons are not children but, it's what he must do. ]
You voted for me for a reason, didn't you?
[ he's...actually curious what that reason was. ryuji stood up for him while people called him weird and the like, and now he voted him over ogata..(?) ]
Yeah, but if you don't wanna do it, then you don't gotta. There's nothing wrong with, like, not wanting to kill someone, dude.
[He sighs tiredly.]
You said you knew how to use the sword, right? You'd make it fast. I mean, I know a gun is fast and all, but... I just don't like that guy. Some of the stuff he says--nah, he's like every other adult almost.
I just knew I could trust you. Like, to do it right, even if I think it's bullshit.
[ trust, huh? they've only known one another for a week and he trusts him... ]
If I don't, then I take her spot as the sacrifice.
[ is that what ryuji wants? he doesn't think that's what ryuji wants, and even if it is—would he die for someone he has barely met? the comment about him and his sword is correct; he kind of wishes he had access to his breathe so he would be certain that it would be painless. ]
My skill with the sword has been dulled since coming here but I won't make her suffer. Whether she really did kill Anaido or not, there's no need for that.
[Listen. He's a giant puppy. This is what happens, Giyuu.]
Wha--? No, dude!
[Giyuu is probably not wrong. If she didn't go, someone would have to go, or who knows what would happen to the rest of them. But is that true? What if they just... didn't? He sighs.]
See? That's why I voted for you. It isn't... just about making it fast. It's about actually giving a shit. About her.
but ryuji's answer has giyuu pausing for a moment to think over what he told him. to him, it had been about efficiency and trust of those who think he would be able to carry that out. when he brings up the matter of him caring, well... he isn't wrong. ]
I see.
[ he isn't attached to her in any particular manner but she's still a person with feelings, likes, and dislikes. ]
[Best camp dad, honestly. Ryuji will slap down his camp dad vote on Giyuu, sorry.]
Yeah, so like... We... We might've been wrong. I mean, we're probably wrong. Ugh, it's so messed up. She deserves that, at least. Something--humane. We, like, failed her.
but seeing ryuji's conflict and getting worked up on what's to come has giyuu steeling his own solid resolve. people have put their trust in him and he will not let them down. ]
Regretting what we've done won't change what will happen.
[ or what happened. ]
What we need to do is to do better the next time. [ since the voice still has its demands. and if giyuu was the type of person he'd put his hand on ryuji's shoulder but he isn't so, just imagine it. ] We still haven't figured out what is causing all of this.
Yeah, but someone still died because we weren't... [He struggles for what he wants to describe.] Because we weren't organized!
We didn't have any kinda plan, man. I'm all for going with the flow, believe me, but something like this... We didn't find people we were looking for, we didn't find any kind of evidence.
It really ain't wild to be on the other side of the Phantom Thieves when it comes to murder!
[ he's saying a lot of things that he could respond to but— ]
Phantom Thieves?
[ are you calling yourself a thief, ryuji? where does giyuu stand on thieves? who knows, but giyuu is under the impression that if ryuji is a thief then he must be a terrible one because there's no way someone so trusting and open would be good at it.
[Why's he always practically letting the cat out of the bAG? RYUJI? Quickly, he scrubs the back of his head and looks around for some kind of distraction.]
I-It's nothin', man. There's, uh, just--like, this group of people called the Phantom Thieves. They steal people's hearts, or whatever, to get 'em to change! That's all I know! I just follow the phansite!
[ steal people's hearts? to get them to change?? phansite????
ryuji is afraid of letting things out of the bag but the thing is, giyuu has absolutely no context for any of this so it might as well be him talking about landing on the moon. however, he is concerned about the "stealing" of hearts.
it's not literal, right? ]
You steal hearts?
[ and not in the lady killer sense, right? ....not that giyuu has a clue what that is either. ]
[He starts looking around wildly, paranoid, even though there's definitely no one around to really here them.] Come on, man! [AS IF HE ISN'T ALWAYS TALKING LOUD ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE ON THE MOON TO HEAR.]
Don't go around saying anything about it, okay! I'll be in big trouble! I wasn't supposed to say anything! Man...
[Again, he scrubs the back of his neck.]
Look, don't tell anyone, okay? About the Phantom Thieves... but, uh, yeah. I'm kinda... one of 'em, and, uh... we kinda... steal people's hearts. Like--inside, not their actual hearts! It's like a metaphorical thing. We change their desires. Basically, we stop adults from being effin' assholes.
[ giyuu doesn't already fully understand what all comes out of ryuji's mouth (or more like he can't keep up) but when he goes on like this, he can't help but feel as though he's from an entirely different planet.
what does he even mean? what kind of explanation is this? ]
How do you go about doing that?
[ stealing their desires? stopping adults from being assholes? does he not realize he's speaking to an adult??? he'll let that last one go because, well, giyuu. it's fine if someone thinks he's an asshole; he probably deserved it. ]
[DAD JUST ASKS MORE QUESTIONS. This is terrible. This is definitely absolutely like being caught with condoms in your wallet, and you have to explain to a parent why you have them and how the hell they got there.
He wants to die.]
It's a long... [Suddenly, he sighs.] It's a different world, dude. The Metaverse. This app on our phone, it let's us get to a person's Palace. It's, like... this distortion from their corrupt thoughts. They all look different.
Anyway, like, we infiltrate it and try to find the treasure inside, that's their desires. And then we steal it. They fess up afterward because they're completely changed.
Like that asshole, Kamoshida? The teacher who broke my leg. He was abusin' the kids at school, and pervin' on Ann. So we went in his Palace can stole his treasure. It was, like, this crown, but in reality, it was his Olympic medal.
[None of this makes any sense to Giyuu still. IT'S FINE.]
[ SOMETIMES DADS JUST WANT TO LET THEIR KIDS TALK...but yeah, 80% of that went over giyuu's head. even the core concepts of it are iffy. he couldn't repeat this even if he tried. ]
I won't. [ he really won't. though— ] Your teacher broke your leg?
[ he glances at ryuji's leg which is obviously healed by name but there's a trace of irritation when he thinks about it. sure this says nothing about injuries that those who train to be demon slayers suffer, but it's not with malice. not to mention that coupled with the rest of what he can understand of ryuji's blathering... ]
Yeah... [He scratches his cheek with a few fingers.] He tried to get the track team shut down. For his team. He said some shit, and I... got pissed and tried to fight him.
He broke my leg and called it self defense, and everyone believed him because they thought he was some Olympic god.
But yeah! We fought his corrupted self in the Palace and confronted it after, got him to give in. Then in the real world, he ended up confessing and apologizing. We were pretty badass, I gotta say.
[ when he hears how ryuji came to have his leg broken, all he could think is: how tanjiro of him. well, though he doubts that if someone broke tanjiro's leg the person who was responsible for doing that would get away free.
...but that's just a feeling. either way, accomplishments aside, all things he's very proud of ryuji for doing, there is something he must know— ]
[He opens his mouth, shuts it, opens it again. That's evidence enough. For the past moment or two, his leg has been bouncing almost nervously.]
I, uh... ye-yeah. He... is. He joined us because his master turned out to be a real bastard. He was using his students' art as his own. And, like, some real shitty stuff with Yusuke's mom, but it ain't my place to say.
We went in his Palace, too after someone tipped us off.
i keep opening up this catch-all and remembering what i made
[ it's okay ryuji, giyuu isn't going to judge him. he also won't pry more because that is yusuke's story to tell if he ever wanted to bother him about it. ]
...that's an useful ability that you have.
[ and one that he imagines doesn't work here. ]
It's good that you only use it on those who harm others.
[ because even if it isn't explicitly told to him, he honestly doubts that ryuji would use it for personal gain. or, well, his group would. ]
[ silently, giyuu will watch ryuji drag his feet after people have cleared out once the verdict has been announced. he has been particularly bad at keeping an eye on everyone, hasn't he? more bodies and he nearly missed something oh-so important...
[A loud, short huff comes out of him, not directed at Giyuu since he's looking off into the distance. His face is pensive. He looks frustrated, and one of his legs bounce. The hands in his pockets are fisted because when he turns to Giyuu, he takes them out.]
I can't believe--! Man...
[Reluctantly, he finally trudges after Giyuu, head down.]
[ giyuu is still patient with ryuji even after he calls to him. ]
What happened is truly frustrating.
[ his voice isn't unaffected and sounds tense when ryuji finally comes to his side. they didn't learn anything else. they weren't able to narrow things any further and still are at the mercy of "the voice". ]
it's fine we used all our none braincell juice during trial
Dammit, I... took for granted how easy it was to just change people by going into their Palace. This place--really pisses me off!
What the hell are we going to do? We can't, like, believe that crazy voice and just kill someone, man! The droid didn't even...! Argh! Come on! This isn't fair at all!
[ he nods. yeah, he can definitely get behind the sentiment of the island pissing him off. no one enjoys playing by these so-called rules. ]
The evidence was pointing to him being the one who was responsible for her death much in the same way that the evidence was stacked against Zoe.
[ his voice trails a moment as he compares the situations. zoe was oblivious to what she did. the robot completely unaware and in the dark of his actions... it isn't no better than killing innocents. ]
...but really shouldn't keep following the voice blindly. [ but the alternative is what? death for everyone? yeah, not going with that. ] However, I don't know where the alternative is yet.
Yeah, but... intent, man! It was probably an accident.
[He kicks at a bit of the sand with his shoe, frowning hard.]
Yeah. We'll... figure something out. If Blaiddyd won't go through with it... I mean, I don't know what the hell will happen. But we're screwed anyway, aren't we? What the hell else can we do if we can't find who's behind this?
[ how many of the deaths here were accidental and how many were intentional? why does it seem that they've only caught those that seem to be accidental? ]
He won't let us down. [ giyuu has faith in dimitri to do the right thing. he has seen his resolve and knows he won't waver. ] He's aware of the weight on his shoulders and what it means.
[ but will he be able to stand after with all of that weight on him? that's what giyuu is worried about. ]
What we're missing is that final link that will connect everything together. That last something for the rest to fall into place. [ reasons why he was tetchy during trial. they had plenty of information to work with but no idea what to do with it all. ] However with what time we have left... I'm not certain if it's enough.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
w1, post trial
has come to CHECK ON HIM. HELLO, CAMP DAD. Where the heck did he have to track Camp Dad to anyway?]
Yo, Tomioka! Oh--there you are, dude. Hey.
no subject
but giyuu will be on his way back to jungle camp from crab rave if he wants to follow him back. he, unfortunately, not have any crabs from the rave. ]
Sakamoto—what is it?
[ has he ever greeted ryuji?? we just don't know. ]
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[He hobbles hurriedly after Giyuu until he catches up, and then he keeps walking with his weird shuffle.]
You okay? With doing, uh... the thing, I mean. The sacrifice, or whatever.
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You mean with me being the one responsible for killing Zoe tomorrow?
[ non mince words, but he'll take a moment to consider what his thoughts before he replies with his tone emotionless. ]
I'll be fine.
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You sure, man? You say it like it ain't nothin', but doing that to someone else... [A pause. He looks down and away.] Sorry I voted for you to do it.
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[ demons are not children but, it's what he must do. ]
You voted for me for a reason, didn't you?
[ he's...actually curious what that reason was. ryuji stood up for him while people called him weird and the like, and now he voted him over ogata..(?) ]
no subject
[He sighs tiredly.]
You said you knew how to use the sword, right? You'd make it fast. I mean, I know a gun is fast and all, but... I just don't like that guy. Some of the stuff he says--nah, he's like every other adult almost.
I just knew I could trust you. Like, to do it right, even if I think it's bullshit.
no subject
If I don't, then I take her spot as the sacrifice.
[ is that what ryuji wants? he doesn't think that's what ryuji wants, and even if it is—would he die for someone he has barely met? the comment about him and his sword is correct; he kind of wishes he had access to his breathe so he would be certain that it would be painless. ]
My skill with the sword has been dulled since coming here but I won't make her suffer. Whether she really did kill Anaido or not, there's no need for that.
no subject
Wha--? No, dude!
[Giyuu is probably not wrong. If she didn't go, someone would have to go, or who knows what would happen to the rest of them. But is that true? What if they just... didn't? He sighs.]
See? That's why I voted for you. It isn't... just about making it fast. It's about actually giving a shit. About her.
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but ryuji's answer has giyuu pausing for a moment to think over what he told him. to him, it had been about efficiency and trust of those who think he would be able to carry that out. when he brings up the matter of him caring, well... he isn't wrong. ]
I see.
[ he isn't attached to her in any particular manner but she's still a person with feelings, likes, and dislikes. ]
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Yeah, so like... We... We might've been wrong. I mean, we're probably wrong. Ugh, it's so messed up. She deserves that, at least. Something--humane. We, like, failed her.
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but seeing ryuji's conflict and getting worked up on what's to come has giyuu steeling his own solid resolve. people have put their trust in him and he will not let them down. ]
Regretting what we've done won't change what will happen.
[ or what happened. ]
What we need to do is to do better the next time. [ since the voice still has its demands. and if giyuu was the type of person he'd put his hand on ryuji's shoulder but he isn't so, just imagine it. ] We still haven't figured out what is causing all of this.
no subject
We didn't have any kinda plan, man. I'm all for going with the flow, believe me, but something like this... We didn't find people we were looking for, we didn't find any kind of evidence.
It really ain't wild to be on the other side of the Phantom Thieves when it comes to murder!
[He pauses suddenly. Oh, uh! HECK!]
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Phantom Thieves?
[ are you calling yourself a thief, ryuji? where does giyuu stand on thieves? who knows, but giyuu is under the impression that if ryuji is a thief then he must be a terrible one because there's no way someone so trusting and open would be good at it.
...unless he's lying but he doubts that too. ]
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[Why's he always practically letting the cat out of the bAG? RYUJI? Quickly, he scrubs the back of his head and looks around for some kind of distraction.]
I-It's nothin', man. There's, uh, just--like, this group of people called the Phantom Thieves. They steal people's hearts, or whatever, to get 'em to change! That's all I know! I just follow the phansite!
no subject
ryuji is afraid of letting things out of the bag but the thing is, giyuu has absolutely no context for any of this so it might as well be him talking about landing on the moon. however, he is concerned about the "stealing" of hearts.
it's not literal, right? ]
You steal hearts?
[ and not in the lady killer sense, right? ....not that giyuu has a clue what that is either. ]
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[He starts looking around wildly, paranoid, even though there's definitely no one around to really here them.] Come on, man! [AS IF HE ISN'T ALWAYS TALKING LOUD ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE ON THE MOON TO HEAR.]
Don't go around saying anything about it, okay! I'll be in big trouble! I wasn't supposed to say anything! Man...
[Again, he scrubs the back of his neck.]
Look, don't tell anyone, okay? About the Phantom Thieves... but, uh, yeah. I'm kinda... one of 'em, and, uh... we kinda... steal people's hearts. Like--inside, not their actual hearts! It's like a metaphorical thing. We change their desires. Basically, we stop adults from being effin' assholes.
no subject
what does he even mean? what kind of explanation is this? ]
How do you go about doing that?
[ stealing their desires? stopping adults from being assholes? does he not realize he's speaking to an adult??? he'll let that last one go because, well, giyuu. it's fine if someone thinks he's an asshole; he probably deserved it. ]
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He wants to die.]
It's a long... [Suddenly, he sighs.] It's a different world, dude. The Metaverse. This app on our phone, it let's us get to a person's Palace. It's, like... this distortion from their corrupt thoughts. They all look different.
Anyway, like, we infiltrate it and try to find the treasure inside, that's their desires. And then we steal it. They fess up afterward because they're completely changed.
Like that asshole, Kamoshida? The teacher who broke my leg. He was abusin' the kids at school, and pervin' on Ann. So we went in his Palace can stole his treasure. It was, like, this crown, but in reality, it was his Olympic medal.
[None of this makes any sense to Giyuu still. IT'S FINE.]
But seriously, don't tell anybody, dude!
no subject
I won't. [ he really won't. though— ] Your teacher broke your leg?
[ he glances at ryuji's leg which is obviously healed by name but there's a trace of irritation when he thinks about it. sure this says nothing about injuries that those who train to be demon slayers suffer, but it's not with malice. not to mention that coupled with the rest of what he can understand of ryuji's blathering... ]
And after you stole his treasure, he changed?
no subject
Yeah... [He scratches his cheek with a few fingers.] He tried to get the track team shut down. For his team. He said some shit, and I... got pissed and tried to fight him.
He broke my leg and called it self defense, and everyone believed him because they thought he was some Olympic god.
But yeah! We fought his corrupted self in the Palace and confronted it after, got him to give in. Then in the real world, he ended up confessing and apologizing. We were pretty badass, I gotta say.
no subject
...but that's just a feeling. either way, accomplishments aside, all things he's very proud of ryuji for doing, there is something he must know— ]
Is your friend Yusuke also a Phantom Thief?
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I, uh... ye-yeah. He... is. He joined us because his master turned out to be a real bastard. He was using his students' art as his own. And, like, some real shitty stuff with Yusuke's mom, but it ain't my place to say.
We went in his Palace, too after someone tipped us off.
i keep opening up this catch-all and remembering what i made
...that's an useful ability that you have.
[ and one that he imagines doesn't work here. ]
It's good that you only use it on those who harm others.
[ because even if it isn't explicitly told to him, he honestly doubts that ryuji would use it for personal gain. or, well, his group would. ]
wk1, post trial
still, he waits for ryuji—to a point. ]
Sakamoto, how long do you plan on staying here?
immortalizes your wk1 so you cant fix it
I can't believe--! Man...
[Reluctantly, he finally trudges after Giyuu, head down.]
CRIES ANNA.....
What happened is truly frustrating.
[ his voice isn't unaffected and sounds tense when ryuji finally comes to his side. they didn't learn anything else. they weren't able to narrow things any further and still are at the mercy of "the voice". ]
it's fine we used all our none braincell juice during trial
What the hell are we going to do? We can't, like, believe that crazy voice and just kill someone, man! The droid didn't even...! Argh! Come on! This isn't fair at all!
no subject
The evidence was pointing to him being the one who was responsible for her death much in the same way that the evidence was stacked against Zoe.
[ his voice trails a moment as he compares the situations. zoe was oblivious to what she did. the robot completely unaware and in the dark of his actions... it isn't no better than killing innocents. ]
...but really shouldn't keep following the voice blindly. [ but the alternative is what? death for everyone? yeah, not going with that. ] However, I don't know where the alternative is yet.
no subject
[He kicks at a bit of the sand with his shoe, frowning hard.]
Yeah. We'll... figure something out. If Blaiddyd won't go through with it... I mean, I don't know what the hell will happen. But we're screwed anyway, aren't we? What the hell else can we do if we can't find who's behind this?
What did we miss?
no subject
He won't let us down. [ giyuu has faith in dimitri to do the right thing. he has seen his resolve and knows he won't waver. ] He's aware of the weight on his shoulders and what it means.
[ but will he be able to stand after with all of that weight on him? that's what giyuu is worried about. ]
What we're missing is that final link that will connect everything together. That last something for the rest to fall into place. [ reasons why he was tetchy during trial. they had plenty of information to work with but no idea what to do with it all. ] However with what time we have left... I'm not certain if it's enough.