fiddlestick | IC Contact

Do you remember when other Elliot got a message from an Alpha? It was Ren.

[ So him. He's here... Even if he has a feeling it was all some feverish dream, not at all real, the urgency and dread still lingers over the topic. Shifting his weight onto one side, he rubs his neck. ]

So I'm here to talk to you about it—if you don't mind.

[ It's better to be safe than sorry. ]

[ ! ]

Oh! That was you?

[he steps aside so Akira can come inside]

S-Sure, I don't mind at all! If anything, that makes things a lot easier!

[ He enters! And for some reason, Morrigan is with him, trailing after as if he think this case is his own interest. He'll try to find a seat so they don't need to do this standing. ]

I thought it was funny that it ended up being you, actually. [ A nervous chuckle. ] But I guess this means we probably share at least one theory together.

[ Is this coincidence or fate? ]

[It's okay Morrigan is always welcome. The lovebirds are in their cage at this time, cleaning themselves and doing other birdy things.

There should be plenty of spots to sit: the bed, the desk, the piano stool, the floor. Elliot will shut the door behind him and wait for Akira to make himself comfortable]

Aha, probably....a "change of heart" did cross my mind for that crime lord.

[It's the main reason he didn't want to say anything publicly. He'd share info about his world no problem, but like heck was he going to spill on the PT ]

[ Oh... Kitty wants to watch the lovebirds, so that's what Morrigan does. Fortunately, he hasn't done anything to them ever since they arrived. His hands clasp together as his legs cross at the ankles, hesitating in revealing this.

But he trusts Elliot. ]

... You can also kill people by using the Metaverse. The target can go crazy, but it can end with cardiac arrest.

[ Which... Yeah. That should sum everything up. ]

[Elliot eyes Morrigan as he goes near the birds, but he'll leave him be. The birds were safe in their cage, and Morrigan was a well behaved cat so long as he didn't feel klepto.

More important is Akira's words. He sure looks surprised by it]

What? How does that happened...I just thought the metaverse could change someone's thinking. L-Like that Inception movie, just...less dreams and more Shadows.

[ He drums his fingers anxiously against his knuckles, finding it hard to talk about, but... It is what it is and it's relevant to his suspicions. However, only a select few can navigate the Metaverse and find Shadows in the first place. ]

If you kill someone's Shadow, their cognitive self, they also die in reality. Think of it like the myth that dying in your dreams equates to dying in the real world.

[ Except it's possible. ]

Oh, that's....[He bites his lip a little] troubling, but it makes sense, considering what a Shadow is...

[Humans can't really survive if a huge chunk of their brain died.

No wonder Akira is so fixated on this case. It does sound like something close to a change of heart followed by a death. Still, he can tell he's anxious, so to try to ease the tension, he'll show his own card]

In my memories, I remember mages being able to put people under hypnosis and make them do whatever they wanted. One even used lullabies to do it to multiple people at once... [Not unlike...his sleep spells whoops]

Apparently you can't do it too many times on one person since they'll start being on guard to it, but ... that's not a problem if they die afterwards.

[ He hums... As he considers other mystical means. Unlocking his hands, he runs his fingers through his hair and nods. ]

Hypnosis. [ Solid. ] So you also think it wasn't done by normal means.

[ Just because it's regained doesn't mean it's always mystical. It could have been a gun or something. Drugs. Whatever. ]

Heart attacks can be induced, but... It definitely feels like the leader was under some kind of spell. Does hypnosis have a range?

I- I don't. A criminal of that level wouldn't give up that information like that. They fear other criminals more than the police.

[It was a good thing his old memories were back, remembering too well the police lessons he was forced to sit through by his uncle. Who know it'd pay off]

I...don't know. It depends on the mage? The one I saw needed eye contact, but it sounded like the one they talked about just needed them to hear her lullaby.

[ He was going to say that Elliot is a good boy rather than a hard edge criminal. ]

... Goro mentioned one of the conditions may be names, but that's what you need for the Metaverse. They would also need to have distorted desires to manifest an individual Shadow.

[ Which he doesn't think Zee has at all, but who could say? Anyway, he can't rule out what he learned from Elliot. If it's magical, they still need to somehow know the target. Name, face recognition, in-person meeting—eye contact. Proximity.

No one on the app is or was part of the group. Based on what Ren remembers. He isn't going to question it. ]

So it might be hypnosis or something else... [ He falls silent. This has given him a lot to think about. Despite magic being rampant in Recolle, he didn't exactly consider it. It opens doors. Many doors. Worrisome doors. ] That is a lot to cover.

It might be reaching to ask, but do you know any obvious signs?

[ Physical... Odd patterns, etc. ]

[Yeah. He's a soft edge criminal at best. ]

Names? Really? Why does he think that?

[that's a random bit of information to have Goro!!! Just saying!!]

Yeah, it is... [Something else was likely too.] We also can't forget what they said about this being connected to something the murderer got from retrospec too.

[he shakes his head]

No, I don't. I only saw the spell happened once, and it was only used long enough to get us past some guards.

... Probably because the MetaNav can only locate people if we have their full name, then there's the Alpha Beta partial anonymity on Retrospec before it crashed.

[ And other details like a place and their distortion. He didn't find it too odd, but Goro is purposeful when he speaks, so with Elliot's suspicion... Akira is wondering if Goro may know more than he leads on. Stroking his chin, he lets it linger for another second.

Moving! On!! Well. That's unfortunate for spells and the like. ]

If only we can hack their database to see what were the last transactions for the hazy two months. If any.

[ ... ]

It might have never happened, but I can't seem to shake it off.

Hmm...I guess. But we don't know for sure it does involve the MetaNav. Remember what she said? "someone got something back".

[Mementos wasn't a "Something", it was a "somewhere". Elliot didn't have reason to suspect Goro, but it was important not to get too fixated on details not yet proven.]

I understand the feeling. People act like it's obvious that someone would use their regained powers for murder but...it's still scary to think about.

[People were dying, and that had to be stopped]

...If anyone could hack in, it'd be 'Taba.

Yeah... I don't think it does.

[ He was just explaining why he thinks Goro might jump on the idea that names would be involved. It still sticks to him since... It is odd. He shouldn't need to explain anyone's reasoning. ]

Futaba has tried before. [ Can he just splay himself on your bed, Elliot. He's going to do that. His bed now. ] Maybe when all the glitches, it can be easier for her to take another crack at it.

[ ... ]

Thanks. I feel better talking it out even if it's... [ YOU KNOW. MURDER. ]

[Yeah go ahead Akira. Elliot will move to sit on a corner. He nods to his response about the MetaNav, leaving it there]

Right. She could use a good challenge anyway. She's such a natural genius, it's important to give her enough to work on so she doesn't get complacent.

[...Spoken like a true drill sargent. But being a music genius, he probably knows what he's talking about]

...Me too. Even if we still don't know what happened, it feels good to get out of my head.

[ He chuckles a bit at how Elliot talks about Futaba, thinking that's definitely what she needs. Maybe it'll keep his mind off of things. ]

Yeah. [ It's like a weight has been lifted, though only somewhat. ] Do you mind if I just nap here?

[ It's been a rough month so far and he doesn't know what to expect later. ]

[He considers it, then shrugs with a smile]

If you don't mind me composing while you do. I'll keep it quiet.

It might be nice to sleep to, actually.

[ He chuckles a bit as he tosses over and gets comfortable, prying off his glasses so he can put it off the side. ]

Good night, Elliot.

Haha, good night Akira.

[He'll stand up, reaching over to pull the blanket that's pooled at the edge of the bed up higher so Akira can use it. Then he'll walk away so he can head to his piano and tablet, ready to get back to work on composing. ]

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