I mean... here's my secret, doc-- I've never gone into battles with the expectation that I'm going to win them. I mean, you can usually tell pretty early on what the odds are gonna be and so far I've never been in a position where things went shit-shaped. I fight for the thrill of it. There's nothing like a decisive battle to quicken the blood, you know?
If I end up dying, at least it'll be doing what I love, and hopefully I'll have taken one of my enemies down with me. Or have done enough damage that it's a moral victory.
[ If cognitive psience makes even the slightest positive difference in the world because of his work, then it could be considered a moral victory if he dies because of it.
........... is what he would think if he didn't have Akechi in his ear constantly telling him that any power, no matter how innocuous at first, ultimately goes rotten. To say nothing of what he and Eren have discussed.
Why he's turning to Dito at this juncture is a true mystery to Maruki. Maybe hearing from someone so violently different from him is a strange sort of relief. ]
I suppose I'm thinking of battles in a more metaphorical sense, but everything you've said about literal ones still applies. It's best to go into any adversarial situation without expectations of success. That's ego, and ego can get you killed quickly.
I'd assume, anyway.
You're very cavalier about your own death, though!
you wouldn't dare, you love the suffering too much
I defer to your expertise with the metaphorical battles. Honestly, those don't give me as much of a charge as defeating actual physical enemies.
And that's really the meat of it, y'know? Now that I'm out of my shit situation, I wanna die with as many scars on my corpse as possible. Better to live a short, well-lived life than a long one filled with regret, right?
We agree there, especially about action versus inaction. Perhaps it's on my mind more so lately than usual because of all of the talk on the network about what we can or cannot, should or should not do regarding "Vaeros." No matter what, in my opinion, doing something is better than doing nothing.
[ The gods hate a coward – a statement Maruki understands far better now than he would have the first time they spoke. ]
Can I ask what sort of gods you dealt with? If you already told me, please forgive my bad memory. I am an old man, after all.
this is me making shit up about canon because Yoko Taro can't be bothered lalalala
I spoke about Intoners in our last conversation, remember? Before you got all precious and ended the conversation. They're thought of as god-like in my world-- typically only dragons or dragon-forged weapons can kill them for good.
The only other thing that comes close are the Angels-- or the Watchers, if you want to use the more fancy name. They're these powerful beings that any Disciple or Intoner can summon from the celestial plane to do their bidding.
We're not in control of them, mind you-- we've just formed a pact with them, and in exchange they allow us to call on them when needed. Usually it's for combat purposes, of course. If I still had my powers, I could show you.
[ As much as Akechi insists that they control their personas, everything Dito is describing sounds far more similar to how he contracted with Azathoth than Akechi's awakening with Robin Hood does. Unsettlingly familiar, actually. He does have to wonder... ]
That's fascinating, thank you for telling me.
Have you ever thought of regaining your powers here? I won't blame you if you haven't - I know that asking the crystal for anything feels dicey at best.
Nah, I've thought about it-- not having my full arsenal definitely feels like a part of me's been amputated, regardless of how I got those powers in the first place.
From what I can understand about the whole thing, though... it takes a bit of doing to request that much, doesn't it? Like, I'm imagining a big ask like that probably requires some sort of equivalent exchange, yeah?
I've been told by others who have regained their powers here that they often aren't exactly what they would have been back in reality. They're weakened, or incomplete, or they differ slightly from what they should be. Sometimes they aren't even the same abilities that were requested at all.
I don't know about equivalent exchange, but I think it's safe to say that the powers that be take something from us even when they "give" in return.
...Well shit. Guess it was too much to hope for that this deal wasn't gonna end up drilling me in the ass.
I'm gonna guess it has nothing to do with the amount of shards that are given? I can see people being punished for cheaping out on the deal at the last second, but I get the feeling that's not what you're talking about.
Unfortunately, no... From the people I've been able to talk to, the amount of shards taken is consistent despite the varying results.
As much as it frustrates me to say this, I haven't been able to establish any pattern to how regained powers are altered, let alone any motive as to why it might be.
If you do ever wish for your powers to return, please let me know what happens. Any information provided will be a huge help to figuring this out- and then, ideally, figuring out a way to circumvent it. People should have full access to the abilities inherent to them, and I intend to see that through.
So basically you wanna use me as some sort of lab rat to find out more about the quirks of of this... spiritual transaction?
Heh. You're lucky you're so cute, Doc.
[It's hard to tell through text whether or not that flirtation was meant to be sincere. Probably not, knowing Dito.]
It's a noble endeavor, I guess. If I do end up getting cheaped out of my full powers and you manage to find a loophole, you'll let me know, won't you? Nothing worse than playing with less than a full deck of cards, if you'll pardon the expression.
[Dito you haven't been playing with a full deck since the day you were born.]
Not at all! But if you're going to regain your powers either way, I'd like to know what happens. That's all.
[ Luckily, he no longer gets flustered quite so easily by blatant, teasing flirtation. It rolls right off his back. He's dating a creation goddess who did a cheeky genocide, what does he care what anyone else says to him? ]
And I can assure you that if I'm lucky enough to figure that out, you and any others I know whose abilities were tampered with will know. I can't promise that it will ever happen, but I can at least promise that.
I wouldn't be so sure about that. I haven't encountered you in anything but a controlled setting yet. It's only through difficult times that we reveal our true selves, as the saying goes.
I'm enjoying these talks more than I was expecting though, I gotta admit. Staves off the boredom at the very least. Maybe I'll call on you next time. Isn't that an exciting thought?
[Dito tells himself that the little flutter he feels in the pit of his stomach has nothing to do with Maruki's repeated use of the honorific. It's probably nothing but hunger, honestly-- nothing to dwell on.]
Take care of yourself, doc. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
Which includes me, as I've previously stated. Not sure how that adds up to me needing to get over myself, but whatever.
And I have no doubt that you'd make your potential bedwarmers cry. Mostly out of frustration when you don't know what the fuck you're doing. Virgins are boring.
It means you're not special if BB is obsessed with everyone??
It equals out that way, like simple math - can you do simple math?
BB TOTALLY DOES! I HAVE THE WHOLE LIBRARY OF DATA FROM THE MOON CELL! OKAY! I know about human sex more than you do! Just because BB never did anything doesn't mean shit!⁽⁽(੭ꐦ •̀Д•́ )੭*⁾⁾
Heh. Touched a nerve with that "boring" crack, did I? You're as deep as a puddle, little missy.
Knowing something and being experienced in something are two completely different things. Take my mistress for example-- she spent a good portion of her life researching every single sex position and kink that was ever conceived. Doesn't mean she wasn't utter shit at each and every one of them.
You might know more about sex than I do-- doubtful, but I'll humor you-- but I guarantee that in practice? You'd better be bringing something more to the table or else your unfortunate partners are gonna end up busting a nut thinkin' of something else.
WHAT NO NOT TRUE!!! BB-CHAN WILL MAKE THEM BUST ALL THE NUTS THEY WILL BUST SO MANY NUTS THEY WONT HAVE ANY MORE TO BUST!
[ Help the mun hates this so much. ]
BB IS SO SEXY JUST YOU WAIT BB IS GUNNA RUB IT ALL OVER YOUR FACE THE FIRST MOMENT SHE GETS TO!! ⁽⁽(੭ꐦ •̀Д•́ )੭*⁾⁾ YOU'LL BE WISHING YOU COULD BE WITH BB TOO BUT SHE NEVER WILL!! BECAUSE YOURE A SQUICK!
I'm good, thanks. As I previously established, you're not my type.
Was this your whole reason for contacting me, by the way? To beat your chest about your nonexistent sexual prowess like some sort of pathetic attention-starved gorilla? Because it ain't exactly a good look for you, I gotta say.
BB was trying to see how the fuck you were and if you were dead or something, she was literally just making sure you were alive ⁽⁽(੭ꐦ •̀Д•́ )੭*⁾⁾ and you ARE!
Now BB can leave you to your day while you go suck nuts or whatever it is you do.
Advance intelligent lifeform, I was made out of data copied from humans for the sake of humans. It's more complicated than that, but basically, BB is a computer. Do you have those?
Sweetheart, I'm from the 10th century. We haven't even mastered not shitting in the street yet. The height of our technology is a timepiece that can run on its own. No, we don't have whatever the fuck a computer is.
Are you some kind of homunculus or something? Someone I know back home used to make those. Creepy as hell.
[The fact that this is through text hides that he'd meant for that to be a compliment.]
Oh hmm... Kind of, imagine if your moon - I'm assuming you have one of those. Anyway, imagine if the moon was watching your planet all its conception, and then it decided IT wanted to make its own homunculus.
Now that homunculus basically is in charge of the Moon and that is BB!
basically.
But unlike an actual homunculus, I don't have a physical body, I use magic to make one. Im more like a spooky ghost 👻
[This is getting into quasi-religious territory here, and Dito ain't about that shit. It sounds vaguely familiar, honestly-- like something he'd heard Zero talk about once upon a time.]
So if you don't have a physical body, what happens when the one you're using dies? Just out of curiosity.
LOL this one isn't physical? really? its made of magical technically, if it does die my body just turns into fluttering specs of mana basically? that happens to all bodies here tho
except instead of it being gold - its just like dust? lol lame
Upset? Don't flatter yourself, peanut-- you're not that interesting.
But that sounds like what happens when Intoners die back in my world. All this magical energy gets released and absorbed into the person who killed them. Or so I've been told.
Is that what happens to you? Do you just get absorbed back into the moon or whatever? Have you died before?
[ But like actually - because shes made up of shit. Actual shit. The shit human's shit out. But not actual shit, rhetorical shit. ]
lolol u sound scared? just so you know im not an intoner or w.e. that sounds cool as fuck tho.
me dying is the standard way any servant dies so, its not that special. I've died plenty of times because that's my job - basically. Then we just come back so long as our saint graph is intact. that's a bit complicated, but basically, as long as our soul is in this box that records our existence. we can die as many times as we need to. there are some exceptions, where we need to be careful etc, but its all complicated to explain
here though, if i die, i die-die. then go through inferna like anyone else
And here I thought I was just making a dry observation. Good to know you're so good at reading people through textual correspondence.
An Intoner is a powerful sorceress capable of manipulating the world through Songs. People back home say they've been touched by the gods, or that they're goddesses themselves, and they rule over the various regions of my world. There are six of them in total, and you can identify them by the numbers they have branded into their foreheads.
My mistress was Five, and I was her Disciple. That means I was imbued with powerful magic in order to better serve my lady in whatever she required. Sounds like you might have been cut from a similar cloth?
Oh interesting... Well, you can say BB is probably more powerful then them then - if you go by numbers alone?
If each one represented Gods, BB represents more than 10!
And she doesn't need stupid numbers branded onto her forehead! sounds lame anyway lmfao
ANYWAY FUCK all that i just said, that means you're a familiar? Basically BB uses the familiar concept to make herself exist, its complicated stuff, but I am borrowing that system to make myself exist as an entity. I otherwise wouldnt exist... Uh... Yeah, its complicated.
dw about it but, kind of all similar to everything but different.
Do you guys have dimensions or realties and stuff? cause like, BB's stuff deals with dimension crap - idk if your Girly Boss Gods knew how to manipulate that far.
Upon your doorstep/mailbox/table or whatever! However delivery in this world works. The details don’t matter.
Before you is a gift, chocolate, and a letter.
“Dear Dito,
My preparations are complete. All clear on my end. I’ve prayed for victory and will gladly put my life on the line for it. Whenever you are ready, make the first move and call for me.
I await your determination to have a fair one-on-one duel.
The challenge is baking
From, Hakuno Kishinami
P.S. It would make me happy if you accepted my gifts. ”
Despite how manly this “Challenge Letter” is, it’s not a challenge letter but an invitation to hang out. Hakuno Kishinami might have just psyched herself a bit too much. She might just end up embarrassing herself later down the road, so please just play along with her.
This was the first time she had ever given out chocolate, so she decided to make it memorable.
Hey, dickwad, you making something to eat tonight or did you want to see if there's anywhere interesting in that new town?
[ Casually insulting your boo-thang as a means of asking them out on a date? Surely not~? Surely Tomura has more class than that? Dito won't see through his derailing , right? ]
[Hey, sometimes couples have cutesy banter and sometimes they just outright shit-talk each other. It's only weird if you're not into it. Dito taps a finger against his lips, pretending to think carefully.]
Let's see... trek a long way through the blistering cold to find a place that might not even offer good food, or stay inside and risk getting bitched at by my ungrateful housemate because he can't handle the mildest of spices in the food I so graciously cook for him?
Hmm... tough choice. Can I just choose the third option and fall on my own spear?
[Much like a feral dog that's recently been domesticated, one has to listen closely to Dito's tone to understand there's no real menace behind his growls.]
[ Tomura raises a brown, mouth twisting into an expression of exacerbated irritation and annoyance as Dito carries on with his pantomiming. Finally sighing, crossing his arms over his chest before pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache already coming on. ]
Fine. Whatever, I'll eat anything but you're fuckin' healing my lips when the skin spits around them and sores form from... Unless that's why you insist on making everything so damn hot all the time? You sick fuck, I swear thats a form of Munchausen's by proxy but whatever~
[ Waving a hand about as he bites back, just as viciously, just as playfully. #
Thank you for giving me your permission to kiss you, my lord. I didn't realize it was such an unpleasant ordeal. It never occurred to me what sacrifices you endured to keep your little underling appeased.
[He punctuates this with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head, but once again, it's not as biting and acerbic as he could be.]
But sure, I'd be open to trying something new. As long as I can get something that ain't fish, that is. Should we head out now?
[ Goddam him and his healing lips! Honestly, Tomura can't even be mad at that comment, it's expected, it's Dito after all. His frown and sneer soon turn a little soft around the edges as he sighs and shakes his head. ]
Y'know, I was trying to do something nice for you but no~ If this is the way you're gonna poke at me for it, you can go fuck yourself.
[ Acting isn't Tomura's strong suit, so it should be painfully obvious he was playing. A rare thing indeed, but playing nonetheless. Arms folded like he's annoyed, head tipped up and tilted away from Dito, eyes closed lightly. ]
[Fortunately, Dito's used enough to Shigaraki's insults that he takes the remarks in the manner that they're meant-- huffing out an affectionate chuckle at his boss's bluster.]
Your fault for havin' such thin skin, my lord. Didn't realize you were so sensitive.
But you've managed to pique my curiosity for once. Might as well get a good look at the new town finally, since it's there an' all. You wanna lead or should I take point as usual?
[ When he's called sensitive, Tomura reaches out and lightly slaps the back of Dito's head, before pulling him in with a curl of his arm around his head, like he was going to get him in a headlock, but instead he makes a groaning noise and presses his teeth to the top of Dito's head. It's affectionate okay, like he wants to just eat him up~ ]
I could just fucking murder you sometimes, y'know that, Dito.
Fine. I'll do all the work, shall I? I'll come up with the idea, pick the place and take the lead, huh?
[ With that said, he gave Dito a squeeze, kissing his temple before shoving him away and shaking his head. ]
[Shigaraki often treated him like this, random acts of halted aggression that stopped short of being truly painful. It was leaps and bounds better than Five's egregious embraces and kisses, and Dito had grown to look forward to it every time it happened. Perhaps that was why he needled the other man so constantly. Not that he gave it much thought-- Shigaraki had always been fun to tease.
He twisted his mouth in a mock scowl, making a show of combing his hair back into place with his fingers.]
Yes, yes-- you're a bastion of generosity, taking time out of your oh-so-busy schedule to accommodate my needs. Not like this was your idea to begin with or anything.
[He exits the treehouse as Shigaraki opens the door for him, dispensing with the rope ladder entirely in favor of sliding down the tree's wall. Dito wasn't one for showmanship under normal circumstances, but sometimes he had an audience that called for it. He glances back at Shigaraki, an amused glint in his gold eyes.]
[ Yea, it had taken Shigaraki a while to realise he could act like this with Dito and that Dito actually liked it. He knew about his relationship with Five, knew that sometimes he could trigger him with acts of violence or dominance, so when he playfully bites at him or nips him, punches him, then kisses him, the fact that Dito can tell its done from a place of actual affection means a lot to him.
Oh just look at him fix his hair like that… Fuck. But it just makes him want to do it more. ]
Uh-huh, just you remember it too.
[ Shigaraki smiled, he couldn’t not. Watching as Dito made his exit, and whistling a sound of approval at him before climbing down like a normal person would. He pressed a hand to Dito’s head, ruffling the hair he’s only just fixed before walking on ahead of him. ]
You piece of-- stop doing that! My hair's hard enough to manage as it is!
[It wasn't a real reaction, not entirely. More and more Dito found himself playing up his annoyed reactions, and he wasn't entirely sure why. Shigaraki wasn't like Five, after all-- he wasn't someone to be appeased or disarmed. It just felt... right, somehow, to play the clown just a little bit. To see Shigaraki smile at him the way he was doing now. It wasn't rational, but things were rarely rational when Shigaraki was involved.
The trek to Stellari was mostly uneventful. The worst they had to deal with were the looks of distrust and dislike from the denizens, but they largely gave the both of them a wide berth. Dito ignored them-- it wasn't his fault they put too much stock in a weak god. A slight tugging vertigo overcame him as he stepped inside the portal, and suddenly they were surrounded by cityfolk of an entirely different sort. Dragonkin sidestepped them on their way to market with only the briefest of glances. Shopkeepers called out to passersby, hoping to entice them into their stores. Dito uttered a wordless sound of protest as he was jostled by a particularly large crowd of youngsters as they rushed past.]
D'ah! Of fucking course we have to end up here at the busiest time of the day. Let's just find a place to eat quick before we're trampled, yeah?
[ Shigaraki liked it, the way Dito played up around him. He was attracted to their hyper violence, to their sarcasm and skill when fighting, but if truth be told, one thing he loved most about his little disciple was his way with words. Be it his silver tongue or the vulgar ways he described death and destruction, Shigaraki loves it. So any excuse to make him chatty was good in his books and the way he was complaining about the crowds simply fed into Shigaraki's addiction. ]
Want me to carry you?
[ He said, with a shit eating grin on his face, extending his arms as he walked backwards for a few paces, the kids and crowds of people having to avoid him instead.
The place he wanted to eat at was just a few streets away; it looked less busy than near the portal and city centre, so he was sure Dito would settle once they got there. But the temptation to steer them towards the direction of a seafood restaurant just to see the reaction from him was almost too hard to deny... So that's what he did.
Stopping outside of the place where the signage swaying in the breeze, an image of a lobster on the painting. ]
[Again, there was no real malice behind his words. Just another one of the little games they played. Dito watched as Shigaraki walked backwards, his face and demeanor filled with confidence that the crowd would part for him like the waters of the Red Sea.
The Disciple barely took notice of the people milling about, his eyes focused on the grin that was now plastered across Shigaraki's face. He seemed to be in one of his rare lighthearted moods, and Dito wasn't sure why until he realized the man had suddenly stopped outside of a restaurant. A restaurant with a very distinct sign and very distinct smells wafting from inside.
Dito felt his mouth twist in exasperation, and he gave Shigaraki a particularly acidic glare.]
You shittin' me right now? Has your brain finally rotted away from that fucking Quirk of yours?
[He knew that Shigaraki was doing this on purpose, and it didn't occur to him that he didn't have to take the bait. Again, it just seemed right to play these sorts of games with him, though Dito would be hard pressed to explain why he continued to indulge him like this. He would never admit it even to himself, but it was fun playing up his curmudgeonly attitude. Just a little bit, anyway. If it was Shigaraki on the receiving end.]
[ ooc: backdated to after Dito finds out about AFO using Shigaraki's body! D: ]
Things were just starting to get back to normal (whatever "normal" for these two fuckheads was) since everything went to shit. Shigaraki's amnesia, Kurogiri being some fucking cheerful, wannabe hero, and whatever had had Dito acting a little more cautious around Shigaraki.
Bathing before bed, lying down with still damp hair, those blanched strands seemed to curl up at the ends, making his hair look wavier than usual. Slipping into bed in a pair of light grey joggers and a skin-tight black t-shirt, it wasn't like he was going to be cold or anything, what with Dito lying beside him and all.
It didn't take him long to fall asleep, surprisingly. He was exhausted and slipped into one of those deep sleeps, you know the kind, where you could be talking one second and lightly snoring the next. He was comfortable, at ease and felt safe. An arm draped around his little love, pulling them into him, subconsciously possessive.
Sleep did not come so easily to Dito this night, though he'd long since gotten used to Shigaraki reaching out to him. It was much different from the way that Five used to clutch at him in her sleep, more like a child grasping their favorite toy for subconscious comfort than any sort of hedonistic ownership, and damn if Dito could figure out why that didn't bother him as much.
This was not what was keeping him awake. The memories of what had transpired only a few days ago were foremost in his mind-- memories of the Shigaraki who was not Shigaraki; memories of the man Kurogiri had called All For One, who had somehow slipped into Shigaraki's body like someone slipping on a well-worn suit tailored perfectly for him. Had Shigaraki still been in there, fighting the entire time? Or had he been watching helplessly as his own body moved in ways that weren't of his control, in the same way Dito had been forced to watch the sword slip from his hands in his first attempt to murder Five?
The Disciple's stomach gave a sudden queasy lurch. He swallowed hard and fought to empty his mind, focusing instead on Shigaraki's softly closed eyes with the strangely white lashes; on the rhythmic ebb and flow of his breathing. Dito's hand was curled against the other man's chest, and he could feel the strong and steady beat of his heart beneath his shirt. Would he have been able to tell the difference between his employer's own heartbeat and that of All For One's?
Dito watched as his hand slowly splayed out against Shigaraki's chest. Almost as if it had a mind of its own, his hand began to travel down the length of the other man's torso, fingers tracing every curve and contour of muscle beneath the fabric. Shigaraki's time away had certainly brought some changes to his physique-- along with some injuries, though those had since been healed.
Dito's fingers traveled downward, past Shigaraki's chest to his taut abdominal muscles. He flicked his eyes up to the other man's face, sure that he would see those striking crimson eyes open and staring at him, but they remained closed. Strange, really-- Shigaraki had always been a light sleeper. Still, it was probably just as well. Dito would've been hard-pressed to explain why he was suddenly feeling up his employer while he was sleeping.
His tongue darted out to nervously lick his lips. His mouth had strangely become dry.
Shigaraki was blissfully unaware of what was to become of him back home. Kurogiri had never told him. Perhaps it was for the best, really? And he'd never asked as he'd never doubted his masters intentions. Still, if he had known that All For One was planning to take over his body and puppet him around, he might have had some complicated feelings... Much like if he knew that right now, Dito was quietly contemplating whether he could tell him apart from All For One, it would have upset him more than he could realise.
There was a flicker of his eyelids when Dito's fingers traced over his stomach, sensitive even in slumber. The muscles twitched and tightened up, a sigh of breath falling from his now parted lips, dry and pale looking as ever. A thigh tensed up, making his heel flick his foot out underneath the covers. Usually, just the slight movement on the bed beside him would have been enough for him to stir from his sleep, but he had since gotten used to the motions Dito made in bed; it was a comfort to him.
However, in saying all that, if Dito's hand strayed any lower than where it currently lay resting, something else might stir up in Shigaraki's unconscious body...
Pale as it was, Shigaraki's skin reflected the blue tint of Dito's latent healing powers, causing him to be bathed in an unnatural light. He'd since learned to control it to a certain extent; learned to ignore the nagging urge that came about whenever in close proximity to someone injured. But it was hard to ignore when the person in question was Shigaraki. For some reason, the pull to heal his employer's various hurts was too strong to ignore-- it was like trying to hold his breath for too long.
Or perhaps-- and Dito felt a bitter taste in the back of his throat as he thought this-- perhaps it was because he didn't want to ignore it.
He shunted that thought aside in favor of focusing on the body of the man before him. Dito watched with a vague satisfaction as the dryness eased once again from Shigaraki's skin, as it grew more supple and lost that sickly pale tint. His fingers briefly shrank away as the man twitched in his sleep, but he still did not awaken. A soft sigh fell from his mouth, as if even on an unconscious level he felt what Dito was doing to him, and Dito felt the corners of his own mouth turn upward.
He wasn't one for useless flights of fancy even in the best of times, but a part of him hoped that Shigaraki was dreaming a good dream at least.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
WHY AM I THE ONE CHRISTENING THIS??? text; un: doc0203
I've mulled over our conversation for a while now. It truly was intriguing.
I had a follow-up question: How far do you think willpower alone can take you when the battle you're facing is one you're all but guaranteed to lose?
M-Maruki-san be gentle a-ahn~
If I end up dying, at least it'll be doing what I love, and hopefully I'll have taken one of my enemies down with me. Or have done enough damage that it's a moral victory.
loads up the drops page and stares directly at u
[ If cognitive psience makes even the slightest positive difference in the world because of his work, then it could be considered a moral victory if he dies because of it.
........... is what he would think if he didn't have Akechi in his ear constantly telling him that any power, no matter how innocuous at first, ultimately goes rotten. To say nothing of what he and Eren have discussed.
Why he's turning to Dito at this juncture is a true mystery to Maruki. Maybe hearing from someone so violently different from him is a strange sort of relief. ]
I suppose I'm thinking of battles in a more metaphorical sense, but everything you've said about literal ones still applies. It's best to go into any adversarial situation without expectations of success. That's ego, and ego can get you killed quickly.
I'd assume, anyway.
You're very cavalier about your own death, though!
you wouldn't dare, you love the suffering too much
And that's really the meat of it, y'know? Now that I'm out of my shit situation, I wanna die with as many scars on my corpse as possible. Better to live a short, well-lived life than a long one filled with regret, right?
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Let me ask you a question, though - don't you think it's necessary to have some regrets?
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Action versus inaction, know what I mean? I'd rather make an error in my choices than not make any choices at all. The gods hate a coward.
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[ The gods hate a coward – a statement Maruki understands far better now than he would have the first time they spoke. ]
Can I ask what sort of gods you dealt with? If you already told me, please forgive my bad memory. I am an old man, after all.
this is me making shit up about canon because Yoko Taro can't be bothered lalalala
The only other thing that comes close are the Angels-- or the Watchers, if you want to use the more fancy name. They're these powerful beings that any Disciple or Intoner can summon from the celestial plane to do their bidding.
We're not in control of them, mind you-- we've just formed a pact with them, and in exchange they allow us to call on them when needed. Usually it's for combat purposes, of course. If I still had my powers, I could show you.
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That's fascinating, thank you for telling me.
Have you ever thought of regaining your powers here? I won't blame you if you haven't - I know that asking the crystal for anything feels dicey at best.
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From what I can understand about the whole thing, though... it takes a bit of doing to request that much, doesn't it? Like, I'm imagining a big ask like that probably requires some sort of equivalent exchange, yeah?
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Do you mean an equivalent exchange beyond the exchange of shards? Because I have some thoughts on the matter.
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I don't know about equivalent exchange, but I think it's safe to say that the powers that be take something from us even when they "give" in return.
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I'm gonna guess it has nothing to do with the amount of shards that are given? I can see people being punished for cheaping out on the deal at the last second, but I get the feeling that's not what you're talking about.
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As much as it frustrates me to say this, I haven't been able to establish any pattern to how regained powers are altered, let alone any motive as to why it might be.
If you do ever wish for your powers to return, please let me know what happens. Any information provided will be a huge help to figuring this out- and then, ideally, figuring out a way to circumvent it. People should have full access to the abilities inherent to them, and I intend to see that through.
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Heh. You're lucky you're so cute, Doc.
[It's hard to tell through text whether or not that flirtation was meant to be sincere. Probably not, knowing Dito.]
It's a noble endeavor, I guess. If I do end up getting cheaped out of my full powers and you manage to find a loophole, you'll let me know, won't you? Nothing worse than playing with less than a full deck of cards, if you'll pardon the expression.
[Dito you haven't been playing with a full deck since the day you were born.]
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[ Luckily, he no longer gets flustered quite so easily by blatant, teasing flirtation. It rolls right off his back. He's dating a creation goddess who did a cheeky genocide, what does he care what anyone else says to him? ]
And I can assure you that if I'm lucky enough to figure that out, you and any others I know whose abilities were tampered with will know. I can't promise that it will ever happen, but I can at least promise that.
See? I'm not so bad.
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I'm enjoying these talks more than I was expecting though, I gotta admit. Staves off the boredom at the very least. Maybe I'll call on you next time. Isn't that an exciting thought?
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Take care of yourself, doc. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
[That's not exactly a limitation, Dito.]
UN: mooncancer | Text
╮ (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.) ╭ why don't I see your stupid ass anywhere? I keep trying to find you so I can give you the spook.
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If we had sex BB would probably just cry and want to die
"( – ⌓ – ) anyway, glad to hear you're alive, what are you even up to anyway?
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And why d'you want to know? So you can pretend like you're interested?
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Whatchu mean? BB is obsessed with everyone here, even a squick like you.
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And why the hell else would anyone have sex? For romance? If you're trying to make yourself not sound like a virgin, you're doing it wrong.
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FINE! Maybe BB is a virgin, that just makes her A+ prize ╮ (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.) ╭
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And virginity ain't always all it's cracked up to be. Maybe it just means you're terrible in the sack.
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I'm literally obsessed with everyone, get over yourself stupid.
YOU DONT KNOW THAT I bet I'd make a virgin boy cry.
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And I have no doubt that you'd make your potential bedwarmers cry. Mostly out of frustration when you don't know what the fuck you're doing. Virgins are boring.
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It equals out that way, like simple math - can you do simple math?
BB TOTALLY DOES! I HAVE THE WHOLE LIBRARY OF DATA FROM THE MOON CELL! OKAY! I know about human sex more than you do! Just because BB never did anything doesn't mean shit!⁽⁽(੭ꐦ •̀Д•́ )੭*⁾⁾
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Knowing something and being experienced in something are two completely different things. Take my mistress for example-- she spent a good portion of her life researching every single sex position and kink that was ever conceived. Doesn't mean she wasn't utter shit at each and every one of them.
You might know more about sex than I do-- doubtful, but I'll humor you-- but I guarantee that in practice? You'd better be bringing something more to the table or else your unfortunate partners are gonna end up busting a nut thinkin' of something else.
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[ Help the mun hates this so much. ]
BB IS SO SEXY JUST YOU WAIT BB IS GUNNA RUB IT ALL OVER YOUR FACE THE FIRST MOMENT SHE GETS TO!! ⁽⁽(੭ꐦ •̀Д•́ )੭*⁾⁾ YOU'LL BE WISHING YOU COULD BE WITH BB TOO BUT SHE NEVER WILL!! BECAUSE YOURE A SQUICK!
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Was this your whole reason for contacting me, by the way? To beat your chest about your nonexistent sexual prowess like some sort of pathetic attention-starved gorilla? Because it ain't exactly a good look for you, I gotta say.
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BB was trying to see how the fuck you were and if you were dead or something, she was literally just making sure you were alive ⁽⁽(੭ꐦ •̀Д•́ )੭*⁾⁾ and you ARE!
Now BB can leave you to your day while you go suck nuts or whatever it is you do.
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Have fun imagining whatever perverse acts you think I get up to, you little weirdo. You're so transparent it's almost cute.
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the last person BB wants calling her cute is YOU, STOP!!!
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HOW DID I MISS THIS
Youre special but NOT THAT SPECIAL!
PROBABLY THE SAME WAY I ALSO MISSED THIS
YOU & ME: FUCK
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Are you some kind of homunculus or something? Someone I know back home used to make those. Creepy as hell.
[The fact that this is through text hides that he'd meant for that to be a compliment.]
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Now that homunculus basically is in charge of the Moon and that is BB!
basically.
But unlike an actual homunculus, I don't have a physical body, I use magic to make one. Im more like a spooky ghost 👻
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So if you don't have a physical body, what happens when the one you're using dies? Just out of curiosity.
cw: gore implied
except instead of it being gold - its just like dust? lol lame
y upset? you can't play with my guts?
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But that sounds like what happens when Intoners die back in my world. All this magical energy gets released and absorbed into the person who killed them. Or so I've been told.
Is that what happens to you? Do you just get absorbed back into the moon or whatever? Have you died before?
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im not like most girls
[ But like actually - because shes made up of shit. Actual shit. The shit human's shit out. But not actual shit, rhetorical shit. ]
lolol u sound scared? just so you know im not an intoner or w.e. that sounds cool as fuck tho.
me dying is the standard way any servant dies so, its not that special. I've died plenty of times because that's my job - basically. Then we just come back so long as our saint graph is intact. that's a bit complicated, but basically, as long as our soul is in this box that records our existence. we can die as many times as we need to. there are some exceptions, where we need to be careful etc, but its all complicated to explain
here though, if i die, i die-die. then go through inferna like anyone else
so anyway whats this intoner thing?
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An Intoner is a powerful sorceress capable of manipulating the world through Songs. People back home say they've been touched by the gods, or that they're goddesses themselves, and they rule over the various regions of my world. There are six of them in total, and you can identify them by the numbers they have branded into their foreheads.
My mistress was Five, and I was her Disciple. That means I was imbued with powerful magic in order to better serve my lady in whatever she required. Sounds like you might have been cut from a similar cloth?
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Oh interesting... Well, you can say BB is probably more powerful then them then - if you go by numbers alone?
If each one represented Gods, BB represents more than 10!
And she doesn't need stupid numbers branded onto her forehead! sounds lame anyway lmfao
ANYWAY FUCK all that i just said, that means you're a familiar? Basically BB uses the familiar concept to make herself exist, its complicated stuff, but I am borrowing that system to make myself exist as an entity. I otherwise wouldnt exist... Uh... Yeah, its complicated.
dw about it but, kind of all similar to everything but different.
Do you guys have dimensions or realties and stuff? cause like, BB's stuff deals with dimension crap - idk if your Girly Boss Gods knew how to manipulate that far.
12/25 gift delivery!!
Letter: Squick ]
2/14 Valentine Delivery
Before you is a gift, chocolate, and a letter.
“Dear Dito,
My preparations are complete. All clear on my end.
I’ve prayed for victory and will gladly put my life on the line for it.
Whenever you are ready, make the first move and call for me.
I await your determination to have a fair one-on-one duel.
The challenge is baking
From,
Hakuno Kishinami
P.S. It would make me happy if you accepted my gifts. ”
Despite how manly this “Challenge Letter” is, it’s not a challenge letter but an invitation to hang out. Hakuno Kishinami might have just psyched herself a bit too much. She might just end up embarrassing herself later down the road, so please just play along with her.
This was the first time she had ever given out chocolate, so she decided to make it memorable.
Despite how over the top this might be.
[ Dito received mouthwash & a single Snicker bar. ]
back dated to 2/14 action!
[ Casually insulting your boo-thang as a means of asking them out on a date? Surely not~? Surely Tomura has more class than that? Dito won't see through his derailing , right? ]
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Let's see... trek a long way through the blistering cold to find a place that might not even offer good food, or stay inside and risk getting bitched at by my ungrateful housemate because he can't handle the mildest of spices in the food I so graciously cook for him?
Hmm... tough choice. Can I just choose the third option and fall on my own spear?
[Much like a feral dog that's recently been domesticated, one has to listen closely to Dito's tone to understand there's no real menace behind his growls.]
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Fine. Whatever, I'll eat anything but you're fuckin' healing my lips when the skin spits around them and sores form from... Unless that's why you insist on making everything so damn hot all the time? You sick fuck, I swear thats a form of Munchausen's by proxy but whatever~
[ Waving a hand about as he bites back, just as viciously, just as playfully. #
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Thank you for giving me your permission to kiss you, my lord. I didn't realize it was such an unpleasant ordeal. It never occurred to me what sacrifices you endured to keep your little underling appeased.
[He punctuates this with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head, but once again, it's not as biting and acerbic as he could be.]
But sure, I'd be open to trying something new. As long as I can get something that ain't fish, that is. Should we head out now?
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Y'know, I was trying to do something nice for you but no~ If this is the way you're gonna poke at me for it, you can go fuck yourself.
[ Acting isn't Tomura's strong suit, so it should be painfully obvious he was playing. A rare thing indeed, but playing nonetheless. Arms folded like he's annoyed, head tipped up and tilted away from Dito, eyes closed lightly. ]
No fish. I promise.
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Your fault for havin' such thin skin, my lord. Didn't realize you were so sensitive.
But you've managed to pique my curiosity for once. Might as well get a good look at the new town finally, since it's there an' all. You wanna lead or should I take point as usual?
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I could just fucking murder you sometimes, y'know that, Dito.
Fine. I'll do all the work, shall I? I'll come up with the idea, pick the place and take the lead, huh?
[ With that said, he gave Dito a squeeze, kissing his temple before shoving him away and shaking his head. ]
C'mon then, before I change my mind.
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He twisted his mouth in a mock scowl, making a show of combing his hair back into place with his fingers.]
Yes, yes-- you're a bastion of generosity, taking time out of your oh-so-busy schedule to accommodate my needs. Not like this was your idea to begin with or anything.
[He exits the treehouse as Shigaraki opens the door for him, dispensing with the rope ladder entirely in favor of sliding down the tree's wall. Dito wasn't one for showmanship under normal circumstances, but sometimes he had an audience that called for it. He glances back at Shigaraki, an amused glint in his gold eyes.]
Waitin' on you, Tee.
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Oh just look at him fix his hair like that… Fuck. But it just makes him want to do it more. ]
Uh-huh, just you remember it too.
[ Shigaraki smiled, he couldn’t not. Watching as Dito made his exit, and whistling a sound of approval at him before climbing down like a normal person would. He pressed a hand to Dito’s head, ruffling the hair he’s only just fixed before walking on ahead of him. ]
C’mon, keep up if you can, yeah?
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[It wasn't a real reaction, not entirely. More and more Dito found himself playing up his annoyed reactions, and he wasn't entirely sure why. Shigaraki wasn't like Five, after all-- he wasn't someone to be appeased or disarmed. It just felt... right, somehow, to play the clown just a little bit. To see Shigaraki smile at him the way he was doing now. It wasn't rational, but things were rarely rational when Shigaraki was involved.
The trek to Stellari was mostly uneventful. The worst they had to deal with were the looks of distrust and dislike from the denizens, but they largely gave the both of them a wide berth. Dito ignored them-- it wasn't his fault they put too much stock in a weak god. A slight tugging vertigo overcame him as he stepped inside the portal, and suddenly they were surrounded by cityfolk of an entirely different sort. Dragonkin sidestepped them on their way to market with only the briefest of glances. Shopkeepers called out to passersby, hoping to entice them into their stores. Dito uttered a wordless sound of protest as he was jostled by a particularly large crowd of youngsters as they rushed past.]
D'ah! Of fucking course we have to end up here at the busiest time of the day. Let's just find a place to eat quick before we're trampled, yeah?
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Want me to carry you?
[ He said, with a shit eating grin on his face, extending his arms as he walked backwards for a few paces, the kids and crowds of people having to avoid him instead.
The place he wanted to eat at was just a few streets away; it looked less busy than near the portal and city centre, so he was sure Dito would settle once they got there. But the temptation to steer them towards the direction of a seafood restaurant just to see the reaction from him was almost too hard to deny... So that's what he did.
Stopping outside of the place where the signage swaying in the breeze, an image of a lobster on the painting. ]
Alright, this'll do.
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[Again, there was no real malice behind his words. Just another one of the little games they played. Dito watched as Shigaraki walked backwards, his face and demeanor filled with confidence that the crowd would part for him like the waters of the Red Sea.
The Disciple barely took notice of the people milling about, his eyes focused on the grin that was now plastered across Shigaraki's face. He seemed to be in one of his rare lighthearted moods, and Dito wasn't sure why until he realized the man had suddenly stopped outside of a restaurant. A restaurant with a very distinct sign and very distinct smells wafting from inside.
Dito felt his mouth twist in exasperation, and he gave Shigaraki a particularly acidic glare.]
You shittin' me right now? Has your brain finally rotted away from that fucking Quirk of yours?
[He knew that Shigaraki was doing this on purpose, and it didn't occur to him that he didn't have to take the bait. Again, it just seemed right to play these sorts of games with him, though Dito would be hard pressed to explain why he continued to indulge him like this. He would never admit it even to himself, but it was fun playing up his curmudgeonly attitude. Just a little bit, anyway. If it was Shigaraki on the receiving end.]
NSFW Slipping on in here like nobodies business~
Things were just starting to get back to normal (whatever "normal" for these two fuckheads was) since everything went to shit. Shigaraki's amnesia, Kurogiri being some fucking cheerful, wannabe hero, and whatever had had Dito acting a little more cautious around Shigaraki.
Bathing before bed, lying down with still damp hair, those blanched strands seemed to curl up at the ends, making his hair look wavier than usual. Slipping into bed in a pair of light grey joggers and a skin-tight black t-shirt, it wasn't like he was going to be cold or anything, what with Dito lying beside him and all.
It didn't take him long to fall asleep, surprisingly. He was exhausted and slipped into one of those deep sleeps, you know the kind, where you could be talking one second and lightly snoring the next. He was comfortable, at ease and felt safe. An arm draped around his little love, pulling them into him, subconsciously possessive.
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This was not what was keeping him awake. The memories of what had transpired only a few days ago were foremost in his mind-- memories of the Shigaraki who was not Shigaraki; memories of the man Kurogiri had called All For One, who had somehow slipped into Shigaraki's body like someone slipping on a well-worn suit tailored perfectly for him. Had Shigaraki still been in there, fighting the entire time? Or had he been watching helplessly as his own body moved in ways that weren't of his control, in the same way Dito had been forced to watch the sword slip from his hands in his first attempt to murder Five?
The Disciple's stomach gave a sudden queasy lurch. He swallowed hard and fought to empty his mind, focusing instead on Shigaraki's softly closed eyes with the strangely white lashes; on the rhythmic ebb and flow of his breathing. Dito's hand was curled against the other man's chest, and he could feel the strong and steady beat of his heart beneath his shirt. Would he have been able to tell the difference between his employer's own heartbeat and that of All For One's?
Dito watched as his hand slowly splayed out against Shigaraki's chest. Almost as if it had a mind of its own, his hand began to travel down the length of the other man's torso, fingers tracing every curve and contour of muscle beneath the fabric. Shigaraki's time away had certainly brought some changes to his physique-- along with some injuries, though those had since been healed.
Dito's fingers traveled downward, past Shigaraki's chest to his taut abdominal muscles. He flicked his eyes up to the other man's face, sure that he would see those striking crimson eyes open and staring at him, but they remained closed. Strange, really-- Shigaraki had always been a light sleeper. Still, it was probably just as well. Dito would've been hard-pressed to explain why he was suddenly feeling up his employer while he was sleeping.
His tongue darted out to nervously lick his lips. His mouth had strangely become dry.
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There was a flicker of his eyelids when Dito's fingers traced over his stomach, sensitive even in slumber. The muscles twitched and tightened up, a sigh of breath falling from his now parted lips, dry and pale looking as ever. A thigh tensed up, making his heel flick his foot out underneath the covers. Usually, just the slight movement on the bed beside him would have been enough for him to stir from his sleep, but he had since gotten used to the motions Dito made in bed; it was a comfort to him.
However, in saying all that, if Dito's hand strayed any lower than where it currently lay resting, something else might stir up in Shigaraki's unconscious body...
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Or perhaps-- and Dito felt a bitter taste in the back of his throat as he thought this-- perhaps it was because he didn't want to ignore it.
He shunted that thought aside in favor of focusing on the body of the man before him. Dito watched with a vague satisfaction as the dryness eased once again from Shigaraki's skin, as it grew more supple and lost that sickly pale tint. His fingers briefly shrank away as the man twitched in his sleep, but he still did not awaken. A soft sigh fell from his mouth, as if even on an unconscious level he felt what Dito was doing to him, and Dito felt the corners of his own mouth turn upward.
He wasn't one for useless flights of fancy even in the best of times, but a part of him hoped that Shigaraki was dreaming a good dream at least.