Kyriakos: OVERFLOW

[justichthys]

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DAY ???, on hiatus with Kaito in Isabel's realm.

[justichthys]

[ This is. The worst. Timing. Ever. ]

[ Kidnapped by Iota, who, while polite, still has a lot of things to learn about things like, oh, you know, boundaries. At least Aoko had managed to (gently) bully her into leaving notes for her friends—she knows how much they worry. And then, there's Kaito … she's not sure it's better or worse that Kaito is stuck here with her. ]

[ But at least Iota has given her word that she will not keep them. ]

[ So, here they are … in a "HoloSim VR-Suite", with bodies that Iota has assured them are not real. (Why would she need to assure them of that?!) She's asked them to test out her newest game … something about aliens? Aoko'd had her doubts, but … Iota did seem earnest about wanting to make sure that the game worked, and would be fun for those playing in it … so maybe it won't be so bad? ]

[ She and Kaito are in what Iota had deemed a 'starting chamber', which equipment to choose from and their new 'uniforms' (military uniforms) already in place. ]

DON'T YOU MEAN IOTA'S REALM

[carptricks]

[to be quite frank, none of what Iota had told them had been comforting. at all]

[the reassurance that their bodies weren't real (so where were their bodies right now??), the military uniforms (why. . . do they need military uniforms??), the equipment room with walls lined with laser guns and other weapons, and the inventory bags strapped at their waists all spoke of a "game" that the duo needed to be on guard for. and having to maintain wariness and caution right after a game like Akasha's. . . well]

[one could imagine that Kaito was not in the best of moods right now]

[he tugs at the collar of his "uniform" as he scans the weapons on the wall, brows furrowed and mouth curled back into a displeased scowl. he moves back and forth so quickly it's almost as though he's pacing]

Y'know, Holly and I were talking about forcing the Echoes into etiquette lessons sometime.

[he says, voice so dry it could cause a drought in a desert]

I'm beginning to think we should go through with that plan after all.

... YES I DO

[justichthys]

[ Well, given that they'd entered some kind of … weird chamber with electronic, humming things everywhere, before it had turned into this place, Aoko's willing to bet that their real bodies are back there. It reminds her a lot of the VR game she'd remembered reading news reports about back home, not that she finds the thought overly comforting; that game had almost ended with people dead. ]

Ha. Ha. [ Standing with her hands on her hips, just staring at the weapons. Nope, not touching those, instead she's going to peek at what looks to be food, but what are actually health restoratives. It makes her think of video games. ]

From what I've seen and everything Puma's said about her, Iota-san has the mentality of a child. Etiquette lessons would be good for her. [ And also for the health, safety, and sanity of anybody she happened to take interest in?? ] I'd like to think that she just doesn't understand why what she's doing is bad, and that she can learn better.

the curse of playing two echoes with names starting in I

[carptricks]

[stops in front of one of the guns and makes a face, before he reaches out to brush his fingertips against the handle. it feels real. . . the metal is even cool to the touch]

[he shivers a bit and mumbles]

Why's it our responsibility to make sure she doesn't kill anyone in the process of learning. . .

[it's a rhetorical question. he already knows the answer]

really should have thought that through more tbqh

[justichthys]

We'll be fine. [ She says it quietly, and then again, with more vigour: ] We'll be fine! We're here together, after all, and if we can just think of it as a video game instead of something that's really, actually real … [ It's probably still going to suck, and something in Aoko's tone suggests that she knows it. ]

And then, when we're done, we can give her a good lecture about not kidnapping people to be her guinea pigs. [ She suspects that they're not going to be the only ones getting in on the yelling action, either. Good. She wants to like Iota, wants to help her and understand her, but that doesn't mean she's going to take this laying down! ]

it happens!1

[carptricks]

[his hand closes around the barrel of the gun, and gently, he lifts the weapon from the wall. it's big and clunky and kind of uncomfortable to hold, but. . .]

[it kind of reminds him of his card gun, in some ways]

Ha.

I get the feeling I should leave most of the lecturing to you.

[testing the weight of the firearm in his hand, he spins on his heel to face Aoko with both eyebrows raised]

Re: it happens!1

[justichthys]

[ Glances over to him when she hears him moving, and—ah. She raises her eyebrows as well, her nose wrinkled. ]

You're taking that? [ Here's the thing: Aoko knows that Kaito is good with firearms. She knows that he's trustworthy with them, too. Knows that this isn't actually real, and that it's fine. It's still just … weird, for a moment. ]

[carptricks]

[he twirls the weapon around one finger, a motion that probably reveals that he's waaaay too comfortable around firearms for a teenager. it mmmmight be a little concerning, but he isn't trying to hide it]

"HoloSim VR-Suite." "Game." "Aliens."

[he gestures at the food with his free hand]

Health restoratives.

. . . I'm not saying we shouldn't take this seriously, but if we're playing a virtual reality "game," then I'm gonna play it right.

[if only to ensure that neither of them get hurt. real bodies or not, who knew what these hyper-realistic holograms could do?]

[justichthys]

[ She remembers the paintball game, which Elaeis totally dominated thanks to a combination of Trick being a ninja and Lucky—Kaito—being … well. Himself. Kaitou Kid. She knows just how good he is with a gun, so it isn't all that surprising to see him handling one so well now. ]

Mmmn … [ Somewhat reluctant, but they don't really have much of a choice here, do they? Aoko sighs, drumming her fingers against her hip. ] Okay, okay. Help me find some kind of … uhm, mop? Something I can hit things with. [ SHE'S A REALLY BAD SHOT, made worse by her distaste for guns. ]

[ She just hopes that Iota isn't going to make this too realistic. ]

[carptricks]

[well, there are some staves lining the walls (though these ones don't have the ability to shoot energy blasts). THEY'RE KINDA COOL. AND SCI-FIY]

Something kinda like. . . [Kaito holsters the handgun into his belt and whirls around to face the staves. he reaches out and raps his knuckle against one of them, before craning his head over his shoulder towards Aoko]

This?

[justichthys]

[ She wanders closer to look it over, brushing up companionably against Kaito's side. ]

… [ It looks weird. But then, it also looks kind of cool?! Like one of the pretty staffs from the RPGs she enjoys playing, except sci-fi instead. Gingerly, she reaches out to pick one of them up. ] This should work, mm. It's solid but not too heavy, and it doesn't feel like it'll break easily ...

[carptricks]

[a scoff]

It'd be a pretty lousy weapon if it broke.

[he bumps her shoulder with his own, before stepping away to examine the other items in the supply room. in addition to the health restoratives, there also seems to be extra ammunition (for a laser gun???), some lock picks, some pieces of chest and head armor. . .]

[well. Kaito's grabbing the lock picks for sure]

[justichthys]

You might wanna take the ammunition, as well, Kaito. [ Aoko calls over, as she gives the stave a quick little testing twirl. The heft's not bad … it's not a mop, and it definitely isn't a paint-sabre, but she should be able to use it with no problems. ]

But what about the armor … [ She gives it a doubtful squint. ] It looks clunky.

[carptricks]

I've got it, I've got it.

[he says with a scoff before he tucks a couple of boxes of said ammunition into the pack strapped at his waist]

The armor would slow me down. I think I'll be okay without it.

[though that might be a bold statement for him to make]

[justichthys]

Kaito, we don't know what we're going to be up against …! It's better safe than sorry. [ Prods him with the tip of the stave, lips pursed. ] You can always take it off again later if it's holding you back.

You should know better than to head into an unknown level with too little equipment! Or didn't you learn anything from that last boss battle in Wandering Swords 2?

[carptricks]

[wh]

[did she just insult his Wandering Swords 2 skills]

. . . oi! That boss battle went just fine! I won in the end, maybe only after five separate tries and at the expense of 75% of my health, but this is different anyway!

[and yet, he reaches for some chest armor as he glowers at her]

[justichthys]

[ you bet your britches she did, sir ]

Only five times! You could've done it on your first if you'd just listened to be when I made those recommendations. [ Huffs at him. ]

Need any help with that?

[carptricks]

Some boss fights take more than one try to beat! That's just how video games are!

[:T! he sticks his tongue out at her as he starts latching the armor across his torso]

And I can dress myself, you know.

[there might be a strap across his back that he can't reach. . .]

[justichthys]

You're only saying that to make yourself feel better ... [ Is she talking about his gaming skills, or how ability to dress himself? The world may never know. ]

And you're missing something.

[carptricks]

[scoops up a helmet once he is done and spins around to face her, expression flat]

Are you always this critical?

[DEPOSITS HELMET ONTO HER HEAD. back strap is still not fastened btw]

[justichthys]

Only when it comes to your safety! [ s-sigh! marches closer, gesturing for him to spin around. ]

You missed a strap, dummy. I'll get it for you.

[carptricks]

[HEAVES A SIGH but obliges, and while she fixes that strap he scans the area for any more useful items. his gaze comes to rest on the exit door, which is clearly labeled with the word "START" in bright green, glowing letters]

You nervous?

[justichthys]

... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. [ She admits quietly, fiddling with the strap. ] After that game. And neither of us knows Iota very well.

Are you?

[ Finishes up with the chest piece and steps back! ] Guess I should find some gear to wear as well.

[carptricks]

. . . nah.

[his smile is confident, but a bit lopsided, as he cranes his head over his shoulder to look at her again]

I trust you to have my back. We'll be okay.

[he reaches out to thunk the front of her helmet lightly]

Grab the rest of your armor and let's get going.

[justichthys]

Hold this for a second. [ Holds out the stave for him to take so that she can get her own chest piece into place! ]

… You really trust me like that—? I mean … [ It's not like she's really any good at fighting, or like she could keep up properly with Kaitou Kid. She just kind of flails her way through these things most of the time. ]