LOCKED TO blazingspirit

[diamondo]

[He doesn't remember much about his execution.

Oh sure, he remembers the lead-up to it; he remembers how the others looked on as he was led away and sure, he remembers Ishimaru's screams. He doesn't remember the death cage nor does he remember the sudden pain before it was all over.

It made waking up here incredibly confusing.

"Here" must be some sort of afterlife, but Mondo hasn't been able to figure out what it is, exactly. It's obviously not heaven (he's killed two people, he doesn't belong in heaven), but it doesn't seem to be hell either. Things are monotonous, yes, but they're not bad.

That leaves the option of purgatory, which Mondo is more or less fine with. It's better than spending an eternity suffering. It's probably not right for him to stay here instead of moving on to hell, but he doesn't know how or when that will happen. He's content to leave it at that for the time being.

This place is a rather large city - half of it is full of native English speakers, whom Mondo tends to avoid (his English is atrocious, after all), the other half is full of Japanese speakers. The city itself doesn't seem to be anywhere Mondo has ever seen, but it's large and spread out, with plenty to explore and do. Mondo hasn't seen everything there is to see though; he's only been here for a few weeks, and he knew if he wanted to make ends meet, he'd need a job first. Exploring could wait.

It's convenient that there's a carpenter's shop just down the road from the apartment Mondo woke up in. It might not technically be his, but he's been staying there until he can afford to properly rent it out. No one has complained so far, so he figures it's fine for the time being. The carpenter works him to the bone and he's never been so exhausted in his life when he comes home, but it's a good kind of exhaustion that means he's doing something productive. He can't make up for what he's done in the past, but he can help out here.

He's off work for the day, lounging around in what serves as the living room of his apartment, flipping through the newspaper. The dates here are all screwed up - it's almost winter here and he knows he'll have to put some money away toward buying proper winter clothes. That's only a minor concern though, because he has much bigger things to worry about.

In a city this large, it's possible that he's just missed seeing the others. He hasn't been looking very hard, admittedly. He's not sure what to say to them when he does see them. "Sorry" simply won't cut it for Fujisaki. He doesn't really want to see Kuwata, Enoshima, or Maizono either. He's sure it's only a matter of time before one of them finds him, or before someone else shows up here.

All he can do is hope that it won't be Ishimaru.]

Comments

[diamondo]

[................

oh okay so you're crazy, gotcha]

That doesn't make sense, kyoudai. I don't remember talking to you at all, so I'm pretty sure that couldn't have happened.

[blazingspirit]

Well, all of us definitely saw it, not just me!

[because clearly somebody here is wrong. spoilers, he's pretty sure its you.]

[diamondo]

Look, I dunno what you saw, but it wasn't me, I can tell you that much.

[He's pretty sure he'd remember the white hair and the uh. the eye flames...]

But that's not really important now. So you talked to me and this happened?

[He'll just sort of gesture to... all of you.]

[blazingspirit]

Exactly! You were there for me, kyoudai, when I needed it most; I owe you one for it!

[He still sees literally nothing wrong with this; what the hell is that look for?]

[diamondo]

[...............]

I'm really not following. How did your hair turn white and why the fuck are your eyes on fire?

[Yes he is going to keep asking this until he gets a valid answer.

...Something occurs to him after a moment and he takes a step back from the doorway so Ishimaru can enter.]

Well, c'mon in, I guess. No sense keeping you out there in the cold.

[blazingspirit]

[...yeah, he appreciates it. What with it still being, y'know. Cold as balls out here.

It seems some things haven't changed, though, given that he enters and just sort of...stands there, as though unsure of what to do now that he's in there; his posture is still tight, but it's less rigidly so - his stance is far more squared-off than the usual at-attention position.

His gaze flicks upward toward his hair, however, when Mondo asks about it; he rakes a hand back through it while he thinks before eventually just kind of shrugging again.]

Fuck if I know. Some sort of possession thing, I guess!

[diamondo]

Possession.

[Mondo repeats that, glancing at him as though he can't believe what he's hearing.]

Obviously I didn't possess you. I'm right fucking here.

[He moves to flop on the couch, gesturing for his friend to join him.]

So is that gonna wear off or something?

[blazingspirit]

[Ishida twitches sharply, his hands tightening a bit at his sides at that question; he doesn't refuse the offer, however, throwing himself down onto the couch next to Mondo and generally giving the least number of fucks in the county when it comes to his posture in doing so.]

What the fuck are you talking about, "wear off"?

[diamondo]

[Mondo glances at him, trying to figure out why that looks so familiar. It occurs to him after a moment that it looks familiar because that's the exact same way he's sprawling on the couch. He straightens up without really thinking about it, resting his hands on his knees.]

When are you gonna go back to normal? Y'know, not cussing and shit? I mean, fuck, you haven't broken down in tears yet - which is kinda creepy now that I'm thinking about it...

[blazingspirit]

Tch. Why would I break down?

[That just gets an irritable look in your direction, really.]

I'm glad to see you, and if I'm fuckin' dead there's nothing to be done about it - crying won't fix shit, and it'd be weak besides, right?

[diamondo]

[...is this a trick question...?]

Well... well yeah, but you tend to cry a lot. Or at least, you used to. Before this happened. This uh... "possession" thing.

[It hits him then that Ishimaru didn't answer the question. He doesn't know - or maybe he does know and the answer isn't a good one. What if he'll never go back to the way he was? What if he's stuck like this - some sort of weird fusion between the two of them?]

Are you... are you okay like this?

[The question probably comes from out of left field, but it's something he needs to know.]

[blazingspirit]

[...what are you even.]

Of course I'm okay - why wouldn't I be?!

[diamondo]

[Really wigged out, that's what.]

W-Well I mean... if you're gonna be like this for... however long we'll be here...?

[His voice just increases in volume as he continues, and Mondo cuts himself off there to clear his throat awkwardly.]

You don't wanna go back to the way you were?

[blazingspirit]

[That increase in volume doesn't escape his attention, but he isn't really sure what to do about it; Mondo's words give him something else to focus on, though. He laughs a bit, though the sound is cut-off and strange - the sort of sound one makes when they aren't sure what else to do but they're pretty sure they're supposed to be doing something, and they're kinda hoping the answer will just miraculously present itself if they keep acting like everything's normal.]

I don't get what your problem is, kyoudai - this is who I am.

[diamondo]

[Well if that doesn't get Mondo to panic, nothing will.]

What are you talking about? You're not like this! You're the one constantly insisting that we follow the rules and behave properly and... and before we were friends you sure as hell didn't seem to appreciate me cussing! I... guess I get that you're trying to be more like me, but you weren't always like this! Don't you remember?

[There's a note of pleading in his voice that he couldn't control even if he tried.]

[blazingspirit]

[Ishida just shakes his head at that, though he doesn't seem too off-put by the pleading or the panic; he's seen a lot of the latter over the last few days, anyway.]

I remember that, what you're talking about. But that isn't who I am; it's not me.

[Fullstop. Not "for the time being," not "anymore." That's just how it is.]

[diamondo]

So... you're not Ishimaru. Then who the hell are you? You're still calling me "kyoudai"!

[He's getting louder, but Mondo really can't be bothered to stop himself now. This is frightening. How could Ishimaru lose himself so badly that he created another persona?]

[blazingspirit]

[Ishida draws back a bit at the shouting, though he doesn't seem openly upset by it; not in the same way Ishimaru would have been, anyway.]

...I told them to call me Ishida, if they had to call me anything.

[diamondo]

Ishi...da...

[Two and two make four for once and Mondo sits back, trying not to laugh. This is all so absurd.]

Ishimaru and Oowada. I get it.

[He can at least appreciate combining names like that, but this really isn't funny.]

And you're just gonna be Ishida for as long as you're here, is that about right? You can't just... I don't fucking know, change back?

[This isn't Sailor Moon, so he kind of doubts it...]

Shit. Shit.

[Mondo runs a hand through the shorter strands of hair, trying to come up with something to say. He knows he needs to address this, but for the life of him he can't think of anything to say in response. So instead, he ever-so-gracefully changes the topic.]

You can stay here with me. I've only got the one bed, but I guess it'll do for now. Should be large enough for both of us.

[blazingspirit]

[He just sort of stares a bit at the "change back" question, because seriously, Mondo, he doesn't know what the hell kind of magical girl you think he is but he's pretty sure that ain't happening. To his credit, though, he lets Mondo turn shit over in his head, since it looks like that's what he's doing, and he just settles back on the couch and tries not to interrupt him.

...it takes a concentrated effort, but he manages.

He isn't expecting that offer, though, and he's headtilting a bit before he can really stop himself; he corrects it once he realizes, though.]

Ah, yeah? I can stay down here if you want, I don't fuckin' care. The couch is fine, just as long as I have somewhere to sleep.

[...]

And I kinda locked myself out of the place I woke up in, so...

[diamondo]

[Mondo snickers at that - there's something about it that strikes him as being something Ishida would do, despite not really knowing Ishida at all. Maybe it's because he nearly did the exact same thing when he first showed up. Wow, that's not awkward at all.]

Nah, it's okay. I don't mind. Though uh... I still kinda have nightmares so sometimes I get up in the middle of the night.

[He resettles his hands on his knees, absently playing with the fabric of his pants. It's far easier to look at his hands than it is to look at Ishida.]

Sorry for snapping at you. This is just... a lot to take in, y'know?

[He doubts he'll fully accept any of this for quite some time to come.]

[blazingspirit]

That makes the both of us still having nightmares, kyoudai, so don't worry about it! I don't sleep for shit anyway; not unless I'm really worn out - so don't worry about waking me up or anything, chances are I was already awake.

[He blinks a bit at the apology, though; something else he hadn't really been expecting, obviously.]

And hey, it's fine; there's...kind of been a lot of shit happening, I get it.

[diamondo]

[It's kind of worrying that Ishida doesn't sleep very well, but Mondo doesn't press about it. He figures it has something to do with the situation they've been put through.]

Yeah it's... kinda difficult...

[Just when he was starting to settle down too...! Oh well, at least he can keep an eye on Ishida this way. Maybe he will go back to being Ishimaru at some point, who knows?]

Ah, did you still want me to call you kyoudai? I mean, if you're a different person...

[Look, this is confusing, okay.]

[blazingspirit]

[...well, that questin just makes him get defensive, thanks.]

Why wouldn't I?!

[...]

Do you...not want to or something?!

[diamondo]

Wh-What? No, it's not that! I mean, like I said, you're a different person, so I wasn't sure if that'd make things different between us!

[For some reason the idea of calling Ishida anything but kyoudai doesn't sit well with him. Maybe it's the fact that Ishida is Ishimaru, even if he has gone off the deep end.]

Sorry, alright? I just wanted to make sure.