audience: nikkari

[tricycles]

i asked andie for a shitpost and this is what i got

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week one, thursday.

[tricycles]

[The next time Nikkari walks through a door, he'll find himself tripping and falling into an entirely new location. Specifically — an empty hospital wing, devoid of all signs of life save for the steady beeping of a heart monitor in the distance. It looks like the only way to go is down the corridor, but Nikkari won't have to walk for too long before he stumbles across the only open room in the entire hallway.

... In fact, he won't even have to go in. Carlos is waiting for him right outside of the room. He lifts a hand in greeting once he sees him.]

Hey. It's good to see you again.

[uncleanse]

[ nikkari, surprisingly, finds himself easily keeping his balance when he steps out of the casino and into the hospital. it's happened to him enough times that it doesn't really faze him anymore? like, sure, anything can happen here, he's just gonna roll with it. ]

You know, I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing that I'm getting used to that.

[ he shakes his head with a little dismissive laugh, before turning his attention to carlos and lightheartedly returning the greeting. ]

You as well, Carlos-san. How has life on the other side been?

[tricycles]

[Nikkari's grown too powerful from NPC dick and pussy. Bless his thotty little heart.

Carlos smiles at him, though. Hi. Hello. Good to see he didn't trip and fall while getting shifted to wherever this is? Nice.]

Honestly, pretty boring. [It's him and Polly, Nikkari. It's not great.] I've really missed you guys.

[uncleanse]

[ aw... he offers carlos a smile at that, because as much as he personally likes polly... yeah, that's fair... ]

Haha... would you like me to make a habit of visiting more frequently, then? I've always been closer than most to the realm beyond, after all.

[tricycles]

Heh, I wouldn't be opposed to that. Just make you take care of your business on the other side first.

[Get your thotting in before you go visit your ghost hosts, Nikkari. As thirsty as Carlos is for talking to someone that isn't Polly... yeah.]

[uncleanse]

Carlos-san. Are you implying that I'd go a full week without sharing a bed with someone?

[ HIM? OF ALL PEOPLE? ]

[tricycles]

I'm just saying, stay safe. I don't want anyone dying if it can be avoided.

[LIVE YOUR BEST HO LIFE NIKKARI??? Let him live.]

[uncleanse]

. . . Fair enough, though it would be far easier to do so if the protective sheaths [ condoms ] prevented demonic transfer as well. [ a slight pause ] Admittedly, that is part of the reason for my visit today.

[ he shifts slightly as he takes a paper out of his pocket, unfolds it, and shows it to carlos. ]

Have you uncovered anything regarding the epidemic that started spreading around this week? I've already been to see Chuuya-san, and he said he hadn't found anything. I was wondering if you and Polly-san, being on this side, might have been a little more successful on that end...

[tricycles]

[... Ah. He glances at the paper, expression sombering slightly when he sees its contents. Or, maybe, just who is in that conga line of mistakes.]

... So it got worse, huh. [Well, there goes his good mood. He puts a hand to his chin, looking at the contents of the paper once again before sighing.] Chuuya and I talked about it, and I've been looking into it ever since... But, if I'm honest? I still don't know where it came from, or what could have caused it. My best guess is that it's meant to be a warning, or a sick joke to mess with our heads. This wasn't part of the information we got before the execution. You should have been safe.

[That's clearly not the case, though... And it's clear he's frustrated by it.]

It's already Thursday, but don't stop checking in with the two of us. I've been tapping into my abilities to see if -̞̘ͣͥͪͨ͐̓-͓͔̖͑̄ͥ-̫̲̬͚̘̗͔̝͙̐̀̕-͙͈̖̙ͩ͆̌͗ͭͩ̒-̢̥̬̞͎̱͖͋̈́̄̀͠-̸̡̠̦͔ͯ̉̀̾ͥ-̸͚̙ͥͤͤ̅ͫͮ-͓͖͆̎̐͛ͯ̅̔̈̉́̕-̴̥͔͊̅̑̀̉̑͢-̷̧͈̾̿-̸̦̻͈̪̰̣̬́ͫ͆ͯ̇͑͂͋ͣ͜͝-̷̶̪̋͛-̶̥̰͚̖̮̰͕͙̫ͣ̉͘-̡̯̩̅̄̆͂̈́-̜̠̭̙̜̠͈̦̮̉̔̍ͦ̚-̑́͊̈́͏͔̣

[Ah.

He pauses, caught off guard by the fact that got censored.]

... We're working this out as quickly as we can. I'm sorry I don't have anything more for you, either.

[uncleanse]

[ cool, thanks censor-happy demons! nikkari, of course, looks curious as to what carlos tried to say, but he knows he can't do anything about it. he Gets It. he acknowledges the attempt with a sympathetic, slightly apologetic nod. ]

Of course. The only reason I hadn't discussed the matter with Chuuya-san in this much detail is because I hadn't met with Dick-san and Junpei-san to piece together this information until earlier today... if they haven't already, I could persuade them to try getting in contact with you, as well.

[ ... he kind of looks spent after saying all that, or maybe he's just tired overall? ]

As far as we know, "Strain N" seems to have originated with me... because of that, I feel somewhat responsible for letting it lead to this. [ he sighs a little. ] I know you're likely to say that I shouldn't blame myself, but that is much easier said than done. I still carry regret toward actions my previous wielders performed with me, after all, even though those events happened centuries before I was given a body with free will at all.

[ . . . ah. it's been a while since he'd been that openly vulnerable. he shakes his head again to dismiss the line of thinking; those sorts of things aren't important now. before continuing on, he bows before carlos, right arm crossed over his chest and hand above his heart. ]

In any case, perhaps you can rest slightly easier knowing that I intend to do whatever I can to assist you and the others. My blade, my body, and my will are yours to use however you wish.

[tricycles]

That'd be great, actually. I figure the more people talk to us, the easier we can piece this together.

[Being tired is a mood, though. Carlos tries to smile back, but it feels like he's aged a hundred years in a little under two weeks. If nothing else, however, he does understand a little bit of how Nikkari feels. The devil made you do it, huh...?]

... People are going to get the wrong idea if you go around saying things like that. [It's an attempt to lighten the mood, with Nikkari offering his body among other things, but it's ultimately an attempt he drops. He doesn't know Nikkari too well, so he might be overstepping. Still...] Nikkari. Look, I... I know this is a mess right now, and we have more questions than we have answers. But if you ever need someone who's willing to lend an ear, I'm here. You can ask for a meeting any time.

[uncleanse]

Mm... thank you for everything, Carlos-san. Both for what you have done so far, and what you will do in the future.

[ he straightens back up, offering a small, but hopeful smile. ]

And for the record... I know exactly what I said, Carlos-san. [ there's a tease in his smile now. ] That is the other reason I came to see you—I can't imagine you've been able to relieve any... frustrations with Polly-san as your only company.

[tricycles]

—Ah.

[WELL. It's good to see that? Nikkari? Is apparently back to business as usual?? Lord. He smiles back, huffing out a small laugh.]

So you're propositioning me again?

[He still remembers what he said right before he got melted, man.]

[uncleanse]

And if I am?

[ is this a better time now, huh, carlos?? ]

[tricycles]

[it's? debatable?

he seems to seriously consider it, though, frowning.]

... You know you'd get the short end of the stick, right?

[uncleanse]

Hm? How so?

[ LET HIM HAVE HIS NPC FUCK BINGO ]

[tricycles]

It won't count for your, uh... "quota." You'd get a token out of it, sure. But it won't benefit you a lot in the short-term.

[LISTEN TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FIRST, NIKKARI!!]

[uncleanse]

[ ... a little laugh of disbelief. ]

Once again, do you think I need to worry about meeting the weekly requirement? Am I not allowed to enjoy the act itself, along with seeing my partner satisfied as well?

[tricycles]

[NI! KKA! RI!!!!]

Hey— Aren't I allowed to worry about these things, then? This is stuff you need to know. I want you all to stay alive as long as possible.

[uncleanse]

Ah... is this what they call playing hard to get?

[tricycles]

[Giving him a flat stare.]

Look, I'm not... saying no, but you're sure? Like I said, it kind of feels like you're getting the short end of the stick.

[uncleanse]

If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have offered at all, Carlos-san.

[ he steps forward with a sincere smile on his face. ]

Will you let me take care of you?

[tricycles]

[... He glances at the room behind him, the heart monitor still beeping, before he glances back at Nikkari.

Well.]

Let's go somewhere else first.

[And unless Nikkari nyooms out of the way, Carlos will step forward to put a hand on his shoulder and steer him down the corridor, in the same direction he came from.]

[uncleanse]

[ he welcomes carlos's touch, placing his own hand on carlos's forearm as he follows the other man's lead. ]

Wherever you'd like. This is my gift to you, after all.

[tricycles]

[He's. Rolling his eyes.]

You don't have to say it like that. Seriously.

[Maybe one day, Nikkari will discover how to turn off his Thotty Midas' touch.

But for now, Carlos will guide him down the corridor. Once they turn the corner, Nikkari's vision will blur — almost as if he were trying to see underwater. The next thing he knows, he'll be walking beside Carlos in the hotel's second floor hallway. Hewwo.]