[His offer to meet at Ugly Duckling was rejected, but no matter. Hiyori will bring the lesson to him!
He arrives at the sixth floor dressed in a teacherly get-up complete with fake glasses. He's also pushing a white board on wheels with him. He borrowed it from Ugly Duckling, explaining to the staff that he had a "private lesson" to give and winking as he said the words. Of course it's not that kind of private lesson, but in this place, the excuse flies! He's granted permission as long as he brings it back later.
He's also shouldering a tote bag, which has his phone inside among other things. He definitely wants to show Till some performance videos from home. But he also understands that after going from one hellish environment to the next, the boy surely has other priorities. He said he wants to know how to live here, and Hiyori will help!
He raps twice on the door and chirps out a friendly greeting.]
Hello hello! Your life coach, Hiyori Tomoe, is here~♪
[ Jolting out of a daze Till sits up. He would have ignored the knock on his door if a voice had not called out. This isn't the first person to come calling; it seems to be a common theme. These people sure are weird, and it feels as if no one was supervising anything, even in the most negligible way. Which is to say, aside from being constantly pestered and lacking a schedule, that aspect felt normal?
It takes him a moment to get to his feet before he opens the door, only because he recognizes Hiyori's voice. ]
You're that guy.
Your name is long...
[ His right hand holds the door open as he stands there blocking the entrance to his room. Till looks like a man who has barely slept because he finds sleep far more difficult to achieve than usual in the constantly bustling resort. And being alone with nothing to do to fill his time means he can wallow in his thoughts. He can't just stop thinking.
Maybe that's why he looks disheveled in an oversized sleeveless hoodie with his left arm tucked away within his clothes. Give him a second to collect himself before he pulls his arm out and steps aside. However, he does take a second to give Hiyori a once-over, along with the whiteboard. Is he bringing that inside? There is already a lot of stuff inside this tiny ass room!
Till's room is simple enough, containing the usual furnishings of a rank-six guest. Although the room is starkly plain, and despite looking like he needs rest, the bed seems untouched. The tightly closed curtains highlight the only window. ]
[He would be glad to know his voice was instantly recognized!
Though he's less glad, more baffled, by Till's comment about his name. Three characters and six syllables isn't long by the standards of his world, and he gives a confused blink behind his fake glasses.]
Is that what you consider long...? If so, you'll hardly believe some of the other names around here.
[This is normally where he'd mention a certain pink-haired prince with an absurdly long name. But after figuring out something disturbing about him, Hiyori's no longer inclined to mention him around others. His stomach twists with momentary discomfort at the thought of him, and then he moves on.]
Fortunately, I'm not too fussed about formalities. You can call me by my given name or my family name: whichever seems best. And I won't make you tack on a "-sensei," even as your life coach. As long as it's from the heart, you can talk to me however you wish~♪
[While he talks, his eyes do glance at the room behind Till. He notes its small size and its lack of decor, but neither quality surprises him given that Till is a newly-arrived Rank 6. Nor does he comment on Till being rather shabbily-dressed. He simply smiles his friendly smile, before he goes ahead and asks:]
[ Anything beyond two syllables is too long for him. Coupled with his lack of knowledge about family names, he assumes most people have absurdly long names. It's ridiculous, but he has to acknowledge that he is in an entirely different environment and doesn't understand the rules governing this place.
His gaze is still fixed on Hiyori, focusing on his smile. Is that a genuine expression? He can't decipher it, but he knows one thing. This guy doesn't try to piss him off or make him feel stupid. That's enough. The bar is low. That's why when prompted to make room to welcome him inside, he looks embarrassed and gets out of the way to welcome Hiyori in, along with the board he brought along.
Rubbing at his face with the back of his hand, he waits for Hiyori to step inside. Once his guest is in his room, he peeks out at the hall, left and right, before closing the door.
They just let anyone go into other people's rooms. What are even the rules here? He should know them at least, even if there are no plans to adhere to them. Who cares. It's not like he wants to be here, or whatever. He doesn't even know why he is here. He knows what this place is, at least. ]
Your name is long to me.
Comparing our names, there is an obvious difference. Mine is Till, while, yours is Hi-yo-ri-to-moe. I have noticed that there are others with long names. A guy told me to just call him Charlie, though, so that helps. Saying his whole name would be tedious.
So I can ask you anything?
You're saying you have two names. That's more common here. Why is that? What's a sensei?
[And then he steps inside, wheeling the white board with him. He pushes it close to the wall so it doesn't take up too much space.
It'd be strange if they couldn't enter each other's rooms given how Game 52 works. He notices Till checking the hall on both sides before he shuts the door, and he doesn't comment, but it does leave him curious. What sort of environment did the boy live in before this one? It sounds as though he was subjected to something terrible back home, so there's no telling what his living conditions were like. But that's something Hiyori has no desire to interrogate him about. The whole goal of this "private lesson" is to help Till live a more comfortable life here, after all—not to dredge up past horrors.]
Ah, so that's your full name, is it?
[Just "Till." He strokes his chin as he muses aloud:]
I thought that perhaps you were simply giving half your name. There are plenty of people here who've introduced themselves that way, so I didn't think much of it.
[Topaz, Baizhu, Kirma, Kleken... he doesn't know any of their family names, assuming they even have one. It'd also be natural for a famous performer to want to hide their full name in a place that runs on sex; the fear of scandal is a potent threat for most idols, after all.]
Ah, yes, Charlie! He's one of my fans here. Though I know he prefers jazz—
[... to rock and pop music. But as Till continues talking, he shelves that thought.
Goodness, this boy isn't educated. Any teacher would have their work cut out for them. Though it's possible that "sensei" is merely a translation issue. People here hail from all different countries, as well as different worlds entirely, so of course they speak different languages. It's thanks to the resort's magic that they can understand each other anyway, but there are bound to be hiccups!
Still. He has a feeling that he and Till not seeing eye-to-eye on the world is more less a matter of hiccups and more a matter of radically different experiences.]
You can ask me whatever you like.
[Just to get that out of the way. Then he explains:]
Where I come from, everyone has a given name and a family name. Your family name is just that: the name of the family you were born into. And then your given name is simply whatever your parents named you.
[He withdraws a marker from his tote bag and proceeds to write his name on the white board: 巴 日和, or Tomoe Hiyori. Three characters!]
That part right there is "Tomoe," my family name. And this part is "Hiyori," my given name! Since Hiyori means "day" or "weather," and "Tomoe" means "spiral," altogether it can be taken to mean "sunny weather." Since the sun is often represented by a spiral, no?
[He draws a little sun spiral on the whiteboard just to demonstrate.]
Anyway, that's all about my name. But other people's names have different meanings, so if you're curious, you can always ask them.
[He sets the marker down.]
As for "sensei," that's just a way of saying "teacher." Hopefully you already know what a teacher is. If not, a teacher is someone who shows you how to do things! For example, you know how to play guitar, yes? That's not something anyone is born knowing, so someone must have taught you.
[ That's the kind of smile that makes Till's face feel uncomfortably warm! No! Don't smile like that! Diverting his gaze, it takes him a second to recognize why that expression felt familiar, and it hurts. He won't linger on it. This Eve guy came here to help him; maybe he should not waste his time. That's the kind of consideration Till has for Hiyori, who has shown him the most patience out of anyone else here. There is no exasperation or annoyance, and that's enough that while Till may not verbally express his appreciation, he can demonstrate it through attentiveness. ]
It's just Till.
[ There is nothing else to add. It's just that and nothing more. Unless— ]
Do you want my ID number?
[ Because why not. There is no such thing as identity theft! ]
Is he? He has some strange interests. Or I guess maybe I am the one who thinks they're strange. Do you also practice the kissing with him like that Fuuta guy?
[ But whatever. He doesn't look particularly interested in that topic and will move on. The subject of names is far more interesting because he can sort of glean some information out of it. He has some base knowledge he can work with as opposed to just blindly trying to decipher something out of nothing.
Therefore, he won't move on to his inquiries immediately. That can wait; he still has to decide what's more important and how to word his questions appropriately. What Till is certain of is that he finds talking to Hiyori to be a relief. It helps to feel free of judgment. Hiyori is the least annoying human, unlike everyone else. Actually, he isn't annoying at all. What a surprise. His attitude will probably not do him any favors at the resort, especially when he doesn't feel inclined to befriend anyone.
For now, he will try to parse the information given slowly and make something of it. ]
I think I understand?
[ He doesn't sound completely confident in that statement. He gets the idea to a degree, but he still needs to fill some gaps in knowledge. He seems agreeable and focused, even as he wrings his hands together. Finally, he starts to list things off. ]
One is just your name. Like my name.
The other is to differentiate you from everyone else, right? Like you come from one set, the family set you are genetically related to. Then you have siblings you share the same genes with. Something like that?
And your parent... [ His expression sours. He is going to stop there.
Instead, he prefers to focus all his attention on the marker Hiyori withdrew from his bag. He watches him draw the characters, and his eyes light up. The board is no longer an enemy that consumes space in his room. Now give him a minute as he tries to remember that. Should he try to write the characters himself? He doesn't have something to write with, but he presses his index finger against the board and begins to mimic writing out each character. Like that? ]
Is it? The sun?
Is the real one more like that?
[ And he will keep that in mind, but honestly, upon learning there can be meaning behind names, he isn't considering asking anyone about theirs. He is content enough knowing the meaning behind Hiyori's. ]
That I do know. Anakt Garden had teachers. They taught classes, wrote reports, and administered exams.
[ After a moment of consideration, he extends his hand as if asking for the marker. ]
Then I'll happily call you "just Till"! [...] But what do you mean by your ID Number?
[He clearly doesn't know what that is. As for the bit about Charlie and Fuuta, that earns a blank look, before his brow furrows a tad.]
No. I don't need practice, first of all. And he prefers being my audience member. That means he can look, but he can't touch.
[Then he adds:]
Not that I have any idea why Fuuta-kun would need practice, either. According to Rin Tohsaka, he has someone he kisses all the time.
[And then he winks.]
That's "Rin." Ri-n. Easy to remember, right? So if he asks you who leaked the news, you can be sure to mention her! ♪
[He hopes she gets yelled at for it. That girl tried to set his hair on fire and is always rude to him, so he'd like to see her knocked down a peg or two. And now onto the name discussion!
Till seems to be following him. He sounds rather clinical with his talk of genetics, but he's not wrong. Though the ominous trailing off after the word "parent" is certainly revealing. That pretty much cinches it, though Hiyori already could have guessed: this person has had a rough upbringing and has never known a parent's love. It'd explain the gaps in his education, among other things.]
You've got it all right. Good job! ♪
[Some praise for his student, in lieu of giving him a gold star!
Though he actually does have some of those on him, because of course he does. So he reaches into his tote bag and pulls out a sheet of shiny stickers. Before he can offer one, though, he gets a bit distracted by Till's next question. "Is the real one more like that?"]
... have you never seen the sun before?
[He tries to keep the judgment (and shock) out of his voice. But it's startling to think of someone who's never seen the sun. Just what sort of environment was he raised in? Could he be like Nagisa—someone who grew up confined to a single room, never allowed to travel beyond those four walls?
But then he starts to talk about his schooling, which includes the usual things like classes, teachers and exams. And that throws a wrench into that theory, doesn't it? He stares for a moment, eyes curious, before handing over the marker.]
Here you go. [...] So "Anakt Garden" is where you took music lessons, hmm?
[ Wait a second. Will he be called by his name or Just Till? He should correct that! However, the change in topic made him opt to put a pin in it. ] It's a number. Everyone has one. I think. I've seen it a few times on documents, and when it was tagged on me.
[ He will leave it at that, assuming that if everyone is different due to originating from other places, it works differently for them. Hiyori has his family name. Meanwhile, he has gene sequencing and an ID number. Opting to focus on the nature of Hiyori's fans instead. Does he enjoy having them? Is there a marked difference between their types of fans? It's all good and well, but he realizes he isn't interested in making fans. If anything, he knows he despises them despite it being detrimental to his future. Then again, maybe a human fan is different than a segyein fan. ]
Maybe he isn't practicing, and it is that Charlie with whom he likes to do kissing stuff with all the time? [ He says that all offhandedly. He isn't even remotely ashamed or anything. It's a topic that seems to come up enough even when he doesn't bring it up. However, his tone has a slight hint of something mixed between disinterest and distaste. That may explain his long, almost suffering sigh. Everyone here likes it. Or maybe. ] Do you like to do that stuff too?
Does that Rin also do it?
[ But sure if the topic comes up again, he can relay that message. Hiyori said that Rin said that Fuuta is kissing someone all the time. Got it!
Praising Till causes his expression to waver. It suggests something close to uncertainty, as he finds it difficult to express contentment when the idea alone makes him feel ashamed. Yet, his face warms with a blush that he can't help, which explains why he opts to lower his gaze, looking away from Hiyori. ]
Not the real one. There is a library, but who knows how much of what's in there is true.
[ And he isn't much for book learning.
Taking the marker in hand, he examines it first. He presses an index finger to the tip before trying to write his name on the board. His handwriting is a little messy, but he spells it out easily. T-I-L-L. That should also dispel any previous assumed confusion. That is soon followed by 틸 underneath. ] Like this or like that. It's probably better that it's not as long as yours.
And yeah. That's the place. They say it's the number one music-specialized kindergarten in the universe. I guess it must be true since they've produced the most Alien Stage winners.
[Every resident of Japan has a number assigned to them, and the same holds true in many other countries. Still, Hiyori somehow has a feeling Till's number might signify something less benign. He'd love to be proven wrong, but...]
That wasn't your entry number in the competition, was it?
[That's one unpleasant possibility that springs to mind.
Speaking of unpleasant possibilities: the mental image of Charlie and Fuuta swapping spit sure doesn't appeal to him, and he wrinkles his nose a little in distaste.]
I sincerely doubt it. I mean... [He pauses.] I suppose they could be dating. But Charlie said he had a wife back home, so I doubt he's looking to date university boys.
[Or anyone, for that matter. Not that most people here don't seem to have open relationships.
Ah, but speaking of kissing and relationships, the questions about those just keep coming. They're so thoroughly innocent-sounding that they catch him off-guard. There's nothing wrong with being inexperienced, but isn't this person a bit too innocent? For example, does he know the first thing about sex? It seems unlikely if he doesn't even know much about kissing. And for the House to kidnap somebody like that and bring them here, where they have no choice but to participate in that stuff... it seems like a new low, even for the House. Not that he'll take his anger about it out on Till, of course.]
You know what they say about "kissing and telling," right?
[Stupid question. Of course Till wouldn't know. He smiles again and answers the question honestly.]
I don't know about that girl, but I like it. It feels good and it helps you connect with the other person. I mostly do it with my partner nowadays, though. You don't have to kiss if you don't want to, but it can help get someone in the mood.
[For sex, that is. Does Hiyori need to explain that, too? Till didn't just get here yesterday. Surely he must already know how Game 52 works. But knowing something and understanding it emotionally are two different things, just as there's a difference between knowing what you have to do and being prepared to actually do it. It's an unpleasant train of thought, one he'd be quite content to banish to the back of his mind. That's why he switches gears and says:]
And when we're onstage, we idols sometimes blow kisses to our fans, as a form of "fanservice!" ♪
[He then demonstrates by blowing one in Till's direction, lips puckering and fingertips brushing over them before he "sends" the kiss to Till.
The discussion about names is less worrisome for Hiyori than the discussion about kissing (and probably less confusing for Till, too). He watches Till write his own name on the board and commits it to memory; if someone fails to leave an impression on him, he might forget (or "forget") their name, but he's bound to remember Till's. After all, the boy is certainly unique. Cute, too, as a look of utter embarrassment crosses his face when Hiyori praises him for knowing stuff. If it's that easy to get such a reaction out of him, he'll be a very rewarding pupil.]
A music-specialized kindergarten?
[His eyebrows raise at that, and he looks both surprised and impressed.]
You started early. Someone must have wanted you to be a musician, hmm?
[Of course it's possible Till wanted to learn music himself. But he thinks about Jun and Nagisa, both groomed to be an idol from an early age, and he's sure there are others like them out there.]
No. After the preliminaries, there were only eight contestants in total to enter the competition. There would be no need for numbers. Although who knows. I can't understand segyein. The whole thing was starting to feel rushed. I was barely out of the last round before heading to the next. It was only a few hours...
[ And the fact that he is here now means adrenaline and will alone won't be what will get him through the next round, even Till can recognize how fortunate he is despite all his initial confusion. That doesn't alleviate guilt, but how would things have played out if he had set foot upon that final stage?
Unfortunately for Hiyori, Till doesn't share in the displeasure of that imagery. He has no idea what Charlie looks like, and even if he did, he would not allow his imagination to conjure up that image. ] Dating? I heard that one before. It's spending time together or hanging out. And I know about wives, those fucking segyein get together and form bonds. Or something like that. Then one gives gifts to the other.
[ So Charlie has someone he gives gifts to who isn't Fuuta. Yet he is spending time with Fuuta. That's bound to get complicated? ] No. I don't know about kissing and telling. Telling who? You?
Should I not say anything?
[ Because maybe now he can explain himself without this feeling weird? ]
What are you getting in the mood for?
[ Is he already supposed to know all this. He is going to jab the marker against the board and start drawing. The marker won't help with fine details, and it's a new medium for him to use to convey pictures. ] It's not that kissing didn't exist. It's just that no one called it anything. It became popular among my classmates. They would put their lips against someone's cheek, and I guess they liked it. I don't think anyone really knows where it came from. It was just a thing to do? [ But not for him! ]
No one does that other kissing.
But someone told me that it is a common way to show love and affection. That lovers normally make their lips touch. Is your partner your lover? If you put you press your lips together with someone does that make them your lover?
[ He will fall silent and pause whatever he is doodling away to observe Hiyori's demonstration. From his expression alone it's easy to surmise that he won't be doing any of that! ] Do you like your fans? But I think yours are different, right? They're all humans? But even humans can be annoying sometimes.
Doesn't everyone start early? Most of my classmates were more or less about my age. Sua was the oldest. I think...
And of course, someone wanted me to be a musician. They want to win that competition. That greedy bastard. I don't know how many other pet humans were sent there before but they all died. Maybe that guy is desperate now.
[Hiyori purses his lips as he listens to Till explain about the competition. (Dare he ask what happened to everyone who didn't make it through the preliminaries? Nope, he most certainly won't ask.) Till says he was rushed from one round to the next, which in this case means... his opponent died, and then he was made to face someone else right afterwards? While knowing he'd be killed if he lost them?
It's all so senseless he can hardly fathom it. Even though his own idol competition was hijacked by a mob boss, he can't picture being involved in something so cruel. Why, it's just...
The switch to talking about dating is a funny bit of whiplash. Till has the gist of that and marriage, though the way he recites the definitions makes it sound like something he read in a book somewhere, rather than something he's witnessed for himself, let alone took part in. It's cute, but also a tad concerning.]
Right again! Good job! ♪ [He winks again.] Though I'd say there's a bit more to dating than just spending time together. Otherwise we'd be dating, since we're spending time together now.
[As for the kiss-and-tell question, well. A moment's pause, before he shakes his head.]
You don't have to keep quiet about it. Some people might consider it impolite, is all. But I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me things. It's important to have someone you can talk to.
[This poor boy, he keeps thinking. He sounds so clueless about so many things. And he's had such a hard time. Hiyori wants to be there to support him; after all, someone needs to be.
Though it's a sharp swerve into thornier territory after that. Till's questions get more pointed, more personal, to the point where he finds himself stumbling a bit mentally. Should he really start talking about what "getting in the mood" means? Er, but now they're on the subject of his partner... or about lovers in general, rather... and what does he mean, "no does that other kissing"? His head swims from trying to keep up! He's more often the one who rambles too much.]
Well... yes, my partner is my lover. And we do kiss quite a lot. Thanks to my teachings, he's gotten quite good at it! But before I can answer your "mood" question, first I must ask: you do know how Game 52 works, right?
[He must by now, surely. ... right??
As for his fans, well... he's got no earthly idea what he means by "They're all humans?" But there's only one way to answer the question about whether he likes them: with absolute certainty.]
Of course! They're the ones who love and support me. Which is exactly why I like giving them love in return~♪
[But that's about the last cheerful thing out of his mouth. The rest of what Till says is so disturbing that it saps the smile from his face.
"Of course someone wanted me to be a musician. They want to win that competition."
His eyes dawn with a horrified recognition. He'd already been imagining something sad—something similar to Jun or Nagisa's situation. Both had "Fathers" who were hellbent on their child becoming an idol, Nagisa's because he wanted to create the perfect one, and Jun's because he couldn't let go of his own past. As a result, their sons' childhoods were horribly deprived. But this is beyond what he could've imagined. At least Nagisa and Jun weren't raised like lambs for slaughter.]
[For a long moment, he's quiet. After that shock, it's hard to process the rest of Till's explanation, but his words are confusing regardless. What, pray tell, is a "pet human," for example? He doesn't understand any of it.
Until a couple of wires connect, suddenly and belatedly.
"They've produced the most Alien Stage winners."
"Yours are different, right? They're all humans?"]
... about that Alien Stage competition... are the hosts actual aliens?
[ Catching Hiyori's expression from the periphery of his vision, Till stops drawing, leaving an unfinished picture. The marker is new to him, and he can't hide his dissatisfaction with his latest work. He attempts to capture Anakt Garden in an image. It would facilitate explaining what that place is like, although the composition consists of the inside of a box with a few trees scattered about and a stream running through the middle. The trees look artificial in an almost cartoonish way, with only a circle making up the leaves; that is intentional.
He doesn't add anything more about the competition, but he has something he wants to say. He anxiously bites his lower lip before returning to his drawing. This gives him something to do. He has needed something to take up his time. Perhaps drawing alone wouldn't help. He recognizes that conversing with Hiyori distracts him from his thoughts. It also lets him pour them out to someone. ]
I should know how it is different? That's not something we were taught. [ Because it probably was not deemed important. He will keep that thought to himself. It's irrelevant now; anyway, he has Hiyori here to explain the difference. ]
Do you want me to tell you things? You're making an unhappy expression.
[ What's normal to him is not normal to anyone else here. That's just how it is. Acceptance only stems from not knowing anything different. His fights and struggles do little to make life pleasant. It's a longing for freedom; in a sense, he has been granted that much here. Or at least, he has enough independence that Till is stumbling through it. Endless time to do as he wishes is wasted on his thoughts, lack of motivation, sleepless nights, and unrest. He cannot immediately adapt to this new environment. But this is a step forward. Because what else can he do? He can't very well remain within the four walls of his room until he forces familiarity with this space.
However, that's how he has been spending his time.
It's easier. He is acquainted with being alone and confined to a far less luxurious room, lacking amenities. He has yet to appreciate this improvement and sees all the furnishing as clutter. His plans to get rid of it have not been successful. He has also met failure in ridding himself of the watch. The mention of the game has him lift his wrist to look at it. ] How did you learn first?
What is that game? I started reading about collecting cards, but— [ He lost interest so fast he dropped it. What if he doesn't want to play with anyone? He doesn't have to. It doesn't feel like anyone is enforcing anything. Well, there are some annoying people, but he will try to get better at avoiding the pesky staff. ]
[ Fans love idols? What an odd concept. Idols are made to entertain them until those fans abandon and forget them, moving on to the next season and a brand new set of idols, raising them in the popularity charts. Only the winners are exalted by the segyein, bringing fame and riches to their guardians. Perhaps the only thing he will leave behind are his songs and someone else will take them up on that stage.
It isn't lost on him if he is amusing enough, charming, and engaging. If he keeps them enthralled, maybe, just maybe he can live a little longer. ] We wouldn't die if we were loved, right?
The segyein. I guess to someone, they must be, but I've always been on one of their planets. They're the ones who host the competition and run all the facilities. Even the teachers in Anakt Garden were all segyein. They're the fans and the ones who vote during the competition—the ones who cheer at the end.
[He can't argue there: this certainly isn't what happiness looks like on him. And his face manages to fall even further when Till reveals that no, he doesn't know much about Game 52. Just that it involves "colleting cards," but does he even get what that entails? Seeing as he treats kissing like an alien ritual, the odds of him being equipped to deal with more-than-kissing don't look good.]
... we'll get to that in a minute. We do need to talk about it, since you wanted to know how to live here, and it's hard to do that without playing.
[He tries to keep from sounding as gloomy as he feels. He can't hope to avoid the subject of the game entirely, and he knew that when he came here. But if it turns out that Till has no Earthly idea what sex even is, he will not be explaining it to him. At that point, it'll be time to outsource Till's education to the library! Amidst all the smut novels, surely there must be some educational texts.
But first thing's first. Before they can think about the future, he's got to know about Till's past. What sort of life could produce someone so inexperienced in everything but music? Someone so unusual, who can casually about things like murder as though they're just a part of life? And the answer to that, of course, is simple: a horribly bizarre, horribly misfortunate life. A life full of struggle and hardship. And a life lacking in love.
The alien revelation is what caused him to make the exaggerated face in his icon. His world does not have those, and he can't even picture them; when he tries, he just gets goofy-looking creatures from a sci-fi B-movie. But it's those next words that really stick with him. "We wouldn't die if we were loved, right?"
It sounds heartbreaking. Those words sound so hopeless, so sad, that he's struck speechless. The worst part is that he can't argue: not because people who are well-loved don't die every day, but because the basic point is true. If Till had people who cared enough to protect him—producers or family or teachers, absolutely anyone—then they never would have allowed him to enter that competition. Right? From kindergarten onward, he wouldn't have been raised to die. He would've lived a normal, happy life.
It's absolutely sickening. Hiyori's met other people from dismal circumstances, but Till's story strikes a chord with him that those other stories didn't. It all sounds absurd, but thanks to the resemblance to his own life, he can envision parts of it all too clearly. If Gatekeeper or those corrupt higher-ups at CosPro had gotten away with even worse during the SS Competition...
He shakes the thought. This isn't about him. Still, what does he do? Give up on this "life coaching" session as a lost cause?
No. He couldn't possibly do something so heartless. He takes a breath and calmly responds.]
You should tell Leo-kun about the aliens. We don't have those where I come from, so I'm sure he'd be impressed.
[Leo Tsukinaga. A boy from his world who often talks about space and aliens. What Hiyori doesn't realize is that he'll be gone by the end of the month, turned into a statue just like so many other people Hiyori has known during his time at the resort. But he doesn't keep talking about Leo, anyway. Instead, he switches topics, speaking his next words with utmost seriousness.]
I understand if you never want to talk about them again, though. That is something you can choose, if you so like. Here, you can disregard your previous life, never speak of it again, and reinvent yourself. You can live as a guitarist, a pianist, a painter, a fortune teller, a librarian, a sports player, or whatever else you'd like. You can focus on more than one thing, or you can laze around and nap all day. You can try new foods, try on new clothes, take classes, and visit a new place each day. You can join me onstage and see what it's like to sing for humans, or you could never sing again. All of that is your choice, because that's exactly what "freedom" entails.
[His voice gets more impassioned towards the end! ... but then his face crumples again, as he's forced to admit:]
Or so I'd like to say. If we truly had freedom, we'd be able to leave the resort, and they won't let us do that.
[Still. As far as cages go, this seems like an upgrade over Till's. He finally turns to the white board, and he stares at the drawing Till made: the facility where he grew up, apparently. Hiyori's eyes linger on the odd-looking trees, all growing inside a box—not truly the outdoors, but a facsimile. It's depressing. And yet how long has it been since he himself saw real sunlight? He's been deprived of it for over a year. For all that Till's story horrifies him, they truly do have things in common now, and that, perhaps, is what's most terrifying for him. And yet at the same time?
[ They need to? For once, his eyes reflect dull boredom akin to a student attempting to stay awake through history class. He already tried to read about the game with little success due to a lack of interest. Besides, aren't they all kind of too old for games? Hardly anyone in his class played them during mandatory play time. Instead, there was a focus on enhancing their musical skills. He spent his time composing and miming playing a guitar. Of course, normal hanging out took place, and studying for those who needed remedial classes. ]
So I have to collect cards? What if I don't?
[ A petulant expression indicates that he is asking while suspecting there may be repercussions. If it is something they must do, but he avoids it, then they would force him to go out and collect. However, to be certain, it is best to ask. So far, he has been left alone to do as he wishes, which is abnormal. Different from his typical routine. And while he is aware that going out there and collecting cards doesn't sound difficult, he has to wonder why he should do what the people here tell him.
There are no segyein at the resort (as far as he knows and this one shouting asshole he spoke to). There are only humans, right? Then why would he do what those annoying humans want him to do? He had difficulty following directions before coming here; that will not be different. ]
Why would he want to know about them? They're ugly, stinking segyein! It's better to never know them. I think it's better. You don't want to have them.
It doesn't matter.
[ There is something he has come to realize. He can say whatever he wants about those aliens because none of them are here. There is nothing they can do about it. However, he isn't ready to accept Hiyori's offer to speak about the segyein to Leokun. It sounds more like whoever that is would find it interesting in the wrong way. ] I guess I can say what I want about them.
I've been trying foods. They have this thing called a menu with a list of different foods. I've been going down one list, but each place has its own list. It's going to take me a while to try it all. And they have chocolate and candy here. Once I have enough of those chips, I won't have to wait for someone to give me some. I have to make some chips. That's the currency. Then I can buy things. I've never bought anything. Or should I wait and buy something bigger? But I need the chips.
You know, I've sung for humans before. My classmates were all humans. We had a contest in Anakt Garden, I made my own song, and won. I don't hate music. [ He hates the segyein, but that's more than obvious. ] I still want to make my own music and sing. Isn't that what you want to? That's why you're offering me a spot on your stage. Because you get that, right? It's scary, yeah, but also not? I don't know. Since you're talking about freedom, I'll decide when I'll go back.
Because this is frightening too, it doesn't feel real.
[ Oh. That. They can't. He imagined as much; otherwise, there would be a very angry segyein dragging him away back to whatever hellhole planet Alien Stage is taking place at. ] I meant to go back to singing on stage. I don't know about going back, back. I think about it. I think I should. Maybe I can know for sure about Mizi.
[ The name of those places are vaguely familiar. Give him a second. ] I think I've been there. All the stupid humans there were acting weird. The trees and grass and everything in there was real, but I didn't want to go back and have to deal with more crazy people.
[What happens if they don't have sex here? Something horrible, that's what. But then the same thing also happens to people who do have sex. He owes it to Till not to sugarcoat the truth, but...]
I'll explain in a minute!
[Just give him a minute, alright? Then he'll explain everything. The disappearances, the suits, the statues, and all that other horrible stuff.
First he has to put his foot in his mouth by suggesting Till talk about aliens, though. Right—of course he doesn't want to talk about them when they're the source of his trauma. Makes sense! ... granted, Ibara loves to talk about military stuff, when his hellish childhood at that military facility is the source of his trauma. And Jun loves to talk about Jin Sagami, even though Jin is intimately connected with his own childhood suffering. But Till is his own person, and if he doesn't want to talk about aliens, Hiyori won't force him!]
If you say it's better, then that's that.
[He agrees easily.]
He'd probably prefer to talk to you about music, anyway. He may talk about space a lot, but he loves music even more. It's his number one passion.
[He hopes Till is able to find something he feels passionate about, too, whether it be music or something else.
Things get a bit cheerier after he gives his little speech about all the things Till can do here, and Till responds by talking about his experiences thus far. For as awful as this place is, he sounds like he's making some nice discoveries. Chocolate, candy, shopping... More importantly, he reveals something he wants. Not something someone else has chosen for him, but something he wants to do: make music and sing. For an audience of humans, like he did in the past. Which is a convenient thing for him to want, since that's something Hiyori's equipped to help him with. It's something they could do together!]
Yep, I know exactly what you mean.
[His smile is sympathetic. "It doesn't feel real" is right.
That smile starts to fade again as Till ponders aloud about whether or not he wants to go back home. Hiyori would've thought the answer would be a resounding no, but apparently he thinks he should go back, because of a person. Mizi. It makes sense. For as much as going back home sounds like a terrible idea in Till's case, everyone has connections. Even the loneliest people have someone they care about. And simply abandoning that person forever, without even saying goodbye, is too hard to bear. He thinks about Nagisa again, whom he hasn't seen in over a year at this point. Thinks about others from home, too. Will they ever escape this place? Till says he'll "decide when he goes back," but it's nowhere near that simple. Especially since Till seems to have no idea what "card collection" entails...
Ah, and speaking of card collection.]
Ah, you saw one of those unsightly displays, hmm?
[His nose wrinkles. Due to OOC omegaversephobia reasons, we'll say he never set foot in the Vale while the Omegadome was going on. However, he would've tried to visit his birds. They live in the Vale, and he visits them all the time. So we'll say he approached the Vale, caught a glimpse of people mounting each other like animals inside... and then swiftly turned and speedwalked in the opposite direction. Nope, no thanks, not dealing with that!]
It's usually quite peaceful compared to the other places here. Things did get dangerous in there during October, though. And there was definitely something funny going on there recently, so you're not wrong to be wary. But as for some of your other questions...
[He pauses, before turning back to the white board. He picks up a marker and proceeds to write two words—CHIPS and VOUCHERS—drawing bubbles around both of them.]
There are two ways to shop around here. First, there are vouchers. Those are basically meal coupons or clothing coupons. You might receive one as a gift, or as compensation for something that went wrong. For example, if you performed a song out in the hall, other guests might throw vouchers at you. Or if you complained to the staff that something wasn't satisfactory, they might apologize and hand you a voucher. Then you can use it to buy yourself a meal or a piece of clothing. Mind you, it doesn't have to be a real complaint. It's perfectly alright to make one up! And then you can also win vouchers from the arcade and the casino.
[He draws three lines from the bubble that says "VOUCHERS," which connect to three new bubbles: PERFORM, SING, and PLAY GAMES.]
Then there are chips. Those are the main currency here, and they can be used towards anything. You can win those at the casino, but the danger is that you might lose money instead. That's exactly how gambling works, after all. And then the most reliable way to gain chips is through "card collection."
[He draws two lines from the word "CHIPS," followed by two more bubbles: CASINO and GAME 52. And then...
He hesitates for a moment, because it's now time to ask the dreaded question. There's a grim look in his eye as he turns toward Till again. Will he need to take this boy to the library and find him an instructional book?? Now's the part where he finds out!]
The goal of Game 52 is to collect 52 "cards," and the way to collect cards is through intimate encounters.
[He pauses. Awkwardly.]
You do know the sort of intimacy I mean, right? Or rather, you know what sex is... don't you?
[ The non-answer that's a request for patience leads to dissatisfaction. Till attempts to hide his expression. Smooth it out, but he was never good at hiding his feelings. Without another option, he will wait. It helps that Hiyori has been accommodating and thoughtful through their conversation. If he had shown any sign of annoyance, perhaps Till would not have been so willing to wait.
With their conversation shifting away from segyein, he has no reason to bring them to the forefront again. He has already made his opinion on them more than clear. His intense hatred for all things segyein would only lead to unpleasant words and possibly the admission of an act that tanked his popularity for a short interlude. Music is a preferred topic. Music is something he has always known. It's in his earliest memories and has kept him alive. He would rather desperately cling to music than admit he feels at odds in this unfamiliar place. At least, he knows what to expect from them.
That's why it would be better if Hiyori and that Leo-kun never know them. ] I can do that. Yeah. I'll talk to him about music. [ Although he sounds uncertain. Talking to so many people does get to be a bit overwhelming. And he has talked to so many people. It's emotionally draining. He wonders if Hiyori does this a lot. Does he often go and offer lessons? That also must be exhausting. ]
I tried to leave, but they would not open the doors until much later.
[ His frustration with the whole thing is obvious. People were crazy, people were running around wild, and he just wanted to go somewhere with fewer of those people. But we shall leave the omegaverse stuff behind because the aliens weren't providing Till with that genre of reading material. ] Is it peaceful? [ Really? ] A guy is building a cabin out there, but maybe that's not such a great idea. [ Especially with all the strangeness and past dangers. Perhaps it is as Hiyori says, and the place is mostly peaceful, but why risk getting caught up in anything weird?
He won't say more since the lesson is now moving forward.
As Hiyori begins to explain how shopping at the resort works, Till can't help but look disappointed. He wanted shopping to be something more. However, it seems his use of vouchers for food counted as shopping. While yes, it was a new experience to try all the unfamiliar foods that were far more tasty than anything he ate back at Anakt Garden or under his guardians' care, it didn't feel the same. Because he was experiencing all this alone, and he wasn't even deserving of that. He should go back. He should. Missing some of Hiyori's words isn't the sole cause for his guilt and shame.
He meant what he said. He should have died.
Someone else should be here in his place. Alive, swept away before setting foot on the final stage. So why does it have to be him? He wasn't so special. He wasn't anything. But he has to be something. Otherwise, wouldn't it be pointless? If he was thrust forward and made the winner of that previous round. But he didn't ask for that. He thought it would be over. He rubs his face with his hands, almost as if soothing himself. ]
I got it. Get chips and vouchers.
But I have to play the card-collecting game if I want chips, or do that other thing. I already knew some of the stuff about the vouchers. Do I really have to get 52 cards? Through... what does that mean? What is an intimate encounter? Is that why people are participating in kissing? Everyone is saying this is a sex resort. It's not what I think it means.
In Anakt Garden, when we got older, our dormitories were separated. You know. Girls and boys.
Great! ♪ If you want to reach him over the network, his username is "Knights!"
[Again, little does he know that Leo will be gone by the end of the month. RIP. Right now he's more concerned about Till than Leo, and when Till says he was prevented from leaving the Vale, his brows furrow with concern.]
You didn't get hurt, did you?
[Or harassed. But harassment is constant for just about everyone here. He knows Till isn't a child and has been through worse, but he still feels worried.]
His own cabin, hm? He must be high-ranked. The higher ranks can seemingly do whatever they want, wherever they want.
[As a Rank 8, he doubts he could get away with building his own structure in a public place and keeping it there exclusively for his own use.]
It'd be nice to have a private space there, but the Vale already has plenty of little cabins up in the trees. I like to visit there a lot, since that's where my birds live. I have three of them. They're my cute pets! ♪
[Spoken cheerfully. Though the word "pets" makes him remember: didn't Till say something about "human pets" mere moments ago? And when he said that, wasn't he referring to himself? It's a horrid little question, but it's one he holds off on asking. Because first, they have bigger things to discuss. Specifically...
He has the dreaded Talk to give.
Till asks what an intimate encounter is, then asks if it involves kissing, and Hiyori's heart sinks down into his chest at the absolute cluelessness on display. At least his last words clue Hiyori into the fact that he has some idea what sex is, and that's somewhat of a relief. Should he assume Till knows what he needs to know and move on, then?
No. Much as he wants to, he can't.
"Boys and girls were separated" tells him nothing about what Till knows. The very basics, perhaps, but that's it. And if Till doesn't know everything that can count as sex, it means someone could manipulate him into doing it without him realizing. Means, too, that he might push himself beyond what he's comfortable with, just to make sure it "counts," when he might have done less if he'd known he could get away with less. As a "life coach," a senpai, and a human being, Hiyori can't let this slide, even though he sure wishes he could. His prissy sensibilities make it difficult to talk about sex frankly, but that's exactly what they're going to have to do.]
Sorry. I'm afraid I can't leave it there, even if this ends up being awkward for both of us.
[He speaks with a sort of grim certainty. Maybe if he really leans into this teacherly persona, that'll make things easier. But for now, he speaks to Till hostage-to-hostage. They're both unwilling participants in Game 52, and if he could opt out entirely, he would. He takes a breath and then explains:]
Before we proceed any further, you should know two things. First of all, you do need to be intimate with someone. If you aren't, or if you go too long without it, something bad will happen. The only good news is that they're awfully lenient about what counts as sex here. You don't have to go "all the way," and you can skirt around the rules in all sorts of surprising ways.
[A short pause, as he peers at Till through his fake glasses, giving him time to process, before he asks:]
Which do you want to hear about first? The "game rules," or how they're enforced?
Got it. [ Unfortunately, it's not a typo that will keep him from contacting Hiyori's friend. Unbeknownst to him, people disappear from the resort. That's something he will have to learn, or he is liable to believe that Leo-kun does not want to talk to him. He will have to get over it. And not hold a grudge against that poor guy. ]
No? Nothing happened.
Except I ran into these crazy people. People? I don't think one of them was human. [ He didn't have to whisper that last part, but he does anyway. There is something akin to distaste in his tone that may indicate a future issue. ] The other one was just weird—something about a smell. Like, I would be calling anyone. I just wanted to get out. And—[ Hold on! Pause! ] that one wanted to touch lips—kiss—That's never happening to me again. I took care of it. [ So like he said before nothing happened. ]
But if people run around that place acting like that, maybe going there and building cabins is a bad idea. I should have told him. He said he did not fit in his room. Maybe anywhere, but there would be better.
[ It's too late now; he can't warn that guy. Except he totally can if he uses the watch. It's almost as if he has forgotten he has a communication device strapped permanently to his wrist.
The mention of pets has Till turn away. He won't comment on it. He does not know how that works with birds. Do the birds want to be pets? Maybe it's different because Hiyori is bright, kind, and helpful. Definitely not an annoying person. Maybe he is growing a little biased.
That bias isn't helping him see the inner struggle Hiyori is going through. However, even Till can sense discomfort. Or at least it feels like this whole conversation may be going down an awkward path that he would rather avoid. That apology doesn't soothe him. Instead, it feels as if he isn't being prepared for something awful. And then it's all but confirmed. He raises a hand slowly, hesitantly, indicating they can put an end to this. He can learn as he goes, right? ]
What do you mean by something bad? Do they kill you here, too?
[ Because that's bad. ]
Or lock you in a corporal punishment room. If it's that, then I don't care.
[ Actually, he would care—to a degree. It would mean being away from everything. Even if this little space, his room, feels foreign, he can grow accustomed to it. Even if he hasn't known Hiyori for a long time, he does think he is comforting. He doesn't want to feel deprived of sound and light. But it would not be new to him. It would be fine. ] If I know how to do it, I won't need to worry about how they make everyone here do it. I pick that one—the rules.
... though the rest of what he says is somewhat concerning. Hiyori doesn't know what to make of the smell comment, since he doesn't know how the Omegadome worked (nor does he want to). But the comment about someone trying to kiss Till is a bit worrisome. He doesn't know how aggressive they were about it, and of course it's within Till's right to refuse any sort of contact, but if he hates kissing, can he really tolerate sex? This clearly isn't a case like Rinne-senpai's, where he's saving his first kiss for marriage. If he's still scared of cooties at the age of 21, he's going to have a tough time ahead.]
I'm glad you had no issue standing up for yourself. You might need to tell certain people upfront that kissing is off-limits, though.
[Like Game 52 partners, for example. But they'll talk about that in a minute. For now, some other stuff!]
I haven't heard of any aliens, but there are plenty of nonhumans here. There's this one man who has a sort of grey-ish skintone, and he can make tentacles appear whenever he so chooses. Then there's someone else who looks just like a cat, complete with fur, two triangle ears, and a fuzzy tail! He's cute to look at, but he's awfully rude. There's that, and I heard he also has a habit of drugging people. So if a big fuzzy cat offers you any drinks or medicines, you should just say, "No thanks! I'm all set!"
[Sorry, Aak. Incidentally, Hiyori is a terrible person to go to if you're looking to get over your fear of nonhumans, since he's a normie without any exposure to them and he still starts shrieking in fear whenever he sees things like tentacle monsters.]
Anyway, I don't think the Vale is unsafe most days. But things can turn on a dime here, so it's best to be on alert. I suppose you wouldn't need me to tell you that, though.
[Since Till's surely had to live more of his life on "high alert" than Hiyori has.
He notices that reaction to the "pet" comment and feels a bit rueful about it, but there's nothing to be done once he's said it. He'll remember not to use the word around him again. Perhaps he can invite him to meet the birds sometime for a calming activity. But for now, it's onto discussing the hard stuff. Till asks if you get killed for refusing to participate in the game, and the question makes his stomach twist. The answer isn't "yes," but it's not exactly "no," either—not when countless guests seem to have never come back from being statues. Isn't that as good as death? Still, when Till asks about corporal punishment, he shakes his head and says:]
No. It's not quite either of those things.
[But the punishment is still something anyone would want to avoid.
Unless Bakugo's theory is correct. He's told Hiyori before about what he thinks: that once people turn to stone here, their souls go back to their world, and the person resumes their regular life back home. The statue is just an empty husk at that point. Hiyori wishes he could believe that theory himself. Then life in the resort would be much less scary. He wouldn't have to worry about Rinne and his other disappeared friends; wouldn't have to worry about himself and Jun anymore, either. He could simply wait for his turn. But alas—there's not enough evidence for him to put his faith behind such a convenient conclusion.
He will have to get into that whole thing at some point. But Till next says he wants to hear about the rules first. A less emotionally fraught topic, but one that's hard to talk about for other reasons. Namely: his prudishness! He'll do it anyway, of course. But...
He's going to be somewhat awkward about it.]
Well, first of all...
[He trails off for a second. Should he be writing this stuff on the whiteboard ... nope. Absolutely not!]
First, for it to count as card collection, you should know that only one person has to "finish."
[ It's not the dark circles under his eyes that make Till's youthful face look weary. Instead, it's the fact that this whole place seems overly complicated. Why does kissing have to be more popular here than in Anakt Garden? Why does it feel far more complex? Why does it have to have some meaning attached to it? A meaning he does not fully grasp. The people here enjoy it, but it obviously does not equate to the same playful joy derived by his classmates. Worst is that he has to address it. It's enough of a thing that he has to tell people he does not want to do it. He thought that was a one-off, but apparently not. He has to keep this in mind. It's going to be a constant.
Well, he has no problem telling people off! He can tell them to fuck off, he can fight them. He can do all of that! It just sounds exhausting to have to keep thinking about. About that kiss. It's not only distaste reflected in his expression, it's abject distress. ] I'll deal with it. Yeah.
I'll deal with them too.
[ Or avoid them.
Probably that. He does not have to communicate with either of those things, right? Although in the case of the former, it's too late for Till as he has already exchanged words with Splat. The latter, he will have to keep in mind. ] But neither of those sounds cute to look at. [ Not to him anyway. It looks like a cat, but it is not a cat; therefore, it is not cute. Not that he has seen an actual real-life cat in the entirety of his life. Perhaps, there are some here. Maybe he can pester Hiyori about them later. After they get through this progressively awkward conversation. ] I'm not accepting anything from those guys!
[ Unfortunately, it's clear from his tone alone, it's not fear that he has toward anything nonhuman. Hate might be a better word, not that he does better with most people anyway. ]
Then, only avoid it when those humans want me to go in there?
[ What a persistent bunch they were! Perhaps it is best to avoid that place completely. However, that would mean avoiding a lot of places. And! Despite all the insanity going on around him, that place had plants. Like actual real-life living plants. What a shock that had been! For a moment, it had drawn all his attention. And there were so many flowers. All that he had only seen in images, save for one. That blossom was not one he had seen in that place.
Once Hiyori makes that vague statement, he can't help but cant his head.
Not quite, is not a definite no. That's what he needs to know, but so far, Hiyori has been good at eventually elaborating on everything. Perhaps if everything were written somewhere, however, on second thought, he knows he wouldn't bother to read past the first sentence. His interest would fade swiftly, coupled with becoming acquainted with a lack of motivation. He wouldn't learn a thing. ]
Your face is getting flushed.
Is it because we're talking about collecting cards through the intimate encounters? Sex? So, only one person finishes that? What does it mean for someone to finish? How long do you do the sex for? Does someone lose? What does that have to do with...boys... and girls...
[ He is going to process this data. Watch him think and struggle!
[The abject distress is even more worrying. That looked like something worse than just an "Ew, cooties" expression. And so now seems like a good time to tell Till about a certain dropped castmate. Hiyori gives him a serious look and says:]
You really dont have to kiss anyone. Most people want to kiss the person they're having sex with, so you'll want to tell them it's off-limits. But I know someone who collected quite a few cards without ever kissing his partners. He was saving his first kiss for marriage, apparently.
[And now he's a statue, but Hiyori leaves off that part.
Hiyori isn't about to defend Aak. Or Kleken, for that matter. He shrugs it off and replies:]
Cuteness is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. Unless it's me we're talking about, since I'm always cute! ♪ But both of them have rather un-cute personalities. And both of them also seem like swindlers, so you're right to be wary!
[But is he just "wary"?
It's difficult to miss Till's hostility. Hiyori can't guess whether it's because they're talking about nonhumans, or whether Till simply has an adverse reaction to the concept of being drugged or scammed. He assumes it's the latter, but either would be understandable, since again, it's not like he has an enlightened view of nonhumans. He got in trouble for turning down Aak with an "Sorry, I don't sleep with animals!" once. It's hard being a normie here!
"When humans want me to go in there" is sort of an odd way to put it. Rather than "humans," it's the House who's the problem here. And there's an easy way to explain that, isn't there? He holds up a finger in a teacherly manner as he explains:]
I wouldn't go anywhere with someone you find them suspicious. But I'd pay more attention to timing, rather than who's trying to lead you there. The resort tends to be more dangerous during specific times: when there's a special game going on—besides the 52 game, that is—and when there are new arrivals showing up. You'll know when there are new kidnappings because they'll send a message to everyone's watches welcoming the new "guests." That's when they host stuff like that odd thing you saw going on in the Vale.
[A brief pause, before he adds:]
That happens every two months, by the way. Not what you saw in the Vale, but new arrivals coming. Which means there should be more at the end of next month.
[And then likely a suit game in-between, but he can get to explaining that at... some point.]
I wouldn't avoid the Vale and the garden altogether, since they are pretty peaceful most of the time. If you ever want to visit but don't feel comfortable going there alone, just let me know, alright?
[Then he can introduce Till to his birds. Ah, but speaking of the birds and the bees...
This is the moment of truth: how much sex education did Till receive in his weird little alien-controlled music prison? That's the question on Hiyori's mind. And the answer, apparently? It's "next to none." Great! Just wonderful!
Hiyori's face falls and his lips contort into a mighty grimace as Till not only calls him out on his embarrassment, but also makes it clear that he has no Earthly idea what "finishing" means. And as though that weren't enough, he takes a stab at the whole sex thing, drawing a horrible conclusion that makes Hiyori actually groan out loud. Sorry, Till. It's not you, it's this whole situation that's filling him with frustration and abject despair!]
No, no, definitely not! It might've been like that at home, but people do not have kids here! And thank goodness for that!
[He shakes his head, in attempt to shake off that horrible thought. His face is still flushed, as Till helpfully pointed out. Even if he's cleared up one misconception, there's still a lot Till doesn't know. And due to his prissiness, well... even explaining what it means to "finish" is hard for him. He's certainly not getting any less flustered.]
Have you ever... er. Well.
[His cheeks color even darker. Help him.]
Have you ever taken care of yourself before? Or rather, have you ever touched yourself? You don't have to answer if that's too personal, but...
[ He already said he would deal with it if that ever comes up. Although if that's an expectation that comes with the sex stuff, then maybe he will avoid it altogether. Who cares about the stupid game. It really is far more complicated than what he expected. Then again, if it involves producing products, he shouldn't be surprised. That's not a feeling that lingers. It's quickly replaced by irritation over the whole matter. ] But I am not saving anything. There is nothing for me to save.
Right. You people do that. It's like your partner, right? A wife or something.
[ He is ready to dismiss the topic of lips touching. Aside from his past childish aversion, it's now coupled with a sensation of feeling lost and unsteady. It's a flood of confusion that only one person can cause. He already doesn't get enough sleep to be triggered back into trauma. He is good with never touching lips again. He can live the rest of his life without having to think about it. Yet inevitably, he does think about it—a lot. And with what little knowledge he has gleaned, it leaves him in a daze. He will never understand that frustrating guy, and he will continue to lose sleep over him.
That topic leaves him distracted enough that he doesn't fully consider the next thing he says. ]
Unless it's you? I guess you have that kind of look. If it is appearance alone, and since you can make crying sounds, then I bet you would get good results on Alien Stage.
[ He had already made up his mind to avoid those two. That means there are no plans to ever speak to them. Of course, it's already too late in the case of one and he can't spend his days eternally vigilant. It would mean he would miss out on a lot of things that are now at his disposal. A good example is that he has yet to set foot again in the conservatory all on his own. ]
Shouldn't I have found you suspicious? [ Because who offers advice so freely and readily to someone they only just met. Or is that supposed to be normal? He knows of people who would help but it's too early to say what kind of person Hiyori is, despite his amicable smile. ]
Maybe I will just spend most of my time in this room. [ That way he doesn't have to keep track of anything or deal with any sort of strangeness. Again it's him avoiding things, like having to explain what's off-limits. Actually, this whole conversation is starting to feel like it should be off-limits. ]
So we're not making products?
I guess if that were the point, it would be better to collect samples. Instead of you know. Whatever that other stuff involves. But then why bother with it? This is senseless.
[ It would seem that Hiyori will continue to struggle with whatever he has to stay, leading to Till casting another confused look at him. ]
Do you mean taking care of myself to ensure I am healthy? What are you talking about? I touch myself all the time, like when I bathe and stuff. Don't you? Are we going to talk about the game or hygiene? Do you not want to talk about it? Just tell me what happens if I don't play.
[That "nothing to save" comment gives him a sense of foreboding, his brain snagging onto the implication that Till's first kiss was stolen from him. Though he supposes that's jumping to conclusions—maybe Till tried to experiment with another kid and just didn't like it. Or maybe he hasn't been kissed, and he just meant that kissing means "nothing" in his view. Whatever the case may be, Hiyori won't pry into things.]
Your Garden didn't have marriage, huh?
[Another depressing factoid, though it isn't wholly a surprise. Idols don't usually get married until after retirement, and if those who lose the Alien Stage die, there goes the possibility of marriage. Still, he wonders, what happens to those who do win? It doesn't seem like the time to ask, so he files that question away for some other time. This isn't an interrogation. He came here to do life coaching!
He did not, however, come here to give The Talk. So, that makes this super awkward.
He raises an eyebrow at one of the comments Till makes—]
I don't know what you mean by "crying sounds," but I'm glad we both agree I'm cute! ♪
[—before deciding to shrug it off, even though it sounded faintly ominous. As for the matter of him being suspicious, well... Till's not wrong, tbh. Even Hiyori has to admit it.]
You do have a point. You can't trust everyone who offers to teach you things, sadly. But I can promise I'll try not to lead you astray. And I certainly won't expect payment, the way that some people might. I'm simply doing this out of the goodness of my noble heart. That's all there is to it~♪
[But again: he didn't think "this" would include giving The Talk!
As far as Till spending time in his room goes:]
You shouldn't stay cooped up all the time. If you want a list of locations I'd recommend, I'd be happy to give some! And if you need help getting around, you can always check that digital map thing! This place is much too huge, so I'd be horribly lost without it.
[Especially he has no sense of direction, not that he'll admit it. And as for "We're not making products?", he emphatically responds:]
Nope! We're not! This is what you call an "adults only" zone!
[Though he's definitely met a few people under the age of adulthood here, to say nothing of the previous Spades game where he met the child version of someone he knows. He makes a bit of a face at the "collecting samples" comment, since he's a priss who doesn't like to think about sperm in test tubes. At least this implies Till knows how reproduction works? One last thing he has to teach!
But there's still a lot Till doesn't know, as he learns the hard way. (Pun unintended.)
The second Till makes it clear he has no idea what he meant by "touch yourself," Hiyori's face falls even more. With disappointment, and with resignation. This spells the end of things: he has absolutely no intention of explaining how to masturbate. No talking about which parts are involved, no describing techniques. No crude gestures, and no illustrations! It's not happening! Sure, he'll gyrate around onstage and sing about drowning oneself in pleasure. And sure, he and Jun are planning to give sex shows! But that is not the same as this! There are some things he can't handle! He's not a health teacher!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
winterfish
action (1 day after the welcome event)
Date: 2025-04-20 03:29 pm (UTC)He arrives at the sixth floor dressed in a teacherly get-up complete with fake glasses. He's also pushing a white board on wheels with him. He borrowed it from Ugly Duckling, explaining to the staff that he had a "private lesson" to give and winking as he said the words. Of course it's not that kind of private lesson, but in this place, the excuse flies! He's granted permission as long as he brings it back later.
He's also shouldering a tote bag, which has his phone inside among other things. He definitely wants to show Till some performance videos from home. But he also understands that after going from one hellish environment to the next, the boy surely has other priorities. He said he wants to know how to live here, and Hiyori will help!
He raps twice on the door and chirps out a friendly greeting.]
Hello hello! Your life coach, Hiyori Tomoe, is here~♪
no subject
Date: 2025-04-21 04:22 am (UTC)It takes him a moment to get to his feet before he opens the door, only because he recognizes Hiyori's voice. ]
You're that guy.
Your name is long...
[ His right hand holds the door open as he stands there blocking the entrance to his room. Till looks like a man who has barely slept because he finds sleep far more difficult to achieve than usual in the constantly bustling resort. And being alone with nothing to do to fill his time means he can wallow in his thoughts. He can't just stop thinking.
Maybe that's why he looks disheveled in an oversized sleeveless hoodie with his left arm tucked away within his clothes. Give him a second to collect himself before he pulls his arm out and steps aside. However, he does take a second to give Hiyori a once-over, along with the whiteboard. Is he bringing that inside? There is already a lot of stuff inside this tiny ass room!
Till's room is simple enough, containing the usual furnishings of a rank-six guest. Although the room is starkly plain, and despite looking like he needs rest, the bed seems untouched. The tightly closed curtains highlight the only window. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-04-23 04:22 pm (UTC)Though he's less glad, more baffled, by Till's comment about his name. Three characters and six syllables isn't long by the standards of his world, and he gives a confused blink behind his fake glasses.]
Is that what you consider long...? If so, you'll hardly believe some of the other names around here.
[This is normally where he'd mention a certain pink-haired prince with an absurdly long name. But after figuring out something disturbing about him, Hiyori's no longer inclined to mention him around others. His stomach twists with momentary discomfort at the thought of him, and then he moves on.]
Fortunately, I'm not too fussed about formalities. You can call me by my given name or my family name: whichever seems best. And I won't make you tack on a "-sensei," even as your life coach. As long as it's from the heart, you can talk to me however you wish~♪
[While he talks, his eyes do glance at the room behind Till. He notes its small size and its lack of decor, but neither quality surprises him given that Till is a newly-arrived Rank 6. Nor does he comment on Till being rather shabbily-dressed. He simply smiles his friendly smile, before he goes ahead and asks:]
Mind letting me in your room?
no subject
Date: 2025-04-24 12:29 am (UTC)His gaze is still fixed on Hiyori, focusing on his smile. Is that a genuine expression? He can't decipher it, but he knows one thing. This guy doesn't try to piss him off or make him feel stupid. That's enough. The bar is low. That's why when prompted to make room to welcome him inside, he looks embarrassed and gets out of the way to welcome Hiyori in, along with the board he brought along.
Rubbing at his face with the back of his hand, he waits for Hiyori to step inside. Once his guest is in his room, he peeks out at the hall, left and right, before closing the door.
They just let anyone go into other people's rooms. What are even the rules here? He should know them at least, even if there are no plans to adhere to them. Who cares. It's not like he wants to be here, or whatever. He doesn't even know why he is here. He knows what this place is, at least. ]
Your name is long to me.
Comparing our names, there is an obvious difference. Mine is Till, while, yours is Hi-yo-ri-to-moe. I have noticed that there are others with long names. A guy told me to just call him Charlie, though, so that helps. Saying his whole name would be tedious.
So I can ask you anything?
You're saying you have two names. That's more common here. Why is that? What's a sensei?
no subject
Date: 2025-04-25 02:40 pm (UTC)Thanks! ♪
[And then he steps inside, wheeling the white board with him. He pushes it close to the wall so it doesn't take up too much space.
It'd be strange if they couldn't enter each other's rooms given how Game 52 works. He notices Till checking the hall on both sides before he shuts the door, and he doesn't comment, but it does leave him curious. What sort of environment did the boy live in before this one? It sounds as though he was subjected to something terrible back home, so there's no telling what his living conditions were like. But that's something Hiyori has no desire to interrogate him about. The whole goal of this "private lesson" is to help Till live a more comfortable life here, after all—not to dredge up past horrors.]
Ah, so that's your full name, is it?
[Just "Till." He strokes his chin as he muses aloud:]
I thought that perhaps you were simply giving half your name. There are plenty of people here who've introduced themselves that way, so I didn't think much of it.
[Topaz, Baizhu, Kirma, Kleken... he doesn't know any of their family names, assuming they even have one. It'd also be natural for a famous performer to want to hide their full name in a place that runs on sex; the fear of scandal is a potent threat for most idols, after all.]
Ah, yes, Charlie! He's one of my fans here. Though I know he prefers jazz—
[... to rock and pop music. But as Till continues talking, he shelves that thought.
Goodness, this boy isn't educated. Any teacher would have their work cut out for them. Though it's possible that "sensei" is merely a translation issue. People here hail from all different countries, as well as different worlds entirely, so of course they speak different languages. It's thanks to the resort's magic that they can understand each other anyway, but there are bound to be hiccups!
Still. He has a feeling that he and Till not seeing eye-to-eye on the world is more less a matter of hiccups and more a matter of radically different experiences.]
You can ask me whatever you like.
[Just to get that out of the way. Then he explains:]
Where I come from, everyone has a given name and a family name. Your family name is just that: the name of the family you were born into. And then your given name is simply whatever your parents named you.
[He withdraws a marker from his tote bag and proceeds to write his name on the white board: 巴 日和, or Tomoe Hiyori. Three characters!]
That part right there is "Tomoe," my family name. And this part is "Hiyori," my given name! Since Hiyori means "day" or "weather," and "Tomoe" means "spiral," altogether it can be taken to mean "sunny weather." Since the sun is often represented by a spiral, no?
[He draws a little sun spiral on the whiteboard just to demonstrate.]
Anyway, that's all about my name. But other people's names have different meanings, so if you're curious, you can always ask them.
[He sets the marker down.]
As for "sensei," that's just a way of saying "teacher." Hopefully you already know what a teacher is. If not, a teacher is someone who shows you how to do things! For example, you know how to play guitar, yes? That's not something anyone is born knowing, so someone must have taught you.
no subject
Date: 2025-04-28 04:53 pm (UTC)It's just Till.
[ There is nothing else to add. It's just that and nothing more. Unless— ]
Do you want my ID number?
[ Because why not. There is no such thing as identity theft! ]
Is he? He has some strange interests. Or I guess maybe I am the one who thinks they're strange. Do you also practice the kissing with him like that Fuuta guy?
[ But whatever. He doesn't look particularly interested in that topic and will move on. The subject of names is far more interesting because he can sort of glean some information out of it. He has some base knowledge he can work with as opposed to just blindly trying to decipher something out of nothing.
Therefore, he won't move on to his inquiries immediately. That can wait; he still has to decide what's more important and how to word his questions appropriately. What Till is certain of is that he finds talking to Hiyori to be a relief. It helps to feel free of judgment. Hiyori is the least annoying human, unlike everyone else. Actually, he isn't annoying at all. What a surprise. His attitude will probably not do him any favors at the resort, especially when he doesn't feel inclined to befriend anyone.
For now, he will try to parse the information given slowly and make something of it. ]
I think I understand?
[ He doesn't sound completely confident in that statement. He gets the idea to a degree, but he still needs to fill some gaps in knowledge. He seems agreeable and focused, even as he wrings his hands together. Finally, he starts to list things off. ]
One is just your name. Like my name.
The other is to differentiate you from everyone else, right? Like you come from one set, the family set you are genetically related to. Then you have siblings you share the same genes with. Something like that?
And your parent... [ His expression sours. He is going to stop there.
Instead, he prefers to focus all his attention on the marker Hiyori withdrew from his bag. He watches him draw the characters, and his eyes light up. The board is no longer an enemy that consumes space in his room. Now give him a minute as he tries to remember that. Should he try to write the characters himself? He doesn't have something to write with, but he presses his index finger against the board and begins to mimic writing out each character. Like that? ]
Is it? The sun?
Is the real one more like that?
[ And he will keep that in mind, but honestly, upon learning there can be meaning behind names, he isn't considering asking anyone about theirs. He is content enough knowing the meaning behind Hiyori's. ]
That I do know. Anakt Garden had teachers. They taught classes, wrote reports, and administered exams.
[ After a moment of consideration, he extends his hand as if asking for the marker. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-04-29 05:14 pm (UTC)[He clearly doesn't know what that is. As for the bit about Charlie and Fuuta, that earns a blank look, before his brow furrows a tad.]
No. I don't need practice, first of all. And he prefers being my audience member. That means he can look, but he can't touch.
[Then he adds:]
Not that I have any idea why Fuuta-kun would need practice, either. According to Rin Tohsaka, he has someone he kisses all the time.
[And then he winks.]
That's "Rin." Ri-n. Easy to remember, right? So if he asks you who leaked the news, you can be sure to mention her! ♪
[He hopes she gets yelled at for it. That girl tried to set his hair on fire and is always rude to him, so he'd like to see her knocked down a peg or two. And now onto the name discussion!
Till seems to be following him. He sounds rather clinical with his talk of genetics, but he's not wrong. Though the ominous trailing off after the word "parent" is certainly revealing. That pretty much cinches it, though Hiyori already could have guessed: this person has had a rough upbringing and has never known a parent's love. It'd explain the gaps in his education, among other things.]
You've got it all right. Good job! ♪
[Some praise for his student, in lieu of giving him a gold star!
Though he actually does have some of those on him, because of course he does. So he reaches into his tote bag and pulls out a sheet of shiny stickers. Before he can offer one, though, he gets a bit distracted by Till's next question. "Is the real one more like that?"]
... have you never seen the sun before?
[He tries to keep the judgment (and shock) out of his voice. But it's startling to think of someone who's never seen the sun. Just what sort of environment was he raised in? Could he be like Nagisa—someone who grew up confined to a single room, never allowed to travel beyond those four walls?
But then he starts to talk about his schooling, which includes the usual things like classes, teachers and exams. And that throws a wrench into that theory, doesn't it? He stares for a moment, eyes curious, before handing over the marker.]
Here you go. [...] So "Anakt Garden" is where you took music lessons, hmm?
no subject
Date: 2025-04-30 12:38 am (UTC)...
[ Wait a second. Will he be called by his name or Just Till? He should correct that! However, the change in topic made him opt to put a pin in it. ] It's a number. Everyone has one. I think. I've seen it a few times on documents, and when it was tagged on me.
[ He will leave it at that, assuming that if everyone is different due to originating from other places, it works differently for them. Hiyori has his family name. Meanwhile, he has gene sequencing and an ID number. Opting to focus on the nature of Hiyori's fans instead. Does he enjoy having them? Is there a marked difference between their types of fans? It's all good and well, but he realizes he isn't interested in making fans. If anything, he knows he despises them despite it being detrimental to his future. Then again, maybe a human fan is different than a segyein fan. ]
Maybe he isn't practicing, and it is that Charlie with whom he likes to do kissing stuff with all the time? [ He says that all offhandedly. He isn't even remotely ashamed or anything. It's a topic that seems to come up enough even when he doesn't bring it up. However, his tone has a slight hint of something mixed between disinterest and distaste. That may explain his long, almost suffering sigh. Everyone here likes it. Or maybe. ] Do you like to do that stuff too?
Does that Rin also do it?
[ But sure if the topic comes up again, he can relay that message. Hiyori said that Rin said that Fuuta is kissing someone all the time. Got it!
Praising Till causes his expression to waver. It suggests something close to uncertainty, as he finds it difficult to express contentment when the idea alone makes him feel ashamed. Yet, his face warms with a blush that he can't help, which explains why he opts to lower his gaze, looking away from Hiyori. ]
Not the real one. There is a library, but who knows how much of what's in there is true.
[ And he isn't much for book learning.
Taking the marker in hand, he examines it first. He presses an index finger to the tip before trying to write his name on the board. His handwriting is a little messy, but he spells it out easily. T-I-L-L. That should also dispel any previous assumed confusion. That is soon followed by 틸 underneath. ] Like this or like that. It's probably better that it's not as long as yours.
And yeah. That's the place. They say it's the number one music-specialized kindergarten in the universe. I guess it must be true since they've produced the most Alien Stage winners.
no subject
Date: 2025-05-02 04:19 pm (UTC)That wasn't your entry number in the competition, was it?
[That's one unpleasant possibility that springs to mind.
Speaking of unpleasant possibilities: the mental image of Charlie and Fuuta swapping spit sure doesn't appeal to him, and he wrinkles his nose a little in distaste.]
I sincerely doubt it. I mean... [He pauses.] I suppose they could be dating. But Charlie said he had a wife back home, so I doubt he's looking to date university boys.
[Or anyone, for that matter. Not that most people here don't seem to have open relationships.
Ah, but speaking of kissing and relationships, the questions about those just keep coming. They're so thoroughly innocent-sounding that they catch him off-guard. There's nothing wrong with being inexperienced, but isn't this person a bit too innocent? For example, does he know the first thing about sex? It seems unlikely if he doesn't even know much about kissing. And for the House to kidnap somebody like that and bring them here, where they have no choice but to participate in that stuff... it seems like a new low, even for the House. Not that he'll take his anger about it out on Till, of course.]
You know what they say about "kissing and telling," right?
[Stupid question. Of course Till wouldn't know. He smiles again and answers the question honestly.]
I don't know about that girl, but I like it. It feels good and it helps you connect with the other person. I mostly do it with my partner nowadays, though. You don't have to kiss if you don't want to, but it can help get someone in the mood.
[For sex, that is. Does Hiyori need to explain that, too? Till didn't just get here yesterday. Surely he must already know how Game 52 works. But knowing something and understanding it emotionally are two different things, just as there's a difference between knowing what you have to do and being prepared to actually do it. It's an unpleasant train of thought, one he'd be quite content to banish to the back of his mind. That's why he switches gears and says:]
And when we're onstage, we idols sometimes blow kisses to our fans, as a form of "fanservice!" ♪
[He then demonstrates by blowing one in Till's direction, lips puckering and fingertips brushing over them before he "sends" the kiss to Till.
The discussion about names is less worrisome for Hiyori than the discussion about kissing (and probably less confusing for Till, too). He watches Till write his own name on the board and commits it to memory; if someone fails to leave an impression on him, he might forget (or "forget") their name, but he's bound to remember Till's. After all, the boy is certainly unique. Cute, too, as a look of utter embarrassment crosses his face when Hiyori praises him for knowing stuff. If it's that easy to get such a reaction out of him, he'll be a very rewarding pupil.]
A music-specialized kindergarten?
[His eyebrows raise at that, and he looks both surprised and impressed.]
You started early. Someone must have wanted you to be a musician, hmm?
[Of course it's possible Till wanted to learn music himself. But he thinks about Jun and Nagisa, both groomed to be an idol from an early age, and he's sure there are others like them out there.]
no subject
Date: 2025-05-05 04:32 am (UTC)[ And the fact that he is here now means adrenaline and will alone won't be what will get him through the next round, even Till can recognize how fortunate he is despite all his initial confusion. That doesn't alleviate guilt, but how would things have played out if he had set foot upon that final stage?
Unfortunately for Hiyori, Till doesn't share in the displeasure of that imagery. He has no idea what Charlie looks like, and even if he did, he would not allow his imagination to conjure up that image. ] Dating? I heard that one before. It's spending time together or hanging out. And I know about wives, those fucking segyein get together and form bonds. Or something like that. Then one gives gifts to the other.
[ So Charlie has someone he gives gifts to who isn't Fuuta. Yet he is spending time with Fuuta. That's bound to get complicated? ] No. I don't know about kissing and telling. Telling who? You?
Should I not say anything?
[ Because maybe now he can explain himself without this feeling weird? ]
What are you getting in the mood for?
[ Is he already supposed to know all this. He is going to jab the marker against the board and start drawing. The marker won't help with fine details, and it's a new medium for him to use to convey pictures. ] It's not that kissing didn't exist. It's just that no one called it anything. It became popular among my classmates. They would put their lips against someone's cheek, and I guess they liked it. I don't think anyone really knows where it came from. It was just a thing to do? [ But not for him! ]
No one does that other kissing.
But someone told me that it is a common way to show love and affection. That lovers normally make their lips touch. Is your partner your lover? If you put you press your lips together with someone does that make them your lover?
[ He will fall silent and pause whatever he is doodling away to observe Hiyori's demonstration. From his expression alone it's easy to surmise that he won't be doing any of that! ] Do you like your fans? But I think yours are different, right? They're all humans? But even humans can be annoying sometimes.
Doesn't everyone start early? Most of my classmates were more or less about my age. Sua was the oldest. I think...
And of course, someone wanted me to be a musician. They want to win that competition. That greedy bastard. I don't know how many other pet humans were sent there before but they all died. Maybe that guy is desperate now.
I should have died already.
1/2
Date: 2025-05-07 02:55 am (UTC)It's all so senseless he can hardly fathom it. Even though his own idol competition was hijacked by a mob boss, he can't picture being involved in something so cruel. Why, it's just...
The switch to talking about dating is a funny bit of whiplash. Till has the gist of that and marriage, though the way he recites the definitions makes it sound like something he read in a book somewhere, rather than something he's witnessed for himself, let alone took part in. It's cute, but also a tad concerning.]
Right again! Good job! ♪ [He winks again.] Though I'd say there's a bit more to dating than just spending time together. Otherwise we'd be dating, since we're spending time together now.
[As for the kiss-and-tell question, well. A moment's pause, before he shakes his head.]
You don't have to keep quiet about it. Some people might consider it impolite, is all. But I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me things. It's important to have someone you can talk to.
[This poor boy, he keeps thinking. He sounds so clueless about so many things. And he's had such a hard time. Hiyori wants to be there to support him; after all, someone needs to be.
Though it's a sharp swerve into thornier territory after that. Till's questions get more pointed, more personal, to the point where he finds himself stumbling a bit mentally. Should he really start talking about what "getting in the mood" means? Er, but now they're on the subject of his partner... or about lovers in general, rather... and what does he mean, "no does that other kissing"? His head swims from trying to keep up! He's more often the one who rambles too much.]
Well... yes, my partner is my lover. And we do kiss quite a lot. Thanks to my teachings, he's gotten quite good at it! But before I can answer your "mood" question, first I must ask: you do know how Game 52 works, right?
[He must by now, surely. ... right??
As for his fans, well... he's got no earthly idea what he means by "They're all humans?" But there's only one way to answer the question about whether he likes them: with absolute certainty.]
Of course! They're the ones who love and support me. Which is exactly why I like giving them love in return~♪
[But that's about the last cheerful thing out of his mouth. The rest of what Till says is so disturbing that it saps the smile from his face.
"Of course someone wanted me to be a musician. They want to win that competition."
His eyes dawn with a horrified recognition. He'd already been imagining something sad—something similar to Jun or Nagisa's situation. Both had "Fathers" who were hellbent on their child becoming an idol, Nagisa's because he wanted to create the perfect one, and Jun's because he couldn't let go of his own past. As a result, their sons' childhoods were horribly deprived. But this is beyond what he could've imagined. At least Nagisa and Jun weren't raised like lambs for slaughter.]
......
2/2
Date: 2025-05-07 02:59 am (UTC)Until a couple of wires connect, suddenly and belatedly.
"They've produced the most Alien Stage winners."
"Yours are different, right? They're all humans?"]
... about that Alien Stage competition... are the hosts actual aliens?
[His eyes go saucer-wide.]
Those are your "fans"?
i love that icon ♥
Date: 2025-05-09 12:09 am (UTC)He doesn't add anything more about the competition, but he has something he wants to say. He anxiously bites his lower lip before returning to his drawing. This gives him something to do. He has needed something to take up his time. Perhaps drawing alone wouldn't help. He recognizes that conversing with Hiyori distracts him from his thoughts. It also lets him pour them out to someone. ]
I should know how it is different? That's not something we were taught. [ Because it probably was not deemed important. He will keep that thought to himself. It's irrelevant now; anyway, he has Hiyori here to explain the difference. ]
Do you want me to tell you things? You're making an unhappy expression.
[ What's normal to him is not normal to anyone else here. That's just how it is. Acceptance only stems from not knowing anything different. His fights and struggles do little to make life pleasant. It's a longing for freedom; in a sense, he has been granted that much here. Or at least, he has enough independence that Till is stumbling through it. Endless time to do as he wishes is wasted on his thoughts, lack of motivation, sleepless nights, and unrest. He cannot immediately adapt to this new environment. But this is a step forward. Because what else can he do? He can't very well remain within the four walls of his room until he forces familiarity with this space.
However, that's how he has been spending his time.
It's easier. He is acquainted with being alone and confined to a far less luxurious room, lacking amenities. He has yet to appreciate this improvement and sees all the furnishing as clutter. His plans to get rid of it have not been successful. He has also met failure in ridding himself of the watch. The mention of the game has him lift his wrist to look at it. ] How did you learn first?
What is that game? I started reading about collecting cards, but— [ He lost interest so fast he dropped it. What if he doesn't want to play with anyone? He doesn't have to. It doesn't feel like anyone is enforcing anything. Well, there are some annoying people, but he will try to get better at avoiding the pesky staff. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-05-09 12:10 am (UTC)It isn't lost on him if he is amusing enough, charming, and engaging. If he keeps them enthralled, maybe, just maybe he can live a little longer. ] We wouldn't die if we were loved, right?
The segyein. I guess to someone, they must be, but I've always been on one of their planets. They're the ones who host the competition and run all the facilities. Even the teachers in Anakt Garden were all segyein. They're the fans and the ones who vote during the competition—the ones who cheer at the end.
i'm sorry I keep fucking up on mobile and replying directly to your inbox
Date: 2025-05-09 01:51 pm (UTC)... we'll get to that in a minute. We do need to talk about it, since you wanted to know how to live here, and it's hard to do that without playing.
[He tries to keep from sounding as gloomy as he feels. He can't hope to avoid the subject of the game entirely, and he knew that when he came here. But if it turns out that Till has no Earthly idea what sex even is, he will not be explaining it to him. At that point, it'll be time to outsource Till's education to the library! Amidst all the smut novels, surely there must be some educational texts.
But first thing's first. Before they can think about the future, he's got to know about Till's past. What sort of life could produce someone so inexperienced in everything but music? Someone so unusual, who can casually about things like murder as though they're just a part of life? And the answer to that, of course, is simple: a horribly bizarre, horribly misfortunate life. A life full of struggle and hardship. And a life lacking in love.
The alien revelation is what caused him to make the exaggerated face in his icon. His world does not have those, and he can't even picture them; when he tries, he just gets goofy-looking creatures from a sci-fi B-movie. But it's those next words that really stick with him. "We wouldn't die if we were loved, right?"
It sounds heartbreaking. Those words sound so hopeless, so sad, that he's struck speechless. The worst part is that he can't argue: not because people who are well-loved don't die every day, but because the basic point is true. If Till had people who cared enough to protect him—producers or family or teachers, absolutely anyone—then they never would have allowed him to enter that competition. Right? From kindergarten onward, he wouldn't have been raised to die. He would've lived a normal, happy life.
It's absolutely sickening. Hiyori's met other people from dismal circumstances, but Till's story strikes a chord with him that those other stories didn't. It all sounds absurd, but thanks to the resemblance to his own life, he can envision parts of it all too clearly. If Gatekeeper or those corrupt higher-ups at CosPro had gotten away with even worse during the SS Competition...
He shakes the thought. This isn't about him. Still, what does he do? Give up on this "life coaching" session as a lost cause?
No. He couldn't possibly do something so heartless. He takes a breath and calmly responds.]
You should tell Leo-kun about the aliens. We don't have those where I come from, so I'm sure he'd be impressed.
[Leo Tsukinaga. A boy from his world who often talks about space and aliens. What Hiyori doesn't realize is that he'll be gone by the end of the month, turned into a statue just like so many other people Hiyori has known during his time at the resort. But he doesn't keep talking about Leo, anyway. Instead, he switches topics, speaking his next words with utmost seriousness.]
I understand if you never want to talk about them again, though. That is something you can choose, if you so like. Here, you can disregard your previous life, never speak of it again, and reinvent yourself. You can live as a guitarist, a pianist, a painter, a fortune teller, a librarian, a sports player, or whatever else you'd like. You can focus on more than one thing, or you can laze around and nap all day. You can try new foods, try on new clothes, take classes, and visit a new place each day. You can join me onstage and see what it's like to sing for humans, or you could never sing again. All of that is your choice, because that's exactly what "freedom" entails.
[His voice gets more impassioned towards the end! ... but then his face crumples again, as he's forced to admit:]
Or so I'd like to say. If we truly had freedom, we'd be able to leave the resort, and they won't let us do that.
[Still. As far as cages go, this seems like an upgrade over Till's. He finally turns to the white board, and he stares at the drawing Till made: the facility where he grew up, apparently. Hiyori's eyes linger on the odd-looking trees, all growing inside a box—not truly the outdoors, but a facsimile. It's depressing. And yet how long has it been since he himself saw real sunlight? He's been deprived of it for over a year. For all that Till's story horrifies him, they truly do have things in common now, and that, perhaps, is what's most terrifying for him. And yet at the same time?
It's oddly comforting.]
Have you been to the Vale or the garden yet?
you are so powerful for mobile tags. dw you're fine
Date: 2025-05-11 05:00 am (UTC)So I have to collect cards? What if I don't?
[ A petulant expression indicates that he is asking while suspecting there may be repercussions. If it is something they must do, but he avoids it, then they would force him to go out and collect. However, to be certain, it is best to ask. So far, he has been left alone to do as he wishes, which is abnormal. Different from his typical routine. And while he is aware that going out there and collecting cards doesn't sound difficult, he has to wonder why he should do what the people here tell him.
There are no segyein at the resort (as far as he knows and this one shouting asshole he spoke to). There are only humans, right? Then why would he do what those annoying humans want him to do? He had difficulty following directions before coming here; that will not be different. ]
Why would he want to know about them? They're ugly, stinking segyein! It's better to never know them. I think it's better. You don't want to have them.
It doesn't matter.
[ There is something he has come to realize. He can say whatever he wants about those aliens because none of them are here. There is nothing they can do about it. However, he isn't ready to accept Hiyori's offer to speak about the segyein to Leokun. It sounds more like whoever that is would find it interesting in the wrong way. ] I guess I can say what I want about them.
I've been trying foods. They have this thing called a menu with a list of different foods. I've been going down one list, but each place has its own list. It's going to take me a while to try it all. And they have chocolate and candy here. Once I have enough of those chips, I won't have to wait for someone to give me some. I have to make some chips. That's the currency. Then I can buy things. I've never bought anything. Or should I wait and buy something bigger? But I need the chips.
You know, I've sung for humans before. My classmates were all humans. We had a contest in Anakt Garden, I made my own song, and won. I don't hate music. [ He hates the segyein, but that's more than obvious. ] I still want to make my own music and sing. Isn't that what you want to? That's why you're offering me a spot on your stage. Because you get that, right? It's scary, yeah, but also not? I don't know. Since you're talking about freedom, I'll decide when I'll go back.
Because this is frightening too, it doesn't feel real.
[ Oh. That. They can't. He imagined as much; otherwise, there would be a very angry segyein dragging him away back to whatever hellhole planet Alien Stage is taking place at. ] I meant to go back to singing on stage. I don't know about going back, back. I think about it. I think I should. Maybe I can know for sure about Mizi.
[ The name of those places are vaguely familiar. Give him a second. ] I think I've been there. All the stupid humans there were acting weird. The trees and grass and everything in there was real, but I didn't want to go back and have to deal with more crazy people.
no subject
Date: 2025-05-13 04:24 am (UTC)I'll explain in a minute!
[Just give him a minute, alright? Then he'll explain everything. The disappearances, the suits, the statues, and all that other horrible stuff.
First he has to put his foot in his mouth by suggesting Till talk about aliens, though. Right—of course he doesn't want to talk about them when they're the source of his trauma. Makes sense! ... granted, Ibara loves to talk about military stuff, when his hellish childhood at that military facility is the source of his trauma. And Jun loves to talk about Jin Sagami, even though Jin is intimately connected with his own childhood suffering. But Till is his own person, and if he doesn't want to talk about aliens, Hiyori won't force him!]
If you say it's better, then that's that.
[He agrees easily.]
He'd probably prefer to talk to you about music, anyway. He may talk about space a lot, but he loves music even more. It's his number one passion.
[He hopes Till is able to find something he feels passionate about, too, whether it be music or something else.
Things get a bit cheerier after he gives his little speech about all the things Till can do here, and Till responds by talking about his experiences thus far. For as awful as this place is, he sounds like he's making some nice discoveries. Chocolate, candy, shopping... More importantly, he reveals something he wants. Not something someone else has chosen for him, but something he wants to do: make music and sing. For an audience of humans, like he did in the past. Which is a convenient thing for him to want, since that's something Hiyori's equipped to help him with. It's something they could do together!]
Yep, I know exactly what you mean.
[His smile is sympathetic. "It doesn't feel real" is right.
That smile starts to fade again as Till ponders aloud about whether or not he wants to go back home. Hiyori would've thought the answer would be a resounding no, but apparently he thinks he should go back, because of a person. Mizi. It makes sense. For as much as going back home sounds like a terrible idea in Till's case, everyone has connections. Even the loneliest people have someone they care about. And simply abandoning that person forever, without even saying goodbye, is too hard to bear. He thinks about Nagisa again, whom he hasn't seen in over a year at this point. Thinks about others from home, too. Will they ever escape this place? Till says he'll "decide when he goes back," but it's nowhere near that simple. Especially since Till seems to have no idea what "card collection" entails...
Ah, and speaking of card collection.]
Ah, you saw one of those unsightly displays, hmm?
[His nose wrinkles. Due to OOC omegaversephobia reasons, we'll say he never set foot in the Vale while the Omegadome was going on. However, he would've tried to visit his birds. They live in the Vale, and he visits them all the time. So we'll say he approached the Vale, caught a glimpse of people mounting each other like animals inside... and then swiftly turned and speedwalked in the opposite direction. Nope, no thanks, not dealing with that!]
It's usually quite peaceful compared to the other places here. Things did get dangerous in there during October, though. And there was definitely something funny going on there recently, so you're not wrong to be wary. But as for some of your other questions...
[He pauses, before turning back to the white board. He picks up a marker and proceeds to write two words—CHIPS and VOUCHERS—drawing bubbles around both of them.]
There are two ways to shop around here. First, there are vouchers. Those are basically meal coupons or clothing coupons. You might receive one as a gift, or as compensation for something that went wrong. For example, if you performed a song out in the hall, other guests might throw vouchers at you. Or if you complained to the staff that something wasn't satisfactory, they might apologize and hand you a voucher. Then you can use it to buy yourself a meal or a piece of clothing. Mind you, it doesn't have to be a real complaint. It's perfectly alright to make one up! And then you can also win vouchers from the arcade and the casino.
[He draws three lines from the bubble that says "VOUCHERS," which connect to three new bubbles: PERFORM, SING, and PLAY GAMES.]
Then there are chips. Those are the main currency here, and they can be used towards anything. You can win those at the casino, but the danger is that you might lose money instead. That's exactly how gambling works, after all. And then the most reliable way to gain chips is through "card collection."
[He draws two lines from the word "CHIPS," followed by two more bubbles: CASINO and GAME 52. And then...
He hesitates for a moment, because it's now time to ask the dreaded question. There's a grim look in his eye as he turns toward Till again. Will he need to take this boy to the library and find him an instructional book?? Now's the part where he finds out!]
The goal of Game 52 is to collect 52 "cards," and the way to collect cards is through intimate encounters.
[He pauses. Awkwardly.]
You do know the sort of intimacy I mean, right? Or rather, you know what sex is... don't you?
no subject
Date: 2025-05-14 05:02 am (UTC)With their conversation shifting away from segyein, he has no reason to bring them to the forefront again. He has already made his opinion on them more than clear. His intense hatred for all things segyein would only lead to unpleasant words and possibly the admission of an act that tanked his popularity for a short interlude. Music is a preferred topic. Music is something he has always known. It's in his earliest memories and has kept him alive. He would rather desperately cling to music than admit he feels at odds in this unfamiliar place. At least, he knows what to expect from them.
That's why it would be better if Hiyori and that Leo-kun never know them. ] I can do that. Yeah. I'll talk to him about music. [ Although he sounds uncertain. Talking to so many people does get to be a bit overwhelming. And he has talked to so many people. It's emotionally draining. He wonders if Hiyori does this a lot. Does he often go and offer lessons? That also must be exhausting. ]
I tried to leave, but they would not open the doors until much later.
[ His frustration with the whole thing is obvious. People were crazy, people were running around wild, and he just wanted to go somewhere with fewer of those people. But we shall leave the omegaverse stuff behind because the aliens weren't providing Till with that genre of reading material. ] Is it peaceful? [ Really? ] A guy is building a cabin out there, but maybe that's not such a great idea. [ Especially with all the strangeness and past dangers. Perhaps it is as Hiyori says, and the place is mostly peaceful, but why risk getting caught up in anything weird?
He won't say more since the lesson is now moving forward.
As Hiyori begins to explain how shopping at the resort works, Till can't help but look disappointed. He wanted shopping to be something more. However, it seems his use of vouchers for food counted as shopping. While yes, it was a new experience to try all the unfamiliar foods that were far more tasty than anything he ate back at Anakt Garden or under his guardians' care, it didn't feel the same. Because he was experiencing all this alone, and he wasn't even deserving of that. He should go back. He should. Missing some of Hiyori's words isn't the sole cause for his guilt and shame.
He meant what he said. He should have died.
Someone else should be here in his place. Alive, swept away before setting foot on the final stage. So why does it have to be him? He wasn't so special. He wasn't anything. But he has to be something. Otherwise, wouldn't it be pointless? If he was thrust forward and made the winner of that previous round. But he didn't ask for that. He thought it would be over. He rubs his face with his hands, almost as if soothing himself. ]
I got it. Get chips and vouchers.
But I have to play the card-collecting game if I want chips, or do that other thing. I already knew some of the stuff about the vouchers. Do I really have to get 52 cards? Through... what does that mean? What is an intimate encounter? Is that why people are participating in kissing? Everyone is saying this is a sex resort. It's not what I think it means.
In Anakt Garden, when we got older, our dormitories were separated. You know. Girls and boys.
no subject
Date: 2025-05-15 11:17 pm (UTC)[Again, little does he know that Leo will be gone by the end of the month. RIP. Right now he's more concerned about Till than Leo, and when Till says he was prevented from leaving the Vale, his brows furrow with concern.]
You didn't get hurt, did you?
[Or harassed. But harassment is constant for just about everyone here. He knows Till isn't a child and has been through worse, but he still feels worried.]
His own cabin, hm? He must be high-ranked. The higher ranks can seemingly do whatever they want, wherever they want.
[As a Rank 8, he doubts he could get away with building his own structure in a public place and keeping it there exclusively for his own use.]
It'd be nice to have a private space there, but the Vale already has plenty of little cabins up in the trees. I like to visit there a lot, since that's where my birds live. I have three of them. They're my cute pets! ♪
[Spoken cheerfully. Though the word "pets" makes him remember: didn't Till say something about "human pets" mere moments ago? And when he said that, wasn't he referring to himself? It's a horrid little question, but it's one he holds off on asking. Because first, they have bigger things to discuss. Specifically...
He has the dreaded Talk to give.
Till asks what an intimate encounter is, then asks if it involves kissing, and Hiyori's heart sinks down into his chest at the absolute cluelessness on display. At least his last words clue Hiyori into the fact that he has some idea what sex is, and that's somewhat of a relief. Should he assume Till knows what he needs to know and move on, then?
No. Much as he wants to, he can't.
"Boys and girls were separated" tells him nothing about what Till knows. The very basics, perhaps, but that's it. And if Till doesn't know everything that can count as sex, it means someone could manipulate him into doing it without him realizing. Means, too, that he might push himself beyond what he's comfortable with, just to make sure it "counts," when he might have done less if he'd known he could get away with less. As a "life coach," a senpai, and a human being, Hiyori can't let this slide, even though he sure wishes he could. His prissy sensibilities make it difficult to talk about sex frankly, but that's exactly what they're going to have to do.]
Sorry. I'm afraid I can't leave it there, even if this ends up being awkward for both of us.
[He speaks with a sort of grim certainty. Maybe if he really leans into this teacherly persona, that'll make things easier. But for now, he speaks to Till hostage-to-hostage. They're both unwilling participants in Game 52, and if he could opt out entirely, he would. He takes a breath and then explains:]
Before we proceed any further, you should know two things. First of all, you do need to be intimate with someone. If you aren't, or if you go too long without it, something bad will happen. The only good news is that they're awfully lenient about what counts as sex here. You don't have to go "all the way," and you can skirt around the rules in all sorts of surprising ways.
[A short pause, as he peers at Till through his fake glasses, giving him time to process, before he asks:]
Which do you want to hear about first? The "game rules," or how they're enforced?
no subject
Date: 2025-05-17 06:38 am (UTC)No? Nothing happened.
Except I ran into these crazy people. People? I don't think one of them was human. [ He didn't have to whisper that last part, but he does anyway. There is something akin to distaste in his tone that may indicate a future issue. ] The other one was just weird—something about a smell. Like, I would be calling anyone. I just wanted to get out. And—[ Hold on! Pause! ] that one wanted to touch lips—kiss—That's never happening to me again. I took care of it. [ So like he said before nothing happened. ]
But if people run around that place acting like that, maybe going there and building cabins is a bad idea. I should have told him. He said he did not fit in his room. Maybe anywhere, but there would be better.
[ It's too late now; he can't warn that guy. Except he totally can if he uses the watch. It's almost as if he has forgotten he has a communication device strapped permanently to his wrist.
The mention of pets has Till turn away. He won't comment on it. He does not know how that works with birds. Do the birds want to be pets? Maybe it's different because Hiyori is bright, kind, and helpful. Definitely not an annoying person. Maybe he is growing a little biased.
That bias isn't helping him see the inner struggle Hiyori is going through. However, even Till can sense discomfort. Or at least it feels like this whole conversation may be going down an awkward path that he would rather avoid. That apology doesn't soothe him. Instead, it feels as if he isn't being prepared for something awful. And then it's all but confirmed. He raises a hand slowly, hesitantly, indicating they can put an end to this. He can learn as he goes, right? ]
What do you mean by something bad? Do they kill you here, too?
[ Because that's bad. ]
Or lock you in a corporal punishment room. If it's that, then I don't care.
[ Actually, he would care—to a degree. It would mean being away from everything. Even if this little space, his room, feels foreign, he can grow accustomed to it. Even if he hasn't known Hiyori for a long time, he does think he is comforting. He doesn't want to feel deprived of sound and light. But it would not be new to him. It would be fine. ] If I know how to do it, I won't need to worry about how they make everyone here do it. I pick that one—the rules.
no subject
Date: 2025-05-19 01:09 am (UTC)... though the rest of what he says is somewhat concerning. Hiyori doesn't know what to make of the smell comment, since he doesn't know how the Omegadome worked (nor does he want to). But the comment about someone trying to kiss Till is a bit worrisome. He doesn't know how aggressive they were about it, and of course it's within Till's right to refuse any sort of contact, but if he hates kissing, can he really tolerate sex? This clearly isn't a case like Rinne-senpai's, where he's saving his first kiss for marriage. If he's still scared of cooties at the age of 21, he's going to have a tough time ahead.]
I'm glad you had no issue standing up for yourself. You might need to tell certain people upfront that kissing is off-limits, though.
[Like Game 52 partners, for example. But they'll talk about that in a minute. For now, some other stuff!]
I haven't heard of any aliens, but there are plenty of nonhumans here. There's this one man who has a sort of grey-ish skintone, and he can make tentacles appear whenever he so chooses. Then there's someone else who looks just like a cat, complete with fur, two triangle ears, and a fuzzy tail! He's cute to look at, but he's awfully rude. There's that, and I heard he also has a habit of drugging people. So if a big fuzzy cat offers you any drinks or medicines, you should just say, "No thanks! I'm all set!"
[Sorry, Aak. Incidentally, Hiyori is a terrible person to go to if you're looking to get over your fear of nonhumans, since he's a normie without any exposure to them and he still starts shrieking in fear whenever he sees things like tentacle monsters.]
Anyway, I don't think the Vale is unsafe most days. But things can turn on a dime here, so it's best to be on alert. I suppose you wouldn't need me to tell you that, though.
[Since Till's surely had to live more of his life on "high alert" than Hiyori has.
He notices that reaction to the "pet" comment and feels a bit rueful about it, but there's nothing to be done once he's said it. He'll remember not to use the word around him again. Perhaps he can invite him to meet the birds sometime for a calming activity. But for now, it's onto discussing the hard stuff. Till asks if you get killed for refusing to participate in the game, and the question makes his stomach twist. The answer isn't "yes," but it's not exactly "no," either—not when countless guests seem to have never come back from being statues. Isn't that as good as death? Still, when Till asks about corporal punishment, he shakes his head and says:]
No. It's not quite either of those things.
[But the punishment is still something anyone would want to avoid.
Unless Bakugo's theory is correct. He's told Hiyori before about what he thinks: that once people turn to stone here, their souls go back to their world, and the person resumes their regular life back home. The statue is just an empty husk at that point. Hiyori wishes he could believe that theory himself. Then life in the resort would be much less scary. He wouldn't have to worry about Rinne and his other disappeared friends; wouldn't have to worry about himself and Jun anymore, either. He could simply wait for his turn. But alas—there's not enough evidence for him to put his faith behind such a convenient conclusion.
He will have to get into that whole thing at some point. But Till next says he wants to hear about the rules first. A less emotionally fraught topic, but one that's hard to talk about for other reasons. Namely: his prudishness! He'll do it anyway, of course. But...
He's going to be somewhat awkward about it.]
Well, first of all...
[He trails off for a second. Should he be writing this stuff on the whiteboard ... nope. Absolutely not!]
First, for it to count as card collection, you should know that only one person has to "finish."
[He pauses, his cheeks coloring just a tad.]
You do know what that means, right?
[(PLEASE SAY YES.)]
no subject
Date: 2025-05-23 05:45 am (UTC)Well, he has no problem telling people off! He can tell them to fuck off, he can fight them. He can do all of that! It just sounds exhausting to have to keep thinking about. About that kiss. It's not only distaste reflected in his expression, it's abject distress. ] I'll deal with it. Yeah.
I'll deal with them too.
[ Or avoid them.
Probably that. He does not have to communicate with either of those things, right? Although in the case of the former, it's too late for Till as he has already exchanged words with Splat. The latter, he will have to keep in mind. ] But neither of those sounds cute to look at. [ Not to him anyway. It looks like a cat, but it is not a cat; therefore, it is not cute. Not that he has seen an actual real-life cat in the entirety of his life. Perhaps, there are some here. Maybe he can pester Hiyori about them later. After they get through this progressively awkward conversation. ] I'm not accepting anything from those guys!
[ Unfortunately, it's clear from his tone alone, it's not fear that he has toward anything nonhuman. Hate might be a better word, not that he does better with most people anyway. ]
Then, only avoid it when those humans want me to go in there?
[ What a persistent bunch they were! Perhaps it is best to avoid that place completely. However, that would mean avoiding a lot of places. And! Despite all the insanity going on around him, that place had plants. Like actual real-life living plants. What a shock that had been! For a moment, it had drawn all his attention. And there were so many flowers. All that he had only seen in images, save for one. That blossom was not one he had seen in that place.
Once Hiyori makes that vague statement, he can't help but cant his head.
Not quite, is not a definite no. That's what he needs to know, but so far, Hiyori has been good at eventually elaborating on everything. Perhaps if everything were written somewhere, however, on second thought, he knows he wouldn't bother to read past the first sentence. His interest would fade swiftly, coupled with becoming acquainted with a lack of motivation. He wouldn't learn a thing. ]
Your face is getting flushed.
Is it because we're talking about collecting cards through the intimate encounters? Sex? So, only one person finishes that? What does it mean for someone to finish? How long do you do the sex for? Does someone lose? What does that have to do with...boys... and girls...
[ He is going to process this data. Watch him think and struggle!
Hold on a minute Hiyori...
...
wait!!!
...
!!! ]
Is it to make a product?
no subject
Date: 2025-05-28 01:56 pm (UTC)You really dont have to kiss anyone. Most people want to kiss the person they're having sex with, so you'll want to tell them it's off-limits. But I know someone who collected quite a few cards without ever kissing his partners. He was saving his first kiss for marriage, apparently.
[And now he's a statue, but Hiyori leaves off that part.
Hiyori isn't about to defend Aak. Or Kleken, for that matter. He shrugs it off and replies:]
Cuteness is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. Unless it's me we're talking about, since I'm always cute! ♪ But both of them have rather un-cute personalities. And both of them also seem like swindlers, so you're right to be wary!
[But is he just "wary"?
It's difficult to miss Till's hostility. Hiyori can't guess whether it's because they're talking about nonhumans, or whether Till simply has an adverse reaction to the concept of being drugged or scammed. He assumes it's the latter, but either would be understandable, since again, it's not like he has an enlightened view of nonhumans. He got in trouble for turning down Aak with an "Sorry, I don't sleep with animals!" once. It's hard being a normie here!
"When humans want me to go in there" is sort of an odd way to put it. Rather than "humans," it's the House who's the problem here. And there's an easy way to explain that, isn't there? He holds up a finger in a teacherly manner as he explains:]
I wouldn't go anywhere with someone you find them suspicious. But I'd pay more attention to timing, rather than who's trying to lead you there. The resort tends to be more dangerous during specific times: when there's a special game going on—besides the 52 game, that is—and when there are new arrivals showing up. You'll know when there are new kidnappings because they'll send a message to everyone's watches welcoming the new "guests." That's when they host stuff like that odd thing you saw going on in the Vale.
[A brief pause, before he adds:]
That happens every two months, by the way. Not what you saw in the Vale, but new arrivals coming. Which means there should be more at the end of next month.
[And then likely a suit game in-between, but he can get to explaining that at... some point.]
I wouldn't avoid the Vale and the garden altogether, since they are pretty peaceful most of the time. If you ever want to visit but don't feel comfortable going there alone, just let me know, alright?
[Then he can introduce Till to his birds. Ah, but speaking of the birds and the bees...
This is the moment of truth: how much sex education did Till receive in his weird little alien-controlled music prison? That's the question on Hiyori's mind. And the answer, apparently? It's "next to none." Great! Just wonderful!
Hiyori's face falls and his lips contort into a mighty grimace as Till not only calls him out on his embarrassment, but also makes it clear that he has no Earthly idea what "finishing" means. And as though that weren't enough, he takes a stab at the whole sex thing, drawing a horrible conclusion that makes Hiyori actually groan out loud. Sorry, Till. It's not you, it's this whole situation that's filling him with frustration and abject despair!]
No, no, definitely not! It might've been like that at home, but people do not have kids here! And thank goodness for that!
[He shakes his head, in attempt to shake off that horrible thought. His face is still flushed, as Till helpfully pointed out. Even if he's cleared up one misconception, there's still a lot Till doesn't know. And due to his prissiness, well... even explaining what it means to "finish" is hard for him. He's certainly not getting any less flustered.]
Have you ever... er. Well.
[His cheeks color even darker. Help him.]
Have you ever taken care of yourself before? Or rather, have you ever touched yourself? You don't have to answer if that's too personal, but...
[Nghh.]
no subject
Date: 2025-06-04 04:36 am (UTC)[ He already said he would deal with it if that ever comes up. Although if that's an expectation that comes with the sex stuff, then maybe he will avoid it altogether. Who cares about the stupid game. It really is far more complicated than what he expected. Then again, if it involves producing products, he shouldn't be surprised. That's not a feeling that lingers. It's quickly replaced by irritation over the whole matter. ] But I am not saving anything. There is nothing for me to save.
Right. You people do that. It's like your partner, right? A wife or something.
[ He is ready to dismiss the topic of lips touching. Aside from his past childish aversion, it's now coupled with a sensation of feeling lost and unsteady. It's a flood of confusion that only one person can cause. He already doesn't get enough sleep to be triggered back into trauma. He is good with never touching lips again. He can live the rest of his life without having to think about it. Yet inevitably, he does think about it—a lot. And with what little knowledge he has gleaned, it leaves him in a daze. He will never understand that frustrating guy, and he will continue to lose sleep over him.
That topic leaves him distracted enough that he doesn't fully consider the next thing he says. ]
Unless it's you? I guess you have that kind of look. If it is appearance alone, and since you can make crying sounds, then I bet you would get good results on Alien Stage.
[ He had already made up his mind to avoid those two. That means there are no plans to ever speak to them. Of course, it's already too late in the case of one and he can't spend his days eternally vigilant. It would mean he would miss out on a lot of things that are now at his disposal. A good example is that he has yet to set foot again in the conservatory all on his own. ]
Shouldn't I have found you suspicious? [ Because who offers advice so freely and readily to someone they only just met. Or is that supposed to be normal? He knows of people who would help but it's too early to say what kind of person Hiyori is, despite his amicable smile. ]
Maybe I will just spend most of my time in this room. [ That way he doesn't have to keep track of anything or deal with any sort of strangeness. Again it's him avoiding things, like having to explain what's off-limits. Actually, this whole conversation is starting to feel like it should be off-limits. ]
So we're not making products?
I guess if that were the point, it would be better to collect samples. Instead of you know. Whatever that other stuff involves. But then why bother with it? This is senseless.
[ It would seem that Hiyori will continue to struggle with whatever he has to stay, leading to Till casting another confused look at him. ]
Do you mean taking care of myself to ensure I am healthy? What are you talking about? I touch myself all the time, like when I bathe and stuff. Don't you? Are we going to talk about the game or hygiene? Do you not want to talk about it? Just tell me what happens if I don't play.
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Date: 2025-06-06 02:37 pm (UTC)Your Garden didn't have marriage, huh?
[Another depressing factoid, though it isn't wholly a surprise. Idols don't usually get married until after retirement, and if those who lose the Alien Stage die, there goes the possibility of marriage. Still, he wonders, what happens to those who do win? It doesn't seem like the time to ask, so he files that question away for some other time. This isn't an interrogation. He came here to do life coaching!
He did not, however, come here to give The Talk. So, that makes this super awkward.
He raises an eyebrow at one of the comments Till makes—]
I don't know what you mean by "crying sounds," but I'm glad we both agree I'm cute! ♪
[—before deciding to shrug it off, even though it sounded faintly ominous. As for the matter of him being suspicious, well... Till's not wrong, tbh. Even Hiyori has to admit it.]
You do have a point. You can't trust everyone who offers to teach you things, sadly. But I can promise I'll try not to lead you astray. And I certainly won't expect payment, the way that some people might. I'm simply doing this out of the goodness of my noble heart. That's all there is to it~♪
[But again: he didn't think "this" would include giving The Talk!
As far as Till spending time in his room goes:]
You shouldn't stay cooped up all the time. If you want a list of locations I'd recommend, I'd be happy to give some! And if you need help getting around, you can always check that digital map thing! This place is much too huge, so I'd be horribly lost without it.
[Especially he has no sense of direction, not that he'll admit it. And as for "We're not making products?", he emphatically responds:]
Nope! We're not! This is what you call an "adults only" zone!
[Though he's definitely met a few people under the age of adulthood here, to say nothing of the previous Spades game where he met the child version of someone he knows. He makes a bit of a face at the "collecting samples" comment, since he's a priss who doesn't like to think about sperm in test tubes. At least this implies Till knows how reproduction works? One last thing he has to teach!
But there's still a lot Till doesn't know, as he learns the hard way. (Pun unintended.)
The second Till makes it clear he has no idea what he meant by "touch yourself," Hiyori's face falls even more. With disappointment, and with resignation. This spells the end of things: he has absolutely no intention of explaining how to masturbate. No talking about which parts are involved, no describing techniques. No crude gestures, and no illustrations! It's not happening! Sure, he'll gyrate around onstage and sing about drowning oneself in pleasure. And sure, he and Jun are planning to give sex shows! But that is not the same as this! There are some things he can't handle! He's not a health teacher!
There's only one thing to do.]
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