Chapter 13: Kydoimos
Duusu: "Uggh. Where am I?"
Aoi: "So. You've finally decided to wake up. It's about time."
Duusu blinks his eyes and slowly floats up to see what his holder is doing. It looks as though she has removed all the magnetic strips from some VCR tape cassettes. Her cold eyes look down on me.
Aoi: "You've had your rest. Now you will pay for expending my time as an eternity as my tool. Duusu. I command you to enter me."
Due to the magic of the Miraculous working again as normal I am forced to comply. Just as I phase into her chest cavity, I see that one of her eyebrows has a slightly different curve to it.
Aoi: "Information noted…"
Aoi's POV
Duusu's been out for 3 hours. Just what did he do to tire himself out to the point of uselessness?
…
Hm, it may be that his complete exhaustion must've been why he wasn't able to comply with any of my commands after those other sentimonster had disappeared. Moreover checking around this warehouse I've noticed 2 things. 1, that loud whirling noise I heard while nearing this area is no longer here and 2:
This place is very well secluded. If I can secure this place, it will make a decent hideaway for now though seeing how that rogue sentimonster mentioned something about getting a promotion…
Whatever. That information is useless. Regardless of whoever or whatever forces must've conspired to prevent my first sentimonster from ceasing to exist entirely, they cannot be nearly as powerful as me. They are just small fries and I'll guppy them down like the worms they are. Well now that I have a magnetic strip converter armament, I might as well start eating this VCR tape and see what it has to say.
Non POV
Aoi picks up one end of the magnetic strip on the plastic table that she had placed the VCR tape cassette on and began slurping it down like noodles. A very long noodle. As she did so her eyes started spinning, as though they were rewinding something.
…
Aoi's eyes revert back to normal.
Aoi: "Ah. I see."
The contents of the VCR tape turn out to be merely the contents of the film LDK.
…
Aoi: "Never seen it."
Aoi ponders for a moment why the rogue sentimonster had such a film like this before dismissing the thought and continuing her search of the warehouse. Within half an hour she had found a locked cabinet and using her high-bore laser emitter, slices a hole through the locking mechanism allowing her to pull its contents out. Inside is a disk. Picking it up with her hands, Aoi closely looks it over.
Aoi: "This disk.. Hm. Could it possibly be?"
Thankfully this room happens to have a pc tower with a disk drive player. Aoi inserts the cd into the pc tower's disk drive and presses play.
Now Loading…
Error
Access is denied. You do not have the appropriate permissions to view this file
Now ejecting..
Hearing this robotic message with the blue warning screen, the screen to the pc monitor abruptly shuts off and the disk is ejected out from the disk drive.
Aoi: "Well that about confirms it then."
Aoi has obtained a Memory Pck!
5 Memory Packages remaining
Aoi opens her chest cavity and inserts the Memory Pck inside. Because of her cd player armament, Aoi is now able to view the contents of cds and other various disks except for diskettes just by placing it in her chest cavity and then closing it shut and as for the previous Memory Pck, it had melted away into herself as the result of it being runned. Its contents, and thus that part about who she used to be were now embedded with her. Closing her chest cavity, Aoi awaited the sensation as she felt herself being immersed with another aspect about herself, or the human part of her.
A rectangular wooden dinner table. 4 chairs. Dad is announcing something
Past Aoi: "Whoa! Whoa! Back up a moment here dad. Are you saying you quit your job?"
Dad: "Sure have, sweetie. Money's not the only defining factor in life."
Dad has resigned from his work. It's my first time hearing about this.
Past Aoi: "So what are you going to do now?"
Dad: "I don't know quite yet. I might take up photography."
Past Aoi: "Huh. That's really-"
Mom: "What are you thinking?!"
Past me looks at mother. What is that expression on her face? The reaction time. It's fast.
Mom: "Even if money's the end all of things, are you sure we'll be able to survive if you work as a photographer?"
Wait. Did dad make a rash decision? No, hold on. Why is this even important for me to know?
?
Past me is contributing to the conversation?
…
No, it's not that past me is contributing. No, that can't be right. What did I say?
…
Of course I wouldn't remember. I don't have-
Past Aoi: "Mom?"
Mom and dad are staring at each other. Their faces. I can't read them. Vocal tonality is-
I don't know what what their tonality is.
?
Tonality?
Why am I focusing on this?
A couple of days pass
There is a man in a black business suit. He says he's come to meet my father. This man is…
Dad: "Oh? Takenaga-san? What are you doing here?"
Takenaga: "I've come to personally wish you well on your journeys. I don't typically do this for my employees but in lieu of your track record at my company and your former place of occupation, I want to discuss some other opportunities that may be lying in wait for you."
My dad's former employer hands him a card.
Takenaga: "Here's my business card. Also, who are you betting on to win tonight's superbowl?"
…
Something tells me this conversation isn't normal. My dad has resigned from his work and yet Mr. Takenaga is going out of his way to help him with finding another job? He's even giving him some kind of wine bottle.
Just what is their relation to one another other than Mr. Takenaga being dad's previous employer?
Past Aoi: "I don't get it."
Yeah, same here. What exactly am I suppose to be getting out of this?
Mr. Takenaga has left. Hostilities… There doesn't seem to be any hostilities. Past me asks dad about his relationship with Takenaga.
Dad: "Oh Takenaga and I go way back. Why, before I entered junior high, Takenaga would get the whole class to ostracize me. He was what you would call a bully. It's amazing how people can change. From being one of my worst tormentors to the CEO of a multinational company."
And that's a change because? Hold it. What does the word bully mean?
Takenaga's kids have come over. We are at a pool and-
They are dunking past me's head under water. Past me is struggling to-
Takenaga: "Shota! Shuumu!"
Past me is no longer being forced underwater.
Mom and dad are asking if I'll be willing to forgive Takenaga's kids. Forgive? What does that mean and should I?
Past Aoi: "I'm okay."
?
What's that expression on my parent's face? I've seen it before.. On past me's when I first met Takenaga.
Mom: "Okay. If you say so."
Dad: "Still, I do have some course words for you, Mr. Takenaga. Your sons-"
Takenaga: "I know, I know. Trust me when I say this, but I was not expecting them to act that way. For pete's sakes, I never turned physical with you! Just my luck."
?
Dad: "Yeah, well the next time your sons try a stunt like that-"
Shota: "Are you saying we're going to get beaten by a girl?"
-tch
Seriously!? That's the conclusion you came up with? How is that even related?
Past me is shaking her head.
Shuumu: "I can totally take her on. Just watch me."
Past me: "Bring it."
Mom: "Hey! Hey! Let's all take it easy now?"
Past me: "What? He challenged me. I'm not going to back down to some boy."
That look on mother's face. What does it mean?
Mom: "No, that's not how you're supposed to do it."
Past me: "What do you mean? I'm standing up for myself like you taught me to. I don't get it. What's-"
I don't get it either. This is all so…
Mom appears to be sighing.
Mom: "This isn't what I meant. (sigh) Pardon me. I have to clarify some things with my daughter. To clear away her…"
The memory's concluded. What was that mother was going to say?
…
Nevermind that. That's all in the past. All that matters now is that I have retrieved another part of myself, though I'm not entirely sure what part it is. Now, there is still the matter of-
..
A spider!
Must eliminate!
Wait, no.
What is going on with me?
Aoi: "Duusu, answer me this."
…
Right. He's still inside of me. It's not as though I'd be able to hear him from within.
Aoi: "As holder of the Peacock Miraculous, I command you, slave. Get out of me and sit in the palm of my ri- I mean, sit on the palm of my right hand."
Duusu phases out of me and floats up to my right and sits on my right palm.
Aoi: "Also you will not turn yourself transparent or phase unless I give you permission to."
Duusu: "It's a natural feat. I can't control it."
…
Is he trying to make an excuse or is that something he truly can't do?
Aoi: "Such insubordination. I should silence such talk, and I shall."
Duusu: "Then I don't see why I should be bothered to obey."
Aoi: "Obey? You will! I have your Miraculous, I am the master and you will obey me!"
Duusu: "Sure sure, that is unless we come along a situation like this again."
Aoi: "Hmph. I'll be sure to avoid any such mistakes in the future."
Duusu: "You sure? What. Are you going to create another sentimonster? As far as you and I remember, that last one turned on you."
Aoi: "That was just a trial run. Now you'll answer me. Duusu. Just what were you doing?"
Duusu: "About when I left your side when we first entered this warehouse building?"
Aoi: "Yes, that you belligerent fool. Tell me! I want an honest account."
Duusu: "Well I was navigating the maze-like structure of the warehouse trying to see if I could find an exit."
Aoi: "Why would you be trying to find an exit? Are you trying to desert me?! Is that what this is?"
Duusu: "Wha?! No! No. If I did, wouldn't it had make more sense for me to just snatch up my Miraculous again?"
Aoi: "You can't. I am your master."
Duusu: "Yes, right now I can't but back when you were fighting that sentimonster who should've been destroyed for lack of a amok in principle I could've. But I did not."
Aoi: "Pointless, but there's just the other thing. How did you get that sentimonster to cease existing?"
Duusu: "By d-"
?: "Hey! Who goes there?"
Aoi: "-tch. We will finish this another time. Duusu, spread my feathers!"
Small fries. Proceeding to eliminate.
…
…
…
Yosuzume: "Mission accomplished. Now all that's left is for me to-"
?
He dropped his gun? What is with his hand posture?
..
Eh, must not be impor-
Thug: "I- I surrender! Just-"
Yosuzume: "I do not understand. Die."
Just what sort of trick was he trying to pull on me? It doesn't matter now. He's dead like the rest, like all the others I have shot down with my bullets.
…
A dictionary?
…
Ah, so that's what surrender means.
Hm
…
Maybe I shouldn't have killed him? Could he have been useful?
Yosuzume: "Duusu, fall my feathers."
I've detransformed back. Now I will-
Duusu: "Indeed, maybe you shouldn't have killed him but no matter."
Aoi: "Si-"
Duusu: "Oh hold it, sister. Are you sure want to command me to be silent? I thought you wanted me to answer your question earlier. What's this now? Having second thoughts? Could it be that your concerned I might be lying to you?"
Aoi: "No, I-"
Duusu: "After all, that reality tear we were did do quite a number on our previous relationship. Who's to say there hasn't been any lingering effects?"
…
Aoi: "If that is the case then-"
Duusu: "Suggestions, that's all. I don't know. But you do know that if you renounce me, another could just take my place and your former super powers."
…
Aoi: "Why are you telling me all of this? Are you stupid or something?"
Duusu: "Heh, that's for me to know and for you to find out."
Aoi: "I command you to tell me."
Duusu: "I see it as a beneficial opportunity."
Aoi: "Beneficial?"
Duusu: "Yes, while I could just wait for another holder, I don't know how long that will be and just like you, I am missing something as well."
Hmph. So we're both using each other.
Duusu: "It would definitely seem. But don't mistake me. I promised that I would stand by your side and I've kept it even then."
Aoi: "Wha?! No.. that can't be-"
..?
Is he whistling?
Aoi: "Are you whi- no. That's not im-... I need a moment to think here."
Duusu: "Of course."
Aoi: "What?"
Duusu: "It's just what I expected. It's okay. You should take this time to gather up your thoughts and the feelings you've now acquired."
Aoi: "And those feelings are?"
Duusu's POV
Head aches. Don't feel good. It's just like last time, only the sensation I'm feeling is slightly stronger now.
Aoi: "Duusu, answer me this."
Duusu: "What?"
It's not like you're going to be able to hear me when I'm inside of you.
..
Aoi: "As holder of the Peacock Miraculous, I command you, slave. Get out of me and sit in the palm of my ri- I mean, sit on the palm of my right hand."
The magic of the Miraculous forces me to comply and I phase right up and sit on her right palm just as she commanded me to.
Aoi: "Also you will not turn yourself transparent or phase unless I give you permission to."
Duusu: "It's a natural feat. I can't control it."
Well, that's partly correct. In actuality I have to put in effort just to make myself tangible. Had you commanded me to not let myself turn transparent or phase, then your command would've had merit. See, that's just the thing about how the forced obedience of the Miraculous works. Unless you are meticulous precise, there are many work arounds.
Aoi: "Such insubordination. I should silence such talk, and I shall."
Duusu: "Then I don't see why I should be bothered to obey."
Aoi: "Obey? You will! I have your Miraculous, I am the master and you will obey me!"
Duusu: "Sure sure, that is unless we come along a situation like this again."
There. By reminding her of what has just happened, I've planted the seeds of hesitation. I don't like to do this often, but at the rate she's going, unless I can get her to hesitate, I won't be able to provide guidance for her.
Aoi: "Hmph. I'll be sure to avoid any such mistakes in the future."
Duusu: "You sure? What. Are you going to create another sentimonster? As far as you and I remember, that last one turned on you."
Aoi: "That was just a trial run. Now you'll answer me. Duusu. Just what were you doing?"
Duusu: "About when I left your side when we first entered this warehouse building?"
Aoi: "Yes, that you belligerent fool. Tell me! I want an honest account."
An honest account. Sure, I'll give you an honest account. I have to, the magic of the Miraculous forces me to anyways but you never said how much detail you wanted, so you're going to be getting the whole story with all the filler. Now, how should I start this out?
…
I got it!
Duusu: "Well I was navigating the maze-like structure of the warehouse trying to see if I could find an exit."
Aoi: "Why would you be trying to find an exit? Are you trying to desert me?! Is that what this is?"
Of course you would think that. Right at that time you had no control over me, so if I mention trying to find an exit, you'd think I was taking advantage of the situation to get away from you.
Duusu: "Wha?! No! No. If I did, wouldn't it had make more sense for me to just snatch up my Miraculous again?"
Aoi: "You can't. I am your master."
Duusu: "Yes, right now I can't but back when you were fighting that sentimonster who should've been destroyed for lack of a amok in principle I could've. But I did not."
Aoi: "Pointless, but there's just the other thing. How did you get that sentimonster to cease existing?"
Duusu: "By d-"
?: "Hey! Who goes there?"
Well well. Someone else is here with us. This could prove to be an opportunity.
Oh, and there's quite a number of them. She's going to kill them, I just know it.
Aoi: "-tch. We will finish this another time. Duusu, spread my feathers!"
…
…
Yosuzume: "Duusu, fall my feathers."
She talked to one of them. Yes! It's working. Even though she still killed them in the end, I've managed to get her to hesitate by at least talking to one of them. Sure, it was brief but-
Oh!
No wait, I shouldn't be celebrating too soon. She's still conflicted about whether she should have killed that last thug who offered to surrender instead.
Duusu: "Indeed, maybe you shouldn't have killed him but no matter."
Aoi: "Si-"
Duusu: "Oh hold it, sister. Are you sure want to command me to be silent? I thought you wanted me to answer your question earlier. What's this now? Having second thoughts? Could it be that your concerned I might be lying to you?"
Aoi: "No, I-"
Duusu: "After all, that reality tear we were did do quite a number on our previous relationship. Who's to say there hasn't been any lingering effects?"
Well it's over for now, but I am sort of curious as to whether I may possibly affected even now. Of course this is all just speculation, but if I can get her to think that this is what has happened..
Aoi: "If that is the case then-"
-tch. Of course. I can't have her discard my Miraculous. Even her abuse is more preferrable to that emptiness I felt, that I had to go with that all us kwamis go through everytime we wait for a new holder. Well that's a bit of an exaggeration. It's more complicated than that.
Duusu: "Suggestions, that's all. I don't know. But you do know that if you renounce me, another could just take my place and your former super powers."
Her hand is wavering. Ah. Come to think of it, Aoi's been acting more malleable than usual. Could it be the effect of the recent Memory Pck she has consumed?
Aoi: "Why are you telling me all of this? Are you stupid or something?"
Duusu: "Heh, that's for me to know and for you to find out."
Aoi: "I command you to tell me."
Duusu: "I see it as a beneficial opportunity."
Aoi: "Beneficial?"
Duusu: "Yes, while I could just wait for another holder, I don't know how long that will be and just like you, I am missing something as well."
And of course she feels as though we're both using each other. Heh, can't say that she's wrong but it would be a good ideal to at least make her think our relationship isn't completely without its merit, and besides. I did promise her that I'd stick by her. If I did not, then what kind of kwami would I be?
Duusu: "It would definitely seem. But don't mistake me. I promised that I would stand by your side and I've kept it even then."
Aoi: "Wha?! No.. that can't be-"
Ah, I see. Yes, it matches up now.
Fufu, well this was an easier one for me to crack. I begin to whistle.
Aoi: "Are you whi- no. That's not im-... I need a moment to think here."
Duusu: "Of course."
Aoi: "What?"
Duusu: "It's just what I expected. It's okay. You should take this time to gather up your thoughts and the feelings you've now acquired."
Aoi: "And those feelings are?"
Those feelings you are experiencing right now? Here. I'll tell what they are.
Duusu: "Those sets of feelings you are experiencing, the plethora of emotions upon you find yourself currently enveloped with can be summed up as Kydomois."
Aoi: "Kydomois? What's that?"
Duusu: "Oh look. A spider."
Aoi: "Eek! D- no. Get ahold of yourself, Aoi. It's just little spider."
And she guns it down. She's beginning to hyperventilate, and now she's placing both of her hands as if to cover her eyes while shaking.
Aoi: "No.. no. This doesn't make any sense. Why am I acting like this?! This- this isn't practical. I-"
She's convulsing.
Aoi: "I don't know what to do?! No… that can't be. I-"
And now this is the moment where I make my move.
(sigh)
If Tikki or Wayzz ever found out about this, they'd never let it down. At least Trixx would understand. Like, what am I suppose to do? Tell her to stop being so mean? That shit does nothing.
..
Hold on.
That can't be right.
Wouldn't they be more concerned about me possibly trying to exploit another when they are in an emotionally vulnerable state? Yeah, that's how they would be.
Duusu: "What do you want?"
Aoi: "Wha- what do I want? I want… I want to regain all of myself, myself, myself."
Duusu: "And how do you plan on doing that?"
Aoi: "By continuing to do what I have been doing?"
Duusu: "And you're sure that's a good ideal?"
Aoi: "Yes I-"
Duusu: "Because if you ask me, the way you've been going about things has been very ineffective."
Aoi: "Wha-"
Duusu: "Oh, I'm not doubting your calculating abilities. You are still part machine after all. Perhaps you haven't realized it yet but there is merit to being nice. Try acting kindly."
Aoi: "What are you talking about?"
Duusu: "You'll find out. All in due time."
Aoi: "I command you to sum it up for me."
Heh. No need for me to twist this command. I'll sum it up just for you.
Duusu: "Quid pro quo. You do something for me and I'll do something for you, an exchange system."
Aoi: "There is no need. You're the slave and I'm the master."
I smirk.
Duusu: "Whoever said I was talking about myself? Those numbers you've been gathering? Use them. See what they want and-"
Aoi: "Shut up."
The magic of the miraculous forces me to be silent.
Aoi: "I make the rules and I decide how I want to implement them. When I seek for your perspective I'll have you speak but until then, you are to remain inside of me you worthless piece of meat."
Those words are harsh but she isn't even saying them out of anger. Still, despite those tones of tyranny, I guess it's fair for me to say that at least she's still willing to listen to my advice, even if she shuts me up.
…
Hmm.
I may be able to turn this situation around for me.
