worldbent | GOLDEN PEACOCK: INBOX+OVERFLOW

[That last comment, serious as it is, is what makes Natori sharpen up, snapping his attention back to Matoba. It's not as though it's unexpected, given... well, given everything about Matoba. How very like him. He thinks of Matoba at the heart of that doll, stubbornly pushing through until it was almost too late; he'd like to think that Matoba is thinking the same thing, though of course probably all backwards, about what might have been if Natori hadn't 'interfered.'

He sits up straight, eyes automatically falling to his makeshift wards as if double checking that they're there. Eventually, he says] But you are still observing. For now.

...What did it do? ["to you," he means; he knows about the "punishments" that people received for looking at it, and knows that Matoba can't have been immune.]

[A sigh of finality, impatient, escapes Matoba.]

For now.

[Because there was no knowing if any of them could escape or survive if the wrong thing was done, and the realm collapsed.]

[Natori's question hangs in the air between them for a long moment. Then, in a strong, steady voice,]

I don't know what you mean.

['End of conversation.']

[Fine. He's not 16 anymore; he knows when he's not going to get anything else from a line of conversation. He gives himself one beat (why would he have expected otherwise? Asking Matoba Seiji to be vulnerable inside an ayakashi's domain?) before he goes on.]

So. What should I know about Spades.

What you should know about Spades, hm................

[The suit he is the least familiar with, really. Who comes to mind? That mutt: pettiness and prickliness underlying kinder, more thoughtful instincts. That suits Shuichi to a T, though, he thinks.]

[He could answer that straightforwardly- call him out right to his face on his soft heart, and his internal struggle, and the attractive way he sometimes leaned into his worse instincts that made him a better exorcist, and the attractive way he tried not to.]

[Instead, he turns to face Natori again with his half-smile, and in the same vein as he had previously warned him:] Don't leave your heart open.

So the same advice as last time, huh.

[Just like last time, he knows Matoba means it. But it's a little more annoying the second time around.]

That's hardly specific to Spades, I would think. Unless Clubs doesn't act like a normal ayakashi?

Hmmm.

[Matoba refills his arms thoughtfully.] Clubs does not target the heart. Clubs targets the mind. If you have a strong mental state, then you can keep up with it.

...That is what I think, from my many interactions with fellow Clubs-bearers, and with the suit itself.

Diamonds and Hearts are very straightforward individuals. But Spades are the ones I have not been able to pinpoint. That is why.... I think that it is the most dangerous of all.

[Oh. So maybe it was more informed advice than last time after all. That, or Matoba had already expected that Natori would be "chosen" by Spades at the time-- which, of course, is what Matoba's been implying all along.

Natori thinks of choking in that room in the Miharu mansion, as Matoba stood strong.]

I see. [He does not look down at the new mark on his left leg-- the one place he's never seen a black shape before arriving here. Natori hadn't thought that was a coincidence before now, but at the same time-- knowing just how targeted it might have been still feels like an escalation.

Troublesome. Dangerous, even.]

...If they've "claimed" us... [They've been singled out by a particular ayakashi? Are the emotions they're generating fed straight to that ayakashi, or is it to the resort? Or the house? He passes a hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose in thought. (There are five pairs of designer glasses somewhere in the pile, but he hasn't bothered to fish one out for this conversation.)] Have you seen it? Clubs itself, I mean. Not just its influence.

[Calmly, Matoba watches the information pass through Natori, for its implications to sink in, and then the guilt and struggle that inevitably came with it, feeding right back into it. That was the problem; that was why he had not wanted to tell him. But it was worse if Shuichi found out because he was stubborn, and refused to heed advice.]

[Troublesome as always.]

I have not seen it take a personified form, [Thoughtfully,] however- some months ago, Clubs took advantage of another- no? Perhaps the same weakening state of the house in an earlier stage, and took over a few parts of the resort. In those locales, it communicated with notes, with hallucinations, and with a familiar in the form of a bartender.

It is this incident that has informed me somewhat of its goals. Well, it's not too different from most ayakashi. Power.

[It's easier not to dwell when there's objective information to be shared about the ayakashi that serves as a threat. It's not all that different from being briefed on a job he's picking up, really. Down to a member of the Matoba family explaining what they've learned when he was off galavanting with his more public career.

Interesting, that such an influential ayakashi had remained so behind-the-scenes for this long, yet still making a play for some portion of the house-- but then again, maybe not so unexpected, knowing it was one of a set in another, larger-- or even a pair of larger-- ayakashi's domain.]

I'm guessing it's the same for the others, then? Mostly behind the scenes. [And if one of them made a play a few months ago, and the house itself is weakening...] Are those areas still under Clubs' domain? Have any of the others been active like that?

Hmmm... Yes. Although, they all seem to "take turns" toying with the residents, it seems.

Every so often- every few months, perhaps- there is a special "game" in which we players are expected to participate in order to gain... chips, the means to climb the ranks within the resort, cards for Game 52. And each game seems to have been conducted by one of the suits, to their particular tastes.

Hearts, for example, has a familiar it calls "Cupid" play tag with us.

[You can guess what sort of game that was, right Natori? :)]

As for Clubs, those areas were transformed by its influence, and the change seems to be permanent. For example, an educational complex was added to the library by its game, where there was no such thing previously. During the game it played, it attempted to directly influence and bargain with us not to allow the house to regain control. However, it failed.

I do wonder what might have happened, had we allowed the infighting to play out... But we mortals were likely to only become collateral as a result, so I declined.

Interesting. [He can't say he faults Matoba for sticking with the devil they knew, rather than turning things over to Clubs-- it's just the mechanics of the thing itself that are interesting to him. The ayakashi bargaining with its mortal playthings to try to maintain control is certainly an interesting image, given everything else going on here.] And the suits are still allowed to play their "games" in turn, even after all of that?

[It doesn't sound like the house is cracking down after losing influence... Not that he understands the flow of the energy collected by these "games," either, whether it's to the suit that had claimed the respective guests, the suit organizing the game, the house, the resort, or some mix of all of them. Maybe more things to ask of the previous winner of the game.]

So. When should I next look out for some game of "tag?" I'm assuming it's all coming down to... well, sex. [The games, the chips, the way they level up, etc.]

Yes, however.......

[Matoba's lips twist into a nasty smile.] I don't think it had a choice.

When we discovered the 'heart' of the resort, there was quite a lot going on in the lead-up to that. In fact, we likely would not have been able to do so, otherwise. You see, the entire resort became unstable. First, a wave of illness that came over the ghouls on staff, and those guests who have lost themselves. And then, a blackout.

[Matoba isn't sure he should talk about the whispers, the voices that came up from the basement- not least because of the form his took, but also in order to not encourage the weak-hearted Natori to investigate on his own.]

And in the midst of the chaos: we had a chance. So, I took it.

[Should he have? That is another discussion he will not be having at this time.]

[Relaxing again onto his hands signals that Matoba has completed doling out the information he deems necessary, and that the rest is simply his whim.] Hum....... Not too long, unless the house is still recovering from the blackout, we are due for one of them to make an appearance. I wonder if it will be back to the top? Diamonds, was it...? Or one of the others....

[He turns his head to look at Natori directly, as much so as he could with him perpendicular, with his mischievous, dangerous, enticing smile.] And you, Natori? What is your plan for surviving?

[Natori already knows that Matoba will shut down any discussion about what, exactly, happened when he saw the heart. It's no surprise that he went looking for it, not when he was one of the people here most able to read the signs of what was going on, to try to comprehend it. It's annoying that he's playing so close to the chest, when he's the best source of information that Natori has about what's going on. Other guests here have tried describing it to him, but it's clear that it's their first time grappling with such an ayakashi; there's a lot to be learned from Matoba's description. But Natori knows better than anyone here (he assumes) about just how stubborn Matoba can get, so there's no point in pressing the matter. Matoba will either tell him or he won't.

He wants to know more about the attributes of the other suits, try to get a sense of what nonsense he might get roped into next, but more importantly: here comes Matoba trying to needle him again, with his stupid little questions like he's trying to goad Natori into reacting a particular way. He leans back himself, mimicking Matoba's pose.]

I wasn't aware I had a choice either, [he says bluntly, raising an eyebrow. (He knows what Matoba means, by asking this question; it's still extremely annoying.)] I'm going to have to play, aren't I?

Yes.

[And for a glimpse, Seiji is smiling, in the way he does when he is enjoying watching Shuichi squirm.]

Three of Spades, is it. [He turns away again, stretching on his hands.] A card I lack. How interesting.

Don't tell me that's your pickup line for everyone, [he says drily, though of course he wouldn't expect anything differently from Matoba. Of course Matoba would frame it that way, in terms of the benefit each party could give to him. (He wonders how many cards Matoba does have. If he's been here for eighteen months...)]

A lot of them, [He admits without an ounce of shame.] While there are many useful people about whose services I keep for other reasons, I am not going to turn down good business when it comes along.

But in particular, Spades are fickle creatures.

[There's a small pause. Then, quietly,] It would be my first.

[Carefully, not "you".]

Since I'm still more qualified to give you advice on your romantic dialogue, I'd suggest you not refer to it as business or services if you want to keep your options open.

[But there's that quiet admission, and Natori pauses in response. It would be... simpler, in many ways. It would certainly be a way to "survive," as Matoba had pointed out before. And, well. It might be their first like this, but it wouldn't be their first.

But, on the other hand. Matoba is the one who was saying, repeatedly, not to let his guard down. He sighs, glancing off to the side to look at the miserable little wall of his windowless little room.]

...Is this a good idea...?

Haha, isn't it better to be honest?

[Flippantly. They both know the inherent joke.]

[Matoba, too, is staring off into a corner of the ceiling, because he knew full well what saying that would incur in Natori- and indeed, in doing so, has confirmed that it would be a terrible idea.]

[Shuichi remains frustratingly incapable of devoting himself.]

If you want to get out of this pathetic little room, you are going to have to get used to it.

[Some motivation to get better at it, and quick.]

[Natori does snort at that, because it is a pathetic little room.]

So much for star power, huh... [He picks at a piece of clothing at random (it's a virgin killer sweater; he hasn't figured out what it's supposed to be yet) as if to encompass all of what he could have versus what he does have, then tosses it to the side to make enough room to... not really lie down, per se, but at least lean back with the same energy as if he'd flopped back onto his bed, gazing up at the ceiling.] Well, I'm sure you've been here long enough [and fucked enough other people!!!!] that you're in a room to put the Matoba estates to shame.

Hmmm.

[Matoba grunts thoughtfully.]

The room I reside in is more acceptable than this.

[Not a lie.]

That's not saying much, [Natori says, folding his arms behind his head.] Tell you what. If you want a Three of Spades, you're only going to get it in your room, not mine.

[ha ha, it's funny because he could be joking! just a joke. he hasn't committed to anything.]

[Matoba's head turns. His smile is calculating.]

Is that so?

[A beat, and then Matoba finally stands from the bed. Smoothing out his kimono, he tucks his arms away, smiling down at Natori with a glint in his eye.]

Very well. I hope that you will not make the mistake of many others, and underestimate the thrall of this place.

Pick your battles, Natori.

GOLDEN PEACOCK: INBOX+OVERFLOW

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