citylogs | [ open ] what was that?

WHO: Akihiko (

mazios) & you!
WHAT: a boy wanders around the city a bit
WHERE: art gallery, park, grocery store, anywhere else
WHEN: throughout the month of december
WARNINGS: canon related death in the art gallery prompt but otherwise nothing else

art gallery.

[ Akihiko should have expected this. At least that's what he thinks as he stands in front of a landscape painting of a familiar alleyway, with a splattering of blood across the ground and a few empty bullet casings. The art gallery has helpfully titled this painting Best Friends and Akihiko isn't too jazzed about it.

You can find him, standing in front of the painting, eyebrows furrowed and arms crossed, looking for all intents and purposes like he wants to fight the damn thing. But, of course, fighting a painting is stupid and he is not stupid (debatable). ]

park.

[ Every morning, Akihiko can be found going for a run around the park. Even as it gets colder, you'll still be able to find him going for his run. He might add a scarf and a beanie to his gym clothes but otherwise he stays cozy in a track suit.

If you're someone who is typically also in the park most mornings, he might give a wave or stop and say hi. He's trying his best to get acclimated to the city so, a friendly face goes a long way. Stop and say hi, why don'tcha! ]

shopping.

[ One thing he's getting used to doing as well is doing his shopping here. It's a little strange, not having to pay for stuff, and he's used to penny pinching his way through groceries and making the most efficient purchases possible.

Which is why today, he'll be stuck in front of the frozen meats, looking a little bit sick to his stomach. Why? Because there's no prices on the damn meats! ]

How are... you supposed to know what to choose?

[ He just wanted to purchase some protein. :( ]

wildcard.

[ none of these prompts work but still wanna tag akihiko? feel free to make something up or shoot me a pm at mazios! ]

( also apologies to those i've dropped some threads with. life hit the fan and i had to do an inbox refresh to get back on track. 🥲 )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[cheerfully]

Then perhaps they shouldn't have made the food free in the first place.

[he picks up the package, and then immediately hands it to Akihiko. TREAT YOURSELF, MY DUDE]

[ asfdhgdksljhgjlgh??? Akihiko fumbles a little with it for a moment, not expecting to be handed something and then grips the package of steak a little more firmly.

Alright. Fine. Guess he's having steak tonight. ]

... You're surprisingly at ease with all of this, you know.

[you're welcome, Akihiko]

. . . ahaha! Am I?

[good his masking is working. conceal don't feel]

I suppose I simply believe I shouldn't waste my concern where it isn't needed.

[ ok elsa ]

And I guess worrying about something like, the food situation here isn't where it's needed, huh?

[ Akihiko isn't sure if he's trying to be sarcastic there or not. He just knows he's struggling but other people aren't, so he's probably thinking too hard about this. ]

Hn. . .

[he wants to say "probably not," based on everything that he's heard, but. . .]

Well, at the very least, there's no reason to worry right now.

[in this very moment!]

[ . . . ]

Yeah, I supposed that's one way to look at it.

[ Man, this kid is a weirdo. Or maybe he's the weirdo for being worried? Still tbd. ]

Are you new?

Relatively, yes. And yourself?

[since they're shopping for meat, Lyney is going to grab himself some fowl to make for dinner]

Been here about... three, maybe four weeks?

[ A shrug. ]

Still getting adjusted myself. I'm Akihiko Sanada, by the way.

Lyney. It's a pleasure.

[he even tips his top hat in emphasize that point]

You sound nearly as new as I am. How have you found the adjustment?

[ Oooh what a fancy lad. Akihiko could never pull off a top hat, he thinks. ]

Ah... troubling, let's say. Everything's so different here. Sterile too. I haven't run into any of the dangerous stuff some of the other residents have talked about but every day it feels like I'm braced for it, you know?

[ah. . . yes. Lyney knows that feeling]

Which is almost worse than having to face the danger head on.

[the anxiety, the anticipation, the fear. . . well. Lyney can't say he's afraid, but he is anxious]

[ A nod. ]

Exactly. It's not a great feeling but it seems to be the norm of living here.

[a thoughtful pause. Lyney tucks his chicken into his shopping basket and taps one finger against his arm]

And are we meant to just deal with it?

[ Akihiko looks a little sheepish before he nods again. ]

As far as I'm aware. There are definitely some clues here and there that people pick up, trying to figure out the overall mystery of this place. I'm not... great at that sort of thing but from what I've learned, there's a rhythm to this place. Something happens every month or so and it just kind of adds to the atmosphere.

I think I understand why it has a rhythm. If it's an "experiment," then someone outside of this place is deliberately scheduling these mysterious "somethings."

[since he hasn't been here long enough to know what Akihiko means by something happening each month]

[ There's a grimace there. ]

I don't like the thought of that, of it being planned and executed with intent. But that's likely what's happening, given the pattern and how things have gone so far.

[ Akihiko hasn't been here long enough either to make a good educated guess about the state of things unfortunately. ]

But hey, like you said, there's no reason to worry about it right now.

[pulls up another smile at that!]

Which brings me to my next point. . .!

What sides are you going to make for that dish?

[and he points to the red meat. for emphasis]

[ open ] what was that?

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