PSL; [YEAH WE'RE LOCKED UP IN IDEAS]

[godly]

[A seventeen year-old Light Yagami adjusts the school bag slung over his shoulder as he walks home. School’s been let out, and he has homework to do (he’s already done most of it in his head; he knows what essay he wants to write, it’ll be easy, just like everything else), but regardless, the young man has chosen to take the longer route today.

There’s nothing in particular to look forward to at home — his family, maybe, but even that was an everyday occurrence — and while he doesn’t lead an unhappy life, today feels more restless than normal. He doesn’t want to go home just yet, he just wants to walk. And walk he does, blocks and blocks away from home, until he comes across a small park.

It’s fine, if his parents wonder where he is, he’ll just call and tell them he’ll be home soon. They trust him enough; they always have.]

What a pain. [-he says to no one in particular, glancing around for something to keep his interest. Nearby, he sees an table with two empty chairs… and a go board, which appears to have been abandoned mid-game.

Light looks around only briefly before shrugging and taking a seat at one of the tables. He sets his bag down next to him, idly scooting it closer with his foot.]

Hm. [Someone passes by, and he can’t help himself but ask-] Excuse me, do you play?

Comments

[deathline]

Yeah, I know what you're thinking; it's child's play, a charlatan's act, that kind of thing.

[Her fingers pick up another black stone and she hovers over the board before setting it down, in a path she feels will help her later on if they go far enough.]

So normally, I'd say no.

[Brushing some bangs aside, she just looks genially at her game partner whose name she doesn't even know yet.]

There are stranger things in life though. And when she told me what my fortune was, I didn't need much convincing.

[godly]

[And so Light picks up a stone between his fingers, hovering only a second over the board, before placing it adjacent to his previously placed white piece. He thinks perhaps he'll build his territory early on.

The game isn't taking enough focus for him to not entertain this conversation as well.]

She might've been lucky in her cold reading. [Light says it before even asking what her fortune was. It's indicative of something skeptical, maybe even pessimistic, which may look strange coming from a nice, presentable young man.] Regardless, I'm curious to know what she told you...?

[deathline]

[ Shiki (式) will not remember this conversation. Shiki (式) will not remember playing this board game with the stranger and she will not remember the elderly woman who had confirmed SHIKI's (織) future. Did SHIKI (織) expect to be remembered? No. Does he expect anyone to miss him? Absolutely not. He is an abnormality inside of Ryougi Shiki and his chance encounter with this young man sitting across from him won't change a thing. There is no avoiding what lies ahead even if there's a slight detour to the darkest destination.

And so without a care and almost thoughtlessly, SHIKI (織) answers as he ends his move.]

I'm going to disappear.

[SHIKI (織)has no future.]

And I won't be able to avoid my unfortunate and grim future. Scary, huh?

[godly]

[And then for the first time since starting the game proper, Light looks up to look at the young stranger. Going to disappear? That's a rather morbid thing for a fortune teller to say, unless it was just a ploy to get them to return at a later date, in hopes of finding out how to avoid this future.

Maybe this was the case. But there's something about the casual flippancy in how Shiki says this that cause Light a brief moment of uncommon hesitation.]

Disappear? [He echoes. Logic filters through his mind, as it's apt to do.] Do you think she meant it in a "grim" way? These sort of readings are left wide open and up for interpretation on purpose, you realize. Disappearing doesn't necessarily mean gone from the face of this earth.

[He places his white piece down, almost unthinkingly, though it is with purpose.]

Maybe she meant it as... you're going to experience turning point in your life.

[deathline]

Oh, not at all.

[She sounds so certain. She even looks up at Light, her facial expression full of evident sincerity and simple belief.]

If that's what she meant, she would have just said that from the start. And if that's what it was going to be, she wouldn't have been the real deal.

[There's a small clack as she decisively makes her move. That black piece seemed to have a heaviness to go along with their words.]

You know, I'm not sure why I'm telling you this, but I guess I just thought that you weren't gonna take me too seriously. So don't worry about it, is what I'm saying.

[godly]

Hold on...

[He shakes his head, not even bothering to make his own move yet. Furrowing his brows, he brings up a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose, trying to parse this.]

That doesn't make any sense. What do you think is going to happen, then? That you're literally going to go missing?

[It sounds ridiculous, if not a bit ominous. If this was a real threat, shouldn't they be going to the police?]

I think worrying about it is a natural stance to take.

[deathline]

[Shiki chuckles, amused by how the boy is working through this with reasoning when to her, the answer is clear as daylight. ]

You sure are a stickler for details aren'tcha? Don't give yourself a headache now, not unless you've got someone to carry you home.

Besides, isn't it obvious?

[She plays with her black go piece, waiting on him.]

It just means I'm gonna die.

[godly]

We all die, eventually.

[That slips out faster than he intended, and he's not sure why, other than the fact that he's often inclined to argue for the sake of making a point. Still, he exhales, placing his white stone on the board with a soft click.]

What I mean to say is that, if you think your life is in danger, you should take it to the authorities. If not, then maybe you're reading too much into what's only a fortune; ill-omens are often only brought to life because we're expecting something bad to happen.

Self-fulfillment. It's a detriment, in this case.

[deathline]

[He has a point. SHIKI (織)falls into a quiet rhythm as the game goes on (her moves switch back and forth from being cautious to bold). She's not trying to prove anything after telling him about that fortune. The way she portrays it sounds more like a story, a passing distraction that the boy across from her will forget a few days later.

SHIKI (織) is ironically affirming his death even though his domain is denial. This person probably has a point about self-fulfillment in this case. But the fortune teller in Mifune only helped to clarify and ease the uncertainty SHIKI (織) had before so the affirmation comes naturally after being denied and slowly killed by her own self for so long.

Another minute or two passes before she suddenly snorts and runs a hand through her hair.]

Damn, we haven't even introduced ourselves yet and I made you listen to some heavy crap. What's your name?

[Now she asks? Geez.]

[godly]

[He figures he's made his point when she doesn't respond immediately. Maybe she'll mull over what he's said -- he can only hope so.

But he allows the game to continue in silence for a moment, and focuses on the board. Light's already made his decision to build his territory slowly, methodically, in places where she leaves it open. He attacks now and again, making her defend, but will fall back on being cautious. It's how he usually plays, and he sees no reason to change it now.]

Ah-? [He looks up at the question, concentration shifting to her once more. He hadn't even considered introductions, though perhaps it would have been the polite thing to do initially.] Yagami Light. And yourself?

[deathline]

[There's a pause. And then she looks up at this Yagami Light blinking.]

... Seriously?

[That name is really....]

[godly]

[w h y

Deadpan, because how many times has he had this conversation with others in the past?]

Yes. My given name is Light. I understand that it's unusual.

[deathline]

[And she laughs. Her cheeks become colored with the ensuing chortle because how could she not?]

Oh... Oh, man. That's really something. You're something. I mean, I know I'm laughing but... [Okay, deep breath Ryougi. And she manages to continue as she crosses her arms and shakes her head.]

I guess at a second glance... Yeah. Yeah, I don't think a normal name would suit you. The one you have looks like it fits you too well though. It's comedic!

[godly]

[Wow, CROSSING HIS ARMS INDIGNANTLY. An eyebrow twitches.

(He's totally not embarrassed by her laughter. Really.)]

That's... [ugh.] What do you mean by that? It's comedic? "Light" is a very idealistic kind of name to have. There's nothing funny about it.

[Mom...dad...why did you do this to him... why did you name him "Light" and his little sister got a normal name like "Sayu".]

[deathline]

"Light" along with that kind of family name? It's open to all sorts of weird jokes and jabs.

[Her laughter simmers down and she settles back into the game again and making a plan.]

Ryougi Shiki.

[Appropriately enough, her name has a neutral slant to it.]

[godly]

[He uncrosses his arms, and with a (purposefully) schooled expression, he says-]

I'm used to it. It doesn't bother me anymore.

[L i a r.

Still, he's eager to move the conversation along. Ryougi Shiki, was it? Appropriately neutral, paradoxical and yet not. Light decides to ask his next question rather bluntly, if only for the sake of a childish kind of payback for laughing at his given name!]

And why do you refer to yourself with masculine pronouns, Ryougi-san?

[Clack goes his piece, completing his turn.]

[deathline]

Hm?

[It's not a response as it is a noise of contemplation, of thoughtfulness.

Clack. A bold move. ]

Could be going through a phase. You know, trying to find myself and all that.

[She's obviously not answering with any seriousness. ]

'Sides, if you see me as a girl then there's no problem. It's not getting in the way of our game.

[godly]

[Another brow raise, but then he makes another move, blocking hers.]

Adolescent soul-searching, maybe?

[He's not one to judge. He almost shrugs.]

Implying that you see yourself as a boy instead, right?

[deathline]

Could be! [Ryougi Shiki is being raised as a male in a fashion, at least to be a suitable family head.]

It's just my thing. I have different priorities so to speak.

[godly]

I see. Well, it's not my place to judge.

[Not to mention Light really doesn't care. Not because he's particularly cruel, but because he often views the world with no small dose of detachment thanks to his lingering ennui. It's a curiosity, to be sure, but it doesn't really affect him.

However, there's a spark of life in him as he taps a finger on an empty part of the board; her territory, for now.]

Your priorities right now should be protecting this part of the board. You're about to lose it.

[So confident in himself that he's actually giving advice.]

[deathline]

Well now... That's troubling.

[Shiki furrows her brow as she decides on a crucial maneuver. There's one spot so maybe...? ]

Here?

[Clack. Right in a blind spot, one where she can expand her territory. The game isn't over yet though and there's still opportunities to stop her. She clicks her tongue. ]

Damn I'm rusty at this.

[godly]

[Light grins slightly in approval, even though it's half in self-satisfaction.]

There you go. Might as well keep it interesting.

[So Light takes his turn, the prelude of an invasion in her own territory if she's not careful.]

Like anything else, go takes practice. After awhile, you learn to view the board as a battlefield. Where to place one's soldiers, what territory to sacrifice for the sake of the war.

[He grabs at another piece in preparation for his next turn.] But when you're a beginner, it's as if you blinders on. You can't see what matters until it's too late.

[Speaking as if he's a third dan or something, and not just high school kid who plays when he's bored.]

[deathline]

With talk like that, you really could make some cash off of this if you tried.

[She's tightening up her play now and it shows in how confidently she sets down her pieces. ]

This doesn't seem to be your main thing though, even though you're good.

[godly]

You're saying I should take up teaching?

[Though mention of his "main thing" gets something of a shrug of his rather slender frame.]

No, it's not really even a hobby. But it's a good distraction, and occasionally sharpens the mind when you feel as if it's getting dull.

[Not that Light ever thinks his mind is getting dull. Not that he even has any real hobbies, either.]

[deathline]

... Hey, Yagami?

Do you like humans?