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]

[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?

[godly]

[His hand hesitates over the board, right before he sets down a piece. He lifts his eyes to look at her, questioningly.]

That's a weird question.

[Does he like humans? Did she mean humanity?]

...You'll have to explain a little better before I can answer that.

[deathline]

Well, see...

[Clack. She's determined to build her territory aggressively from this point on. ]

When you call this a distraction, I guess it just made me wonder if people aren't fulfilling you. In my case, it's the only reason I'm playing with you too; a distraction.

I... [or rather Shiki (式)... ]

I'm usually disinterested with everyone.

[godly]

[Light is silent for a moment, his expression plaintive. A hand to his set of stones, plucking another white one up. He merely looks at the board for a long minute, not speaking.

And then:] I guess you're right.

[Clack goes his piece. Focusing on his territory, unconcerned about hers right now.]

That I'm disinterested in people most of the time. I'm bored a lot. [He shrugs, saying it purposefully casually. He doesn't want pity, and he doesn't expect a deep sense of empathy from a stranger anyway.]

When you're like me, you have to make an effort to find things that interest you. And in this world... well. To go back to your original question, humans are flawed creatures. There's a lot that you could say is irredeemable about them.

[deathline]

[Ryougi Shiki is a person born with two personalities. They exist at the same time and therefore the same person. Thus, Ryougi Shiki hates humanity, is disinterested in everyone no, not everyone and yet that would also mean she hates herself especially the impulsive side of her...

She clucks her tongue at Light's response and taps her fingers against the table before making another move continuing her strategy of getting what she can. A lot of black is already filling up the board.]

So, at least distractions can work for you. That's fortunate.

[All Shiki can do is to ignore and to isolate, to be by herself, to kill her self over, and over, and over...

(It would be so easy to take out the knife hidden in her obi, to slash Light Yagami's throat right here, right now, and...)]

You don't seem too messed up yet. [At least in comparison to her.]

So at least it'll last ya.

[godly]

Messed up?

[He's not sure if he should be offended or not. Just because it was difficult to find anything to challenge to him, just because he met the lofty expectations of his parents so often that it became a dull normalcy, didn't mean that he was going to be "messed up". He was, generally speaking, a normal high school student.

(In reality, Light Yagami is anything but normal. Disinterest and cynicism and narcissism and superiority, all rolled into a young man unchecked. Pretending to be perfect because it's easy to, and no one questions him.)]

There's nothing wrong with my kind of outlook. A lot of people see the world that way.

[Tch. He places a stone down, vying for a large section of her territory.]

Are you implying that distractions don't work for you anymore? What do you do, then?

[deathline]

You must know a lot of people then!

[One person, one boy comes to mind, whose gentleness and kindness is to the point of idiocy, but endearing all the same. In spite of the world, in spite of humanity, he kept living. A counter example.

She won't bring him up.]

Oh, I follow through with them. Koto lessons, flower arrangement, dance, cooking, swordsmanship...

[one of these thing is not like the other...]

[godly]

[A lot of people? No more than most his age, though Light believes himself to be worldly enough to know what humanity is like, regardless.

But he doesn't comment. More interesting is her list of pursuits, especially-]

Sword fighting? Are you in a kendo club?

[Because that's what she means, right?]

[deathline]

Nah. Not interested in clubs. No time for it even.

[All of her lessons were for the sake of grooming her into the family head. And the less people that surround her, the better.]

My old man teaches me.

[They spar with real swords even! But no need to mention that.]

I basically learn all of that at home.