Enter Free For All [any universe, any version, just let me know, noisy muse is noisy, etc.~]

[interpolate]

Metaroids could be truly interesting things. To think that a Metaroid from a film projector could create life-like, realistic and, most importantly, solid and tangible images... To consider the power inherent in simple kitchen tools...

Discovering the existence of polygraph machines was trés bien as far as Enter was concerned, and upon corrupting one of these marvelous machines with Metavirus: Shinjitsu, he was presented with a Metaroid that could, through the facilitation of small darts, force the victim to speak only the truth.

What havoc they will wreak together. Magnifique!

Comments

[wheeloffortune]

The man that seems to be controlling the construct makes his way over to me. I'm still at a crouch, and I stay that was, defensive.

I aim my gun at him, staring him down. I don't intent to fire on a person unless given no other options, but I want him to know I am not taking this situation lightly.

He asks me a simple question, and I have no reason not to answer.

"Shirogane Naoto."

[interpolate]

This mere child would threaten me with a gun?

Classic. How delightfully human. It even earns a smirk from me, and a little scoff-chuckle.

"A pleasure, I'm sure. Why would you attack my Shinjitsuroid?"

[wheeloffortune]

I glare, though I keep the lines of my mouth passive and serious. My gun still raised.

"Your construct was harming civilians." I tilt my head slightly, subtly studying the features of this man's face to relay to the local authorities later. "I can't allow that."

[interpolate]

"Oh la la," I spread my fingers thoughtfully. "You call facilitating the telling of truth harming, now? How curious."

[wheeloffortune]

I stare at him, confused by this. I'm fairly certain he's up to much more sinister things than simply making people tell the truth.

"Possibly." I lick my lips and swallow, my throat feeling try. "Polygraph tests are considered faulty and unethical."

[interpolate]

I blink at the little human, actually almost caught off guard by this pronouncement.

And then I laugh, a short-one note sound that is hardly full of humor.

"Unethical, that I will give you. But assure you, my Shinjitsuroid is hardly faulty."

[wheeloffortune]

I slowly struggle to my feet, trying to stand straight and tall, as any man of the law would. As I should.

My shoulder doesn't hurt, and that seems odd, given the size of the dart that hit me.

I keep my gun raised, my aim between his eyes. There is not doubt in my mind that this man is wicked. It's a truth that seems buried deep into my core.

Even without evidence of deeper crimes, I somehow know this man is deserving of the highest punishment. I know he has hurt many.

And will hurt many more, if left to his ways.

I... I fire. My finger pressing the trigger. I will say a prayer for his soul at a shrine at my earliest convenience.

[interpolate]

I recognize the flash of the gun before the bullet actually makes it anywhere, and drop out of the overworld, teleporting across a small part of the subdimension to appear instead directly behind my erstwhile attacker, with a hand on his narrow shoulder.

"Oh la la, this is your truth?"

[wheeloffortune]

It happens very quickly.

The bullet passes through him, or... no, he moves away just in time for the bullet to miss him? At any rate, my shot carries off into the distance, thankfully not hitting anyone, or anything important, on its way.

A half second later he is behind me, a hand on my shoulder, squeezing.

I stiffen, trying to rise up to my full height, which is still slight, but I can at least adopt a strong posture.

"Justice is my truth."

[emperortoughguy]

I'm not exactly up to anything in particular, just having a walk around town. Like you do, you know. Maybe I'll swing by Aiya and pick up something for dinner for me and Ma.

Except there's some kind of batshit screaming situation going on around the corner, and despite myself I figure I should probably go see what that's all about.

Honestly, the last thing I expect to see is... fuckin' Naoto-kun with his gun out, and some creepy dude with a face like a mask holding his shoulder like he's about to throw him.

Well, I can't let that happen.

I don't even realize what I'm doing until I've picked up a sandwich board from outside a little curry shop, darted into the fray, kinda, and brought the thing down on the strange guy's head.

"Take that, you fuck! Get away from my friend!"

"Zut." Is the answer he gives me, which is probably some freaky deaky foreign language. I flip him off for that one, and with a scowl and a twirl he...

Disappears.

"Well, shit."

[wheeloffortune]

A few things happen in quick succession.

Kanji, who seems to materialize out of nothing, smacks the wicked man in the head with what appears to be a sandwich board. Kanji shouts, the man seems to curse, Kanji flips him off and then...

The man disappears into nothing.

Even I can admit to being a little shaken.

"K-Kanji-kun..." I don't like the stutter in my voice, or the way my cheeks feel a little warm. "You... what are you doing here?"

My gun is still out, and a hastily slide it back into its holster.

[emperortoughguy]

Probably should have thought this through a little more carefully, because now the target of my aggression is gone and I've been left alone with Naoto-kun.

I swallow hard, and I can feel my face burning. Damn.

"You- You alright?"

I hesitate for a moment, then offer him my hand. "I could ask you the same question, you know. I thought you were in the city."

[wheeloffortune]

He's blushing. Why is that so cute?

I look myself over, trying to nod but failing. "I took a dart to the shoulder, but there wasn't any blood, and it doesn't even hurt anymore."

I take his hand, and my cheeks feel even warmer at the contact. His hand is wide and oddly soft, and not at all unpleasant to touch.

I clear my throat. "I was. I was called back to investigate a few cases here. Odd ones that need an expert's eye."

[emperortoughguy]

"That's good, I guess."

And it is, I mean, that he didn't get really badly hurt or anything. But he did have his gun out. "But I'm guessin' you weren't shootin' the guy because he's shit at darts."

I clear my throat right back at him, and then manage a crooked smile. "Oh. Well. Welcome back."

[wheeloffortune]

"He was a wicked man." I state in answer to his confusion as to why I would shoot the attacker. "He deserved to be shot."

I look down, trying to hide the fact that my cheeks are still hot and probably pink.

"Thank you for coming to my aid. We're you in the middle of something?"

[emperortoughguy]

"Uh, yeah." I agree. I mean, obviously the dude was pretty bad news. The whole disappearing thing didn't do him any favors either. "Sorry you missed."

I bite my lip and shrug one shoulder, then give Naoto-kun a friendly pat on his. We're cool. We're buds.

"I was thinkin' about picking up some dinner at Aiya. Would you, uh." Fuck, how do I finish that sentence now that I've started it? Damn it. "Wanna come with me? Or are you busy. It's fine, if you're busy! With work! It's fine, I mean, we'd be going back to my place, and my ma's there, and you should probably just go back to work."

[wheeloffortune]

Leave it to Kanji to see things as black and white as I'm currently seeing them.

My shoulder feels strange, sort of tingly, after he pats it. What is wrong with me today? This is not how I should be reacting to things.

"I would love to come over for dinner." The words are out of my mouth before I can even think about them. Odd, I'm usually more careful about choosing my words. "Would your Mother mind?"

[emperortoughguy]

"Oh!" I never expected him for a second to accept.

But I'm glad he did.

"No! God, of course she won't care. She'll just be all excited that I'm actually bringing a friend over." I nod and gesture awkwardly in the general direction of Aiya.

"Sh-shall we?"

[wheeloffortune]

I smile. I've met Kanji's mother before, she's a good person, very kind. Works hard. Cares about her son.

I nod, and move to fall into step beside him (of course I have to take at least a step and a half to match each of his strides, but I'm kind of used to that by now).

"I trust you've had a better day today that I have?"

[emperortoughguy]

"Well..." I angle us towards Aiya, since I'm not about to subject Naoto-kun to my cooking as well as the awkward company of Ma and me. "I didn't get assaulted by some whack job, so I guess my day was goin' alright."

I curse the warmth in my cheeks, sure that it shows, as I continue. "I'm glad you're alright, though."

[wheeloffortune]

He blushes, and that makes me blush. Damn it. "Technically I, ah, assaulted him first.

We move into Aiya, and I hang back a little, still close to his elbow, but I give him the room he needs to order.

He's really handsome, despite his ruffian attire. I've seen his gentler side, and the contrast is rather appealing.

I clear my throat suddenly, trying to cut off my thoughts there.

He wouldn't be interested in me anyway.

[emperortoughguy]

"That's my bud." I grin, maybe awkwardly, but hey. He is my bud, damn it, and I'm proud of him. That guy was seriously bad news. I think it's probably kind of not a good thing that he managed to escape.

How, I'm still not sure.

I order a decent enough spread of food, I mean, I'm feeding three and one of them's me, and Naoto's no slouch when it comes to food. I mean, he's not like Chie, or Yousuke, or Teddie or nothing. But he can eat a bit. I mean.

What am I even thinking of?

I turn to glance at him when he clears his throat. What's that look, he looks all...

God, I hope he's not upset. I'm not prepared to deal with that.

"You okay?"

[wheeloffortune]

Kanji orders enough food for a small army. Or at least half the Investigation Team. We can't possibly finish all that... then again, he does have quite an appetite.

I blink at him, not having realized he was looking at me, and then shrug slightly, tugging my hat down a bit.

"I'm enjoying your company."

[emperortoughguy]

"Oh. O-oh!"

Fuck, I think my face is fuckin' burning off too. Damn it. Why am I like this around him? He's not any different than Yu-sempai, anyway. Or Yousuke-sempai. Or any of the girls.

Well, fuck that mental path, damn it. I shake my head to try to clear it but it just jumbles everything up even worse.

"Um, thanks." I manage to get that much out. "I'm enjoying yours... too..."

They call my order and I practically lunge at the counter to get it. Just to give Naoto some breathing room for a second.

Me too.

[wheeloffortune]

What is wrong with me today? Why am I being so open and honest with my thoughts and feelings? I'm just upsetting Kanji, making him feel uncomfortable.

I've never seen his face so red.

Deep breath, Naoto, deep calming breath. Slow exhale.

"Would you like me to help carry some of that?" I ask as we leave Aiya, a little worried that Kanji might drop some of the food.