dave strider (
oculusriffs) wrote2018-04-28 11:13 am
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TG: this is going to be fucking stupid isnt it
[want to get in touch with Dave? you can leave a TEXT, VOICE, or VIDEO message — or alternatively, he shouldn't be too hard to track down in person. it's a hunk of junk space house. in space. he's around here somewhere.]
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[he tries not to think too hard about Karkat's dancestor, or the one with the glasses who got really pissed off about storytelling — they're both also known as the two beings in paradox space who can monologue for longer than Dave and Karkat combined. and that's just. that's terrifying.]
[luckily, Ryuji gives him something much more interesting to think about than longwinded dead trolls.]
So you're saying you fought nightmares? With the guy living in your mask.
[that's not skepticism or anything. fighting in one's dreams is completely feasible where he's from.]
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[Funny how now, he relatively wishes for his catbus and his friends to be exploring the veins of those nightmares that ran deeply under the city of Tokyo, subway lines that connected people and yet divided them so easily. Killing a shadow was a piece of cake- there was always some bit of accomplishment in doing it, even when no one had a clue about what was going on.]
And then sometimes we held 'em up and made 'em give us money.
[Okay, maybe he should chill with that shit.]
But... I dunno how to really talk about the mask, though. It's not a dude living in it. It's me? Like, in the nightmare metaphor, it's just my own thoughts and feelings given a form. It's what happens when you face yourself for who you are and accept it. The mask is just realizing that like... you wear a not-literal-kinda mask against people to keep yourself safe.
That makes... no goddamn sense, I'm sorry, man.
[Consciousness is a weird fucking thing in Persona.]
But we should figure out how to trap one of the ghosts. Then we might be able to figure out what the hell it is they want.
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[no, but he's thinking of something a lot more literal.]
Makes sense to me. You fight with what's basically another version of yourself, right? [Dirk keeps calling them splinters. Dave never really had a specific word for it, until he heard that.]
That's not too far off from how I used to fight. Assuming it was needed to maintain a stable time loop, future me's popped in to help fight off whatever all the time.
Don't really know how you capture a ghost, though. I guess if you wanted to be idiotic about it, you could try vacuuming one up like a Ghostbuster.
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[Individuation, the process of learning that a person's societal image that's been learned through various efforts of the superego is just a role, and not the identity of the person who performs that role. Two separate things, and once disjointed, allows the user to grasp onto a power that belongs to themselves and wreak havoc with it. Or something like that. Ryuji should've listened to her more.
So, he'll settle with the idea that it's just a version of himself fighting on his behalf. Ryuji carefully approaches the bed, eyeing Lisa, wondering if she'll open up to him a little bit. She perks her head up, and that's enough of a sign that he shouldn't force the friendship. Maybe it's better to give up and let her come to him. Maybe that'll happen in a year or two.]
Musta gotten real tiring after a while. Keeping track of everything like that. Hell, I know I'd be frustrated if there were two of you in the same room. One of you is enough of a pain in the ass. [Ryuji smirks, trying to make light of a pretty serious implication here. He doesn't really put any bite behind his words though; if anything, it's dumbly fond sounding. Which isn't how he intended on that to go, but whatever.]
I know of a way. Or well, I used to know. It's not really an option anymore, though.
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Yeah? That's good to know. If we ever figure out when April is, I'll prank you with an army of future Daves. [that doesn't even qualify as a threat, honestly. Dave (probably) wouldn't use time travel for the sake of a good joke. but, he's already expressed at least some of the nature of messing around with timelines, and, based on Ryuji's first comment that it sounds tiring, Dave gets the sense that he understands. so a toothless quip to a jab that had no bite at all is what he decides to roll with.]
But, you can't go and say something about knowing a way to capture ghosts without elaborating — even if it doesn't work here.
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April?
[It takes a moment for it to settle in. He has to think about that for a moment, but then the image of 3-4 Daves all conspiring to play pranks on him brings him into the enlightenment of the gravity in that situation. Practically a Bodhisattva at understanding how much fucking HELL THAT WOULD BE, he crosses his arms, and scrunches his face.]
Hard pass?
[Oh god... how does he even... where does he. Open mouth and insert foot. Or something larger than that, because Ryuji's can definitely fit more than a foot and have him still blabbering about.]
It involves going into a different dimension. The Metaverse, it's called. It's made up of peoples' feelings and thoughts, and stuff that can't usually take form in this world can over there.
[That really doesn't actually explain much of anything, so Ryuji tries to pace his thoughts and make it a little more helpful? If he can actually do that properly.]
If a ghost is haunting this place, they probably have some extremely negative feelings. If you can go into that world, you can do things to find out what those are and sorta... take... them. Right oughta them.
[Ryuji, stop, this is confidential. His friends would be so upset with him.]
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[so, he just accepts that explanation for what it is, rolling his shoulders in a sort of half shrug.]
Fair enough. I feel like you'd probably get along with Terezi on that front, actually, if deciphering ghost emotions is the end goal — don't know anybody who can read people better than she can.
[he won't actually elaborate on why, though. explaining what a Seer of Mind does is best left to the Seer of Mind herself — if that's something she decides to explain, that is.]
It sorta sounds like you'd have a better start at figuring it out than the rest of us, anyway.
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Terezi... doesn't ring a bell. [He's texted with her though! And found out that she calls cats "purrbeasts" or... wait, what was it? PURRB34STS. Or whatever that was supposed to be.]
Sounds pretty neat though? I mean. It's hard trying to figure people out. Or what they want, really. I guess.
[He should offer a little bit of a caveat here, though-]
To be honest, most of the hearts I stole were from living people. It's just a guess about the ghosts, honestly. Not that it matters anymore? Since I... can't go there anymore.
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[was that said fondly? yeah, a little bit. they've been through some real messes together, and even though she isn't exactly the Terezi that he knows, he still trusts her, and thinks of her as a close friend. and, he likes to think the feeling's mutual — even though he isn't exactly the Dave she knows, either.]
I wouldn't rule your heart snatching powers out just yet, anyway. Dunno about you, but where I'm from, shit has a habit of being completely irrelevant right up until it isn't.
Then I guess you'd just have to be an actual Ghostbuster.
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Grin and bear it, he guesses.]
Yeah. Heart snatching. Like, just shoving my hand into people's chests and ripping them still out. [Holding out his hand, like there's a living, beating thing there, complete with pulsating.]
I'm dangerous, you gotta watch out for me.
I mean. Nah. It wasn't that hardcore. It was all metaphors, anyway.
[What the hell is with the Ghostbuster shit, though?]
Well... we already got the tacky jumpsuits. Now all we need are superpowered soul vacuums.
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They're probably behind one of the locked doors.
[anyway, he pauses, suddenly remembering one of the reasons he came over in the first place. and then he turns, walking over and picking up the first aid kit he'd left on the floor when Lisa approached him.]
Here. [wouldn't want Ryuji to get cat scratch fever or something.]
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[Although he did remember hearing about people phasing through doors and then playing The Floor Is Lava, only the floor was actually liquid metal and trapped you there for a while.
Oh.
Right. Safety first, though. He takes the first aid kit, and opens it up. Did he really need antiseptic and a bandaid for a cat scratch? Probably not. But then again... Lisa could be carrying the uber bacteria. The one that's going to eat everyone's flesh and turn them into zombies.
So he'll just... try to stop that from happening.]
Aw, man. Was totally hoping for Goodbye Kitty ones. [He does that really gross, unsanitary thing where you use your teeth to pull the back of the bandage off. Good job, Ryuji.]
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[if so, then ... that's actually a pretty damn good ironic joke. the layered kind that sort of give you pause, and then you sort of make a face once the realization and understanding hit, and then you pause again to ponder how a person can create such a parfait of multiple meanings. it's like Ryuji's both putting a bandaid over his cat-inflicted wounds and also issuing an underhanded threat to the cat who caused them.]
[color Dave impressed. also, he's going to walk over to the bed, to see if maybe Lisa will allow him a pat. don't use up all the bandages, Ryuji, just in case.]
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That wasn't a pun.
That wasn't even kind of intended. What irony was th---
Goddamnit.
(But in retrospect, it's pretty brilliant)]
Ye...ah. That's what I was goin' for. [But the pink ones were kind of cute. With the little cartoon kitties and the blue bows in their hair? Soulless stare that makes one wonder what eldritch horrors Goodbye Kitty has seen to look so empty on the inside.]
C-careful! [And bam! He's bandaged up. Looks dapper as hell.]
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[Dave can tell that's not what Ryuji actually meant, but he'll let that thought be, and he'll let the Reverie record show that Ryuji made a pretty great joke, though it may have actually been in spite of himself. he'll keep that latter thought to himself, too.]
Yeah, I know.
[he's pretty sure Lisa isn't going to murder him? so what if he just. does something majorly in contrast to what he just finished saying, boldly steps into uncharted space cat territory and straight up plucks her right off the bed. are we rolling for damage? is Dave gonna die.]
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Except not, because this isn't a hostile encounter. In fact, it's so not hostile, that Lisa is just swooned by Dave's innumerable hidden charisma stat, which was stacked in his favor from the beginning. Ryuji, on the other hand, looks on in awe. How one man could contain such a beast just by his bare hands. Clearly he is to be feared and respected.]
I hate you so much.
[Yet his voice doesn't indicate anything of the sort. He'll be forced into the realm of being the Royal Litter Box cleaner for a despot that has no love for him. One day, though. One day he'll get that sweet social link to work in his favor.
Just in case, though, his grip on the first aid kit is admirably fastidious.
Let him love you, Lisa. He has so much of his heart to give.]
Swear... it's like I'm part dog or something.
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[actually ... he'd rather not imagine that, or think about it at all. not right now. the whole thing still stings a lot.]
[but anyway, there's a friendly cat giving his cheek a good squish with a friendly cat headbutt.]
Maybe. [and maybe he's a little smitten with this kitten.]
Maybe Haru can figure out how to grow catnip or something. She can't attack you if she's just chilling.
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Except his isn't so embarrassing, it's just. Dumbly adorable.]
So... you're tellin' me to get my cat high so that she'll chill out long enough for me to cuddle her.
[What could go wrong?]
I'm kinda jealous of you right now, not gonna lie. [Still, he'll keep his distance.]
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[it's probably a good thing he's not chilling out on a couch or something, because honestly? Lisa could probably put him in a serious sleeper hold. he'd just be passed the hell out curled up with a snuggly cat.]
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying. If she's too blazed to give a shit, she'll figure out you're cool.
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But, oh, hey, Dave just called him cool. That's pretty damn neat. He'll just be over there, swimming around in the compliment and drinking that shit up like it's air. He doesn't even go through the motion of figuring out if he had meant cool as in having a temperate personality or anything, just. You know. Cool.]
Maybe we'll just have a heart to heart. Build up that trust. And then when the moment hits, she'll brush up against my leg and bury the fish shaped hatchet.
[He wants to go over there so badly and join him, to just pet her head at least once, but he also doesn't want to ruin it for Dave. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, he's more like a hedgehog than a loyal lab.
Or maybe cat's just don't like him.
Eh, whatever.]
You should come by and do this often. Maybe it'll soften her up a little bit. You know, you bein' the cat whisperer and all. You can just be all like "hey, he's a good guy" or something like that. Or whatever you would say, I don't wanna put words in your mouth or anything. Cats can tell when you're bein' disingenuous.
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You want me to put in a good word for you, you mean.
[he pauses, seemingly considering that quite seriously. hmm. he turns Lisa around in his hands to look at her straight on.]
[hm.]
[......... hmmm.]
[finally, he shrugs, still holding her out in front of him, as if he's ready to give her the "don't bite the hand that feeds you" rundown right now.]
Yeah, I can do that. Hey, Lisa — [if only giving a cat a pep talk was the weirdest thing he's done. this doesn't even slightly approach the surface of his entire adventure with the alchemiter. but, Ryuji seems to genuinely want to bond with her, so he'll. give it his best shot??]
You probably shouldn't pick fights with the person scooping your shit.
[....... you can give a better shot than that, Dave.]
I mean, I'm just saying — it's not like you've got pissed off space ghosts taking care of you. Space ghosts can't keep you warm or give ear scratches, and they probably can't smell or actually hold a scoop either, so you'd be cold and stuck with a literal smelly shitbox the rest of your life.
Maybe Ryuji smells weird, too? I dunno, I don't have cat senses. But it's cool, you can trust him.
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Find out next time, on---]
Oh my god.
[He literally just referred to Ryuji as his pooper scooper and he doesn't??? know how he actually feels about that at the moment. He's not wrong, it's just. Man, he's willing to accept the responsibility that comes along with pet ownership no problem, but he doesn't want to talk or hear about the gross litter box cleaning that he has to do- it's a begrudging task that even a true labor of love wouldn't satisfy.
And then, in a smaller voice, just to himself, as his features twist into increasing levels of incredulity:]
Dude...
[This is actually terrible, why did he ask Dave to do this?]
Do I...?
[Ryuji lowers his nose and lifts his shoulder upward a little bit to see if he actually smells. Embarrassing human being, right here.]
I don't smell. [Confirming to himself, really, voice still low and self-assuring.]
Dave... man... that was... super goddamn heartwarming and all, but shit.
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[okay, so his encouraging spiel was kind of gross, and maybe he'd been teasing Ryuji with the whole smelly thing. but he isn't actually lying when he says "dependable." Dave doesn't necessarily trust so easily, nor is he really the type to let people get all that close. so, to have at least two people on board this space station that he feels like he can really trust ... well, it kind of means a lot to him.]
[so, maybe he'd cracked a lot of jokes in his cat pep talk, but the sincerity's there, too. Dave does absolutely think he's dependable. and maybe someday soon he'll figure out how to leave that sentiment somewhere Ryuji can easily find it.]
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[It's one of those cliche things that stuck with Ryuji from a pretty young age. He can't do the lying thing, can't try to impress people with dishonesty, and is pretty much immovable when it comes to the things he values. If people don't like that about him or think he's naive to behave that way, that's their problem.
And granted, the lack of space deodorant is totally shittsville, population: Reverie Station... but like everything related to the way Dave unravels himself, from what Ryuji can see reading between the lines (as bad as he is at that to begin with), is reassuring.]
You... you think it's time to give it a chance or should I wait a bit for it to sink in first?
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[that's a pretty bold thing for Dave to agree on — he is a kid who's got a bad habit of hiding behind his words, after all. but he also had a lot of time stuck on a meteor to think, to grow up a bit, and even though he may have a bizarre habit of accidentally calling people hot moms or just plain saying things he regrets when he's mumbling to himself and someone happens to hear ... he at least tries to make sure the things he does say, when they're directed at friends, aren't too terrible. it's still a work in progress.]
[he turns Lisa back around in his arms, so she's kind of facing Ryuji.]
It's up to you. I think you should go for it, if you want.
[honestly, he's ... not really sure what to do next. should he set Lisa down? should he keep holding onto her, as if, in doing so, he could continue channeling his cat soothing powers he didn't know he had?? he's pretty sure Lisa isn't pissed right now. at least, not yet.]
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