[ While those two idiots are being terrible at thinking, let's go to the third party member. At the same time Shinji-As-Will decides to greet the floor, Lion's body almost does the same. Almost. Balance is saved at the last minute, and instead there's only a few staggering steps to hit the nearest wall, then grabbing it like it's the only thing that's staying still.
Because it is. Vertigo just hit out of nowhere at the same time as all thoughts that were turned off until now start playing back at high speed, like a dam breaking, and there is this visible moment to those watching that looks like someone about to devolve into a full-on mental breakdown, when the panel next to him chirps happily:
`What is it that you value most?'
What?! What kind of fucking questio- no, don't say fuck in lion's body, don't say fuck at all, oh father he's sor-- ha. Hahahahaha- and a hand flies up to stop the Pitched Too High laughter that starts. No, think about something else, and a perfect distraction in the form of that question. This is part of the stupid team exercise isn't it. Ughhh. How is he even supposed to answer that when the world won't stop moving without permission and the only thing keeping it under some level of control is a hand on the wa--wait, that's not his hand. He doesn't wear rings.
But he knows that ring.
Lion's body? That means this ~friendship exercise~ was swapping souls? That explains the Everything. Of course a human's sense of orientation and balance is tied to the flesh, that's so unintuitive and easily explains why lion is so clumsy and forgetful when they're distracted- why do his thoughts keep going sideways- ah, right, coping mechanism to not think about anything else, sounds on-brand for Lion- dammit, focus.
'What is it that you value most?' The swapping to different bodies would be pointless if it was just his own answer. So that means the 'you' is Lion? What Lion values most- ]
Other people. Not just people I know in my life. Everyone deserves kindness and to live a life they wish for.
[ The console gives a bright ding, and an automated 'waiting for other answers' right after. Awesome, that means it won't be too much longer, and he slides to be sitting on the floor where the nauseating movement isn't as bad. It's fine. It's an easy question. It won't be long. It won't. But one text comes, and he needs to answer it, but he can't, so he doesn't. Another follows, which needs an answer, but he can't but he needs to. Didn't think about that, but if he's having these problems with Lion's body then whoever- not whoever, Shinjiro-is his
God Dammit. It only takes a few moments after Lion's last message that Shinjiro's bracer rings twice and automatically answers. It is Obviously Lion and they sound Entirely Wrecked, but thanks to the antics Shinjiro can at least know it's not Lion lecturing him. ]
Aragaki. First, you- stop panicking. Or getting mad. Or emotions at all, really, you can turn them off if it helps? I don't kn- [ An inhale that's more like a hiss, a moment of absolute silence, and the voice evens out to Slightly Less Wrecked. ] It's manual. Mostly. It's not 'I want to stand up.' It's 'my hands need to be placed in these two positions on the floor, followed by shifting your weight to your arms'- I'm set to ignore a lot of specifics, but it's still thought-based. It's been centuries since I even had to try putting this in words, I'm not sure how to explain it- dammit Shinjiro! Is this why you're all so fucking chatty?! How do you turn it off?! I-
[ 'I can't do this' is not an acceptable answer. Even if it's a human body, you're still furniture. That means doing whatever is asked of you, and this one is trying to explain to Shinjiro how to not eat dirt for two consecutive seconds. But the thought doesn't hold as much power as it used to. What used to be a compulsion feels no more than a vague sense of duty. To a human set of priorities, duty against 'trying not to have a panic attack on a livestream' doesn't hold as much weight anymore. ]
no subject
Because it is. Vertigo just hit out of nowhere at the same time as all thoughts that were turned off until now start playing back at high speed, like a dam breaking, and there is this visible moment to those watching that looks like someone about to devolve into a full-on mental breakdown, when the panel next to him chirps happily:
`What is it that you value most?'
What?! What kind of fucking questio- no, don't say fuck in lion's body, don't say fuck at all, oh father he's sor-- ha. Hahahahaha- and a hand flies up to stop the Pitched Too High laughter that starts. No, think about something else, and a perfect distraction in the form of that question. This is part of the stupid team exercise isn't it. Ughhh. How is he even supposed to answer that when the world won't stop moving without permission and the only thing keeping it under some level of control is a hand on the wa--wait, that's not his hand. He doesn't wear rings.
But he knows that ring.
Lion's body? That means this ~friendship exercise~ was swapping souls? That explains the Everything. Of course a human's sense of orientation and balance is tied to the flesh, that's so unintuitive and easily explains why lion is so clumsy and forgetful when they're distracted- why do his thoughts keep going sideways- ah, right, coping mechanism to not think about anything else, sounds on-brand for Lion- dammit, focus.
'What is it that you value most?' The swapping to different bodies would be pointless if it was just his own answer. So that means the 'you' is Lion? What Lion values most- ]
Other people. Not just people I know in my life. Everyone deserves kindness and to live a life they wish for.
[ The console gives a bright ding, and an automated 'waiting for other answers' right after. Awesome, that means it won't be too much longer, and he slides to be sitting on the floor where the nauseating movement isn't as bad. It's fine. It's an easy question. It won't be long. It won't. But one text comes, and he needs to answer it, but he can't, so he doesn't. Another follows, which needs an answer,
but he can'tbut he needs to. Didn't think about that, but if he's having these problems with Lion's body then whoever- not whoever, Shinjiro-is hisGod Dammit. It only takes a few moments after Lion's last message that Shinjiro's bracer rings twice and automatically answers. It is Obviously Lion and they sound Entirely Wrecked, but thanks to the antics Shinjiro can at least know it's not Lion lecturing him. ]
Aragaki. First, you- stop panicking. Or getting mad. Or emotions at all, really, you can turn them off if it helps? I don't kn- [ An inhale that's more like a hiss, a moment of absolute silence, and the voice evens out to Slightly Less Wrecked. ] It's manual. Mostly. It's not 'I want to stand up.' It's 'my hands need to be placed in these two positions on the floor, followed by shifting your weight to your arms'- I'm set to ignore a lot of specifics, but it's still thought-based. It's been centuries since I even had to try putting this in words, I'm not sure how to explain it- dammit Shinjiro! Is this why you're all so fucking chatty?! How do you turn it off?! I-
[ 'I can't do this' is not an acceptable answer. Even if it's a human body, you're still furniture. That means doing whatever is asked of you, and this one is trying to explain to Shinjiro how to not eat dirt for two consecutive seconds. But the thought doesn't hold as much power as it used to. What used to be a compulsion feels no more than a vague sense of duty. To a human set of priorities, duty against 'trying not to have a panic attack on a livestream' doesn't hold as much weight anymore. ]
I'm sorry. You'll figure it out.
[ And he gets hung up on. Well, it's something? ]