poetry, beauty, romance, love - these are what we stay alive for

[psychofailed]

WHO: Shinya Kogami & you
WHERE: Various places!
WHEN: The week of the road not taken plot
WHAT: What if Kogami was never a detective?
WARNINGS: nnnnnone?


i. library, any porter city

[It's all very unsettling, waking up in a bed you don't-but-do remember, in a universe you don't-but-do remember. The strange fuzzy familiarity about things here should worry him, should make him feel concerned about whether his hue is stable, but somehow he has a sense that he doesn't need to worry about it. Kogami's inclined to trust his intuition on these things, but even if he wasn't, any thoughts about his mental health fall to the wayside once he discovers library cards in his room.

Immediately, he uses the portable terminal-esque device he'd found earlier to look them up, and...there were so many. More than one in a single city, even. Buildings full of physical books, from the provided pictures on the websites.

After that, he tears off in the direction of the nearest library, and though he's generally serious in demeanor, his face seems to light up like a Christmas tree once he gets there, and he looks like a little kid in a candy shop.]

--Oh my god, this is amazing.

[From there on, he can be found pulling books off shelves, as many as he can carry at a time, and attempting to engage any nearby patrons in literary discussions if he can. He uh, probably gets shushed a lot, because libraries don't exist anymore in his version of Japan, so he doesn't really know the etiquette.]

ii. courthouse, any porter city

[In the course of his reading, of course, he runs across the realization that this country uses the old justice system. Not only that, but some trials are open to the public. So his next stop in this History Comes Alive tour of his is definitely one of the courthouses. He does some quick research online of cases currently being tried before he attends an ongoing murder trial. It's fascinating--back in Japan, all it would take would be a point and click of a Dominator to determine whether the suspect was capable of such a thing, but here, they begin with the presumption of innocence, the prosecution charged with providing enough evidence to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt...

He can be found furiously scribbling notes during the proceedings, and once the court is adjourned for the day, he stops the nearest person who may or may not have been actually present at said courtroom to start babbling about the case]

That was fascinating, wasn't it? How do you think the prosecution is planning to show that the DNA evidence at the scene of the crime wasn't planted? Can it even be proven? Is that "reasonable" enough doubt for an acquittal, do you think?

iii. music shop, any porter city

[There's other things, though, too. Little things that one wouldn't otherwise think about, unless their society made them go without. Kogami stands in the music shop, running a finger gently across a guitar. His voice sounds kind of awed, hushed--]

Anyone's really allowed to buy these? They don't have to be pre-approved...?

[Some part of Kogami's always been curious. He's a scholar--the type of person Sybil has largely already left behind, with the abolishing of the university system--but Kogami has always had a soft spot for the arts, too. He's not approved to pursue them; his hue is normal and stable, but trending a little toward the cloudier side. He's too easily given to passion, to emotion.

Kogami can't resist keeping a poetry journal locked up in his own private quarters and hopes that it doesn't affect his crime coefficient too strongly, but he's never dared to go as far as procure something like an instrument.

It's kind of...tempting.]

iv. maurtia falls recreation center

[Of course, he can't spend all his time investigating libraries and bookstores and courthouses and all the those things of the past that Japan has largely left behind. He does have a job, he remembers, and it's just as well that he make some sort of living until he can get home. Teaching is a suitable job, even if it's meditation and not philosophy. He does some reading on meditation beforehand so he'll know what he's doing, and--to perhaps to the shock of everyone who frequents the rec center or his class--he arrives in a comfortable tank top and shorts, no smell of smoke on him whatsoever, and greets people with a pleasant smile and "good morning". If you seem to linger outside his classroom, he'll come to personally greet you, hand extended--it's a western custom to shake hands, right?]

Hello! Are you here for the meditation class? I'm the instructor, Kogami Sh--er, Shinya Kogami.

v. maurtia falls #006

[See Kogami. See Kogami attempting to make himself breakfast for the first time (from his perspective, anyway).

....See Kogami pouring cooking oil on top of his eggs because he thinks that's what it's for and accidentally making the stove catch fire.]

--Oh shit!

Comments

3!

[darkimitation]

[Kagami had been looking to buy an instrument when he stares at Kogami strumming on the guitar then seeming to address him.]

Uh yeah? Why wouldn't they? You'd have to be an idiot or stupid to think otherwise. [He raises an eyebrow at Kogami.] Or are you from some world which thinks that way? If that's the case, you're all idiots.

[psychofailed]

[You don't gotta be rude 'bout it Repliku, gosh.]

Well, the arts are known to stir people up. You have to be sure you're stable enough for that kind of thing. A little like how you would want to be cautious of your caffeine intake if you had a heart condition.

[darkimitation]

[He didn't really get it, but okay.] Uhhh okay. I don't really get it, but whatever you say. I just want to get an instrument and play it.

[psychofailed]

[tmw you confuse a kingdom hearts character #rpgoals]

Oh! No, no, I wasn't trying to imply anything about you. It's just...how things are back home. I'm kind of still adjusting to how different everything is.

5

[23wishes]

[It's a normal day and Aerith is dropping by early. Why breakfast time? Because she's a horribly early riser, much to the chagrin of most other people in her life. So, bored, she's taken her Alterram and ridden it all the way to Maurtia Falls to visit the guy that's totally not her boyfriend. He seems straight-laced; he's probably awake already too.

So here she is, knock-knocking on his door.]

[psychofailed]

[He is in fact awake. Ordinarily, this would be because he only manages to sleep for short stretches of time before he gets wrenched back into wakefulness by horrifying nightmares, but today it's because Philosophy Teacher Kogami happens to be a morning person too. Like, the "enjoys watching the sunrise" sort of morning person.

He also happens to be in the process of trying to smother a stove fire while Aerith's at the door so there'll be a slight yelp from indoors that will be reminiscent of Aerith's first visit to his house--just a minute!

And then Kogami's scrambling to open the door--and he just so happens to be shirtless and in boxer shorts because all of his clothes smell like smoke, and it's basically the Worst. He was planning to do the laundry after getting food, but--well.]

Uh, hi--[he knows this girl from somewhere, doesn't he? She looks familiar] there's a--I've got to take care of, uh, a fire, but I'll be right with you! Sorry for the trouble!

[AND HE'S OFF to go. do so. Though that was a little weird, wasn't it? He usually isn't so easily flustered. Or, you know, expressive. ~it is a mystery~]

[23wishes]

[Aerith listens to the clatter inside the house and laughs quietly to herself. Is it always going to be this way? Maybe he's just secretly a klutz. That would be cute. She's not too sure yet what's under that apathetic exterior, but a goofy klutz would be just fine.

Kogami opens the door and-- hello. She doesn't even try to hide how blatantly she's checking him out. She had no idea he was so... BIG. Unfortunately, the view os lost as he runs off because--]

Wait, a fire?

[True, she's never seen Kogami this expressive before, but who'd be calm when there's a fire?]

Shinya? Is everything okay?

[So of course Aerith's following him inside.]

1

[bindsthedead]

Excuse me- [Sabriel is smiling politely, though something about it looks a little tense. There's a small pile of books next to her.]

This is a library, you need to be quiet.

[psychofailed]

[!
He immediately lowers his voice, looking apologetic.]

Ah--I'm sorry, I didn't know. We don't have libraries like this anymore where I'm from, so I suppose I got a bit carried away in my excitement.

[bindsthedead]

Really? [Sabriel hasn't met Kogami before, so she assumes he's simply a new arrival?] So you're from a world where everything's electronic?

5

[wassamatterwithue]

[so that is a thing they both have in common, the complete and utter lack of cooking skills. that's just what happens when you live in a society where all your food is tailor-made for you by a mechanical food synthesizer and you never have to learn how to feed yourself without it.

and so, even though she sees him doing this while she's turning away from the sink, a freshly filled glass in hand, it doesn't strike her to stop him.

when the stove goes up in flames, she yelps a panicked "Kogami-san!" and instinctively does two things: 1) grabs Kogami's sleeve to pull him away from the fire before he gets scorched, and 2) drops her glass and spills water all over the floor.]

[psychofailed]

[So you know how Kogami has seemed a little different this morning, like there's a bit more of a spring in his step, like maybe he's gotten some actual goddamn sleep for once?

It's probably kinda Twilight-zone, huh? Well, that feeling's probably gonna get worse: she tugs at his sleeve to keep him from getting burned by the stove, and because she's so much shorter than him, he kind of. Loses his balance. And goes toppling to the ground--right into that newly created puddle of water.

And then he does something she's probably never seen him do: laugh.

It's a deep, full sort of rumble, ringing out clear and mirthful, untroubled. He pulls himself to his feet, apparently unbothered by his suddenly wet pants.]

Oh man, not my finest moment, huh Inspector?

[Ah, but the fire...they should probably take care of that, shouldn't they.]

Do you know where the fire extinguisher is kept around here?

[He has sort of fuzzy memories of this world, but not of any particular specifics. He knows this woman's name is Tsunemori Akane, a detective with the MWPSB back home. He knows he lives in a city called Maurtia Falls in the state of Pennsylvania in the U.S. He knows that the Sybil System doesn't exist here. But that's about all.]

[wassamatterwithue]

[blink.

did he just--?

okay she might not know Kogami that well yet, but she's pretty sure he's not...the type of person to laugh about falling in a puddle...after setting something on fire...

she just stares as he picks himself up, her eyes tracking with his face as he rises.

when he asks about the extinguisher she gives a start, suddenly reminded that yes, the stove is on fire, and hurriedly looks around as though she might spot an extinguisher lying around in the room somewhere.]

Um--do we have one? I don't know that I've seen it.

2

[inchesofevil]

[why is Duncan even here? good question, he's starting to wonder himself. really though, he's here to argue with a clerk about records so he can actually get fucking anything done without having to fight with a government pencil pusher about being an ImPort and not having all the documents they're asking for. see also: the gigantic hassle he's been through with the DMV just to get them to let him take the driving permit test. A hassle he is going to have to go through all over again because he failed the first attempt.

And he would rather not! So he is here to fight with whomever he needs to fight with for some kind of official documentation that will be accepted by government agencies like the DMV in lieu of a social security card or birth certificate.

so far the first fight is figuring out who he even needs to talk to. he's been redirected twice already and on his way to the 3rd department, the doors to Kogami's courtroom open up and Duncan stops along the wall to wait for everyone to filter out rather than attempting to navigate his way through the throng. that's more headache than he wants right now, waiting is easier.

so, sorry kogami, when you address him he has not even the first clue what you're talking about. all you get is a blank stare and a slow blink.]

I'm sorry, what?

[psychofailed]

[Kogami blinks; it takes him a moment to catch on to what happened here, and after that he huffs a laugh.]

Whoops, sorry. I just, have never seen a criminal trial before, so I might have gotten a bit overexcited. I'm guessing you weren't just in the courtroom there, were you?

[inchesofevil]

Nnnope.

[Man, dude seems weirdly chatty considering their previous interactions. And it also seems kind of weird that he's been here a while and hasn't gotten to sit in on a trial yet, considering how interested he was in the workings of justice systems. Duncan cocks his head slightly, a questioning furrow to his brow.]

What, did you only just realize criminal trials are open to the public?

2

[hsalf]

[He's come to the court house as well. Mainly because the suspect is a man who Eobard has had an eye on for a while. A felon who has been rumored to have taken part in numerous murders on behalf of mob bosses, but has never had enough evidence to be brought in. And it may be that he provided some low-key assistance to ensure that there was evidence to point at the criminal for once.

It's his duty as a hero, after all, to bring justice to those who do wrong to society. And while justice must be brought within a courtroom, the systems of the 21st century may often be riddled with flaws.

He watches the proceedings quietly and readies to leave when court is adjourned, only to be stopped by Kogami. The rapid fire questions get a wry smile from him, as he parses his response in mind.]

It can be proven. There are methods for these types of proceedings. The how? Well, it's up to the defense to prove that there is a possibility of tampering. It's quite basic practice.

[psychofailed]

Up to the defense? But isn't the principle these trials are held under "innocent until proven guilty"?

[It's a great academic fascination to him, given that they don't have trials anymore. The Dominators have greatly simplified matters for law enforcement, but the old system was around for so many centuries. He can't help wanting to experience it in action, even if it's not as efficient.]

[hsalf]

It's more of an ideal. [He smiles wryly.] The prosecution must prove that only the defendant could have committed the crime. The defense must either prove their innocence, or present a second option. In other words, show that there is a possibility that someone else could have committed the crime. [He pauses, mouth slightly opened as he calculates what to say next.] ...I would say, in this trial, that is what the defense will focus on.

[Particularly if there is a focus on whether or not the evidence was planted. If his meticulous nature comes through, then there will be no trace of such a thing. And even so, it's just an excuse to not put a clearly guilty man into prison.]

You seem rather...perplexed, about the nature of the courts.

1

[thefatherssins]

[Whatever it was that was translating for the imPorts, Masaoka harbored a hope that it would prove an excellent literary translator. It seemed to be doing well with inflections of conversation so far, so he thought this wasn't blind optimism. The best way to test, of course, would be to read a work by someone recognized for a distinct style and tone.

He could probably have found something sufficient for the experiment online. But Masaoka was, as his colleagues would point out, old-fashioned. It was possibly to read everything on a screen, of course. It was even efficient. But it wasn't tangible, and without that real contact Masaoka found that memories were more likely to slip away.

He knew exactly which section of the library to check first. Mystery...C...and there it was. Chandler, Raymond.

Masaoka was on his way to the counter with a copy of The Long Goodbye when he spotted Kogami. Or rather, the pile of books that were leading Kogami across the floor.]

If you drop one of those in something, you'll probably have to pay for it, you know.

[psychofailed]

[Are you ready for a surreal experience, Masaoka? Because Kogami actually smiles at him, openly.]

I'll be careful with them, sir, no need to worry.

[Oh yeah, and he doesn't recognize you, either. He points at the book in Masaoka's hand, then, looking every bit as excited to Discuss Literature as the version of him Masaoka knows was about Justice some eight years ago:]

You like Chandler? Which of his works did you enjoy most? I'm partial to The Little Sister, myself.

[thefatherssins]

[Wait what.

He would expect Kogami to be pretty happy in a library. But this is beyond that. And "sir"?]

Are you alright, Kou?

1

[rassera]

[If anyone asks, Kaneda was never here. But Maya had sent him on a mission to o find a childrens chapter book to work on his English, and the worst part? She'd made him go alone. He couldn't even blame her for this one.

Libraries. Why did they remind him of that seminar, with how quiet things were and how they seemed like they didn't keep an eye on you. You're just allowed to walk around and look at books, they give em to you on the offchance you'll come back with it.

It was an honour code for a bunch of paper and words.


Nevertheless, never let it be said that Maya didn't work some powerful magic on him, flipping through the pages of a book about a rather brave cowdog (albeit a bit stupid), only noticing Kogami when he speaks up.


Raising an eyebrow.]

Heh, can't imagine what your standards for 'awesome' are.

[psychofailed]

[Kogami is undeterred by your teenage judgment, Kaneda!!!]

Come on, look around. This whole building, this place is full of books. Real books, not just digitized versions, and it's all just...here, for you to look around and discover new things. You don't have to know what you're looking for, no specific keywords or special searches or anything, but it's still organized enough that you could find something specific if you were looking.

[Yes, he's that much of a nerd. This isn't even an AU thing, just the different personality exposing the soft squishy core within.]

Some of these are even first editions...it's like, a little piece of history preserved and available to anyone who's interested. You can't get that kind of experience on the internet.

[rassera]

[Wow. What a damn NERD. Kaneda tries to keep himself from cracking up at Kogami's little outburst, as quiet as it is in a library.]

They're just books.

[Kaneda doesn't have that material sentimentality that most people have. But he looks at the one he's flipping through, noting all the words that he can't really understand all that well, not without his guide.]

Not very exciting to me. There's no pictures!


[Someone grew up reading manga more than actual books.]