( r6 ) talking-head: akechi goro.

[showhost]

Akechi is invited to take a seat right in front of the cameras, while the overseer smiles at them brightly and waves.

And asks them questions, of course.

They don't have to answer truthfully, but they should be aware that every single last thing they're saying might very well end up in the final cut.

Have fun!

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arrival.

[showhost]

[aspirings]

[Tsukasa is here! He's basically sparkling. The sparkles may as well be coming off of him.]

Akechi! Welcome! You've got a very exciting few weeks ahead of you, but before that...!

[He is Loud ftr. So very loud.]

I have a question for you. [AHEM AHEM AHEM.] "What do you hope to accomplish over the course of your time here?"

[flaweddetective]

[One more time. He has to put on this act one more time. Smile. Be pleasant. Charming. He’s done interviews countless times with various degrees of professionalism obnoxiousness. Four more weeks and he can be free.

Taking a deep breath before he heads out to meet his interviewer, Akechi makes sure everything on him is as it should be. Straight tie, unwrinkled school jacket, hair in place… and so on.

Then it’s off to the races.

He offers a smile to match and even a hand to shake.]

Thank you for having me. I’m quite excited to be here. More excited than I should be, admittedly. [He puts hand to his mouth and gives a soft little chuckle.] As for why I am here, well. This might be embarrassing but my life keeps me so incredibly busy. And those I know or meet already know me for my celebrity. Finding new friends or, if you can imagine romance, would be quite the boon. They could all get to know me for me. Imagine! Ha ha!

[Imagine actually coming here hoping to find true love. Fucking idiot behavior.]

Oh, of course. At the end of all this it’s kind of like a puzzle. And being the detective that I am I can’t help but want to put my skills to a challenge. Quite a lighthearted one, true, but what is life without a little fluff?

[God.]

[aspirings]

[Oh, wow, this guy is a total professional! Tsukasa is a little awed despite himself. He considers himself a star but because of that, he recognizes that easy cadence and comfortable body language as someone who has done this before.

He takes that hand to shake, shaking it firmly, beaming.]

That isn't embarrassing at all! What an earnest answer--I truly hope you find the friendships you are looking for here!

[Sparkle sparkle sparkle.]

And I am certain your detective skills will be a huge boon here. Do you think you'll be just as skilled at predicting others' emotions as their motives?

[flaweddetective]

Oh, absolutely. That's one of the most important parts in solving a case. The clues will only get you so far. It comes down to figuring out how people think. How might they respond to a little pressure. And how can you manipulate their emotions into doing exactly what you need them to in order to catch them.

People are just like puzzles. Very complicated ones but at the end of the day they can be predictable. This sort of work would require me to not just assume how my fellow contestants might feel but the show runners think and how they might have pieced everyone together. Is it random? Is it based on compatibility? Tropes? Opposites attract? So many variables.

[He adjusts his gloves before returning his hands into his lap.]

Needless to say... I cannot wait to meet my fellow contestants and future friends!

[aspirings]

[... wao. Tsukasa wants to take notes just on the off chance that he ever plays a detective on stage. This guy is the real deal, and this is how he wants to portray a detective if he ever gets the chance...!]

I see!

[Enthusiastically:]

I'm sure you'll make many excellent friends during your time here--but, of course, the true prize is [a wish] true love! [oh]

It sounds like you will be very good at predicting the other's matches, but do you think you'll fare the same with your own?

week one.

[showhost]

[aspirings]

[Well!!

As promised, here Tsukasa is, minus most of his usual sparkles and looking quite serious.

They are also, for once, camera free! He also does not have any cue cards or interview questions prepared.]

Akechi, hello. I promised you a proper talk.

[flaweddetective]

[Akechi is also here without all the practiced smile and pep from their last interview. This is much more serious and he’d like to take it as such. He’s also tired and over it.

He makes his way over to his seat and crosses one leg over the other, arms folding over his chest.

He doesn’t say anything, not even greeting the other. He has an idea, more or less, how this will go and he’s bracing himself to be pissed about it.]

[aspirings]

[It's in moments like these that Tsukasa wishes he had Rui here with him--Rui is so much more cunning and craftier than Tsukasa is, and he would know how to handle this and what to say...

But Tsukasa only can be Tsukasa, and as far as he's concerned, resolving this is his responsibility.]

I suppose we should start with the obvious. What are you hoping for? Out of this talk, but also... out of being here on this show.

[flaweddetective]

[He exhales though his teeth which are clenched so tightly together he needs a moment to try and relax.]

Out of this talk? Well. I was attacked and I’m very curious if that’s going to be addressed and if it isn’t and certain parties are going to get away with it then I’ll consider this a very different game and respond to it as such.

[You can take that how you will.]

As for the game? [He shrugs.] Nothing. I’m here for a wish, obviously, but I’m not above forfeiting it for my own satisfaction. I’ll burn it all down. What’s the worst that can happen. I go back to being dead? Again? That doesn’t fucking matter. But I’ll make sure I bring this whole house down with me before I go.

So. That’s where I’m at. Your response?

[aspirings]

[Well, that's depressing, but it's also about what he expected. So he doesn't look surprised, instead leaning forward a little more as he thinks, brow furrowed.

... It must be hard to live like this, he can't help but think.]

The attack will be addressed. [That much he can say. They can't have contestants killing each other, and even that little bit of violence was more than enough for the producers. They don't want things spiraling out of control.]

For now, Sakamoto won't be able to approach you at all, so it won't be able to happen again.

[As for everything else...]

... Isn't going back to being dead... really bad, though? You say it like it isn't, but...

week two.

[showhost]

[aspirings]

[Okay here's another interview where he truly does not know if the interviewee will show up. He would not blame Akechi for. Just. Not.

But.

He will sit here and wait to find out!]

[flaweddetective]

[Look who showed up! It’s him. It’s been a fucking rough one, make no mistake, but he has his pleasant boy smile in place and gloved hands clenched tightly into fists as he sits down.

He takes a slow and deep inhale before speaking with a very forced smile.]

Tsukasa-san, thank you for coming. I have a few questions for you, if you don’t mind answering them for the cameras here.

[Can Tsukasa sense danger?]

[aspirings]

[Listen. He's oblivious a lot of the time but the danger is radiating off of Akechi in waves despite the pleasant boy smile, so.

Yeah.

He is sensing that danger.]

A-ah. [ah.....] P... please, go ahead. I'm all ears.

[flaweddetective]

[He claps his hands together.]

Great. [Akechi keeps his gaze locked onto Tsukasa, making sure his eyes bore into the other.] This first question is really simple. Something to get us started.

Have you ever seen a reality television show before?

[aspirings]

[this is the scariest interview he's ever experienced and it's only started.]

I... have, yes. An episode or two. [Probably when his mother left it on the television, or something--it's not really his preferred thing to watch most of the time.

But he's a modern kid. He's familiar with reality tv.]

Why do you ask?

week three.

[showhost]

[aspirings]

[Well, for better or for worse, here Tsukasa is! He could not inflict this upon Nene, okay...

Still, Tsukasa's got his head tilted a little quizzically (if Akechi even shows up), expression calm.]

[flaweddetective]

[Here he is. Unfortunate for everyone.

Akechi strides in, adjusting his gloves as he does. When he’s seated he pointedly checks his watch.]

Make no mistake. I have a list of complaints. Why some contestants got hints in private. Why you’re even here doing this interview. [I’m sorry. Akechi couldn’t and wouldn’t ignore this, despite your wishes.] But I’ll save us both the time and energy since it won’t do us any good. I’ll file a formal complaint if I ever make it home.

What’s that line from the old movies? You’ll never work in this town again? Consider it something like that.

[He taps his watch.]

Let’s make this quick. You don’t want me here and I don’t want to be here.

[aspirings]

[Truly unfortunate. At least Tsukasa expected this. He tilts his head to one side at that, contemplative, not looking too terribly bothered really.]

Miss Arnault received a hint because it is the only thing she has asked for in any of her interviews.

[Unlike a hot tub, or a bathroom, or snacks.]

So production awarded her one. That hint was intended for all of you, since you are all working towards solving the same problem.

... I understand that likely won't satisfy you, but it is the truth.

[Regardless, Akechi's clearly ready to get out of here, so.]

I will ask you a single question then.

... Has this entire experience been a waste to you, Akechi? Or has there at least been one thing worthwhile in it?

[flaweddetective]

It doesn’t. Was my request to not be attacked by the other contestants too much?

You don’t need to answer that. And for both our sakes I won’t get why giving a hint to a contestant in private is a bad thing. It should go without saying…

[As for the question. Tsukasa must already know the answer and he’d hate to disappoint him here in this final stretch.]

It has.

[Simple. But don’t worry, he will elaborate.]

While I’ve been here… I’ve been assaulted. Had to listen to how my feelings don’t matter. Learn that my “perfect match” was never a possibility to me from day one. Very exciting for me, personally.

I get to hear, on the regular, a demon talk about how much he wants to kill me despite my only interaction with him being positive. A demon that is your match, by the way. Incredibly fascinating. That very same demon and Anna talk, loudly, about having been on a date where they tried to come up with a way to poison me.

And while I am not the most pleasant of people at times I haven’t threatened anyone’s lives. Or harmed anyone. Yet here I sit at the bottom anyway. I’ll never understand… I really won’t. Justice and right and wrong and who gets away with what is muddied wherever you go. Anna gets whatever she wants with whoever she wants and does whatever she wants because her voice is louder.

[It’s so fucking loud.]

I trust she won’t be penalized for breaking the rules and using the bathroom inappropriately when we have a whole god damn room for it? Of course she won’t. I’m sure she’s this shows golden child despite everything. Loved hearing her and Will go at it, by the way. Really made my evening. They’re too good for the room made for that sort of thing. I get it. They’re the stars of the show.

And before you try and counter point me… Yes, I did threaten to use my wish to do harm to Anna and Will. But after almost three weeks at the time… I felt cornered and chose to bite. But if that’s to be condemned then so should everything else that happens here. That’s happened to me.

[Akechi shrugs, scoffing as he smooths out his school jacket.]

Of course this show was a waste of my fucking time. I should have never have come here.

final.

[showhost]

[There's nobody else here, sans the camera. Your character is simply guided into the room by the crew and told:

This is your chance to share any final thoughts you might have. You don't have to--but the floor is yours if you want to.

And then they are left with the camera, all alone.

Have at it.]

[flaweddetective]