[ It's been a few days since Ishmael posted about her... unexpected gift from the resort. Maruki would be a liar if he claimed it hasn't been on his mind since then. He can't stop turning it over in his head, the idea of the House randomly bestowing something as disruptive to one's day to day life as randomly appearing tentacles. The power that they have over their guests really is nigh limitless, it seems, and he knows he'd do well to keep it in mind, no matter how grateful he is to be here.
Aside from that, though... his own ability being intact here has troubled him from the day he woke up in the ryokan, and he's not breathed a word of it to anyone. He'll have to tell Date sooner rather than later, but that comes with its own anxieties attached, and so he really doesn't want that to be the first reveal. The problem then, of course, has become who to talk to about it first, and he'd never expected Ishmael to shoot to the top of the list, but here they are. Something entirely unexpected in common, even if the source of those tentacles couldn't be more different.
One thing at a time, though. They reconnect, plan to meet up, and as Maruki approaches their agreed upon place in the cloud dwelling gardens–
His eyebrows shoot up, pleasantly surprised. ]
I don't see any tentacles! [ Yet. ] Have you already gotten better at controlling them, or is this just luck?
[ and here ishmael is, looking quite casual in her fit. it's been a while since she hung out at the cloud-dwelling gardens, much less with someone else, so it's nice to breathe in that fresh natural air once more.
should she be nervous about meeting up with maruki since her post, though? no, not really. not only is she dealing with a professional, but it's true when he said that she's gotten better at controlling her newfound appendages. who knew that breathing exercises work wonders when she's overthinking too much...
anyhoo, she plops onto the seat next to him with a sigh and a shrug. ]
Besides, I made sure to look as normal as possible before going out. Luckily my hair decided to cooperate this time. [ she grabs a lock of it in her hand. ] I could bring them out for you, but who knows what's going to happen to you next, Doctor. You sure you're prepared for it?
Maruki watches the lock with intense curiosity for a moment, then looks back to Ishmael with a short laugh. ]
That answers my next question, I suppose! I wanted to know if you can control what they do once they are out, but...
[ It sounds like the answer is no. That part, he might be less helpful with. He never has to think too hard about Azathoth's tentacles, and they can't really act without him. To imagine them going rogue...
Well. The imagination could go to a lot of different places. ]
If they start strangling me, you'll save me, right?
[ she even says it in a sing-songy way like the asshole that she is. well, at least she's feeling good today so maybe they can behave around him this time. it helps that maruki has a calming air around him thanks to his profession and typical demeanor that even ishmael wouldn't normally turn her nose up at.
she then leans back on her seat, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. ]
All right. Just... gimme a second.
[ it takes a moment, before the lock of hair maruki's holding gradually shifts into something more slimy and curly, the rest of her hair slowly following suit. they wiggle and twitch around, but otherwise has not made any attempts in curling around maruki's wrist... yet. ]
[ His eyes go impossibly wide behind his glasses as the lock of hair transforms, slowly enough that he can watch the different phases it seems to go through, shocked and fascinated in equal measure. A soft oh, my...! slips out unbidden, but Maruki doesn't shy away from it, adjusting his hold to better suit a wriggly tentacle.
He's gentle about it, of course, not squeezing or tugging. It's still a part of Ishmael, and he wants to treat it with respect. ]
Are those... suckers? [ Perhaps inadvisably, he ducks his head down a little closer to observe them. ] So they really are like an octopus' tentacles, then. That's different...
[ A beat, and then he seems to catch himself. ]
I mean, that's probably more along the lines of what I should have expected!
[ Classic tentacles. The kind found in nature. Not the kind freakish Eldritch gods have. It shouldn't be surprising. Obviously. ]
[ his little reactions get her to flush a little in embarrassment. like hello, why does she feel like a freak experiment all of a sudden. maybe she is, now that the house has bestowed this gift upon her for fucking around and finding out in the most literal way possible.
the tentacle in maruki's hold begin to twitch as it tries to wriggle out of his grasp, but otherwise doesn't react too badly from being observed up close. ishmael, however, is narrowing her eyes at him. ]
What were you expecting, then? Octopi aren't the only creatures around here that can have tentacles, you know.
I've only seen tentacles like these on animals before, that's all.
[ He loosens his fingers from around the wriggling tentacle so that it's free to go if it would like– but he keeps his hand there for it to rest on, palm up and inviting, in case it would like to explore. His focus is now on Ishmael, her squinting face. ]
But when I've seen them come from... a person, so to speak, they don't look like this. So I wasn't sure what to expect.
[ no, she still looks unimpressed with that response. the tentacles seem to thinks to too, what with how they're squeezing the heck out of maruki's wrist as if it were her own hand. because she's pissy like that. ]
There are other kinds of people with similar tentacles here, but unlike them, mine aren't going to be as annoying to interact with. Especially with you to help me control them.
[ unlike those other tentacle-havers, she WILL be built different dammit. ]
[ the tentacle loosens up around his wrist as ishmael shrugs at his queries. ]
Well, sometimes I wake up with my legs replaced with tentacles one day. But I think it's because I tend to overthink too often? I'm still trying to get a hang of these new abilities, since it's not the type I'm normally used to. Like E.G.O corrosion.
[ she holds that thought as she stares at maruki, as though expecting him to ask about that. just making sure they aren't from the same world, don't mind her. ]
[ At first there's a slight shake of his head, an impulse to clarify he was asking how the other... tentacle-havers... of this reality are annoying with theirs, but that last bit snags his attention and pulls it in an entirely new direction. He's still idly stroking the tentacle as he watches Ishmael watching him, quiet curiosity bleeding into his own expression. ]
Ego corrosion? Er, sorry– E.G.O? [ Could be as important as the distinction between cognitive science and cognitive psience, after all. ] That's new to me. What sort of ability is that...?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
> it's tentacle time!!!
Aside from that, though... his own ability being intact here has troubled him from the day he woke up in the ryokan, and he's not breathed a word of it to anyone. He'll have to tell Date sooner rather than later, but that comes with its own anxieties attached, and so he really doesn't want that to be the first reveal. The problem then, of course, has become who to talk to about it first, and he'd never expected Ishmael to shoot to the top of the list, but here they are. Something entirely unexpected in common, even if the source of those tentacles couldn't be more different.
One thing at a time, though. They reconnect, plan to meet up, and as Maruki approaches their agreed upon place in the cloud dwelling gardens–
His eyebrows shoot up, pleasantly surprised. ]
I don't see any tentacles! [ Yet. ] Have you already gotten better at controlling them, or is this just luck?
no subject
[ and here ishmael is, looking quite casual in her fit. it's been a while since she hung out at the cloud-dwelling gardens, much less with someone else, so it's nice to breathe in that fresh natural air once more.
should she be nervous about meeting up with maruki since her post, though? no, not really. not only is she dealing with a professional, but it's true when he said that she's gotten better at controlling her newfound appendages. who knew that breathing exercises work wonders when she's overthinking too much...
anyhoo, she plops onto the seat next to him with a sigh and a shrug. ]
Besides, I made sure to look as normal as possible before going out. Luckily my hair decided to cooperate this time. [ she grabs a lock of it in her hand. ] I could bring them out for you, but who knows what's going to happen to you next, Doctor. You sure you're prepared for it?
no subject
Maruki watches the lock with intense curiosity for a moment, then looks back to Ishmael with a short laugh. ]
That answers my next question, I suppose! I wanted to know if you can control what they do once they are out, but...
[ It sounds like the answer is no. That part, he might be less helpful with. He never has to think too hard about Azathoth's tentacles, and they can't really act without him. To imagine them going rogue...
Well. The imagination could go to a lot of different places. ]
If they start strangling me, you'll save me, right?
no subject
[ she even says it in a sing-songy way like the asshole that she is. well, at least she's feeling good today so maybe they can behave around him this time. it helps that maruki has a calming air around him thanks to his profession and typical demeanor that even ishmael wouldn't normally turn her nose up at.
she then leans back on her seat, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. ]
All right. Just... gimme a second.
[ it takes a moment, before the lock of hair maruki's holding gradually shifts into something more slimy and curly, the rest of her hair slowly following suit. they wiggle and twitch around, but otherwise has not made any attempts in curling around maruki's wrist... yet. ]
no subject
He's gentle about it, of course, not squeezing or tugging. It's still a part of Ishmael, and he wants to treat it with respect. ]
Are those... suckers? [ Perhaps inadvisably, he ducks his head down a little closer to observe them. ] So they really are like an octopus' tentacles, then. That's different...
[ A beat, and then he seems to catch himself. ]
I mean, that's probably more along the lines of what I should have expected!
[ Classic tentacles. The kind found in nature. Not the kind freakish Eldritch gods have. It shouldn't be surprising. Obviously. ]
no subject
the tentacle in maruki's hold begin to twitch as it tries to wriggle out of his grasp, but otherwise doesn't react too badly from being observed up close. ishmael, however, is narrowing her eyes at him. ]
What were you expecting, then? Octopi aren't the only creatures around here that can have tentacles, you know.
no subject
[ How... should he explain this. ]
I've only seen tentacles like these on animals before, that's all.
[ He loosens his fingers from around the wriggling tentacle so that it's free to go if it would like– but he keeps his hand there for it to rest on, palm up and inviting, in case it would like to explore. His focus is now on Ishmael, her squinting face. ]
But when I've seen them come from... a person, so to speak, they don't look like this. So I wasn't sure what to expect.
no subject
There are other kinds of people with similar tentacles here, but unlike them, mine aren't going to be as annoying to interact with. Especially with you to help me control them.
[ unlike those other tentacle-havers, she WILL be built different dammit. ]
MY HTML.... GOMEN
How are they annoying to interact with? Are they all out of control?
[ Is he the only guy who can summon at will?? ]
happens to the best of us... u_u
Well, sometimes I wake up with my legs replaced with tentacles one day. But I think it's because I tend to overthink too often? I'm still trying to get a hang of these new abilities, since it's not the type I'm normally used to. Like E.G.O corrosion.
[ she holds that thought as she stares at maruki, as though expecting him to ask about that. just making sure they aren't from the same world, don't mind her. ]
no subject
Ego corrosion? Er, sorry– E.G.O? [ Could be as important as the distinction between cognitive science and cognitive psience, after all. ] That's new to me. What sort of ability is that...?