thefarshore | Heaven's BBS

[Well, no time to rest anyway. He follows Axel's lead, taking in the scenery on the way there. It doesn't exactly look like a temple, unlike his own god's... though that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a fairly large manor. Must be spacious on the inside.

As Axel said, he doesn't feel any different on the approach. When they reach the door, though...]

Ah. Hmm. [Add stops with his hand hovering over the doorknob. He pauses, then he allows his hand to rest on it for a moment, then he takes his hand off again... then he takes a step back, then a step forward again, then touching it again...]

Of course, it could just be a false positive since you told me what to expect... [mumbling to himself some more under his breath while he repeats the above steps a few more times, just to be sure of the difference]

Come on in and see.

[Axel steps around Add. He has to steel himself to turn the door handle and step inside, every time: the feeling of wrongness and unwelcomeness itches at him like a splinter he can't find. It's impossible to get used to, but he at least knows what to expect as he steps inside and feels it intensify.

If this is the same as what Add's feeling, there'll be no question whether he's imagining it or not.]

[... Okay, actually stepping inside is a bit more intense than just touching the doorknob. Surely something like this couldn't just be a false positive...]

... Still, for something like this, it's too easy to distort the results. The human mind is very easily manipulated; mine is no exception. [sorry, Axel, even if he can feel the same thing his scientific mind won't accept that as proper evidence] We should repeat this experiment with someone unaware of the effects of the temple. That way the data won't be contaminated.

Although, if this is really the effects of the temple itself, perhaps you should be more concerned about potential gas leaks or other dangers.

Pippa doesn't feel a thing.

[Which kind of rules out the "actual danger" option. If he were picking up on a scent, or something else weird about the place, she shouldn't be totally oblivious to it.]

But hey, feel free to invite somebody by who doesn't know about the weird feeling. I put it up on the BBS, though, so it might be tough to find them.

[He shrugs.] Perhaps gods are unaffected? We don't have enough information to be sure. Regardless, I wouldn't trust being in a place that feels this disquieting. [So, he's going to take a decisive step back out of the temple. Much nicer on the outside.]

A blind test would be ideal, but more results would be useful regardless. Find an excuse to invite more people over and gauge their reactions. Don't bring up the unwelcome feeling unless someone asks. It should be a simple enough experiment to perform.

Yeah, you're telling me. I tried to sleep in here the first night, but -- nah.

[He wrinkles his nose.

Sounds like a lot of work, frankly.]

Fine, if you think it'll help. Maybe I can ask some gods by in that bunch. Roxas's yours, right? Think you can get him to drop by?

[Yes, a lot of work—which is why Add will happily suggest Axel handle it himself, since it's his problem. He'll just analyze the results.]

I suppose I could. [With a bit of a sigh, because he's still not sure if he even likes Roxas... the guy is just way too pushy and difficult to deal with.

He pulls out his phone to send him a quick text. That should be good enough, right?]

And Pippa hasn't noticed anything else unusual around the temple? Any other strange feelings or sensations? It may not appear to her exactly as it does to you.

It's a nice thought, but she swears there's nothing.

[Axel shrugs helplessly, and heads back out into the forest, hands in his pockets. He tilts his head back to look at the sky glinting through the leaves.

Sure is pretty around here. Shame about the atmosphere problem.]

[He texts back at Roxas a bit, still lingering near the front door without getting close enough to feel the "aura". His attention is mostly on his phone.

Helpfully, he offers up another possibility:] Or she's keeping it from you.

I'm not sleeping in the place. If she's lying about being creeped out, she's got more willpower than me for sticking around in that, plus, it's her loss if there's something actually wrong with it.

[Axel tosses a smirk over his shoulder at Add.]

So, hey, who knows? It'd be her loss if she's lying, not mine.

No, I meant she could be causing that influence in some way, or it could be having a wildly different effect on herself. Since we don't know what her motive might be, it's not completely ruled out.

[Maybe it's unlikely if they only consider the information that they know, but there could still be details they're missing. Something to keep in mind.]

But judging from her other responses I wouldn't consider it high on my list just now... if it were part of a conspiracy, she wouldn't be offering to help with it so easily—

[...and then he stops, frowning at his phone.] What?

[And there he is, right behind them. How long he's been there is something of a mystery - Roxas hasn't ever been the sort to announce his presence to others. He'd said as much via text anyway. There he is, waiting for whatever this thing is Add actually wants a hand with.

It's probably for science. That'd make sense for Add.

But since clearly he's given indication that he's there, he pockets his phone and folds his arms across his chest]

So what'd you want?

Oh, hey there, Roxas. Just go open the temple door for me, could you?

Thanks.

[Axel's mouth tilts in a smirk.]

[Even with the advance warning, he still jumps noticeably when Roxas suddenly speaks up behind him... at least he resists the urge to yelp or spin around like a coward, though his eyes do shift colour reflexively.

He clears his throat loudly, settling back into a scowl.]

What he said. [Add's input was very necessary...]

[It's a simple enough request, and Roxas' keyblades shimmer into his grip. Surely there must be something preventing their passage, or they wouldn't have called him here...right?

So he approaches the doors, stopping a short distance away to level a keyblade in their direction. A moment of silence before he tips his head curiously to one side]

...They aren't locked.

Nah. I didn't say it was going to be hard.

You can put the Keyblades away, too! [And is it normal for somebody to have two of them, anyway? Aren't Keyblades one to a customer? He wishes he could actually remember, beyond that vague feeling that it's weird.

Everything's been weird, and Axel blames most of it on his memory.]

The only person you'll find in there is Pippa, and you don't need to fight her.

... Is he seriously this dense? [he said that out loud, but whatever.

Judging you so hard Roxas. So much judging.

Just touch the stupid door already.]

[He'll dismiss his weapons, huffing out a vexed breath. Not that data ever needed to breathe, but it's something he maintains out of a strange force of borrowed habit]

Then what'd you need me for?

[It's clearly entirely possible for them to open the doors on their own, if they're not locked in any way, shape, or form]

Trying something out. The point isn't to open the doors, it's to see what it's like for different people opening them.

So, give it a shot, okay?

Fair enough.

[He did suggest that Axel gather information...he just didn't expect that he'd be a part of the process.

But since he's here, he marches up to the doors and pulls one open]

[Add sighs. Finally, some kind of progress. Maybe they can get some usually data now...]

Do you notice anything unusual? Anything at all, and describe it in detail.

[Axel, meanwhile, is watching dubiously, arms crossed, from a safe distance. He'd started feeling uncomfortable right outside the doors of the temple himself. It gets worse inside.

So is Roxas feeling it, or not? Or is he just putting on a tough front?

Man, Axel's going to be mad if it's just shinki that get the effect.]

[Roxas peers into the temple, head ducking through the space between the doors before he steps back and closes them with a soft click]

It feels like darkness does.

[And he supposes since Add doesn't remember discussion of such things, such an answer would probably only make any intuitive sense to Axel. Since it's a situation that Axel needs resolved, it's surely fine if he understands what's being said, right?]

I don't think it is, but...

[Yeah, that answer makes no goddamn sense to Add. He pauses, waiting for Roxas to elaborate.]

... A metaphor isn't what I'd call "describing it in detail". [he hates his god so much]

You think? It doesn't smell like darkness.

[If anything, there's a faint odor of perfume. Roxas is right, though, the discomfort's familiar. Axel steps closer, running his hand over the doorframe.

Huh. Yeah.]

So how's Pippa hanging out in there with no trouble, then?

[He's too interested by the information to notice Add's annoyance. So the kid doesn't know what darkness feels like? That's probably a good sign, right? Axel might not know what his experience is, but he knows an intimate acquaintance with darkness isn't great for anyone.]

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