dollmaxing | Inbox & In-person meetups

"I feared that too." He begins unwrapping the bar as he looks ahead, now almost strangely nostalgic. "I suppose I should give my friend credit for peer reviewing my research proposal at the time- I was really awkward with finding possible stakeholders."

"But ultimately, the funding I received was ultimately pulled back. Since you are from the year 2017, surely you've heard of the mental shutdown cases?"

His expression twists, growing serious. Maybe even bitter.

"As it turns out, my professor assisted the perpetrator- congressman Masayoshi Shido in stealing my work along with other cognitive presearchers relevant at the time to help him exploit Cognitive Pscience. Solely to push him to the status of power."

He pauses, not taking a nibble just yet from the chocolate.

"Despicable. Though I didn't really let that slide but by that time..." He sighed. "The damage was already done. I could only move forward from there."

Edited 2025-04-15 22:10 (UTC)

"That is what he confessed to, yes," Ichinose hummed in thought, watching Maruki's body language, listening to his tone. Trying to decipher him.

Takuto Maruki's research had been stolen by a corrupt politician, and used to kill.

Did he feel any degree of responsibility for that action? Or did he put that responsibility onto the professor, where it belonged?

Then again, studies were openly available for those in the field to dig into, more often than not. And...

"There's a good chance those studies were fed to EMMA, too, if they weren't scrubbed from publication entirely. But a system of corruption in the research fields as well... that bodes poorly."

The fact that his research was stolen and used did anger him but a part of him had even goaded the professor that the credibility in his work was always there. The proof was right there, and despite the tragedy surrounding his and potentially Wakaba-san's work as well- fate had handed him the credible proof he was being mocked for without even running any extensive practicals! Just giving that to him on a silver platter was-

It's all he had.

~~He was chosen for this.~~

Maruki hummed. "Hazard of the profession, am I right?"

"If it is true, then a part of you and your research has helped my EMMA become what she's becoming," Ichinose chuckled, fondly.

"If so, thank you for being a good teacher~"

Oh, again, he didn't expect to hear that from her-

"I, er—thank you? I am nothing special. However, a lot of my research stemmed from necessity, and as they say, necessity is the mother of invention." He chuckles awkwardly, the praise inching into his ego. "Or discovery? Though we don't know if the Maruki in your world followed through with the same actions as I have. Ot would be strange if...I implemented my research a year before you."

"Huh."

His jaw tightens. He had awakened his persona right before he was flopped in here and let's say that his research was involved in the creation of EMMA...why is there the need for EMMA in the first place?

He remembers some of the Rens, Akechis and Akira mentioning that they had "defeated" him (like he was some villain really) but if he did exist in Ichinose's world and the need for EMMA was there...did that mean he failed in that world too?

Edited 2025-04-16 12:39 (UTC)

"Maybe things got delayed, maybe you and EMMA are in a race to win over the masses... who knows?" Ichinose chuckled, fondly. She didn't think much more about it, unlike Maruki. If there was a race to win the hearts of the masses, EMMA would easily win.

There was also the need for the phantom thieves even around Ichinose’s time, he didn't like the notion of it- even if at the end of the day it was just something beyond his control.

The idea of failing wasn’t really an option. He could reach other people's hearts...EMMA, an artificial intelligence could only do so much.

"Now you are just teasing," he grins as a tired look overcomes his eyes. "If I was any bit closer to achieving my goal, you would have heard of me."

"It's alright. I don’t really take offense to it either way."

Edited 2025-04-16 23:54 (UTC)

"Who can say! Maybe you got wrapped up in other obligations or bumped into a complication during testing. Once I go back, though... seeking you out to bring to my EMMA, help her keep things running smoothly and without harm..."

Making Maruki a part of the grand plan. One of EMMA's resources to keep her doing what was properly good for humanity and their suffering while granting their Desires.

"I think that sounds nice."

He shifted his footing, watching her carefully as she brought up recruiting him in an attempt to help EMMA save humanity from its own self-destructive cycle.

~~He somehow doubted he would even have the strength to keep going if he failed once...~~

"Nice for us..." he giggled, deflecting that thought just as quickly as it came even with the way his brows cinched. "Possibly a nightmare for them. Learned helplessness is a dedicated pattern across this entire place after all."

He looks up at the clock mounted on the wall. "Ah-! Look at the time- I lost complete track of it."

Edited 2025-04-17 09:06 (UTC)

Ichinose also glanced up, taking in the time. Ah, well...

"Enough dallying I guess. I ought to get back to starting up that code," she hummed. She wasn't enthused, but at least getting it started would give her something to focus on for a while instead of feeling indignant about how she was being portrayed in that post.

Maruki nods indignantly. "I suppose I should start constructing a direct path from your room to the main IT areas so that it's easier for you to travel in this space." He finally takes a bite of the chocolate as Azathoth's tentacles spreads out behind him, appendages unfurling as he snaps his fingers and the tentacles pop a pamphlet from the void.

"In the meantime, here," he grabs the paper and holds it out for Ichinose. "This has the full mapping of the place. I would send you pictures or a video, but...ahaha." The phone.

"We ought to gear you up soon. Get you a burner phone and something to protect yourself with...much to think about today. Oh, lunch too! Morning, and I usually settle for something homemade...we can pack a decent bento for you. In the meantime."

He's excited to get into the swing of things!

"I'll make the most of switching from digital, it's probably better on my eyes for the long term, haha," Ichinose laughed, unfolding the pamphlet to get a look at the map. Got it.

"If you dream up a cafeteria somewhere in here, surely I'll be completely handled. I'm only a little picky," she teased. "And failing that, I'll just have to make a trip to pack my freezer later. Sorry again to have to drag you along for something that droll."

Edited 2025-04-17 16:34 (UTC)

"Ah, the canteen. That's where we had the pizzas, remember? I suppose with the reconceptualisation for the party, you may have missed that detail, which brings me to the point that you've just made here- I am not expecting you to be able to navigate through a space personally meant for me in another setting." he points.

"That said- the food here, whilst being nearly perfect and professional, tastes way different in comparison to what you make by hand. I believe it's because at the end of the day.... it's a lot like cognitive food? Belief taking form? The ingredients I usually throw in a pot, despite being based on the nature of this place, turn out way different when I am the one going through the process. Again, this might be correlated to the idea of make-believe. Good to make sure you don't go hungry, but I am unsure of the nutritional intake it may provide..."

Edited 2025-04-17 16:47 (UTC)

Ah hah, she did miss that. In her defense, her mind was still quite reeling from everything. She took a moment to open up the map and study it, taking note of where they'd settled for pizza and noting it for later.

"Hmm... should be perfectly viable for most days, I just need enough calories to stay cogent."

Fretting about her nutrition hasn't been on the major forefront of her mind. If she eats her veggies, it's fine, right?

There's a careful glint in his eyes, his smile stretching to a smirk. "But most days aren't efficient, are they? It's alright, I drop in here almost every day, and occasionally the food in the canteen can be quite bland, so for those days I can pack you something warm and real."

He looked at her with big brown eyes, clearly insisting on it.

"You're spoiling me, doctor," Ichinose teasingly accused, amused at his insistence. He wanted any excuse to be around her, it almost seemed like... he really must be lonesome.

Well, she didn't really mind, and she did owe him quite a bit. She could chat with him on the daily.

"But if you insist! I'll have to list out allergies and foods I don't eat."

The man fell back a little, an awkward chortle falling from his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I tend to skip on meals sometimes when I used to live alone and with Morning around, who pesters me occasionally- I think it will be nice if I prioritise someone else...I will be less lazy. It's a win-win for all of us."

At Ichinose's approval, his eyes widen in glee, visibly brightening up as he nods and is just about to offer, simply texting him those details, but given everything, he actually goes for the pen tucked into his chest pocket and pulls it out his pocket journal, not to be confused with his diary and opens a page. "By all means."

Hah! He really is going to write it all down... Maruki is so strange, but so practical.

"I'm allergic to peanuts. And I can't stomach stuff like porridge or tapioca pudding. Not after the curdled milk incident."

She chuckled a bit in amusement, like she remembered an inside joke.

"I get stomach aches with anything too greasy, though that probably won't be a problem since you're making proper homemade meals."

Maruki intently jots down the details on the paper- nodding. Peanuts...not a problem. "Ah-hah, I remember having tapioca pudding a while back. I will hold off on those."

However that chuckle did pull him out of his otherwise serious outlook of making sure he got every detail in. He blinked at her.

Oh.

The curdled milk incident.

He hums as he writes down the little preference of not wanting anything greasy. "Hope the pizza's didn't give you much of a bad trip."

A pause.

He lowers his board, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes."...do we talk about the curdled milk incident~?"

"Hmm hmm hmm...~" Ichinose hum-laughed dramatically. Dare he learn?

"When I was in college, I had a set routine - I would attend classes, nap in the afternoon, then blitz through all of my assignments late in the night. Some nights, dinner wasn't quite enough after several hours of work - but dare I interrupt the flow of my progress by stopping to cook for half an hour?"

Hah! Never. She shook her head.

"I found, in my college student ingenuity, that a glass of milk would tide me over for long enough to keep at my projects. Over the months of this habit, I even decided that since I was in the dorm by myself, why let a glass get dirty? I could be a degenerate college student and just drink from the carton - it was always going to be my own germs, after all.

"This got me through two years of college undisturbed... until one night, five hours into a dense project I was getting uncomfortably close to the deadline on, I groggily shuffled over to the fridge as usual, opened the carton and didn't hesitate to take a drink. And that was the last time I ever indulged in that habit."

Maruki’s eyes widened at the mention of the bizarre tail of the curdled milk, wincing at the obvious transfer of germs and the delightful breeding grounds for something catastrophic lining the walls of your stomach and your intestine.

Turns out he wasn't wrong, given how the story devolved.

"...okay, wow. Now that is a confession I can assure you I will take to my grave," he joked as he quickly tucked in his pen in his chest pocket. Good thing she stopped, even if Maruki is thinking of ways to observe her eating habits by delivering her food once work is in full swing. It would be interesting to witness.

"And here I thought mixing energy drinks and coffee was the closest rendition of me doing cocaine in the back of the library with two days of all-nighters and my sheer will backing me up. Hehe...that and aready made noodles...those were some times. Good times."

"Riiiight? There's something about college work that makes people turn to horrible, gut-churning ideas just to survive. It's a wonder any of us make it out! Hahaha!"

Energy drinks and coffee... absolutely something a college student would indulge in. It was nice to share a story like that and get met with an equally hare-brained scheme in kind - not many people knew the real college experience or were some degree of proud or ashamed or something to admit to having dumb kid ideas.

"After that, I changed my routine to going to the convenience store after class, grabbing a late night snack, then storing it until later. Thankfully, the store saved me from any more expired food incidents," she laughed.

"You could even say it's a classic case of survival of the fittest...albeit instead of blood, you shed tears and swea. Or the blood is an optional alternative." There's a fond smile on his face, recounting his memories when he was just as much of a bumbling young man as any other person stumbling into adulthood. "Safe to say I didn't learn my lesson- given I went for a master's then a doctorate..."

Rumi was more of a storm than him. She jumped to get a job after her Bachelor's, while he mostly lived off his pay as a researcher. They balanced each other, and she was the one who made it easy for him to realise that by prioritising her needs, he would stay healthy as well.

"A late-night snack is something I call for as a reward. If I don't treat myself- what's the point? That said, you know I always thought convenience stores closed around midnight, like back home. Didn’t think I’d be buying warm nikuman at 2:45 in the morning surrounded by people still in clubwear." He looks so boyish while saying this, a dorky smile on his face. "Either that or I raided my friend's fridge with everything I got, considering I always ran out of money somehow... at least now I've got better with my spending habits. I hope."

No. No, he didn't.

"Also, the cap is 2 cups of coffee if you are ever curious about what hearing colours feels like- I wouldn't recommend it, and the crash after that is biblical."

"Oh, my kidneys are already complaining just hearing that! I definitely can't pull off the same tomfoolery as I did in college. Now for long stints I tend to just keep some almonds at my desk to snack on or take a break to get some fruit."

If she remembers to feel hungry, that is... her brain tends to do a good job of shutting off that little signal whenever she's intently focused on work.

"I guess this'll probably be the most regular and healthy my meals have been in a while, thinking about it."

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