2026-03-22: Asylum Ain't
- Log: Asylum Ain't
- Cast: Tsubasa Seki, Ichika Kawase
- Where: Hirasaka - Third-Floor Apartment
- OOC Date: 2026-03-22
- IC Date: Sat, Oct 13 2012
- Summary: Tsubasa interrupts their very important teenage makeouts for something just as important: their paranoid investigations into Denji Inoue. He didn't work for Morimoto Sanitarium, though -- and Ichika gets to explore just how personal that rescue operation was, for them.
- Content warning: Sexual references, medical abuse
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
It's late on Saturday afternoon, and Ichika and Tsubasa are on the couch. They're having a great time, except, of course, that at some point in smooching their girlfriend Tsubasa catches a look at the clock on the wall and --
"Chill a sec, I gotta pull some shit before end a business day."
Man, it's weird how they can switch gears just like that. ... it helps that they spend the next few minutes fucking with their phone while they catch their breath. "Ya want this shit displayin' as a private number," they explain, aside, as they work. "Gotta be sure of that."
And then they settle back on the couch, dial a number, and...
... and, like, their entire way of speaking becomes entirely different?!
"Hello. This is the MHLW calling; I'm sorry for the inconvenient time. I'm sure you understand..." Tsubasa pauses, and adds, a touch apologetic: "... ah, I can't say anything about that." They're silent a moment longer, as they listen. "It's not a large request. We just need to know if a Dr. Denji Inoue works at your hospital?" Another pause, with a just-so-disappointed hum.
(This is the precise moment, seeing how Tsubasa's pulled back from Ichika, that Lance elects to pad up to her carrying her favourite stuffed teddy bear, presenting it to her to comfort her in these trying times.)
"I see... do you know if he works at any other nearby facilities? Tatsumi Memorial Hospital, the University of Tokyo Hospital, Saint's International Hospital, Morimoto Sanitarium, perhaps as far out as Mikage Hospital...?" Another pause, as they await an answer. "... ah, the University of Tokyo Hospital. Yes, I understand. I'll follow up with them. Thanks for your time."
Click.
"Fuuuuck, man," Tsubasa's back to their usual register, as they sag back against the couch, phone rolling off onto the couchside table. Lance asks, aroo???, and Tsubasa reaches over to scratch her behind the ears. "It's cool, Lance, it's cool. Jus'..."
Sigh.
(What's Tsubasa scheming up now...?)
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Mmm," Ichika vocalizes, happily spending time with her partner. She starts to nudge their hand--
Then, suddenly, 'Chill a sec.' "Nuh?" Ichika starts, blinking once, and then frowns. She definitely doesn't feel 'chill' in the least. But... They've switched gears, and,
Ichika straightens, rearranging her clothes from where she's seated on the couch, now actually 'seated' instead of 'laying'.
But Tsubasa speaks, and... Ichika stares in surprise an what quickly becomes fascination. She's still pretty frustrated--but Lance helps. Lance offers the bear, and Ichika accepts it, hugging disconsolately. She gives Lance some scritches.
But when Tsubasa goes back to normal...
"Wow," Ichika says. "You're good," she says. "You managed to get all that out of hospital staff...? They're not supposed to give out any of that stuff."
What are they scheming?
"What's up?"
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Tsubasa scratches at the back of their neck, having the good grace to at least look embarrassed. "Sorry, babe," they offer her, and scooch closer to at least slip their arm around her again. "Didn't come up with this plan 'til after last Saturday, uh... reason it's gotta be today is ya got th' weekend staff on, they ain't expectin' to deal with calls or nothin', reg business is Mon-Fri shit. That's doin' somethin' else, too, like... someone calls on a Saturday, it's gotta be some real shit, yeah? They can fill that in without me sayin' nothin'."
Beat.
"Uh. MHLW's, uh, Ministry a Health, Labour an' Welfare. Them's th' pricks what handle regulatory shit for doctors. So ya get a call from them, you thinkin', like, who killed someone, y'know?"
Tsubasa shakes their head. "... but the real trick is, I called one a th' back end lines. Staffin' shit. Most a th' people primed not to say shit, they're primed not to say it when they're answerin' phones on th' ward. But internal numbers, like -- you ain't supposed to hear from people who ain't makin' th' sausage. It was kinda risky, but... I made sure to give 'em a true answer in that list, y'know? I fuckin' know th' prick works at th' teachin' hospital, it's where he..."
... Tsubasa trails off, glancing off at the edge of the couch cushion beside them.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"It's fine," Ichika sighs after a moment. You don't need a reason to say 'no' or 'not right now' after all! ...But Ichika can still be a little disappointed. She can get over it through Tsubasa explaining. She is legitimately fascinated by what they have to say about it. "...So you came at them from the side, where they weren't so strong, and let them assume so you didn't have to make up as much."
It makes sense to her.
"That's really slick." She sounds impressed because she is. "I guess that's why you need it to come from a private number, too..."
She nods, and then reaches out to squeeze Tsubasa's hand. "Hey... Is that why you're looking for info?" she asks. "Because of that?"
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Tsubasa doesn't need to have a reason, but they can understand Ichika being disappointed; they were having fun, too. Maybe later...
They do crack a grin, though, when Ichika compliments their work. "Thanks. Been lookin' shit up online, how to get information outta people, shit like that... prolly get in trouble if they found out it was jus' some punk teen, but yeah, that's why th' number."
(Tsubasa doesn't know that private numbers don't hide you from the government. They're doing their best...)
Tsubasa takes Ichika's hand, and gives her a squeeze with their other arm, too. "... yeah," they say, quietly, when she figures the meaning. "It's, uh... I..."
(Internally, their running thoughts go something like: Be cool, man. Be cool. Ichika's not going to think you're a freak and run out hearing this after everything else.)
"... I was wonderin' whether Dr. Inoue was wrapped up in the Sanitarium, since... pre' sure he's dirty, too. But it... don't look like he is. Jus'... he... was th' one sellin' how I... like, how after me burns got stabilised an' shit, they packed me up an'..."
Tsubasa bites at their cyan lip, shaking their head. "I been in a joint like that," they get around to it, eventually. "Not -- not that bad, but -- y'know -- crazy-ass criminals. Dunno if it's better or worse he ain't involved up th' mountain..."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Definitely later, if Ichika has anything to say about it.
"Huh," she says. "Guess we're not just ordinary delinquents anymore," she says. They're Phantom Thieves, after all.
Not perfect, but still stylish.
Ichika leans into Tsubasa as she hears them have trouble. She wraps an arm about them, to try to give them a little comfort through her presence.
"Mm," she answers. "I see..."
"I'm sorry," Ichika says. "What was there... it was really harrowing." Maybe Tsubasa taught her that word. Or maybe she knows more words for that kind of feeling than most.
"So it was really personal for you," Ichika concludes. "I guess if he was involved it'd be easier to think about how it's just him..."
"Sorry, Tsubasa. ...But I don't think less of you for that, OK? ...People shouldn't be treated like that." Not even 'those' people. "Makes me madder at people like that, though."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Yeah, man, we're like. Deluxe delinquents." Tsubasa pauses. "I reckon this kinda shit ain't beyond the pale for like, investigatin' or nothin' either, tho'. Uh, maybe I ain't supposed to say I'm from a joint..." It's probably a weird legal grey area, it's fine.
They lean into Ichika, feeling her arm sneaking around them, too. They definitely wouldn't be surprised if Ichika just knew that word all on her own... but they've been known to use it, too.
"Okay," they nod, looking down to their intertwined hands. Theirs is... so...
But they can believe she isn't looking down on them.
"... there was this nurse with 'em. Everyone thought she was a fuckin' victim... people got mad at me for yellin' at her. Well, guess she prolly did get traumatised or whatever by th' zombies an' shit. But jus', fuckin'..." Tsubasa takes a breath. "... you know they gave me seizures so they could 'cure' me fuckin' crazy ass? Forget the goddamn pills an' shots, those things were makin' zombies way before shit got literal, prolly th' whole reason why there was literal zombies there now... wasn't enough for them, they had to put me under an' fuckin' zap me like Frankenstein's fuckin' monster."
We pause, here, mysteriously, to check in on Saika. Lookin' good, Saika. Anyway, back to this plot --
"... jus' made me wonder, man," Tsubasa scowls, squeezing Ichika's hand. "Fucked my memory real bad... some shit I still don't remember. Wondered if... like... if I was more fucked, would that shit, like... like, what if th' Old Maid copped all that shit? Not like I'm feelin' bad for Sudou-san or nothin', hell no," their scowl deepens, rejecting that vision of empathy, "but like... what if I'd ended up like him?"
Oh, it's not about how the serial killer is secretly sympathetic, it's about how Tsubasa is secretly just like the serial killer.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"We are pretty deluxe," Ichika agrees. "But yeah, that works. And hey, you can always improve, right?"
Ichika listens. And she looks, squeezing that hand that is so... something.
"Yeah?" Ichika wonders. "...Probably," she allows as to her trauma, but, "...But sounds like she was part of why that place was so bad. She sure didn't fix it, right?"
But Tsubasa wonders...
"Tsubasa..."
She looks at them seriously. "...If you went as bad as him?" Ichika says. "I don't think you could. Like..."
"I don't think it's that simple. That if they hit you long enough you turn into a monster. You don't like... accidentally do that kind of thing to people. You lash out, maybe you hit someone to get them away from you--but you don't start doing serial murders and making jokes about it."
"He enjoys it. So even if he went through a lot of bad shit himself..."
"That doesn't mean everybody who goes through bad shit is gonna turn out like him, right?"
"I've seen what you've gone through. And you know what I think?"
"I think you'd die before you got that bad. Because that's what you chose, when it came down to it. ...And I don't want you to die. But that's a resolve I can respect, yeah?"
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"All th' time."
Tsubasa's hand isn't as pretty as Ichika's, but... Ichika still likes it.
They nod, when Ichika notices that the nurse didn't fix it. "Yeah. An' I mean, I get nurses are jus' followin' orders, but... there was people locked in their own rooms with nothin' to eat, nothin' to protect 'emselves, not even sheets on their fuckin' bed, man. Some of 'em... lotta 'em were dead already. An' I jus' think... fuck, man, she prolly turned th' key?"
That's not all they think, though. Ichika, though, points out that they're not like that, and slowly, they lift their blue gaze to regard her again. "... guess... that's true," they say, slowly. "Guess I did kinda, line in th' sand that shit... uh, I did kinda say her victims actually deserved to live, tho'. Don't ask me, I was pissed..."
Tsubasa takes a breath; it rattles, a little, in their chest. "It jus'... hit me, man. How... everyone thinks we deserve it, jus' 'cuz we're nuts. Like, they had me apologisin' for shit I didn't even remember doin', writin' all this shit 'bout how I understood it was bad an' wanted to make it up to society or fuckin' whatever... sayin' what I saw was jus' delusional. Like -- in me head. Makes me wanna jus'... wreck shit up."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
She does.
"Mm... Yeah." Ichika is inclined to empathy in a lot of situations--but that doesn't mean she can justify the idea that that nurse was 'all good', either. Ichika's hearing it from Tsubasa's side, too. But still, when they answer...
"You did, and..." She pauses. "Well, like. They did deserve to live," Ichika says. "Maybe you were hard on her, since I guess you mean... instead of her."
"But that's not the stuff we get to pick, I guess."
"..."
"Tsubasa," she says. "That's fucked up. Of them, I mean. It's like..."
"It's like they just want to hammer down what sticks out, instead of really helping people. ...I think..."
"I think even the ones who are crazy don't deserve that. Like. You actually saw the stuff you saw. But even if you hadn't..."
She shakes her head. "I just... It hurts, to think of people being treated like that..."
Her dad's a doctor, after all. They're supposed to be better than that. But she knows they aren't all at all.
"...Anyway," she says, "It's natural to want to fuck shit up when it's not right. Maybe we'll find something we can do more than that. ...But if we find people like the ones in charge of that place..."
"There's stuff we can do."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Yeah, I know," Tsubasa sighs. "Like, I didn't want her to die or nothin'. I jus'... was ten times as worried 'bout th' guys downstairs. But since she was 'normal', it was a tragedy she got fucked up... everyone was all worried 'bout her. Pissed me off... so I was a dick, I guess."
They nod, though, when Ichika realises it's about hammering down the nails. "Yeah. Happens... a lot. I ain't, like, always nice about it... I don't wanna be associated with that shit. Don't want people thinkin' it's me, too." And their efforts to dissociate themself from the mad experience have definitely led a few people to thinking they're just prejudiced. ... well, being fair, there's got to be a little of that. "Like, if I really took th' pills Dr. Inoue keeps prescribin' me... I'd be fuckin' zonked, man, everyone'd know."
They're supposed to be taking pills...?
Tsubasa smiles, briefly, to Ichika. "But you're right. Ain't jus' like... I gotta wreck some shit up to get good with gettin' fucked." They're talking about expressing their frustrations about their difficult situation through vandalism. "That's why I'm investigatin' shit... figurin' shit out. 'Cuz we can do somethin' 'bout it now. Jus'... wish I coulda done somethin' back then," they add, their gaze growing a touch distant.
"There was these rooms they'd throw us in when they was sick of our shit... no windows, no furniture... smooth walls, no door handle. Jus' a viewin' slit in th' door. Wouldn't see no one less a whole fuckin' soccer team barged in to shove a needle in ya butt... an' those ones that go into th' muscles, those needles are fuckin' huge, man. But sometimes they'd jus' leave ya in there... for like... a day. Like they forgot you was in there..."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika nods as she listens, understanding Tsubasa's perspective, she thinks.
"Mm." Ichika's noticed. But, it's not like she doesn't get that part. There's a lot of stuff that sticks out that you don't want people to know... and Tsubasa more than most, with their father like he is.
"Mm. I wouldn't take anything a guy like that gave me either," she admits, though she hadn't known about them.
Still, she likes seeing them smile. "Yeah," she says. "You're doing good."
She squeezes Tsubasa. "I get it."
Back then...
"That's..." The description is unnerving. "That's awful," she says.
"I'm glad you're not there anymore."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Sometimes Tsubasa can be kind of a jerk, especially when they're being uncharitable. Or when they're trying to preserve their own rep! But they're at least glad that Ichika understands them.
"I don't trust 'em," Tsubasa insists. "They jus' dull ya down... knock ya out."
Do they need pills? That's another question entirely. ... they certainly don't want them.
Tsubasa's smile warms a little, though, as Icihka encourages them. "Yeah," they say, more to accept it than anything. "Ain't gon' let th' bastards win."
The horrors they've seen unnerve Ichika, though; Tsubasa can tell, and they squeeze her, too, with that arm around her back. "Sorry," they say, looking to her. "It's a lot. Uh, but... but me too. It's why I don't like, uh, hospitals an' medicine an' shit..." They pause, shrugging a shoulder, a touch abashed. "... uh, guess it woulda been better if I was with someone like ya dad, tho'. Or... or like... the Doc's tight," Dr. Takemi, they mean, "she's cool."
Somehow, Tsubasa managed to admit that not all doctors are evil, despite relating all the evils of medicine!
Please clap.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika doesn't mind that Tsubasa can be a little of a jerk sometimes. She can, too. Besides--
"Maybe that's the idea?" Ichika wonders. Ichika's a little dubious about that kind of medication to begin with, but, "Like, it's not like he's tending your needs with those, right? He wants you dull and knocked out."
But Ichika encourages them, and Ichika smiles to hear the acceptance. "Good."
Ichika accepts a squeeze. "It's cool," Ichika says. "It's bigger to you, since you actually went through it."
"...Yeah," Ichika says. "Doctors are supposed to help you..." She believes in that, anyway. And Dr. Takemi, well, "Cool."
She smiles. "Must've been hard to trust that doctor," she says of Doc. "I think it's cool you were able to, even given... all that."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Yeah," Tsubasa scowls. "Easy to control an' shit. Like, yeah, it shut me brain up... but it shut it all up. Couldn't even tell ya th' day a th' week, let alone string a useful fuckin' thought together..."
But... Tsubasa did go through it. "Yeah," they say, quietly. "Been... bit rough. Feels like everyone can tell... they'd think worse a me." Tsubasa's report (such that it is) didn't involve any personal admissions; but they've always worried about their rep.
They manage to smile to her, again, seeing her smile. "... yeah. It was tough. But... heard she was legit. An' I needed to see one anyway, so..." They trail off, for a moment, thoughtfully. "... dunno why I reckoned I could ask her," they voice those thoughts, then. "Maybe it was all her goth shit... like, legit, Doc's got a fuckin' spiked collar an' everythin'. Ain't never seen no doctor pullin' that shit."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika hugs Tsubasa. And then when they answer, "Maybe," she admits, because people can be shitty. "But I don't. ...I don't think our friends would, either."
Other people? Maybe. But Ichika can't control those.
She smiles a little more, though. "Yeah," she answers. She remembers. The magic chemical that makes them smell better! ...Well, better to Ichika, anyway.
"Whoa, really? Now I want to meet her..."
"Not that I need a doc for much, I guess. But it's not like I could go to Daddy if I did."
That would be weird, and also unethical.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Ichika will find their muscles far tenser than they were, before that call; still, they sink into her a little more, feeling her arms around them. "Maybe..." Tsubasa scowls, looking down, when she vouches for their friends. "But... what if they jus' think I'm nuts?"
No one tell them how their text messaging style makes them look.
Well, at least they smell better to Ichika. There's no saving their skin, but, like, that's what the concealer's for. Totally not just making it worse!
"Yeah, man," they get a little more animated, seeing Ichika perk up at the mention of a fellow goth. "Like, she's kinda grouchy, but I reckon she really does give a shit, y'know? Her chop shop's out near Ren-chan's place, like, Yongen-Jaya. Bit of a hike, but it's whatever," Tsubasa shrugs. "Jus' go bother Ren-san an' Morgana-kun when I go out there."
They pause, for a moment, resting their hand against Ichika's arm. "Uh. But ya dad's cool, too," they add, a touch awkwardly. "Like, I know I gave him a hard time, but... I guess I was jus' gettin' jumpy." It's apparently easier to say that when they've got some distance from their paranoia; at least now they sound kind of embarrassed about having accused him.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika notices the tension, and she doesn't have to guess about why, considering. "Then I'll kick some ass. ...But I don't think they will."
Ichika won't!
But that animation is matched by Ichika's brightness about it, which might look strange with her dark lipstick to some, but is still a perfectly good smile. "I see... Hmmm, OK. That sounds cool, too."
And...
"Thanks," Ichika says. "...It's cool. You have really good reasons, you know? Dads and doctors, they've both let you down."
"But thanks, too. I really appreciate it. ...I believe in him, you know? He's always been there for me. Even when..."
"Even when he couldn't help, he was still there."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Maybe... maybe I'll tell someone," Tsubasa starts, still a touch hesitant. "I dunno. See how it goes."
Tsubasa thinks Ichika's black lipstick rules, actually. "Cool," they nod, in turn, and smile back to her.
But then, her dad...
Tsubasa nods, with a vague affirmative hum, as Ichika notices just why they'd get suspicious of him. "Yeah, man, like... he gives a shit," they drill down to it, thoughtfully. "Used to hardasses bein' assholes, but... he's cool. He ain't... like Dr. Inoue, y'know?"
Tsubasa clicks their tongue to their teeth, sceptically. "That guy could make anyone crazy," they say, bitter.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"If you do," Ichika says, "I'm behind you. ...But you know, whatever. You don't have to, either."
Ichika likes her lipstick, too.
"Nah, he's just... reserved. But he shows us more of what he feels, since... you know." Her brother died. "But Dr. Inoue..."
She makes a face. "Fuck that guy," she agrees. "You're not stuck with him right now, OK? ...How about we figure out how to use that info you got?"
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Cool." Tsubasa smiles, again, for a moment. With Ichika behind them, they just might!
But Dr. Ichika's Dad is a reserved guy; and Tsubasa, who has to, like, actually put effort into remembering to smile by this point, can kind of appreciate that. They nod, with another affirmative hum --
-- and then grab the side of the couch with a hand, to swing themself up and offer Ichika a hand up. "Yeah, for real. C'mon, I'll put it on the board."
Ichika knows about the board they have hidden in their closet, of course. They'll spend some time putting those pieces together...
... and then, well, one or both of them might have some other ideas for being in their bedroom.
Goddamn teens and their makeouts!!!