video | timaeusTestified (cw: casual violence towards child-shaped entity)

[givehead]

(The video opens to Dirk's studio which is filled with various metal parts and the occasional plush rump. Dirk is sitting at his desk, and hiding behind his desk chair is what appears to be a little boy in rabbit-themed knight's outfit. The little tuft of blonde hair sticking out from the hood and the familiar orange glasses might be an indicator of who the little kid is.

Dirk is focused on the video feed, paying the kid no mind just yet.)

Howdy. (Dirk sounds like he hasn't slept in...a while...That or maybe he's just overexerted himself?) I been fuckin' around with my abilities. Some of you already know I can splint my soul. I was just wonderin' how range this place allowed me with that combined with darkblood.

(He turns his chair and the kid tries to hide again. Dirk doesn't let him. Instead, he grabs him and heaves him up through the air to plop onto his lap. The kid looks exactly like Dirk if Dirk was a seven-year-old. Same freckles, same spiky hair, same nose. He could be his clone. Oh wait-.)

This is me. Or at least 10% of me, anyway. I know it looks like a kid, but this is just some core part of me that wants to keep people safe. That's the theory. He's completely mute and kinda shy.

(Like Dirk was at that age. He stands up then, holding the kid under his armpits like a sack of potatoes rather than an actual child. He sets him down. The kid looks up at him silently.)

But he's actually a little tank. I've programmed him...well...Programmed isn't really the right word. I replicated a specific part of myself and manifested it so his only real function is to guide and protect. Theoretically, if you're lost, he will help you find a way out. And provably, if something attacks you or him, he will defend until the opponent has been defeated or safety has been achieved. Simple goals. Check it out.

(Dirk flashsteps away from the kid and grabs a few throwing knives out of the wall. He doesn't hesitate to whip them right at the kid. It's alarming for about three seconds before the kid deflects every single knife with flashing motions and a sword he can apparently conjure out of thin air. Once the threat is over, the sword vanishes and the kid looks meek once again.

Dirk puts his hands on his hips, looking mildly proud of himself, but damn. This was exhausting.)

It really is like lookin' at myself when I was that age. Anyway, you can call him Lil D and if you ever need him, you can shoot me a text askin' for him and he'll find you. (Most likely... Dirk shrugs, sitting back down at his desk.) I'll probably have him just roam the city and keep people safe all the time. He doesn't sleep or eat. But he can die, so, try not to let that happen. It's a bitch when parts of me die.

Okay. That's it for now. See ya. (He holds up his fingers in a peace sign and the video feed ends.)

Comments

un: UNOWEN

[forwantofahorse]

Huh. I've done something similar with my darkblood before, but I didn't try manifesting either of my subprocesses into physical entities. Granted, I didn't need them to act as anything but partitions in my thoughts, but this opens up some intriguing possibilities.

Do you think you could show me your notes for how you created him?

[givehead]

Ain't no notes, I'm afraid. This is a combo with my powers from the world I come from. I'm not entirely sure if this can be replicated in anyone with darkblood...though the theoretical possibility might be worth a shot now that I'm thinking about it.

Shit, what the hell.

What did you do before that was similar?

[forwantofahorse]

While I was coordinating efforts during the Leviathan attack, I needed to concentrate all my mental effort on my task. So I fragmented part of my soul—did something similar in theory back home, all I needed to do was apply some actual magic to the principle—animated it, and let it control my body while I concentrated on trying to keep everyone alive.

text; UN: TripleJ

[kyley_b]

but he's so little.

text

[givehead]

I feel like that is a criticism of some sort, but I can't tell of what. Say more words.

[kyley_b]

does he have toys? a coloring book maybe?

meanwhile in Dirk's studio... [action]

[obeir]

[ While Dirk's been hard at work on his latest splint, K's been seeing to several little projects of his own across the studio, happy to have the company — and the opportunity to keep an eye on Dirk, concerned as he is about this soul splintering business. Which proves to be justified, he thinks, as he quietly watches Dirk announcing Lil D's existence to the network: he can hear that exhaustion.

He busies himself with putting the final touches on something he's made especially for Lil D after meeting him earlier, and when the network demonstration concludes, he sweeps Lil D up and holds him with one arm, hugging the boy to his chest. You know, properly, the way one should hold a child, Dirk. K carries the boy to one of the tables that's covered in scrap metal and spare parts, retrieves the scrap metal sculpture of a bunny he made, and offers it to Lil D while glancing back to Dirk. ]

You must've really taken our conversation about family and kids to heart. I guess we're getting started a bit ahead of schedule, but that's okay. [ His smile is teasing, but there's a genuine softness in his expression and manner and most obviously in his treatment of Lil D, which is becoming increasingly paternal. This definitely isn't "just" a splint to K. ]

I can tell that took a lot out of you. [ It isn't a question. He regards Dirk more closely. ] How are you feeling?

clutches chest

[givehead]

(It has been nice working with K near. Even if he hadn't wanted K to worry about the splinting business, it probably was for the best. Dirk felt more drained than he had been willing to show on the network. He has slumped down in his seat, rocking around to watch K interact with Lil D. Oh, yeah, people do hold kids like that, don't they? Well shit.

Lil D automatically puts his arms around K and merely seems to observe. But when he is given the small figure, the ears on his costume lift up into the air. Lil D makes a pleased noise, waving the metal sculpture around with enthusiasm and curiosity. Lil D really did have a limited capacity of reality, but it seemed that basic attention and neat robotics were enough to thrill him the same way they would have thrilled Dirk when he was actually that age. It's almost embarrassing to watch in a self-revealing way.

Plus there's something about K taking care of Lil D...Dirk doesn't really recognize the feeling it gives him so he looks away, playing absently with one of the throwing knives that had wound up in his desk.)

It made the most sense at the time. Less energy is required to build a soul out of a rather one-dimensional phase of development. (Yes, Dirk, make it sound as void of human sentiment as much as possible, why don't you. Though part of that actually is his exhaust. He sort of sounds like he's talking on autopilot. He rubs a hand under his glasses.)

I'm all right. I'm a little tired. (He leans onto a hand, looking at K again now that he wasn't feeling that squirmy, warm feeling quite as strongly. But then Lil D puts his head on K's shoulder and Dirk wants to die again.)

I will just need to rest for a bit. (Which Dirk never needed to rest, so. K's completely right, in other words.)

Be careful. He's going to glue himself to your hip if you keep that up.

;; this is all so good

[obeir]

[ Lil D's reaction to the gift has K smiling in a way that lights up his whole face, and there's so much unadulterated fondness in the way he looks at the boy that Dirk should maybe be regretting his life choices right now. If he didn't want his boyfriend adopting a part of his soul with him, anyway, because that is clearly what's happening here. ]

I would not mind that at all.

[ He gently leans his head against Lil D's for a moment, cuddling him as he takes in Dirk's slumped posture and all the other subtle signs of exhaustion that he hadn't let show in his network broadcast. Yeah, he definitely needs some TLC right now, K thinks.

Stepping closer, he reaches to cradle the back of Dirk's head with his free hand and leans down to brush a kiss to Dirk's forehead, murmuring an affectionate: ] Sweetheart.

[ Translation: I know you overdid it and you're going to let me take care of you now. ]

What can I do? Would you like me to take you to bed? [ Including literally carrying him if Dirk's feeling that extra, because Dirk isn't the only one with super strength; K would have no trouble whatsoever with his weight. ] If you're hungry at all, I can make something.

Voice; un: ... (Assuming no 'talks' have happened yet but can change if you want)

[opress]

[He'd experienced multiple versions of Dirk since getting to know the human, but this definitely took the proverbial cake for him. He hadn't seen the process, but he had enough imagination to put two-and-two together.

So there were two Dirks now? One was more of a droid-type function? There were questions.]

Why would you make a kit version of yourself a mostly mindless protector? People around here have proven themselves very protective of kits.

[More importantly:]

Can you... put it back inside of you?

voice (works for me!)

[givehead]

It was a matter of practicality. Less energy to manifest a pint-sized version of me than the full package. (And creating some actual chibi version himself wasn't exactly possible when he struggled to see himself that way. At least this way, he knew he had seen himself as child plenty of times before. The manifestation was partly natural.)

Plus that was back when I really wanted to be a knight. (He shrugs.) I guess it just made sense to me.

Well, damn. That's on them for never having met a dangerous child before. (Dirk was much stronger now than he was at the age of Lil D, but he was still lethal even back then.

The question makes Dirk stare for a solid minute at his wall. He's glad that this is on voice because what the fuck.)

What the fuck? No. That's not how it works. He'll exist until something kills him and then he will be cut out of existence and I'll pass out for a while.

[opress]

Two of you at full size would be much for most to handle. [He could invest some imagination on how much energy it would have taken to make this splinter successful. He considered Dirk to be extremely powerful and the Force flowed off the guy at a high rate.]

You were an attractive kit, and it seems most kits like to see themselves a hero of sometimes. [Jedi knights seemed to see themselves as heroes from what he saw, so this fit with what he imagined.]

Are you going to let him turn beasts and Sleepers inside out? I'd enjoy watching.

[Ah, so it wasn't so simple as just fusing one's soul back together.]

You have no actual fondness for him, do you? [He wasn't against that at all. This 'Lil D' seemed more like a tool than a person so far.]

Text ; @Samsa

[anthropophagite]

[ there are so many questions. To be fair, kaneki is a newcomer so he knows nothing about anything, and everything just goes right over his head.

But he has to ask because everything feels absolutely insane ]

You can split yourself apart and program a part of you to do what you want? And that part can die, but you are still going to send him off around town?

text

[givehead]

(Honestly? What a reasonable reaction to Dirk's absolute bullshit. He is at least pretty used to dealing with this kind of reaction.

His life really was just broken up by moments of him explaining weird shit to people.)

Yeah, basically. It looks complex, but if you can believe it, this is a way more streamlined version of something I did when I was 13.

Creating something that can organically think for itself is much more complicated and morally dubious than this little project.

Yeah. Exactly that. I'm cool with parts of me dying. It happens. It sucks, obviously, but it's tolerable. Theoretically, Lil D should be a good enough fighter that it won't be easy to kill him.

[anthropophagite]

[ it looks complex? Don't you mean "absolutely insane"? Kaneki might be new, but he can't believe this is just a thing that people do.

BUT FROM ALL OF THAT, more importantly: ]

You are okay with parts of you dying?

[ sir. Sir. What??? ]

voice, un: tabris

[peripheries]

...Have you thought about what it means to create him and give him life even though he's not real?

voice

[givehead]

Naturally. I have others like him. I am, in some way, connected to him. He's just a memory in a concentrated form.

video: un; an.observer

[thisislife]

[it's all she can do to not cry out as she sees the knives headed towards, well. mini-him? child him? holy shit]

So, um. Are we often in circumstances where we'd, like. Need him?

[she hopes she doesn't look or sound as apprehensive as she feels]

video

[givehead]

(He has to give the chick credit. That's saving some serious face for an unfamiliar situation. She might not seem too apprehensive, but if she's asking that question...

He won't coddle her. It wouldn't do her any good.)

Yes, absolutely. Unfortunately, this is a violent world. There are people here who have never even gotten into a single fist fight let alone had to deal with something that actively wants to kill them.

(He's not...going to...totally call her out...But you know. He's staring very pointedly at the camera. He could be completely wrong here, but!)

It's a dangerous place.

(CW: drugged driving, cannibals)

[thisislife]

[she was always the serious one in the family. Cassie dreamed of love and Lexi was the one with her feet firmly planted on the ground.

now more than ever, maybe?]

Okay...well, I guess now's my time to admit that I, too, have never been in a fist fight. Not even in grade school.

[she's not going to mention the number of times she had to ride in a car with her dad when he was doped to the gills as being in mortal danger. even though she probably was]

Like, how dangerous? "Cannibal Holocaust" dangerous or "Return to Boggy Creek" dangerous?

video; un: natsume.takashi

[natzoom]

[...hm. Very interesting. Plenty of people seem to have offered care already, and Natsume isn't really much of a grown-up himself, so he probably can't assist much. Still:]

Do you know how long it'll last? The -- "splint".

video

[givehead]

Until it dies or until I permanently die, perhaps. (Though he's not sure about that one either. Still, it's a decent theory.) Or I suppose if I blink out of existence.

Video

[natzoom]

[That gets, if possible, an even more disapproving frown.]

You seem very unconcerned about that.

text; un: van dine

[thewhydunnit]

[All of this is honestly a lot. Not because of the child-shaped nature of the entity being sent out to fight, actually, but the mere fact that the entity is being split off from this person's soul is setting off a number of alarm balls.]

What is your objective in creating this Piece?

text

[givehead]

(Honestly? A completely valid reaction.

Dirk's answer probably isn't going to help with those alarm bells either.)

To see if I could, mostly.

Protective urges are fairly natural and straightforward so it seemed like a good emotional basis for a self-managed entity without actual sentience.