Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters

Robert McCay

"Ah! Good mornin', Miss Kuro. Yer mighty good at sneakin' up on me..."

"Not that I'd ever turn down the pleasure of yer company, a'course! How are you holdin' up?"

Classic Robert, polite as ever. He set aside the book and held up the in-progress page of lines-- on closer inspection, they seem to be arranged in groups of five.

"Me, I'm a desperate musician in desperate times. I am... attempting to draw up some staff paper in case the muse takes me. Only ruler I could find was one a' them floppy rubber ones they make ya use in elementary school, so..."

Emmy | Akemi

How Akemi managed to sneak up on anyone in her heels was anyone's guess. Perhaps she simply had such a delicate step compared to others that she was quiet by comparison. She certainly didn't stomp around like Tatsuko, after all.

"I am holding up about as well as anyone in my position. My headache has refused to subside, but I at least have the full use of my arms unlike some. They will simply have to try harder, if the wardens' goal is to break me with whatever this torture is."

She raises an eyebrow at the impromptu sheet music.

"Was there no lined notebook paper in the warehouse? Or would the spacing of those lines have been insufficient?"

Robert McCay

"Ah, yes, you were one a' the fergiven ones…" Robert knew nothing of her supposed crime, he realized, but it couldn't be that bad if the wardens had taken it easy on her, right? "So they gave y'all headaches instead a' the voices? Honestly, I'd rather take the voices-- but I guess I'm, hah, an unusual case?"

He's still coming to terms with that whole thing. And whatever was causing the "intruder" voices in his head was amplifying the ones already there, too… His muse was currently playing rhyme games with the ends of his sentences (unusual case, a rocket to space, a horse in that race, all over the place) which definitely wasn't helping him focus on the conversation. He shook his head a little, trying to settle the racing thoughts.

"Yes, there was some notebook paper, but even college-rule isn't quite thin enough for my likin'. And I don't like brainstorming lyrics on lines anyway. Feels like bein' fenced in."

Emmy | Akemi

Akemi rolls her eyes a bit. Not at Robert necessarily, mostly at the ridiculousness of this 'punishment.'

"Oh, no, we also have to endure these unwelcome voices. Only, instead of telling us how wrong and horrid we are, the voices are a deafening chorus of 'you didn't have a choice' or 'you did what you had to.' Hence, the headache."

She sets her tray down on a nearby table and pours herself a cup. It at least helped a little.

"It feels as though I am standing in an auditorium full of people at any given moment. It almost feels like, as much as the voices are trying to sound supportive, they are doing so in an ironic way hoping to make me feel guilt."

She glances back at the paper curiously, and then to the instrument.

"It seems you were among the lucky ones to get your hands on something befitting your passion. Do you intend to write a song about our current predicament? Or are you aiming for something more escapist?"

Robert McCay

"Oh dear, that's… Y'know, I thought Mrs. Gikou seemed upset about somethin', but I didn't want t'pry-- that would explain it."

He glanced back down at the synth.

"She was the one who got this thing out of the weird warehouse machine-- she's very kindly lettin' me borrow it, though. I'd say my work tends towards escapism, but it's still gotta have that emotional core fer it t'really pay off… I dunno if I'll be writin' much of anything right now, though, I just like t'be prepared. My muse is…"

He stopped, unsure how much he wanted to say and to whom. He trusted Akemi thus far, but didn't really know much about her… on the other hand, word had surely gotten out about the Sheriff's antics, and he did still care somewhat about her impression of him. Better to be upfront than risk an unknowing encounter with… especially the Muse, oh boy. Those two would definitely not get along.

"…Well. I guess this is a conversation I'm gonna have t'have with everyone eventually, cooped up t'gether like we are… But if yer just passin' by, I'll save it fer later."

Emmy | Akemi

"Did she, now?"

She supposed both parts of that made sense. Suzune felt guilty, and had been forgiven by someone who had no right to offer said forgiveness. Having to endure affirmation regarding what she did would have surely been painful for someone like her.

The way he spoke of his 'muse' is certainly odd for Akemi. Most such situations she knew of involved self-absorbed artists relying on a singular person to fuel their artmaking, often at the expense of said person's…well…personhood. She hopes that's not the case, here.

She crosses her arms a little.

"And what conversation would that be? I had been hoping to clarify some, shall we say, unflattering rumors I have heard."

As much as gossip and complaints fueled her, and for as much as she trusted what Andrew told her, she felt it would be prudent to at least allow Robert a chance to speak for himself on the matter.

Just as he was probably imagining that Akemi was going to ask about the Sheriff incident, she instead begins with:

"So, what is this I have heard about you enlisting a group of men to seduce Bea?"

She looks at Robert sharply, clearly taking this very seriously. She isn't aggressive, not yet anyway.

Robert McCay

"Rumors? Like what--"

If Robert had had a beverage at that moment, he would've done a spittake. Instead he messed up one of the lines he was drawing.

"...WHAT? Oh my god, it was a joke. Stupid-ass idea my muse had, I thought it would get a laugh out of Mr. Suzuki, he gassed me up and it got carried away, Mr. Edgeworth got entirely the wrong idea-- he told you about this, didn't he? Hah!"

He threw his hands up defensively.

"Seriously, all I was thinkin' was I didn't wanna touch that Irish Spring 5-in-1 garbage with a ten foot pole, and it seemed like Miss Bea had some… visual preferences, so maybe we should team up 'n' ask her about it. Stupid, sure, but seduction wasn't even close to the table-- I'm gay and I have a partner already, thank y'very much." He thought back to that whole incident for a second. "…May have been on Mr. Suzuki's table, but that didn't actually go anywhere, far as I know. Anyway…"

How the hell do you segue from that? Even rhyme-master Muse was stumped. For once, Robert's head was empty for a second as he tried to figure out how to salvage the conversation.

"…I'll be honest, that's so far from what I thought you were gonna say that I don't really know where t'start. But it ain't unrelated, either?" His smile faded as he considered his next words. "I guess I'll say… how much did ya hear about, uh, what happened after my projection?"

Emmy | Akemi

Akemi listens to the explanation with a stern expression, not allowing her gaze to shift from Robert's face. She does not appear nearly as angry as she could be, yet. Overall, her demeanor resembles that of an attorney questioning someone on the stand.

"A joke."

She echoes flatly, unenthused by that as the first line of defense. There was this 'muse' talk again. Just who on earth was he referring to?

"So, this 'muse' of yours jokingly suggested to you, to suggest to Suzuki that it would be a brilliant idea. He agreed, and then the two of you decided to include Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Churchwell because they are attractive. You claim it was Suzuki who first suggested seduction. But, when the optics and implications of such a ploy were questioned, or when discomfort was expressed, it was decided the plan would forge ahead anyway, I heard."

"I hardly think it matters who I heard it from. I had the decency to approach you and ask rather than taking what I was told at face-value. I was not sent at anyone's behest. I'd like to hear exactly what was going through your mind to unite with someone like Suzuki on such a dangerous plan, especially when seduction was put on the table."

The way she doesn't even give Suzuki the same honorifics she'd give the others, even Robert might notice a certain disdain there.

That incident hadn't been on her radar, in terms of this discussion. She raises an eyebrow as it's brought up.

"I heard you had some sort of episode, following your projection, and that you were able to overcome the mental block on violence long enough to assault a warden, before you were forcibly restrained."

Robert McCay

"…Yeah that's pretty much it. Though t'be clear the actual "plan" that was executed was "smile sweetly 'n' ask Miss Bea very nicely fer separate shampoo and conditioner," and that was all that happened. Really!" And it did work, thanks to Vincent, but this felt like an extremely bad time to be a smart-aleck.

"What's yer problem with Mr. Suzuki, though? So what if he sleeps around? I dunno the feller any better than I know you, but as far as any of us 'murderers' go, he seems fine t'me…"

Unaware of the hurricane that statement might unleash, Robert went on to explain some of his predicament.

"Yes, that's… what I've heard. This might sound strange, miss, but the person who punched a warden was-- in my body, but he wasn't me. That seems t'be why he could do it in the first place."

"I've got a… couple extra guys up here in my head, y'see." He tapped on his forehead a couple times. "Didn't realize that was what they were exactly, not till I woke up tied up after the projection and the others told me what happened. Vincent called it somethin' like… 'dissociative identity disorder'? Not that I really know what that means, beyond, uh, havin' extra guys in my head. I'm still figurin' it out."

Emmy | Akemi

While it is some small relief that what 'actually' happened was not to the level she had been told, she still had some big problems here. That is, if the explanation here of what went down was truthful.

"So you were personally fine if Suzuki were to seduce Bea? Did it not occur to you that it might put all of us in a position in which quid-pro-quo is considered acceptable behavior? Certainly Bea has already been looking at all of us as though we are animals in a zoo, and perhaps the group you selected to speak with her was her 'type,' but I would not so blindly trust a group so willing to restrain and torture us to also exhibit any type of fair treatment with that on the table. Nor would I baselessly assume the others are incapable of their own kind of corruption. We're already subject to their whims with no way to fight back. Can you imagine if they accepted? Or if they decided they wanted something of that nature from someone far less able to navigate that sort of situation? It is a horrid precedent that should have been shot down immediately and unanimously."

She's watching Robert very closely here, to see how earnest any of what he's saying in response is. She has no interest in being sweet-talked out of her anger, she prefers accountability. She frowns. Indeed Robert would see a deep and burning anger when pressed about Hikaru. Almost as if he personally wronged her.

"Hikaru Suzuki is simply a horrid person. He likely lied and manipulated his way to forgiveness, despite being frankly undeserving. Men like him are among the worst kind out there. Whether or not he 'sleeps around' is far less my concern compared to the prospect of him influencing things unduly in his favor. For him to have been allowed to even suggest taking things in that direction is disgusting."

Despite her tirade, she still gives his further explanation an earnest amount of attention. It almost sounded too simple an explanation. An easy way to skirt around accountability and maintain some positive impression. A simple ploy that, if she were to challenge it, would almost certainly make herself out to be the villain. But given how incongruous that all seemed to what a guy like this could think up, she saw little reason to dismiss the possibility he was telling the truth.

"I see. And this 'muse' is one of those 'extra guys,' then?"

Robert McCay

"I mean obviously I would prefer he didn't! But I ain't his ma, either?" Robert sighed. "Look, yeah, I get it now, it was a bad idea and a'course I'm embarrassed about it, and I don't really got an excuse other than bein' stir crazy in this damn prison. I just don't want ya t'get the wrong idea about what actually went down, yeah?"

The scathing way Akemi spoke about Hikaru was starting to freak him out a little. He wasn't gonna fully go to bat for some guy he barely knew, but he'd been nothing but nice to him…

"…With all due respect, miss, have y'got, like, a source fer all this? I mean sure, he's got some 'fake bitch' vibes, but it's not like that's the end a' the world…"

At least she wasn't reacting too badly to the other news, though the careful, studied way she watched him made him feel like he was under a microscope. He tried to keep eye contact, but it was difficult.

"Er-- yes, the Muse is one a' them-- goofy lil' rascal with no filter, always yappin' about somethin' in the back a' my head. The other one I… didn't really know about 'til he came out swingin' after the projection, but he's been there, he says, just dormant fer a long time. The folks who went in my projection have taken to callin' him the 'Sheriff?' And now there's the weird prison voices on top of it all…"

"I'm still tryin' t'make sense of it myself-- but I ain't lookin' fer pity or special treatment or whatever. Just givin' you a heads-up." He scratched his chin. "Though if you do see one of the other fellers running around, I'd like t'know? Up t'this point, I thought I just had a really bad memory…"

He laughed humorlessly and pulled out another sheet of paper to convert into musical staves.

Emmy | Akemi

"I think I have a fairly clear idea of what ocurred, Mr. McCay. And while the outcome was thankfully positive with the addition of new toiletries, that is hardly the point. It could have set a terrible precident. I would urge both you and your 'muse' to exercise more caution and consideration moving forward, particularly when dealing with the wardens."

At least knowing that the most of what happened involved a simple request helped a small amount, but the whole situation still irked her.

At Robert's skepticism, Akemi's eyes seem to almost instinctively shift to the floor. The immediacy with which she does so is jarring to her, and she has to consciously make herself look back at Robert before she can continue. She clenches her jaw, and forces herself to be much calmer than she feels.

"You were not present for his projection, nor do I imagine you have inquired about his crimes. I cannot claim to know everyone's deeds here, enough to even say he is the only one, but I have reason to believe he is an assassin-- given what he said to me regarding his crime and what I saw in his projection. He reduced human life down to a price point, to kill people he has no personal reason to kill. Merely as a job, on someone else's word. That is not the sort of person I can offer any form of respect for. For his personality, we shall simply leave it at this: I know his type well."

She cannot say she has a lot of knowledge or experience by way of psychology. She has very little to say, but at least does not appear to be judging Robert for this aspect of their conversation.

"Duly noted. I will do my best to inform you if I see any untoward behaviors."

Especially if those behaviors are idiotic plans.

Robert McCay

Robert looked sufficiently cowed by Akemi's scolding as he traced more lines on the paper, though he may or may not have been holding back a sarcastic "yes ma'am"-- how old was this chick anyway? He stopped and glanced up, though, as she outlined her grievances with Hikaru. Sounded like pure conjecture, but she looked deadly serious…

"That's… quite an accusation. I mean, I ain't surprised there would be folks like that in here, bu, well…"

He'd started to say 'how the hell did you get that much from someone's first projection,' but then he remembered Kaoru's, and apparently his own, so…

"…I'd like t'hear what he's got t'say fer himself. But I'll be wary about it."

"And thank you, miss. At least til' I get a better hang a' communicatin' with 'em, it's much appreciated."

He honestly thought the "extra guys in his head" thing would be going over way worse than it had so far… But it probably helped that they ALL had voices in their head now. At least his were friendly.

"Speakin' of… You mind if I play a lil'? Just t'get some melodies outta my head and onto the page. I'll keep the volume down."

Emmy | Akemi

Seeing that Robert seemed to have recieved the message, Akemi sees no reason to press the issue any further. What her judgment of Robert is at this point remains unclear, but she at least appears far more stern than she does angry.

"Naturally. I would hardly expect to be believed by everyone on just my own account. By all means, ask him."

She doubts it will do any good. People like him are too charming. Too good at twisting things around, giving half-answers. People like her were too emotional, too unpleasant. The charming ones always come out on top. But she knew far better than to say that aloud, here.

"I'm doubtful he will tell you the whole truth, but perhaps he will be more willing to answer without being quite so smug with someone like you than he is with someone like me. I'm fairly certain my poor impression of him has left him amused, more than anything else, so I've all but dismissed the possibility that I will ever get anything from him but disingenuous drivel whilst being regarded as some mouthy plaything."

She gives a nod at Robert's thanks, finally allowing herself a sip of tea now that the worst of that conversation had seemingly passed.

"So long as this 'Sheriff' does not see fit to turn his aggression toward one of us, ideally I will not have anything of particular note to report to you."

She glances at the instrument, and opts to take a seat somewhere nearby.

"By all means. At this point, very nearly any music is better than these droning voices prattling on about my crime."

Robert McCay

"…I see."

Had Mr. Suzuki really treated Miss Kuro so terribly? Robert had a reasonably favorable impression of both of them at the moment, so he wasn't sure whose word to take just yet-- but it sounded like it would have to be one or the other, eventually. Much to think about.

Her comment about the Sheriff surprised him, though.

"Oh-- no no, that ain't his style, don't worry. He thought I was in danger at the time, y'see. He's just... tryin' to protect me."

He trailed off awkwardly, hoping she wouldn't press on that too much, and started futzing around with the knobs on the synth. The starting square wave turned into something like a moody electric piano, and he played a few chords, hunting around for a progression he liked.

"…Any requests, miss? Fer what t'write a song about."

Emmy | Akemi

Akemi would hardly blame Robert for choosing to support Hikaru-- she was more than certain she was among the very few who were overtly skeptical of him at all. She wasn't about to go on any sort of full-on crusade, she simply didn't like the guy and saw no reason not to express as much if asked. Hikaru was certainly the path of least resistance, and she was far less personable than he.

She simply nodded along to his explanation.

"I see. Well, I appreciate the forewarning. I will do my best to be mindful of the possibility."

She sips her tea and listens to the various tones and chords ringing out-- it was odd to hear music again. She was never a particularly musically inclined person, but it certainly did seem to be prevalent everywhere on the outside. To go so long without it left her realizing how strange a thing it was at all.

She raises an eyebrow at the question, not having expected to be put on the spot with a creative ask.

"Requests? I suppose if you're looking for something to inspire a song, I would not mind hearing a song about flowers."