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[ Robby notices the changes in Mister LaRusso's apartment. Sure, yeah, he notices his change of appearance, the wounds receding and the clean-up of the stubble on his face that makes him look less likely to be getting drunk by a grave that sometimes shows the name of a loved one. But there's something each time when Robby goes over to visit Mister LaRusso at his place, to spot a new item he thinks wasn't there before. It's more effort than Robby himself has been putting into his living space: he gets clothes, foods, things that interest him personally, but those are shoved inside his room.

If anything is brought in to decorate the space he shares with Mob, it's by Mob, or with Mob on Robby's mind. ...though, truthfully, he doesn't really know what to get the guy to do that often. He just stuck with food: snacks, the food staples, and ready meals that hadn't been needed for a while ever since Mob got a certain friend to start cooking him dinners.

(That one will always stick with Robby. How the hell did that happen? So much for going out and trying to ~~pretend to~~ investigate this shitty city.)

But he likes the visits by themselves, with or without anything to move an eye over--seeing Mister LaRusso is a giddy excitement. He can't believe it, really, and he couldn't say what exactly it is that causes the feeling more: that Mister LaRusso is in the city too, or that he's interacting with his original sensei again. There's certainly no dividing the two points, but he does feel a dork before he even sets on the man, when he comes to his apartment door.

There's some shame too that sticks around still, but--Mister LaRusso seems happy. It doesn't appear to be all fake.

And, god, maybe he misses eating at a table with Mister LaRusso and never realised it until he got to experience it again, okay?

(How can one person being around breathe any life into this lifeless place?)

But also: talk about the most beating around the bush with kindness question. Not odd odd. Robby looks up from his pasta bowl, manages to keep the smile that draws on his lips down, for politeness sake. Swallows too, first, before: ]

The people who say they're magic, who apparently came from different worlds or from the past; the blue woman walking around, [ he's definitely seen someone blue walking around, ] or the crazy explanations everyone has?

[ Let's narrow down what odd means in here, Mister LaRusso. While also giving examples like they're a joke, but that are very real. ]

[ It's crazy how familiar it feels to sit here with his food and watch Robby sitting there at the table, seeing the boy nearly smile. Even though it's been almost a year since he was even able to have a full conversation with the boy - a conversation that wasn't just cut off phone calls and unanswered emails, that wasn't reaching out and finding nothing to take back. And even though nothing is really like the way it was last summer, there's a part of this that feels like it, or at least carries a familiar warmth.

(It's enough to make a man believe that maybe, just maybe, this is all some sort of coma dream he's having after what Silver did to him. It would explain so much. Why else give Daniel back one of the things he's longed for the most over the past year?) ]

Crazy explanations?

[ And yet somehow Daniel manages to reply in a normal way. Like the slight routine they've fallen into of eating together - sometimes like this, sometimes with Mob, sometimes with Peter - is just the way it's always been, even though it isn't.

It certainly makes Daniel feel the most normal he's felt this entire time in this city, even though the topic they're discussing is far from normal - and the way Daniel zooms in on that part of what Robby is saying makes it definitely seem like he's already experienced the rest himself too. ]

Did someone tell you their theory about what this place is?

[ He pricks some more pasta onto his fork, now properly taking a bite of it so he can listen to Robby in the meantime. ]

[ Wow, ask him the least crazy conversation topic, why don't you, Mister LaRusso. ]

Aliens. [ Of course he's going to start with aliens, with a bob of his head, his fork pointed up. ] This is a test to see what we'll do. A simulation, we're all dead... the city's alive and bringing us all to it.

[ Delivered, with the absolute respect each of them deserve: none. ...okay, maybe they could be given more, but Robby isn't going to list off the likelihood of each one from the get-go. He wants to put them on the dinner table, so to speak, and see what Mister LaRusso does with them; if he wants to brush aside them all as a joke, or even consider any of them as a likely possibility.

Which ones, what he's been thinking. Even add the question, with a casual approach: ] What's your theory?

[ A good way of cutting off Robby being asked his, first. ]

[ Darnit, Robby. You just had to ask him before he could ask you, huh.

It'd be one thing if it was any other question - but it's this one, of all things. A question neither of them - no, no one in this entire city, honestly - has a real answer to. Because all of that sounds incredibly unlikely, and Daniel isn't even willing to really entertain half of those with a thought or two, but..

Well, it's clearly that something is off about this place. ]

It seems a little too strange to just be a mass kidnapping, right? Though someone saying it's aliens..

[ He tries to keep his own tone light too, shaking his head like the idea of it being aliens is somehow funny, even with the faint raw edges to it where his voice is still fully recovering - but there's something a little more to Daniel's expression that betrays the man has been struggling with thoughts about the reason for this situation.

Especially when his last encounter back home left the poor man so paranoid.

There's a slight pause, like he's thinking about something in particular, and then speaks up again after swallowing a small bite of pasta. ]

Were you also asked questions? Back in the train?

[ Don't call it mass kidnapping when Robby's on the side of it being a mass kidnapping, sensei..............

Robby wouldn't mind giving voice to his opinions; once he's got the joking out of the way, acknowledging how bizarre and ridiculous anything they come up with before treating the topic somewhere close to sincerely. But Mister LaRusso's switching over to something else--a topic he's never really giving much thought about, and that takes him a second to now as he stabs a few pasta pieces onto his fork. ]

The survey? Yeah. It asked me something about fish and a language and display name.

[ So Robby remembers. And honestly, if Mister LaRusso was to ask, he wouldn't even be sure about the fish part.

Sorry, but this is what happens when you don't take a dumb stupid survey seriously.... ]

.. a fish?

[ Of course that's what he's going to ask about. Because Daniel sure remembers having to enter a display name and picking a language too - just about the only things he could do before the panic of the situation and his state truly set in - but he doesn't remember anything about a fish.

And since the other questions are stuck in his mind so clearly with how hard they hit him, he's pretty sure his didn't say anything about a fish.

It's strange enough that - for a moment - he forgets to move some more pasta to his mouth, his fork instead lowered as he stares at Robby across the table, some mix of concern and confusion in the angle of his eyebrows. ]

Why would it mention something about a fish? [ Granted, it's not like Robby would know the answer to that.. But the idea of it is so absurd that Daniel can't help but voice it anyway.

Especially when his own theory had to do with those questions being so personal, and Daniel is pretty sure he'd know it at this point - even with their time apart - if Robby had some sort of hobby involving fish. ]

I don't know, [ he admits honestly, the absurdity of it in his own voice, but more in annoyance than confusion. ] They were questions about what I would do, and there was something about being in a restaurant. I didn't answer them; I just typed something in to get it done with.

[ He told the survey to fuck off, basically, but he can't swear in front of Mister LaRusso.

But he can ask the older man, before he finally takes a bite of his own food: ] Do you know what yours said?

[ Robby can presume it didn't involve fish. ]

[ Well.. That does sound like Robby, doesn't it. Even when Daniel can already feel a small part of his mind start to spiral again at the thought of those questions, he can still recognize a Robbyism. Not that the boy won't give effort where it matters, but that last part is key here. In such a weird situation, Robby would be concerned with other things, would just dismiss them without worrying about any consequences.

But then the boy turns the question back around to him, and Daniel's actions honestly already betray a whole lot here. Just the way the man sighs after that question - making it very obvious that something is bothering him about those questions. Perhaps familiar signs, if Robby remembers them from a year ago, whenever Daniel seemed to be troubled about something.

(Even if an initial lack of students turned out to actually be the least of his problems, considering what was all to come after that.) ]

Yes, I remember. [ There's something vaguely reluctant in his voice, unsure whether he should share this with Robby. He wants to be honest with the boy - especially after everything - but.. opening up about stuff? Nuh-uh?

He figures maybe it's safe if he just sticks to the facts here. If he tries to keep his feelings out of it. Robby shouldn't have to deal with the mess that his pit of emotions still is after everything.

Daniel looks down at his plate, though he mostly seems to be poking at the pasta, rather than actually eating any of it for the moment. ]

It asked me about my kids getting injured.

[ And about what happens when people make him angry.

That'd feel even worse to bring up in front of Robby of all people. ]

[ Oh.

Oh.

There's no sudden realisation to something he was missing--but all the same, Robby realises how Mister LaRusso's questions probably had reason to sit with the man better than his own did. He doesn't remember his because they were too stupid to be worth remembering; Mister LaRusso remembers his because they tapped into something personal.

Robby swallows down the pasta in his mouth, drawing in his lips to lick them with his tongue. Looking over at the man, taking a moment to consider his words before he speaks. ]

Maybe it figured you were a dad, or old enough. Mine weren't like that--they were really random. [ And he feels he needs to share that, just to contrast clearer the differences between what they received.

But it might help to ask, ] You asked anyone else what they got?

[ Did anyone else get questions that touched close to home? Robby's never really asked. ...considering his selection. ]

[ There's a slow nod, Daniel look up from his pasta again to actually look over at Robby when he speaks up again. ]

A girl told me she got questions about her mother. [ Though she didn't specify what exactly about her mom - so maybe they could have been more general, like Robby's.

Maybe he should've asked if she was close to her mom, but that felt like a little bit too much to ask from a random teenager you don't even know. ]

.. then again, Shigeo told me that he got questions about his spouse. [ There's a tug at Daniel's lips. Not quite a smile, since his thoughts are still all jumbled, but maybe something to show Robby that he understands the ridiculousness of this particular example. ] Which he clearly doesn't have.

[ You know, just before Robby gets weird ideas about how marriages work in Mob's world!! ]

Maybe it is all random.

[ And yet there's something extra to the man's voice as he says it. Clearly Daniel has a hard time fully believing in it, even as he's voicing this out loud. ]

[ Robby can tell it isn't comforting to believe--that if it was, Mister LaRusso would already be settled on that, and not bringing up the topic over their pasta. Hearing Mob's (Shigeo-- should he call him Shigeo around Mister LaRusso?) question at least makes Robby figure there has to be some random element to it.

And his own. Though he really can't remember very well what the hell he got.

It takes Robby a second to decide if to leave the topic there, but, when a sensei is looking as pitiful as he is over there (even if he's trying with that smile): ]

They're safe. [ Robby gives a better, more reassuring smile from where he sits. ] I mean, the first people who showed here go a party thrown for them, we're dealing with spooky events left and right, and if they really wanted to threaten us, they would've done better than a picture of us in a bank.

[ It's weird, and not everyone was happy about their items, but still. ]

I don't think they're gonna bother going after our families when they have a hundred people to deal with here.

[ The man recognizes a reassurance when he sees one. Something about it feels a little shameful, that Robby is the one reassuring him when it should be the other way around, when Daniel is the adult here, the sensei, even without karate involved.

But the shame doesn't come without a nice side to it too. Daniel has always thrived on the words of others, ever since he was young, and something about this feels vaguely familiar. Even if things shifted between the two of them, it's not entirely dissimilar to the effect Robby's smile had on him even a summer ago. When starting up the dojo seemed so hard, and felt like it came with more setbacks than steps ahead-- but something about seeing Robby's smile, a hopeful edge of that reflected in Robby's face even now, makes it feel so hard to give up. To slide back to his state from before he met the boy again here.

So even though Daniel isn't so sure if the truth behind those words, he feels touched by them all the same, making his smile a little bit wider as he actually starts eating again, chewing and swallowing pasta between sentences. ]

I guess all we can hope for is to find a way out of here soon, huh?

[ So they can go back and make sure their families are alright. Daniel knows he's not the only one worried - knows that Robby must at least have thought about his mom, maybe even about Johnny, if the two of them really made up. ]

Though over a month without any signs of what could be doing on here or being told why we're even here is a little concerning.

Do they want more people? [ That's the only explanation Robby can think of, and if more of them are coming here each month, then that's at least the one consistent action being taken. Plus, the random buildings (or building?) opening up. ]

They put all this effort making a city in the first place. [ And what a city it is. Everything about it is unsettling, but what's maybe more unsettling is questioning how it functions. Crossing a line that seems nonsensical, and Robby hesitates for a second, waving his fork ever so slightly.

He looks over at Mister LaRusso. ]

...do you think magic's got something to do with it?

[ He'll cross it. ]

[ And what a line it is.

Though at least it's much less personal of a line, which makes it - ironically enough - a little easier to talk about. Sure, it's a lot more ridiculous to even think about, but at least Daniel doesn't have to think about his kids getting hurt while considering this.

He'd rather just come across as ridiculous, honestly. ]

I'm not sure.

[ On one hand, magic is just.. not supposed to be a thing.

On the other hand, it kind of feels like they're trapped in some sort of scenario that seems like the first phase of a horror movie come to life. ]

But.. some people here seem to have something that's like magic. [ Daniel gives Robby a half-apologetic smile, like he's trying to say 'I know this sounds dumb, but I don't know how else to think about it.' Surely Robby will understand, right. ] One of the doctors that helped me, a woman-- She just touched my head and my throat and it started hurting less after a few moments.

[ Look, Daniel may not have gone to college, let alone studied medicine, but he's pretty sure that's not the way it's supposed to work. Maybe when you've got an ache involving muscles, but not when your entire throat has been pulverized by someone. ]

[ Honestly, what Mister LaRusso's describing sounds like what people would try to say about certain doctors or massage-people--about how their treatments help to cure ailments better than the mainstream medicines, that kind of thing.

Even Robby's caught by his suspicious nature to disbelieve Mister LaRusso's experience, putting aside the very reason they're talking about it in the first place. But then he remembers, eases on the judgment. Mister LaRusso wouldn't get it mixed up, right? ]

I thought it had to be people with a lot of money, [ he'll admit. ] Putting together a whole city and no one else is in it? But some of the stuff... I mean, if people are really from different worlds, that's--

[ Magic? Extraordinary? He's not like a certain geek who'd be into this kind of scenario, easily willing to divulge in the subject. Instead, he leaves the implication up in the air, continues on after a pause. ]

They could tell us already what they want.

[ Continuing, by ending on a 'this is really annoying and bullshit and slow' note. Because they're verging on going around in circles on the topic, and that's really the big problem presented. They don't know why this is happening.

And that's more rude than just kidnapping them. Like, really?? ]

[ Thank you for not dismissing an old man's opinion, Robby. It's something Daniel actively realises too - just how insane the things he's saying here sound. If it wasn't for his own experiences, he wouldn't believe it either. But somewhere between the people who plainly seem to come from different times and don't even know what cars are and his odd healing experience..

There has to be something more going on here, even if he's not sure how or what.

Or why. Like the point Robby is addressing here. ]

How long has it been for you, Robby? [ Daniel only now realised he never asked - instead just assumed Robby had been here just as long as him, that they only missed each other for that amount of time somehow. ] A little over a month, right?

[ He'll wait for a moment for the answer, but it also seems to be a thoughtful pause, the man's eyebrows knitting together as he admits to his thoughts. ]

If they had a purpose they wanted to share with us, surely they would already have told us in that amount of time, right?

[ It's a bit of a pessimistic thought, and Daniel looks appropriate guilty to say it, never wanting to drag down a kid's spirit.

(Though, let's be real - Robby is a lot more cynical than him in some ways to begin with, even if Daniel has such a rose-coloured view of the boy.) ]

[ A little over a month. Robby nods with that question ~~since we both knew what would be the answer~~, a small 'yeah' to accompany it. But it's true that Mister LaRusso's conclusion doesn't really ruin Robby's spirits, since even with that said: ]

This's been going on going three months now. They're not gonna say 'til they're ready. If it's a test, they don't wanna botch the results that easy.

[ Don't tell people something is a test if you want their natural reaction--even if some of them are making choices believing this is all a test, or that they're being watched. Robby can understand that, even if he's uselessly griping.

He pokes at the pasta with his fork, not in a disinterested manner, but distracted before he figures to share: ] Really, the problem isn't them not talking... it's not knowing how to get out. People can do magic, but they're saying it's not as strong as it should be. And this place can make us forget things, or turn us around?

[ ...but now Robby feels bad, sharing that. He looks down at his pasta before stabbing into some of it, looking back over at Mister LaRusso sheepishly. ]

Bummer topic.

[ Sorry, sensei. ]

[ Daniel easily shakes his head. ]

It's fine. [ There's even a smile on his lips as he says those words. He understands the sentiment Robby is expressing there at the end, after all - especially when a lot of Daniel's own thoughts about this have felt so useless, like going around in circles and not finding out a single new thing.

But that's why he wants to show Robby it's okay. Robby's still so young - it's good if there's an adult to show him that it's okay to talk about things, to try and share feelings. ]

I know there's not much we can do about this place. [ UNFORTUNATELY.. Though Daniel sure wishes that was different too, since he's still very worried about Amanda and the kids - maybe even hoping they don't find out he's missing so soon, hoping that they're still away from the Valley on their trip. It might be the one upside to the argument he and Amanda had, if it's keeping her safe and away from Silver while he's stuck here. ]

But.. at least we've got each other while we're stuck here. All we can do is make the best of it. [ There's a slight edge to his expression, as if to suggest 'I know it's not necessarily easy or comfortable', but then he faintly shrugs. ] Have you had anything to focus on here that makes you feel a little better?

[ Something to focus... he tugs his lips aside, thinking about it. Nothing really feels like much (in reality, finding Mister LaRusso and having him around is what's made a big impact in his life here), but-- ]

I go to the gym with Mob, [ he answers...unenthusiastically, though he's sure to add: ] He was training to get stronger back home, and he's pretty committed to keeping it up here.

[ ...really, that guy just...manages to seem so content. Easygoing. What a guy. ]

And, uh... I mess around with the network? [ It's a weak follow-up, and again, he looks sheepish again, for entirely different reasons than the bummer topic previous. ] I dunno, what about you? There isn't a lot to do in this place. It's not even fun having free access to all the stores.

[ And by free access, he means free goods. ]

[ Robby, please don't say stealing isn't fun when you can just take stuff this easily--

Daniel understands the sentiment, though. Basically everything Robby expresses here. It's already really devoid of activities in this place for Daniel, so he can only imagine how much worse it must be for younger people, who are used to being even more active. ]

I've been helping out some kids. [ Daniel admits - something in the way he smiles faintly seeming to imply you know me, considering that's exactly what he did back home with Robby, unable to resist the call of a child who needs a responsible adult in their lives. ] It's pretty concerning to me that so many are here without their parents.

[ Robby included, though Daniel is - now he and Robby have made up - very much willing to consider himself as Robby's Designated Responsible Adult, which is more than most kids here have. ]

So I've just.. been doing this. Cooking for them, bringing meals over, checking in on them to make sure everything is alright.

[ Robby tries to think about it, how many younger people has he seen compared to older, and it seems enough of a mix. Maybe the ratio doesn't matter more than Mister LaRusso's character coming through -- you know me, indeed.

It's that latter reason that stops Robby from questioning it, even just curiously. But he does scoff lightly, waving his fork up. ] Not a fan of the magical restaurants?

[ Imagine, being able to get whatever-you-want-food....and being thwarted by a dad man.

(Not that Robby's eager for the restaurant food, either.) ]

[ Daniel glances up from his food, staring over at Robby with an expression that perhaps isn't full on shocked or terrified, but there's definitely something about the man's widened eyes that indicates surprise. ]

.. have you been eating there, Robby?

[ On the one hand.. Even if Daniel didn't think about it yet, it would have been logical. Robby is still young, and it's not exactly like he found the boy cooking his own meals when he picked him up from his mother's apartment.. (Though it would've been hard to cook there anyway, considering the circumstances.)

But still, to eat odd magically appearing food--

Daniel doesn't really trust those restaurants, hence why there's the faint threat of upcoming fussing in his tone. ]

No. [ The answer is immediate--not hurried, but by the way Robby's nose wrinkles with his reply, yeah, he doesn't think much about that idea. ] I stuck with ready meals. It creeps me out.

[ The restaurant thing, he means--which, clearly, he isn't a fan of it either. The way he doesn't even really like to think about it, his voice dipping. Brief, and while it doesn't really help anything to point out: ]

...everything else could be showing the same way.

[ He looks down at his bowl, and though Mister LaRusso obviously cooked it himself, there's still the ingredients involved. Though, clearly both of them have a preference next to a meal appearing right in front of them.

...it's still a possibility. ]

[ The man's lips tightly press together for a moment. There's relief in the fact that he and Robby seem to be on the same wavelength when it comes to the meals in the restaurants - it's nice in a way that makes you feel normal, that makes you feel connected to something, even here - but there is the other point Robby is putting forward here.

One Daniel can't fully deny. ]

At least this way there's a human touch to it. [ Even if it changes nothing about the ingredients. But it did make the difference as to a meal Daniel can't even touch because it gives him the creeps and meals he at least feels a little more comfortable eating, when it all passed through his own hands.

He pokes with a fork at a piece of pasta before putting it in his mouth, chewing and swallowing it. ]

I helped a boy who was trying to stake out one of the stores to see how they were being resupplied, but it was no good. Nothing actually restocked or reappeared while we were watching.

[ Robby doesn't argue Mister LaRusso's point--even internally, it's one of those helpless facts about the place. There's no alternative than to rely on the resources, even if they're kept to a minimum. Food is essential, and if he was eating anything, he'd rather it be Mister LaRusso's cooking.

...even if he doesn't really feel put off by the frozen foods, either. Both options are way better than the restaurants.

The information the older man shares is interesting though--mainly, the idea of him staking out one of the stores. He's not surprised by the actual key part about it, since: ]

I heard that's normal. No one catches anything--things just happen, even to people. You heard about someone getting cuffs put on them? [ Robby doesn't know the details too well (what was the 'crime', even?), but it's a better option to bring up than...well....the murder thing.

He sticks his fork in, down to the last few pieces of pasta, almost dismissive in his tone as he admits, ] I thought they had to do something to our heads to make us miss how anything happens--restocking stuff, making food appear?

[ Ah, he can also share, pointing his pasta-skewed fork at Mister LaRusso: ] Me and some guys went down into the tunnels. That thing happened, where we got turned around.

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