#when they are pocketed vs when released. i went with this cause sluggish mahito unable to really process his own thoughts unless he's out

[distortedkilling]

In the space between the physical world and the curse user's mindscape, erebus reigns supreme. Every curse collected is spun like thread on the wheel, until one is plucked from the primordial soup to be afforded a physical form again.

And for the first time since capture, it was Mahito's turn.

Violet eyes watch idly as the seams take shape — and the second there's enough curse to manipulate, Kenjaku lifts a palm and swipes at thin air, forcing it to alter its shape. There's a box in the room, one brimming with cursed energy that alludes to treasured content. And it has a lock. Clearly, one that needs to be unlocked with cursed energy, as well.

' Key, Mahito. ' It's with utter nonchalance that 'Geto-kun' gives the command, as if he didn't absorb this one's very essence and blatantly use his technique a mere few days ago.

( cursed verse cursed verse )

@saiakv cursed verse! cursed verse! cursed verse!

If one were to ask Mahito what it was like to be broken down and reduced to a tangible core version of himself - he could give a thorough description. Yet the moment it was done with things changed from horrifying to absolute silence. The world may as well have been gone like all of his senses. There was no feeling anything, no hot nor cold or physical sensations. He felt adrift and barely coherent - what humans may describe as drowsy. Unable to be cognitive and awake, but also unable to just sleep.

And his awareness lingered on. Was this because he was so sentient? A special grade instead of a curse that was a little less self-aware? It was hard to think. Every thought felt so slow and unusual compared to the speed he had been living at before his loss. Processing would take forever in here and yet these stray and disjointed thoughts, accompanied by feelings he hadn't even begun to acknowledge, kept surfacing to the forefront of his mind.

Adrift in still water that was the same temperature as himself, that could barely be felt.

Until everything came rushing back in an instant. This body of his didn't need air and yet he inhaled sharply all the same as if having been pulled from the very water he had been submerged within. It took a second for him to register that was actually more accurate than he initially felt.

It may have been the first time Mahito ever was still since his birth. Everything came rushing back, fully coherent and aware of what had happened. The change of scenery certainly confirmed it, too. But even more-so, he could feel Geto's presence. It was louder than before. No longer was it just him sensing the other casually, it felt like the curse user was ingrained into him - carved into him permanently.

When time stopped, he has only just barely coherent. If given time to process, he would have greeted Geto in a manner that was far more fun and understanding of all that transpired. Not now, though. That flight instinct was still strong within his soul and the sudden awareness of being present again altered that into something more dangerous for the moment. Something nearly feral.

Fight.

Mahito immediately launched himself at Geto without a word, without even a sound. Eyes wide as he swiped his hands for the curse user without thought. In his soul he may not have been consumed by hatred for Geto but his body still felt it, felt some manner of hate for what it just experienced. An animal that had just been cornered was now lashing out, eventually he'd get tired by how overwhelming this all was.