#but I still love love Miaya and am happy to write her some more

[magioftheseas]

Potency of Memory

Summary: In which the NWP Trio discuss a few things.

Rating: G for General

Warnings: Mentions of memory alteration. Cursing. Nothing else.

Notes: So this is actually more of a “bonus scene” connected to the protag matsun au I concocted but you don’t need any familiarity with that to understand this. It’s just the NWP Trio talking about the NWP. I guess it’s a ‘prologue’ type scene and I did write it first but it just felt weirdly jarring so I took it out of the story proper. I still like what I wrote though so here it is because the NWP is super underrated and they + Usami all deserve more fics. I definitely want to write more of them.

Read this fic among others (eventually) HERE

Main story is HERE

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“In many ways, you could say that your memory is foundational in your sense of self. Those you meet and remember, your experiences, the information you retain, familiarities, that which ties together past and present, and that which also can provide a framework for the future you may pursue... All of these depend on your collective memory. It’s a powerful thing—but it’s also quite fragile, as well.” A pause, and he rests his cheek against his palm. “To play with a person’s memories, to be able to control and mold them, to adjust and cut out what you see fit—I wonder if that’s akin to playing God.”

Well. I say all that... But it doesn’t really matter, does it? I’ll still continue this path, regardless of what I have to do.

There’s no answer. Gekkogahara is typing away, silent and stoic as always. He’s only really talking to fill up space because this kind of silence is a bit suffocating. He sucks in his breath, gaze up on a blank, unassuming, observing ceiling.

“...Fhhhhh...”

He checks the machine, its whirling and erratic beeping. He must have configured something like this countless times by now, with the help of other scientists. He’s at the point where he understands the tech rather well, almost well enough to pursue a talent in the field.

If we can truly remove memories the way we would with unwanted data, we can store and restore them the way we would with important data as well. That’s more my goal. The ability to store and restore memories—I can finally achieve what those worthless fucks back then failed to do. I’ve already come so far. Just a little bit further. Even if I can’t bring that person back, I can make damn sure no one ever goes through what she did. And with ease.

“I-I’m here!”

Fujisaki stumbles in, clutching their laptop bag as they did. They’re doubled over and panting, and Matsuda regards them coolly.

“I, I’m so sorry,” they stammer meekly. “I was held up in, um, something... I’m so, so sorry...”

“Have you been putting the finishing touches on that AI of yours?” Matsuda asks.

“O-Oh yes! Alter Ego should be in a state where they can assist with the program... I’ve also been working on the data for an observational AI, but I haven’t decided their appearance yet...” Fujisaki hesitates. “I-I’m sorry, I tried to read up on sensei and senpai’s studies and research... But I didn’t really understand any of that at all...”

“And why would you be expected to?” Matsuda asks. “You were asked to assist on the technological front, not the medical. You probably wouldn’t be equipped to understand research that’s come from years and years of studying anyway. The brain can’t go from zero to a hundred like that.”

Fujisaki flinched, grip on their bag’s strap tightening.

“A-Aha... Right...”

“Don’t worry about it,” Matsuda said, gaze averting even as his tone remained flat as ever. “Just focus on what you’re capable of and leave the shit you’re not sure about to the other experts. You wouldn’t be here if what you had to offer wasn’t still really valuable, ya know.”

“R... Right!” Fujisaki seemed to perk up at that, taking their seat at the desk set up for them. They take out their laptop, plugging it in and humming as they turned it out. “Thank you, senpai.”

“For what, exactly?”

“I-It’s just... You’re actually a lot kinder than people say...”

“...no I’m really not.” Matsuda waved his hand. “It’s just being matter-of-fact. I wasn’t saying any of that to be nice, Fujisaki.”

“S-Still...!”

“You really should give yourself more credit, Matsuda-kun!”

Matsuda nearly jumped at the sudden voice, so sugary sweet that it was damn near sickening. There was no doubting who it was, and he grimaced.

“Sensei,” he grumbled. “Don’t fucking scare us like that.”

“I-I wasn’t really scared,” Fujisaki said softly. “I could see that Usami was active for a while.”

Matsuda fumed at that.

“Still... You really should indicate that you’re joining the conversation before jumping in...”

Gekkogahara did glance at him, and she waved at him. Matsuda’s expression only soured more.

“It’s too late to do that now.”

Gekkogahara signed an apology, but Matsuda hardly felt any remorse from her stoic face. Still, he turned away and she resumed typing. He was more irritated by Usami on his screen making sad pitiful faces at him.

“I need to work too,” he hissed, swiping at the screen to shoo her away. “Just because I’m not a tech wizard like Fujisaki doesn’t mean I’m no use at all.”

“You’re a great help, Matsuda-senpai,” Fujisaki chirps helpfully.

“A great big, SUPER help!” Usami exclaims, to Matsuda’s growing annoyance. “So hard-working! So diligent! We’re so happy to have you here! Love, love...!”

Without another word, Matsuda swiped her away once more.

“S-So cold...!” she sobbed.

“This isn’t like a group project,” he says. “It’s not the place for sentimentality or frivolities, either.”

“You’re still only in high school, Matsuda-kun...” Usami pointed out meekly as he got to work, implementing more of his research into the data. “You’re so serious. Too serious for your age, I think.”

“Sorry, I skipped the youthful years like I did grades,” Matsuda replied coolly. “But this really isn’t something we can afford to take lightly, you know. The steering committee is going to expect results, and testing it is going to be difficult considering it’s too complex for lab rats.”

“I-I can test the simulation portion!” Fujisaki spoke up, squeaking a bit. “If, um, anything happens, you can take care of it, Matsuda-senpai... I believe in you...”

“Don’t say something so fucking ominous. Yeesh. That’s bad luck.”

“O-Oh... Sorry...”

“I believe in both of you!” Usami exclaimed ever so helpfully. “You’ll both do just fine! Just have hope! Love, love!”

“Sensei, are you sure this AI is alright?” Matsuda asked. “If I had to spend several days with this thing I think I’d be traumatized in a different way. Counterproductive.”

“Shock! D-Do you really think so, Matsuda-kun?!”

“No, but you really are so annoying that I doubt your therapeutic abilities.” Matsuda shooed her off his screen again. “Oi, oi, why the hell are you bothering me so much anyway?”

“Usami helped me out,” Fujisaki murmured. “I think she can help you too, Matsuda-kun... I-If you want her to, of course...”

“Pass.” Matsuda waved his hand. “I have no need for this kind of thing. In fact, I think I’d rather die than have my memories erased. If I do get my memories erased, it’d be safe to say the world ended or something.”

“Senpai...”

“Matsuda-kun... T-That’s a little...”

“It’s just how I feel,” Matsuda said. “All that said...”

I can’t say I don’t fear this technology at least a little... But I have to keep looking forward, even if I have to forcibly discard and distort the past to do so. All that matters is achieving that future. Hope, despair, what the hell ever.

Whatever it took.

#yasuke matsuda #matsuda yasuke #chihiro fujisaki #miaya gekkogahara #Magi fics #Monomi #nwp trio #they good #I'm still not sure how dr3-compliant I want this au to be considering personal #grievances #you could say #but I still love love Miaya and am happy to write her some more #rip #protag matsun #but only nominally