Trump-Talk

[someonetocarry]

So somebody wanna tell me where the Trumps were hidin' this Jaunt? My other self in there was kinda on the sidelines of whatever action went down, given the whole havin'-a-baby thing, and I don't remember talkin' to anythin' that might fit a Trump in disguise.

[Little does she know... still, it's a place to start the conversation for various interested parties, right? Including herself. Because she's not actually even sure which Trump marked her.]

Comments

[wholeheaded]

...I believe I interacted with the Fool. This was also at a shrine. Could be one of our observers.

[solvethepuzzle]

[The fourth being the Fool? Hm.] You're one of the Fool's, correct?

[Educated guess based on how things went in that ill-fated battle against the Trumps.]

[wholeheaded]

I'm mine, thanks, he just did some decorating.

[ which is to say "yes." ]

[solvethepuzzle]

[Same difference. Near's just kind of rude. And continues on without commenting on the response. It's confirmation; that's all he needs.]

Were you asking for guidance at the shrine, or were you just taking shelter there?

[wholeheaded]

[ and Ambrose is such a Fool guy it makes sense, plus the the mess of you-mean-Misery-cordia and it's a safe conclusion to jump to. anyway. ]

[ ...actually he's not sure how much of this he wants out in the open on the network so hedging it is. ]

I'd caught that Trumps were interfering with worship at the shrines and figured I'd see what would happen if I tried communicating. I'm already marked so there wasn't much risk, I don't think.

[solvethepuzzle]

[He sees that as a reasonable enough risk, surprise, surprise.]

So while it's possible the Fool was one of the observers, it could just have been your connection to him that allowed the communication.

[wholeheaded]

That's entirely possible. But... I said at the outset we'd been to this world before, and from appearances that had been his jaunt. Maybe not his part of the playing field but a close enough neighbor that he'd take an interest.

[solvethepuzzle]

This is true. The Fool is a better candidate to be an observer here than most.

[wholeheaded]

Exactly. I d sorta figured that maybe the preexisting connection would... maybe amplify reaching him, if he was near. For science or something.

[ lalala his reasons are his own. ]

[solvethepuzzle]

What did he say to you?

[wholeheaded]

Nothing in words, just... sorta let me know he was listening. [ a little pause here. ] I did ask how he was and got some impressions that were similar to his card picture thing. The open spaces and bag-on-a-stick especially.

[howexciting]

[Leonardo suddenly clambers onto the Network.]

Which world? The Labyrinthine Shoals?

[wholeheaded]

Yes, sort of. We were in a region of En Zhenming my... counterpart was only familiar with because of how much he did not want to end up there. Can't say I blame him.

[howexciting]

It is said that four were in this Jaunt. Two participating, two observing. We know the Empress was observing, as she has marked Zoe. Tower and Judgment appear to be the two participating.

So that leaves one to observe, and the most likely candidate is the Fool, since he was found in the Shoals, which is part of the world in which En Zhenming resides.

Also, Zoe mentioned pirates... and we were being chased by a Navy ship back then, at the Shoals, so there is no doubt in my mind those ships were full of upstanding citizens.

[wholeheaded]

Yeah, he... didn't see entirely active, I'm not sure he'd have even made an appearance if I hadn't prompted it. Observation seems likely.

I was pretending to be a repentant ex-pirate for most of the jaunt but other than that... I didn't really have much contact with all that, sorry. It was a fluid situation.

[howexciting]

When has he ever been active? [The words are a little bitter, honestly. And you can practically see the eyeroll from here.]

I understand. Thank you for sharing, regardless.

[wholeheaded]

You're welcome, and fair point. Not that I really want him up in my business any more than he already is, but I think he's more interested in the journey itself than in us.

[howexciting]

That, I am unsure about. The Trumps may have different parameters, but they are playing the same game, after all.

[wholeheaded]

Right. Our guy is just... well. What he's been.Is inscrutable an accurate word?

[howexciting]

As accurate and unbiased a word as any I could use. Perhaps more so.

[tailforbrains]

... aw man, really? I didn't get to talk to him. What'd he say?

AGES LATER

[wholeheaded]

Well he didn't really say anything, if that's any consolation. It was mostly just his presence making itself known.

[ vague that up some more, Ambrose. ]

[tailforbrains]

Then, er, how did you know it was even him...? Did your mark, like, glow or something?

[wholeheaded]

[ oh dear gods. ]

...back on the Grid, he tou-- I felt what it was like to touch him. Papery and sorta hollow? I felt that again.