Groundhogs and Holes

[ninjayeehaw]

Now I ain't too sure how many people got 'em in their worlds, but at least where I come from, we got these little critters called groundhogs.

[And he's even so kind as to provide an image!]

An' they hibernate, so they sleep through all a' winter in these big-ass burrows - they can go a couple yards deep, bit of a mess fer farmers. So when a groundhog leaves its burrow at the start a' spring an' comes outside, if'n it sees its own shadow it goes right back in its burrow and we get stuck with another six weeks a' winter.

So apparently all 'f'us are actin' like groundhogs right now.

Comments

[wildmagician]

Does that mean we're going to relive the movie too? ... now that I think about it, I think I walked the same path twice on my way to Aiya.

[ninjayeehaw]

Y'know what, I'd sure hope not. Weren't the kindest a' movies t'the protagonist.

[There's a moment's pause as he considers it properly.]

...though it ain't too dissimilar t'what we already do, ain't it? What with how we keep restartin' back here.

[wildmagician]

Seriously. I mean, there are worse movies to be stuck in, but I'd still rather avoid it.

Guess we better start thinking of a way to spend the day right, just in case. Though since this is Hermit's Liminal, I guess staying where you started works.

[ninjayeehaw]

I'm just happy it ain't Deliverance.

The holes are pretty comfy, makes it seem like we ain't s'posed t'wanna leave 'em.

[wildmagician]

I don't think I know that one.

Yeah, well, that fits the Arcana to boot. He ain't called Hermit without a reason.

[ninjayeehaw]

Bit of an old American film. Probably fer th'best.

Can't say I'm awful fond a' him, then. Ain't normally the kind a' person t'hole up like this.

[wildmagician]

I'm not either. I like being outside hanging out with friends than being holed up.

[ninjayeehaw]

Looks likely t'be a long week fer us then, huh?

[wildmagician]

This is the week that never ends...

[Yosuke sighs.]

[ninjayeehaw]

[He feels ya.]

Ain't so bad as th'weeks th'Arcana kept screwin' with us, at least. Hopefully this one'll end a right sight sooner.

[wildmagician]

Yeah, definitely. Those weeks were really annoying.

[Stupid Arcana Games or whatever those were.]

I'm Yosuke by the way. It's nice to meet you.

[ninjayeehaw]

Ain't too much appreciatin' th'Marks we got either.

[His own is just a painful reminder of how dumb he can be.]

Kinji. Much obliged.

[wildmagician]

I'm still not sure how to feel about them either.

[Whose bright idea was to put his on his damn chest, really.]

[ninjayeehaw]

[Better than from the shoulder to the elbow, can't even hide it under a white shirt]

I know Fool's a right asshole. Can't answer a question straight t'save his damn life.

[awondrousplace]

Ah. I believe that quaint American custom dates back to even my original time.

We had various poems about Candlemas, which was some religious celebration or another at approximately the same time.

Good catch, darling!

[ninjayeehaw]

[There's a bit of surprised pleasure at the compliment.] Thank y'all very kindly!

We don't celebrate it where I'm from specifically, but when I was travellin' I spent a bit a' time at a proper celebration fer Groundhog Day. Pretty good party, all in all!

[wholeheaded]

...why in the world would the sun being out indicate that winter will be longer?

[ninjayeehaw]

S'more like the groundhog's goin' back underground t'hibernate again, an' it's taking spring with it. I think.

It's just folklore anyway, groundhogs don't got no special weather powers or nothin'.

[wholeheaded]

I'd hope not, they seems kinda... not like the most intelligent of prognosticators. Funny that the Arcana would draw inspiration from this tradition.

[ninjayeehaw]

Well we don't got talkin' animals where I'm from, so that's about as smart as y'could expect from 'em.

[wholeheaded]

...okay that makes sense. Ish. You're from Earth, right?

[ninjayeehaw]

One 'f'apparently twenty or so different kinds, but yep. Me an' Right got similar versions, we both got giant robot mechas an' actual magic.

[wholeheaded]

Yeah, there's a bunch of them but I'm glad you've got someone from yours. I'm from a place called the Outer Zone or O.Z., which is sort of equivalent to the fictional Oz.

[ a pause, and then in a sort of conspiratorial tone. ] D'you know of a place called Kansas?

[ninjayeehaw]

Damn straight I do, it's almost right next t'the state where I grew up. S'where Dorothy comes from, right? [He hasn't seen the film since he was a wee thing, or ever read the original book.]

[wholeheaded]

Yes! And Dorothy slipped over to my world and founded the royal line with Princess Ozma, and a few wonky-time centuries later I'm working for one of her descendants. What a couple of funny old worlds.

[acapriciousthing]

It's certainly one of the more mundane bits of folklore they've tapped into.

[ninjayeehaw]

Hey, ain't about t'complain here. Mundane means it ain't Youkai or th'like.

[acapriciousthing]

It is refreshingly harmless.

The darting for holes gets a bit annoying though.

[ninjayeehaw]

So's gettin' landed on. Ain't so bad when they're skinny but I got concerns that someone bigger than me's gonna pat a visit eventually.

[acapriciousthing]

Have you learned to teleport yet?

[It really helps]

[ninjayeehaw]

Came in knowin' that, already done it once so far. It's more y'ain't ever quite sure when y'gotta. Probably I oughta go stick it out in th'rooms with everyone else, can't do that myself yet.