✿ Investigating time

[upcard]

[The voice that prods at everyone is so quiet and tentative, it's probably pretty easily ignored, even despite being a voice in everyone's heads. Mai's just that bad at this psychic network thing.

She's trying, though.]

U-um... excuse me, everyone... Er, everyone that can hear me...

[focus, Mai]

I-it's just...does anyone know what we're supposed to be doing? I mean, everyone's wearing such spectacular masks and costumes, but... it's a little lonely...not being able to tell who everyone is...

[You're rambling, Mai.]

Ah! I don't want to take up too much of your time, everyone...I was just wondering... and if there's anything I can do, I definitely want to do my best...! Is it important to figure out who's who...?

...Thank you...for listening.

[She just feels a little alone, with everyone masked and hidden as they are.

ooc: this is a totally open psychic network post, feel free to use it to communicate about identities or what-have-you!]

Comments

[fridgeninja]

That isn't what I mean at all. I don't really focus on hope like that, but hope is important. So I'm pleased you're with us.

[upcard]

Ah...

[...]

I'm sorry, I didn't... um, thank you... [She feels a little awkward--she hadn't meant to come across as accusing.]

I'll...do my best to be helpful, then.

[fridgeninja]

I'm sure you will be.

You're welcome.

[flatteries]

[ Technically that would give them the same problem.. Considering his experience during the last Jaunt was far from pleasant. But it's also far from Inigo to admit any of the sort. ]

About who you are now? [ But regardless of what problem he might be assuming she's having, he still sounds as pleasant as ever. ]

Why, that does not seem like a very difficult thing to worry about! You are you, is that not enough?

[upcard]

[But who is Mai? She's heard too often from her childhood friends "aren't you going to do this?" "why aren't you doing this?" that she knows she's not the person she was before, now that her memories are gone.

She's someone else entirely, and she doesn't know who that someone is.

But for Inigo, she musters up a smile, because she knows that it transmits through the mindlink.]

Ah... that's right. You're right. I'm me... so that's enough. Thank you, Inigo-san. And, um...for agreeing to teach me how to dance, too.

[undefine]

That would seem like a reasonable conclusion. [He nods.] They do appear to hold an incredible significance to these people, especially if they've gone so far as to invite us to participate.

[Saitou absolutely agrees with what's been said about the dancing, yet there is clearly something absent from his words. If dancing is so important, why isn't he doing it...?! He hasn't even bothered to give an excuse.]

I wonder if that is really all that is expected of us here.

[tailforbrains]

[She's so cute and funny. Neeshka tries not to let her amusement come over the network, but she's not great at that sort of thing, so some of it does.]

Good to know. It's not like it's an uncommon insult where I come from. The horns and all.

[upcard]

[... when he says it like that, he makes it sound so easy.

She hesitates for a moment, watching the dance floor, and then she can't keep it in anymore--she blurts it out:]

I can't dance, Saitou-san!

[useless again]

[upcard]

Oh, but...

[That's still so rude.]

You don't deserve anything like that...! I mean, um, your appearance is really...unique, but I don't think it's goatlike at all!

[tailforbrains]

Obviously you don't have a thing against tieflings, unlike most of the world where I come from. I get a lot of names like that.

[She makes it sound off-hand and quite normal, as if it doesn't bother her at all. And really, for the most part, it doesn't.]

[upcard]

Um, no...

[...???]

I'm sorry that you have to go through that... though--I've never heard of tieflings.

[flatteries]

[ At least the fact that she still sounds a little hesitant doesn't go entirely over his head.. he can't help but wonder how much of that is just Mai being Mai and how much of it is a legit problem. He doesn't want to dig too deep right now, but.. ]

It is no problem.

[ He's actually glad to be able to help her! And then maybe he can make her feel a little more comfortable as well. ]

Let's meet up after the dance is over. I will make sure you are well prepared for the upcoming ones.

[upcard]

[And despite the discussion and how entirely uncertain it makes her, that much is enough to flood her with relief. She's been trying very hard to not make it obvious just how isolated and lonely she feels right now, but the truth is that between the masks and the jaunt itself, she's felt lost and adrift from day one.

So there's quite a bit of relief in her immediate response--]

Mm! Okay! Thank you very much...!

[tailforbrains]

We're part demon, part human. Or elf, or dwarf, or whatever.

[undefine]

[asldfkjh Mai...

Her sudden declaration takes him by surprise, but only for a moment. He instinctively reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder to help calm her down. It must really stress her out if she reacted in such a way, but the last thing he wanted to do was cause a scene.

When Saitou speaks, his voice is calm, but still level, like her outburst hadn't even happened at all.]

Have you ever tried?

[There's no signs of potential judgement or anything in his question—it's just genuine curiosity about what her problem might be.]

[knightceties]

Ehhhhhhhhhhh? Then, what as it that you wanted to practice...?

[upcard]

Oh...! [de...mon...??]

I had no idea... [But really, Neeshka is Neeshka.] But you're still Neeshka-san, so...you're still a friend.

[upcard]

[She hesitates. And when he puts a hand on her shoulder, she does quiet down, shoulders slumping a little. But she drops her gaze as well, fingers twining together awkwardly.]

... I don't remember.

[But she doesn't want to try, and find out that she hadn't, and make a fool of herself on the dance floor when it's so important. She doesn't want to compromise everyone's identities.

Amnesia's a bitch.]

[upcard]

I... I just want to learn how to dance...!

1/2

[knightceties]

Ohhhhh, I see, I see! Ahaha...

2/2

[knightceties]

...Sorry, I don't know how to dance either!

[undefine]

[Ah, of course. It isn't too difficult, then, for him to see why she might not have tried it here, either. If she was unfamiliar with it, she might fear trying and making a mistake. Saitou was the kind of person who preferred to be thoroughly familiar with things before he tried his hand at them, so something like that, he could understand.

That wasn't his only reason for not trying, though. He was also just plain stubborn.

He shakes his head.]

It's alright. You would not be the first to be unfamiliar with it. [Like, you know. Himself. But it's embarrassing to admit so his response is kind of vague.] I'm sure that it would not be difficult to find someone to teach you, if you are interested in learning. However, I doubt that one or two people being unable to participate will affect the ceremony as a whole.

1/2

[upcard]

Wha--

2/2

[upcard]

[...........]

Ah.... I understand... I'm sorry for bothering you, then.

[knightceties]

It's fine, it wasn't like I'd mentioned it or anything.