✿ Investigating time

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[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

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[There, there, Inigo...she's tiny, it'll definitely look natural enough like that.]

It's true... I guess it's a chance for everyone to try to...be someone different, right?

[Maybe she should try that too... Maybe.]

[flatteries]

[ Inigo is sure taking that opportunity, but he's not going to say it to Mai's face.. or.. well, to her thoughts, considering their current channels of communication. Especially not since it's not like he wants to let other people know he's shy or actually often really hurting a lot, whoops..

So instead he focuses on-- ]

Have you ever thought about it, Mai?

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Eh? Thought about--

[Oh...about being someone else... no, she got her fill of that when she hopped worlds and timelines and was someone else.

Instead, she sounds even more uncertain when she responds.]

No, I... [...] I think I...still need to worry about who I am now... [Which she is happy to allow him to think is because of the Jaunts messing with their memories.]

[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?

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[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.

[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.

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[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...!