(no subject)

[hakodate]

[There's a bit too much chaos to deal with it while the flash mob is still going, but as soon as things settle down, for some relative value of settling down, Hijikata's straight on to business.]

If this is your first jaunt: don't panic, try to blend in.

Some of our number are going to think they belong in this world. If you can hear this, then obviously, you're not one of them. Keeping an eye on our infiltrators is usually our second clue to figuring out what the hell we're supposed to be doing here.

Our first one is when we arrive in the middle of some shitstorm like this, though - that usually means something. So it's sounding like this one's got to do with... [A slight noise of frustration. This is not his wheelhouse.] Romantic shit? Valentine's Day? If any of you are experts, now would be a good time to tell the rest of us. Or if you know a lot about, I don't know, weddin-

[Actually, no, this is not how he wants to start wedding planning, he is going to cut himself the hell off there. Embarrassedly.]

We usually start by checking in, anyway, so if you're still yourself, speak up. If you've noticed anyone is definitely an infiltrator, tell us that, too; you might as well save us the trouble of saying something really goddamned stupid to them while we're trying to figure it out.

Comments

[upcard]

[She's really, really happy to be an investigator, okay. She's not entirely sure what's going on, but it's easy enough for her to blend in here compared to others, so she's....very unbothered by that much.

More importantly.

She's a young woman. A young woman who loves things most young women love.]

Eh? Did you say 'weddings', Hijikata-san? [OR WERE YOU GOING TO]

[hakodate]

[oh motherfu-----]

I didn't say anything.

[thirdarrow]

[ Interesting, interesting. ]

I am still in the right mind, so I suppose I would be an investigator.

[ And he adds as a bit of an afterthought - ]

And I have hosted weddings before, if it interests you.

[hakodate]

Don't think I've heard your voice before. What's your name?

[...god, he needs to catch himself faster, there are serious things to discuss here and now everyone's gonna...!]

...we can discuss that later.

[Don't mind the tsun.]

[solvethepuzzle]

[The slip is all-too obvious. Fortunately for Hijikata, Near has absolutely no interest in such things and thus finds it unimportant to comment on it.]

This is Near. [Or Nolan, as you'd known him previously; his mental voice is at least recognizable, as dry and flat as his physical one.] How the holiday operates is slightly dependent on the culture of the area celebrating it. At this time, I have not discerned who is Infiltrating. [He's still trying to get his bearings. The sensory output here is immense.]

I would also counsel people to not act curiously over any physical change that might have spontaneously been affected on them. It appears that such features are not uncommon here. [He is trying not to prod overly much at his new ears; it's surprisingly difficult.]

[hakodate]

[God bless you, Near.]

Physical change? What's happened to you?

[detectivewonder]

Tim Drake, checking in.

I've got cat ears. And a tail.

And the ambient light is dimmer wherever I'm standing.

[hakodate]

Sounds like the animal ears are...a normal thing. Not for everyone, but they're around.

...first I've heard about the light, though.

[fridgeninja]

I think I just saw Remy-san go by, but I'm not sure. He seemed to be about my age, and he was almost definitely a kitsune as well.

[hakodate]

Your age?

[Wow.]

[howexciting]

Leonardo da Vinci, present. I will be going by the name Leonardo Fruosino while we are here. At the Ivory Tower, they knew of my contemporaries... it is quite possible they will know of me, and I do not wish to cause a disturbance.

[... and the Trumps seem keen on giving him his father's name, whenever possible. Might as well use it now.]

I will be applying for a teaching position in the art department, if possible... something else, if not. Maybe they need someone in the sciences.

[The next part is aimed privately at Hijikata.]

A wedding, truly?

[hakodate]

Maybe I can swing something in the literature department. I sure as hell don't pass for a student.

[Bless you, Leonardo, he is much more willing to discuss this privately than in front of all and sundry.]

You know, the worst part about a psychic network is that it's so much easier to run your mouth off about shit you weren't planning on announcing yet.

[His tone is wry, but not upset, really. He'd just meant not to distract from the main issues yet, but...cat's out of the bag.]

But we probably should've done it a while ago. I'm just really good at going in circles about this crap.

[devaluates]

[Ew gross. What a way for you to ask for help like that, Hijikata... Why is Chizuru marrying him again??? This is the first he's heard of the news but somehow he's not surprised, even if a bit jealous. It makes him glad that the two of them are happy at least even if he's kind of dumb about this stuff, apparently.]

Hijikata-san is hopeless...

[No, let him start over that's gonna get him smacked upside the head.]

Doesn't it involve something like sharing a sake cup? Though, you're both terrible at drinking so that's probably out.

[hakodate]

I can think of at least five things of greater immediate concern than how well I hold my goddamned booze, Heisuke. Keep your eye on the ball.

[And by the ball he means the jaunt, not his inadvertent admission that wedding bells are in the air.]

[purseownerisme]

I guess I'm normal this time around.

[hakodate]

How normal? You got any weird shit like animal ears going on?

[shiroganeheir]

Naoto Shirogane checking in. I seem to have acquired a chattery version of my first Persona, but I'm certainly here.

I also believe I saw Ken-kun, but... older. He is usually ten or eleven.

[hakodate]

At least two people were looking younger. I guess that confirms it goes both ways.

[surveyor]

What the fuck is 'Valentine's Day'... [And how does he kill it..............] And what does it have to do with... This shit?

[Since he doesn't know how to project his own image for real, he'll be treating anyone tuning in to a pretty sweet bathroom-mirror-selfie view of his person instead, sporting a pair of fluffy-tipped cat ears- one missing a chunk out of one side and both absolutely flattened in aggravation- and a scraggy-ass tail with a bend at the tip that's swishing irritably behind him.

His face, too, has been changed- rounder and less lined though still bearing its customary sour expression- and his overall appearance suggests an age of around 17 or 18. Wat.

SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS PLEASE....... It won't be pretty if heichou intensifies in this condition.]

[howexciting]

It is a day associated with lovers. The Catholic Church teaches that a Saint Valentinius performed weddings for soldiers who were forbidden from marrying just before they were to go to war. That way, they did not have to go, since they could claim they were newlyweds and thus spend a full year with their wives.

... the Lovers come to mind, of the Major Arcana. I think if the Trumps are patrons of specific Jaunts, then this is most certainly theirs.

But as for the animal ears that people keep sprouting... I have no idea. Mi dispiace.

[morrioghain]

I don't know if I'm still myself, considering this place seems to have knocked a good ten years off my age. And these devil-cursed ears...

[He's sporting dog ears and a tail that wouldn't look out of place on a Doberman. How and why they're there totally mystifies him.]

...But I suppose the fact I'm not a lovesick mess means I'm an Investigator. Do you have any advice about blending in?

[hakodate]

This place is weird enough to me that I don't have much, but it sounds like at least parts of it are more familiar to some of our number. Maybe they can fill the rest of us in.

[I'm from 1869 and what is this.]

[neverfeltthatway]

This is Armin. I'm... I'm also an investigator.

[There's a small pause.]

I h-have ears and a tail as w-well, though I d-don't recognize the animal.

And... S-Sansa's an infiltrator.

[hakodate]

I doubt what the animal is makes a lot of difference, honestly. Looking around here, I'm seeing a lot of different shit.

[A pause, and he focuses on addressing his next bit to Armin only, because some things are just better asked in private.]

...how are you holding up?

[littleladyluck]

Genevieve Blanchard checking in. Hopefully I'm getting this right. I'm definitely myself, though it's strange being in a uniform that isn't mine. I look ravishing, though.

I haven't seen anyone that I know who is infiltrating.

I also wish to offer my services for any of your venue, catering, or wedding planning needs to whoever you and your special someone may be.

[hakodate]

One of our newcomers, right? Anything you still needed clarification on, or did everyone get most of your questions back in Liminal Space?

[oh god he is never asking questions to this group again without mentally rehearsing everything fifteen times, he's never gonna live the wedding thing down now.]

...and thanks.

[morbirdinterest]

Iwamine Shuu, checking in. I appear to have reverted to the age of approximately sixteen, though for some reason the Trumps have also seen fit to saddle me with yet another pair of wings, for a total of six limbs.

[hakodate]

Think of the age thing as a perk. You're gonna have an easier time blending in than some of us.

...don't know what to tell you about the wings, though.

[knightceties]

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh? What was that? Wedding? What about weddings? Is someone getting married?

[hakodate]

Yes, but we've got other shit to worry about.

[timedchoice]

[He's definitely new to this whole jaunting business, but he can sorta get the whole blending in thing. He's been to parallel universes and tried to fit in there depending on the situation.]

Checking in. [Ludger definitely isn't all too happy about going back to school though. He didn't die for this] Um, I'm not an expert on romantic things, but I understand the basics.

[hakodate]

For now, keep a low profile, see what you can pick up about this place. If you recognize anyone from Liminal Space, but they seem to think they belong here, definitely keep an eye on what they're up to, but don't worry if you haven't got all the faces straight yet.

I...guess I can't really say the beginning of a jaunt is always the most confusing part, but it's usually up there.

[closedcircuit]

I'm still me. Sort of.

[Because he's younger and that's weird.]

Are you sure panicking isn't a good solution?

[He's joking but really. This is super weird.]

[hakodate]

Age change, or did you just get animal ears out of nowhere? Seems like both are happening a lot this time.

Shit like that usually doesn't last once we're done in a world, though, so I wouldn't panic unless you've still got it when we make it back to Liminal Space.

[fuckingibuki]

[Oh. Well. While he's here, he should probably do that checking in thing.]

Yeah, yeah, I'm here, I'm back, how the hell do you get rid of ears and tails.

[Does this voice sound familiar? It should, because only so many people can pull off the perpetually grumpy as shit personality.

Hi, Hijikata-san, what's up.]

[hakodate]

Finish the jaunt and they'll probably go away.

[Deadpan. But no, he is glad you're out of detention, Ibukkun. He's just...Hijikata.]

Probably.

[brannewbrains]

This is Ambrose.

[ it does not sound like Ambrose. it sounds like a boy whose voice is only just maturing. it also sounds very put out. ]

I'm physically about thirty annuals younger than I was in Liminal Space and I sometimes have musical accompaniment. Can anyone explain any of this?

[hakodate]

From what I'm hearing, sounds like most, but not all, of us are having ages changed. There's mostly teenagers here, so that's our camoflage.

Your camoflage, maybe I should say. At least a couple of us don't seem to be affected.

[seestheworld]

[She is not going to touch that wedding planning thing with a ten-meter pole. Not when it involves some guy she doesn't know talking into her head, which seems just a little intimate for a first meeting, regardless of whom he's marrying. Clearly, there's a lot about these Jaunts that she still needs to get used to.]

I know how Valentine's Day goes in my country, but I think it's different in America and I don't really remember how it goes there.

[She thinks Valentine's Day also ended up being the subject of one of Mr. Edogawa's lectures, but she hadn't been paying much attention that month, and it's probably not relevant to this anyway. Probably. She hopes.]

[hakodate]

So how's it go in yours?

[creatic]

Come again, Hijikata-san?

[hakodate]

You're not panicking and you've just indirectly informed me that you remember who you are, so you were clearly listening to at least two things I said. Good job, Souji.

[undefine]

[One of the most reassuring things for Saitou here, he's realized, is hearing Hijikata "speak" like this. Whenever they weren't themselves for a jaunt, it left him with a lot of unsettling feelings that he really didn't know how to deal with, but this was— familiar. It doesn't make things better (until they got a hold of their situation, nothing could make it better), but it sort of puts him at ease.

...well, it's not that strange, he thinks. There was a reason he trusted Hijikata unconditionally. He knew that he would never lead him astray.]

Everything appears to be normal here. [...] At least for the time being.

[He doesn't know if that means he's lucky or if he should be worried.

On the plus side—ever the polite one, Saitou doesn't even question the suspicious part of Hijikata's message. (Like, you know, the wedding-related one.) He realizes he probably said something he hadn't quite been ready to say yet and Saitou respects that.

UNLIKE OTHER PEOPLE, APPARENTLY.]

[hakodate]

[Saitou...

Saitou, there's a reason you're Mom's favorite.]

They've pulled bait and switch crap on us before. I'm not going to assume this will be an easy one, but so far, nothing seems too dangerous.