open to investigators

[brannewbrains]

Okay, I give up. What's a host club? What can we expect if we show up to this thing?

[ besides yet more twister-tossed sparkles, of course. ]

And did anyone get one of those confessions? I'm still trying to work out if those are as important as folks here seem to think they are.

Comments

[upcard]

Shirogane-san already explained the host club pretty well, I think... they're a little common, back home. Er, I mean, more common than it seems like for everyone else...

[FOCUS MAI... that's not the point here. The point is!!]

But... even if the confessions don't seem very important, if everyone here thinks they are, then...aren't they? [she has seen a lot of the investigators finding this jaunt trivial, and she can't blame them--it's a far cry from eldritch horrors. But nonetheless...]

They're...very important to the people here, so I think we have to treat them really importantly too...!

[brannewbrains]

[ augh, he is so frustrated by this, by his own perceptions and yes, by what they went through in the previous jaunt. Ambrose feels very nearly insulted by the shift in tasks from Harrogate to... this. ]

You're probably right, Mai, thank you. This is all so far out of my experience I sort of... dismiss it. It's not fair of me.

[upcard]

[oh god that mental voice is actually familiar... now that she thinks about it...

... ... ... she just scolded her teacher.]

A-ah, Ambrose-san...?

[wow she feels so........sheep...ish....]

Um, I... I just think we have to try really hard for these people too...! Even if it's love letters instead of something more dangerous...

[brannewbrains]

Uh, yes, s-sorry. They youthened me.

[ and how goofy is that. ]

And you're right, we kind of do. I guess I should be grateful it's not looking perilous, especially after... well. [ dying. ] It's just hard to recalibrate.

[upcard]

[She would never have expected that in a million years...wow...]

R-right... um, it's good to take it easy too, Ambrose-san...! You were under a lot of pressure before...

[brannewbrains]

We all were. Are. [ sigh. ] Still, no reason for me to be cranky. How are you doing this time around, Mai?

[upcard]

Oh, I'm fine!

[and for once, she really means it.. this jaunt has done wonders for her well-being and sense of self. At least she's genre savvy and familiar with this one.

And can be of use.]

I think... even though I'm not very familiar with match-making, I can at least help a little this time.

[brannewbrains]

[ he'll believe it, for now, and there's a pleased warmth in his mental tone. ]

Good, I'm glad you've got a niche here. Have they given you sparkles?

[upcard]

Oh, no... I mean, yes, sort of, but I think I'm getting the hang of the S-Tech. It's strange, but...also oddly familiar.

[She just has to remember she's in an anime and react accordingly, it works surprisingly well.]

The special effects really are cute, though, aren't they?

[brannewbrains]

...they are, yeah. They sorta remind me of the stuff I did as Violet.

[ good thing? bad thing? who even knows anymore. he catches that "oddly familiar" thing,though. ]

Is it, ah, reminding you of anything?

[upcard]

Ah... sort of.

[Mai just...hesitates at that. Yes, it's familiar--it's anime. But it's not... quite what he's asking about, and she knows it.]

But... I think that I could remember things here too, Ambrose-san... So I'll keep trying really hard.

switch toprotected

[brannewbrains]

Good! I'm happy for you. Just... don't try and force it, Mai. These things happen in there own time and...

[ there's a tiny hesitation, and then the psychic landscape may seem a bit quieter. ]

I've reinforced this connection as much as I can,I wasn't sure if you were okay talking about it in the open. I just want to make sure you're not pushing too hard to get your memories back. I... I know how that is.

protected;

[upcard]

Oh...! Thank you...

[She honestly is thankful--she's not all too familiar with how to do that herself, and she doesn't want to talk about her amnesia that blatantly, in front of everyone.

But she can always count on Ambrose.]

But no, I'm okay...! I'm focusing on the Jaunt, too, so... [she's not slacking off, she swears--]

[brannewbrains]

And that's good, really, I'm glad you've got a balance. [ there's a moment of hesitation, and then: ] When I was trying to get my memories integrated, having other stuff to focus on actually helped. You have to take care of yourself, but you can't spend all your time in your head either.

[upcard]

[... she hesitates at that, eyes widening a little. Well--]

Ambrose-san... Um... did you have amnesia too?

[brannewbrains]

Of.. a sort.

[ he's mostly okay explaining it, truly, though he had to get used to people not knowing the story. he's less okay explaining it because he knows it can be upsetting, so he adopts an almost fairy tale-like cadence. ]

A dozen or so annuals ago when the Sorceress came to power, she wanted plans for an invention of mine so she could use it for her own ends. Wicked ends. I destroyed the blueprints but she knew the information was still in my brain s-so she... cut it out. And a lot of my memories with it.

[ happily ever after is coming. ]

It took a decade for me to get it back, and when I did it wasn't easy to put all the memories together but with a lot of help I managed it. I know it'snot the same as what you're going through, Mai, but it's a big part of why I want to do whatever I can for you.

[upcard]

[.... Wow. That's...]

That's...horrible, Ambrose-san!

[SOMEONE CUT OUT YOUR BRAIN??? that's... a level of crazy Mai is not familiar with herself, and she's pretty used to lots of different sorts of crazy.

But... he did get his happily ever after. It took a decade, but...]

I'm so glad that you were able to get your memories back...! And I... [that's why he wants to help her...? That's too nice.] ...Thank you very much for all of your help. I'm sure that...someday I'll remember everything too.

[brannewbrains]

[ that's the other thing he's had to get used to, folks being horrified on his behalf when he tells the tale. back in the O.Z. headcasing was... understood, if not always accepted. ]

I hope you do, Mai. You deserve to know.

[upcard]

Thank you...

[But ultimately...she can only smile to herself.]

I'll keep trying. It...it'll be okay, Ambrose-san. Please don't worry too much about me.