open to Investigators

[leftbehindagain]

It can't hurt to try to put some pieces together now that we've had a little more time, right?

Has anyone been able to get anything other than suspicious glares from the Red Team? The more I hear, the less I like the status quo, but if we don't know what the hell they think they're doing we can't really make an informed decision on where to go from here.

I'm also trying to figure out what the... well, the purpose of the Games is. Okay, you get higher Priority out of it, great, but at what cost? If Red Team's so paranoid, why do they allow this distraction from everyone's jobs?

Why is it falling to us and Blue Team to clean up major threats? Speaking of, I hope you guys are all holding up all right, if you've been tangled up in that. The sector I was helping out with lucked out - it was a problem a lot of us have dealt with before, in a way.

No wonder Naoto's getting frustrated.

Comments

[purseownerisme]

I'm just honestly hoping someone didn't make an ass out of himself during those Games.

[And you know...end up making things worse for them?]

Are you doing alright?

[leftbehindagain]

Why did he do that? [If Adachi crashes the conversation to try to explain himself, Naoki probably won't be surprised. And even with no visual, Yua can probably picture Naoki's face right about now, if she ever saw him having to hold his tongue when the housewife network got going about how he was spending his time.]

I'm hanging in there. I think Naoto's plotting something, but it's hard to be sure with all the verbal gymnastics talking about things in the stands required.

[purseownerisme]

Even I don't know.

[And people thought she was rash at times.]

Plotting something? Like what exactly?

[leftbehindagain]

[Naoki lets it go at that. This Adachi might be something approaching a decent guy, but... well, would you want to talk about the guy who killed your sister for very long? It's going to be a while before he's fully comfortable with the difference.]

I don't know for sure. There was a lot of 'something needs to be done,' and I don't know how much she was talking around 'and I'm going to do it.' But she's frustrated with the way Red Team treats everyone, not remotely a fan of the Games, and interested in our lack of Priority, so something's brewing in that brain of hers.

[purseownerisme]

...if a damn rebellion breaks out I'm telling Robin that I called it.

[Everyone seems to be talking about not feeling right about this...and Yua was getting the feeling that she was right.]

[leftbehindagain]

It's Naoto. Something's going to happen.

[purseownerisme]

Ugh...

[Mental facepalm.]

If it does happen...can you keep an eye on her? I may not be there for back up if it does.

[leftbehindagain]

Of course. That was my plan anyway.

[purseownerisme]

Thanks.

Also...and this might be awkward to ask but...if I end up doing something stupid or get into something that can help us figure out why we're here...can you watch over Adachi-san as well?

[She knows it must be damn hard for him considering the history. Even if this one was in her position, the face still can scare or make others think twice. But she can trust this one...he's been nothing but good. An idiot sometimes but still good.]

I rather not lose either one of them to this place or to a trump. So if something happens to me...can you make sure both stay safe?

[leftbehindagain]

...More than a little awkward, and I'm sure I don't have to explain why. [Naoki was part of his world's group, and Yua-san led her world's investigation. She can likely imagine how well that particular confrontation went. (He may have tried to punch one of Adachi's illusions, even though he was pretty sure it was an illusion.)]

But since you asked, if he's in a position where I can, I will. If he's off doing his own thing, though, he'll have to take care of himself.

[He can't be everywhere, after all, and while he's managed a civil conversation, Adachi's not someone he's ready to go out of his way for yet.]

[purseownerisme]

[Yua could understand why obviously and it was going to be strange and very uncomfortable for him. It took time for her to get used to him too.]

That's all I ask. Thank you Naoki.

[She could feel a familiar warmth in her soul as she spoke, the same as with Inigo, Armin, and Tim. The same feeling as making a bond back home...]

[leftbehindagain]

You're welcome.

[He won't say it's no problem, because... well. Only the part about keeping an eye on Naoto is no problem. Adachi's a whole other can of worms and will be for some time. But at least Yua-san understands.

Enjoy your fire ferret back, Yua.]

[PRIVATE]

[wantedittobeagame]

Whoa, whoa, hold up.

[Hello, interrupting detective.]

What kind of talk is that? You are not doing anything stupid, you hear me? I'm the stupid one in this group, not you.

[PRIVATE]

[purseownerisme]

It's not like I do it on purpose you know!

It just...happens at times.

[PRIVATE]

[wantedittobeagame]

'It just happens.'

'I didn't mean to do dumb, the dumb just did.'

Yua-chan...!

[wantedittobeagame]

[Oh, you better believe he heard that, Naoki. Of course, Adachi has the best excuse ever:]

...it was fun?

[leftbehindagain]

You have a weird idea of fun.

[Not that that's... necessarily a surprise.]

[wantedittobeagame]

Hey, it was different, and kinda cool.

Well, until the kid showed up anyway.

private

[leftbehindagain]

...You and Souji-san will probably be better off having it out when you both know who you are, you know.

private

[wantedittobeagame]

[Adachi let out a mental scoff.]

'Souji'? Is that what he's calling himself?

[leftbehindagain]

Well, that is his name, Adachi-san. [CAN YOU FEEL THE EYEROLL. But hey, the honorific has to be a good sign, right? All things considered.]

If you expect the rest of us to try to accept the fact that you're different from how we knew you, why can't you try to accept that he's different from how you knew him?

[wantedittobeagame]

[He can feel it, dammit; how do you manage to be sarcastic mentally?]

You sure about that? The kid I knew was devious six ways to Sunday. We would've never suspected him if we hadn't found those tapes.

...'sides, it's... harder to accept. 'Ya know, after seeing everything through to the end.

[His tone turned carefully guarded toward the end there, not that there already wasn't a big clue in regards to how he referred to the bowlcut he knew in the past tense.]

[leftbehindagain]

[Naoki's just gifted like that. :D]

Yeah, and we only caught onto your act because I knew Sis left the house with a cop. Well, that and trying to TV Naoto was kind of a big sign. So I could say the same thing to you, and yet here we are having a civil conversation.

I know exactly how hard it is, though I don't think you're up for capital punishment back home. I probably know the best of anyone here.

You might want to consider how much Naoto trusts him. She can see through that kind of bullshit. She wouldn't give him the time of day if she thought he was bad news.

[wantedittobeagame]

[You could almost feel the grimace as Adachi responded.]

Oh yeah, I got to see that first hand. Good thing she's infiltrating, or I would've let her know how well that worked out for Rise.

[He sighed in reality as a bunch of mental grumbling came over the psychic network.]

...and yeah. I saw how bad I was from Naoto's point of view too.

[leftbehindagain]

...huh. I don't think Rise-chan ever talked to him that much, at home. [But then, Narukami-san wasn't really part of the group. Nice guy, but not involved in the investigation.]

In any case, your world isn't either of ours. I'm not telling you not to have the pissing contest with Souji-san because he probably won't back down either, but really, we have bigger things to worry about. We can't get to the bottom of this crap if you guys are just going to snipe at each other at every opportunity. What happens when it's only the two of you who remember who you are?

[Naoki's a little in that boat right now - guess who his longest conversation before this jaunt with someone who's not infiltrating was with!]