psychic/action

[upcard]

[Hope you're all enjoying your sudden, Liminal Space-filled existences, Travelers. Either way, there's suddenly going to be a very tentative, very timid psychic broadcast.]

Um... excuse me...

[For anyone who met Mai during the Jaunt, she's certainly entirely different now--but then again, that's why she's doing this in the first place, despite being terrified of bothering people in this way. So after a brief pause, she rallies her courage.]

...My name is Mai--um, for the people I didn't know, and I... I was really different in that Jaunt b-but... I just wanted to say that I'm really really sorry!

[There's no visual here--she doesn't have the capability--but even so, it's pretty obvious to anyone who knows her that she's bowing her head here in her shame and apology.]

I did some truly terrible things to everyone, and I...I was really-- [A pause.] Just... I'm very sorry. That's... that's all.

Oh-- um. Near-san... [...what does she even say to him? She's really not sure. After a moment, a really awkward pause, she manages a fumbled thought--] Can we...talk?

[For those who would rather go the action route, Mai is not hard to find; she's tucked against a penny slots machine, arms wrapped around her knees, chin resting on them and eyes downcast. Seems this Jaunt took quite a lot out of her as well, but then again, dying isn't fun for anyone.

There are people she knows she needs to find and check on, but... well, she needs just a moment longer.]

Comments

[upcard]

[... oh god, this is so mortifying. She's not going to cry, she's not going to cry!!!]

A-ah....

I... I didn't-- [... but she can't deny that it was her--it wasn't like it was someone else. She sounds defeated then.]

...That's right... it was me... I was really...really terrible.

[tailforbrains]

Oh come on, cut it out. I said I was impressed, right? I don't trust people who don't have a dark side. I mean, I don't trust people who do, either, generally, but you know what I mean. Seeing you actually grouchy and angry and mean makes you a real person instead of a piece of fluff.

[upcard]

But I--

[A piece of fluff...???]

I... even so, I was really cruel...!

[tailforbrains]

[Yes, that's exactly what she is. Fluffy. A little piece of fluff who freaks out over being a little mean. Neeshka is perfectly satisfied with this new nickname.]

Yeah, because you had to be. It's not like these Trumps give us a lot of choice, you know. Stop beating yourself up, geez. If I'd had any say in where I wound up, I wouldn't have been some idiot Miner who takes orders from anyone and everyone.

[upcard]

[Neeshka's not wrong, honestly. She is a fluffball, and not much more.]

... R-right.

[She's not sure she can shake off the guilt so easily, but it's clear that it's just irritating Neeshka, so she tries to embrace what the other is saying.]

I'm...sorry. Everyone went through so many difficult things, and here I am complaining...

[tailforbrains]

And now you're turning it around to make yourself feel even more guilty. Gods, just let it go, seriously. It's not that big a deal, and I bet you anything nobody's going to hold it against you.

[upcard]

O-oh, I'm sorry--!

[Wait, no, that's what she was just doing.

Let it...go?

A pause, awkward and uncertain, and then....she tries.]

Neeshka-san...what about you? Are you okay?

[tailforbrains]

[ ... better than the endless apologizing. Still not perfect, but better. Neeshka takes it.]

I guess. Kind of pissed off that I spent the whole time some lowlife who got ordered around all the time, and almost eaten by the Devil. But you know. Infiltrating.

[upcard]

[...Ah.]

The... Devil...? [Is that literal or metaphorical she's just not sure] Was....was there a devil?

[tailforbrains]

Well, the Devil Trump card. And he really does look like a devil. Or, well, like three devils all smooshed together. Super creepy. He was in that big black square that showed up after the I/O tower thing lit up.

[upcard]

... And he tried to eat you?

[It's a squeak, panicked and concerned.]

[tailforbrains]

He tried to turn me into one of those mindless killing things. Which, yeah, I guess is close enough to eating me. I guess since he couldn't mark me, he had to try the next best thing.

[upcard]

[... oh.]

That's so scary, Neeshka-san...! I'm so glad that you're alright, after all of that!

[tailforbrains]

[This would normally be the part where Neeshka asks why the hells the other person cares, but since it's Mai, she's pretty sure the kid just cares about everyone. Weirdo.]

Yeah, well, me, too. It sucked enough having to take orders, but then having to run around and try to kill things without having a proper brain to work with? I'd've been squashed flat in no time at all.

[upcard]

[Indeed she does, and indeed she is the weirdest of weirdos.

But it's... good to hear that much from Neeshka, at least. Even if she can't help, she's glad that she can listen.]

R-right...that would have been really dangerous...

But--after all of that, you were okay after all, right? You're really amazing...

[tailforbrains]

I'm-- gods, stop that. You hardly know me! You don't know anything about me! Stop calling me things like that, okay?

[It's weird. And a little freaky.]

[upcard]

Oh, sorry...!

[What is she apologizing for, she really has no idea...]

But...it's true! You made it through all of that, and...you sound--like you're fine, even after everything...

[tailforbrains]

A combination of luck and being able to run really fast.

[And a weirdo taking her place, but she'd rather not talk about that. Stupid Remy.]

I didn't do anything awesome. And then I spent the rest of the Jaunt pretty much hiding from anything remotely dark.

[It's a rare thing when Neeshka actively protests being complimented, but then, usually she feels she's done something to deserve it.]

[upcard]

[... oh. Neeshka doesn't sound good at all, actually, now that she's listening to her talk like this. She wonders what else could have happened...

But prying isn't good, is it?]

...But... you're still here. And that's...what's most important, isn't it? Even so--you made it.

[tailforbrains]

It is important. And trust me, I'm glad. Just-- don't call me amazing or anything because of it. Anybody can stay alive.

[upcard]

[Anybody can stay alive, huh... Mai's entire life would say otherwise, but maybe she's just exceptionally bad at this.

Either way, she only responds quietly.]

... I didn't...

... It was...really scary and dangerous there. I think--it really is amazing...every time we can make it through a Jaunt.

[tailforbrains]

Oh. Well, okay, anybody not actively looking for trouble can stay alive. You fought with NEAR, right? Or, uh. Whatever his name really is.

[She knows him, but if he's ever actually told her his name, she doesn't remember it.]

Pretty much a death sentence, right there. But hey, we all come back. That's good enough for me.

[upcard]

That's right... Near-san...

[She still feels bad for that one, but...such is the life she leads.

And they do all come back.

Every time--just like home. Isn't that...definitely a good thing?]

A-anyway, I'm okay too...! So... so I'm sure it will be fine. [Whatever "it" is. Right now she's trying to convince herself as much as Neeshka.]

[tailforbrains]

We're both alive and well and neither of us got squashed by the Devil. So it's fine, yeah.

[Neeshka makes that point pretty firmly.]

[upcard]

[Neeshka sounds so certain.

So Mai sounds a little more certain in response.]

It's fine... yes, it's fine. We're still here...

[... yep. That's a good thing. She can keep looking for Ukyo.]

Um--have you looked around Liminal Space yet, Neeshka-san?