synopsychic | [Video]

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[Armin image appears suddenly, and though his face is composed, his thoughts are both cautious and alarmed.]

Everyone - be alert in liminal space, and avoid the men's bathroom four floors above where the portal let us into liminal space. The sign of the King in Yellow is still with us.

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[Armin blinks, once.] I... I'm not sure I've heard that one before. [Guess who's less modern than Hijikata?]

No. Which is why we need to be sure about if we want to approach them about this when we do get the chance - and if we're ready to trust any of them with this, or only a select few.

Chizuru... also mentioned the possibility of one of the Trumps working with the King. And after hearing about the Devil, and witnessing what Psyche's corruption could do on the grid, that's plausible enough I'm not willing to just dismiss it.

That's why... I suggested that she ask Psyche and I ask Rose - since we know for a fact that those two are not working together. [He bites his lip a little - that's a thing he's been worried about, that he and his friends and near-family in clan Lovers might be pitted against one another.] But... like I said, I wanted to get your perspective on all this before deciding for sure.

The thing I worry about, if we take the possibility that one of the Trumps may be working with it to the logical conclusion - by approaching Trumps about it, we may be giving someone a heads-up of our intentions.

Might be they've got ways of finding out no matter what else we do, and hiding it's futile, too, of course. But if they haven't noticed...we do this, they're definitely going to.

[It still, technically, doesn't mean he's against it. And they don't have a lot of time to debate it, either, but even if they can't spare much time to consider the angles - he'd rather be sure they at least have all of them in mind.

If it tips someone off...he worries that it might accelerate the inevitable.

Whatever the inevitable winds up being.]

But... right now, our intentions aren't really good for anything, are they? What other options do we have against the King in Yellow?

Think of it as the enemy that knows you've got your eye on him versus the enemy who thinks you're leaving your back wide open. Might be it doesn't make a damned bit of difference, might well be we're going ahead with this no matter what - but I don't believe in ever letting anyone smell more of what I'm up to without at least being aware of what I'm about to give away, even if I can't avoid doing it.

[Armin looks more thoughtful and a little less desperate, at that - it's a perspective he hadn't quite considered before. After several long moments, he slowly nods.]

I understand. We might not be able to deal with him directly, but we may still be able to defend ourselves, if they think to take us unaware.

[He considers that for a moment longer.] While I can't say none of the Trumps are working with him... I feel like it's unlikely Rose or Psyche are. So it may still be worth the risk.

On the other hand... I almost wonder if there's even anything they can do. He infiltrated liminal space, their domain, and the telepathic network. You'd think that if they were enemies and they could have thrown him out, they would have.

We don't have many known quantities to work with, at this point, and Rose and Psyche are probably two of the ones we know best, so I don't disagree with you on them.

[For all they don't know...those two have, at least, been active enough for them to have a better idea of what they might be setting themselves up for.]

I sure as hell know if I could, I would've. But they may have some advantage to keeping him around that we haven't spotted...or if he's working with another, they're not interested in an act of war that blatant, maybe? Hard to say until we know more.

[Armin sighs, obviously frustrated.] And it's hard to know more until we make a move.

[So. What do they do?]

Edited 2015-06-24 07:26 (UTC)

Fucked if we do, fucked if we don't.

But I'd rather be fucked over by doing something than by not doing something.

So you think we should try it? Ask Rose and Psyche about it when we get a chance, see if their answers match up, and go from there?

[Armin looks almost hopeful. Though he's tried his best to avoid letting emotion be a part of this decision, he can't deny he'd feel immeasurably better if they had a plan. If they were doing something - anything - more than sitting and waiting for something terrible to happen. The waiting is the worst part.]

I think so. Might not be any turning back from that, but we've already seen that it's not going to vanish if we wait and hold our breath.

[Armin lets out a long breath, then nods.] Right.

[Honestly, he's just relieved a decision has been made - wherever it's going to lead them.]

Now we just have to hope we actually remember who we are next time those two show their faces.

Should we tell someone else, in case we're not around to do it? Or should we avoid spreading it around, so it doesn't get to the Trumps who might be working with him?

[Both were valid points. He's just not sure which is more important.]

[He considers.]

Not spreading it too far seems like a good idea. But three people also doesn't leave us a lot of room for error.

Just the others marked by Rose and Psyche specifically, maybe? It might sound better coming from one of their own, but it's still a small enough group that we can keep this relatively contained.

Your judgment on the ones Rose got, though. I know if we tell Mai something in confidence, she'll do her best to keep it that way, but I don't know Rose's picks so well.

All right. That sounds like a good plan to me.

...I trust Robin and Yua to keep the secret. I don't know Ken very well, though. Three people for each Trump, then. Those are pretty good odds.

You'll tell Chizuru we want to keep it quiet? [Armin figures it's better, coming from her husband.]

I will. She's kept some pretty serious shit on my behalf before, I don't see any reason this will go any differently.

[More than just Shinsengumi secrets, even - she's never breathed a word to anyone about Hijikata's vampire problem, either.]

Sounds like a plan, then. [Armin simply nods - he hadn't been worried about her being able to keep the secret, just about them being clear on who was telling her. If they'd both assumed she knew, and neither told her... not likely, perhaps, but better to be sure.

Armin then hesitates, but...] How were you, this past jaunt? I... don't think I really saw you around.

A little under the weather, can we say?

[...a lot under the weather, if he's going to insist on that kind of euphemism. But this has been happening, some might note, for as long as Hijikata's been a Traveller - there are times when he just...drops out of sight for a bit, when he only answers to Souji or, since she joined them, Chizuru.

He doesn't talk about why.]

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