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 hesitates, hearing that fear. It echoes his own, so he understands it. But though he wants to allay her fears... he also knows how dangerous it would be to do so without cause. The peril is real, and they can't underestimate it]

...We were so close to losing that jaunt. I... I'm guessing he gained a foothold here in liminal space.

[ Chizuru has to swallow thickly before she can even reply mentally to that statement. ]

That's bad, though.. [ For obvious reasons. She knows she doesn't have to mention it to Armin of all people, who ended up as a victim of all of it as well due to her. ] Don't you think there's some way to get rid of it..? Maybe we can ask a Trump for help.

[ Because she's sure not going to rest easy, knowing it's always just there. Like it's waiting for strike. ]

[Not only a victim in the jaunt, but Armin was also most injured by the King's creature in liminal space after, the first time his sigil appeared. So yes, Armin is very aware of why this is bad.]

There might be - but given what happened the first time, I don't think it's safe to mess with it.

[He considers the other suggestion for a moment. Not a thing he's fond of, but...] That might not actually be a bad idea, but do any of us actually have a way to get in touch with them?

Not right now, I think. [ There was the tower back during the last Jaunt, but it's not like they can go back there now. But still, if that opportunity was there, then it's got to be there again in the future in some way or another. ]

But when there's an opportunity, I'll ask her for sure! [ "Her" since Chizuru actually got a specific Trump in mind, of course the one she's been marked by. But that's not even the main reason she's thinking of it, it's just that it's the one she's had the most positive contact with. ] I'm sure she'd be willing to help us..

It would make sense for them to help us, since they seem to be enemies of the King. But I also wonder - if he's a threat to them, and they could do something about his presence in liminal space, wouldn't they have already done it?

...you're talking about the Lovers, right? [Armin thinks Chizuru might have a better chance than most of the rest of them in getting help from the Trumps. He won't say that, though - he hates to even think it, but Chizuru's optimism and ability to believe the best of the Trumps, despite the evidence against them, could come in handy in dealing with them. So it's better not to try to puncture that optimism, as long as it's not too dangerously naive. And Armin trusts Hijikata to temper that enough.]

Yes! Her name is Psyche.. [ Or, well, it might not exactly be her name, but when Chizuru manages to talk to the Trump last time around, that's what she was said to call her. ]

It seemed like she wanted to help us during the last Jaunt too, but that it was difficult for her for some reasons.. maybe those same reasons are also part of why they haven't managed to get rid of the King yet?

[Armin doesn't want to humanize the Trumps. They do that enough themselves, taking on human form and appearance. Psyche is obviously not their true name, and by keeping to their arcana, there's a constant reminder of what they are. But with Chizuru, maybe...]

I'm... not sure about that. Last jaunt, it might have been more because she was one of the ones working against ROSE. I know ROSE was taking precautions against the other Trumps interfering with her rescuing SAGE.

[ .. ah.

Connecting what she said and what Armin says actually makes an unpleasant thought come to her. ]

It could be that the King is just strong enough that the other Trumps can't interfere, but.. [ ... ] What if one of the Trumps is using him or working along with him..? Then it'd be the same kind of situation.

...I h-hadn't considered that. I'd l-like to think none of the Trumps would do that, but after what we've seen of the Devil last jaunt...

[It's obviously not something they can rule out.]

We'll have to be careful. It's pretty clear that not all the Trumps are working with the King. I'd even say it's probably that most of them aren't. It might still be worth asking for their help. But... if one is working with him, what they tell us might be a trick, and make things worse.

If... if we ask more than one, and their answers are the same, we can be pretty sure it's not a trick. [After another moment of thought, he nods, looking less uncertain.] Especially if they're two we know aren't working together. Like Psyche and Rose.

That sounds like a good idea..

[ Chizuru - mostly - trusts the Lovers enough that she doesn't think they would work along with the King, but if Armin wants to make sure so they can tell everyone else with certainty once they find out.. well, that sounds like an even better plan to her. ]

Do you think you could ask Rose, then..? The next time we have an opportunity to do so, I mean.

[Armin bites his lip, thinking.]

Is - is it all right if I get back to you? I'd like to ask a couple other people about this first...

Of course. [ The answer doesn't even really come with much hesitation. Chizuru has so much faith in other people that she doesn't even have to ask why Armin has to ask other people - maybe he'll need help with it, or maybe he wants some advice from someone a little bit older or wiser than them.

It sounds entirely fair to her. ]

Let's try our best!

[Armin thinks it's probably worth the risk, but the risk is big enough he wants to consult with some other people first - specifically, people who distrust the Trumps as much as he does. He cares about Chizuru, and values her opinion - but she trusts too easily, and trusting the untrustworthy would be dangerous, for everyone.

She trusts Psyche. But Armin had seen what the Lover's corruption had done on the Grid. Had felt it take over his mind. Anybody who could devise a virus like that, and be willing to release it in both targeted and indiscriminate attacks...

They couldn't be trusted. No matter what persona they presented to the world.

He doesn't say any of that to Chizuru, of course. With Hijikata looking after her, she should be all right - he's most certainly not as trusting, and actually one of the first Armin will go to with this - and her trusting nature, though dangerous, could still help them in their dealings with the Trumps.

He manages a small, slightly grim smile.] Right! I'll let you know.

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