Walkabout investigators, late week 3

[leftbehindagain]

We have a slight problem, guys. You know that dragon-hunt meeting at the beginning of the week?

The dragon organised it. I've bumped into the kid who knows that actual person a couple times, and she said she spotted the difference right away. It's probably too late to do much with that information, but I'm almost certain it tried to focus people on the Magicians' Quarter on purpose.

I'd bet it's anywhere but there, and I bet it won't be there much in the next few weeks.

Comments

Private:

[creativefool]

Yeah, I get ya. It's kinda hard to say what the 'right one' really is, huh...

Private:

[leftbehindagain]

No kidding. But I don't regret not trying to argue the point.

Re: Private:

[creativefool]

Yeah. If they don't want ya, it probably means it ain't gonna work no matter what. I mean... I tried the same thing with SAGE back on the Grid, y'know? And he said 'no' too.

Not that I know if this Chariot shit's gonna work, but... got as good a chance as any, I guess.

Private:

[leftbehindagain]

[It's not really a surprise that Kanji tried on the Grid. Crypto fanboy etc.] Pretty much. I'm still glad I at least had a chance to talk to him. It might not have sunk in otherwise.

Oh, I think you'll be all right. You were already halfway there before Nova Venezia. I mean, look at your magic project. You got yourself this far by yourself and you've been going at it for months. Sure, it might've been nice of them to stick around for a chat, but is that really going to be Chariot's style?

Re: Private:

[creativefool]

I guess not, but ... still. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, y'know? We're supposed to mean all this to 'em, at least, if you ask some of 'em, and all I get's a handwave an' a tattoo.

Ugh.

And I know that it all fits, but that doesn't always help.

Private:

[leftbehindagain]

Never said it wouldn't sting. Maybe you'll get a chance for a slightly longer conversation some other time. [Though he wouldn't be surprised if that conversation's entirely with Kanji's fist.]

It may not always help, but it can't hurt either. And hey, look on the bright side - it wasn't Devil.

Re: Private:

[creativefool]

...Maybe.

Heh. Yeah, considerin' the alternatives, I got off alright there.

Private:

[leftbehindagain]

And like I said last time we talked about it, you're not stuck with what everyone else's Kanji would've expected. It's something you can make yours.

[creativefool]

Yeah. I'm me. I ain't them.

But - it's still weird thinkin' about the... other guys sometimes, you know? What the one over where Souji-san 'n Naoto come from's like, or from anywhere else that's out there. The idea that there's a me who's never had to step up and do what I've done... never got things sorted out like that?

I dunno if I envy him or feel bad for him.

[leftbehindagain]

Oh, I know the feeling. [There's a reason he gives Souji-san so much credit, and it's certainly not that he seems to be notably With It. But Souji clearly made an effort to get to know Naoki, back in his Inaba, and that must have been exponentially harder without something to do.]

It's still kind of you. I'm sure they got their shit together sooner or later.

[creativefool]

I hope so, man. I really hope so. But they ain't any sort of me if they gave up, right?

[leftbehindagain]

Exactly. Giving up's not really in your wheelhouse.

[creativefool]

[In his ... give him a second here.]

...Damn right.