open to all investigators. (3rd day of Maiden)

[creatic]

[ okay so he's pretty well known to just drive you people up a wall in telepathic conversation but in rare instances he can be serious.

And one thing the veterans, at least, know? He never starts open conversations unless he's serious and with something worth hearing. And he only says things worth hearing when he finds it dangerous. ]

Right, so, I think we might suddenly have a really big problem. Like, really big.

[ yeah he means it literally concerning it physically as much as simply metaphorically. ]

Has anyone heard of anyone around the ships talking about something called "the Grasper"?

Comments

[upcard]

[Her mental tone is just as quiet as the rest of her speech is, and she's additionally ridiculously exhausted, but nonetheless, she can't let this go.

Mostly because that's terrifying.]

That's...

[um...she's seen her pirate movies probably but--]

A monster...?

[creatic]

Ah, hey, don't go all shy on me already I haven't even gotten your name yet. Anything more specific about it? [ details Mai !! remember your pirate movies, everyone's live depend on it probably. ]

[upcard]

[she can't help it, okay, it's a state of being--and also she can barely believe that this is really turning into a pirate movie???

(she remembers watching pirate movies with ikki and kent, and their commenting on the ridiculousness of the kraken, and the vertigo of the memory almost makes her dizzy, but--)]

There's...always a monster, right...? Like a kraken--In things like this...it tries to sink the ships.

[she never wanted to live in a pirates movie, okay, she's still trying to wrap her brain around this.]

[creatic]

[ it's a state of being that's going to turn her into a prime target for this asshole right here, assuming they all get out of this alive... Maybe a pirate movie life would be the preferable option for her at that point. ]

...Yeah, that. [ hold up, she seems to actually have some information that could be invaluably useful here regardless of her source info (solving investigations via movie tropes, here they go...!). ] The kraken. What does it usually look like?

[upcard]

[it's okay, "murderous" and "asshole" are words that describe like three of her five love interests.

But she answers his question, because he asked it and it's automatic for her--]

Um, like a big squid or octopus. Usually it's so big that you can only see its tentacles, but I think it has a mouth and can eat people...

[PROBABLY.

...and then a moment later it sinks in that she's talking about a kraken.]

B-but...that's just in movies. This can't be real, right?

[creatic]

[ wow she's his perfect type if she's attracted to that misery business.

He thinks about this a few seconds in silence, even after she asks for some reassurance that this is obviously not real life but guess what mai... This is your new real life. ]

...this is your second jaunt, isn't it. [ Of course the trumps would go from college student life to sea monsters and pirates with no transition for the new travelers. Of course... But, she doesn't have to answer him if she doesn't want because with or without one he'll speak up a moment after. ] If a thought can be made of it, it's just as real as you and me.

Can it be killed?

[upcard]

[meant2b

But that gets a very quiet response, a timid thought if ever there was one, and it's probably lost in the rest of the thing anyway.]

Yes... [Yes, it is her second jaunt. Yes, the first one was school life, and she was an infiltrator anyway. But.. this still seems so crazy. Still, she's used to gods and fairies and wishes existing, so it's not a large jump for krakens to exist too.

But the difference is that krakens frighten her. And she doesn't like this at all. Can it be killed is a question Mai also thought she would never be asked.]

E-eh? I, um. That's...

[did they ever kill krakens in the movies...]

...I don't know... but they can be driven away. Usually...in the movies, if they're hurt enough, they leave. [right???] Do you...do you really think you'll have to fight it? ["you" because there is no way in hell this tiny demure japanese young woman is getting involved in that mess, thanks]

[creatic]

[ 5eva

yeah, Souji might have spent most of that jaunt doing things like... throwing water balloons at Saitou, probably.

he's mostly listening, taking in what she has to say, although her question makes him laugh. ]

Are you worried about me? [ he can't resist the call of teasing for that long, especially when the threat is now currently immediate. ]

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[She doesn't even realize that he's setting up to tease her, honestly; her response is sincere and painfully earnest like another otome protag he might know.]

Of course I am...! I don't want you to get hurt... and that's so dangerous...

[creatic]

[ oh isn't she just... good thing she can't see the look on his face right now. ]

Is it pretty dangerous. But there's nothing I can't defeat. I'll definitely win.

[ no shut up souji???? ]

Even so, you'll take care of me if something bad happens, right?

[ on second thought, maybe he should just keep going to with the ego boasting, after all... ]

[upcard]

[It really is...she's so oblivious right now. But...is this guy really suggesting he's going to take on a kraken all by himself and win?? Really???

FRIEND NO...]

E-eh?

[And then there's...that........]

I... I mean I will if you need me to, but... please don't let anything bad happen to you...! [She's so earnest] You should stay safe...your life is important too.

[creatic]

[ sure he will... if, you know, it's like 1/60th of the size it actually is going to turn out to be.

but wow, that's familiar, isn't it, and he pauses, realizing that... ]

Well, I don't know if it's important, but it's definitely unfair. [ his secret tiny one-sided crush he needs to get over here because she's going to basically be his sister when she gets married to Hijikata and things don't need to be forever awkward...right... ]

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Unfair...?

[She's utterly oblivious to what's going through his head, of course. She doesn't know any of this samurai dramu!!! It's like a soap opera up in here...

But nonetheless--]

I don't entirely understand but...whatever's unfair, I don't think it means you're not important. So please be careful.

[creatic]

I guess it would be cruel to ignore you on this. I'll see what I can do.

[ he pauses. ]

But, only because you remind me of someone. Which means, we have to meet sometime afterward so I can get rid of that way of thinking with you. Got it?

[upcard]

[how forward--!!

okay no she doesn't take it that way at all. Instead--]

Eh...? Oh, um, I understand. [besides, that means he'll have to be careful, right...?] I'm Mai...hopefully I'll meet you soon.

[creatic]

Okita Souji. Such a pleasure.

[ no don't listen to him mai pls. ]

[upcard]

[she believes him!!

except that she's distracted by something, and if this wasn't a mental conversation, she might have been able to keep it to herself, but she's not very good at directing her thoughts, so it's loud and clear.]

Shinsengumi...? Like Saitou-san...?

[....... WAIT.]

U-um, I mean... it's an honor to meet you!

[creatic]

Oya, [ it's a surprised but intrigued sound before he clicks his tongue and chuckles. oh she met saitou already, did she? ] is it so? Tell me again when we meet face to face, Mai-chan.

[upcard]

[look what you've gotten yourself into, child.

But she just blinks at that, before bowing her head. Who are you bowing your head to, Mai? He can't see you. It's probably because she realizes that that she sounds so flustered.]

R-right...! I understand. Then... I hope to see you soon, Okita-san.

[And she'll hold to that whenever they can stop having sea battles long enough for her to meet up with him.]