phantasmalrift | (no subject)

Who: Goro Akechi, Kurama, Jailbreak, and OPEN
What: A gathering to discuss recent, important discoveries
When: September 5th (OOCly October 1st)
Where: The public library in Incendia
Warnings: None anticipated, but mind subject lines.

[Around midday, a message will go out from 'Justcaws', asking everyone with an interest in figuring out why they're here to come to the Resona Are Public Library, and informing that anyone who can't make it will be able to find the discussion broadcast on the network.

There, people will find snacks and drinks have been set out, along with extra chairs brought in. This time, Goro has gotten a cameraman to record the conversation, as Aiden is hanging around the edge of the room with a network device. Goro himself is sitting in one of the chairs, holding a cup of coffee. His makeup is much more understated than it has been, and overall it looks like he's tried to dress professionally while still giving concessions to weather far warmer than what he's used to. Concessions that include open toe shoes and a skirt rather than pants, but one that comes down to his ankles.]

It's been a while since our last meeting, and there are a lot of new faces since then. If anyone decides they need more context for this discussion, feel free to ask questions.

I'm not sure who else felt what happened at the start of the last expedition, but it was caused by Kurama and Jailbreak-san making contact with the entity responsible for us being here. I wasn't there at the time, all I personally felt was a sense that it was afraid, but the two of them managed to get some valuable information.

I'll let them explain the details for themselves, though.

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[Kurama is sitting next to Goro, dressed in...the same thing he wore to the Fire Festival, actually. An Asian-style tunic with a black, fiery Oriental dragon painstakingly painted across the fabric, and a pair of loose, light pants. His concession to the heat is that his hair is tied up off his neck, held in place by a softly glowing, glassy flower ornament.

He frowns slightly as he gathers his thoughts. There are parts of their conversation with the entity that he isn't even certain he can properly convey. But some things are very, very clear.]

Truthfully, I think it very nearly fled from us on sight a second time. I was very quick in broadcasting my peaceful intentions when I made contact. The being is terrified of humans.

It is...deeply wounded. A piece of itself was torn away from it, by humans, and it is searching for it. It is convinced that that piece is no longer within this world. It didn't seem to comprehend the idea of something hidden from it.

Our presence here may be the result of the entity's attempts to search for the missing piece beyond the boundaries of this world. I have no definite confirmation of that, but it's my current theory.

[Jail leans casually against a nearby shelf, and nods at Kurama's speech.]

Backing up everything he's saying- dunno if this thing's related to the Fissures themselves at all, but I'm pretty damn sure that it's what's pulling us all through. Seemed like it was in pretty bad shape, so it's just reaching out blindly 'til it can find the part that got stolen.

[She adds a much quieter aside to Akechi:]

My Japanese is pretty shit, but even I know that's way too formal for me. Do I look like the kinda person you gotta be polite at?

It's a habit. I'm used to using honorifics for everyone but close friends, and...no offense, but -chan feels even more inappropriate.

[Sorry Jail, you're...not cute. Pretty, but not cute.]

That's...

[It's a soft voice, even for one of the androids. Hesitant and soft-spoken, though not as openly anxious about people as Down.

The black scarf and long black skirt that swishes around this android's ankles as they shift their weight proclaim their identity by process of elimination - the mysterious Neutrino has finally appeared, lurking against a bookshelf.]

That's approximately the same conclusion I came to.

[Sonja frowns thoughtfully, and leans forward a little in her seat.] Even if it hasn't opened the fissures, if it's moving about in them it can't be helping matters. Like if you catch a rat between the pages of a book. The book won't close on its own and if you force the issue you'll do neither the little bastard nor the volume any good.

...were you able to make contact with the entity while you were down there, Neutrino-san?

[Kurama gives the android a searching look, but his expression is gentle.]

To some extent. My magic is focused primarily on sensing emotions, not thoughts, so it took me quite a bit longer to figure out any kind of meaningful communication than it seems to have taken you.

I see... My ability to receive is more thought-based, but I'm able to pick up strong emotions. And beyond a certain point, it seems as if the entity was almost picking up the slack...

Since I don't believe Jailbreak has any projective communication abilities, but it seemed to be reacting to both of us.

Was it less frightened of you?

[Jail snickers.]

Yeah, that'd be awkward. Got any honorifics that mean "disreputable bastard"? That sounds more my speed.

[Sonja has a very good point, but:]

That actually happen to you a lot? 'Cause that was a really specific simile.

Yeah, I just do observation- could make something to do the projecting part for me, if I had the time and materials, but it's not anything I got naturally.

Considering what I felt a split second of at what I'm guessing is the same time, it sounds like that would be the case.

...I don't really care for references to a person's parentage used as a description of their character. Illegitimate children like myself are treated very poorly in my home country.

That aside, honorifics are meant as a form of politeness, so there aren't any that imply you think someone is shady. Mostly, we just wouldn't use honorifics at all if we were trying to imply irreverence.

Well, not on purpose. I've managed to build up enough of a reputation for being sympathetic to ratly concerns that it's been a few years since my lodgings have had any great problem with hostile Rattus faber gangs. And Clarity's been much more cautious in the library recently.

Well, it didn't seem on the edge of running immediately, for as much as that matters, but I don't think it realized that I was picking up on it until I was already deep in the mines.

[Kurama gives a soft, thoughtful hum at that. His fingers brush his chin lightly as he thinks.]

Why did you go so deeply into the mines? And why would being there affect how it reacted?

What did happen at the start?

[She was Kind Of Preoccupied at the time.]

Ah... I hope you didn't get the headache, too. If you did, I apologize for the backlash. What was it you felt?

The emotional feedback was... more intense? The deeper I went. Especially down where the crystals were thickest.

I think they mind-melded with Magic God.

Edited 2018-10-02 00:29 (UTC)

Gravity is probably the best way to put it.

Well, not gravity exactly, but... whatever you'd call the magical equivalent of gravity.

I don't think it was quite that thorough, more like simple telepathic contact. But it reacted in a way that caused some psychic backlash to those of us who could sense thoughts and emotions.

[...Well, now people know that's a thing he can do.]

So people Junpei'd it. [psychic backlash sounds like a bullshit Junpei thing tbh] And a lot of people can do that. Apparently.

I'm...not familiar enough with his powers to say how accurate that is. And I don't know how many of us that is, I just know one of my powers connected to the Reaper's Game counts.

Thank you, Church. [Inexplicably not sarcastic.]

By "backlash"...

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