HEARTS AS ONE

Panfandom Multimuse CARRD

[tsuiito]

Food, right. Yes. Something...she really hasn't had any of yet today. Then again, there was also the question of how long she's even been up, with her sleep schedule still as unpredictable as it was. They were all lucky to even get a sleep schedule out of Kanade at all, even if it was hardly a schedule. At least it meant she was sleeping, once in a while. Most of the time, at least. Regardless, even Mafuyu had been busy enough Kanade accidentally got away with not eating yet today. It...wasn't a bad idea to do it now. She could avoid the scolding.

"Right, of course." Kanade looked up at the server that had arrived, simply settling on what she usually liked to get. It was an easier decision--and quicker if she already knew. In the end, she still couldn't help but opt for time efficiency sometimes over just...liking something. "The ramen, please. Thank you."

Giving the other details when asked, she waited while Mizuki ordered as well, letting her mind drift a bit. She had no idea where to really start when it came to how to spend her day today. As long as she came out of it feeling inspired or even just refreshed, she didn't have any preferences aside from not wanting to deal with crowded spots.

"I feel a little bit helpless, having to ask about things as simple as this," She started, glancing at Mizuki when the server walked away. "I've never been quite able to stop and simply decide what I could consider doing around the city..." Though, she supposed deciding to meet with Mizuki at the diner of her own accord was unusual enough as an isolated incident, wasn't it? "What do you usually do in your free time, Mizuki? If you don't mind me asking."

[hopesinhearts]

Mizuki had some awareness that Kanade was hardly one to fill her stomach as freely as she should, at least on her own - she didn't really know how to go about pushing her to eat the way Yuki or Mochizuki-san did, so it was nice that she could be the one guarantee she was properly putting something in her stomach, this time.

Hearing her order ramen was admittedly no surprise - but hey, it wouldn't be instant here, so she'd take that.

" Really, it's fine. I mean, that's what... " A brief pause. Right... she could say it, now. " ... friends are for, right? " A chuckle.

" ... Hm, what I do, huh? " A valid question, appropriate to ask given the circumstances... but she wasn't really sure her answers would give Kanade the help she was looking for. " Well... I like to browse around fashion stores, even outside work. Finding inspiration for new outfits is always fun... not that I, uh, imagine that's quite what you have in mind. " ... Somewhat disappointing though it was.

" Sometimes I go to the arcade, or catch a local idol show... " She bashfully scratches at her cheek. " I, um... don't do a lot of things... but maybe we can just head around the town to figure things out? "

... After the food, of course. Those fries were practically calling her name.

[betweenmanyworlds]

The ongoing banter with Susie was soon interrupted by the other's reaction to their absentminded comment, Kris internally cursing themselves for letting that bit slip.

Before them and the SOUL could even begin to come to a consensus on how to try and explain things, Susie took the reigns and... well. They could safely say they weren't feeling as tense anymore.

"Yeah, basically that."

Nonchalant addition to Susie's explanation done, they couldn't help but grimace as their mind drifted to wondering exactly why the other had such an intense reaction to that little detail.

They already had a hunch on what, and they did not like it one bit. A simple pondering on how the worst kind of person could use something like this.

And as if seeing the chance after the last interruption, the SOUL immediately pounced on the chance to make that thought known. Annoying, but not dire enough for Kris to actively go against making the words known.

"... Is someone trying to use this as a method of 'disposal'?" With the mention of the advance notice, that was the best guess they had at the moment.

[scrxmblecrossing]

Yu listens intently as Susie explains what happened. For the briefest of moments, he dreads the worst. Finding these two, here, capable of fighting, without any warning from the Midnight Channel... It didn't look good on the surface. No matter, for now, all Yu had to do was play along until he could contact the team, should it come to that.

... Except, as she went on, Yu felt himself squinting at her story. Not because he doubted it. No, it was clear she was being truthful, but she was... very bad at deflecting who actually got caught up in it.

Nodding as he finishes, Yu looks Susie in the eyes...

"You're really bad at coming up with things on the spot, huh?"

... And sees right through to what she actually meant.

"One of you fell in by mistake, and the other came to get them. That the jist of it? I've heard werider."

That was sufficient. He was content to leave it there, but when Kris speaks up...

"... You're very perceptive."

Yu gives a grim nod, taking a second to gather his thoughts. They definitely weren't involved with the culprit, and they already know about the TV World... So it's fair game that they know the truth.

"It's as you said. Someone has been throwing people unable to defend themselves against the Shadows inside here, trapping them for weeks at a time in prisons their subconscious makes that everyone else can see. At first, they're safe... Well, relative, at least. But after a few weeks, the fog here clears, and..."

He hesitates, remembering the bodies of previous victims.

"... They end up dead in the real world, hung by telephone poles."

Yu gives the two a moment to process that, before he continues. "We get a warning a few days in advance. This world... You can tell its paranormal, and it seems to know who'll be sent in next. That gives us a heads up before the killer can strike... But we still haven't managed to catch him in the act. At the least, we can save the victims from the Shadows before the fog clears. That's led to us forming an Investigation Team of sorts trying to find the culprit. This isn't something we can trust the police on. Who is gonna believe any of this unless they saw it with their own eyes?"

He looks towards the two, and hesitates fkr a brief moment as it seems like he wants to add something else...

Eh, honesty is the backbone of any connection.

"To be entirely transparent... I was working under the assumption you may have had connections to the culprit. I mean, you two know how to handle yourselves in here, and you managed to end up in here without the Midnight Channel warning us, but... Well..."

He glances over at Susie again.

"No offense, but that story was so bad I can't believe you WOULDN'T of gotten caught by now. There's something else going on here."

[hopesinhearts]

" Hey. " Instinctively, Susie growls a single word to the silver-haired human as he makes light of her attempt to tell him about their situation, a grouchy look mixing with it to almost seem a threat.

" ... Be nice. " ... brief though that was, as only moments later it softens into a more appropriately characteristic look of bashful annoyance. He was... right, but he didn't need to put it out like that. Just went to show this sort of thing really was better left to Kris...

Which, of course, she does - as Kris poses a rather notable question.

Leave it to Kris to be the one to really put things together, here. Susie felt proud of herself for just thinking he was worrying about some kinda pusher, and then they drop their theory on just what was going on.

" ... Huh?! " ... Which, fortunately for a bit of seriousness Susie could be offered to remain standing is elaborated on by the boy before she could ask why they'd gotten so dour about the idea of disposal by means of throwing things away into a TV screen (which, sure, was rude, but-).

" Wait, hold on, so like - " The darkened tone of the conversation wasn't lost on the monster, her expression grown rather startled and uneased at the prospect brought forth.

" You're talkin' like - that's murder, isn't it!? " To her credit, not a stupid question for once, but rather a request for clarity against a topic that'd suddenly grown much, much darker than she'd anticipated this unexpected foray into the TV to be. She just wanted to make sure her friend was safe, and now she was hearing about... oh, god.

" ... Yeah, of course we're not killing anyone! " The kneejerk reaction escapes her before she can reel it in, definitely not too pleased with the idea that sort of thought would even cross his mind. She'd heard accusations of a lot of things, but calling her a TV pushing killer would've been a good few steps past... well, most of them, anyways! " And I already said to be nice-! "

She stops herself there, attempting to reground herself. Nope, no, letting herself fly off the handle at a logical conclusion wouldn't do any good. She was just told there's a guy out there killing people with TVs. She didn't recognize this guy, and she certainly hadn't heard about anything like that going on, so at the very least there was some solace that this guy wasn't acting around Hometown... but it was a risk, wasn't it? What if this was some guy that was making a game outta killing everyone in the whole world?

" Look, we're already - " Another breath. Knowing she'd need another moment, she decides to direct her attention to someone talking to calms her nerves a bit more - and is probably better equipped to be talking through this anyways. " ... Kris! What do you think? If... If there's a killer goin' around, with TVs involved... "

She lowers her voice a smidge, directing her words solely to them. " Do you think it's... like... y'know... "

" ... Do you think they might be involved?"

The look of dread that took hold on her face made it all too clear how she really, really hoped Kris might be able to give a definitive no on that one, somehow - lest their current adventure get much more worrisome.

[neon-chemicals]

Got it, Princess?

[yourfriendlydevice]

Another huge Friend would appear behind Ralsei, looming behind him with a grin and a glow in those yellow and pink eyes. This creature could seemingly appear anywhere, anytime...And in any numbers. He didn't even know how these strange cats got into Castle Town.

*Why, we mean your ever so close friend Kris~. You're already aware that they've been playing both sides of this game~.

The first Friend drew closer, the whole crowd of them laughing together. Cats always did enjoy toying with others. This particular cat loved to bat around other people's hearts like yarn balls, hoping to unravel them.

*Surely you don't trust them that strongly~. After all, you've been hiding your flames all this time.

[hopesinhearts]

Oh. So that is what Ralsei was dealing with... from a being that seemed to know more than they'd even feared.

Apart of Ralsei felt a sense of dread hearing their more dubious actions be actively weighed against them, by this only passingly-familiar being. Yet, another part...

" ... N-Now, just a moment! " In spite of their lack of any sort of intimidation factor, the suddenness of bombarding them with these questions leads the prince to place their foot down. " I-I'm not... I don't even know who you are, or why you've stepped foot in our Castle Town, or what you even want from asking these questions! I-I'd say I'm owed that much before you ask such sudden questions! "

Deflection, pure and simple - but it was true that as far as Ralsei was concerned, the other creature was prying into information they had no obligation to provide, especially for a stranger - or strangers, irregardless of their numbers. Whether this was a being of the prophecy or an anomaly besides was an important question to answer in this impromptu conversation...

... Especially without the other two heroes presently on the scene to either follow or defy what could come of it.

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; okay yes i disappeared for another week, but i've come back finally as a mother 2 + 3 fan so you have to forgive me and be niceys about it

[yourfriendlydevice]

@hopesinhearts x

*Oh, we're simply a little...Curious~.

Friend approaches, its pointed tail swaying about. When it grows closer, Ralsei finds that the cat is actually bigger than he is. A second, smaller yet otherwise identical Friend pokes its head out from behind the cat as well.

*Little prince...You must already be aware of what your dearest friend is doing, right~?

The smaller one would chime in next.

*Yet you haven't even mentioned it. How curious indeed~.

Friend as an individual or as a group weren't the smartest bunch. But they did have numbers. Numbers that allowed them to be in so many places at once. This meant that they knew a lot of things they perhaps shouldn't.

[hopesinhearts]

... Well, what a harsher turn this conversation was suddenly taking.

As the feline-adjacent entity stepped more properly into the prince's vision, with a second head falling suit, Ralsei takes a step back - and while eye contact is maintained, their look grows a hint more sour as the effort is made not to give way to the insecurity that followed such a question.

" I-I... " Despite the effort not to allow the other's question to go with too long a silence, the suddenness at which this was sent their way gave an unwanted pause in the efforts to find the right words. Nonetheless...

" ... I-I don't... "

" ... Whichever of my dearest friends you're talking about... " A bluff in the prince's words, a faint effort of deflection in the hopes this wasn't in relation to the actions of friends they actually had to worry about, given the non-specificity of the being's words. " ... whatever they choose to do, they're making their own choices. It isn't my... business to pry... I trust them. Even when I don’t understand, I trust them. I-I choose to believe in the best, of their choices. That's just natural, isn't it? "

Hopefully it was little more than that - an inquiry of curiosity, and nothing more, and perhaps not even one of those worries of theirs.

So the prince could hope, of this peculiar Castle Town outsider.

[hopesinhearts]

❤️ Hey Susie. I figured you'd have been back by now, so I came to check on you; after all, it didn't seem like your talk with Blue should've taken that long.

There's a pause. Red has a funny feeling about why Susie's been lingering here, taking her time returning to Kris and Ralsei. There's been a lot going on, from everything with Noelle at the festival, everything with the Flowers, but most notably of all - the revelation that there's been an actual person guiding a good number of Kris's actions up to this point (her).

She wouldn't be too surprised if Susie just needed someone to talk to - especially that last point.

❤️ If there's anything you want to get off your chest, I'm here to listen, and maybe answer what I can. Kris and Ralsei are hanging out at the baths, so it's just us. In case you were worried about that.

" '... a-and... if you'd, um... I mean like, uh, since we're both likers, of each other, and like... this is an “I like you” kind of...' "

" ... @%$#. Dammit. Kris makes this look so easy. "

The sight Red would see as she approaches Susie would be the flower formerly in her hand amidst whatever she was trying to do prior being set to her side, as she tries to get her thoughts in order. " I get what he's saying, but I don't even know if she... ugh, maybe I should come back to this later. For now, maybe I should just head back to bug Kris and Ralsei. Though... I mean, Kris... "

... Though before her thoughts could get much more ordered, the sound of the SOUL they knew well enough calling for her attention snapped her out of it.

" Eh-!? " With this rare bout of Susie's soul-bearing to herself coming to a notable halt, the monster visibly panics - with no projectile to potentially deter further conversation in the heat of the moment, impulse drives her to ACT on an idea...

... and only moments after, following a large and sudden splash the monster made into the onsen, does a response follow for her to hear.

" I-I was just over here to swim! Obviously! Now that that talk's done! Th-Those dumbasses can wait a bit! "

She'll be honest in a moment, the embarrassment just needs to pass. // @worldscrossroads

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY LAST POST WAS OVER A WEEK AGO. SHUT UP?? NO IT WASNT???

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; i know this reads like a joke and it mostly is but i need it to be understood that checking my blog in the app and seeing “8 days ago” pop up very nearly got a physical revulsion out of me. genuinely where is the time GOING

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY LAST POST WAS OVER A WEEK AGO. SHUT UP?? NO IT WASNT???

[hopesinhearts]

*Ralsei spies an ominous cat staring their way from the shadows. One with a familiar pointed tail swaying about.

So Ralsei did! The darkner blinked, the unfocused shadow of ears and the vague light shining eyes peering in his direction. For reasons unknown they... seemed rather familiar.

" ... H-Hello? Ah... Pluey? " Ralsei blinks, head tilting slightly in the direction of the figure. Certainly that wasn't the case, despite the initial appearance of a darkened feline visage being the first thing they could recognize. Those eyes were undeniably not those of the resident Mike-ish sort. So then...?

" Ah... no, that isn't right, is it? " Affirming that they at least understood that much, they made a more affable tone, seemingly coming to one possible conclusion as to why they didn't make themself more directly known. " Well, whoever you are, do you... need something, maybe? You're welcome to come out here and ask, if that's the case. "

A simpler scenario that would present than many other possibilities, that a figure even Ralsei couldn't immediately recognize amidst the corner's shadows could potentially also come with... especially since Kris and Susie weren't here at present. // @yourfriendlydevice

[b-a-m]

kofi

[hopesinhearts]

❤️ Okay, but Susie? In argument of wearing ribbons, imagine the badass moment of pulling the ribbon out and letting your hair down before using your ultimate move.

She has a point.

" ... Not to argue with how things work on your side of things, but isn't the point of that kinda thing that whoever's doing it is the kinda person who normally wears a ribbon in the first place taking it off? As like, a strength. showing. thing. Or whatever. I already found what I'm willing to do with the ribbon stuff, that kinda thing's sailed, I think. "

" ... Besides. The kinds of things me, you, Kris, and Ralsei can do when we work together? We don't even need the ribbon pulling to get our badass moments in, do we? "

... In other words, still not budging. She gave it a fair shake that one time, that's all you're getting out of her. // @worldscrossroads

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; dw i calmed down. annoyed beyond all fucking belief. but calm.

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; the guarantee of additional writing from me today has gotten a good bit iffier because im currently in the process of trying to fix Government Benefit Shit that’s making me so angry I’m on the verge of biting and clawing until something bleeds

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; god susie is SO much fun to write. everyone get past my inability to thread and thread with her right now

[betweenmanyworlds]

While actual words didn't come to Kris in time before the subject changed, the quiet yet rather amused-sounding chuckle and cheeky little smirk they shot Susie in response to her playful jab hopefully said enough to show they took it in good humor.

As much as they wanted to let that little moment last longer, there was far more pressing topics to handle. In contrast to Susie, their previous experience with the other's fighting meant the lightning was far less of a surprise.

Even if the suddenness of it made them jump a slight bit.

With Yu's explanation given, they weren't sure whether to be filled with relief or dread from the confirmation that what they were lead to believe about their opponents was in fact correct.

Well. Another thing to unpack at the nebulous 'later' time.

"You could totally handle taking the lead with the sparing. Means we can't be stopped by dividing and conquering." They couldn't resist the urge to add onto the well deserved Susie praise being given, though.

With that done, they could focus on the question now being asked of them by Susie...

"Yeah, it does. The explanation matches up with my own experience dealing with these... Shadows. Made sure there really wasn't any other options beforehand. If nothing else, good under pressure."

Pausing for a second, Kris seems to think it all over before stepping a little closer to Susie to say something more directed at her.

"... Ten dark dollars he fell into a TV too. Could you imagine?"

It was definitely quieter than earlier, but audible enough for Yu to hear that... unintentional bombshell Kris just dropped.

[scrxmblecrossing]

Realizing that this may be too much information all at once, Yu waves his hand dismissively, as if not to worry about the finer details.

"Don't worry about trying to make sense of it all at once. Capable though you two may seem, I can tell this isn't usual for you. The rules here are different from what you're used to."

Though, indeed, these two were... extremely, EXTREMELY talented. Anyone else in the TV World for the first time struggled under the horror of it all, so for these two to act like it was a walk in the part... They had to be Persona users, no doubt. But their circumstances were undeniably different.

"Though, it's a relief to know you two can back yourselves up. It would of been a real problem if you didn't... Usually we have an advance notice when someone's about to end up here. This goes against the pattern."

More revelations that most assuredly make no sense to the other two. Oh well, all in due time; Yu assumes.

... That time, evidently, being now.

"...?"

Wait, did Kris just say...

"Fell into a TV...?!"

For once, a look of genuine shock appears all over Yu's face, in disbelief at what he just heard. That... That can't be right! But that would mess with their ENTIRE reasoning so far! How could they have fallen in?!

Unless... No. Did the killer catch onto them?! There haven't been any reports despite the last few attempts, so maybe...

Shit!

Looking towards Kris, Yu tries to compose himself once more. He doesn't want this to come across as an interrogation, but this could change the case ENTIRELY.

"Did I hear that right? Fell into a TV? Were... Were the two of you PUSHED in, by chance?"

[hopesinhearts]

If nothing else, it was a relief to Susie that they seemed to have someone who knew what was going on while Ralsei was outside playing the outside-recovery role. She did wonder, actually - is this something Ralsei would know about? He knew a lot of things, of course, but she didn't really see anything about the prophecy about meeting a guy inside their TV friend.

... On that note, kind of a shame he didn't come in. It'd be kinda refreshing to see him just as entirely out of the loop as the two of them were in terms of what was going on. Oh well.

Susie smirks at Kris' remark - while ever-so-lightly bashful it's hidden behind several layers of snark that make no want to show it. " Yeah? Well... I trust your judgment more. So there. Dumbass. " For instance, trying to spare an unspareable enemy right now - not a good start for her taking the reign on that sort of thing. It was nice if Kris actually trusted her, but...

Her smirk lightens further at Kris' pointless little bet - falling in, yeah? Her attention pulled away from the other guy's he whispers back, " Psh, okay. Just 10? I'd put do- "

Unfortunately for one of their wallets, their conversation is interrupted at the other human's surprised remark hearing Kris' words. That was strong enough to have her attention back his way. He seemed rather surprised and... very, very concerned. Apparently something about the circumstances didn't bode well as far as he was concerned.

" Uh - sorta? It's more like... " Susie notably falls a bit slow in replying, clearly some degree of concerned with just how worried the guy seemed. It was kind of a lot, actually - how was she even supposed to start in terms of how it went down? Especially without getting into Dark World stuff. " It was more like... yeesh, okay. So Tenn - er, a friend of ours - was talking to - friend who's always got... a, uh, TV on him. All the time. By the way - was talking to us, but while he was, like... there was another friend, on the other side of the court - the, like, basketball court we were talking to him in - and I think I heard her say something about dropping her 'Supreme Final Lethal Dangerous Glass Ultra' or something - which sent another, smaller friend of ours flying across it into Kris and bonked them in? To that TV. The first friend has. It was a lot. But it's not like it was on purpose or anything... probably. "

She didn't even know if that was everything important with just how fast it all went.

" ... Is there... I mean, is something wrong, there? Did someone like, push you in...? Some kinda like... cereal TV pusher you're worried about? "

[hopesinhearts]

ooc;; you probably won’t ever see an nsfw blog of any kind from me, which is for the best, but it is a bit of a shame if for no other reason than @ hope-sin-hearts would be so easy