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[maskreant]

Hey, this is Akira Kurusu and I'm not available right now. Leave a message and I'll get back to it as soon as I can.

GOSSIP

SCHEME

P.THIEVES

Comments

[maskreant]

[ How are you alive without Instagram, Elizabeth...? It is like a picture diary. ]

I personally like Gudetama and Sumikko Gurashi stickers. [ The weird egg thing and cute animals. ] Futaba can probably make custom ones for you... if she's feeling up for it.

[elevelvetor]

[ It isn't necessary. ]

I'll be sure to ask her. For now... [ FOR NOW... ] Shall we spend some time together, just you and I? I'd like to hear about things from your perspective—I've already heard there's quite a mystery afoot at the place you've been sent to.

[ ...she heard from elda. ]

[maskreant]

[ Nothing that enhances life is necessary. ]

Oh, you want to hear the tales of the lone wolf looking to fight the darkness in Magatus?

[ Actually, it was fine aside from some traumatizing imagery... Time has left him a little less ambivalent about the ordeal. ]

I wouldn't mind hanging out—did you want to go into the cafe? Or somewhere else?

[elevelvetor]

[ The lone of wolf looking to fight the darkness........ ]

...Somewhere else, unless you'd like to see me become an immediately happy, yet congested, mess. [ she's joking, probably??? ] On the other hand, I would adore meeting the cats that make their residence there.

[ ... ]

Really, I'll leave it up to you. It's your break day, Aki. I'd like to spend it the way you'd like to.

[maskreant]

If only I had the confidence to show up to a place covered in snot...

[ He applauds you, Liz. Stroking his chin, he has to make his decision wisely. ]

I wouldn't mind settling in the park.

[elevelvetor]

[ What We Do For Love. ]

The park... Lovely. Let's be off then. [ ...she's

going to hold out her arm for him to take

Like A Gentlewoman. ]

[maskreant]

[ Akira loves this shit, so he takes her arm like he’s a proper maiden. ]

Shall we?

[ Should they skip like they did around the first month they joined Retrospec... ]

[elevelvetor]

[ um Yes They Should. Elizabeth's even going to start off with it, come on— ]

How nostalgic... Remember when things were more simple, Aki? All we had was that silly bingo game. [ ... ] Do you suppose we'll ever have one again? I found it quite fun.

[maskreant]

[ Fine, fine. Akira starts skipping with her, nimble and light. People are staring at them, but he obviously doesn't care. ]

Yeah, that was fun. I was only planning on getting a row or two, but I blacked out. [ Huh. ] I wouldn't put it past Retrospec to do something silly again, but we won't know till whatever is happening is wrapped up.

[ ... ]

We can always play bingo ourselves.

[elevelvetor]

[ ... ]

Let's do it. All manners of incredibly silly things... What could we offer as a prize? [ hmm. ] Perhaps something monetary...?

[maskreant]

[ ... Why is everything money with you? Are they going to gift the winner stock or bonds??

But he can’t think of something every type of person would want. Money is universal. ]

I was going to say bragging rights, but that makes sense if you want to give actual incentive. Our friends would play it just for fun, though.

[elevelvetor]

[ Money is universal, that's why she keeps suggesting it...... ]

Do you think so? Well, I suppose some of them might, but others... Such as Naoto.

[maskreant]

[ Naoto... The stickler. Hm. He strokes his chin with his free hand as he looks up. He doesn't know her too well, but: ]

Add in some mysteries into the bingo and play the activity off as a way to build camaraderie.

[elevelvetor]

A wonderful idea. [ Said with a small clap. ] A simple task as well... It isn't as if it's untrue either. Many of those squares had you working with other people after all, didn't it?

[ That's why her and Akira are such good friends now right ✨ ]

[maskreant]

I thought it was a good social experiment. [ At least he’s serious? ] But it did bring a lot of people together, including us and several others I know.

[ They finally reach the park with much skipping. There’s kids here and there with their parents watching from the distance around, but not too many. ]

Good times... what was your favorite square?

[elevelvetor]

[ Ah, the park... They can stop skipping now, they've reached their destination. ]

Aside from my middle one, which was to put on a show... [ She's still very proud of her one-man puppet show, yes. ] Playing hopscotch. I had quite the journey planned out for Goro and I... I've considered doing it again once things warmed up a little, to be honest. What was yours?

[maskreant]

[ There is a nice bench with their names on it, so they'll settle there. ]

A journey for hopscotch? [ ??? Or does she mean something else. ] Rickrolling with Futaba... It was hilarious.

[elevelvetor]

A journey of hopscotch. There were treasure chests and monsters assigned to various squares, with treacherous fissures and obstacles...

[ .......SHE HAD A LOT OF FUN MAKING UP HER HOPSCOTCH SQUARES. ]

It was also 250 squares long.

[maskreant]

[ .......... Huh. That actually sounds fun, but— ]

Is that really hopscotch anymore? I think you should name it something else—something better and cooler.

[ Now he wishes he could have been there to play, too. ]

[elevelvetor]

[ JOIN THEIR GAME NEXT TIME, Minato heard about it from Goro so he wants to try it too, it'll be a fucking disaster— ]

The rules of it are the same as hopscotch—it merely has a story attached to it... [ ...hmm. ] Hopquest, perhaps?

[maskreant]

[ You can count him in!! Huh. Hopquest. It isn’t the most amazing name, but it is a descriptive and catchy name. ]

Hopquest would be a big hit, I think. [ Scratching his cheek, he can imagine it now. ] So you wanted to hear about the wolf?

[elevelvetor]

[ ...It needs a better name. She'll have to brainstorm it later.

For now: ] Please. Spare no detail, Aki.

[maskreant]

[ Aaaahhh... Ah. Ah?? ]

Well, to start, Magatus is in a wintry wonderland if it weren't for the wolves. Based on what the villagers have said, they've been having problems with the wolves, even losing the ski lodge because the wolves invaded that area. While they're depicted to be aggressive, our contact with the wolves so far said otherwise. Their behavior seemed completely different. When we saw one, it decided to run away instead of chasing us off its territory. Of course we chased it, but then it didn't trust us and put us through a weird trial. After a couple of offerings and some reassuring words, it opened up. We learned that the wolf is being corrupted by a darkness, the same darkness that is tipping the balance in the supernatural and material realm, and it wants our help.

[ He thinks he summed it up— ]

The wolf is named Magnus and it's male, he has a lot of powers like shapeshifting and making copies of himself. I think he can also be in several places at the same time? He's the wolf in the legend that looks over Magatus. Really likes belly rubs.

[ Akira may or may not be very fond of this dog. ]

[elevelvetor]

I see. You've betrayed cats for this wolf.

[ .............that isn't what she's actually taking away from this, she's just filling her end of the conversation while she mulls over everything. ]

I suppose the next step is to defeat the darkness with the power of light, love, and friendship then. [ just like my vidya games ]

[maskreant]

I never said I was only devoted to cats.

[ Akira is a lover of animals. As a child, he had a dream to hold a koala, but moved to the United States before that dream can be fulfilled in Japan... And it isn't technically offered here in the states.

The more you know. ]

Or sheer force.

[ He isn't going to pretend that obliterating something won't fix their problems, too. ]