Conversation Space I.

[powersthatbe]

The room is small, intimate. You are alone. There is no sign of a way in or out. Ping-pong balls crunch underfoot, and empty giftboxes, meticulously wrapped and ribboned, are lined up against one wall, while a humming wall of server blades are racked on the opposite wall. A high-backed, gilt chair with red velvet cushions faces an ornate, full-length mirror, and beside the chair is a mug of steaming hot chocolate on a tiny side table, steaming invitingly from beneath a layer of fifteen half-melted marshmallows.

What do you do?

Comments

[fruitknife]

Shinji snorts. "Not while I feel this crappy."

But that's not the end of the game of catch, either.

[emperorsquared]

"You will recover, one hopes. One can always hope."

There is a pause during which the ball is tossed back and forth.

"Do you wish to know of your comrades?" he asks, abruptly. "It occurs to me that you may not have met all or, in fact, most of them, as you are a quite recent Traveler."

[fruitknife]

Maybe so, but that much recovery might be hoping for a miracle he's not gonna get (isn't at all sure he deserves).

"Can't hurt. This just the other people you liked enough to grab?"

[emperorsquared]

"Yes," the Emperor says. "The ones who are online. Two are offline. Of the ones online, there is yourself, of course. Lupa, once called Greg. He lead the Wolves of the Junkyard. He is a man of honor, a father to his men, and a recent acquisition. There is also Alexander Hamilton, who is what one calls a 'Founding Father' of a nation called the United States. He is garrulous and a bit rude, but he values the practice of good government. There is Altaïr ibn La-Ahad, who is Mentor of the Fortress of Masayf and likewise a father to his men--or will be. He... intends the Arcana harm, but is nonetheless very suited to my Arcanum. There is Hoban Wasburne, father of Rose and husband to Zoe, who I marked as my wife did his. Their daughter is a beautiful child. The Empress and I bring her gifts. Finally, there is Liara T'Soni, the asari researcher. She is a sensible individual of her species."

[fruitknife]

Well, the dude was right about one thing - most of those names don't mean a damn thing to Shinji. Still, Mitsuru doesn't suffer fools lightly at all, and he wouldn't have survived two years on the streets if he didn't know how to make good mental notes about the situations he finds himself in.

Such as: Maybe don't start with this particular common connection with the guy who's looking to kill it.

"She is a cute kid." Thanks to the constant Baby Livestreams, he can at least agree on that count. "What about the ones who aren't around?"

Might as well know, in case they pop up again.

[emperorsquared]

"Sansa Stark is a good girl who honors her father in all that she does," the Emperor says. "And Toshizou Hijikata understood what things matter."

[fruitknife]

That second name gets a raised eyebrow - sounds kinda familiar, but really, that could just be down to it being a Japanese cadence. It wouldn't be out of place in one of Ono's 'oh the glory days that were the Sengoku era' lectures, though.

"...Thought you said you got five before this part. I count one extra, unless someone else was just now."

[emperorsquared]

"... Toshizou was... a special case."

[fruitknife]

Shinji nods. "So you cheated. Got it."

[emperorsquared]

"... not nearly as grotesquely as the Lovers or my own Empress."

[fruitknife]

"Well, no, you wouldn't." It'd be out of archetype. Even Shinji knows that much. "If anything, I'm surprised you let your wife get away with it."

[emperorsquared]

"... it is a bit difficult to stop the Empress once she puts her mind to things."

[fruitknife]

He considers Mitsuru for a moment.

"...Okay, I'll give you that one."

[emperorsquared]

"I may influence her. I cannot command her actions."

[fruitknife]

"Yeah, she'd definitely like Mitsuru."

[emperorsquared]

"If your Mitsuru becomes a fellow Traveler, I will advise my wife to claim her."

[fruitknife]

"We'll see, I guess." But as much as these guys seem to love freaking Inaba of all places, and as long as it's been since anyone else from Iwatodai even turned up...

...That reminds him. "Hey, uh, did... any of your buddies take a shine to Ken, while he was here?"

There's a chance he might come back, after all, and... well. Shinji's probably never not gonna feel responsible for the kid. Considering.

[emperorsquared]

There is a long pause, almost as if the Emperor is conferring with someone else. Then, "The Magician," he pronounces, with some distaste.

[fruitknife]

Shinji nods. "Not a friend?"

Like that'd stop him from keeping an eye on the kid, if it comes to that.

[emperorsquared]

"No."

[fruitknife]

"Rule-breaker, or something else?"

Rule-breaker wouldn't surprise him. Just look at Junpei.

[emperorsquared]

"Yes, but that is not only why. It is complicated."

[fruitknife]

"Yeah, well. He's not usually my biggest fan either. These things usually are complicated."

[emperorsquared]

"Indeed," the Emperor agrees with a sigh.