[IC] Inbox @ cerealia

[cestmagnifique]

Mitsuru

You've reached Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm unavailable at the moment, so please leave a message and I will get back to you. Thank you.

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Comments

around intro log time; text

[unevoke]

[Landing in Cerealia for the second time means Shinjiro recovers and adapts a whole hell of a lot quicker than the first time; after a few pointed questions towards the locals, it's clear that he's been gone much longer than he'd originally thought, and that everything is wildly different.

First priority: check up on his friends, make sure nothing's happened to them.

Mitsuru's name is still on the CereVice so he opts for a brief message rather than the effort of tracking her down.]

Mitsuru. You there?

so many dead people around here

[cestmagnifique]

[ Her first day in Cerelia had been an eventful one, to say the least. She's still getting her bearings and there is a part of her that's refusing to accept what she sees around her as reality. Never the less, there have been plenty of surprise that had felt quite real, one in particular...

She's momentarily taken out of her thoughts when her phone--no, CereVice, if she remembers correctly--indicates that something has happened. A message?

Yet, despite the surprises she's already had, this one still throws her off guard. She stares at the screen, sets the device down and steps back.

Okay. Breathe. Is she...really seeing what she thinks she's seeing? It's not improbable, given recent events. And though Minato's passing had only been a short while ago, the loss of Shinjiro is something none of them will ever forget.

After a moment, she takes up the CereVice again and carefully types out her response. ]

This is Mitsuru. Is that really you?

surprise????

[unevoke]

[His shoulders relax unconsciously when his CereVice finally beeps. Shinjiro lets out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding all this time. (Stupid, really - her name's in the CereVice so of course she's still around, and if she took some time answer it's probably because Mitsuru is Mitsuru and always so damned busy.)

He mistakes the intent of her question, assuming that she's simply surprised that he's returned after so long, and answers back casually based on that assumption.]

Yeah, it's me. Sorry I disappeared. Not sure what happened. Guess CERES just wanted to mess with me.

[All aboard the confusion train in 3...2...1....]

going to give her grey hairs

[cestmagnifique]

[ A part of her really does wonder if she'll get a response back, but my goodness, when she does...

She feels cold, that sort of unnatural coldness that didn't come from the presence of her Persona. But what's more troubling--the fact that it's entirely possible that Shinjiro is alive, or that he...seems to expect her? ]

I would say you did more than that. How long has it been?

look she'd probably still rock them anyway

[unevoke]

Not sure. A couple of months? Everything here's different from what I remember.

[Which might serve to answer one question while bringing forth a whole host of others. Not that he's aware of such things on her end as he types away on his CereVice.]

Where are you at?

[Maybe this'll all be easier if they meet up in person. He's never been a huge fan of fancy modern technology anyway.]

Text, backdated to when Shinji disappears;

[moribound]

Aragaki-senpai's gone.

Do you want me to come over?

Text;

[cestmagnifique]

[ She noticed. They lived together, after all. Mitsuru wanted to be able to keep an eye on him, though he was still prone to disappearing from time to time. But this was too long. ]

Yes. I do.

[ It's amazing how empty the apartment feels when she knows he's not coming back. ]

Now?

Text -> Action;

[moribound]

Yeah.

[Minato's never been one for texting for extended periods, and true to his words he shows up soon after, knocking on the door politely.]

It's me.

[cestmagnifique]

[ Of course it's him--not that she was expecting anyone else, but it's still nice to hear his voice. Mitsuru thought that she had accepted Shinjiro's disappearance when he died, but to have him around again had brought something resembling hope. He can't just return to what he was, could he?

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Mitsuru opens the front door with a somber expression. ]

Please, come in.

[ She steps to the side, opening the door further to allow him entry. ]

audio

[bulked]

Hey. I made it safe and sound to the real world. How's everything on your end?

i saw what you did there

[cestmagnifique]

[ Getting a call from him is actually a bit of a relief. The thought that maybe her encounter had been purely manufactured by the game hadn't escaped her mind in the realm of possibility, nor had the idea that maybe he simply wouldn't know how to get out.

She sounds mostly business. Though anyone who knows her well enough would be able to detect that relief. ]

That's good to hear. [ One hurdle. ] I'm fine, thank you. I take it you saw the presentation?

[bulked]

[ The fact that she actually responds puts him more at ease, too. And given all that he's heard ever since logging out, it's a welcome emotion. He sighs. ]

I heard enough to get the basic gist, but I'd rather hear things from you and the others. [ Which is to say, he left before the presentation could conclude. He didn't really want to hear it, not when he was on a mission to find Mitsuru. ] Just tell me where to go and I'll be there.

[cestmagnifique]

[ Heard enough? Akihiko, did you seriously just walk out on the presentation?

That's...not at all surprising, but still earns a sigh. It seems that there are things that won't change. That's comforting, in a way. ]

I am more familiar with the terrain than you. Stay where you are, I will come to retrieve you. I'm not far away.

[ That is to say she was already making her way there, since she knew where everyone wakes up. Of course, "stay put" is one of the hardest orders to give him. ]

text (post-event)

[corona]

hi um
i know we don't know each other very well or in a great way but
this is rapunzel

and im sorry for what i said about that man in your mirror
i was wondering if we could talk in person? ?properly this time maybe
lol
my treat!!

[cestmagnifique]

[ This...is not at all the kind of speech she would be expecting from the girls he'd spoken to in that awful hall of broken mirrors. Mitsuru waits quite a while before she replies, weighing the possibilities.

But, eventually, she does... ]

You understand why I might be hesitant to accept such an offer.

text.

[corona]

lol
naturally (¬‿¬)

[ Which has the effect of coming off breezily in text form, but which Rapunzel herself, in actuality, spent several minutes agonising over. What if this woman hates her now? She's never been hated... Would it really be so awful? Leaving things as they are would be wrong, of course, but-- ]

listen
i'm really sorry for everything i said
please understand that i wasnt being myself when i said it so
id like to get to know you as the real me !!

have you ever had fast food?

[ Sigh. Socialising is hard. ]

text.

[cestmagnifique]

[ What is that... ]

...What is (¬‿¬) ?

[ What are emoticons. What are emotions. ]

Is that so?

[ Hmm...should she give the benefit of the doubt? This girl did contact her of her own volition, after all.

Wait, fast food? ]

I have previously on one engagement, yes.

[ Minato taught her that she doesn't have to eat a hamburger with a knife and fork. ]

text.

[bropane]

Hey, it's been awhile.
You doing okay?

[cestmagnifique]

Yes. I am fine.

[ All things considered, she feels fairly fortunate, despite the fact that she lost a friend. Maybe that's why she's been a little more reclusive than usual. ]

Yourself?

[bropane]

It's difficult to figure out your tone through text, but I hope you really mean it.

I'm fine; recovering from a shoulder injury. I just thought I'd check in.

[cestmagnifique]

Oh. I'm sorry. Should I have added a face?

[ Give her a moment. ]

:)

A shoulder injury? What happened? Do you need assistance?

Sometime convenient for you. [Voice]

[faithfulflame]

[It'd been a while now, but there'd been some strange rumblings, and strange feelings coming from all over Cerealia lately. Rei didn't like it, not one bit, which leads us to today, where she's starting to check on people, not the people she sees daily...but the ones on the fringe of her 'flock' as it were. And that means...]

Mitsuru-san. Good afternoon. This is Rei, just calling to check in.

[cestmagnifique]

[ Though she doesn't feel she knows the other girl well, Mitsuru developed an almost instantaneous respect for Rei. Their conversations have always been enjoyable and informative, and as difficult as it is for Mitsuru to get close to people sometimes, she values her presence. In light of recent disappearances, it is nice to hear a familiar voice. ]

Hino-san. It's nice to hear from you.

[ And she means it. ]

It's been a while. The situation here has...changed. Yourself?

[faithfulflame]

[The odd hitch in Mitsuru’s voice not only gets a raised eyebrow from Rei, but a concerned edge enters her tone. The situation had changed? How so?]

I’m doing well enough, and yes, it has been a few weeks. I thought it best to look in, see how you were doing. [A breath.] Apparently that’s a good thing. What’s changed, and how can I help?

[cestmagnifique]

That's very kind of you.

[ She exhales, pausing for a moment. ]

Another friend of mine has left. His situation is...delicate, to say the least.