[visual/action] Double the trouble, double the fun...?

[detective_shirogane]

[Well, might as well make herself known here... the image appears, and the girl looking back may seem familiar to some, though the orange and mushroom covered bug on her shoulder may not be...]

Hello, Equestria. My name is Naoto Shirogane-- I'm aware some of you may know me already, however, I am not the same one that has been residing here for the last several months. Though I am also from Inaba, for the last half a year I've been in a city known as 'Saeng Seong', another multi-universe hub that draws in off-worlders. However, they don't require us to change our forms there...

[She paused a moment, to collect her thoughts; no point to going on about touch here unless someone asked...]

I wanted to make it known that I was here, and to offer information to anyone inclined to do research in alternate universes and the like, before I... end up leaving, I suppose.

[For a moment, her expression softened, as if remembering something fondly, and she continued.]

Also, if anyone knows me from back home, I'd be interested in hearing from you as well. If you'd like to meet in person, I'll be staying with this world's Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane.

Thank you for your time.

[A slight nod of her head, a tip of her hat...]

Comments

[visual]

[redpeacoat]

[What a cute bug...

Oops, he connected the call.]

[visual]

[detective_shirogane]

[She saw that, Shinji.]

Ah... Aragaki-san. I was told you were here.

[Slightly awkward... considering what she'd seen of his memories, and the, y'know, blackmail, whoops.]

I don't know how much we know of one another here, but I hope you are well.

[visual]

[redpeacoat]

[Damn it]

I ain't a world hopper like the rest of'em might be.

[Just pretend not to care. Yeah. But secretly watch out for her anyway.]

[visual/private]

[detective_shirogane]

[Okay, how do you put this thing on private-- Okay, there.]

... I see you're as anti-social as ever.

[But... her expression softened. She'd been in his shoes, she saw his pain first hand-- he deserved to know.]

...We shared memories briefly in Saeng Seong, Aragaki-san.

[visual/private]

[redpeacoat]

...memories?

[Shit. His glare narrows, almost painfully. What does she know?

Fuck it all. This is all stranger than the Dark Hour. There was some order to that. This is chaos.]

[visual/private]

[detective_shirogane]

Yes, memories.

[How... to possibly word this...? How to empathize with him...? Well, she could, now, but it... was hard to express it to someone as closed off as him.]

... Aragaki-san, I'm a detective back home. I've dealt with many high profile cases, seen cruel, awful people do horrible things to others for very petty reasons.

[Taking a deep breath, she met Shinjiro's stare head on.]

Aragaki-san, you're not the monster you've made yourself out to be in your own head.

[visual/private]

[redpeacoat]

[His eyes widen. How does she know? Did the other Naoto-- no, she never found the body during the dream. What...how...how is this happening?]

[visual]

[demimaudite]

Wait. Wait wait wait... Saeng Se...

"Naoto Shirogane??? I... I remember... Saeng Seong..."

Holy shit that Naoto. That Naoto who accepted her.

[visual]

[detective_shirogane]

She'd recognize those tattoos (and... lack of shirt) anywhere.

"Shura!"

See that? That's a sincere smile there. Out of nearly everyone that had left, Shura was the one that made Naoto worry the most, for several different reasons...

"It is you, isn't it-- I'm... very relieved! Are you well?"

[visual]

[demimaudite]

Oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit it is her and she's become the End and what does she tell her now???

"N-Naoto, I..." Oh crap. She can feel the tears sting her eyes already. She thought she had gotten better at keeping her emotions under wrap!

[visual]

[detective_shirogane]

... Ah, so things have gotten worse, apparently.

"Shura, it's alright. I'm not sure what's happening in your timeline right now, but..."

It's hard to put into words what happened in Shura's timeline...

"... I'm still your friend."

[visual]

[demimaudite]

There's a really weird noise on the feed and oh, it's Shura muffling a sob in her fists, like she's back in Rekindle and she has friends again. Human friends. Friends who don't judge her for what she did, or worship her for it. A friend who tries her best to understand even if Shura is a terrible friend.

[visual] (forgive me I only have access to 15 icons argh)

[detective_shirogane]

"... Do you want to meet in person?"

It... looked like Shura needed some reassurance. Naoto could offer that, the 'Saeng Seong' way.

[visual] I RP some characters with 2 icons so.

[demimaudite]

Not trusting her voice right now, and with her fists still covering her mouth, Shura nods several times before wiping her eyes.

[Action]

[callmewhateveryuwant]

[The last thing he remembers is Steve trying to carrying him out of his apartment but that overwhelming feeling of despair and hopelessness kept blocking everything. The only one who managed to stay with him in the end was Banchou and even he suddenly vanished. But hearing a familiar voice as he can't find the strength to stand and walk...he can only do one thing. But his voice is hoarse and raspy as if he hasn't had a drink in months.

And about to pass out.]

Na...Naoto? Is...that you?

[Action]

[detective_shirogane]

"...Yu-senpai...?"

That... voice. She'd been warned, she knew she'd been warned that the Yu here had done a horrible thing, but it sounded so utterly sick...

Even if they hated and had their trust broken by Yu, they wouldn't have left him in that sort of state, would they? She glanced around, realising it hadn't come from a scroll, but nearby...

[Action]

[callmewhateveryuwant]

"...h...here..." he gasped out trying to get her attention, feeling like he was about to break any moment as he tried to reach a shaky hand towards her.

"I...I thought I was alone..." he coughed out. "...no one...was there with me...."

[Action]

[detective_shirogane]

... No, he was too sick. Something was off. Glancing back around, she--

"...! Yu-senpai?!"

Damnit, even if this was the one who broke the other Naoto's trust, she couldn't-- she simply couldn't turn her back on him--

She was by his side, her hand quickly grasping his, feeling-- it's so cold--

"I'm here. It's me... W-where did you think you were alone?"

Where, where-- for all she knew he could be a completely different Yu! It was possible, after all-- she was already doubled up here with the other Naoto... she quickly took off her jacket, pulling him up to put it around him.

"A-are you from, Saeng Seong?"

[Action]

[callmewhateveryuwant]

He could start feeling slight warmth as the jacket was pulled around him; small but it meant something to him as he found himself resting his head on her shoulder. How long was it that someone had wanted to touch him...to let him know everything would be alright?

"...yes...I've been in Saeng Seong." he coughed out, shivering against her. "Everyone vanished...all except me...even Shinju turned his back against me...I can't even feel Izanagi anymore."

[Action]

[detective_shirogane]

There was sigh of absolute relief-- thank goodness, he was her Yu, and not this other one... she quickly pulled him into an embrace, hugging him

"How... how long have you been there? When I went to sleep, you were doing well..."

Damnit all... !

"...I'm sorry, Yu-senpai. I'd never intend to leave you alone like that."

At least though, she could get him warmed up. She was sure if she vouched for him to the rest of the team, they'd accept and help him as well... and it would reassure them, that the Yu here had been an anomaly, not their own back in their own Inabas...

[Action]

[callmewhateveryuwant]

Comfort. Something he couldn't help but crave right at that moment as his arms slowly wrapped around his friend and held on tightly. Even in all this darkness he found himself in...there seemed to be a spark of hope still shining for him to grasp. Naoto was here and it was a start...they'll find everyone else and figure out what to do together. They were a team still...and most of all friends.

"Everyone left..." he mumured. "One by one...until I vanished too. But I came back and it was smaller in the city. Teddie was there but...not so much as around. Shinju cut me out of his life as well and I started to feel so...alone."

video

[torya]

[ .. as... vaguely as she recognizes that name, it's the Paras that draws her attention, and she looks both startled and a little hopeful on the other end of the scroll. ]

Ah-- e--excuse me, that's a Paras, isn't it? A Pokemon?

video

[detective_shirogane]

Hm?

[Ah, she didn't recognize this young woman... perhaps she was a Pokemon Trainer?]

Yes, that's correct.

[The little bug shifted so it could be in better view at Naoto's nudging. He was a little different than most Paras though-- the little white spots on his mushrooms looked more like stars.]

His name is Nameko-- he was given to me in Saeng Seong by a group of Pokemon trainers there-- Crystal, Silver and Gold, I believe their names were. He's not from the original Pokemon homeworld, unfortunately.

[What did happen to creatures born out of their universes, she wondered? Did they get lost in time and space?]

Are you from there?

video

[torya]

Ah, um--

[ ... going into the whole story seems a bit much right now so instead Sonico just gives a nod and a weak smile. ]

Y--yes. I'm not from Kanto, though! I'm from Kalos, and I don't think we have them in the wild there. But I've seen a couple in books and on TV.

You're lucky, though. None of my Pokemon came with me. I mean, I'm glad they're back at home, but it'd be nice if they were here.

Have you been training him?

[Visual] And here's a Soul Campaign version of Lily!

[vintage_magic]

[Lily might be staring a bit and there's certainly surprise in her Texas twang.]

Land sakes! A third Naoto?

[How many versions could there be? Because from her words, this Naoto obviously wasn't either the one she had met earlier with Kanji or the one knew in Death City.]