yogen | may missions

Thanks — appreciate it.

( the gratitude is the first thing he offers when the other comes over to help out with the shelf, even if, oops... didn't mean to be so noisy with that. it's fine. more important things to worry about — amami offers a smile to the other for his assistance and, folding his arms over his chest, takes the chance to get a good luck at this red panel they've uncovered.

suspicious... but he spares another glance around the room. it's all mirror, and he knows they can't get out the way they came in. this, though, this is different for some reason; could it be something that will help them escape? he'll give a moment, but then reach out to experimentally tap the tips of his fingers against the surface of the red "window". )

[Ishimaru winces as the 'books' fall.]

I apologize! I did not mean to cause such noise or a mess...

[But tending to a fake mess doesn't seem too be a high priority right now. With the bookcase moved, he stares at the red glowing panel.]

Now what is this... [He's alarmed as Amami starts tapping it.] Ah! Is - is that safe to touch?!

You don't need to apologize, it's not as if anybody's going to care about such a mess in a world like this. Especially in a world like this. Just pretend it's an escape room or something like that -- the workers will clean up the mess.

[It's a bit of a joke, but it might be hard to tell given just how serious-noted she sounded while saying it.]

But now I'm wondering if there's a space like this on the other side, too. Do you think we'll have to break into the counselor's office again at some point...?

[Because yeah, she's been in there, so she has some sense of recognition and everything. But she'll keep the ball in the boys' court for now, keeping caution.

And more importantly, while making sure that the reflections caused by the light don't do anything odd.]

[ not how i forgot to include the details about the drawer, pretend he didn't get to the last one yet... The drawers do open, and most of them contain normal office supplies (albeit reflective ones.) There is one, however, that has a gold mirror frame tucked within. There is no mirror in it, but maybe that's a relief in a room where every surface reflects one's movements. But at the very least they seem to be harmless for the moment, acting as reflections should.

Meanwhile, Ishimaru and Amami's commotion has had one bonus. It takes a few more books falling off of the shelves for it to show itself, but hidden behind them Ishimaru might be able to catch sight of one more normal object: A white notebook with cherry blossoms framing it. If flipped through, they'll find that it is currently blank.

Hopefully they make quick work of sorting out these discoveries, because the red window ripples where Amami's fingertips brush against it, and if he chooses to reach in a little further he'll be able to determine that there's cool air and a light breeze on the other side. Unfortunately, that's as far as he'll get before a gloved hand reaches out, grabs his wrist, and starts pulling. Here's hoping that he doesn't tumble in headfirst. ]

Edited 2022-05-17 05:08 (UTC)

( moment of silence for amami who cannot hear these discoveries going on and really is a little bit preoccupied here for a moment.

for his part, he actually lights up a little when he feels the cool air. in fact, he's about to take his arm back so he can stick his head in there to get a look at what's on the other side. doesn't get the chance, though, and ends up pretty alarmed when the hand comes through the mirror to grab his again. bro what the fuck...

but he rolled well, so amami's going to actually try to pull back against the hand that's pulling him. tug-of-war, with his fingers wrapping around the other arm too. with that, he'll try to press his foot against the frame of the panel to try and get some more full-body leverage to pull as well, though it's in the air if he actually manages to pull them into the room like he's trying to, or if he just ends up yanked off balance while he's still lifting his foot here. )

[ Unfortunately, he is not successful in pulling the person on the other side in! But he'll notice that the hand isn't quite like those that have been creeping out of the mirror as of late. It's a hand that's covered by a soft fabric glove, warm to the touch, and its grip is only firm enough to hang onto him.

The person on the other side must not have meant any harm either, as they let go once it becomes apparent that they've made a miscalculation. The hand lifts for a moment, fingers curling, before it disappears back into the window.

Unfortunately, Amami was pulling pretty hard so he'll be knocked off balance and probably hit his head on the nearest piece of furniture. ]

[Heck yeah sweet loot. It's a bit too big to pocket so Shin's going to stuff it up his jacket like I'm realizing he must have done with the laptop that one time. This time less out of an instinct to hide it and more convenient storage on his trip over to the rest, having winced at the crash a little.]

Ahaha... Doubt we'll be coming back here, in any case...

['The workers will clean up the mess' is much less comforting when you're the one mopping the konbini floor, he will say. But also... when it comes to involuntary escape rooms, he finds he's far more concerned with whoever is responsible for them doling out arbitrary punishments for breaking stuff than them having to deal with broken things in itself.

He's never been in the Counselor's office (as far as he remembers... maybe the place feels unsettlingly familiar in a way he can't put his finger on, itself an unsettling thing), so Inaba's statement is the first hint he has they're related... He opens his mouth to suggest maybe there's an entrance to the crawlspaces there.

Then something yanks at Rantaro.]

Q-quick! Grab him...!

[Not to pull him out, but to ensure they all go through... it was initially a hypothetical, but the idea of being split up has been slowly metastasizing from that spot in his brain. He hesitates, shifting one arm under the mirror in his jacket... and in the space of that delay, Rantaro pulls himself free. There's a shot of relief, underneath that area of Shin's brain now committed to follow-through, which leads him to reach in after the retreating hand and grab and pull it.]

( bang crack the sound of amami's head bouncing off the nearest presumably mirrored surface in the room. there's an audible "oof" kind of sound, but even if he's trying to push himself back up immediately, he's still a little dazed and winded from the sudden impact. he's got one hand reaching up to hold his head... ouch... give him a minute here and he'll re-enter the fray. )

[Ishimaru just always feels concerned about proper tidiness, even in a mirror dimension of fake things that they've been kidnapped into. He may not be familiar with escapr rooms, but he gets the spirit of what Inaba's saying.

And he quickly finds something else to focus on instead, as Amami has his ill-fated encounter with a mystery hand! It's over and left Amami on the floor before Ishimaru can take any action. So he heads over to his side and frets.]

Amami-kun! What just happened? Are you alright? [He'll also offer support whenever he's ready to get up!]

-- seriously?!

[Inaba's eyes grow wide the very second more hand bullshit happens, but she's already too late when she tries to scramble to do something and just sighs when Amami's just slammed back in pain.

Yeah, not touching things first has been a good decision for her today.]

Maybe it's a good idea to throw something at a surface before actually touching it next time...

[You know. Just in case that happens again. Knock on wood.]

[ Shin does manage to grab it! Unfortunately it's not quite enough to pull it back, or perhaps it's simply harder to reach things from that side. Still, as with Amami, he'll likely notice the breeze on the other side and the warmth of the wrist he holds. He'll be able to hold on for seconds before the hand breaks free of his grip. But on the plus side, he'll be able to hold his ground and avoid being pulled any further in. ]

[He's caught himself with one palm flattened on the blanker wall next to the window, bracing against it with his shoulder also - maybe's he's learnt the lesson taught in bruises by Maple. He manages to avoid smacking his own head into the top of it when his meagre attempt at tugging back is loosened, pulling his hand out and panting, the arm now bracing him for a different reason.]

There's definitely someone there! There's a breeze, too...

( okay, so his head hurts something awful, but you know... ishimaru's on his good side for hearing here, and directly addressing amami from nearer to him too, so of the three... unfortunately that's the only voice he's able to make out anywhere near clearly. the worried expression helps, mind you, and when he looks up, it's with a smile that's half-apologetic to go along with the gratitude. )

I'm fine, that was my bad, but thanks. Here—

( holding out his hand, he'll accept ishimaru's assistance in getting back up. though, even if he's flashing a smile to the other, it doesn't mean he's about to slow down either. actually, he feels kind of bad — seems like he must've spooked whoever that was, even if he... was also kind of spooked by the encounter. what matters here is that he's not sure they're actually going to patiently wait up on the other side for their little group to calmly and rationally discuss this whole incident, see? so there's really only one thing he can do as a follow-up.

back on his feet now, amami's gonna re-approach the side of the window that shin isn't occupying and lead with one hand to make sure it's still something he can pass through. following the hand, he's just going to stick his whole face through the other side, all the way to just past his shoulders, to see if he can get a good look at what's over there. ideally he'll be able to spot their mysterious friend, but hanging on to the frame of the mirror-window-panel with his other hand, he's going to try to get a good look at everything else if not. )

A breeze, you say...

[Ishimaru repeats his words as he wonders that. Then could that lead outside? At the moment, it's the closest thing to a way out that they have... but with a mysterious fellow on the other side, is it really safe?

Well, he doesn't deliberate that much before Amami goes straight for the opening again. And Ishimaru is at his side this time to watch over him!]

Amami-kun, please be careful! [He'll try to grip onto Amami's arm, just in case any attempted snatchings occur!]

...

[Inaba opts to not say anything right now because the breeze definitely means outside, but is it the 'outside' of this strange world? Or the outside of Yogen? Or something else entirely different? There are many options, here.

And more importantly, they don't know if the person on the other side is safe or not.

That skepticism makes her worry.

Nevertheless, they have nothing else but to continue onward, and if this is the closest thing they have to an out, then... she has complicated feelings on it.

But if Ishimaru is going to grip on that side, Inaba's going to make sure to stand on the other side, preparing herself for anything, just in case it gets bad again.]

[ amami sticks his head out and finds himself face to face with a bear

Just kidding! Amami will look out and find himself at the edge of a town. The sun shines down on the trees and flowers, and the smell of trees and spring flowers are carried by the breeze. The town houses simple wood buildings and course pathways that spread throughout it. It's difficult to say exactly what point in time they're in, but everything suggests this world is from a time that has long since passed, both for those in the mirror room and Yogen High.

There is a man standing before a carriage. He seems to be just finishing his task of fixing bags to the the saddle of the lone horse that draws it, and his head turns as his work is interrupted by a younger boy with snow white hair wearing a pair of black gloves. The boy stares at him with curious wide eyes, a delighted smile on his face, as though this were his first time seeing such a sight. It's a scene that would warm even the coldest heart, and Amami will find that his heart too is moved by it.

"Are you God?" the boy asks. The man smiles as he answers with a shake of the head and a small laugh, reassuring the boy that he's not God.

...

He may continue watching, or may he pull back, or he may enter the scene himself. ]

(oh— oh, he doesn't recognize the boy, but the gloves... and the man, he definitely recognizes. there is something warm about the scene, and actually, he feels almost a little bad about trying to pull that hand back with him now. still — can't apologize if he just watches, right?

so give him a moment, and he shifts the hand that's holding onto the edge of the window to hold from the outside now, keeping his place on that side while he leans back and into the mirrored room again. amami glances over his shoulder to the others with a "follow me" kind of gesture, and while he's not quite smiling, there is something light in his eyes — curious, excited, maybe a little bit relieved. from body language alone, it's easy to tell that whatever he saw didn't appear to be a threat, and he'll nod his head towards the window for good measure. )

I don't think it's dangerous, but we'll want to get over there quick if we want any help.

( and actually, he's going to put one foot through the mirror to make his way through, though he does offer another glance to the others to see if they're willing to come with before actually stepping through. )

[Ishimaru steps back as Amami resurfaces, relieved that he's alright. From what his expression and words, it seems that things truly might be safe.]

I see. So... It is safe to pass through. [He repeats that as he thinks. The grabbing hand was concerning, but it's sounding like that might not be a threat after all. He trusts in Amami's word, and they don't have a lot of options, so Ishimaru stands ready to go through the window after Amami.]

If there are no objections, then I believe it may be fine for us to cautiously pass through!

...

[Inaba is quiet, looking a little contemplative. It's safe right now but who knows what will happen later.]

Alright. I think we should go in one at a time, just in case.

[ Whether one or all of them are willing to step into the mirror, the scene will continue. No time seems to have passed between when Amami removed himself to when he stepped back out, as though someone had hit pause on the scene and only resumed once the group had made a choice on the matter.

The boy stands before the man he has deemed to be God, awestruck as he continues to insist upon the matter.

"You must be, because a miracle has happened."

He doesn't seem to understand the words that the man speaks in return, though his eyes remain fixed in place, but those standing by will understand. The man offers to him a promise that there's a world outside of his bedroom, one beyond his quaint little village, and an offer to bring him to that place. The world he promises is something better than this, something kinder - words that none of those who've seen the current state of the school would likely use to describe it.

But there's an earnest kindness to it, one that will creep into the characters whether they want to or not. It's a warmth that could melt the coldest of hearts, an earnest desire and belief, and a quiet happiness that thinks of the better future promised now by the man helping the boy into the carriage. They're feelings shared and transferred, ones that cannot be denied.

Once he's finished with that, he'll stop just short of shutting the door. There's a pause, and he finally seems to notice them. The counselor of Yogen High turns his head to look at them. There's a brief flicker of recognition, then an easy smile as he gestures toward the entrance.

"Will you be needing a ride as well?"

The entrance that they came through has disappeared. There's no going back to the room that they entered from, bu he doesn't seem inclined to force the matter. They can stay behind in the village or disappear into the forest if they wish, though it would certainly be a mistake to do so. ]

( the kindness may be undeniable, but amami can't help the anxiety that it gives way to, bubbling just beneath the surface. like antibodies reacting to a foreign intrusion — the emotional projection leaves him with uncertainty and caution underlying even that sense of warm relief, and it's visible in the way amami's eyes are sharp and perceptive as he takes in the counselor's familiar figure. even so, he'll offer an easy smile of his own, a wave of his hand in acknowledgement. )

You don't mind if we have a quick chat first, do you? It'll only take a minute.

( because he kind of just dragged them in here, and no matter how much he'd rather go with than wander around aimlessly, it's probably not going to make him any friends if he just decides without consulting anybody else. still, when he turns to face the others again, his eyes are bright — expectant. it's clear what he wants to do here. the counselor hasn't given amami a reason to consider him a threat yet, after all; he just wants a consensus from the others before he trots over like a dog off a leash. )

Take as long as you need. We have all the time in the world.

[ Is that an attempt to lighten the mood...? Maybe he senses Amami's unease, but either way he seems unperturbed. He'll stick his head in to check on his young charge before finishing his final few preparations. Otherwise he's content enough to wait for them to regroup and come to a decision. ]

Edited 2022-05-25 14:42 (UTC)

[And so Ishimaru steps out through the mirror! And he takes a moment to breathe in the air. It's not often that he gets to be outside without being on school grounds. And he observee as the apparent counselor speaks, confused by the whole situation. But it seems his input is needed now. He smiles a little at Amami's eagerness.]

Well, I'm all for riding along and seeing where this takes us! We don't seem to have much choice at the moment. While we could investigate this area, this seems like a more promising lead! Furthermore, we will have safety in numbers!

Ahaha, you're going to head over there with or without us, aren't you...

[It could be a trap... but Shin especially right now doesn't want to rock the boat in the face of Rantaro's expectant spark and the already shaky ground they're on... as well as the knowledge that he knows how to handle danger, if he's to have been believed. It's something that happened without Shin noticing it; Rantaro earnt his loyalty... as uncomfortable and terrifying as that is to fully realize after the fact of the matter, the taproot going deeper than thought.

It mixes horribly with the incongruent warmth. Like Rantaro, there's a reflexive kneejerk response of the soul to it, as to an allergen; his distrust of his own reactions to calm and comfort.]

We should be fine in the carriage... it's whereever we end up we should be worried about.

[Isn't that what they say, about secondary locations? This would be voluntary, instead of being knocked out from behind, but it's still a once bitten twice shy situation, especially with that being the Counselor. He looks up and it's with that wall of a closed-eyed smile.]

...I say we check it out. That's my vote.

[Barring objection from Inaba. It's the fact that it could be dangerous that's gotten him. He's been thinking for a long, long time, about saving others and what that actually is or means, and the strange boy is already heading for whatever awaits. Safety in numbers, huh...]

Edited (minor grammar tweak) 2022-05-28 10:22 (UTC)

--well, looks like the 'ayes' have it. I'd say continue to be cautious, though. And if something turns for the worst and something is definitely not safe, a key word or phrase or something might be good.

[ Especially given that they're in the presence of other people. ]

I usually go for "heartseed".

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mise said i had to reroll so this time it's 18 :)

roll: 19

roll: 20 despite all reason

roll: 3 rip amami

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roll: 17

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