kaisou | Open log

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WHO: Ritsuka + anyone
WHERE: just some random street corner
WHEN: 1st of July
WHAT: Ritsuka found herself whisked away to another world? Must be Tuesday...
WARNINGS: Probably none, this time

There's a new face in town! Or at least, there's a redheaded young woman who, while not appearing particularly bewildered or confused, most definitely is spending some time looking over the surrounding buildings and cityscape. As one does when trying to figure out where one is or how to get where one needs to go. In any case, it's definitely true no one here's seen her in town before!

Should you approach, though, she'll promptly swap from that evaluating stare to a friendly grin.

"Oh, hi there! Are you from around here?"

If you're especially observant, though, you might notice a set of red marks on the back of her right hand. But that's probably not important, right? Right.

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"Kind of? Maybe more like parallel worlds, sort of."

At least when it comes to the lostbelts. She's really not sure how much she ought to explain just yet, though, since she's still not sure what's going on.

"It's a long story, I guess... But this time was different."

Of course, she's still kind of under the assumption this is a singularity, so there's that.

"I see." He looks thoughtful for a moment-- but then he nods his head. "I believe in such things. After all, I believe I'm originally from a world where dimensions opened all the time into other worlds, and other times, too. That bit is hard to explain, though..."

He looks thoughtful for a moment.

"...Do you have the Libra app on your phone?"

He should probably make sure she's part of... this. Before he gets too deep into things.
After all, Kaisou IS a special case, but...

"Well if there's ways to get to other worlds it would make sense that there's ones to other times, too?"

Ritsuka, please, don't get too deep into this, you barely even know the phrase 'Second Magic' let alone how any of it works.

"Oh, yeah. Though I didn't even have that phone before I ended up here."

Oh, good. There's a tiny flicker of relief over Jinwoo's face. if she'd said no, he'd have made a polite excuse and exited the conversation. He instead moves to pull up his phone, and lift up the libra app--showing it to her on his own.

"People who have come here from other worlds have access to this. I'm not entirely sure what the Libra group or what Zodiac are up to--but at the very least, with this, you'll have a support group for people like you, having been pulled from other worlds.

...Do you know much about why you got here?"

He does work for the Order, so...
Maybe he'd ought to talk to her.

"Something about a spirit realm being damaged and it's pulling people from other worlds into this one?"

She got a few more details than that, sure, but that's the gist of it. If there's some higher purpose beyond that, Ritsuka has no idea.

"That's... the basics of it. But not the... full truth." He wonders... if whoever gave her that information left out the most important part of it of all, to protect her...?

He looks conflicted for a long moment as he toys with the edge of his glove.

"The people being pulled here are from worlds and timelines that have ended."

He closes his lightly glowing eyes for a moment, before looking away from her. "And there are those whose souls are refugees in this world--waking up in this world, having led different lives here, away from those worlds that have died."

"Huh?"

There's a bit of genuine confusion. Not shock, and arguably not even surprise, actually. It's just...

"Humanity's future was wiped out, yeah, but we were working on undoing that?"

More to the point, if this place isn't a singularity--and she's pretty sure it's not a lostbelt--how would someone even know about that?

"Ah..."

Of course he figured a strong reaction. These people stolen from other worlds had such a huge disadvantage compared to other people; but he didn't expect her to say something like... that.

"You're from a world like that, then..." how interesting. He looks honestly impressed? He can't tell her about the ins and outs of the world, he knows there are things he has to keep secret, so he isn't going to extend any more info than that bit, but...

"...I was from a world like that, too. I remember the world being wiped out, and rewritten. And yet..."

Here they are.

"Really?"

Ritsuka is, admittedly, still somewhat processing this new information. And there's definitely going to be some... implications and interesting conclusions she'll have to think through later. But it's not terribly earth-shattering, not to someone who's already witnessed humanity's annihilation multiple times.

"But there's other people whose worlds were fine before they came here...?"

Not that that is terribly surprising, either. Some of the lostbelts had been stable, if not thriving, prior to Chaldea arriving and destroying the trees that anchored them. Which, well. That's another thought to add to the pile to work through sometime later. Preferably in private.

"As far as I know, yes."

Which, honestly, given that he's new to the city, Ritsuka would actually be the first 'off worlder' he's met. He'd normally be excited about it, but given his job for the last ten years and the nature of it, technically, she'd forget him the moment he walked away if the circumstances weren't a little different, here.

"And I know. ...I know, I don't understand why, myself, either. There are people in this world like myself who have ... had past lives re-awoken in their memories, and from what I know, the person I used to be? I saved the world from destruction no less than three times. And yet..."

And yet, he's here--which meant his world was dead.

He looks quietly downtrodden for a moment--before returning up a smile.

"...Sorry, you just got here, I shouldn't be burdening you quite so hard.

Do you have a place to stay, yet?"

"It's fine."

Considering she's still in a situation where her world hasn't been saved yet, she gets that feeling. She refuses to give up, of course, but there's always that gnawing doubt that maybe they won't win the next fight, after all.

"Oh, I don't know for sure yet, but apparently there's a couple people I know here, so..."

It's less that she doesn't have a place to stay and more that she's yet to pick one.

"Oh, so you're not alone..."

Jinwoo's expression flickers with a bit of relief--but also, maybe a little bit, just a tinge of envy.

He won't let it shine through in his words or actions, though. It's not the time or place.

"I'm sure that, whoever they are, they'll be more than willing to help you.
I'd offer to help you myself, but.... being new as I am, the most I can do is point you in the direction of where to get help."

His shoulders slip down a little.

"Yeah, since they're here that makes things a lot easier."

Not that she couldn't fend for herself, mind, but if she doesn't have to, that does simplify things. For example, camping out to avoid Zodiac's housing is no longer an option she needs to seriously consider.

"And even just telling me about this place is pretty helpful, you know?"

He finds himself smiling calmly again, nodding his head gently as she admits it's making her life easier. He's envious--but he's honestly happy for her. He can't imagine how being so far from home must feel; even if she's apparently used to this sort of thing.

"If you believe so, then we can continue to walk and talk, if you wish.

Zodiac will apparently supply you with basic identification and papers so you can blend in, here, as someone who doesn't belong here.

...but I'm not sure living in their living facilities is a good idea."

"Sure."

That sounds like a good way to both hear more information and start to get to know her way around. Two birds, one stone, and all that.

"I guess if I'm gonna be here for a while an ID and stuff would be a good idea..." Darn modern time periods and their need for documentation! "But is it really a good idea to get it from them?"

He'll start to walk, fixing his grip on the ever-present umbrella he's holding as he moves, expecting Ritsuka to follow as he talks.

"Well... if there was a better option, I'd offer it to you. Unfortunately, there isn't really a 'better choice', so to speak. Joining the Black Order like me is probably one, but--given you're from off-world and not someone who's gained supernatural powers by other means, I'm not sure they'd offer you a place in the ranks."

And a pause.

"...And it's a bad idea, anyway. Worse than getting it through Zodiac, in my honest opinion."

Ritsuka does indeed follow along, listening attentively as he explains.

"So, not really any other choice, huh?"

Well, this Zodiac presumably already knows she's here, if they somehow managed to plant a freaking smartphone on her when she arrived.

"If I was only going to be here a short time, it probably wouldn't be worth the bother, but..."

She's heard there's people who've been stuck here for months at a time. And she's not that good at camping out and living off the land.

"I promise you, from the bottom of my heart. If there was another way... I'd help you get it. Unfortunately, people like you are still pretty rare, so... it's either get zodiac's help or... well. Just live without proper paperwork and hope for the best. I'm sorry."

He does look sorry, too--the expression is worn well on his features, his eyes even glancing down from inside that deep hood where his features can barely be seen. ...His eyes have a small glow to them, making the cast downward look obvious.

"If it was for a short time, you're right--it wouldn't really matter, I think. But.

I'm not actually sure when you and others like you can get sent home. ...if at all."

"Ah, you don't have to apologize, it's not like it's something you could do anything about, you know."

But she does appreciate the sentiment, so she gives him a smile before the topic moves on.

"Well... if there's any chance at all, then I'll have to keep trying, or waiting, or whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, then."

She means it, too. It's not just the sense of unfinished business, but there's people she cares about deeply back in her own world. People that she doesn't want to let down.

"I know it's nothing I can help, I just feel... bad, I suppose. about people who get pulled into fates beyond their control."

He'll let the subject change, though, and he'll nod his head, once--slowly.

"It's good to have hope that things will get better. It's basically what's kept me going for years, at least. Things can't stay the same so long as you're doing your best."

Oh, if only he knew the half of what Ritsuka's been pulled into already... But that's definitely a tangent they don't need to explore just now.

"Exactly. You have to at least try, right?"

Of course, there's a little more to it than just that, especially with where she's coming from, but that's another thing there's no need to get into.

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