second truth | second level

[truthvalue]

[Souji's been practicing the whole second level thing. Seems like as good a time as any to pose an open question to the rest of Meridian's residents.]

Does anyone know how many of us are here, now? That is ... is anyone keeping any sort of record of our arrivals?

Comments

[negcapability]

[Raf is only vaguely aware of the second level, but he sometimes finds himself there by accident. He hasn't interacted with anyone on it yet, so he is a little surprised to see someone there. Tiri, his fox, isn't, but he would be surprised to know that he can be both seen and heard here.]

{I don't think a census is high on anyone's list of priorities.}

[Raf ignores the fox, looking at the man instead.]

I don't know.

[truthvalue]

[Souji nods calmly, addressing both the fox and Raf.]

It's not so much a census for formality's sake ... more like an accounting of who's here, in case of anything odd happening. There's been more than enough weirdness already, as I'm sure you probably already noticed.

[negcapability]

[Raf isn't going to so much address the content of what was said as the fact that it was addressed to Tiri. He looks at Tiri, trying to get him to speak again so Raf could gauge the young man's reaction to that. Tiri doesn't oblige him, though, so Raf speaks after a moment.]

With more people arriving almost daily, could we expect to keep a list accurate?

[truthvalue]

It would definitely take some work. It might be too much for one person to handle ...

[negcapability]

So we'd need to coordinate in order to stay coordinated?

[Raf shrugs.]

It could work.

[Tiri's tail swishes.] {It's not like you have anything better to do.}

[truthvalue]

That's very true. We don't really have school or jobs to go to while we're here.

[negcapability]

[Raf just stares for a moment.]

I'm pretty sure that the point of hallucinations is that other people can't see them. Or hear them.

[truthvalue]

Hm? [Souji looks quite confused. What hallucination?] Sorry?

[negcapability]

[Raf glances suspiciously between Tiri and Souji.]

{Me. I wonder if I have physicality now.} [Tiri heads over to Souji and bats a paw against him, then stops and licks the paw.]

That's...not possible.

omg i did not get a notif for this, i'm so sorry

[truthvalue]

[Souji watches these proceedings with an expression of mild bafflement.]

What ... isn't possible?

[negcapability]

[Raf nods at the fox.]

This is Tiri. I've been hallucinating him since I was five. Unless I've branched out, there's really no reason I can think of that he would be visible.

[truthvalue]

[OK, that's pretty odd. But there's a fox there, and Souji sure can see him.]

He seems perfectly real ...

[Souji turns his attention to the fox. He hopes this fox is at least of a similar temperament as the one from the shrine in Inaba.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Tiri.

[negcapability]

[Tiri smiles a fox smile, but friendly enough.] {Thank you.}

[Raf shrugs.]

Real foxes don't talk, for one.

[truthvalue]

Maybe not in words, the way you and I do ... but they can communicate, all the same.

[negcapability]

...Yes, well, they tend not to be too concerned with how I perceive them, just as I'm not concerned with their impressions of me. We can live separately quite happily.

[truthvalue]

You haven't ever tried to, ah ... make a friendship with him? [Yeah, not bringing up Social Links. That would be too weird.]