Minato | Souji | Akira | 097

[messianic]

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[purrtagonist]

[what's even funnier: Akira called it wrong. Tama allows for this petting without grasping at their hands with her claws. the road to being the least favorite wild card is set]

[a soft snort, and Akira follows his senpais, crouching down next to Tama and also reaching out to poke her soft, fluffy belly]

Are we only here to pet you, Tama-chan?

[the cat mewls happily in response. that may as well be a "yes"]

[sworders]

[ And she'll enjoy belly rubs from all three of them before she'll paw at Minato's hand and look towards the doors. Yo. ]

... Over there?

[messianic]

... Ah--those doors. I didn't try to open them.

[HE GOT DISTRACTED BY THE CAT.]

[purrtagonist]

[CATS ARE VERY DISTRACTING, THAT'S FAIR]

I'll give it a try.

[Akira pokes Tama-chan's fuzzy belly one last time before pushing himself to his feat and meandering over to the door that looks kind of like an old timey elevator! but even though he reaches out to push it open, and then digs his fingers in between the crack to pull it open. . . it doesn't budge]

. . . are there some secret conditions we have to meet in order to open any of these?

[BECAUSE THAT'S OBNOXIOUS!!]

[sworders]

Hm.

[ Well. Souji will (reluctantly) leave Tama alone and move over to try the elevator himself.

And yeah, nothing. ]

... Arisato-san, do you want to give it a try?

[messianic]

[... Well, he knows the elevator door is his, of course...

So after a long moment, he just shrugs a little and reaches out to open the door. And open it does!

Welcome to Velvet Room A La Elevator, friends. There's nobody in here, but Minato looks entirely unsurprised to see it.]

[purrtagonist]

[is our social link even high enough for us to enter Velvet Room A La Elevator]

. . . ah. . .

I get it.

[sworders]

... Is this like... individual Velvet Rooms within a Velvet Room?

[ He's never seen this one before, but Minato doesn't seem surprised at all. ]

[messianic]

[Yeah, Souji and Akira are probably both going to bounce off of some invisible wall if they try to talk in.

Let's try!!

So.

Minato just walks right into the room, expecting the other two to be able to follow.]

Right... this is mine.

[purrtagonist]

[huh]

I guess that's one way to do things. We all need a space where we can--

[-- CRACK]

[annnnd before he can finish his statement, Akira totally walks face-first into that invisible wall. he reels back quickly, hand shooting up to cover his poor, sore nose, glasses sitting askew on his features]

[behind them, Tama-chan mews peacefully]

[sworders]

... Ah.

[ Well, good thing Akira went first!! Souji stretches out a hand and indeed, encounters resistance. ]

Arisato-san only, huh?

[messianic]

... Oh.

[Minato turns around to look at Souji and Akira with a blank look.]

Are you okay...?

[He'll come back, though, obediently, stepping through the doorway as easily as that.]

[purrtagonist]

[LOOKING. . . KIND OF PUT OUT, as he rubs his nose]

. . . I'm okay.

[narrows his gaze at Minato's doorway. from here, he can't see the details of what lies in the Velvet Room beyond because the lighting is too dim, which only adds insult to injury]

Arisato only, it seems. Which probably means we're all only allowed to enter our own respective Velvet Rooms.

[he steps away from the elevator door now and turns towards the two others-- one that looks like thick, iron and heavily locked containment door, and one that looks like. . . well. it's shiny and blue and chrome and metal]

[sworders]

... [ And he's just going to point to the shiny chrome door. ]

I'm pretty sure it's mine.

[ And sure enough, when he tests it, it swings open. From here, he can see the plush upholstery, the side bar with the drinks he's never even glanced at... ]

[messianic]

[Huuuuh...

Minato walks over, carefully reaching out with his hand--and sure enough, he touches solid air right there, stopping him from going closer.

... He can definitely see something that looks like velvet in there, but it's hard to see from here.]

... I guess this all makes sense. It's the insides of our hearts, and all of that, right?

[purrtagonist]

Mmm. It's more symbolism.

[. . . Akira squints past Souji's doorway into the room beyond. like Minato's, he can't make out the details, but. . .]

Is that a drink bar?

[sworders]

[ Gently closes the door!!!! ]

Anyway, it looks like we've figured out a little more now. Whatever we're here for, we're going to need help from the Velvet Room.

[messianic]

[...Anyway...?]

... Hm.

[...

Glancing to Akira's door, and then back to Akira.]

... You don't want us to see yours?

[purrtagonist]

[. . . . . . . jiiiiiiiiii @ Seta. . . but when he speaks, it's directed at Minato]

I already know what's inside. It's not important.

[like hell is he showing two strangers his heart prison. even if he's no longer locked up like an inmate in it]

We should focus on figuring out where we go from here. Did either of you find anything else suspicious while looking around?

[sworders]

[ a very calm jiiiiiiiiiiiii right back. ]

-- Ah, no. I was just starting to look around when I heard you calling.

[messianic]

[Minato glances between the two of them and just.

Kind of silently sighs.

Okay. So that's how it's going to be.]

... No, but I get the feeling if we go looking, we'll find something now.

[Clearly they had to get introduced to the Velvet Rooms first? That's how these things work.]

[purrtagonist]

[A VERY CALM JIIIIIII IN RETURN]

[yeah sorry Minato, this is how it's gonna be]

Naturally. We've got to discover the important things by narrative significance, right?

[well. they may not have to wander too much, because Tama-chan is slinking towards the exit now, stopping there and meowing at the three boys insistently. follow the cat!1]

[sworders]

-- Oh. Tama-chan's volunteering to show us the way.

[ Well, how could he avoid the cat!! He's coming! ]

[messianic]

[Convenient!]

Ah... plot convenience wins again. [Dryly.]

Let's go, Tama-chan.

[purrtagonist]

I, for one, am not complaining about plot convenience.

[following the cat it is! once all three wild cards file in behind her, Tama-chan darts out of the velvet room and into the station again. which looks. . . exactly the same as it did before, but-for one difference]

[a train has pulled up to the platform just outside the velvet room, the engine rumbling as it stalls on the tracks. it's an old-timey passenger train, although the windows are all fogged up with mysteriously blue and swirling clouds, so it's impossible to see what's inside. Tama parks herself right outside the entrance, tail flickering]

[it's clear what she wants them to do]

Oh. Are we going on a trip?