Texts: omg don't leave me on read

Texts: omg don't leave me on read
Date of Scene:	21 August 2023
Location:	Texts
Synopsis:	Naru and Darien talk about Pyrite and aliens and dark energy.
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Naru Osaka

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(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: I told your sister about the duck ponds in Tokyo. I'm sorry. XD

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: Oh that's fine. I was looking for something normal to do with her.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: So, thanks!

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: If you want, I can come with you guys. They like frozen peas, it doesn't upset their tummies like bread does. (And if you guys go without me, that's cool too)

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: Oh that would be really nice!

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: I feel like I should text you kitten videos too. <3 You doing alright?

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: I prefer gifs, but sometimes there's nothing like a tiny mew

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: <duckling and kitten dozing together . gif>

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: I'm stressy but that's not new. *that* is cute.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: I had it on deck after sending it to your sister. :)

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: Oh perfect <3 <3

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: I also imagine you have questions...

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Currently I'm debating between frightening truth and reassuring lie.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: Well, ask whenever you want to. :)

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: I'm not sure how hypothetical there was in those 'hypothetically's, and I'm not sure how literal to take things. So I'm just answering questions clearly and literally in our text convo.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: If I say 'hypothetically' it's generally for completely meaningless CYA reasons

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: I'm usually pretty literal.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: That's what I thought.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: I just realized it was probably really shitty of me to ask to give her your number without making sure you knew. But you're not in danger from her.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: You totally asked me if you could give her my number. You're good! :)

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: The only thing that feels in danger from her are the tendons in my thumbs because she's as much of a chatterbox as I am. That being said, she's hardly unique around here in having little grasp on reality, but it feels like hers is more acute.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: As this feels important to check with you.. I'm going to offer to answer questions she has to the best of my ability.. is that alright?

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: She's a ghost. Her grasp on reality is somewhat tenuous because all time is the same to her and space and form are consensual agreements. Talking to her can be really existential.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: That's fine! I trust you.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: And I'm going to hang out with the comfortable lie that 'Murderghost' is just a cute nickname.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: Okay! It takes some of the pressure off, doesn't it? She's my weird but adorable little sister.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Y'know, after I decided that all of the exchange students are aliens, that also took some of the pressure off. This is not much of a stretch past that.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: (I don't know if aliens are real, but it was easier than assuming every other country that wasn't Japan was really odd.)

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: Aliens?? XD XD I mean sure there are some aliens, but *all* of them?

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: I'm willing to entertain potential exceptions, but it is a less stressful first assumption.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: You don't think *I'm* an alien, do you? o.O

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: omg dont leave me on read

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Sorry, that wans't supposed to be a dramatic pause, but was RL eating me. And no, you're not in the 'alien' category. You're not an exchange student that I've had to explain what leather was, or how to eat dessert to.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: as long as its not RL chewing on you!! thank you XD

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: No no. Not literal chewing on me!

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: good. good good. i would like to prevent that as much as i can.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: which isn't much because you really are a trouble magnet :<

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Short of just not leaving my dorm room, I havne't worked out prevention. I'm mostly focusing on not being a completely useless victim instead, cause that's insult to injury on the xp and mana loss.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: i'd give you replacement mana but mine is apparently *poison* according to a local expert (who is an actual expert) so it's probably a terrible idea on the whole

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Currently I'm full up! I haven't been drained in ages! Physical drain is easier to cope with, generally. The more metaphysical drain sucks, mostly because it really doesn't respond well to much beyond sleep. Super frustrating. Both can be mitigated somewhat at least.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Although I'd argue that what is poison to one is not to another, and the devil is in the dosage.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: It's true. But at the same time, I feel like I should offer you the opportunity to see what it feels like to use?

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Do you, or does the cult you're in feel like you should offer?

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: cult lol. i'll think about that later. but no, it's me that feels like i should. it'd just be you touching my hand and me not having my psychic filters on, and if you can handle that, me doing something simple with the magic i use.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: i'm used to the way it feels.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: my local expert says it's not supposed to feel this way

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: Hey.. from over here, it totally reads like a cult. :) <3

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: I'm interested in that test, although I don't know what 'clean' mana feels like from someone else. I've only ever been drained.

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: yeah i'll think about it later, because i can immediately list off the ways it's worse than a cult as well as all the ways it's absolutely not a cult, while at the same time going 'no you know she's right this reads as a cult'

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: well. you're friends with sailor moon, right?

(PHONE) Mamoru Chiba texts: she probably knows a healer.

(PHONE) Naru Osaka texts: At the very least, I can see how this feels, even if I have to figure out how other stuff feels later. Whenever the timing works out, I'm willing.