[Video/Action]

[cuteshit]

[The video feed shows Kanji leaning against the counter in the diner, his chin in hand as he props himself up on one elbow. He's still wearing his blue apron, but it looks like he's been taking a break from his usual clean-up duties for a little while now, frowning to himself thoughtfully.]

I got a question for you, Wonderland. Riley an' I were talkin' about events awhile back, and I've been thinkin' about it ever since. A lot of 'em have been pretty rough lately, right? But sometimes you hear people say that they're not always bad, that sometimes they're kinda fun. People seem to be havin' a rough time lately, so maybe it's time we thought about some of the positives of Wonderland, instead. Long as we're stuck here, we might as well.

So, tell me: what events have you seen here that you really liked? Maybe someone's asked this before, but if they did, I missed out on it. I heard there were a bunch of puppies once, that sounds like it was probably a good one. I thought Hogwarts was pretty fun, but I know it wasn't like that for everyone. If you can't think of any events you liked, maybe just talk about some of the good stuff that mighta happened to you here. Friends you've made you wouldn't have gotten to meet elsewhere, stuff like that.

I'll be in the diner all day if anyone wants to talk in person.

[Later in the afternoon, anyone who comes into the diner will find that he's abandoned his post at the counter, having taken up residence in a corner booth with his mop and bucket resting against the wall nearby. He's made himself comfortable in the booth itself, sitting length-wise with his feet sticking out of the end, several sheets of paper spread out across the table with the Rabbit Hole's basic menu next to them as a reference. There are a few scrapped attempts already-- sketches in colored pencil of menu designs he's decided he doesn't like, but it's pretty clear that he's undertaken a Project.]

Comments

[eatsyourscience]

[You guys, really.]

I can see how that'd piss someone off.

[But he's not judging.]

Other than that it was a fun event though? I'm glad.

[cuteshit]

[Really.]

We didn't, uh-- stop to think that the door might belong to someone. But it fixed itself! Wonderland's pretty good about that, most of the time.

[And Freya didn't cook either one of them, or whatever witches do.]

But otherwise, yeah, it was kinda fun, if you didn't think too much about the fact that we were collecting candy to trade for our lives. People had some great costumes.

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji nods, smiling just slightly.]

You know how people joke about why can't we have a nice event with puppies or something?

[Just guess where this is going with that example.]

[cuteshit]

[Kanji grimaces in reply.]

H-hey, it's not like I pull stuff like that every event! We just got kinda... carried away.

[Two short tempers in one place generally make for an explosive mix.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji shakes his head.]

No, I mean it. I've heard people say that, but we actually had an event that was pretty much just puppies.

[cuteshit]

[Color him relieved that this isn't another example of him being the reason they can't have nice things.]

Oh yeah, I heard about that one! Kind of a weird event. Wonder whose memory that was? Definitely better than most of the ones I've seen, though.

[Who is he kidding? Kanji would have been all over a tidal wave of puppies.]

[eatsyourscience]

I'm not really sure if the good ones balance out the bad ones.

[There have been some very unpleasant events.]

Even if they're not dangerous, they can be pretty bad. There was one where one of our senses was messed up. Everything looked or sounded or felt like the inside of a dead body.

[cuteshit]

I don't think they ever could. I mean, a good one once in awhile helps break things up, but... doesn't undo the rest of 'em.

[There's no balance to be had there. Kanji frowns, his brow furrowing.]

Seriously? The inside of a dead body?

[The idea of it makes his stomach turn.]

Shit.

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji nods.]

The ones that mess with our minds are worse to me than the ones where we're just in danger.

[Just in danger.]

[cuteshit]

[He nods his understanding, frown deepening.]

I mean, when the danger's over, it's over. The rest of it... that sticks with you. That's what makes it worse, right?

[eatsyourscience]

Right. The event in hell wouldn't have been so bad if it were just hell.

[It was the part where it got personal that was just awful. But at least now he can refer back to it without cringing, so that's progress.]

[cuteshit]

Yeah. Heat an' demons, no problem, but doubtin' yourself and the people around you-- that's rough.

[They've had enough of that kind of crap.]

Man, we ever get real fun ones like-- I dunno, a musical?

[eatsyourscience]

Yeah, we've had those ones.

[Souji thinks they were more awkward than fun, but they definitely weren't bad.]

We've had a couple of events that mess with impulse control. Like every idea we come up with is the best idea we've ever had, and we have to try it.

[cuteshit]

So basically... everyone's Yosuke-senpai.

[He remembers Operation Up Close and Personal.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji's eyes widen a little, and then he laughs.]

Yeah. Yousuke times ten.

[cuteshit]

When you put it that way, glad I missed that one, too-- no offense to Yosuke-senpai.

[He follows up with a lopsided grin.]

Who knows what kinda trouble we'd've gotten into.

[eatsyourscience]

I don't want to think about it.

[Someone would probably have died.]

But it would have been nice to see.

[cuteshit]

Kind of woulda been, huh. Any others events come to mind that you kinda liked?

[He's curious. Souji's been here a long time, and while part of him figures that Souji might not want to be reminded of that, he can't really help asking. There has to have been a few that he liked, right?]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji thinks back. He knows there were some, but it's easy for them to be eclipsed by other things.]

There was one where we were role playing ourselves. I tried to make plushies of my personas so I could throw them at people to "fight." And the ones where we've been at Hogwarts have been fun.

[cuteshit]

You made plushies? Like the one you gave me for Christmas?

[Kanji's face lights up like he's seeing that plush Takeji Zaiten for the first time all over again.]

Wish I coulda seen those, I bet they were great.

[eatsyourscience]

Two of them were just plushies I found that I added stuff to. But the Izanagi I tried to make properly.

[He smiles a little.]

You ended up having to fix it for me.

[cuteshit]

Yeah? Well, y'know-- anything for you.

[He'd have been happy to help Souji with just about anything, but he's sure he jumped right on the opportunity to assist in that particular field.]

It's weird, I keep forgetting that I was here before. What's that been like for you? Seein' some of us come and go?

[eatsyourscience]

Unfortunately, I lost that one.

["Anything for you." That makes him feel a little self-conscious, but it also pleases him, and the happy overrides the not.]

It's...a little weird. Yukiko, Naoto, you, even Adachi have all been here.

[cuteshit]

[Look, Souji. It's just a fact that every member of the Investigation Team is at least 30% in love with you. More, depending on who you're asking and when. You've got too much charisma.]

Wish I could remember. I know that ain't how this place works, but... not sure I like the idea of there bein' another me. A Kanji who did stuff I don't remember anything about.

[eatsyourscience]

I think it was the same you. And even if you don't remember, I do.

[Souji thought it must be a bit unnerving to know you were somewhere, doing something, but have no idea where or what that was. Still, he had good memories of Kanji's previous visit, and there was no reason for him to doubt that they were the same Kanji.]