[ she isn't exactly judging, but she is a little befuddled. ]

Are they all the same? But in different colors?

Ah... haha, sometimes when you find something you like, you just want to buy it in every color it comes in, you know?

[ not a lie, but it's also definitely not why he's buying these. ]

[ she doesn't know why, but she also doesn't know how much she believes that. ]

Do you need assistance in carrying those?

[ blinks like "are you offering or are you going to suggest someone else to do it"... but he shakes his head either way. ]

Mm, it's fine! They probably have bags somewhere. [ looking around... ] Though I guess they don't really have a normal register area...

[ shifts to hold them a little closer to his chest. ]

Anyway, they've got a really big variety! It's pretty impressive. [ so why are you buying five of the same sweatshirt. ] Are there things you recognize from your world here?

[ she looks back at him like, "why would i ask if i can't carry anything?" it's clothes? ]

Not in this specific store, but there are some ruquns in another one, surprisingly. Nothing on this ship seems to be that normal.

[ just in general. ]

[ he doesn't think she can't carry them, he just doesn't know why she'd volunteer to expend her own energy to do it when she doesn't even like him that much?? maybe that says something about him, actually. ]

Yeah, it really doesn't. At least with stuff like this it's like, I'll take it, but it feels like this company has some weird priorities.

[ todomatsu.... she is neutral about him, but it's a polite thing to do. ]

I don't need more clothes, but the wider variety of food merchants is a nice addition. What do you think their priorities are?

[ there are so many locked down locations? why was there so much murder?

she's standing in front of the locked strip mall and not looking happy. ]

Did they tear up all the clothes?

[ and why was it in almost all of the good locations??

but lol he's just here in grayscale looking miserable. ]

Why wouldn't they? Can't have anything nice here for long, apparently.

[ as snippy as this remark is, his voice is also, like, noticeably nasal. ]

[ nasal?

in literal grayscale? not metaphorical? hello? um? ]

Are you unwell?

[ on the bright side, being in grayscale means no one can tell if his eyes are red!! ]

I mean, I'm not great. Who would be?!

No. I don't mean....

[ she frowns. ]

Everyone should dislike today, but... why are you.... You do know you are.... discolored?

[ she doesn't know how to address or handle this. ]

[ nods ]

One of those appearance change effects, I guess.

[ he's distressed about a number of things right now but this really isn't one of them. ]

It is a new one....

[ maybe she does not want to focus on the obvious problems right now. ]

You also sound.... different.

I've been around since the Showa era, it's not the first time I've been in black and white.

[ nngghh... ]

Shouxue-san, please don't call me out like this.

[ hello? shouxue does not know what or when the showa era is, but it still doesn't sound right. ]

I do not understand, but... I will try to avoid mentioning what you sound like. [ ... ] Did you wake up like this?

[ shakes his head ]

It was a little after I woke up.

[ after reading the alerts!!!!! :meowno: ]

I do not know why anyone would choose today of all days to do something like this. I hope it wears off soon.

[ if it's the weekly effect, i forgot about it for a hot second and shouxue can just think this way. if it isn't, shouxue can still think this way. ]

Edited (WAIT) 2024-03-16 02:25 am (UTC)

[ ghjsdkf help yeah it's the weekly effect though tbh it would be hilarious if someone woke up, saw two of their friends dead, and decided to curse a shitty muppet instead of god ]

It really doesn't bother me much, but... thanks, I guess.

[ i'm sorry i'm stupid eric that really is such a creative transformation effect please i love this muppet

shouxue will remain stupid, so the continuity isn't broken. ]

Are you certain? Will you be all right?

[ not about what she wrongly thinks is a curse, but... the deaths. ]

[ ilu you're fine i've been mixing shit up all week ]

Yeah... Not that it really matters that much either way, though, right? We're still going to have to do the trial crap again regardless. Probably with two actual murders to solve, and I doubt they're going to give us twice the time to do it.

It matters even if we still have to investigate. Even if there is nothing I can do, I at least do not want grief to fester.

Even if we have the same amount of time, I'll want us to find closure.

[ lol. well. he's in grayscale again. guilt is not something he's used to feeling, and this weekend it's just slapping him in the face over and over. ]

Sorry. [ ... ] If I'd known the votes were going to turn out like this... maybe I shouldn't have said anything.

[ don't be grayscale nooooo go back to being bishounen

her flowers are wilted and drooping, but it's because of the tie, not because she got voted for. ]

No. You were right. I don't mind being caught.

[ no his beautiful idol days are over. ]

Yeah, I... kind of thought so... since you didn't want everyone to stop working on the second case after we figured out the first. But in the end it turned out to be the worst outcome for both of you.

[ she shuts her eyes. she can't deny this is the worst outcome. this tie is horrible for her. ]

All deaths should have some kind of closure. I want that for both the living and the dead.

[ that's what he feels the worst about; she and sheba are both miserable because the other one got voted for. which just further proves that neither of them deserves this and this whole situation is completely fucked. ]

...So what happened?

I used the toothpaste and trapped Sidon.

[ succinct and to the point. ]

[ well, he kind of appreciates that, but. ]

Why?

Why else? So he would die.

Because you were angry at him for some reason?

I was angry that night.

[ this is true. ]

[ rolls a 10 on this so i guess it's nicking him slightly as he tries to jump out of the way but that's fine. ]

WHOA, HEY!!!!

[ the octopuff droops into the table. ]

I am sorry. It was meant to come back to the table.

O-oh... no, it's okay.

[ brushes himself off.

...

well, he wasn't expecting someone to take this form, but between the apology and the magical flower, it's kind of hard not to make a connection... ]

Shouxue-san...?

I am called by that name.

[ hi, todomatsu. ]

It would be nicer to see you again, if I didn't accidentally attack you.

Ahaha, don't worry about it. It was an accident, and this is VR anyway.

[ he would not necessarily be this forgiving to everyone (even though he should be, because it truly was an accident and also VR), but she gets a pass. ]

[ she is still a murderer? ]

Are you enjoying this VR experience?

[ his outfit is so extravagant. ]

[ tbf after memshare week he thinks it's safe to say most of them probably kind of are... and it wasn't like he'd ever been able to be mad at her over that anyway. ]

Yeah, it's been pretty fun! [ not as good as VR porn, but pretty good. ] It's too bad we don't get to take these outfits back with us afterward... even if I commissioned someone to make this thing, I think it'd be hard to get it to come out right.

[ looks at... octopuff... ]

...I guess you probably don't have that exact concern...

[ help totty the things you had to learn from memories....

she waves a tiny tentacle. ]

It matters not, but maybe you could find something similar if you look hard enough in the mall. It might not be as... grandiose, but you could still stand out.

[ god i feel you the audio keeps getting out of sync on the clips i try to make and it's destroying me

anyway. damn. ]

...Sorry.

[ not like he actually thinks he has anything to apologize for, but it only feels polite when seeing a memory that isn't just lighthearted fluff. ]

You've really had a lot on your shoulders, huh?

[ compared to his pointless life, he can't even imagine. ]