[text] un: 🎂 Linneus

[inaurare]

First, I fear I have been remiss in extending my gratitude to all those who helped in the rescue of myself and others, as well as those of you who have kindly given your time and assistance in the aftermath of the… difficulties we were involved in. I hope you will accept my thanks.

I think perhaps many of you may be aware of the gift and invitation sent to some of us as there has been some discussion over this forum. I was curious, if anyone might care to answer - to how many of us has this overture been made? How many of us were sent no courier?

I was tempted to drive mine from my doorstep, I must confess.

[but that is more healthy caution than outrage at what the poor man was bearing.

The next is worded and re-worded. It is strange to post in writing at all, like writing a letter to the world, and he tries to put the next as softly as he can]

There has been talk of the trinkets some of us received and I can’t help but wonder if they might be meant to… mark us out, so to speak. I have encountered such before, albeit by different means, and I have heard tale of Olympians marking outsiders, too. Perhaps someone might share their opinions? Am I looking too far into this?



Finally, if someone would tell me how to remove the cake from next to my name, I would be very appreciative.

Comments

video | un: null

[cassus]

It's a reasonable conclusion that the gifts mark their owners as targets, even if they weren't intended for that purpose.

[ Dazai lazily drums his fingers on the table beside his device. ]

But there is an obvious solution.

I'm sure someone would volunteer to be a decoy and carry those baubles if it meant keeping you safe.

[ And about that cake: Linneus seems testy about it being announced, but the symbol is too obvious to ignore. ]

Not too fond of people knowing it's your birthday?

[inaurare]

I do hope you are joking? I would hate for someone to be hurt at all, much less on my account. There has been far too much of people getting hurt, lately.

[oh, that makes sense now. He didn't know his device could do that...]

It's just a little bit...

Is it permanent?

video -> text

[cassus]

Wishing that everyone goes through life unharmed rarely makes it happen.

Still, some of us wouldn't mind being in danger.

[ Dazai tiptoes around using words that imply he's at peace with far more than that. To prevent potential threats towards Olympia's heros, the impact of which could lead to war, he'd be more than willing to play decoy and paint a target on his back. ]

Not if it maintains the safety of those who matter to us most.

[ He switches gears, resuming talk of certain poignant celebrations. ]

Forever and ever, probably~. [ It should be fairly apparent that he's teasing. ]

I hope you have good birthday plans. You seem to have earned them.

[inaurare]

Well, no. But given the circumstances it is hardly an unpleasant or objectionable thought, no?

[he types, erases, retypes a response to the idea of people wanting to be in danger. It goes unsent, and instead-]

Forever and ever?

[It is not, in fact, apparent that Dazai is teasing. These devices are very new for Linneus, and he has a little trouble reading the tone over the short message - it is different to reading a letter. Besides, he trusts that everyone has more experience with this technology than he does.]

[DAIZAI CAN U NOT]

[cassus]

You're right. That's a good thing to wish for.

[ Years have passed since the last time he'd met someone so adamant that no person comes to harm, not just the stereotypical 'Good Guys' or friends, even if their own personal safety is at risk.

It's... Nostalgic is one way to put it. And not a bad thing to hear again. ]

It's there unless someone tickers with the device.

[ A reaction like that makes him want to tease all the more, like a hair-pulling youth out to rouse any response from the pretty girl he's bothering. ]

I could help you with that, if you're still interested.

[ HE'S CURIOUS. ]

[inaurare]

It is a better way of thinking, I hope.

[better than thinking that wishes and hopes were impractical, just pretend. It is so much easier to be beaten down when one stops believing in any good in the world, when once stops believing that good people should not have bad things happen to them.

Linneus is not so sure he counts himself as a good person, the mistakes he has made, but that is neither here nor there.]

You can help with [he can't believe this is a sentence he is actually typing] making the cake go away?

[cassus]

It just so happens that you're in the presence [ Figuratively speaking. ] of someone well-versed in demolishing cake.

...It's one of my favorite things to eat, actually~.

[ Depending on how Linneus takes it, Dazai's quip will either appear harmlessly cute, or read as a particularly graphic innuendo amid their lighthearted discussion. The double entendre is mostly for his own amusement and penchant for dirty talk flirtation. So if it flies straight over Linneus' head, then no harm done. And if it doesn't...

Dazai has never been opposed to making someone respond to his words with a blush or more. ]

How about this? We meet up and I make sure that symbol disappears for good.

And you treat me to lunch in return.

[ Seems fair enough to him. ]

text | c.fraser

[nineteenfortyfive]

I got a brooch. It's lovely, but I don't want it.

Is it your birthday?

[inaurare]

So did I. It isn't exactly ostentatious, but it is still enough to make one stand out. Given the circumstances I'm not sure I like it.

Is that why there is a cake there? How does the machine know?

[nineteenfortyfive]

We're not obligated to wear it. We're not obligated to do anything, I'd say.

I've no idea, but happy birthday, Linneus. I'm in Wyver at the moment, but when I get back we should visit the horses. Would you like that?

[inaurare]

I think this is fair, yes.

You had two horses, you said? I would like that. To visit, I think I'm not ready to ride yet.

And thank you, Miss Claire.

[not just for the birthday wishes. For so much else.]

[nineteenfortyfive]

Please, just Claire.

I'll let you know once I'm back, and we'll introduce you to Thistle and Patience.

[inaurare]

...just Claire. I will try my best, but I can make no promises.

Thistle and Patience are interesting names for horses.

[well - Thistle perhaps a little less so; Thistle makes some sense, but Patience...?

Then again, Lula's full name is Lullaby, and that is surely unusual, too.]

text; un: TeaOnRice

[gekkajuu]

I got a brooch and an invitation! Marking out or not, I don't think the brooch is a bad thing - unless you mind attention.

[Suffice to say Atsushi wore it outside, and immediately wondered if he should just hide it in a drawer somewhere. But that seems so ungrateful, even if he doesn't think being kidnapped warrants being treated as a hero.]

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!!

[inaurare]

So did I; the gentleman was very insistent. And while I appreciate the gesture I'm not so sure about the attention.

[or for that matter about people at all, right now. He used to enjoy the bustle of the crowds, of the marketplace, but being flanked by strangers right now makes him want to run and hide. Makes him feel like he is about to be snatched again.]

It is, and thank you. [a hesitation, before he follows up-] I tend not to publicise it.

[for professional reasons. Of course there were gifts, small celebrations around a cake in the kitchen that he blushingly allowed. But that was private. After all, it was not necessarily good for his guests to be able to work out how old he was.]

[gekkajuu]

[That is one thing they don't have in common, then: Atsushi doesn't fear strangers or crowds. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say he fears everybody and nobody all at once. He wants to keep living, ideally, but his life has so little value that he wouldn't be surprised or shocked at losing it. He's far more worried about everyone else.]

Why not? It's a good reason for a celebration.

[inaurare]

[crowds aren't good - there are too many people to be wary of. Being alone isn't much better, but he's getting there]

I suppose it wasn't so much that a grew out of it as that I sort of stopped and never started again.

But I would rather celebrate other people's.

[gekkajuu]

Then think of it as celebrating everyone who shares a birthday with you.

Even if it's just getting something nice to eat, I think we all deserve something nice right about now.

[inaurare]

That's an interesting way to look at it. And you're not wrong, I suppose.

Have you been well, Atsushi?

text - un: maxwell

[braidedwonder]

Wore that ring once in public and I'm never doing it again.

As if it isn't bad enough to get snatched off the streets they now wanna mark me out so I get mobbed after the whole kidnap and torture thing? Not good. Gonna result in a lot of black eyes for regular people, if I'm honest.

You're not looking too far. If you go to their little event, keep your eyes open and your head up. It's like they're inviting someone to try and make an example of the whole thing and I'm struggling to think that they don't know it and are doing it anyways.

[inaurare]

I don't give black eyes, but I can understand why some would.

[not that it's beneath him, in any sense. Linneus just doesn't punch.]

I'm not sure what to think. I want to believe the best, and likely the both were issued with the best of intentions and are entirely safe, but... I think we can't be blamed for not-wanting to take our chances.

[braidedwonder]

Considering what we just got out of I don't blame anyone for anything if they get mobbed. Not a great feeling as a whole.

We were trusting before of these things and it resulted in some huge back and forth between the cities and the lot. Either way I'm probably sticking home, and if I come I'm coming with someone I trust to help us both get the hell out if it goes South.

[ AKA bringing his fellow pilot so they can absolutely team up ]

Playing this 'who to trust' game all over again isn't exactly the ideal thing I wanted to do again. Weighing things to see which side is worse at the moment just seems pointless.

[inaurare]

And this individual you would bring is... what was the wording? Someone 'whose honour you will personally vouch for'?

[he's not sure his disdain for this is being properly conveyed through the device, but he's not a fan]

...that is concerning to me. That part of the invitation - the idea of bringing someone to back you up is entirely justified.

[braidedwonder]

He is, but he's also someone that I know I can smash my way out of a place with if it comes down to that. At the moment that's a trait that's a lot more important than whatever 'honor' is, to be honest. Depending on who you are your version of a person being honorable is different.

I agree, though. Why's that so important? Are they trying to round up not only the refugees who were gathered up and tortured, but their friends too?

Trying to control the narrative of it all?

I wouldn't be surprised.

[inaurare]

A friend like that is good to have. Best you hold onto them.

Control... or restrict the narrative, perhaps. If they make it seem difficult for other refugees to get in. If trouble happens perhaps it is easier for the blame to be placed on the outsiders, those uninvited.

I don't like the idea of people being rounded up.