numbertwohero | Prismatica Inbox

Yeah, that's true. I'm glad the Moon Knights saw the value of your abilities - honestly, if they hadn't I'd have had to have words with someone about that later on -, but you never know what'll happen around here. With so many magic users around I wouldn't be shocked if those old deities, or whoever else, came up with a ploy to block those powers.

[He drinks from one of the small water bottles that are up for grabs in a cooler by the training area and tosses one to Shouto too, then he checks the clock on his device. The training wasn't so hard that they'd need a shower, so it seems like they have some time to spare.]

Do you want to grab a bite in the cafeteria or canteen or whatever it is?

Yeah, I mean, it makes sense that I should have something else to rely on besides my quirk. After all, I've heard about things happening to drain people of their chroma fast. Like what happened at Port Sylvel...

[All those people, killed, their chroma drained, their suffering forever etched in crystal. It was a sombering thing to see, and one of the things that finally pushed Shouto to take action.

Catching the offered water bottle, he drinks deeply, only coming up when Hijikata asks his question with a faint look of surprise.]

Yeah, I could eat. [An understatement. He's always hungry.] If you don't have anywhere else to be, we can go to the cafeteria.

[They're definitely on the same page there. The destruction of Port Sylvel and all that followed made Hijikata rethink his distrustful stance on the Prismals and channel his energy into viable defence efforts, after all.]

I've got a free schedule for now, and It'll be good to get an idea of the menu here already.

[Not that the Moon Knights have to eat at the headquarters, but he kind of misses the Shinsengumi cafeteria. Once he and Shouto are done rehydrating themselves they can get going.]

So, did you have to handle any difficult situations yet since you joined? Or are they easing you into it?

It's not too bad. I mean, it's not the cafeteria back at UA, but it's decent.

[Ah, to have one of Lunch Rush's meals here. It's fine, though, there's lots of good food in the city, and the cafeteria isn't bad. In fact, Shouto can lead the way, disposing of the water bottle in the proper receptacle once he's done.]

Mm--not really difficult, I guess. The hardest part has been dealing with Prismals who blame the Moonblessed for all the bad things that have been happening. I mean, technically, they're not exactly wrong, but...we're trying to help. Some of us, anyway. At least most of the Moon Knights aren't like that.

That's got to be tough. It always sucks when the people you're trying to help have a shoddy opinion of you. Besides it's not like any of us actually want to be here in the first place. But oh well, either they'll change their mind after meeting enough decent Moonblessed, or they stick with the bad image. Trying to reason with people like that is almost always a wasted effort.

[As they arrive at the cafeteria he studies the menu and decides to go for fish with rice and vegetables. After paying and finding a seat with Shouto he immediately takes out a bottle of mayonnaise and drowns the entire meal in it, leaving the bottle half empty, then resumes chatting like nothing weird happened.]

It's not too different from home, is it? There's even authentic Japanese food to be found. In restaurants run by Moonblessed, I mean.

Yeah. I mean, it's not like we got a say in coming here, all we can do is try to do the best we can while we're here. I just--

[He's just. Gonna pause for a minute while the older man just. Dumps a whole ass bottle of mayo on his food. What. What is even happening. His spoon is stuck halfway between his mouth and his extra large bowl of what looks like Soba With Everything as he just....

Okay, he should. Stop staring. Just gonna go back to his own food and try and process the words Hijikata said in between murdering his arteries.]

What? Oh--yeah. I mean, it is, different. But there's a lot of stuff that's pretty similar. I'm not sure how much of that is the Moonblessed who came before us, though. Maybe there's a lot more that filters through the multiverse than we think?

[He just eats that pale yellow mess of a meal with complete nonchalance.]

You know, I think you're on to something there. I mean, there were no Moonblessed in Amegahara until now, yet they have that famous karaage restaurant. Also donuts. Caihong also had that familiar street food culture before the first of us showed up here, I think.

[He ponders the matter for a moment as he takes a sip of water.]

I wonder if we could technically reach our worlds from here, if we had the technology for interstellar space travel. Or at least one of them; I assume if there are so many different versions of Earth only one can exist in any given universe.

[All these thoughts are purely theoretical, he knows - they're all stuck here, for better or worse.]

[Thank fuck Shouto is always hungry enough that watching him eat the goop does not dissuade him from his own food. Although it's still a hell of a yikes, dude.]

It's worth thinking about, I guess. Even if it's not practical, I think it'd be a mistake to only worry about this planet like it's the only one out there. Maybe we can't reach our versions of Earth--you're from an Earth, right?--but...maybe there are other places out there. If the Prismals have figured out how to make regular orbital travel a thing, who knows what else they could do, especially with more Chroma.

[Honestly, he's pretty intrigued by the thought.]

I'm from an Earth, yeah. A different one than most people's, though. Mine had a big alien invasion in the 19th century.

[If Hijikata is aware of Shouto's ongoing mild discomfort over his mayonnaise abuse he doesn't show it (spoiler: he's blissfully unaware).]

You have the right attitude, but it'll need a lot of really good collaboration until we'll be able to get to that point. Right now we can't go beyond the moons, and with Prismatica still being in a state where flowers in the Nothing are a big deal it may just be too soon for us to want to look after other planets. I know it was me who brought it up, but I guess with the situation being as it is - how we get sent to the exact point we were originally taken from when we're brought back home and all - it might be true that we're here for a reason and ought to focus on helping this planet first.

Aliens, really??

[He's not doubting Hijikata, just...well, it's surprising to think about. Maybe there's something to all those Ancient Aliens shows after all...]

Yeah. I mean, I'm not planning on starting a Prismatica Space Force or anything, but I guess I'm just curious. If we're going to be here for the rest of our lives, I feel like we should do what we can to help this place.

[He nods. ~~Honestly, Gintama and Ancient Aliens could easily have a cross-over episode without either show suffering in terms of coherency or quality...~~ Shouto's outlook puts a smile on his face once again. He really likes that in him.]

That's what we're doing. If we end up making contact with other people out there we'll support them with whatever problems they may have, too. I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't take too much on your shoulders at a time.

[By now he has managed to reduced his mayonnaise meal to just a few bites, and apparently he really enjoyed it...]

It's...sort of hard not to. I mean, it's...I like staying busy. And I like feeling like I'm making a difference.

[He just wants to help people. And if he stays busy with training and learning and patrolling, then he doesn't have to think about how many friends have vanished in the last year he's been here, or who might be next. ~~or about what that meal might have tasted like bc y i k e s, my dude~~]

You're a good guy, but don't overwhelm yourself. Otherwise you'll end up doing too many things at once and doing none of them well.

[He finishes off his plate, apparently no worse for the wear in any way. Clearly his body is used to dealing with this kind of bullshit.]

You said you have a partner, right? Maybe you two can focus on one or two causes to support together alongside your duties here. Perhaps that'll keep you from overdoing it.

[If he knew that Shouto's going through some serious separation grief he'd... actually be completely at a loss as to how to comfort him, because he can imagine how that has to hurt. So far nobody Hijikata befriended on Prismatica was sent home, but it's bound to happen sooner or later, and being left behind in the knowledge that there won't be a reunion if the other person was from a different world... it's just painful.]

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