yumemigaoka | hey hey it's jeannuary

Oh! Sorta like yuzu, right?

[Not that Amane was an expert on citrus fruits or anything, but he was at least familiar with that one...! (But that's probably because his last name had the kanji for "yuzu" in it, so--)]

I've never really had Earl Grey tea before myself, but Mom keeps a lot of it at our place for customers and stuff. It's always smelled kinda nice though...

[He starts to unwrap the candy in his hands, studying the foreign script upon it. It certainly looks fancy...!]

Didja just get back from a vacation or something...?

[ Like yuzu, indeed! Jeannette isn't sure whether to nod or shake her head at the question, though. It wasn't quite a vacation, and she's a precise young lady. ]

I lived with my father's family in France. It gladdened me to see them - but I am gladder to be back. I must lead the Dreamer Union army.

[ the what now ]

[He goes to pop the candy in his mouth, a question on his lips about her stay in France--

... but then she drops that megaton bombshell on him, and the bergamot promptly falls back out.]

... huh?

[T-THE WHAT.....]

I-Is that like... a Western branch sort of thing??

[Surely he would have heard if the DU was organizing an army, right...?? But also, weren't a chunk of them too young for military service anyway...??]

[ She looks up, surprised - she had been busy catching his candy (which is right here if you want it, or you can have a fresh one, your call). ]

They do not have an army either. But an angel told me that I have what it takes to lead the Dreamer Union to victory as a commander of war. So I must make an army.

[ Perfectly logical, right? ]

[The bergamot hadn't quite made it's way into his mouth before it dropped, so Jeannette was spared a sticky surprise on her end, thankfully!! Still, he can't help but stare at her for a good few moments, stunned, as he attempts to process that information. He's dealt with Zeke and Nikki's brand of chunni before (and some could argue that Amane was something of a chunni himself) but this...]

... uh huh.

[Maybe he should just... get out of here before this gets anymore questionable...?? He carefully takes back the candy Jeannette had saved for him with a mumbled thanks (they looked fancy, so it would probably be wise not to waste them--), but then a thought stops him in his tracks. A mysterious woman putting impossible ideas into someone's head... why did that sound so familiar...?]

So, um. This angel of yours... she wasn't a lady in red, was she?

[WAS CRIMSON UP TO HER USUAL BULLSHIT AGAIN]

Not when I have seen her....She dresses in blue.

[ oh no, amane

there's like. dreamer indigo or something out there causing problems too ]

Though an angel may wear whatever she pleases, I suppose.

[Considering Reverie's also causing problems and her color is blue...these color coded women gotta stop stirring up shit out there!!

He finally pops the candy into his mouth, before mumbling:]

Not if she's a Dreamer...

[Although... that's going under the assumption that whoever put the thought in her head was a Dreamer in the first place. Maybe it was a normal person with higher up connections who wanted to militarize the DU from within...?

... okay, that's a bit too over his head. Surely it was just the same sort of chunni stuff he'd hear from Zeke and he was overthinking it too much!]

That's an awful lot to ask somebody though, isn't it? And I mean... we're not at war with the Torments or anything, either. Sure, we're fighting them and all, but it's more pest control than anything else, don't you think?

She did not ask me. I do this of my own will....

[ She puts her hands over her heart. ]

....in the hopes that one day there shall be no more Torments.

...

[.... oh. She was that sort of person, wasn't she? A dreamer in more than just the mahou title...

Thankfully, with the candy in his mouth, he can hold back on making such a cynical remark, although he still can't help but stare at her for a moment in disbelief.]

I mean, that's a nice thought and all, but... that's kind of impossible? People are always gonna be worried or scared or upset about stuff, no matter what. Unless you find a way to bring about world peace or something, Torments are always gonna exist, one way or another.

[AMANE... CLEARLY YOU DON'T REALIZE WHOM YOU ARE SPEAKING WITH]

The best we can do is just take care of the little problems before they turn into something huge, y'know?

[ World peace....

Jeannette nods, but she also looks at him very closely. Scoots even closer. Puts a hand to her mouth to hide her lips from others.

And whispers, deadly serious. ]

Are you sure you have not met my angel.....?

W-Wha--

[He can't help but fluster a bit under this sudden scrutiny, fighting the urge to back away a little. Where did that even come from?]

I-I mean... unless she's a redhead who's out to convince you that the Dream Sphere is the Best Thing Ever And You Should Never Leave, then... no, I'm pretty sure I haven't. Why?

[Because surely he'd remember a lady in blue who went about recruiting people into her Dreamer army... p-probably....!!]

[ Jeanne steps back, sighs. Looks a little disappointed. ]

That is not her.

[ She had so hoped, for a moment, that she would be able to talk to someone else about how wonderful Angel-sama, Madame Ange, is. ]

My angel - speaks of "revolution". But never of staying in the Dream Sphere forever! Who would wish to leave a world this dear?!

[ VERY DISTRESSED. SOMEONE FLEW TO FRANCE AND MISSED THE METAPLOT. ]

[OH HONEY, IF YOU EVEN KNEW--

His shoulders slump a little as she backs away, relieved to have his personal space back for the time being ~~the hypocrite~~, though that relief is a bit short-lived. It seems like her "angel" probably wasn't in league with... whatever the hell Crimson and Reverie were doing, but the revolution talk was a bit concerning. He knew not everyone saw eye-to-eye with the DU at times, but he didn't think it needed a complete overhaul or anything...

An unreadable look crosses his face as she asks that last question, however, and he shrugs, eyes focused elsewhere.]

Well... people have their reasons. Sometimes running away from your problems in the world is the only way you can deal with them. You can't really blame them for wanting an out when it's offered.

[Although there's a cruelty in making said offer when a person is too desperate to even refuse it. NOT THAT AMANE KNOWS ABOUT THAT THOUGH... NOT AT ALL.....]

[ Someone who feels the only solution to their problems is to avoid their problems? That is the exact opposite of a solution! It will only make everything worse!

And yet, they are so distressed that it still seems best....

Jeanne's eyes water. ]

Then we must help them! Not to run, but to face the problem, and conquer it together.....

[... oh. Oh no. She wasn't about to cry, was she? ~~Why did he keep accidentally doing this to girls--~~

Still, there's a bitter taste in his mouth at her impassioned words, and he's pretty sure it's not from the dwindling shards of bergamot candy.]

... it's not as easy as all of that, though?

[He tries to keep a pleasant, nonchalant smile on his face, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.]

You can't just wave your Sandglass at whatever's going on in somebody's life and expect it to be magically fixed. There's some things you gotta live with that you can't change, and it sucks. Not that it means you should give up everything here, but...

You gotta admit, sometimes life in the Dream Sphere is a lot more fun than the real world. It's no wonder some of them don't want to leave.

[Torments and Nightmares and Disturbances aside, of course... but even then, being able to actually fight back against these things makes it all the more satisfying than being able to do nothing about it at all.]

[ Jeannette, though....shakes her head. ]

I am not saying my magic can fix it. I am saying I want to know what is wrong here, so I may think on it, and receive good counsel. And then lend what strength I can.

[ Her eyes still brim, but the tears don't fall. Instead, her gaze is alight with compassion for somebody she's never really met. ]

When you put off a problem...even if you cannot solve it all the way....does it not get larger? I am but lowly, but I should forever regret not helping where I could!

Er, no, I know, the Sandglass thing was more of a metaphor...

[Though... in a way, wasn't conquering a Disturbance sort of like using magic to solve a person's problem? Or at least calming it down until the person in question could decide what they wanted to do about it back in the real world, anyway.

... that was besides the point, though!! He rubs the back of his neck, his smile turning a touch awkward.]

... look, I know your heart is probably in the right place here, but sometimes these things can be kinda personal. Maybe they're not telling anyone about it because it's too heavy, or too shameful-- like family problems or health issues and that kinda stuff, y'know?

[AGAIN.... NOT THAT HE WOULD KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT....]

It's nice of you to want to support people through their problems, but you probably shouldn't pry into them either. Sometimes it just makes things worse.

[But maybe Jeannette shouldn't listen to a boy who's so clam-shelled about his issues that it nearly caused a full-scale metaphysical disaster....!!!]

Edited 2025-02-10 17:45 (UTC)

[ Jeannette's expression turns sad, weighty. She knows. She knows there are some things that simply hurt too much. But even so. ]

If they do not want to share....

Then perhaps someone simply sitting with them would help. Just sitting together, like this....

[ She holds up two fingers, one leaning slightly on the other. ]

It can be a comfort.

[ are we still talking about the rogue dreamers, jeannette. ]

[Something shifts in his face then, as he takes in her simple display, eyes softening into something a bit more bittersweet. Would those hospital stays and bedridden days be any easier to deal with if he had someone to stay with him during those times? It's hard to say.

... but he can't help but think maybe it would have been nice, regardless.]

... yeah, you know what? Maybe. I guess having somebody by your side during it all makes things a lot less lonely.

[They definitely stopped talking about rogue Dreamers like four comments back at this point--

But then the mask slips back into place, and he puts on his cheeriest smile, gesturing to the tin of candies in her hands. Because god forbid he shows a hint of vulnerability in front of somebody!!]

Hey, think I could I grab a couple more of these for my brother? They're pretty good!

[ A brother? Why does that sound familiar?

But Jeannette knows what it is like to care for a beloved sibling, and she will not push him to share anything he does not wish to. She smiles and holds the candies out even closer. ]

Please, take what you like.

[NO REASON... NO REASON AT ALL...]

Ehehe, thanks!

[He grabs two of the little candies from the offered tin, slipping them into his pocket for the time being. His manners weren't always the best, but at least he was mindful enough not to take too many of them!! (Unlike a certain previously mentioned brother, anyway.....)]

Anyway, I better get going! [He gestures to the folder tucked under his arm, undoubtedly filled with reports he had to rewrite, before adding:] You probably got tons of paperwork to fill out too, right?

[Or so he assumes, anyway-- transferring back to the DU probably required a ton of forms or something, didn't it?]

Might I?

[ OH NO

THIS HAD NOT OCCURRED TO HER ]

--Ah, do not let that keep you, though....I shall learn myself, for good or ill...!!

[ girl who wants to turn this org into an army less psyched about paperwork

nothin to see here ]

hey hey it's jeannuary

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i'm so used to playing with odd's arc-v blorbo i capitalized "Yuzu" at first

me but thinking of the Bleach character tbh 8''|

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unfortunately, she's in love with an idealistic utopian cultist,,

Just Teen Girl Things...!!

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