[Journal]

[remarkablerain]

Sooooooo

I got sent to California for a while.

I wish I could tell you how, but I basically woke up on a plane that was already midway there, with a note from Noriko saying I'm on a "company retreat", with a suitcase filled with bikinis and also what might be considered a business suit.

And no phone.

I ended up meeting up with someone who apparently runs an OOPARTs branch there, and basically uh, touched base?

And then I fought off a giant squid that was terrorizing the beaches, among other things.

But I got a phone now again! And I'm back!

... Did I miss anything?

Comments

[bdsm_kouji]

I got a new sash.

[remarkablerain]

Oh, wicked.

Who'd you have to knock off to get it?

[bdsm_kouji]

The far right government.

Though mostly it was me signing increasingly obstructive paperwork and Jinn politely getting in people's way.

[remarkablerain]

Nice to hear he's been put to constructive use.

... I feel like I'm forgetting something. This is gonna bug me. But I hope your new sash is treating you well.

[bdsm_kouji]

Would you like to go out for drinks. I wanna take the night off and get absolutely hammered.

[remarkablerain]

Yes, please.

[bdsm_kouji]

Cheap or fancy bar?

[isdragonlady]

Including or besides the new addition to the skyline, Suguru.

[remarkablerain]

Including, please.

[isdragonlady]

That is the Imperial Residence as of this morning, and Domino is now the capital of Japan.

We now answer to the Imperial Family politically and financially in terms of command structure, though there's the obvious layers of bureaucracy.

There are new posters to put up in public talking about paranormal dangers and what the average citizen can do about them.

While you were out, DA Domino Middle School was attacked by the far right and an Ancient Gear Golem controlled by a Tengu, we speculate it is the Eastern Court. SAI was attacked by the far right. The old Imperial Family was assassinated by the far right.

The Mayor's Office and Sector Security were almost taken over by the far right.

You now have permission to personally clock any would-be hero from another country, especially if they are after the Imperial Crown Princess.

A volley of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles were fired from Beijing at Domino. The Empress personally stopped them while the Storm Wall system is being properly calibrated. Beijing is insisting they didn't fire them.

I think if Onni has one more bad thing happen to him, he may have a Gnostic revelation.

Also, can you clarify your marital status. You're on the SecSec Sexy Singles Discount Card but you're filed on married.

Also you have an invitation as a potential harem member of the new Imperial Family.

[remarkablerain]

... ...

Gimme uh.

Gimme a night or two to clarify that second to last thing. I'm feeling like I'm forgetting something really important, and might have to kill someone? I dunno.

[isdragonlady]

Of course.

If you need the marital status that badly for the new tax break, I can point you to several officers who'd be willing to file for it. I'd offer but Evelyn and I are 'on' again, after being 'off' again for a few months.

Do you have any other questions?

[remarkablerain]

Do I gotta ask who the new Imperial Family is, given that last note?

[Special Event]

[ladyofchaos]

Suguru, there's something... off when you get to your house. Mostly it's the two teen girls that are on your couch, one of whom looks up from what looks to be solitaire on your coffee table, but being played with their Duel Monsters deck.

"Oh! Big sis Suguru? Um... do you... recognize us? There has been a, uh... incident."

Re: [Special Event]

[remarkablerain]

*stepping in, dressed in a fancy bikini with one of those neat skirt things on, obviously kinda jetlagged, so it takes her a minute to. absorb this.

... her brain's having trouble processing.*

... hanh?

Re: [Special Event]

[ladyofchaos]

"Not a good sign!"

Helen folds her hands in front of her, the other girl still remaining mostly calm as the pale, corpse-like one seems to break out into a flop sweat.

"Um... Hello, we're Helen and Eira Briar, we're your sister-in-laws?"

Re: [Special Event]

[remarkablerain]

Sister in... laws...?

*it takes her several moments of looking around the apartment. which strikes her as being slightly off, too. pictures are different. missing. some personal effects are missing. Something, something is...

...*

... Where is my wife?

[1/2]

[ladyofchaos]

"A MUCH better sign and exactly what we hoped for!"

Helen hops up and goes for a hug.

"We were so afraid you wouldn't remember her OR us! Her is waaaay more important though."

[2/2]

[frozenperdition]

"Doesn't matter if you remember us or not, frankly. Gina's all you gotta remember."

Eira sweeps the cards off the table and into her hand.

"So. Bad news. Entire Briar family got blipped out of existence. Think pops may have somehow made contact with Cas and instead of merging, they just... sort of canceled each other out of reality. Like, full history. It has been a shit show since we got dragged out of the void of unreality. But! We've got a plan, promise."

[becomeanwarrior]

Oh thank fuck you're back. If I had known that Noriko's gambit involved sending you to the Americas I might have pushed back a little. Running this ship with just us two and Hayate has been a nightmare...

I think Katie covered all the particulars but if there are any lingering questions please let me know.

Whatever off time you need consider it approved.

[remarkablerain]

Oh thanks, because I just had a different bombshell dropped on me that I wasn't expecting and had to spend a night of drinking to process.

[becomeanwarrior]

I'm afraid to ask, but I probably should, shouldn't I?

What happened to cause that?

[remarkablerain]

... y'know what, asking you probably wouldn't hurt things too much.

[Private to Onni]

Do you remember if I was married or not?

And this is a serious question, I want a "yes" or a "no".

[Private to Suguru]

[becomeanwarrior]

...Part of me is saying no and yet every part of me says that wrong because-

Wait.

...Suguru, where the fuck is Gina?

Re: [Private to Suguru]

[remarkablerain]

I think a couple gremlins are going to be really happy about this scientific success.

Anyway, yeah, that's sure my exact sentiment right now. Apparently she and her entire family got blipped out of reality by... something. Something about alternates meeting and it dividing by zero? That's how my brain interpreted it, at least.