retrospec | fifth evocation ✧ orthrus

Entry tags:

fifth evocation ✧ orthrus

Minako Arisato
June 9th near Birch Hills
Hi everyone, it's me again. I'll try and keep it short and sweet this time.

First. Last month, during that week when everyone was super tiny, there were a lot of people who wandered into the woods because they heard voices calling out to them. It doesn't seem like whatever was calling to us is there anymore, thankfully, but I think this is a perfect chance to go back and go deeper into the forest, as deep as we can go to see if we can find the source of those voices, or anything else that might be there. I'm planning this thing for the 18th, and I wanted to know if anyone else wanted to come with. Keep in mind that even if nothing is likely to lure us in again, there's still a potential for danger. So in my opinion, the bigger the group, the better. We can all watch each other's backs.

Which brings me to my next point. I know a lot of people have been exploring all the weird places in the city, and eventually I'd like to get accounts from you guys to compile together-- but for now, I wanted to ask if we could make a more concerted effort to explore together, instead of splitting up into our own tiny groups. The main reason being: Jim is constantly watching our movements and reading our posts. He's the only one we have any kind of contact with from Retrospec, and he's shown us in the past couple of months that he likes commenting on what we do and how we act. There's no telling if anything he says might be able to help us down the line, but in order to get him to talk at all, we have to get his attention. And a big group of people poking around for information on Retrospec is a lot more comment-worthy than tiny groups.

Obviously there's a risk of exposing ourselves too much to him (though I'd argue we're pretty exposed as it is already). And I can't stop people from exploring on their own. I just wanted to put the idea out there that it might be better to do it together.

There's one last thing I want to mention. Yosuke recently suggested that my dog Koromaru should try sniffing out a Retrospec employee by smelling something that was sent by mail. I'm not sure if it'll work, but me and Koromaru are willing to give it a try, so if you get something in the mail from Retrospec and want to let us have a go at it, text me any time of the day or night, I'll come running. Oh, and just to be safe, don't touch the box or wrapping it comes in.

Thanks for reading. Hopefully I'll have something more fun to talk about the next time I post here.

[ooc: the open log for this mini expedition will be up on the 18th, for anyone who would like to have their character join! Nothing too exciting other than getting stuck in an infinite loop and attempting to escape said infinite loop will happen...probably ;3 I decided against making a post in the OOC comm for this so if you have any questions, feel free to PM me!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yikes, I didn't even think that it could be a bomb. I mean, I will now. Honestly I was just excited to see what I would get.

But yes feel free to stop by! I live in the dorms atm but no one will mind if you bring him in.

I'm mostly joking

though with all the weird things people have been getting, I would not be surprised...

awesome! When would be a good time to drop by?

All I got was a coat, so... normal enough, even if the timing is weird. But tracker dogs are good at sniffing clothing in the movies, right? Maybe it's better that way, haha.

How about in an hour or so?

well I don't think shiba inus were bred to be tracking dogs, but he's smarter than any dog I've ever known so he might figure something out

that sounds great, which dorm are you at?

He's got a better nose than I do, so I'm willing to give it a shot! I'm in the international dorm!

[Minako sends an acknowledging text in return, and within the next hour, she's at the international dorms with her puppy Koromaru at her heels.]

Er, hello? Tuuri? [A glance down at Koromaru.] I hope I'm pronouncing that right.

Over here! You did very good! [she calls back cheerfully, waving at her from the doorway of her dorm room.] Technically you're supposed to roll the r, but I know most people aren't used to it. Look at the puppy! Ooh, look at his eyebrows!

[For some reason her eyebrows are also tiny little dots??? She feels a oneness with this dog.]

Ahem, anyway. Thanks for coming over!

Glad I didn't butcher it too much! Though R-rolling is one of the hardest things you could ask me to do.

[She laughs and steps to the side so Koromaru can frantically wag his tail in greeting.]

No problem! Korochan and I are happy to do it. Oh, and I'm Minako, by the way! Forgot to mention it earlier.

[Koromaru steps forward, nose in the air for a moment before looking at Tuuri expectantly.]

Hi Minako! [Tuuri is busy reaching out to pat Koromaru on the head, because he's so cute-- she's not quite taking this seriously yet.] Oh, sorry-- anyway, it's here in the back of my closet, I haven't taken it all the way out of the box!

[She leads them into the closet of her room, kicking a hamper to the side to reveal the box from Retrospec, still partially open, the fur trim of a thick winter coat poking out.] Um, I wasn't sure if I should pull it out or not, I didn't want to... disrupt the scent. [She is pretty sure that's not correct English, but whatever.] But I only took it out of the box once, and didn't put it on, so hopefully it should be okay.

[Koromaru loves pats! He gives Tuuri's hand a lick before he trots in after her, Minako following.]

Oh no, that should be absolutely fine! Your scent is probably strong in here, though. [A pause.] Er, I don't mean that in an offensive way, but you know. It's your room, and you must be in here a lot, he might be only able to smell you. Can we take it into the hallway for him instead?

Ahaha, yeah, I guess you're right... but that's fine! Okay, let's see...

[She also doesn't want to handle the box too much, so... after a second of thought, she wraps both of her hands up with a scarf to drag it out of the closet.]

Could you get the door? I'll put it down in the hallway.

You got it!

[Minako opens the door and leads Koromaru a little ways away so Tuuri has space to set the box down. The Shiba Inu is already curious, though, intrigued by the fur trim of the coat. He is tugging lightly on the leash to try and get at it.]

Alright, alright, calm down, Korochan...

[Tuuri laughs as she sets the box down, carefully adjusting the flaps so Koromaru could stick his entire head in if he so desired. On the one hand, maybe not the best idea to leave it open for potential chewing, but... it's not like it's her coat, or anything she's particularly attached to, so she figures it's no huge risk. She steps out of the way dramatically, as if Koromaru wouldn't be able to smell the box if she stood too close to it.]

Okay, ready! Let him go!

[Koromaru is a polite good boy and would never chew on someone else's things! Once Minako nods in agreement, he trots forward and sticks his nose right into the fabric.

After a few good sniffs, he tilts his head back, scenting the air. Nope, just a lot of smelly college kids in here. He blinks up at Minako, who opens the door to the dorm.]

I think he wants to try and look for it. Wanna come with?

Ooh, yes, definitely!

[This is so exciting! They're totally going to track Retrospec down! She scoops up the box, careful to hold it through her scarf, and tilts it towards Minako with an explanatory] In case he needs to smell it again when we're on the road!

[That's how tracker dogs work, right? It seems that way in the movies.]

Oh that's a great idea! Thanks for bringing it along!

[Once Koromaru steps out of the dorm, he sticks his nose up into the air again, turning his head this way and that to try and catch the scent of something. She lets him trot a little ways away from them, but most of her attention is on Tuuri instead of him. She's a fellow Retrospeccer after all, and that means Minako wants to get to know her!]

So, international dorm, huh? Where from, if it's not too rude to ask?

No problem! [It's not heavy or anything! Though it is awfully hot outside*, and lugging around a thick winter coat in the summer isn't the best way to cool off... whatever, the adventure is worth it.

She just has to adjust her hold on it. That's fine.]

No, not at all! I'm from Finland.

[*if you are from a Nordic country, anyway.]

I've been here for about a year now.

Finland! Amazing, that's such a far way to come from. I'm from Japan myself, and I've been here for almost three years now.

[Koromaru tugs on his leash, which is Minako's cue to give him all the slack she can before he starts at a brisk trot in some odd direction.]

It looks like he's picked up something. Just warning you now, when he gets excited he has a tendency to run, so...be prepared for that?

No way, but Japan is also a long way to go! That's great! Did you also come here for school, or...?

[But Koromaru seems to have spotted something, and Tuuri changes direction to follow him excitedly.]

Great! Don't worry, I'm ready!

[She's not ready. She's got a bulky, cumbersome coat in her arms and is trying to get a better grip on it even as she speaks, but man if she isn't excited.]

Yup! I'm an RU student too, but I live off campus right now.

[Koro pauses at an intersection and sniffs at the air. The scent of cement and oil is strong, but-- yup, he yips and starts at a dead run down the street. Minako groans and tries to tug on the leash just a little bit, enough to slow him down so Tuuri can keep up.]

You doing okay back there?!

[O-oh man, she wasn't kidding. That dog is fast.

Caught off guard, she has to scramble to catch up, hugging the coat tight to her chest as she runs so she doesn't drop it somewhere.]

I'm-- fine! [she pants, silently thankful to Minako for giving her a chance to close the distance.] Fine! Let's... keep going!

[Minako shoots her a concerned look complete with furrowed brows and a frown, but it's quickly whisked away as Koromaru starts bounding down the street. It's all Minako can do to keep up and shout apologies to the people on the sidewalk her dog is dodging.

And then finally, finally! Koromaru slows down. He pauses about twenty feet away from--]

The Retrospec building?

[Tuuri is not... right behind them. She's probably about 10 yards behind them. She stumbles to a stop a few seconds behind Minako, thoroughly out of breath.]

Oh thank god. [They stopped running, that is. She hadn't been paying attention to where they were as they were running, so she looks up to see where they've found themselves.] Huh. Well. I guess it makes sense, right? We knew they were sending us this stuff.

...yeah. Kind of disappointing, though. But let's not give up just yet. Korochan, is there a specific place we can get to with that smell?

[The shiba inu pricks his ears back to listen to Leader, then pricks his ears forward to listen for something else. He sets his nose to the ground to sniff again, but he's milling around uncertainly this time, compared to before.]

[Tuuri watches him search as she catches her breath, though it's pretty clear that he's lost track of the scent. She adjusts the coat in her hands and leans forward slightly.]

Do you want to sniff it again, Korochan? Would that help?

(no subject)

complementing - 2017-07-30 14:00 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only