OPEN POST ♞ A MIX OF THINGS

[tarotcards]

WHO: Souji and youuuuuuuuuuu
WHERE: Recolle Square
WHEN: 03/13 - all day
WHAT: Pretending to be an old man, a quarter for jokes, actually a serious prompt to talk about regains, oh my
WARNINGS: Nooooothing
ONE

On a particular bench in Recolle Square, Souji sits down to enjoy the world, but something's off about him today. Just... something. Perhaps it's the the silver hair and the silver eyes as yes, those stand out, but wait.... what are thooooose!!

Thick old man frames. Suspenders. Corduroy pants. Bowtie. Wooden cane. Wrinkles drawn on. Eyes squinting. Mouth smacking. A bag of bird seed.

"Ahh... the days of my youth... like the scent of fresh lemons, you see."

Oh no... he's been transformed into an old man... come help him, you whippersnapper. (Yes, he's talking to you! About his fresh lemons and all...)

TWO

Okay, so Souji's out of his old man costume now but he still has the silver hair and eyes. Unfortunately, it looks like those were real and part of his physical appearance regains. Yay... Oh joy... But Souji's not going to let it get him down. In fact, he has some free time and a sense of humour to spare, so he walks around, with a cardboard sign hanging around his neck that reads:

'25¢ for a day's worth of jokes'

... Go for it?

THREE

Souji has been wary about posting and talking about Retrospec and any information about them over the network. Of course, announcing that he's going to be at a specific location to discuss the company over the network isn't any better, but there's not too much he could do about that, especially when the app is on every possible electronic device. He'll probably figure out a better way at asking people to share info with him, but for now, looks like this is the way to go.

He sticks out like a sore thumb, with his new silver hair, but he just patiently waits, sitting on the edge of the fountain. When someone does approach, he gets up and raises his hand in a wave.

"Thanks for dropping by."

WILDCARD

Anything is game! When Souji is not doing anything of the above, he's just wandering around the city, probably feeding strays or something. Come and bother him!

Comments

3

[true_noir]

It was... almost an accident that she showed up. She hadn't seen his message, since she'd promised Yu and Naoto not to use the network until tomorrow. So, the fact that she happened to be in this park at this time of day was a pure accident. Seeing him, she looked... wait, was that Yu? no, Souji? What was... And so she approached, pulling her cloak tight around her body.

"Oh, hello. I was just passing through. Please, tell me that your strange, silly behavior has led you to dye your hair." She knew it couldn't possibly be that, but she could hope.

[tarotcards]

He did see that joint post that his brother and Naoto put up, and he did participate in it too, but a week passed and... well, he woke up like this, so he figured that warranted a post (even if it wasn't very serious).

"I wish." A shake of the head. "At least if it was a joke, I could learn that silver doesn't suit me and just go back to black."

Well, silver did in canon but right now, it's just weirding him out.

[true_noir]

She would have laughed, had she seen the post, if it was any consolation. But he definitely was not the only one that had proven that any hope that this was based on using the phone was premature. Her own hair had recently been scientifically proven to change, after all.

"A pity," she murmured, shaking her head. "It seems both of our hair has changed, but ah well. It is not unattractive." She wasn't going to say it suited him. That would have been drastically inappropriate in her mind. "I take it that you've seen changes recently?"

3

[standalonehuman]

Togusa saw Souji's post, and he'd tried again and again to type up a response, but the words weren't coming out right. What he has to say has to be shared in person. There's no way to not scare the hell out of people by explaining this at a distance.

"Narukami," he raises a hand in a wave. As advertised (warned?) his hair has turned a fine silver in color. Togusa can't help but stare for a second, before he reaches into his pocket, and pulls out one of Dr. Trevelyan's business cards. "I swear, I'm getting Lucian more business this month than he's seen all last year. He's on the app. I'd recommend going to see him just to make sure that the change is only cosmetic."

But his gaze shifts to one of more concern. "How are you doing?"

[tarotcards]

When Togusa approaches, Souji stands up and nods at him as a greeting. He lets out a soft chuckle when he's handed the business card, taking it and putting it in his pocket.

"Yes, I'd imagine that Dr. Lucian is quite busy with all the changes. I actually have an appointment with him later today." Thank goodness for pre-existing cr... but with Togusa's question, Souji's expression turns serious and he places a hand on his hip.

"Overall, nothing seems to feel off. I didn't notice any oncoming changes before--" A hand gesture towards himself. "--this happened. Last night when I went to bed, it was still black and brown, and it only changed when I woke up this morning."

[standalonehuman]

It's a smile that Togusa shares, a not entirely pleasant one, but it's the best he can manage at the moment. He nods in understanding. "That seems to be a common thing. Things keep hitting us while we're sleeping. Maybe I should re-think my 'insomnia' strategy."

Togusa moves to sit down, because what he has to say is heavier than he expected. "Don't feel the need to spread around whatever the doctors find. While it's nice that they're collecting data, they'll also keep individual names out of it." He sighs deeply. "Privacy still needs to mean something when Retrospec is being so adamant about ignoring it."

"But it turns out not everything is as benign is this," he gestures to Souji's hair. "I think the doctors are going to wait until they've got more of-" only the slightest hesitation, "us, before they tell people. Some people have been getting unexplained injuries. Things that are old and scarred over, but just showed up, as suddenly as that," another nod to Souji.

3

[megabond]

While he is a little amused at his network post, the note about wanting to follow-up his discussion regarding Retrospec made him worry regarding about new information, but also about Souji being affected by these appearance changes as well.

Right now as he heads to his destination, he is carrying the red and white capsule ball in his pocket that contains his dragon friend, Modeste. Truthfully, he dislikes putting her inside it since he feels that its interior is somehow cramped to stay. Still, he didn't want anyone to see her for now.

As for looking for Souji, he easily managed to find him, yet he is shocked to see that both of his hair and eyes changed into silver. Sure, he is still amused at his network post, but seeing him and his appearance changed makes him a little worried.

"Hello again! I got your message on the network. I can guess your appearance has changed overnight, huh?"

[tarotcards]

Souji smiles as he gets up. They can try to keep the mood light in the meanwhile.

"It can apparently, though it'd be nice if we could choose what these changes are." Having a crazy hair colour like bright red or blue would have been cool. "Have things been well for you, professor?"

[megabond]

Well, at least he isn't very down to the fact he is affected by the changes, considering his words and his smile to the professor.

"It's been okay ever since our last meeting. Although, I'm somehow in the same situation as the other users."

two

[korekara]

[ She thought it was a joke. That this was some prank they'd cooked up for whatever reason unbeknownst to her because Honoka loves her boys but she knows they have brains like a bag of cats. Thoughts too complex and mysterious for regular human beings to decipher.

Basically, they're space cadets. Honoka isn't going to question them.

But when she sees Souji, on the other side of the street, swanning around with silver hair, honest to god old man hair with no wig or anything, Honoka does what she thinks any reasonable human being would do.

She lets out a screech and pelts across the road, narrowly avoids two cars turning her into paste and then all but tackles Souji so she can grab his head in both hands. ]

WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAAAAAAAAIR?!

1/2

[tarotcards]

[ Souji has been trying to get through his day without any incidents. He's been having a hard enough time with this new hair and eye colour and with all the strange looks he's been getting. He's been trying to play it cool though, just pretend like it's completely normal and not bringing attention to it. ]

[ Of course, Honoka has other plans... ]

[ Souji barely has enough time to turn when he hears that ear piercing shriek and when she leaps at him, he tries to catch her-- ]

Honoka-ch--

[tarotcards]

[ And fails... ]

[ Well, he managed to catch her so when he falls back to the concrete, she doesn't also hit the floor. Instead, she can use Souji as a really comfy mattress. ]

[ A really comfy mattress whose back now really hurts and also his head because of the hair yanking and probably because he knocked his head on the floor. He's so scatterbrained right now that he doesn't know what's going on. ]

I... didn't do anything?

[korekara]

You must've done something!

[ A good friend would probably climb off him or at the very least apologize for dropping him like a sack of hammers. Honoka just... stays right where she is, holding his head in her hands and leaning in to peer at his head. It doesn't look bleached. But it has to be?! How else would he get this kind of colour? ]

You look-- you look like an old man!

[ An incredible amount of sensitivity here, folks. ]

one

[daemonized]

"Reminiscing about your youth loses its poignancy when it wasn't all that long ago, you realize," comes a familiar voice. Ardyn comes into Souji's peripheral, though he does wonder if he can really see with those old man frames on. He's amused, clearly, though not completely surprised at Souji's choice of attire at the moment. He half expected something like this, and it's with a casual air that Ardyn sits next to him on the bench.

"I like the bowtie, though."

[tarotcards]

Souji smiles as he spots Ardyn (no, he can't really see anything with these old man frames, but he can make out the general blobs of colours that make up Ardyn) and he scoots over just a bit to give his uncle some space on the bench.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It's been many old decades since I was a young lad," he lies through his teeth. The kid is strange, that has been established. "But thank you. I rather like it too. A little more stylish than your scarfs, no?"

one

[rebellions]

[It's shaping up to be just another boring afternoon after the finished shift, and Ragna isn't in a hurry to head home (not with that shithead of a roommate to deal with), so he takes a small detour through the Square. He's not exactly the most approachable person, to say the least, so he's kind of surprised when some old fart seems to direct his whining at him─

Or, well. Some asshole teenager pretending to be an old fart, rather. He doesn't exactly recognize Souji at first, but even he's perceptive enough to notice this much.]

... What the eff is this all about?

[tarotcards]

[ If you've interacted with Souji at least once in person then it really doesn't take much to notice him. His bowlcut is still there and his sharp face hasn't changed. It's just everything else... ]

An old man just longing for his youth. Nothing wrong with that, is there, sonny?

1

[strawberrypunch]

Oh, would you look at that, it's a kindly old...

...?

Head tilted ever so slightly, he responds in the most deadpan voice possible: "Not strawberries?"

Speaking of, Souji gets three guesses what flavor that pink carton of milk is in his hand and the first two don't count.

[tarotcards]

Watermelon, Cherry, Strawberries. Those are his final three guesses.

"Are strawberries the scent of your own days of youth, young man?"

One

[borntoolate]

[Who the heck is...? Oh...

Okay so it does cross her mind that maybe she should just keep walking and pretend she doesn't know him. But Iris is curious. So she heaves an exaggerated sigh.]

Oh, Souji.... Didn't you see the after school specials? Drugs are bad.

[tarotcards]

[ Your cousin is a weirdo, Iris. It is best to accept that right now. ]

I'm sorry, Iris, but drug dealing on Retrospec was too good... We should have never joked about that. Look at what happened to me now.

➟ lord light

[tarotcards]

[ Like he said, Souji does eventually show up at Lucian's clinic a little after 5PM. He tried not to come too late so he doesn't keep the good doctor waiting, so he checks in and eventually gets put into a room where he has to wait for Doctor Trevelyan to show up. At least he's out of the common waiting room so he can sit here by himself and think. He's not particularly... nervous about whatever Lucian might have to say about everything, but he does have a small uneasy feeling about it. Even if he doesn't feel sick or like anything's wrong, it's not usual for hair and eye colours to change overnight, so it's concerning... ]

[ Well... here's hoping it's nothing that bad. Give him the news, doc. ]

[accordance]

[ After a while the door to the consultation room opens, and Lucian ushers the previous patient out - a middle-aged lady. ]

Hello, Souji. Please come in.

[ Grey hair is rather unnatural for a young person, but it does fall into the natural spectrum of hair colours altogether. Though the why still remains up in the air. ]

How can I help you today? [ Apart from the hair, that is. ]

➟ keigo

[tarotcards]

[ As he said over the network, Souji is chilling by the fountain by the time Keigo comes by. He's just on his phone, replying to other people and looking pretty calm despite the sudden old man hair and eye colour change. Come and greet him so they can talk about ~serious things~ (or push him into the fountain, that's fun too). ]

sorry for the delay!

[loudmouths]

[ keigo wasn't kidding when he said he'd arrive shortly. he wasn't doing much but stewing on things that had been bothering him for the past several weeks. having someone--anyone, really--to talk to about it that wasn't yosuke was a relief.

he noted the hair and eyes and... well, he really wasn't kidding, was he? what had happened? well, no, he had come there to talk about strange things, so he was certain he'd find out the answer soon enough. ]

Aah... Hey.

[ he supplied weakly, lifting a hand in greeting. ]