GLITCH #1 ( intro )

[glitchier]

[ Wherever you were before, you're not there anymore. This incredibly creative and original premise is the start of your interdimensional journey, and you're starting here, in Sitihir—inside of a large Starbucks, to be precise.

Everyone inside the Starbucks today has been gifted with a nametag that reads as follows:

HELLO! My name is _______

But whatever is in that blank is most certainly not your name! Perhaps it's an obscure nickname, or something rude, or something flattering! Either way, you're not leaving this Starbucks until you've given your actual name to at least four other visitors, so have fun.

Once you've completed your task, a barista will hand you a welcoming letter:

Welcome to Sitihir! We apologize for the sudden glitch in the system but please take this opportunity to explore the vast world (worlds!) we have to offer you. Should you find it to your liking, you are welcome to stay for as long as you want. If you are itching to return to your home, there is a map on the back of this sheet that will guide you there. Thank you for visiting Sitihir, and may all of your travels be blessed! ~The Programmers

And so there is indeed a map to your character's home world's door on the back, free for them to return to at any time. ]

( OOC: OOC intro stuff is over here, and with this the game is officially open to all posting! contact any player for the password to glitchier if you want to use it to make glitch posts! have fun! )

Comments

[citykid]

[ HELLO! My name is SISTER COMPLEX KINGPIN OF STEEL!

that's... entirely predictable, and not exactly flattering, but at least he's used to the title by now. ]

You would think they'd go with something more original...

[epicfailure]

[Oh thank God.]

Dude! [A familiar face! And not just any familiar face, either -- the one Yosuke'd been hoping to spot since he got transported/teleported/whatever to this weird limbo coffee shop. Whatever was going on, Souji had to know what to do. He always did.] What are you doing here!?

[Yosuke's excitement allowed him to completely miss the nametag... for now, at least.]

[citykid]

—Yosuke...!

[ oh he'd know that voice and face anywhere, even if he hadn't seen it since Golden Week. ]

I'm not sure... I thought I might be in a dream, but that probably isn't a safe bet to make.

[ he considered the question for a couple more moments. this sort of... unconventional transportation could be the Velvet Room's doing or something similar. he really wouldn't be surprised if he looked behind the counter later and saw Igor as the head barista. hmm. oh well. it'll sort itself out.

catching sight of Yosuke's nametag, he tilted his head, reached out, and tapped it twice. ]

What's the story behind this?

[epicfailure]

[It was funny how even Souji's doubt and confusion felt comforting in situations like this, but Yosuke wasn't about to argue with what worked. He felt calm enough to nod his agreement, voice notching down a decibel to a less ear-shattering pitch.]

Yeah, you're right. With everything that's happened to us lately, I'm not ruling anything out--

[Yosuke trailed off when he felt Souji's hand connect with his chest. Great. He didn't even have to look down to guess what caught his partner's attention, and it didn't take long at all for his face to go green and red all at once.]

I-I don't know, dude, everyone has something stupid slapped on them. It's not like I picked it.

[citykid]

[ if Souji weren't a master at staying completely composed, he would have laughed in Yosuke's face. his pool of funny expressions never seemed to exhaust itself. ]

But someone seems to have picked it out just for you. They made no mistake with mine.

[ ahh yes, the epithet they're both so familiar with. he could hear that announcer's voice saying it in his head right now. ]

[epicfailure]

[Yosuke looked at Souji's nametag for the first time, a glimmer of almost... eagerness in his expression. He wasn't the kind of person to revel in a friend's discomfort, not exactly. But, well... when it came to Souji, there was always a certain thrill in seeing him turned on his head. Embarrassed, awkward, weird, or a mix of all three -- just a little bit closer to 'real'.

He didn't want to see Souji hurt or anything, but... well. The solidarity was nice, sometimes. It made him feel like he had a little less of a gap to close between Souji's league and his own. There wasn't much pleasure in his nickname, though.]

Dude, unfair! That's just a rehash! Mine's a million times worse!

[citykid]

Sorry. I guess they don't have much dirt on me.

[ Souji suddenly started rummaging through his pockets... aha! always prepared. he pulled out a pen, grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on a nearby table, and offered them up to Yosuke. ]

Would you like to make me a new one? You can write whatever you want on it and I'll stick it over the nametag. Fair's fair.

[epicfailure]

[Yosuke balked, staring down at the pen and napkin as if Souji requested he juggle them instead of write a simple name. Boiling his best friend down to a word or two? That was kind of a lot of pressure!]

... The hell, dude, I've got no idea what to write for you, and there's nothing fair about it either. If you really want to be fair, then--

[Yosuke grabbed another napkin, pushing it at Souji's chest. The look on his face was pure, distilled A-HA!]

No, now it's fair. You give me one, too. Even at your worst, it's gotta be better than... whatever mine is supposed to mean.

[citykid]

[ Souji stared down at the napkin pressed to his chest for a moment and then took it with a nod. ]

If you say so. Now let me think...

[ he took a seat at the table next to them and leaned back in his chair, searching the ceiling as if it would give him just the words to sum up his best friend. after a minute or two of brainstorming, he jot down the results and slid the napkin over to Yosuke along with the pen. lo and behold, in clean and careful handwriting, the napkin said "HELLO! My name is A+ Salesman/C- Student". ]

Your turn.

[epicfailure]

[Yosuke waited, tapping his foot. He felt a little more tense than he thought he would. Souji wouldn't write anything really mean, right? The idea made him feel a little green to think about. He was sure Souji had plenty of material to lash out with, if he really wanted to -- and not just on him. Souji had the dirt on all of them, when it came down to it.

So when Souji slid the paper across the table, Yosuke greeted it with a startled, almost relieved, laugh and followed it up with a fist to Souji's arm.] Haha, asshole! I only became a C- student when you transferred back, that's on you!

[His voice still carried some laughter in it when he took the pen from Souji, crouching down over his own napkin like it was an exam. No peeking, Seta! The bow of Yosuke's mouth turned sly, then self-satisfied, and it was with a lofty air of smugness that he slid the napkin back to his partner.

"Buttji".]

[citykid]

[ from the looks of Yosuke's pride, Souji would have thought he'd just cracked some sort of famous code. but as soon as he looked down at the napkin and saw his new name tag, he threw his head back and let out the genuine sort of laugh that's reserved for when Yosuke's being, well. Yosuke. and lacking imagination, as Yosuke often is. ]

Maybe if I'd stayed in Inaba I could have tutored you in name-calling on top of every other subject.

[epicfailure]

[The friendly teasing didn't even begin to penetrate Yosuke's triumph and glee at earning one of Souji's coveted belly laughs. The guy could pick at his wit all he wanted, Yosuke still counted it as a point for him.]

Whatever, you'd be too busy getting schooled by yours truly! [He picked up the napkin, carefully affixing it under one of the adhesive corners of Souji's original. Yosuke patted it once, gently, as if it weren't a Starbucks napkin with a poorly scrawled, poorly crafted joke written on it.] There. Now you're Buttji for all of eternity. It's got a pretty good ring to it.

[citykid]

Oh no, how will I tell my parents that their boy is a Buttji from now on?

[ he gave a final chuckle and then attached Yosuke's own napkin to his name tag for him. after carefully smoothing it out, he gave his partner's chest a light poke. ]

Your new name tag better not be so accurate by the next time I visit, alright? Entrance exams are right around the corner.

[epicfailure]

[Souji's concern would've been embarrassing and a little bit... nice, really, under normal circumstances. Hearing it now, in the middle of the Twilight Zone/Starbucks, it just seemed kind of ridiculous.

... Though. Still. Kinda nice. Yosuke's body felt a few degrees warmer, even as he laughed off Souji's reminder.]

Dude, unless the test proctor is cool with administering it here, I think we might be safe. I've still got no clue how to get out of here.

[citykid]

I wouldn't worry about that, I'm sure we won't be here long. These things find a way of sorting themselves out soon enough.

[ he scanned the room once more, trying to take in every face as well as all the exits. all things considered, this place wasn't half bad. it wasn't covered in ghastly fog, and that automatically put it high up on his list of "favorite places to spontaneously get transported to without regard for conventional physics". ]

Remember the first time we fell into the TV? That situation looked a lot bleaker than this and we still got out before dinnertime.

[epicfailure]

[Yosuke nodded, noticeably relaxing when Souji's words washed over him. This, right here. This is what made their leader special. There was no one else like him, and Yosuke felt both immense pride and private longing. Why couldn't he have reassurances at the ready like that? All he had to offer were a few cheap jokes.]

Yeah... you're right. Heh, I don't know why I got so panicked. It's not like we're not old pros at winding up somewhere we're not supposed to be. [He mimicked Souji's shrewed assessment of the store's layout.] Wanna just try leaving? Maybe we'll wind up back home.

[citykid]

I suppose that's worth a shot.

[ Souji located the nearest exit and carefully observed it. it didn't look particularly suspicious. the door didn't appear to be sealed to its frame or anything. it wasn't even glowing, which was sort of a disappointment. it just looked like a regular door to a regular coffee shop; it even had a little bell at the top that would ring when customers came in and out. if they could do that, that is.

he jerked his head toward the door to silently say "C'mon" and led Yosuke over to it through the crowd of strangers. ]

Do you want to give it the first try?

[epicfailure]

[Yosuke wasn't why he felt such an urge to fly under the radar, but he moved alongside Souji as quickly and silently as he could. Maybe it was the overwhelming sense that they were up to something they shouldn't be. ... Or just because it made things more fun.

When Yosuke spoke, it was with the loudest whisper known to man or beast.]

What am I, the guinea pig??

[Protests aside, he grabbed hold of the door handle and tugged. The small bell didn't even ting once.] Jeez! It's like it's cemented shut!

[citykid]

[ once Yosuke stopped pulling the handle like he was locked out of a car, Souji carefully ran his fingers down the cracks of the door. he couldn't feel any sort of glue or sealing agent. it looked like it was just ol' fashioned locked. he gave the handle a tug himself just to be sure and then hummed in thought. ]

Interesting. It looks like we'll be here until we figure out the catch. At least this place has food and a restroom.

[ despite being trapped in a Starbucks of questionable existence, Souji still appeared as composed as ever. he even had his regular pose—hand on his hip, shoulders rolled back with confidence. and now, a slightly teasing look in his eye. ]

Speaking of which, do you have to...?

[epicfailure]

Like that's important now! [He waited a beat, whisper apparently forgotten as his cheeks went red.] And no, for your information. Do you?

[citykid]

[ a small smile managed to slip through the cracks for a second. ]

Not really. But I'd be happy to take you whenever if you don't want to go alone.

[epicfailure]

[That earned Souji a shove, light enough to not really hurt.]

Dude, I'm not four years old. Or Teddie.

[citykid]

Are you sure? He has a habitat of rubbearing off on people.

[ ]

1/2

[epicfailure]

[ ]

2/2

[epicfailure]

... Yeah. No kidding. Remind me to make a point of separating you two more often. Letting him stay over at your place in December was the biggest mistake. Should've done it myself. [Yosuke's tone was grumpy, even annoyed, but the wan smile stretched out over his lips told another side to the story. He couldn't help it. This was the side of Souji he liked to think was reserved for him. A Best Bro Status perk, weird as it was.]

--And hey, shouldn't we be more focused on finding clues than the bathroom?