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[thatonething]

[the Mansion seems to be favouring Aokos lately — here's yet another one, looking quite ordinary (which in itself is almost unusual, given the recent trend of newcomers), as well as very confused and not a little wary. She creeps along in her winter high school uniform, peeking into rooms and doing her best to be quiet]

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[fishpanties]

[Speaking of unusual . . .

There's a remarkably familiar young woman curled up in an armchair in one of the rooms -- a study, warm and cozy with a small, crackling fire -- Aoko peeks into! It would be like looking into a mirror, except . . . in a mirror, she wouldn't see such long hair, bound into loose pigtails; a pair of long combat knives tucked into her belt; dark sunglasses, worn despite the location.

And she certainly wouldn't see a sudden tension, and a smile one shade shy of sharp.]

Hello~?

[thatonething]

[stops dead in her tracks]

H-hi...

[all right, she'd already had her suspicions, but this definitely has to be a dream.

She eyes the knives, and just hopes it isn't about to turn into a nightmare]

[fishpanties]

[The stranger(?) uncoils slowly, tilting her head in Aoko's direction.]

What's the matter? Are you lost?

[thatonething]

[still looks wary]

I-I'm fine. Um... do you know where this is?

[carptricks]

Oooooi!

[Ordinary Aokos are the most familiar Aokos to this Kaito-- one who looks pretty ordinary himself-- and he greets the girl with an easy smile and a wave]

What're you doing here? Did you get lost?

[nevermind that he's the one who is lost, but hey, he never passes up a chance to pick on her]

[thatonething]

[jumps, whirling around with a look of surprise]

Ah-!

[clutches at her uniform bow and eyes him with what might be suspicion]

O-of course not!

[hesitates]

Where's "here"?

[carptricks]

[raises an eyebrow at the suspicion in her expression, approaching casually as though she were any other Aoko]

Dunno. Did you walk through a door and suddenly wind up here, too?

[thatonething]

It felt like I woke up here...

[keeping an eye on him, but will only bristle if he gets too close. Personal space, buddy]

Are you lost?

[fishpanties]

[WHY HELLO THERE CANON KAITO]

[There is a long-haired, knife-bearing, sunglasses-wearing girl who might look oddly familiar trotting slowly down one of the Mansion's many hallways, one hand trailing along the wall.]

[carptricks]

[-- wait]

[but didn't he just]

[????]

[Aoko???]

-- eh?

[fishpanties]

. . . Hm? Who's there?

[Tensing slightly!]

[selkiepaws]

Looking for someone? [And this Hakuba looks fairly ordinary as well, tweed suit and polite smile.]

[thatonething]

[starts in surprise and takes a step back before recollecting herself and smiling politely]

Oh, no, sorry. I'm not bothering anyone, am I...?

[selkiepaws]

No, or at least, no one that I know of. We're all rather out of place here.

[There's no apparent recognition, but that's not completely unexpected here in this Mansion full of alternates.]

Have we met before? I'm Hakuba Saguru.

[thatonething]

Mm, your name sounds familiar, but I don't think so.

[bows]

It's nice to meet you. I'm Nakamori Aoko.

[trulykaitou]

[The presence of someone unseen, an occasional flicker of white silk at the edges of her vision, the sound of footsteps that don't sync up quite right with her movements. It's all very (unintentionally) mysterious and slightly creepy. But he does want to observe her for a while before showing himself (if he ever does show himself to her). Later, much later, when Aoko's gotten tired of wandering and found herself in the cafeteria, he'll materialize across the table from her with a pair of chopsticks, and steal a piece of whatever (anything but fish) she's having to eat.]

[thatonething]

[the white flickers of something have been gradually creeping Aoko out more and more since she arrived, and the sudden apparition is the last straw. She recoils so quickly that she goes right over, chair and all]

AAH-!

[enjoy your takoyaki, Kid]

[trulykaitou]

Gross. Why would people even eat this stuff? [He pokes at it, then puts it back.]

You're... Aoko, right? Nakamori Aoko?

[thatonething]

[scooching backwards on the floor! He's probably got a good view up her skirt, honestly]

W-who are you?!

[why do so many weird people know her name]

[shednotearsformagic]

[Here's Akako. In....quite a bit of pink.]

Aoko?

[thatonething]

[is it frilly? Either way it's not that surprising, you have always liked pretty and beautiful things]

Akako-chan!


Wait, is this Tokyo?

[shednotearsformagic]

[Well, it is cute. But it is a skirt with a zip up hoodie, which is admittedly a bit weird for Akako.]

[Nods at the name. Okay, different one for sure.]

No. We're actually somewhere quite strange.

[thatonething]

[that is true]

Aa. I kind of had that feeling...

Are you lost too?

[fishpanties]

[how easily can you feel yourself being watched, Akako?]

[shednotearsformagic]

[Prrrrrretty easily. You know, just in case of stalkers.]

[Stopping.]