compnetwork | voice → anonymous text;

[So she was going to actually ask something of those of and brought here... At least, until she opened her mouth and a certain someone's boom box went off.]

Tomadou kotoba ataerarete mo jibun no kokoro tada uwa no sora
Moshi watashi kara ugoku no naraba subete kaeru no nara kuro ni suru
Konna jibun ni mirai wa aru no? Konna sekai ni watashi wa iru no?
Ima setsunai no? Ima kanashii no? Jibun no koto mo wakaranai mama
Ayumu koto sae tsukareru dake yo hito no koto nado shiri mo shinaiwa--

[...It seems as though they stopped after that, pausing as though in thought.]

...I wonder if a store is still open. [Because she could indeed use some sake at the moment, dealing with these stubborn children and a brainwashed representative ~~you're next, Pyro Jacks~~. A little later (read: thirty minutes of likely continued perplexing behavior from the aforementioned representative and drinking yet not getting drunk), there is a text because what is trusting her voice with this still occurring?]

What is it you desire during this season? ...Aside from a certain clan deciding whether they wish for a green or white Christmas.

[Other gods know they have had enough of that to last for a few years.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Minato doesn't really see or hear all of this until he's checking the network late in the evening, after his Christmas Eve date, and by that time there are a number of replies to the text already, and he skims through them to see what other people say. And that's when he picks up on the fact that not all of the replies are anonymous. In fact, one woman seems to be replying to a couple threads unanonymously - the same user, it seems, as the one who broadcast a song (one he's pretty sure he heard on the internet back home) earlier, unless he's mistaken.

Hm. Interesting... He's not entirely sure what to do with this information, however, except perhaps reply. But it's only polite to not conceal his identity when he thinks he's discovered another's, so he doesn't go anonymous. ]

You have a lovely voice, anonymous-san.

I already have what I would have wanted for Christmas this year. What about you? What do you desire?

[ Of course, that doesn't mean he won't tease just slightly. And as for what he wants, well... he already has family and some of his friends here and a second chance to live again without worrying about the Seal, if Philemon is to be trusted on that point. It seems greedy to ask for anything more. ]

[Did he, now? Oops~ though to be fair, it was only one or two where she left the anonymous unchecked. It made it easier for those who felt a little unsure about answering an anonymous person. Even if it was an alias...]

Why, thank you... and how generous of you.

[Though that question... Well, she'd have likely thanked him for responding via text if she hadn't already. It was bad enough that she was humming and a certain someone in the background was going "that still isn't a Christmas song."]

It's a simple and common desire, even though I know it is no longer possible.

I think I would like to be by my brother's side once more. To apologize to him.

[ As much as Minato likes karaoke, he finds being interrupted by songs in his attempts to communicate face-to-face with people to be pretty annoying, so text it is and will stay.

However, when it comes to his next message, he hesitates a little. He'd rather lock it to just the one with whom he is talking, but he's not sure it's possible to lock a text to an anon. ]

You never know. Maybe he will come, and you'll have the chance.

I didn't think it was possible to see my sister again, but she showed up here all the same.

[Good idea, especially considering her company.

...That seemed like something that should be filtered, so she took care of it for him. For some reason, she was better with electronics than interacting with humans. Figures.]

I am not sure he would want to see me, even if he did. The last words we shared were not the best.

Though I am happy for you; it's a wondrous gift to be able to spend time with anyone when separated.

[ He is grateful for her taking care of that. But her remark...

He thinks about the last words he shared with his sister before she died, and he finds he can't really remember what they were - just that they were angry. However, he knows that he's not mad at his sister anymore, and certainly the last words they exchanged were not at all on his mind when he met her again here. He wonders if something like that happened with this woman and her brother or if it was something else, but either way he's sure if she misses her brother, then her brother probably misses her too. ]

If it's been a long time since you saw each other, I'm sure that he'd be happy just to see you again. As you say, it is a wonderous gift to spend time with someone you've been long separated from.

[...She hated it sometimes when humans were right and she, one above them,was wrong. Especially when it concerned family. Yet in this case, she would admit it. Just this once. It just took her a few days to one, get over the shock, and two, swallow her pride.]

You are, and were, correct. Thank you, child.

[aw, she even said thank you! ~~she must be in a really good mood.~~

> ...?

> You feel a faint hint of genuine gratitude coming from the other person...]

[ Minato is a little surprised when he checks his messages at work a few days later to find this. When she hadn't responded within a day, he'd assumed that maybe she wouldn't in the end. But when he reads it, he smiles. ]

I hope you find him again.
Also, best wishes in the new year.

voice → anonymous text;

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anonymous text;

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anonymous → filtered text;

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filtered text; a few days later...

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