mousekoto

We get a lot of requests on the Phan-Site for online harassment but lately many of them do not appear in Mementos.

Is it because the requester is exaggerating? Is it because certain online harassment is no longer distorted but normalized? Is it something else?

Sis came by the café today. It's been a while since I had seen her.

She left a big pile of chocolates on the counter. Apparently they all showed up on her desk at work over the weekend.

thank you

Ren liked the gift. He took the tissue wrapping and clipped it into the journal he's always carrying.

We considered going to the Metaverse, just in case, but decided to take it easy since I've had such a busy 24 hours. Instead we snuggled in bed, watching one of my favorite movies on his phone.

Haru helped me personalize the wrapping with the materials we bought for last night. Starting with black tissue paper, I made composite pawprint hearts in shades of red/pink and white/gray.

I accidentally made some pawprint trails. Haru convinced me to use those sheets, saying they were cute.

Ann took me for last-minute chocolate shopping this morning.

I don't have much money on my own so Sis grudgingly donated when I explained. I went with something modest: cooking chocolate he can use in curry.

Ann bought a lot of fancy ones. When asked who it was for, she said herself.

Futaba says the hockey mask is her new favorite and she's going to wear it everywhere now.

I really rather she didn't...

Boss tried to give both Futaba and me a lecture on proper kitchen behavior but Futaba just stared up at him with big water-y eyes, even through the hockey mask, and he caved and just told us to clean up.

Ann and Haru had to do most of the cleaning though...

Boss was going to help us make chocolate tonight but then Futaba showed up in the attic today wearing a hockey mask and chasing me around the room with a fake knife. In all the chaos I accidentally tripped up Haru and she ended up knocking the double boiler onto the floor.

Futaba was being extra clingy due to the crowds. I'm glad she decided to brave all the people and come with us. Boss thought he'd have to coax her to go, but she decided on her own.

Ren, Ryuji, and Ann all made space for her and Haru, given that they're the smallest. Yusuke was too distracted...

I think Ren noticed I've been feeling a little down recently since he suddenly wanted to go to the National Foundation Day parade. I suppose the view from the top of his head is better than the one in my real body... though I hadn't been since I was small.

It was fun going out with everyone.

Most days I try to focus on what I can do to help Ren and the team as well as research any new ideas I have for my predicament. I've kept doing that but I've been less aggressive in trying to be social. It just feels like I'm going through the motions. I know that's no good so I'm trying harder now.

Sometimes it's hard not to look at everyone else and not feel jealous that they're human and I'm not. It's seems to easy for them.

I'm probably a bad person for having such thoughts about my friends.

Or maybe I'm just a bad mouse. I can't tell anymore.

Morgana really likes to bat at the toggles of our school uniform coats. This morning on the train he nearly fell off Ren's shoulder while trying to bat at one. I'm pretty sure some other passengers noticed him but fortunately no one said anything.

There's a horse-racing mobile game that's been popular at school in some circles. Ryuji brought it up at a team meeting today and suggested I could star in a mouse-racing game. Futaba tutted at him, saying he just doesn't "get it."

I guess it's a good thing that the frequent posters on the Phan-Site are there to watch us rather than taking matters into their own hands. Otherwise, innocent people could be targeted just because someone else shared their name.

It's a bit frightening to think about.

Sometimes we get requests on the Phan-Site for people whose hearts aren't distorted. The posts are anonymous though so we can't check if the poster is the one who is actually distorted.

I don't think they live here.

If they had a change of heart, what actions do you think they would take?

We've gotten some requests lately about AI scammers, but we're unable to do anything without a name.

When we ask Futaba, she just looks at us like we're crazy and then tries to explain using words we don't understand. When we look confused she gets embarrassed and then hides in her room for day.

I might be a mouse but I do no such thing!!

Ms. Kawakami was wearing a long cardigan over her usual knit and skirt outfit. She looked much more comfortable.

She kept looking over to our side of the room though. I wonder if one of the students on this side was looking at her strangely.

Haru suggested we take a day trip somewhere with snow since we might not get any we can play in here. It would be a long day but doable, kind of like our beach trip. I did a lot of the planning for that one though. Will I be able to as a mouse?

I heard that the train/power outage made international news.

It was announced that students who came in "reasonably" late yesterday due to the train outage are excused.

Ann wondered if the ones who took longer might have entered the Metaverse. I'm not sure why she would think that, but Ren and Ryuji did not seem amused.

Ryuji was noticing that our popularity hasn't changed much on the Phan-Site. He seems rather torn. On one hand, he'd like us to be more popular. On the other, he can't take advantage of that popularity anyway.

I think he does too.

Ren left me with Ryuji after school, saying he had errands to run. He usually takes me along and tug at his turtleneck if he forgets something.

Ryuji told me that I wasn't going to get him to start his homework early. I hadn't even tried yet! (I wasn't sure how...)

Our school isn't particularly well-heated in the winter. Ms. Kawakami looks rather cold. I asked Ren why she doesn't wear layers. His eyes got big but then he quickly said he didn't know.

Later I overheard him asking Ann what layers would be appropriate but he stopped when he saw I was there.

I wonder if we'll be Phantom Thieves forever.

There seem to be no shortage of Palaces or requests and while we help some people, the distortions seem endless.

Despite the Phan-Site being mis-used before, we still check it for potential targets. It seems wrong to ignore pleas when we have this ability.

Futaba is keeping an eye on it for signs of manipulation. Maybe that makes it okay?