1:30 AM?, Sunday night, Week 9

[dhaosu]

[ Dhaos returns back to his room eventually after that conversation with Katerina and Miata comes to a conclusion of sorts. Of course, he peers in and makes sure Yoite is either sleep or awake. ]

Are you up?

[ He closes the door behind him after he enters. ]

Comments

[dhaosu]

It could work on demons. They are close to being like spirits, but definitely fundamentally different enough that it could be plausible to at least be somewhat effective.

[ He nods at Yoite's few words, there. ]

Indeed you can. Let us do our best...

[ Pause. ]

By the way, I met a ghost in a certain week, not too long ago. His name's Captain Salvatore Brigante... said he owned a ship, called the Amarissa. You haven't seen a large orange ship, have you?

[ DOUBTS IT. But this is how he can branch into more discussion, he thinks. ]

[okuri]

[ Hm.] I don't think I would know unless I tried it. But I can't just do nothing.

[ Honestly, Yoite doesn't know what to think at this point. But it was starting to feel more familiar to the pace he was used to, which might be a good and bad thing.]

We both need to get back.

[He shifts into a more comfortable position, stretching a bit, when Dhaos asks the question.]

I haven't. I haven't seen much on the lake. Did he tell you anything else?

[dhaosu]

We do.

[ He needs to save his people.

If this weren't a serious conversation, Dhaos would have leaned back onto the bed. But he doesn't, alas, he's just tense and rigid as ever. ]

He did.

The man spoke about 'Loreleans causing trouble out West' and that they were a dictatorship of some kind who 'wanted their own land'. It wasn't independence, however. So I presume it has something to do with the fact that they do not let anyone in the country, or out of it.

I have figured, though... their own warfare may have dragged this town into it at some point-- perhaps as an unintentional side effect of whatever weapons that may have been used in the conflict with the Lorealans and the West. But...I have nothing to prove this theory as of yet.

There was once a visible harbor in the town... likely connected to what appears to be just a 'lake' could lead very well out to the sea.

And I asked the man when he noticed something amiss occurred... which he said to me during that week 'last night while I was repairing the sails but it felt longer than that'. Which also leads me to suspect once again the ghosts are not aware of what happened...

Whatever came and killed the residents certainly did it very suddenly, for sure. Not to mention some memory manipulation may be in play here.

... Ah yes, and he informed myself that the Mayor's house functions as a city hall and gave myself his address.

[okuri]

[ It's almost funny that despite the fact that Kira was a death Yoite chose himself, that he fights it so stubbornly. He had made a promise to multiple people now that he would survive this, and he intended to keep it, no matter how ludicrous an idea it seemed to be.]

Japan was an isolationist nation for a time. [ So he understands that at least.]

Despite what happened, they all tried to keep living normally until they died. Edita was still teaching, even though she said half her students were gone. [ Or they were in very deep denial, but he doesn't think that's the case-- not with Edita anyway.

At the mention of the mayor, he sits up straight.]

We need to find that house. Every ghost and Miata seems to think he's important.

[dhaosu]

They did.

[ Dhaos is unsure what to think of that. Were his people, who were dying of mana deprivation, trying to do the same? Suddenly... he realizes the situation of this town and his world seems to be heading towards a very similar direction. At least, with every new piece of info he came across.

It was unnerving. ]

We do need to. Then, that is on our schedule for this week. We should do it while it's light out, and still in the middle of the week. We are running out of time and the more information we gather, the better.

[okuri]

Okay. I'll be ready whenever. [He's quiet as he thinks about the whole situation, but then he remembers there's something he should probably mention.]

Takao contacted me last week. He tried to make me play basketball. [That about sums up how serious their talk was.]

I didn't expect to hear from him again...but the ghosts are getting stronger. I think it's related to everything that's happening.

[dhaosu]

[ He nods. ]

Takao did? Interesting, that... although if that is the only thing he's done-- somehow I am not surprised. He always seemed rather into ... 'activities'.

[ Like playtime, over severity. But, what can be done-- ]

However, what do you mean by getting 'stronger'? Able to manifest and linger longer for speech you mean?

[okuri]

Yeah, he loved basketball and sports. [ Yoite hesitates a moment before continuing.]

Charlotte couldn't do a lot of physical things before she vanished. Takao was playing with a basketball the whole time he talked to me.

[dhaosu]

I see... I hope that you enjoyed your time with them at least.

[ He passes a brief smile. ]

Having support like that is a little nice, suffice to say.

[okuri]

I still don't like when people are kind to me... but thank you. [ Despite the amount of time that had passed, he still didn't get it. It was easier not to get attached, but as Dhaos had told him, it was inevitable at this point.]