yogen | npc contact.2

[ Something like that. ]

I can not presume to know. I have always found myself drawn to this tree, ever since it was first planted into the earth.

[ Even though his reason is more based on emotional attachment, he'd imagine familiarity plays some part in its draw. ]

If not safe in a harbor, the souls would simply disappear. If my attachment to this place is broken and I am to leave, I too would stop existing.

[ He's quiet at that question he's just going to take as a rhetorical question, staring down at their hands, because does it really matter for somebody like him, who bears so many marks they blur into one another? Too many to count, to many to recount, as to be tedious if he were to explain each and every one.

If it's just deaths, though... He looks back up and locks eyes with Komaeda.

Okay, so I had done some sort of math back in July that was numbers scribbled on the margins with no explanation, so we're both just going to have to trust July Ori on this: ]

3,689.

...

( part of me was literally going to make komaeda spit blood on this man, like literally just spit, but then i was like... i started laughing. )

...

( let komaeda look down at the ground, and rub his forehead with his mechanical one, fingers now going through his hair... is he stressed or thinking? )

...

( now he's looking at his own arm. )

That's unfair... I want 3,689...

( he wants the death. )

[ It wasn't a free invitation to come back whenever they want, they have to respect the appointments!! unless you have some sort of coworker leverage, who is looking at the two of them tell very different stories. ]

Yes, I'm friends with Mizuki— with Arata-sensei. Is his son bullying you, Komaeda-kun? I'm sure he doesn't mean to. He's just sort of...

[ you know

Anyways, ]

I'm glad to see you have such a good friend in Sakasaki-kun, though. This is only my opinion, but I think it would still be best to talk to him directly. High schoolers are around that age, when parents cease to have control over their lives.

[ She looks at Clamor to Sidney, a little put out by not being included in the conversation, even though she understands that's just how it's always going to be.

But Sidney had a bad dream... about her? Bad enough that he felt like apologizing for something that didn't happen, and in turn she feels bad for making him feel bad even though she didn't do anything.

Another tug on Clamor's pants ]

What was the dream about? When you talk about bad dreams, they get less scary, and you'll feel better.

[ And then Sidney won't be quite so sad, and then they can do more fun things, like draw bees and read books. ]

Edited 2021-09-16 02:18 (UTC)

I don't remember anything suspicious... But I guess I wasn't paying attention to anything weird. It smelled really clean? I don't know...

[ Like when you notice a weird smell while walking down the hall you just think to yourself "oh, gross" and then immediately put it out of mind and move on for the day. Going to the pool and everything that went on in there is just so mundane that they hadn't put much thought into it, trying hard to recall anything helpful now. ]

It's just been so hot lately, especially in this, [ gives their hood a little tug, the combination of black plus an extra layer of clothing is killing them, how does Natsume stand being covered regardless of the weather ] so I thought even tepid water would be better than sitting around in my own sweat.

[ There's a little "hehe" when he pats her head, and she leans into it, trying hard to be solid so Natsume's hand doesn't sink into her skull. Maybe the monster outside wouldn't be too scary if she'd gone with Natsume— look, he even gave it a name, like it's a dog— but she's just fine staying inside the school while that thing prowls outside. ]

How long...? I don't know... I never thought to keep count.

[ Days just sort of blur together when you're a little library ghost. ]

I remember a huuuuuuuge fire, though! I haven't thought about it in a long, long time, but just a while ago, I remembered again.

[ Like several weeks ago. Like 2.A weeks ago. ]

My guess would be five, going off the sound of their voices that evening.

[ Five at the time of writing this tag and seeing who's in the lava post, but if more people join in, pretend Kazuki said whatever that number is. ]

Late into the night, more came. They did not speak, so I do not know how many, but one of them smelled of this. [ holds up the bunch of lavender Natsume had set in his lap ] Among other things. Members of your gardening club, perhaps?

[ He balks a little at her frustration, even though he knows it's stupid to think he's capable of protecting anybody unless it's by keeping secrets, he knows this, but still... ]

Because... [ Ohh Rokuro's going to kill him if he knew he's spilling the beans. But Rika hates Rokuro's guts so maybe, if Akki's super optimistic about it, she won't confront him over this. It's wishful thinking but also an angry Rika scares him, and he knows just how tenacious she can be. ]

...He plans to bloody his hands. Would you want to get involved in something like that?

[ The whole— everything, really— takes Hiro aback, recalling nothing about a date nor understanding why Komaeda has the makings of a picnic in his arms, but then he sees the bugles and now he's following Komaeda to the wisteria tree. ]

( good, because when they get to the wisteria... they will be going on their picnic date, komaeda on one side, and hiro on another with the bugles, and whatever else he was allowed to get. the blanket set out under them so they can avoid getting any dirt on their clothes... )

I'm sorry I'm bothering you on short notice, I really wanted to be with you.

( ...natsume said komaeda had to treat hiro like he was someone worthy... this... is close enough. )

( when they meet his eyes, the smile he gives feels a little apologetic. )

There's a difference between the value of money and your senses. I don't see you as the type to charge a cost like that if there isn't, say, something to hear after midnight.

( pretty clear which one's caught his eye, and it's not any of the "dead" or "good as dead" ones, at least. but anyway, imagine agreeing to go deaf and all you hear overnight is the sound of your roommate snoring? kamo-kun is pretty strapped for cash, sure, but amami doesn't take them as one to do something like that; as far as he's concerned, the secrets these totems hide are plenty important.

though, well, he's not oblivious. he can tell that they don't seem too fond of the idea, themselves. )

Anyway, it's not a decision to make lightly. I'm sure you think so too, right?

[ They're very much ready to move on by attempt number three, almost falling asleep when Komaeda raises his voice and touches their head and that little spike of adrenaline wakes them up immediately.

... ]

-—Yeah, I did it!! I knew you could do it with me around!

[ Moral support or something, it doesn't matter, they're already peering inside this locker to see what's in it. No backpack or notebooks since Akki isn't at school today, but there's that handheld he uses to pass the time during breaks, sitting on top of eight spacemaker pencil boxes. Lots of blue ink pens... a handful of vinyl erasers... plastic rulers... laminated bookmarks...

It's mostly the school supplies of somebody who is used to lending things out and never getting them back. ]

...

( komaeda's disappointed, what's the point of being a nerd if there's nothing in here to take and use for studies? a failure to npc-kun again, especially with how he looks down at the ground wondering how much self-loathing he should do — he's an idiot, he should kill himself, and... )

The handheld probably goes for a lot.

( ... it's like he's being spiteful there's nothing interesting in here to take, but if npc-kun takes that and holds onto it, akira would want to buy it back, right? )

[ Who's the one being mean?? ]

There's no one like that!

[ There's no girl! Leo is dead! Akki does not want to deal with ghosts today!! ]

[ I mean... yeah. He can take the watering can and water plants. It's boring. ]

I consider him a dear friend, and I hope he still does as well.

[ Their hands tug when Subaru pauses, and they look over at him.

... ]

That's the sort of question somebody asks right before they're going to suggest something stupid.

[ It's not a no. ]

( ...

...

...

komaeda tosses the can aside because he wants kazuki's full attention. pay attention to him, he's dying without someone noticing him! )

Oops! I swung my arm too quick... ( sighs, doesn't go get it. ) Does he ever come to talk to you? He's always cooped up in his office, it must be lonely...

( um fujioka-senpai obviously is, and ok. Okay! Natsume didn't want to make a scene, but he guesses he's going to have to. Gonna grab the scruff of his uniform, c'mon. )

I can't believe you'd be ever so CRUEL. Come ON, Fujioka-senpai, we're leavING. ( quieter again: ) I can make what I really want to talk about into a public discussion with your PEERS, if that's what you WANT. There's no girl anyway—Tsukinaga-senpai isn't coming back either—I just need an excuse to speak with YOU.

[ He could still do it ]

You really don't.

[ Held hands get lifted, just something to distract from death wishes, and he presses the back of his hand to Komaeda's cheek. ]

What's wrong? You're fidgety.

[ Where is this Natsume thread of questionable advice, because Hiro would really just prefer to sit and crunch snacks and not have anybody focus on him. Why couldn't Maya be here to take the attention away... He glances up at the student council room, but even if somebody were to look out the window, that person would not be Maya, who is always looking forward.

Resigned to his fate, Hiro nods some sort of agreement, capping his fingers with chips before he eats them. ]

( Hmmm-mmm. Also, it's called "he has an aesthetic to stick to," he probably doesn't get cold that easily so it has to be the aesthetic. )

You should try sitting in front of the fridge in the home economics room and cooling down with some frozen SHRIMP. The experience is magiCAL. ( 10/10. ) Sorry for the sudden interrogaTION. We'd... I'd just like to sort this out as quick as possiBLE.

( ...he would just like to, yeah, and Hikaru seemed like a good person to hit up in his list of people to ask about, since. they were around. He looks up at the clock to judge the time and how much longer he can keep them without feeling too bad about it, then back down again. )

Bear with me ten more minutes and I'll let you get back to your FRIENDS.

Oh-ho-ho! Not today, Keigo! I'm genuinely asking!

[because it's gonna be easier with his box of food one way !]

If you do, close your eyes. ☆ It'll just be for a short while, 'kay?

[... with a reassuring squeeze of their hand. he doesn't know why he doesn't want keigo to see the remains of this side of the fourth floor; it's not like they're a student, it's not like they would know anything about... whatever... happened up there, but. subaru just doesn't want them to.]

( shjkdgm we'll never get the arisu lore memory dream because they remember stuff— )

Ahh, I SEE. I just wanted to know if the school store's been around for LONG, and if the person who runs it has been the same every YEAR. ( just out of curiosity. )

[ It's not dead or good as dead, but still... Eventually, he wouldn't be able to hear them anymore, and how are they supposed to express anything properly if not by talking? There's anyways hugs, they supposed. The only really important thing they want to express.

... ]

You can't be mad at me, okay? If you end up regretting.

[ No refunds. But this time, it's not about the money. ]

npc contact.2

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