CONTACT | Call me, maybe

[intercalaryninja]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, HAZYREFLECTION FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 011.04.151.01 *** HAZYREFLECTION has joined 011.04.151.01 <HAZYREFLECTION> Only contact me if it is necessary. <HAZYREFLECTION> Report to me immediately if it's regarding Reira-dono. <HAZYREFLECTION> I will be checking this nightly when possible.

Comments

[intercalaryninja]

There's no choice. My orders are to care for Reira-dono. Even if I had the option to go home, I'd not consider it. I'm not leaving the young master's side.

[justbeingknife]

Glad she's got someone like you in her corner.

[ After all, loyalty was something he could appreciate. ]

Pretty sure my former employers think I'm dead.

[intercalaryninja]

I hope she's glad too.

I assume you are not actually dead?

[justbeingknife]

You'd be right in that. Though I probably should be, come to think of it.

[ He led......... a life....... ]

'fact, a guy just warned me the other day about being more careful.

[intercalaryninja]

Understandable. Many people who should be dead are just not.

[How and why that idiot Sawatari alive in a Dimensional war?]

Here? What happened?

[justbeingknife]

Meh, I don't recall all the details. [ Majima..... ]

I think he went through some shit on his own back home, and wanted to make sure other people didn't make the same mistake. Thing is, I don't think I'm the guy everyone needs to worry about. There's plenty other monsters with worse manners than me.

[intercalaryninja]

Ah. I see.

You're actually one of the more reasonable people here. Better than any of the cultists :/

[justbeingknife]

That's kind of ya to say. Actually, this ain't my first run-in with a bunch of cult nutjobs.



Although the last one was practically a pajama party in comparison.

[intercalaryninja]

You've lead an interesting life.

What were the big differences between cults?

[justbeingknife]

That's one way to put it! I suppose the biggest one is that the one back home never killed anyone.

To my knowledge, anyway. I didn't particularly want to get involved, only they kinda kidnapped a girl.

[intercalaryninja]

That's understandable. It's best to stay away from those sort of things, even if they do terrible things like that.

I wish we had that option with the cultists here. Even if you try to avoid them, they end up worming their way into your life, one way or another.

[justbeingknife]

Vexin', ain't it?

But I suppose if this is some sick way of punishin' the locals, it makes sense that we can't ship 'em off somewhere.

[intercalaryninja]

Indeed.

In the end, finding a way to deal with the Fog and Fourth would be much better than trying to shoo off cultists. Deal with the root of the problem.

[He's sorry he's hard veered away from birthdays to cultists.]

[justbeingknife]

[ Birthdays: way better. ]

Yeah. Then maybe this place could move on. By the way, what'd you make of that little play?

[intercalaryninja]

Which one? I've been sort of out of it.

[Because... you know... the whole birthday and depression thing.]

[justbeingknife]

Ah -- the one the locals put up, what with the Fog god being a 'peacemaker' until she starts resentin' her siblings. And drumming up a war to boot.

[ Sorry man... ]

It was... an interestin' watch.

[intercalaryninja]

Oh yes. That's an old Ryslig fairytale.

When the Freedom Fellowship visited Haftesal, we found an old storybook with the same story. I actually have the original book in my room.

Did it include her heart?

[justbeingknife]

No, actually. Would it be possible to take a look at the original?

Dunno why they'd leave that part out, but there wasn't a single peep about any hearts.

time to find that old thread *rolls up sleeves*

[intercalaryninja]

Of course. Do you mind if you came over to look at it? The book survived a fire and had been trapped under Vandare for years. It's in delicate condition.

The book never explains about what the Fog's heart is but the annotations suggest it may have been a real thing, rather than just a metaphor.

o7

[justbeingknife]

'Course not, it's been a little while since I dropped by. When'd be a good time?

[ He'd just show up as instructed, with a package of tea for Tsukikage. Never knew when you'd need an emergency brew! ]

Holy shit I did It i updated the page (sorta) in the comments. Deets are there fyi

[intercalaryninja]

Any time is good during the afternoon.

----

[Tea is always appreciated. Tsukikage has so much tea from Christmas but he works through it quickly, so new tea is always appreciated.

Tsukikage places the book carefully on the dining room table and opens it to the right page. He's just tidying up when he hears the doorbell. Soon, he's opening up. There's a smile on his face. It's been a while since they saw each other.]

Happy New Year, Majima-san.

you are a champ

[justbeingknife]

Happy New Year. How'd that Christmas party go?

[ He smiled as he stepped inside with a slight bow, handing the box over. ]

Mana bring ya anything good?

:D

[intercalaryninja]

It went well. I think everyone had fun. [Admittedly it was a little quieter this year, which wasn't a bad thing.

Tsukikage carries the box over to the kitchen, leading Majima into his home. He already has the kettle on the boil so he'll get right to the tea.]

She got me a fridge full of energy drinks. A little strange but certainly appreciated. I work long hours.

How about you?

[justbeingknife]

Energy drinks? [ Where the heck did she find those? The world was a mystery... unless, of course, the answer was 'Mana'. ]

You're lookin' at a man who got his favorite knife back for Christmas.

[ One might question, really, what sort of monster had not only one knife but so many knives that one was unquestionably his favorite. Maybe Majima liked to cook?

Maybe Majima liked

TO STAB.

He glanced over at the book on the table, and approached it with curiosity. ]

Is this the one? You mentioned some old rituals back when ya first brought up that Haftesal, didn't you? Don't suppose this has anythin' to do with 'em?

[intercalaryninja]

Yeah... Caffeinated beverages. I never had them before but they do help keep me awake. [He can get away with so many extra days to work and not sleep ::::)]

I'm glad for you. I had a favourite blade back in my world. Perhaps I should have asked for that... it was shattered on a robot man.

[Tsukikage doesn't know what Majima uses his favourite knife for but he supports him anyway.

The arachne begins to prepare the tea over the counter and nods.]

Yes, I did. But it's a different book. That book had the ritual we used to temporarily stop the Fog. This is just some scholar's copy of the children's stories.