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Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:31 AM
(he's after the stygian key.)
(which means he has to like, cross/drink from three rivers and talk to one of the creepy underworld... things.)
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:32 AM
(xD okay, excellent.)
So where is he intending to enter?
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:36 AM
wherever he can find a way in. 8D;
(aka he's been looking for a gate.)
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:37 AM
pick a district and give me a roll
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:37 AM
uuuh sixth.
WHELP.
that sure was a one.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:40 AM
He finds one place that looks promising, but about when he's getting ready to use it, he feels a hiss of cold air and the distinct feeling of something looking over his shoulder.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:41 AM
Ooof course. And Thanatos would not want to use a thing while someone might be watching.
(Ryoji wouldn't care, his geist would.)
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:42 AM
If he turns around, there's a figure watching him - the thing isn't quite humanly proportioned, arms and legs too long, body too thin. Roll resist vs that 6
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:43 AM
7!
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:45 AM
There's a bit of frost clinging to his sleeves, but not enough to be harmful. The thing's voice - if it can be called that - echoes off the side of the building, and Ryoji will get the distinct impression that he can only understand the rebound, not the initial vocalization.
YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:47 AM
Ryoji will... kind of wave at it. "Um... hello! Why not?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:48 AM
A slight tilt of the thing's head, nothing else of its posture moving. YOU ARE TOO REAL.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:50 AM
"Am I?" Ryoji will glance at Thanatos, since he's pretty sure that should be helping him some here. "What would being 'less' real be like?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:51 AM
Thanatos is getting a vibe off the frosty thing that it's lost, somehow, but it is also very much not Dead.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:54 AM
Well that's weird. Ryoji will look back at the thing, studying it and wondering what it even is. "Do you need help?" he asks.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:54 AM
The creature takes a single step closer, light reflecting off one of its metal limbs. YOU HAVE PURPOSE. YOU HAVE [___]. Whatever the last word it tries to express is doesn't translate.
YOU SHOULD NOT GO TO THAT PLACE, IT WILL TAKE THE [___] FROM YOU LIKE BREATH.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:56 AM
Ryoji is now not at all sure if he's not welcome, or just shouldn't be there. Those are two different things and he's much more likely to ignore one of them. "Did you go there?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:57 AM
I CANNOT. Could not, is forbidden to, is incapable of. They echo and rattle.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:58 AM
Hmm. Well, if it's not Dead... "What are you?" he tries.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:59 AM
roll resist again
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 6:59 AM
damnit
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 6:59 AM
ouch
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:00 AM
LOST. The feeling behind the word - purposeless, disconnected, job-done-no-home, is nearly overpowering.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:02 AM
That's a very, very power emotion seeping through, and it takes Ryoji a moment to recover enough to try and remember why he was here in the first place and what he was going to say next. "Part of my purpose involves going there. I need to do it." He's not sure the being will understand, but maybe it's worth a shot.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:06 AM
It takes another step closer. NOT WELCOME. THEY EAT [___]. And there it freezes, both figuratively and literally, frost climbing up the metal and spreading from, its feet.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:13 AM
That's not a good sign. "I'm sorry, I don't really understand. Why do they eat?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:14 AM
SUBSTANCE. REALNESS. LIFE-FUEL. Some of the frost crackles; the feeling is one of frustration.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:19 AM
"Oh." Ryoji should probably not say that he kind of knew that, if it's trying to communicate what he thinks it is. "I'm already, um. Less-real than a lot of other people. And I need to go down there so I can help more people who can't. Does that make sense?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:21 AM
NOT LESS. MORE-REAL. NOT LIKE ONCE-WAS, BUT MORE THAN OTHERS.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:23 AM
Well that's... confusing. Does Thanatos have any idea of what he's talking about?
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:24 AM
The Geist's answer is almost a question - it's the rippling feeling of something-wrong from Halloween.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:30 AM
Well that's concerning. "And... going to the underworld will make me more like 'once-was'?" He assumed that meant the dead, but now he's not as sure.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:31 AM
LESS.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:36 AM
This is so confusing. "And that's... bad."
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:37 AM
VERY. That response isn't so much a word as the sensation of metal bones screaming against each other in a fall.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:39 AM
This is still not quite enough to stop Ryoji from wanting to go, but he is at least trying to come up with a compromise. He's not sure if this thing can actually stop him, but he thinks it would try. "Is there a way I can become more real, so I can make up whatever I lose going in?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:42 AM
Different grinding sound. Conflicted answer. DON'T KNOW. CAN'T TELL. CAN'T KNOW.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:43 AM
"Well," Ryoji tries to reason, "If there's a way to lose it, there's probably a way to gain it. So... if you let me go in, I'll look for a way to gain it back, then and I can tell you about it. Ok?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:45 AM
NO. That, at least, is certain.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:48 AM
Damnit. "Is there anything I can do to get you to let me go?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:50 AM
LEAVE. DON'T GO THERE.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:51 AM
"But I need to go there, it's important."
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:53 AM
LESS-REAL MORE-IMPORTANT? Denial. The feeling of patience wearing thin.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:55 AM
"I don't know," Ryoji admits, "I understand that being less-real is bad, but if I'm going to be helping people that might be more important."
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 7:57 AM
It seems conflicted again - this time its body posture actually shifts. HELP OTHER MORE-REALS. CAN'T IF LESS-REAL.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 7:59 AM
"If I only go in once, will it make me too less-real to help?" he asks. ...He actually has no idea what the answer is, and isn't sure this thing knows either.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:00 AM
DON'T KNOW. NOT RISK. It shifts again, raising its long arms a bit; they're sharp at the ends, three fingers folding out like switchblades - and clearly just as sharp.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:01 AM
Well... this is not going at all as planned. "How do you know this?" Ryoji tries, "Why is it important to you?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:02 AM
WAS JOB/MISSION/MEANING-OF SELF.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:03 AM
"Was? What happened?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:04 AM
Pain-sorrow-scream and that feeling of LOST again.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:04 AM
Oh dear. "...Did YOU become less real?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:05 AM
It pauses, as though it hadn't considered that in that way. NOT SAME-REAL. BUT POSSIBILITY-OF-TRUTH.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:07 AM
That is not helpful at all. At this point, even if he convinces the... whatever to let him by, he won't be able to go in because he's got a headache. "Ok... well, how about this. If I find a way to become more real first, will you let me through then?" It's not going to stop him from trying to find another gate, probably, but it'll be something. He does want to help, after all.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:08 AM
WILL CONSIDER. IF YOU DO.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:08 AM
"Ok." That's something, at least. "...Will you still be here?"
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:09 AM
MANY GATES. CAN BE FOUND.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:10 AM
Damnit. "So you're at all of them?" That's going to make this harder.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:11 AM
A feeling of wandering. Sometimes one, soemtimes another.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:12 AM
He sighs. "Alright. I'll try to find you when I do." And maybe try to find a gate you're not at in the meantime.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:13 AM
A nod, and the sharp fingers fold up.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:13 AM
Oh good. "...Do you have any ideas where I might find something?" It's worth a try.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:16 AM
GEARS TURN. Though cryptic to Ryoji, it seems to mean something to Thanatos; not quite a location or object, but a thing that can be found like the gates.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:17 AM
Well, at least there's that. "Alright. I'll look." Please don't try to kill him.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:17 AM
Another nod. It steps off to the side so that he can leave the way he came.
Bookie [Ryoji]-Today at 8:18 AM
Alright. He will just... go home, then. Maybe keep an eye out for any weirdness on the way there (and ask the Twilight Network WTF that was about), but he's not sure he's got the energy to try for the underworld again today.
Nai [Head Mod]-Today at 8:19 AM
Once he's out of sight of the thing, the feeling of chill dissipates, and then everything is... Well, as normal as it ever is.