INBOXtext / audio / video / actionThis is Kozukata Yuri. I'm sorry I missed your call. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you.art creditcode credit
[Yuri stops short in surprise, eyeing the...mountain? Uh.]
What... Is it? [Or maybe she should really be asking:] Or who? [She remembers feeling Sodder's presence most strongly on the mountain, more than ever before, but...] Is that... Sodder?
That's the same thing I saw back durin' the carriage rides.
[ How rude, calling it a thing!! Although Majima was a little at a loss as to what to call the being. ]
But it's different now. And what the hell are those legs?
[ Those strange, unearthly legs digging into the being's head looked like they were grasping, trying to keep hold. It looked like there was a layer of rock binding the figure in place, too. ]
I think... I think Rei mentioned seeing something like this too. [She doesn't know all the details, but she's pretty sure she mentioned something like this? Yuri takes an uncertain step closer, squinting a little as she tries to make out more details that might be useful.]
[Yuri stares up at it a moment, then down at the ground to watch where they're walking. She doesn't feel the need to ask it out loud, but the next question seems obvious: Was this going to happen to them too one day?
She opens her mouth to ask-- Something, surely, or at least offer up something to break the silence with, but the weeping catches her attention first. Yuri looks up sharply, brow furrowed again as she frowns.]
[ Or something. Spoiler alert, though: Majima hated crying. Which was why he started cautiously toward the sound, which was further down the trail. There was the rustling of feet through the fallen leaves, moving slowly toward them.
"Please..." came a piteous voice from somewhere up ahead. ]
[Yuri's straightens up a little, knowing fully well that it could be a trap, but...] What if someone's stuck up here...?
[The... thing that eventually emerges and reveals itself, however, isn't what Yuri might call a 'someone.' It reminds her a little of the dolls at Shiragiku's shrine. And although she doesn't have to, because sure Majima is smart enough not to charge ahead or anything, she still reaches out to grab his arm to stop him]
Is that-- Is that a doll? [UNSURE. It sniffles and appears to be quite upset, which makes Yuri's heart ache for it a little, but she doesn't want to rush it without some ideaof what it is]
[ "Please, I beg of you!" it cried, clicking as it made its way towards them.
It was missing almost all of its limbs, save for a single leg; it smelled like cat pee. Worst of all, there seemed to be some kind of infestation in its torso. This was literally the sketchiest monster Majima had ever seen. He didn't move forward, but he didn't yet step back, either. ]
You what now? Who are ya?
[ Monsters typically didn't talk to Majima, or at least they hadn't so far. Was this actually a person somehow? Maybe transformed?
"Hold me," it said instead of answering, twisting its face up to look at them. Well. It could all just be a giant trap. ]
[ Wow, this seemed like a terrible idea but let's not pretend Majima was immune to terrible ideas. He turned back to Yuri. ]
Ya sure? I bet I heal faster than you.
[ "It's been so loooong...." said the creature, sounding... actually, that was a little suspicious. Hopefully it wasn't a clinger. With its... leg. Possibly teeth. ]
Things like this are what I used to do back home. In a way. [She'd take that pain if need be. She was... Well, maybe not used to it, but it was fine.]
Let me pretend to be able to protect you for once. [She glances over, a hint of a tired smile, before she approaches the doll. Thing.]
Here. I'll embrace you. [The doll lurches at her, near-collapsing into Yuri's arms. She stumbles a little from the unexpected weight and shivers in revulsion, but seconds later the doll suddenly becomes dust. Yuri makes a startled, confused noise and stares down at herself and the dust now coating her front.
...Did... She win?? She turns to face Majima, looking baffled, then yelps at the raven that comes to land on her shoulder. It looks around, head cocked, croaks a "hello!" and starts picking some leaves from Yuri's hair.
Slowly Yuri looks back at Majima with a bewildered expression that seems to ask 'is this supposed to happen??']
[ "Cheese!" said the bird, flapping its wings once or twice. Sure, he'd heard that ravens could talk, but he'd never heard a bird speak so clearly. Although... maybe not all that usefully. ]
Ya look about the same.
[ He fished a handkerchief out of his suit pocket and offered it to her. ]
[Yuri winces in surprise at the flapping and casts the bird a wary look, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything concerning beyond... Existing there.
She takes the handkerchief to wipe her face off just in case some dust got on her there before concentrating on brushing herself off.]
I don't... think so? I feel like I need a shower now though. [She frowns, then gives a helpless shrug.] I guess we'll see if anything happens later, but that went better than I thought it would.
Ah... Sorry if I worried you.
want to wrap this up and say they couldn't find a way to the mountain?
[ That sounded like... a compliment? It was a compliment. Still, it didn't solve their problem with the mountain, and that strange bird was apparently hanging around. ]
Well, we're out here. Why don't we take a look around for a little longer before we give up the ghost? Maybe we'll find another path up.
[Luckily, the town had returned to... okay, not some semblance of normalcy, but it was easier to get around with the streets no longer rivers of blood, and so Ouse had figured it would be best to approach this sooner than later.
Also, she'd said she'd work on her Fluid thing. So maybe it's a lot of a surprise for Yuri to get a message from a user by the name of Ouse.]
I would like your assistance with something
Are you free?
text | un: wolverine | post-oct event, before the doll stuff in nov
[It's enough of a surprise that Yuri doesn't answer right away, staring in mild disbelief and confusion at the message. Then she realizes, oh yeah, Ouse's probably waiting on a response and kicks herself back into gear.]
[She is... bad at this, but it's an easy way to contact people. And several people have tried to get her to use it, so she does. About as much as the luddite old woman she secretly actually is.]
Yes everything is fine. Meet me outside the mayors house
[And also she types as painfully bad as an old lady]
I tried to investigate the mountain with Majima-san, but we couldn't really get up there. But I somehow gained a pet from it? This crow won't leave me alone.
Ouse-san found something to investigate with her as well. It's nice to feel like I can help.
[She pauses and considers] It feels like death everywhere. It's exhausting. Lately, all I want to do is sleep.
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