onerous | IC Inbox

[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]

[She's.... She's trying. She's doing her best, even if Yuri's sure Ouse is pecking at the keys with one finger like a grandma.]

I'll be there in a few minutes.

[And true to her word she'll arrive in fairly short order, expression concerned and uncertain. Sure Ouse said everything was fine but was it really.]

[She is absolutely pecking at the keys with one finger like a grandma. What is thumb texting and why would you do that.

Either way, she arrives second to the party. She seems fine, though her hair is in a braid rather than bound up on top of her head. It looks a bit shorter than before, but is still obscenely long in general.

More importantly, she is carrying a book, and gently thumbing along the edge of the spine as she approaches.

She wasn't in a bad mood, but she brightens a bit at seeing Yuri.]

Thank you for coming.

[Yuri brightens a bit too, relieved to see that Ouse indeed looks just fine.] You look nice.

[She likes the braid! It suits her, she thinks. Her gaze falls curiously to the book.] What did you need me for? [Were they going to...read the book together or... ??]

[And up comes the book. It's well worn and loved, but still in good shape. Ouse holds it out in offer to Yuri.] When we were in the Mayor's home, we found more than just a painting of a deer; there were many items, dolls, and these books, all in a little girl's room. The presence in the room was... worrying - there was blood on the dresser and a feeling of violence in the air. However, when I touched this book, and the more I looked into it, the more I realized... I think whoever this belongs to is still alive, but...

[Her smile turns a little... rueful.] I'm quite out of practice with Shadow Reading. And so... I would like your help finding her, Yuri. Or at least finding more about what may have happened to her.

Edited 2018-11-05 15:25 (UTC)

[She listens, brow furrowed slightly. Whatever might've happened to that poor girl is worrying at best. Violence and blood... But if Ouse thinks she might still be alive, it's probably a good sign, right?

Though this begs the question of just who that girl is in the first place.

Despite this, she still feels a bit startled to be asked for help. Ouse always seemed so powerful, to the point that she certainly wouldn't need any help. She's surprised, but mostly thrilled]

Of course I'll help. How can I say no to you when you ask like that? [Yuri smiles a bit then reaches out to take the book] I'll do my best. Hopefully we can find something...

[And just because she has to because #Ouse pls] Be careful saying things like that, or I might ask other things of you in the future.

[That tone? That tone is more than just a touch flirtatious, and that is including the otherwise serious nature of the request.]

Good. And this should help you practice, as well. I know you wanted some help with that, as well. We found it here, in the Mayor's house, so I figured this would be a good place to start looking to see where she may have gone, even if we can't go back within. [And thanks to the mods, there's even a helpful trail]

Edited 2018-11-06 15:22 (UTC)

[Yuri smiles a bit in response to that--would it really be so bad if she asked more from Yuri?--before turning her attention down to the book. It only takes a moment to get the trace activated, the hazy outline of a person wandering off in the direction of the hospital first.

She stands, prepared to follow it.]

Mysteries on top of mysteries. If this was found at the mayor's house, is it the Mayor's daughter...?

[Oh but is Yuri actually prepared for the kinds of things Ouse would ask of her, come now.

Either way, she watches the ghostly figure as it flickers and walks off. Time to get moving, then.] I believe so. If you look inside the cover, there's a name - Julia. The strangest part is, there weren't really any people in the mayor's house at all, but there were presences of them. There was... what felt like a man in the main room, and a woman in the kitchen. As I understand it... you couldn't see them. Or shouldn't have.

[gosh it's almost like ouse might ask for weird things or something when you say it like that. perish the thought!

Yuri's quiet for a moment, thinking.] This place is supposed to be a sort of dream world, but I wonder if it's based on a real location or something that actually happened. Or some collection of memories... [like the manor of sleep, even though yuri doesn't know what that is.]

Edited (okay html eat half my comment SEE IF I CARE) 2018-11-08 05:42 (UTC)

[Have you seen how she's flirting with Rei yet. Just as a thought.]

It would make sense. I mean, most dreams come from things that already exist, even if the mind may change the details a bit. [She looks about.]

If we discover who - the real who, the real form of that Sodder person, perhaps we can all wake up and go home. No dream lasts forever. [Even her nightmares vary every night.

She almost sounds a bit melancholy, as she thinks about it.]

... Pleasant or not.

[No dream lasts forever, huh. Yuri goes quiet for a moment.]

There's a lot here I don't like, but... There's a lot of good things too that the thought of 'waking up' at last seems kind of... Sad? I want it, but at the same time... [She trails off. At the same time, she has to think about people like Ouse and just what they're going back to.]

[At the same time, hm? Ouse gives a brief, sidelong glance at Yuri, not catching her eyes, just enough to take stock of her body language... and then gently clasps her hands in front of her in her usual pose.]

It's a somewhat complicated idea, isn't it? I understand, though. [She stares at her feet.] In truth... a part of me dreads the idea of waking up. Certainly, there are dangers and horrors here the likes of which don't exist at home, but I feel disconnected from some of the effects of the Black Water.

The nightmares remain, though... [She seems to think about something, and lifts her head to look a bit back toward her companion.] Have the nightmares started for you yet?

Edited 2018-11-10 11:54 (UTC)

[A moment's pause in which Yuri doesn't answer, just taking in Ouse's answer and her own feelings. That feeling of dread at the idea of waking up, conflicting with the desire to want to go back and finish what they've started.

And because she doesn't want to worry Ouse with the answer. She looks down at the book, running her thumb over the cover.]

...Not every night, but... They're there. Both from the things I 'glanced' at home, and the things I've seen here. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between the two.

I'm learning how to get by on little sleep some days though.

[... She's not surprised. It makes her quiet for a moment, but Ouse isn't surprised by the answer. A tiny amount of guilt creeps in - it's always hard to see the new miko adjusting to these things - and she knows what has to happen.] I'm sorry Yuri. [A deep breath.] ... If you continue wanting to get stronger, they're just... going to get worse.

[She gives a bit of a humorless laugh.] Eventually, you get used to them, and can even sleep at least a handful of hours most nights. But they get more vivid, and more frequent. It may be kinder just to- [She stops just short of asking if Yuri is still sure she wants to continue on with this path. She can't find the courage to say it, though, and mentally kicks herself for it.

Her heart is hesitating again. It's... unfortunate when it does that.

And now... they're almost to the hospital, stop one on the path. This seemed about right to what Ouse had tried to trace, but she's not sure where the path goes afterward.] -- I'm sorry. The hospital, then? No, the trace doesn't end here, does it?

...I know. [Maybe she hadn't fully known, exactly (and truthfully she still doesn't feel like she truly knows everything about what she's getting into), but she'd had an idea. It's different hearing it said out loud like that though.

She knows, too, that it'd be easier to stop; Yuri doesn't need to read minds to know that's where Ouse was going with that sort of commentary.

She shakes her head, both to clear it a little and in answer to her question] No, not just there. It keeps going. Hmm... Maybe she was born here...? [In the... dream hospital? Uh. Thing?? She's not sure how long this place has been around and if one could be born and grow up in this dream world thing but uh. Apparently so?]

I don't know. The path keeps going, past the hospital. I'm not sure I want to stop in the hospital anyhow... [Given the warnings about the nurses and stuff in there... Spoopy Mountain was bad enough, she doesn't need silent hill hospitals in her life too]

[... She hates it when she hesitates. She really should just pin Yuri in a conversation she can't avoid telling her about it, but Ouse isn't... really feeling up to that at the moment.

She's feeling weird enough about the whole thing as it is.]

Perhaps, but wouldn't the trail be too old if it was that far ago? Even if she is a young child, that's years at this point... [Just a thought.]

Still, let's... just mark this as a stop and continue on. If it doesn't end here, then I would like to see this all the way through. [She likes to see a lot of things all the way through, she's pretty dedicated to that sort of duty.]

... Besides, you wanted the practice, didn't you?

Ah, that's true... [She hadn't thought of that and she looks embarrassed about her mistake. So most likely the kid went by here at some point in the not-so-distant past.

Since the trail continues on past the hospital, Yuri starts walking again to lead them on]

I did. [Want the practice, she means, nodding.] I just hope this will lead somewhere with answers. [A pause.] Maybe I should've brought the camera too. I know it can help pull objects from the other world and reveal secrets and the like, but I wonder about people too.

[She realizes she doesn't quite know as much about the camera as she'd like either. Gosh if only the inventor of it were around somewhere to ask questions to.]

It's alright... [Ouse's not judging; in fact, there's a little bit of affection there. There, see, gentle comfort for the situation. It just means maybe the girl had reason to be around here recently, and then continued on as just a stop on the road. They still have a trail to pick up, so she'll just... continue as if nothing else happened.

She tilts her head, then...] Yes, the camera could be a useful tool for it, but I suppose we'll have to make do for now. If we come across something we can always note it and come back later.

It's not as though it will move.

[Yuri pauses and then huffs out a little laugh.]

I keep thinking like we only get one shot at this. I have to remember we can always come back later. [She shakes her head lightly.] I always want to get everything right the first time, so I'm not disappointing anyone or wasting their time...

I understand. [And she does. It's a problem she has, too, a lot of the time. But then, she also played a few higher stakes games... or rather. She already played them, Yuri was setting herself up to play them. She wouldn't really get a second chance with the biggest gambit she played... and then she messed it up anyway.

No, that doesn't matter at the moment.]

But I don't know if we're working on quite as short of a timer as you're used to, either. [There's a bit of amusement there... a tiny touch of guilt.] ... Just... consider it gathering information for now. We can figure out how we're going to help later, yes? It's easier to think about it that way.

[Far be Ouse to be the one to give the peptalk when she's probably in a worse place mentally than Yuri half the time, but the difference is she really likes Yuri, and she wants her to...

... She can't think of that either.] ... We won't fail her.

True. If she's gone this long already, a little bit longer to make sure everything will work out won't make much of a difference. [There doesn't seem to be any real rush or deadline.

Ouse's quiet declaration is met with a thoughtful look from Yuri. She wonders if she's disappointed Ouse, or if maybe Ouse feels like she's been failed--if not by Yuri, than by everything else that's happened in her life.

Not feeling quite bold enough to outright take her hand, she reaches out to catch the other's sleeve, a small tug to get her attention. SHe knows Ouse can't--or won't--look her in the eye, but there's a small, reassuring smile anyhow]

We won't. I promise. [Not that she can really promise something like that but. Still. It's the thought that counts.]

[See, now it feels a little better, not having the camera. Who knows if there's even anything they can do - maybe it'll take another Dreamer. Maybe it'll be something else. Ouse takes a deep breath... and pauses when she feels the little tug on her sleeve.

She sort of hates there has to be such a distance between them. But... it might just be better this way, after her little talk with Rei. What she can't help, is still feel like she wants to be closer. Some days, that night in September is about all she thinks about when she's near Yuri.]

I know. You're very good at finishing what you set your mind to. [Perhaps too good, but she means it as a compliment. Ouse... well... she's the one who failed, really. That's what usually sticks in her mind.] I feel confident we'll be able to do something.

[She smiles back - no, she's not looking into Yuri's eyes, even though she'd been granted permission the one time. It'll be a while before she does it without Yuri saying anything to her. Because she still feels like she wants the consent for it.

What that should probably also apply to is physical contact, but Ouse does nudge her arm... right into Yuri's hand. It comes with an emotional shock like touching something metal after being in a staticky environment, but she doesn't mind. Even briefly, she sort of wants it.

Even if she knows she shouldn't.] If nothing else, maybe we'll at least get answers, and those could be just as helpful.

Oh, I... [Yuri trails off, looking a little bashful at the compliment.] I think some people would just call that being stubborn.

[Leave it to Ouse to make something good out of it though.

Ouse's nudge makes Yuri start a bit in surprise, but after a moment of hesitation she drops hand hand to take Ouse's, giving it a light squeeze. She knows the contact might be painful on some level for her so it's a brief one before Yuri's letting her hand go.]

I think this one's headed towards the elementary school next.

Well, if it's stubbornness, it's at least... effective. It gets things done. [Ouse can be just as stubborn. About a lot of the same and also a lot of different things.

She's... not expecting the little nudge to turn into anything else. She's not even expecting Yuri to pick up that she did it on purpose, let alone do anything in turn, so when she feels fingers slide along her palm she forgets how to breathe for just a moment. The leap of her heart into her throat isn't from whatever she sees over the Mitori - there's really nothing Yuri can show her anymore that Ouse doesn't already know - it's not even startled, which means there's only one explanation for it, and honestly, one Ouse just wants to kick herself for.

She can't act so lovesick around Yuri. She really, really can't. Gods, maybe it was a bad idea to do this, but...

... But it's easy enough to just bury the feelings. They have a duty to perform, she can do what she always fails to do and try to focus more on that. And at the road ahead of them, and not at Yuri, because she can't afford to show off that moment of weakness. (It was super obvious and she misses the hand when it moves away. It just feels so cold in her palm afterward...)]

Elementary school.... mmm... that makes sense. H-her room was furnished in a way I would expect a younger child's, with the dolls and all. The bed was also quite small and there was even a crib, as though the family were expecting another child.

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