thecrossing | [Network] An Inquiry into Bargaining

[Network] An Inquiry into Bargaining

[Hanako didn’t really want to post this, but after confirmation that he couldn’t promise a memory to the Ferryman in exchange for Yashiro coming back, he at least figures he should get a wider perspective.]

Has anyone actually had any success bargaining with the Ferryman?

[Yes, that specific term, as opposed to ‘getting something from them,’ though it’s almost the same thing.

(Hanako has skipped denial and is now in the Bargaining stage of grief.)]

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I asked them for a t-shirt and they said no. I've not really been talking with them in a while, though.

A T-shirt…? That seems like such an easy request to fulfill.

It wasn’t anything special, right?

My shirt has been falling apart since I arrived. Well, since the first crossing, really, but I ripped a bit off as soon as I arrived for reasons.

[Sunny needed an eyepatch, okay?]

So yeah. Very small request. I make do with what I find, though. I look awesome in pink frills.

[Hanako hummed in thought, maybe for so long that it might have come through the other end of the device if they actually had communication other than written means.]

Oh! Maybe the Ferryman has a type~!

[That would explain the propensity to not replace a shirt, right?! And Kel does have muscles!]

It’s a shame stuff doesn’t stick with us though if we find it. I’m already lamenting the loss of this knife. [They’re so difficult to find! It shouldn’t be, really.]

[WOW, man, way to make Kel's skin crawl]

A TYPE? SHESH, MAN! Sorry, but I have my preferences and it's blonde hair and blue eyes, not exactly them. Sorry but as they say 'thanks but no thanks'. I just think they don't like me not trusting them one bit.

[He'll someday realize he also described Basil like that around and that others may be reading but for now he's just talking about Jay.]

Yeeeeah. I have to leave behind all the cool comics. It's a pain, really.

[It’s a thought!]

No, no, but think about it! Not you liking them, that’s irrelevant. Maybe they just like… you? What you stand for? Something like that!

[And then the rest of that message came through.]

Oooor it could be that~ Us apparitions are great at knowing what other people feel, including the negative! It might have been something you said, or didn’t say, or even something they saw you do!

[He does make a fun face, like he just bit a lemon, fortunately enough no one seems to be around to see it.]

I somehow doubt that. There's plenty of more likeable people here and I'm just a random teen. I'd also rather not carry around the notion of 'the Ferryman likes me' HUH- like all those 'judging you in death' notions that were being fed us as kids, huh? Well, at least where I lived. 'The bad things you do in life will haunt you in the afterlife'? I guess I was quite the nasty teen if I don't even deserve a shirt. I won't listen to anyone complain when mine will finally fall apart and I'll be forced to run around half naked, bring your 'BUT' to the ferryman then!

True~ Well, something to keep an eye on, I suppose!

Hmmm… stories like that always have some sort of ‘moral’ or ‘truth’ to them, don’t they? Or not~! Even us School Wonders sometimes make things up to perpetuate our existence sticking around, so maybe the people who were telling those stories were attempting that.

If everything falls apart eventually… In that case, you will have to bring your ‘BUTT’ to them too! Unless you can find a pair of shorts to hide it~

[Hanako’s uniform was just fine so far! But he hadn’t been here since November so… who knows?]

Well, I'm pretty sure that's not the case but I guess I'll be ready to softly reject the Ferryman, then. I suppose so. I guess some just exist to tell you 'it is bad not to be like we want you to be' so there's that too. We had a wonderful preacher at church, buuuuuuuut he kind of told so many things that could be summed up at pointing at me and being 'you are going to hell'. That sounds like an 'everyone else''s problem. I'm a sports guy, I'm used to run around naked, man. Well, at least when in the changing rooms and all.

Best to be prepared! I’ve heard the nice thing to do is let them down gently, but I haven’t actually seen that happen myself.

[Middle school crushes and rejections could be so difficult. Hanako himself hadn’t even realized how cruel his original setup to lure an errant apparition based on ‘love’ could be.]

Aaaaah. Yep, there are always going to be people like that. Those that don’t agree with your actions. Those that condemn you regardless of the ‘why.’ [There is a pause in his next reply arriving, like he had taken some time to think on his own.]

In that case, you have more gumption than most of the students I’ve seen! It should be no problem then~

I think you're dead wrong in that sense. Not the 'letting down gently' bit but anyone having interest in me. Last time I tried to ask someone out the reply way 'We should invite my boyfriend too!' and it ended up as a group activity. I'm sure there's a much, much better exlanation- like the Ferryman knowing I'm not trusting them and making me pay for that.
[Is he serious Is he not? Kel would probably lose a lot of his cool should he spot Jay instead of Basil in the mist, though.]

I GUESS. But hey me having 'bad thoughts' isn't like 'oh, Kel acted on them', right? It's not like I followed my gluttony and actually bought the full shelf of discount whipped cream bottles and emptied them in my mouth in a single sitting. You truly are a weird guy...

Hmmmm. Well, if you say so~

[Hanako’s giving up on the Ferryman bit, but he’s not convinced that Kel hasn’t had a crush and/or been crushed on before. He’s at that age, right? ~~says the thirteen year old who didn’t have a crush till Yashiro~~]

Right~ Just because you have the plan in the back of your mind, if no one catches you, then it’s not a problem! [Hanako, that’s not even the same thing.]

BARGAINING LIKE ASKING TO GO HOME OR SOME OTHER DIFFICULT ASK?
OR LIKE ASKING FOR A NEW OUTFIT.
BECAUSE I DID THE SECOND ONE.

[He's been watching the conversation between Orangejoe and No.7 with morbid fascination, because... uh...]

I didn’t think of it as a difficult ask at the time, as it’s essentially their job but… maybe it was too much of a stretch.

Or… I have to keep reminding myself that the rules of this place are different. If I had my powers, I could have just granted wishes myself.

[Though more importantly…]

Oh? Were you able to obtain something? Why haven’t I seen it yet?! [New fashion even amongst the dead! It was such a fun idea~]

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[Network] An Inquiry into Bargaining

un: Orangejoe

un: No. 7

no subject

God, I’m so sorry for Hanako XD

OH GOSH HANAKO!

HE DOESN’T KNOW XD

At least he hasn't told Sunny yet what his type is- but HANAKO, COME ON. THE FERRYMAN?

(CW: butt joke) He needs to find entertainment somewhere XD

Are we sure he's the 'adult' he says he is?

LOL Nope XD Fifty years dead did nothing for his maturity~

Grandpa stop being a troll.

Never XD

un: CoolSkeleton95

UN: No. 7