Post Crossing Meeting

[knockingatthedoor]

WHO: Kel and anyone who wants to discuss The Crossing
WHAT: Second 'Town Meeting'
WHERE: Oasis
WHEN: A bit after the crossing, when everyone has time to calm down and breathe.
WARNINGS Talks of death, definitely, mention of blood and wounds, other CWs to be added.

[Kel has seen people scatter around and, despite still acting like a foolish fool around Mari and Sunny... he is doing his best to try to coordinate things as he can. Armed with a set bright of pink pencils, definitely merchandise of the Sweetheart brand from his place, he prepared a whole wall in one of the shelters to work as a rough chalkboard and, written on it, there are his few observations from staying behind.

- Nothing beside the wraiths did show up. What are we running from?
- Ferryman honest or not?
- When you don't pay the tool, you may still lose memories
- Our bodies can get hurt as if we're still alive.
- Discussion About Crossing from both sides?

It's not much but try to get stuff to appear properly on a blank wall when all you have is a bunch of pencils that don't even write that well. He's trying, though, he really is. A message is sent out to everyone after he's done gathering enough pillows for everyone to sit in, inviting people to come and share experiences, and... that's all. He did, at least, prepare water for everyone to drink.... it's somethin, right?

"Why, thank you for coming! Take a seat, mingle and let's get down to businesses!"

OOC: This is a mingle thread. Feel free to interact with each other and have discussions about things. The 'chalkboard' will be updated if anything is brought up to Kel's attention, I'll leave an open post for that.

Comments

Meeting!

[toilet_bound]

Hanako hadn’t been here for the first Crossing, so one might wonder why he’s here at all.

Well, one of the best ways to be prepared was listening to what the others had been through, right? And with no rumor mill here to provide him information, that meant he had to do this the old fashioned way.

(Actually, he could have just sent Yashiro to do it, but he was bored. There really wasn’t much to hold his attention here… and speaking of Yashiro! He’s currently hugging her like a clingy cat! Don’t worry about it.)

“Ne, Shounen, what exactly is this meeting business?” If Nagito’s in the room, maybe he’s getting confused by the nickname, but Hanako is actually asking Kel (for the moment). He didn’t know the other’s name, so nicknames would have to do. (Plus, to Hanako, both of the aforementioned have that ‘vibe.’ What vibe? Don’t worry about it.)

((OOC Note: While Hanako mentioned three or four people specifically, feel free to respond to this otherwise! It’s meant to be general, was just provided some prompts. Want to get on his case about how clingy he is? Please do XD)

[knockingatthedoor]

[Everyone is welcome! Even new faces who just arrived and who may or may not want to learn what the heck is going on with that goddarn place. Kel grins widely in Hanako's direction, snapping his fingers and offering a small wink. Shou... nen? He could only hope that was not an insult of some kind, but that didn't matter- he was going to be friendly and, considering Mari and Sunny were possibly going to show up, also chipper as usual.]

Business is figuring out what the heck is going on and keeping the group safe, of course! We're a group, we stick together and share knowledge! And, hey... are you new? Yours is a new face for sure.

Nice to meet you, I'm Kel. Have some water and... well, welcome to the team.

[toilet_bound]

[For as much as Kel seemed to not know how to read that nickname, Hanako seemed just as perplexed on that wink. What did that mean…? Quite an open fellow, huh?

At least it wasn’t an insult (that wink or nickname aside). Just someone who looked thirteen calling someone older than them ‘boy.’ Totally normal.

He takes a moment of silence, sorting through his thoughts before settling on a response.]

Hmmm? We know what happened though - we all died~ [This said extremely casually, though for Hanako, that really was the case. He wasn’t a stranger to death.] Though I do agree… seems like there’s more going on under the surface here.

[He does perk up a bit - sorry for the extra energy, Yashiro - when Kel introduces himself.] Ah, that’s right! I just arrived a bit ago. I’m Hanako, most often known as ‘Hanako-San of the Toilet.’

[Fishing for recognition maybe? He does accept the water, if only he doesn’t have to leave the spot where he’s comfortably sitting, and if only for Yashiro’s sake. He didn’t get thirsty, and while water wasn’t needed, she still seemed like she wanted it every so often.]

[knockingatthedoor]

[Just a friendly dude. The wink wasn't supposed to be anything more than Kel trying to be chill and making Hanako feel welcome in that weird place.

As for the 'nickname', Kel didn't speak a single word of Japanese. Well, maybe a couple, but just the ones he knew from common sources like 'ramen' and 'sake'. There was also a kind of green tea he heard about but he couldn't remember said word at the moment. Ma... chan?]

Well, yeah, we're dead but... something feels off, you know? [He in part envied the other, being so casual about it- Kel still had to wrap his head around the incident that took him there.] And since it feels like we're in some kind of danger, it's better to put our heads to work together, right?

[A blink follows, then. Another one, too. Hanakosan of... what?]

What.... an unique name.

[It didn't seem to bother him but... why 'of the toilet'? Did he die sittong on one or what?]

‘Did he die sitting on one’ has me ROFL XD

[toilet_bound]

That does seem the better idea! [He could at least agree with that - and the fact that something was ‘off.’ Why send an already dead person to the afterlife? Unless there was a mix-up, or someone really had exorcised him and he just couldn’t remember it!] When you say ‘putting our heads together’… you mean metaphorically? Psychologically? Not physically, right? I think that would hurt!

[He’s teasing, of course. Kel’s comment on his name certainly reveals that the boy didn’t know about the particular legend Hanako was tied to. Interesting. Then again, some people had and hadn’t heard of it. This was just the most openly honest unsureness he had encountered!]

[witnessvelama]

The shounen in question might be nearby, but the questioning also attracts the attention of a nearby stranger instead. Celehar has come to the meeting in his full black robes, thanks to the choice of location, though his braid remains pinned up off of his neck, offset by the long elfin ears.

"Your pardon," he says, turning to face a... another young man? Or perhaps not, but at this point he's so used to assuming that many of the others here will be younger than him. He certainly looks like a weathered adult - not yet old, but certainly weary.

"It is a means of sharing information, mostly. Have you spoken to the Ferryman?"

Apologies for the delay! Hanako can answer Meeting stuff now ^^;

[toilet_bound]

Hanako certainly looks young - he’s thirteen - but that doesn’t seem to stop his boisterous nature even in a room of mostly strangers. He turns to the newcomer with the same ease, a smile on his face, and if he’s off put by the pointed ears, he certainly doesn’t seem to show it.

“I have! They were both enlightening and quite roundabout in their answers at the same time.” It was something he was going to have to get used to, he supposed. “Though that’s to be expected of the dead~”

[witnessvelama]

"To be expected?" Celehar echoes, his expression pinching thoughtfully. "I do not know if they are - if Gods can be said to die, the way we mortals can." He considers the young man, then bows his head and offers a greeting. "Thara Celehar. I have not seen you amongst the group before, I think...?"

[toilet_bound]

“That’s right~! Apparitions need to have a certain air of mystery. We can’t reveal all of our secrets!” Even if it was, secretly, frustrating for Hanako too - he really was trying to understand this place and just taking a long while to do so. It was so different from Before. “Ah! You’re correct - I arrived recently!” And by that, he means he just showed up in the Desert. “My name’s Hanako. Most Japanese school children know me as ‘Hanako-san of the Toilet’ or the Seventh Wonder of Kamome Academy!” Not that those titles matter here.

[witnessvelama]

They certainly don't, and Celehar in fact looks rather confused and possibly concerned that this would be the name by which he would introduce himself. He watches Hanako, his pointed ears tipped back to rest flat against his skull as he measures that cheerful tone. Eventually he clears his throat and asks, "I am neither Japanese, nor a child - what is is that you would rather be called? By one of those titles?"

[toilet_bound]

Confusion. Huh. Hanako’s been getting a lot of that lately when introducing himself. Maybe not a lot of places were used to the concept of ghosts haunting schools.

That overly cheerful nature of his toned down a few notches, till Hanako’s smile was more bemused than bright.

“Just Hanako is fine.” He leaned against one of the chairs, arms cradling his head. “It’s not like I have much of what I did before arriving here - I’m not going to be stringent on what people call me.”

[witnessvelama]

It's strongly informal, compared to what Celehar is used to, but after a moment to adjust he simply nods. "Hanako, then." He doesn't offer his title, after this - he's discovered well enough here that most do not hold to the same kinds of formality as him, even in circumstances where they have their own forms of it.

"What you had before coming here... you mentioned an Academy."

[toilet_bound]

Seems it took the man a moment to adjust, but adjust he did!

“That’s right!” He perked right back up. “Though it’s not like it’s my academy; it’s simply where I ended up bound~”

Not that he didn’t have history with the place, but technicalities~

[witnessvelama]

Something about that phrasing sets Celehar to stiffening, watching Hanako with a troubled expression. He doesn't do anything so drastic as step back from the young man, but clearly something here has shifted. There's a wariness to the blue eyes as he phrases his next question.

"What do you mean by bound?"

It's not the first ghost he's encountered here - but the knowledge of it makes him all the more wary, now. Thinking of Need and her sword, the revethavar and its crypt. A ghost or ghoul bound to a children's school, and with the appearance of a child - the implications are already enough to drop down his collar like icy water.

[toilet_bound]

Oh. Something about Celehar’s shift sent Hanako’s smile into an almost mocking, dangerous territory.

Why was it that, when someone slowly began to realize they were interacting with something other, their reaction lit an almost hysterical happiness inside him?

Maybe it was the aftereffects of not being able to interact with anyone but those capable of having that awareness.

“It’s what it sounds like. ‘Bound’ - my rumor was integrated into the school’s legends, simultaneously making sure I remained there and couldn’t pass on. Not that I wanted to! That would have been inconvenient for me. Even when dead, I still had stuff to do, you know~?”

[witnessvelama]

That reaction doesn't help - if anything, Celehar becomes even stonier, as he remembers a voice echoing in his mind. One of you can hear me? How novel. I may not kill you right away after all.

He masters himself, focusing on the content of the words and the lack of aggressive action on Hanako's part, despite the edge to his expression that puts shards of ice into Celehar's veins. "And what was it that you still had to do? Before you moved on regardless."

Poor Celehar T.T

[toilet_bound]

Strange - it was like an icy wall was being built up inside the man in front of him.

Oh well. Hanako was used to having less-than-friendly introductions.

“Hmm…” He hummed, gaze moving from Celehar to those gathered. “The specifics are a secret~! However… God told me… if I accomplished it, then my sins would be forgiven.”

he'll get over his prejudice against ghosts now that he is one

[witnessvelama]

The answer doesn't help, but maybe not in the way that Hanako expected. Celehar continues to look troubled, and crosses his arms before him, looking down on this young man from his not-so-impressive height.

"Your sins?"

Skeptical, this time - talking to God (or a God) is not so troubling to him, as it seems the theory that a child would have sins worth accounting for so heavily is what troubles him.

[toilet_bound]

Hanako smiles simply, cryptic yet truthful, as he looks up at Celehar.

“That’s right.”

He doesn’t seem inclined to further divulge that information, instead opting for a change of subject… in a way.

“Though you don’t seem to be all that surprised by that so… you have some experience with the dead?”

It didn’t matter if this was goading. He wasn’t trying to intentionally be - Hanako just liked pressing buttons to get information. Until he pressed too far.

[witnessvelama]

Ghosts, in Celehar's experience, aren't malevolent creatures - so it's true that something in Hanako troubles him, the teasing tone earning a tightening at the corners of his mouth.

Nevertheless, he answers the question with solemn if gritty-voiced honesty. "I spoke with the dead, long before finding myself here. It has been my Calling. I have not known a ghost or wandering spirit so aware, however. The dead rarely keep their grip so easily on the world."

[toilet_bound]

A bit more tight-lipped, this one was. That was alright - Hanako could play the waiting game too. All it took was parsing the right information from what was said… and what was left in the gaps.

“Oh? In that case, your spiritual powers must have been quite strong to have such an awareness…” He takes another look at the man in front of him, like a child studying a new toy. “Or… the rules of the place you came from might be different. I’m learning that’s not all uncommon with the people here. You are correct in the sense that most apparitions don’t have enough to grip to the world.”

He’d give Celehar that much. Even the events surrounding Kamome Academy were fairly unusual.

[witnessvelama]

'Spiritual power' is a phrase that Celehar seems to mull over for a moment. "Speaking to the dead is a gift of Ulis, in Ethuveraz. I am a prelate of Ulis, and a Witness vel ama. It... was my Calling to speak for the dead when petitioned thus, seeking justice and ensuring reparation in settling their affairs."

Not their 'sins', and Hanako's use of that term in particular is clearly still on his mind, given the way he watches him. "You were once living, is that so? A human." The word, 'human', still sounds awkward coming from him, though it's settling with practice.

[toilet_bound]

Sort of like an exorcist, then… or at least the kind of exorcist Kou was wanting to be.

Hanako hummed, taking in that information. It would certainly explain some of Celehar’s wariness.

“That’s right~” He could give that much. “Before haunting the school, I attended as one of its students.”

Re: Meeting!

[daikonheroine]

H-Hanako-kun...

[Yashiro sat in a chair, her face beat red. What would everyone else think with Hanako-kun clinging to her like this? She would never get a boyfriend at this rate...]

C-could you please let go?

[She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing here in the first place... but at least she could meet people here right?]

Re: Meeting!

[toilet_bound]

[Hanako took about two seconds to process her request, then grinned happily.]

Nope!

[Request denied! He’s maybe hugging her tighter now…]