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

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.”

[witnessvelama]

"And now you are here." Celehar considered Hanako again, watching thoughtfully. "There are others who have been in a situation such as yours, where they lingered after death. You might find them helpful to speak to... I believe they found it disconcerting for this place not to be what they had expected their passing on to be like."

[toilet_bound]

“And now I’m here~!” He echoes cheerfully. Even if, inwardly, it was as much a mystery to him as it was to the others. Maybe he really had been exorcised and just didn’t remember it…

“By others… I’ve talked to our generous guide here and Need. Either way, I’m less concerned about ending up here than I am about the ‘why.’ I’d been at that academy for a while now.” So why now, of all times had Hanako ended up here? The boy could confidently say he hadn’t completed his goals or passed on peacefully, so it was a mystery.