006 ☾ voice

[playerkills]

[ Obon had already passed by the looks of the seasons, but that doesn't stop some people from celebrating it and doing something remotely related to the summer season. Normals always told their friends ghost stories around this time of the year, so some practice will do her good. It isn't often that this particular deep, spooky voice crops up on the network, but the time she chose was a particularly quiet one in the evening. Those who know her will be able to discern its owner - Yozora. This gloomy tone is the one she usually speaks with, but it sets the mood perfectly. ]

The end of summer, the start of fall. It is during these two seasons that the world pays its respects to the spirits of the afterlife. I wouldn't say that those of this ethereal plane are above us, figuratively speaking. Yet for many generations, haven't humans always been most afraid of what they don't know? Strange occurrences that cannot be explained, - it's almost laughable how these mysteries hold so much power over us.

[ She cackles, and she didn't even need to practice two hours to perfect it. There is nothing but silence that follows. ]

What if I told you they were true? Just because we cannot comprehend these happenings doesn't allow us to simply dismiss them. Although belief is waning, tradition remains strong. There must be a reason behind it all, don't you agree?

Well then, shall we revive that tradition tonight?

I heard this from a local in the Baldr district. It happened long before the disease spread, when the city still had its color...

The protagonist of this story is... let's call her K. She had a friend - we'll call her M. K and M were the best of friends ever since they met by the lake at Gefion Park. Since then, they would do everything together, and they easily got along because they liked the same things. However, there came a time when they also liked the same boy. Fron that point onward, it was clear that their friendship wasn't going to last forever. Now, K was an outgoing girl who had many friends. M, on the other hand, was very timid. K took advantage of this and bullied M without hesitation or remorse. Libel, slander, the looks of disgust on everyone's faces and jeering from the crowd as she walked by... it was enough to drive M to commit suicide. One summer night, she drowned herself in the lake. Her pallid, lifeless face on the surface of the lake would haunt the city for weeks.

K felt guilty for what she did, but as the seasons passed, she slowly forgot about M. But, ever since M's death, a string of unfortunate events began to occur. At first, they were nothing but lost items and gusts of wind, but soon, they progressed into looping labyrinths and cryptic messages that only K would understand.

Exactly a year had passed after M's death. It was a cold summer night just like that day she drowned. That day passed by with no strange occurrences, but when K got in bed just to find her own name on the ceiling written in blood, that did it for her. In the middle of the night, she ran to the lake to sob and beg for forgiveness. But the wind only grew stronger and stronger...

It forced the girl to get on her knees and break her fall with her hands. She happened to look at the lake, and there she saw the face of a friend she thought she'd never see again.

No one saw the girl after that, but they say that if you look into the lake at this hour, she might get you...

[ Another cackle and a strong gust of wind from the window closes Yozora's story. ]

Who wants to go next?

(ooc: People are welcome to post their own stories as well, be it in video, text or voice. Others are free to reply to the stories with their character's reactions and comments. In other words, treat this post like a mingle log!)

Comments

voice;

[deputychief]

Hmm... M and K, Mikazuki-san? Perhaps Kashiwazaki-san should go next, then.

I always think such stories work best in person, in any case. I think there's an appropriate location or two in the city for them, too.

voice;

[playerkills]

Anyone but her. If there ever gave out awards for the worst storyteller, I'd give them to Meat each and every year.

But ghost stories in person, huh? I don't know if I'll be able to handle a larger audience, but the Hel district seems like a good place to begin.

voice;

[deputychief]

Oh, I think you can handle it, Mikazuki-san. I believe you can handle anything you put your mind to.

Ah, but the point was that it sounded rather as if M and K might be inspired by thoughts of real names.

voice;

[playerkills]

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or Meat, is purely coincidental.

voice;

[deputychief]

Of course, of course. Well, then, we can allow that K to stand for Kafka, perhaps? The next story should perhaps be themed after that, then.

Hmm, shall I try my hand, Mikazuki-san?

voice;

[playerkills]

[ oh no a Kafkaesque story... whatever man, come at her ]

Kh... Go ahead, Itsuki.

voice;

[deputychief]

All right.

Well, there was a girl, again, who had a childhood friend. Curiously, they happened to be referred to as M and K as well. M was brash and standoffish, a very strong-willed person, and K was rich, talented, and arrogant; they were in middle school together, and though they often clashed with each other, they both deep down liked each other, especially since they each found it hard to get along with others, for perhaps obvious reasons.

One day, they awoke in the basement of K's large house, after a sleepover, only to find that in the night, the door out of the basement had disappeared. But this didn't seem strange to them, somehow. They decided they would have to live in the basement until the door returned, and so, M went into a pantry to get food...

A few moments later, she came back into the room where K was waiting, with a dead stare on her face, and a large, dark cockroach clinging to her hair...

[pause for effect.]

[corona]

[ Crud this is already ten times better than hers... ]

[playerkills]

[ rapunzel please you didn't even write yours... ]

[corona]

[ EXACTLY ]

voice;

[playerkills]

Objection. While most of this story is accurate - cockroach notwithstanding - K and M would never hold sleepover parties together.

[ why is that the detail she has problems with ]

voice;

[deputychief]

I'm afraid they did, in fact.

Ah, because all characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or Meat, is purely coincidental.

oh shit pretend i was here all along

[corona]

I have an objection, judge. I think M should be a mute for the duration of this story or we'll never hear it all.

it's ok this is perfect

[playerkills]

Objection! We never established M's identity...

[deputychief]

Objection--these are two different M's. Rapunzel's M clearly refers to an actual person, whereas mine is fictional.

[corona]

[ aklasfladka ]

You too!! Stop encouraging scarier stories! Some people might get scared!

[deputychief]

Do some people include yourself, Rapunzel...?

[corona]

What do you think.

[deputychief]

I think that the answer to that would almost indubitably lie at least in the vicinity of ...

"Yes."

[corona]

IF I CAN ENDURE LISTENING TO YOU, ITSUKI KOIZUMI, I CAN ENDURE GHOST STORIES! [ why are you shouting ] Easy.


... And - I am indubitably not afraid of them. Or ghosts. Or... Yozora.

[deputychief]

You're not at all?

Well, hmm. Perhaps you should listen in, then! I'm about to tell one to Mikazuki-san.

[corona]

....You are?





Um. What about?

[deputychief]

Ah, it's just a story somewhat in the tradition of Franz Kafka.

I'm sure you wouldn't be scared by something trifling that I made up on the spot, though.

[corona]

Uh huh.

Well - I wouldn't be scared by something you had planned in advance so I'm definitely in. This Franz Kafka can do his or her worst.

[deputychief]

Oh, I thought you'd say that. I knew you were quite fearless.

It's here. [ic link!]