[There's a knock at the window of Matoba's cottage, a familiar paper doll hovering outside and waiting for permission to enter. The note written on it:]
Did a skeleton wearing a party hat show up last week?
[From Natori? How unusual. Well, he supposes the other man has little choice but to come crawling to him eventually, in these circumstances.... Matoba opens the window, holding a hand out for it to land on before reading.]
[....Ah.]
[Taking out an ink pen, he carefully jots out his quick reply, and sends it back on its way.]
[...So it was a pattern. For a moment, Natori feels a flood of irritation that Matoba didn't say anything before; then he remembers that there'd be no reason for him to do so.]
Not mine. Someone else mentioned she came across it on her birthday and wanted to know if anyone else experienced it.
[The doll actually leaves his hand before he calls it back and scribbles on an additional]
[So it was. Matoba had truly wondered if it was just coincidence- if it was something that had appeared to him because he had only just arrived, or because of who he was....]
[But in the end, the pattern was not the one he had thought the most likely. Interesting.]
[He almost misses the message tacked onto the end of the note, but it makes him smile thinly. He turns the note again.]
[Matoba takes his time in contemplating replying to this. Honestly, he's giving Natori a lot of freebies here, and the other man knew better than to try his kindness like this.]
[That said.... Natori probably knew more than he was letting on, as well, given he had already been here a month. It would be useful to hold this over him, but if the pattern was as he guessed, then it would only be useful to withhold it for a limited time....]
What will you ask for, Natori-san?
[He knows the answer to Natori's question, but he's not going to let it go easily.]
There is a malevolence that permeates the fog in this place. It grows much stronger at night, but it seems impossible to pinpoint.
What is the relation between this presence and our captors?
[It's obvious to him that the sensation, while ever-present, wasn't as singularly powerful as the one Natori had described as belonging to the 'Admin'. Or if it was, then the source must be very well hidden- no matter where he goes, it felt the same, like a background hum.]
[Given what Natori has told him about this 'Admin', the skeleton shiki's words seemed... correct. But he won't give that up for free. He needs, at least, a lead.]
I don't think they're controlling it; they want us to eradicate it. I doubt it's our main purpose for being here, or else they wouldn't have brought so many other people in, but they're straightforward about how to identify its hosts and prevent it from spreading further (don't draw its attention, feeds on negative emotions, attracted to flares of powerful abilities. About what you'd expect).
[Natori doesn't squish his handwriting down, he just uses the front and back. A few seconds later, a second doll shows up.]
You could just call instead of making me decipher your handwriting.
Someone described it as "an oil spill in the middle of a mantle of mana underneath the island". If you had your phone you could see all the information we're pooling on the network about it.
[He wants to know very much what this network is that Natori is building out of his sight but also doesn't want to admit he doesn't know how!!! So fuck you Natori.]
A fascinating description. Something physically within this world?
Perhaps something is sealed within the earth. Cave systems were once a popular sealing site for ogres, after all.
[You know, like that one he allowed to revive that one time c:]
If it's a cave like what you're picturing, we haven't found its mouth. There's likely more to the island than what's physically accessible to us right now-- the landscape is malleable and (supposedly) responds to the emotions of those of us who inhabit it. The "desire system" again.
So could it be that you just wanted a visitor on your birthday?
I'm not particularly fond of excessive celebration for my birthday, actually.
[But he's sure that Natori can imagine that his hangers-on do it anyway. Gee, life is just so hard when you have so many colleagues and family trying to celebrate you, huh, Natori??]
In any case, if it's a matter of forcing a secret path to open, then investigation is in order. I shall see to making some rounds.
Edited (oh right there was more to this than petty bitches) 2020-11-13 22:48 (UTC)
[On January 1, begrudgingly, a postcard gets as close to Matoba's door as it can with the wards he has up. Maybe it flies to shiki-chan. It's homemade on high-quality paper with a minimalist:]
Happy New Year
[on the front in very recognizable calligraphy. On the back:]
Thank you for your association in the past year. We look forward to our continued cooperation in the coming year. Wishing your house good health.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
paper doll note
Did a skeleton wearing a party hat show up last week?
no subject
[....Ah.]
[Taking out an ink pen, he carefully jots out his quick reply, and sends it back on its way.]
A bit early for you, is it not?
no subject
Not mine. Someone else mentioned she came across it on her birthday and wanted to know if anyone else experienced it.
[The doll actually leaves his hand before he calls it back and scribbles on an additional]
Belatedly, congratulations.
no subject
[But in the end, the pattern was not the one he had thought the most likely. Interesting.]
[He almost misses the message tacked onto the end of the note, but it makes him smile thinly. He turns the note again.]
The Natori house's well-wishes are appreciated.
no subject
It mentioned a contract?
no subject
[That said.... Natori probably knew more than he was letting on, as well, given he had already been here a month. It would be useful to hold this over him, but if the pattern was as he guessed, then it would only be useful to withhold it for a limited time....]
What will you ask for, Natori-san?
[He knows the answer to Natori's question, but he's not going to let it go easily.]
no subject
no subject
There is a malevolence that permeates the fog in this place. It grows much stronger at night, but it seems impossible to pinpoint.
What is the relation between this presence and our captors?
[It's obvious to him that the sensation, while ever-present, wasn't as singularly powerful as the one Natori had described as belonging to the 'Admin'. Or if it was, then the source must be very well hidden- no matter where he goes, it felt the same, like a background hum.]
[Given what Natori has told him about this 'Admin', the skeleton shiki's words seemed... correct. But he won't give that up for free. He needs, at least, a lead.]
no subject
[Natori doesn't squish his handwriting down, he just uses the front and back. A few seconds later, a second doll shows up.]
You could just call instead of making me decipher your handwriting.
no subject
[Bitch]
Have you found the ayakashi at the root of this?
If the two of us are not sufficient to seal or exorcist it, we'll need to gather a proper amount of energy.
[Just as easy as that. Matoba is as pragmatic as ever.]
[And on the back of the second doll:]
Send your phone number, then.
[He ain't giving you his!! ...He's assuming Natori means the landline inside the cottages, of course.]
no subject
He thinks, and then has to listen to the phone ring out.
Eventually, another doll arrives:]
It helps to pick up when I call.
no subject
[He writes back, patiently, like Natori is slow. Did you send it to the wrong person?]
no subject
no subject
I don't intend to entertain these silly games of yours.
You haven't answered my question regarding the ayakashi responsible.
[Screw it he's just continuing the conversation!]
no subject
The fancy PDA is a mobile phone. Where'd you put it?
(No, we don't know where the ayakashi is. I think it's in an overlapping realm instead of residing in the same one we're staying in.)
no subject
I found it very disruptive. I have no use for such a device, so I sent it away somewhere.
["sent away"]
That's going to be a problem. Perhaps we should focus on discovering the boundaries of this realm first.
no subject
Someone described it as "an oil spill in the middle of a mantle of mana underneath the island". If you had your phone you could see all the information we're pooling on the network about it.
no subject
A fascinating description. Something physically within this world?
Perhaps something is sealed within the earth. Cave systems were once a popular sealing site for ogres, after all.
[You know, like that one he allowed to revive that one time c:]
no subject
If it's a cave like what you're picturing, we haven't found its mouth. There's likely more to the island than what's physically accessible to us right now-- the landscape is malleable and (supposedly) responds to the emotions of those of us who inhabit it. The "desire system" again.
So could it be that you just wanted a visitor on your birthday?
no subject
[But he's sure that Natori can imagine that his hangers-on do it anyway. Gee, life is just so hard when you have so many colleagues and family trying to celebrate you, huh, Natori??]
In any case, if it's a matter of forcing a secret path to open, then investigation is in order. I shall see to making some rounds.
no subject
[There was, in fact, more to this than petty bitches]
no subject
Live.
no subject
What.
[But shortly after, before Matoba would have time to get a response back, another doll appears:]
A distortion of the tradition of giving gifts to celebrate a birthday? You've kept living, so here is the present?
[Or is this another part of their fixation of the 'health of the residents'?]
no subject
「you will fulfill the contract by living」
Is that sufficient for you?
By the by, I found it rather easy to paralyze.
no subject
Noted.
postcard
Happy New Year
[on the front in very recognizable calligraphy. On the back:]
Thank you for your association in the past year. We look forward to our continued cooperation in the coming year. Wishing your house good health.
Natori