✗ 008; text -> the long lost mentor

[hardlyboiled]

[ FILTERED TO PHILIP, AKIKO, AND TERUI ]

Hey guys, I'm scared how are you holding up? I'm okay just kind of out of it.

I ... keep seeing Boss. I'm not sure if I-- I'll be okay but just stay safe, guys.

[And, if they wanted to find him, he'll be on the roof of the Agency, sitting on a bench and staring up at the 'sky'. Boss will be sitting next

Comments

[furikiruze]

Hidari. ...you too?

[hardlyboiled]

Yeah. I take it you're seeing your family?

[furikiruze]

Yes.

And... Isaka Shinkuro.

[hardlyboiled]

Oh.

Shit.

If you want, Philip and I are up on the roof.

[Action]

[furikiruze]

[It's only a minute or two before he comes up onto the roof, his face pale and his hands trembling slightly, looking sick and a little hesitant.]

Hidari. Philip. [His voice hoarse.]

Shoutarou -> Philip -> Terui

[hardlyboiled]

[ After Philip's words, Shoutarou looks a bit startled but then Terui shows up and Shoutarou gives a weak smile before gesturing for him to sit down.]

Yo. [Shoutarou looks over at Philip, just a glance to tell him that hey, Terui isn't feeling too hot either.]

This... this curse reminds me of that English story. Uh... A Christmas Carol, I think it's called.

Shoutarou -> Philip -> Terui

[keyword_bingo]

[Tips his head back a little, curiously.]

I have not read that one yet.

Shoutarou -> Philip -> Terui

[furikiruze]

Hnn.

[Sounding exhausted, sitting gingerly down on the edge of the roof and burying his face in his hands, not even caring how vulnerable it makes him look.]

I don't suppose it says what to do about them.

[His voice pinched as he looks up, his sister and mother smiling at him, his father, grave but proud, and Isaka, pale and fuming with silent rage, before he rubs his face again, shuddering helplessly.]

[hardlyboiled]

[He stares up at the sky as he tries to recollect what the story was about.]

It was... about this guy. Scrooge was his name. He was a very greedy guy and hated Christmas. Refused to give out money for charities or give his employee a Christmas raise. Remember, Christmas is important to the English so...

Anyway, on Christmas Eve, he was visited by three ghosts. The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. They would take him to the past, present, and future and show him how Christmas would be if he didn't change the way he acted.

In the end, he learned the "true meaning of Christmas" and became a good guy. Boss actually had a Japanese copy lying around before and that's why I read it.

Anyway, I guess that's what the city is doing to us. Showing us the ghosts of our pasts to teach us a lesson, perhaps? I'm not sure.

[keyword_bingo]

[a soft, thoughtful noise. It is easier to ignore his mother just standing there, staring at him if he is thinking]

Then do you expect that the ghosts of Christmas present and Christmas yet to come will visit us? None of us is particularly greedy though.

[furikiruze]

Either way, I doubt they'll last out the week. It's probably another curse.

[Sounding almost wistful, ignoring Isaka's ghost as best he can and just watching his family, trying not to stare at them but unable to keep his eyes away, shivering violently as his mother says his name.]

[hardlyboiled]

I don't think Christmas present and Christmas yet to come will visit. They don't want to tell us what's going on right now or what's going to happen to us so why would they show us the ghosts of that?

... Terui's right though. The most we can do is wait out the week.

[keyword_bingo]

There is no guarantee that any of these ghosts would be speaking the truth. They could just be using it as a means to intimidate and control us.

[He shifts a little, leaning into Shoutarou's arm. It is not quite intimidating, but it is certainly sobering to remember what he has lost: Mother, father, Narumi Soukichi--

Wait.]

Shoutarou, I can see him.

[hardlyboiled]

[Eh? He looks at Philip before looking over to where he's staring. Where Boss is, calmly staring at them over at the edge of the roof.]

Boss? You can see Boss?

[... Wait. That meant--]

You can see my ghosts?

[keyword_bingo]

I can.

[Just staring at Boss. Leaning away from Shoutarou again to get a better look, though the ghost of boss vanishes the moment contact breaks.]

Now he is gone again.

[hardlyboiled]

But-- Wait, he's still there. Look, see--

[And then he gestures to where Boss is. Boss waves in response.]

He's... he's waving.