//93

[snowburned]

Justice is back. He's staying with Toushi and me for now.

Trust, would you mind if I stopped by to collect his journal?

Comments

[weaver_girl]

I'm glad to hear that, Kazahana.

[snowburned]

It's about time we had a bit of good news, isn't it?

[weaver_girl]

Thank you for telling us. It's a weight off Rosalind's chest, that's for sure--and mine, too, but I know she's close with him.

[snowburned]

Is she? That's good, then. I'm sure he'll be around once he's reoriented himself.

[weaver_girl]

She'll be happy to hear that. I think she was quite upset, to be honest, so thankfully at least one of us is back instead of... the other way around.

[snowburned]

There's been too much of that lately. Far too much.

[smudged out after thirty seconds, since she's a bit unsure of this]

[weaver_girl]

Yes. Say, I was wondering... I don't think it would be proper for me to point out that Smoke is gone, since he had closer friends than me, but should someone? Did you know him at all?

Ditto

[snowburned]

Smoke's gone? Since when?

Ditto

[weaver_girl]

You didn't know? I'm sorry!

Since at least the 27th. I just came to work and he wasn't there--I don't think anyone has his journal, either, unless Mr. Grift does. He could just be lost, of course, so he might still be coming back.

I don't know.

Ditto

[snowburned]

Do you know what his journal looks like?

Ditto

[weaver_girl]

[Insert description of Smoke's journal here.]

Um, why? I thought they vanished with their owners.

Ditto

[snowburned]

Not entirely. Give me a little while to check.

[And this one is quite thoroughly erased afterward.]

Ditto

[weaver_girl]

[A looong pause as Kagerou wonders, then thinks better of asking.]

Thank you. That's kind of you.

An hour-hour and a half later

[snowburned]

He's gone. I'm sorry.

[weaver_girl]

I see. Thank you.

[This is Kagerou closing the journal and going off to be alone for a while. She won't forget this little tidbit, though, once the sharpest grief has passed.]