Night of the living voice-tests (literally)

[jumpsinline]

Hwah? You're "thrilled" about wanting to put me in that city?

...no, I don't know about any "time warp".

And I don't get why you keep playing that song over and over again while laughing. Is it supposed to be funny?

Comments

[higan_retour]

I'm going to assume it's related to jiang shi jumping.

/edits

[jumpsinline]

..is that it? [ Headtilt, with a loud set of pops. She hasn't been able to do that in a while. ]

[higan_retour]

I'm going to assume so. But then I can't see into their head so it's only a guess.

[jumpsinline]

You could if their skull was open!

[higan_retour]

That might be true, but it still wouldn't tell you what they're thinking.

[jumpsinline]

Not unless you understood squishy sounds.

Which I don't.

[ Blinking. ] Hey. Who're you?

[higan_retour]

...

[No, she won't correct that. It probably wasn't worth it.]

I'm Komachi, a shinigami. Actually I'm the Sanzu River's ferryman.

[jumpsinline]

[ Yoshika looks around quickly. ] I don't see a boat.

[higan_retour]

My boat isn't here, the river isn't here either....

[jumpsinline]

Whoa, how did you know what my next question was going to be?

[higan_retour]

It was a lucky guess.

[jumpsinline]

Is that what a "shinigami" is? A good luck charm?

[ Yoshika reaches up and palms her bare forehead. ] ...I feel like I'm missing something.

[higan_retour]

No... a shinigami is someone who works under the Yama and tends to the souls of the dead.

You seem to be missing your charm, so I guess right now you're a living human.

[jumpsinline]

That's pretty rude! Saying that I'm not charming. We just met!

[higan_retour]

No no, the thing that should be on your forehead.

[lovelightly]

Oh, cities are wonderful places! Parties and people and shops everywhere . . . [ dreamy sigh ] You can do whatever you want, and no one will care.

[jumpsinline]

[ Yoshika stares blankly for a long moment. ]

Oh! I get it, now. [ And she is so proud of herself! ]

...did you see where it went?

[jumpsinline]

Whatever I want?

[ Quieter, almost somber for her. ] Whatever I want...

[higan_retour]

No, but I think it's gone for now.

[jumpsinline]

I hope it wasn't important.

But it's easier to see without it, so that's good.

[higan_retour]

For now I don't think it is, considering you're alive.

[jumpsinline]

That's a silly thing to say. I can't die, so I can't be alive, either!

[higan_retour]

Where your statement is almost true, it's not quite right. You can't die because you're not really alive, your body was once alive, but not anymore. For some reason your body is now alive again.

[jumpsinline]

...
...
...
I don't get it.

How do you know so much about my body? Did we meet before?

[lovelightly]

Oh yes, darling, like dancing in libraries or starting your life over again. The trick is to make sure you have a lot of money, darling.