[ The brief message is enough to indicate Mashita is done talking for the moment, and it prompts him to tidy up his desk to return to later rather than squeeze a few more minutes of research in that might distract him enough to be late himself. Which would inevitably result in a similar, if not more awkward, conversation than the phone charging blunder.
While Mashita was late, six minutes wasn’t too bad. It was just enough to have him checking the time and let the slight concern over what Mashita might have had left to ‘wrap up’ cross his mind, but not long enough for instinct to fan the flames into a full-blown worry. He knows the detective preferred to wander in when he was good and ready outside serious situations, and if he needed ‘a drink or six’ then he also probably needed a smoke on the way.
Yashiki used the time to save them a place to sit and put in an order for the first round of snacks and drinks a few minutes before the man arrived, to save time and start on making up for his mistake.
It’s fairly obvious when he spots the detective’s arrival. Head perking up slightly where he’d been slightly distracted by his own thoughts until then, only to give the man a slightly searching look out of habit, probably checking for signs of anything the other might have neglected to mention over text.
But once his concerns were put to rest, he raised a hand to wave the other over. ]
( mashita doesn't seem particularly worse for wear, for better or worse, as he walks in, hand running through his hair to brush back some of the stray locks the he barely bothers to tame. his jacket seems the same as it always has, but if there are any wounds beyond that, they're covered by his clothing. there's a tired sag to his shoulders that boldly shares his need for a drink and a smoke, and while mashita typically spares the time to smoke outside of buildings, the fact the bar has a smoking section is part of why he likes coming here too.
glancing around the space furtively, the notably bright expression and raised hand catch his attention, and his own expression seems to lighten from recognition. the power of comfort, perhaps. )
Someone called just as I was heading out, ( he explains as he steps up and sheds the mythic green shell to fold over the back of his chair opposite yashiki. it's warmer in the bar, and if he's going to drink, it'll only get warmer. )
Just one of those reported sightings, but it seemed like a false lead. I'll deal with it tomorrow.
( the guy has really had enough for one day. taking a seat, he promptly reaches for his cigarettes in the inner pocket of his suit jacket and plucks a stick free. )
So what were you up to while you were ignoring my calls and texts? ( the remark comes casually as he lights up and then moves the ashtray that's left on each table closer to himself. yashiki doesn't smoke, that he's aware of, so it's just the natural thing to do. )
[ Not visibly maimed and in one piece with an intact jacket was probably the best they could hope for when dealing with these kinds of cases, but it didn’t stop him from worrying at the end of the day. For now, he was satisfied. The fatigue was only to be expected after a life and death showdown with a spirit on top of who knew how many late nights working on a case.
The fact that Mashita had decided to put off the lead, fake or not, until morning was as much a sign of that as the exhaustion showing in his posture. ]
Ah, seems like those have been coming in a lot lately.
[ It was probably a frustrating nightmare for Mashita to have to follow up on them all just on the odd chance that they were a real lead.
The comment gets a small wince, as probably predicted, before he responded. ]
Oh! Uh… I was checking some old journals I found in the Kujou collection when my phone battery must have died.
[ It seems childish to reiterate that the phone was dead rather than him ignoring anyone… and yet he can’t quite stop himself from doing it as he adjusted his glasses that had slipped down a bit, hiding the guilty frown. ]
So, I guess time got a little away from me before I noticed it.
( after catching the end, mashita leans back and takes a long, deep drag of his cigarette, holding the smoke in for several beats before sighing the smoke off to the side. though he's made something of a hobby of blowing smoke in people's faces, he doesn't seem to be particularly in the mood for it right now. seeing as he feels he'll likely be chain smoking over the next several hours (and also catching yashiki's wince), tormenting his friend further by it feels too callous also. )
Old journals. Related to the case? Or. Your sister's?
( there are many relics that remain in kujou mansion that hold sentimental value for yashiki. it matters in which way the time might have escaped him. while he does like getting a reaction out of yashiki, mashita doesn't want it to be punishment for something yashiki deserves to cherish. )
[ Yashiki supposed that would be too convenient in the end, and nothing was ever particularly convenient when it came to casework. Things would be put to rest much sooner otherwise.
Lowering his hands from his glasses, he absently noted the probable deliberate decision on Mashita’s part to blow smoke away from the table as opposed to at him. There’s something about those little, thoughtful decisions to forgo usual habits that indicates the other’s mood and while he still feels a bit awkward for what happened, the frown shifts from guilty to something more reflective.
Yashiki did realize that he’d slipped down a rather deep rabbit hole in the last day or so with the way his focus always tended to lock on to something he cared about pursuing. It was certainly a useful ability in many ways, but it also often meant running the risk of missing other things that might require more immediate attention. ]
A little of both, at first? I’ve been going over some of what she’d been researching before. I thought there might be some avenues she hadn’t had the chance to follow through to the end.
[ He’d definitely gone in with the best intentions for trying to make some progress, but he also had gotten a little side tracked once he got into the journals themselves. ]
( humming, mashita fiddles with the filter balanced between his fingers with his thumb as he considers yashiki's response.
he knows what saya means to yashiki. seeing her handwriting alone would probably be enough to lure in a sentimentalist like yashiki. with how she'd passed as well, yashiki would want to do everything to honor her memory and carry on her legacy. it's no wonder, then, that yashiki cares so much for all the mark bearers. he's just a caring big brother, through and through. mashita may be speaking with kazuo yashiki, but he sees you, masamune kujou. )
It's dangerous for rabbits to venture alone. ( both literally and figuratively. ) You get distracted too easily, you know.
Did you find anything useful?
( since yashiki brought up work, they may as well get into it now. it isn't really what mashita had intended, but it was bound to happen anyway. neither of them really know how to quit. )
[ For all that he found it difficult to connect the two of them in his mind at times, Masamune Kujou was indeed still there, bleeding from one to the other who continued on in his place. And there would always be the undeniable connection that was Saya, having never thought of her as ‘Masamune’s sister’ but his own. The memories were cherished as she was missed, so it had been more than a little difficult to not get pulled into the neat writing filling the pages of the journals she’d left behind. Not just the notes on her research or thoughts about spirits, but the way she talked about those who she helped as a healer and the small notes about the days as they passed.
And even after the mark, after she helped him survive, she was still aiding him now through them. Even if sometimes it was simply that there was something to hold on to and to remind him why he was doing what he was. To reach out to as many as he could to help, despite not being as talented as she was, he wanted to at least do what he could. ]
Mm… And yet there are some that will, even though they know the danger is there. [ He responded with a softer tone, a black rabbit darting across his mind’s eye briefly. Blinking, he hummed at the comment with an awkward tilt of his head and a sheepish smile. ] Ah, I guess maybe a little sometimes.
[ Often. ]
I’m not sure yet, but I think there might be a couple trails to follow… I’ll know better if they’ll lead anywhere once I start research again later.
[ The day either of them took a proper day off from work or the talk of it, there would undoubtedly be a disaster of some kind, anyway. He hadn’t even meant to get into it while they waited for their drinks, but had still slipped somehow into the topic. ]
( he would never say it, but it's probably better that he only has to deal with the one rabbit instead of two. much as he respects yashiki's younger sister and her work, especially having benefitted from her archives more than a few times, he can't imagine she'd be any less reserved than yashiki when it came to helping others.
must come with being upper class and living in a mansion. )
Just let me know if you decide to follow any of them directly. Things seem more dangerous than I'd first thought.
( says the guy who didn't tell yashiki, didn't wait, and then ended up in said dangerous situation. )
I'll have to think of what can even deal with a chainsaw, too. He didn't give a shit about my .45, and I nailed him at least twice.
[ Yashiki frowned a little more deeply at the reminder. It was probably a fair warning, given that he’d probably have done the same thing Mashita had if tables were turned. It was probably that knowledge and the fact that he’d let his phone die and forgotten about it for an entire day that kept him from pointing it out.
Plus, the danger of a chainsaw wasn’t exactly apparent based on what they’d learned from the investigation before now. They were just damn lucky that it hadn’t ended worse. He didn’t want to think about if it had, and he certainly didn’t want a repeat where Mashita was concerned… ]
I’ll call if I happen to find anything that seems promising. [ Probably… maybe. ] Probably better that we don’t go back until we have a better idea of how to deal with it anyway…
[ Pausing as their first round of drinks and the snacks he’d ordered were delivered, he considered what little they knew already. A ghostly groundskeeper with a grudge and a chainsaw, apparently resistant to bullets. Well… That wasn’t exactly surprising. Guns weren’t exactly the most effective when dealing with spirits unless there was a condition met or an aspect to the spirit itself that made them susceptible. Once they were alone again, he hummed. ]
Although it’s worth searching the grounds again for something we might need… Especially if I don’t come across anything in research-wise.
[ Easier said than done, but during the daytime, it should at least be safe, he thinks. ]
[ Ah, yes. You won’t have to deal with any questions or Yashiki’s criminal act of giving you feelings if you do that. That’s a totally reasonable and healthy way to deal with things. Lock the man in a closet forever. ]
Er…
[ Awkward frown at his phone… Mashita's got him there.
Typing dots start and stop… Then start again. Then pause.
He really has no defence here, does he? ]
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence?
[ Really? That’s what he came up with? ]
lol i was dealing with those captcha for hours last night already
( at least locking yashiki in a closet would mean he would get lost and lock himself out of his house or get killed. )
is it a coincidence that you were dropped on your head as a child?
( fuck. no, that's too mean. calm down. it's just yashiki, not some asshole that's making things difficult on purpose. )
when a lot of coincidences start piling up around you, you're usually supposed to start wondering if you're the problem that's how self preservation is supposed to work
it seems like you have 0 sense of self preservation, even outside of spirit bullshit
Oh no! I haven't the patience for the robot tests... >>;
[ Do you really think that Yashiki wouldn't still manage to end up in trouble? The man finds a way.
The restraint is commendable at this point, and at least Yashiki recognizes how lame that last excuse sounded. ]
I get what you're trying to say but I do have some sense of self preservation. And it's not like I can just ignore things that need attention for the sake of sleep most of the time.
[ And that was what it often came down to. He couldn’t let himself relax enough to sleep because he would always find SOMETHING that needed research or attention or some varied level of concern. What if someone (including the man on the other end of the line) got in trouble while he was passed out when he could have been doing something? He’d never forgive himself. ]
and what am I supposed to do if you die from making a mistake because you're too tired to think straight? is that supposed to make any of me any of us feel good about what happened and that we didn't do anything to try and stop it?
( why is his chest hurting? ugh. this is stupid. why is yashiki so stupid. goddamn. )
[ Of course he hadn't thought of it that way. There's a flurry of dots as he almost responds a little too quickly to the message. Because at the end of the day he's still more concerned with the well being of the people he doesn't want anything to happen to than himself. He's almost frustrated that no one gets that, stupid as it sounds.
And then he stops, because the phrasing of question one and something unsaid in the second manages to snag his attention properly.
And a few long minutes pass before he actually responds a little reluctantly.]
... I hadn’t really been thinking about it that way; I guess. Of course, I wouldn’t want to put you in that position. It’s just hard to not worry about what I might be missing and who might die instead, all because I wasn’t doing what I could have been to avoid it.
[ And certainly doesn't want to lose you that way, Mashita. ]
I do, but I still want to try to save as many as I can along the way.
[ He's not sure if he'll ever be okay with that, even if he gets it. ]
Honestly, it's the people around me that I worry about the most. You and the other mark bearers. There's been too many close calls with you all trying to help me too, you know.
[ Need he remind you of the forest that night? ]
Look, I can't just promise I'll get better at it over night... Because I'd break it and we both know that. But would it make you feel better if I at least tried to prioritize sleep when there isn't a case? Provided I ever get back in my house, I mean.
[ To be fair, it wouldn’t have offended him if she decided to get out of there immediately. Even among his friends there were those that would stay far from spirit related issues if they could. Sometimes Yashiki wished the others would do the same, but they were usually more concerned with trying to help him, regardless of discouragement. ]
That depends on the spirit, honestly. But generally, what I do is investigate a spirit’s origins and learn about their fates in life and work to resolve their grudges so they can rest and no longer harm the living.
[ By the time the other two were finished with their reunion, he was setting the dish back in the cupboard. Smiling a little, he glanced over his shoulder at the comment. ]
No, I was tidying up and sorting some files after the last case I had. Nothing that can’t wait until later.
[ The idea that he might have been upset is met with a small, calm wave of a hand. ]
I don’t see the reason to be upset over something like this. Like you said, Happy didn’t mean to show up here. So, I can’t really fault either of you for something outside your control.
[ And even if they maybe could have, Yashiki still probably would have let that go. It’s not too often he gets properly angry about something, and most people found him to be a slight pushover. ]
And it’s not uncommon for me to have a guest I wasn’t expecting to show up. Happy hasn’t been a bad guest, either.
[ Unfortunately she was more of the kind to offer to help and butt in rather than scamper away and leave everything to him. Unless there really wasn't anything she could do and even then that would be reluctant. ]
I see.. that sounds pretty dangerous in itself though - especially if the spirits are already angry. I assume that you probably deal with ghosts of people who were wrongly murdered the most?
[ Oh boy, good thing Happy didn't end up crashing onto his desk then and just landed nicely on the couch. Happy, the two were chatting, reached up and nudged Rebecca's leg with a paw, and she glanced down curiously. ]
See, I knew you would be worried, but he's really nice!
[ Rebecca chuckled sheepishly, giving him a pat on the head before looking back to Yashiki. ]
Happy sometimes tells me I worry a little too much.
[ She can't even comment on him being a pushover, because in his position, she... would be the same way. Not getting angry over something outside of their control, that is. Happy beams even on being told he was a good guest. ]
Heehee, I'm glad he behaved. He was probably nervous when he woke up - well, as nervous as I would have been if the positions were reversed. But this is probably the strangest thing that you've experienced in a while, huh? [ Actually he deals with ghosts so.. ] Actually, maybe not.
[ Can be sometimes… That was an understatement, it usually was which was a source of stress and concern for most people who knew he chose to get involved in these things. There is a certain panda-eyed private detective who just couldn’t quite get it through Yashiki’s dense head that he couldn’t help everyone. ]
You would assume correct, I’m afraid. Malevolent earthbound spirits are most often born of violent deaths and with strong emotions.
[ The cat’s rather positive opinion of him gets a small duck of his head with a smile. ]
Thanks, Happy. And you’re right, there really isn’t anything to worry about. I’m just glad I could help see you both back together. And I think anyone waking up somewhere they didn’t expect to would be nervous. It would be pretty jarring.
[ Folding his arms, he leaned against the counter with a thoughtful tilt of his head. A talking cat being portalled onto the sofa in his house definitely counted amongst the stranger things he’d experienced in a while… But was it the strangest? Hmm… It was probably a little concerning that he couldn’t decide. Might be best not to think too hard about that. ]
I admit that my range for strange experiences is a little skewed compared to other people… But I have to say it’s definitely a change of pace from the usual.
[ No one’s in peril, no spiritual influences or possessions, no running around an old rotting building, and Happy was back with Rebecca. Definitely a better end than his usual strange situations. ]
[ She could certainly feel for that wish to help everyone - if you have the ability why shouldn't you be able to, yes? But you can be only on so many places at once, sadly. That said - it's probably a good thing that only spirits who died violently are the ones he has to deal with, in a way, because if -everyone- who died, even if in stupid ways that might have been their own fault like falling off a ladder or drunk driving, etc ..- came back he would be so overburdened it would be scary. ]
[ It was hard to not look around wondering if he lived in this ginormous house all by himself, but she was pretty curious - and he had yet to say 'Get Out', though she didn't want to wear her welcome out too much longer. ]
Really? So . . what would you say your strangest experience was, then, if that's not too personal?
[ Hrm. Now she was wondering if those horror movies and horror games got any part of the concept right... ]
[ He could see her eyes starting to wander the kitchen and he got the distinct sense that now that her original objective was fulfilled, curiosity was naturally winning over. Yashiki supposed he couldn’t really blame someone for it, but he wasn’t exactly the best at figuring out what to do with that…
She saved him by asking, and really… It never ceased to amaze him how people could be curious about these rather unpleasant things, but the paranormal seemed to be an interesting subject, nonetheless. The magazine Moe wrote for probably wouldn’t exist if it weren’t, but thanks to her he’s at least somewhat used to being asked about his cases. ]
I wouldn’t say too personal. [ Well, some things might be. ] But they aren’t exactly pleasant stories?
[ The question was, what was the strangest experience? There were definitely some contenders… but it would have felt weird ranking them, so he decided to pick one off the top of his head. ]
Hmm... There was Miss Zoo among one of the earlier cases.
Her case was rather unique in that rather than being murdered or dying in an accident, she had chosen to die and throw away her humanity to become a spirit. Parts of her body were replaced with animal parts. Snakes for arms, ostrich legs and a pig head. She also made me take pop-quizzes to progress through the classrooms as we investigated, so uh… that counts as strange.
[ She looked at Happy, then back to Yashiki, baffled. Why would someone want to become a spirit? ]
That .. does sound strange - it's like a mix of a chimera's concept and a sphinx all together. Only failing to answer a question probably didn't mean death as a result... I hope. But since you're here right now, then that's proof that you managed to answer the questions correctly! Was she --erm.. is the term exorcised? Or banished? Saying 'dealt with' seems so ..cold, in the end.
[ Yashiki knows that look, and he really can’t blame her for being baffled. Manabi Zukawa hadn’t exactly been… Stable, to say the least. It seemed unkind to say more, but it was still hard to deny that she had gone further than anyone normally would.
But Rebecca’s observation was pretty clever, in his opinion. ]
A chimera and a sphinx… a good comparison when you think about it.
But uh… Yeah, I did get them right. Had a little help from a friend on one that was in german, though.
[ Although he expected Hiiro would have probably had an easier time answering all the questions if their places were switched. Somehow that just seemed like his luck at the time, but maybe it was for the best that he was the test taker if things had gone poorly. ]
She was, her grudge was exorcised successfully, and her soul moved on in the end.
[ She gives a small chuckle at the confirmation that he got the trivia questions correctly - even the one in a different language. ]
That's a relief...and I'm glad she was able to find peace in the en- [ A pause as Happy cleared his throat suddenly, bringing her attention to a flashing dot on her phone. She pulled a face for a second - she was having a nice conversation and Real Life had to remind her she was technically supposed to be on the clock. Oops. ]
Augh, I guess he's on the move again. Sorry Yashiki, I should get going - I've taken up enough of your time already anyway. [ Sheepish grin. ]
But it was nice meeting you! [ Never overstay the welcome - and she'd be yapping his ear off with questions due her inquisitive nature if she didn't get back to it anyway. Hopefully the next time they chatted, it'd be on regular terms and not because a cat landed on his couch. ]
Thank you for the thread, it was fun! I hope it's cool if I tag you in the future :D
[ His brow raised as Happy cleared his throat, wondering what that was about when she pulled out her phone. He’s not the best at understanding technology in general, still learning how to use a computer to begin with… So he doesn’t quite get the significance of it other than perhaps she got a text?
Then she explained, and it reminded him that there had been another person involved in the situation with Happy’s arrival. ]
Hm? Ah, right. I shouldn’t keep you from that either, wouldn’t be good for him to get away.
[ He does understand the need to catch the bad guy, having worked quite a bit with a detective. ]
But it was nice to meet you, and Happy too, circumstances aside.
[ He does show her back to the door, just to make sure she finds her way out where she’s on a bit of a time crunch. ]
Oh, and good luck in catching him. Hope you two don’t run into any more trouble on the way.
[ No more ending up on random strangers couches! ]
[ She tucked the phone away and nodded to Happy, who waved cheerfully before he moved to follow her. ]
Yeah - don't worry, we'll get him. [ She did privately feel a LITTLE guilty since she stayed a little longer than necessary, but it was also going to work to her benefit since now the culprit would think he'd lost them and drop his guard. ]
It was nice to meet you, Yashiki! We'll be careful!
Take care of yourself Yashiki!
[ That said, the pair trot their way out - hopefully without getting hit by portal guns and ending up in weird places again! ]
[ Wandering closer to the shelves, he holds up the flashlight to inspect what little was abandoned there and illuminated the darker corners. The conversation occupied some of his attention though, and he only absentmindedly picks up cups to look behind or inside out of his usual habit.
He frowned a bit at the tone Mashita used, but it’s not surprising… The past was the past and you couldn’t do much about it… but it did bug him a bit. Even if Mashita could be kind of abrasive at times, there was usually a point behind it, so he didn’t let it bother him much. Though perhaps he was biased after getting to know the detective. ]
I do recall what it can be like…
[ The chill persisting, even as he let out a long visible breath as he turned a cup over to squint at the maker’s mark underneath. ]
Still, can’t have been easy for you if everyone decided you were an enemy or a problem just for speaking your mind.
[ A shiver ran up his spine, as a cool breeze stirred up motes of dust. Why the hell was it getting cold in here? There probably wasn’t a functioning air system in a place this old. A familiar sound like dishes rattling against each other sounded again nearby, and he swung his light around to scan the rest of the room. ]
It was easy enough to navigate around, in school. It became more of a problem on the force, but luckily being harsh isn't necessarily seen as a bad thing, with the police. Just defying the higher ups is.
( which is how he lost his job anyway. but oh well.
the rattle catches mashita's ear, and he glances toward the source in the dark, before yashiki's flashlight really illuminates the area. what on earth... )
I heard it. ( but the air still again, once the light shines in that direction. ) ...the house?
No, they clearly didn’t handle that well, among other things…
[ It was definitely their loss in Yashiki’s mind, though. Mashita was an excellent detective and only proved that with each case he took now. The fact that he hadn’t lost that drive to do the right thing, regardless of his superiors between his youth in school and the difficult times on the force, was admirable. There were plenty of people who’d get beaten down by it and lose that after a while… Not that it made anything easy for the detective, considering what had happened… ]
So, it’s not just me at least…
[ He sounded a little relieved by that, honestly. Better than thinking you were hearing something and jumping at nothing. Yashiki glanced at the small cup in his hand and then at the corner they’d heard the sound come from. Wanting a closer look at the room but thinking better of putting it back before he finished inspecting it, he slipped it into the bag at this shoulder before moving over towards it to investigate. ]
It could still be the building, maybe if something shifted and settled with the temperature change. It’s… gotten pretty cold.
[ He’s not sure if that’s a sound logical explanation or if it was wishful thinking on his part. Crouching in the corner, he checked for anything that might have caused the sound, or some sign that something was in the wall, when the sound clinked and rattled again. This time more centralized in the room... But higher? ]
I’d point out that you’re not allowed to sleep on the stoop here either, but considering you keep refusing a bed, I’m not sure I could convince you not to if you decided on it.
Well… I’d more likely try to appeal to your common sense rather than trying to drag you inside…
[ But now he’s thinking about that, which probably wasn’t the intent. On the one hand, they only had experience with Mashita dragging his sorry ass back in through a window rather than the other way around. On the other hand, given their differences in build…. ]
So I don’t know, but maybe? Might depend on how difficult you make it for me in order to stay there.
[Er… Yeah… He should’ve guessed that response, he supposed. ]
I appreciate the offer, but no need to go to the trouble.
[ Because he has a bad feeling that the number would be high. He winces at the next messages, because he can imagine both their expressions to some extent, and he hates to worry them as it is. ]
Uh… yeah, that’s fair. I wish I could say you were making that up, but I know you wouldn’t. And Saya used to have to snap me out of it sometimes, too.
[ Yashiki’s pretty sure the answer to ‘How does Mister survive?’ is luck and everyone else watching his back and dragging his ass out of the fire. ]
oh it's no trouble at all I'm sure the others might already have a count anyway
ah so you've always had the problem then
can't imagine how frustrating that must of been for her, trying to make sure her little brother knew how to handle life properly but having him zone out all the time
I would think it would be a little trouble? You have plenty of important things to do, right?
[ Surely he must… Right? Right? ]
Them too, you all must have more important things that need your attention?
Afraid so.
Honestly, between that and the amount she’d have to get on my case to remind me to do things, you’d think she was the older one sometimes. She was a lot more together about uh... everything, really. She would always have me make it up to her, though I’m not sure if it really balanced much.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
spiritdoctor) wrote2024-03-20 10:33 am
@kekkin
[ The brief message is enough to indicate Mashita is done talking for the moment, and it prompts him to tidy up his desk to return to later rather than squeeze a few more minutes of research in that might distract him enough to be late himself. Which would inevitably result in a similar, if not more awkward, conversation than the phone charging blunder.
While Mashita was late, six minutes wasn’t too bad. It was just enough to have him checking the time and let the slight concern over what Mashita might have had left to ‘wrap up’ cross his mind, but not long enough for instinct to fan the flames into a full-blown worry. He knows the detective preferred to wander in when he was good and ready outside serious situations, and if he needed ‘a drink or six’ then he also probably needed a smoke on the way.
Yashiki used the time to save them a place to sit and put in an order for the first round of snacks and drinks a few minutes before the man arrived, to save time and start on making up for his mistake.
It’s fairly obvious when he spots the detective’s arrival. Head perking up slightly where he’d been slightly distracted by his own thoughts until then, only to give the man a slightly searching look out of habit, probably checking for signs of anything the other might have neglected to mention over text.
But once his concerns were put to rest, he raised a hand to wave the other over. ]
no subject
glancing around the space furtively, the notably bright expression and raised hand catch his attention, and his own expression seems to lighten from recognition. the power of comfort, perhaps. )
Someone called just as I was heading out, ( he explains as he steps up and sheds the mythic green shell to fold over the back of his chair opposite yashiki. it's warmer in the bar, and if he's going to drink, it'll only get warmer. )
Just one of those reported sightings, but it seemed like a false lead. I'll deal with it tomorrow.
( the guy has really had enough for one day. taking a seat, he promptly reaches for his cigarettes in the inner pocket of his suit jacket and plucks a stick free. )
So what were you up to while you were ignoring my calls and texts? ( the remark comes casually as he lights up and then moves the ashtray that's left on each table closer to himself. yashiki doesn't smoke, that he's aware of, so it's just the natural thing to do. )
no subject
The fact that Mashita had decided to put off the lead, fake or not, until morning was as much a sign of that as the exhaustion showing in his posture. ]
Ah, seems like those have been coming in a lot lately.
[ It was probably a frustrating nightmare for Mashita to have to follow up on them all just on the odd chance that they were a real lead.
The comment gets a small wince, as probably predicted, before he responded. ]
Oh! Uh… I was checking some old journals I found in the Kujou collection when my phone battery must have died.
[ It seems childish to reiterate that the phone was dead rather than him ignoring anyone… and yet he can’t quite stop himself from doing it as he adjusted his glasses that had slipped down a bit, hiding the guilty frown. ]
So, I guess time got a little away from me before I noticed it.
no subject
( after catching the end, mashita leans back and takes a long, deep drag of his cigarette, holding the smoke in for several beats before sighing the smoke off to the side. though he's made something of a hobby of blowing smoke in people's faces, he doesn't seem to be particularly in the mood for it right now. seeing as he feels he'll likely be chain smoking over the next several hours (and also catching yashiki's wince), tormenting his friend further by it feels too callous also. )
Old journals. Related to the case? Or. Your sister's?
( there are many relics that remain in kujou mansion that hold sentimental value for yashiki. it matters in which way the time might have escaped him. while he does like getting a reaction out of yashiki, mashita doesn't want it to be punishment for something yashiki deserves to cherish. )
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Lowering his hands from his glasses, he absently noted the probable deliberate decision on Mashita’s part to blow smoke away from the table as opposed to at him. There’s something about those little, thoughtful decisions to forgo usual habits that indicates the other’s mood and while he still feels a bit awkward for what happened, the frown shifts from guilty to something more reflective.
Yashiki did realize that he’d slipped down a rather deep rabbit hole in the last day or so with the way his focus always tended to lock on to something he cared about pursuing. It was certainly a useful ability in many ways, but it also often meant running the risk of missing other things that might require more immediate attention. ]
A little of both, at first? I’ve been going over some of what she’d been researching before. I thought there might be some avenues she hadn’t had the chance to follow through to the end.
[ He’d definitely gone in with the best intentions for trying to make some progress, but he also had gotten a little side tracked once he got into the journals themselves. ]
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he knows what saya means to yashiki. seeing her handwriting alone would probably be enough to lure in a sentimentalist like yashiki. with how she'd passed as well, yashiki would want to do everything to honor her memory and carry on her legacy. it's no wonder, then, that yashiki cares so much for all the mark bearers. he's just a caring big brother, through and through. mashita may be speaking with kazuo yashiki, but he sees you, masamune kujou. )
It's dangerous for rabbits to venture alone. ( both literally and figuratively. ) You get distracted too easily, you know.
Did you find anything useful?
( since yashiki brought up work, they may as well get into it now. it isn't really what mashita had intended, but it was bound to happen anyway. neither of them really know how to quit. )
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And even after the mark, after she helped him survive, she was still aiding him now through them. Even if sometimes it was simply that there was something to hold on to and to remind him why he was doing what he was. To reach out to as many as he could to help, despite not being as talented as she was, he wanted to at least do what he could. ]
Mm… And yet there are some that will, even though they know the danger is there. [ He responded with a softer tone, a black rabbit darting across his mind’s eye briefly. Blinking, he hummed at the comment with an awkward tilt of his head and a sheepish smile. ] Ah, I guess maybe a little sometimes.
[ Often. ]
I’m not sure yet, but I think there might be a couple trails to follow… I’ll know better if they’ll lead anywhere once I start research again later.
[ The day either of them took a proper day off from work or the talk of it, there would undoubtedly be a disaster of some kind, anyway. He hadn’t even meant to get into it while they waited for their drinks, but had still slipped somehow into the topic. ]
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must come with being upper class and living in a mansion. )
Just let me know if you decide to follow any of them directly. Things seem more dangerous than I'd first thought.
( says the guy who didn't tell yashiki, didn't wait, and then ended up in said dangerous situation. )
I'll have to think of what can even deal with a chainsaw, too. He didn't give a shit about my .45, and I nailed him at least twice.
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Plus, the danger of a chainsaw wasn’t exactly apparent based on what they’d learned from the investigation before now. They were just damn lucky that it hadn’t ended worse. He didn’t want to think about if it had, and he certainly didn’t want a repeat where Mashita was concerned… ]
I’ll call if I happen to find anything that seems promising. [ Probably… maybe. ] Probably better that we don’t go back until we have a better idea of how to deal with it anyway…
[ Pausing as their first round of drinks and the snacks he’d ordered were delivered, he considered what little they knew already. A ghostly groundskeeper with a grudge and a chainsaw, apparently resistant to bullets. Well… That wasn’t exactly surprising. Guns weren’t exactly the most effective when dealing with spirits unless there was a condition met or an aspect to the spirit itself that made them susceptible. Once they were alone again, he hummed. ]
Although it’s worth searching the grounds again for something we might need… Especially if I don’t come across anything in research-wise.
[ Easier said than done, but during the daytime, it should at least be safe, he thinks. ]
@crisantemo
[ A small but definite silver lining. ]
Good thing I keep a fully stocked kit for such occasions.
Once you’re patched up, I want you to tell me more about what we’re dealing with here for if it does come back.
[ Yeah, there’s zero chances of him not getting involved now. ]
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even if i reassure you that you don't need to get involved?
[ Something tells her that's a big No. ]
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I’m not about to carry on with my day and pretend you’re not dealing with a dangerous spirit when I could be doing something to help.
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thirty minutes, so i can get properly patched up. and clean up some of the blood
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@Kekkin
I’m not-!
[ He breaks off as a weird noise distracts him.
The ghost just made a wheezing sound. She’s laughing at him. Great, the ghost and Mashita are laughing at him!
There’s an awkward huff, and he frowns (pouts even) at the road ahead. ]
The client needs to get home. Have you found anything?
[ Said quickly with the energy of ‘changing the subject to avoid further embarrassment!’ ]
@Kekkin
[ Ah, yes. You won’t have to deal with any questions or Yashiki’s criminal act of giving you feelings if you do that. That’s a totally reasonable and healthy way to deal with things. Lock the man in a closet forever. ]
Er…
[ Awkward frown at his phone… Mashita's got him there.
Typing dots start and stop… Then start again. Then pause.
He really has no defence here, does he? ]
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence?
[ Really? That’s what he came up with? ]
lol i was dealing with those captcha for hours last night already
is it a coincidence that you were dropped on your head as a child?( fuck. no, that's too mean. calm down. it's just yashiki, not some asshole that's making things difficult on purpose. )
when a lot of coincidences start piling up around you, you're usually supposed to start wondering if you're the problem
that's how self preservation is supposed to work
it seems like you have 0 sense of self preservation, even outside of spirit bullshit
Oh no! I haven't the patience for the robot tests... >>;
The restraint is commendable at this point, and at least Yashiki recognizes how lame that last excuse sounded. ]
I get what you're trying to say
but I do have some sense of self preservation.
And it's not like I can just ignore things that need attention for the sake of sleep most of the time.
[ And that was what it often came down to. He couldn’t let himself relax enough to sleep because he would always find SOMETHING that needed research or attention or some varied level of concern. What if someone (including the man on the other end of the line) got in trouble while he was passed out when he could have been doing something? He’d never forgive himself. ]
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is that supposed to make any of
meany of us feel good about what happened and that we didn't do anything to try and stop it?( why is his chest hurting? ugh. this is stupid. why is yashiki so stupid. goddamn. )
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And then he stops, because the phrasing of question one and something unsaid in the second manages to snag his attention properly.
And a few long minutes pass before he actually responds a little reluctantly.]
... I hadn’t really been thinking about it that way; I guess.
Of course, I wouldn’t want to put you in that position.
It’s just hard to not worry about what I might be missing and who might die instead, all because I wasn’t doing what I could have been to avoid it.
[ And certainly doesn't want to lose you that way, Mashita. ]
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you already know this
( it's not that he likes it either, but that's just how it is. )
you should focus on the people around you first
and at least yourself
or we're all going to lose what ties us together as mark bearers
( among other things. )
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[ He's not sure if he'll ever be okay with that, even if he gets it. ]
Honestly, it's the people around me that I worry about the most. You and the other mark bearers.
There's been too many close calls with you all trying to help me too, you know.
[ Need he remind you of the forest that night? ]
Look, I can't just promise I'll get better at it over night... Because I'd break it and we both know that.
But would it make you feel better if I at least tried to prioritize sleep when there isn't a case?
Provided I ever get back in my house, I mean.
@Catleaping
[ To be fair, it wouldn’t have offended him if she decided to get out of there immediately. Even among his friends there were those that would stay far from spirit related issues if they could. Sometimes Yashiki wished the others would do the same, but they were usually more concerned with trying to help him, regardless of discouragement. ]
That depends on the spirit, honestly. But generally, what I do is investigate a spirit’s origins and learn about their fates in life and work to resolve their grudges so they can rest and no longer harm the living.
[ By the time the other two were finished with their reunion, he was setting the dish back in the cupboard. Smiling a little, he glanced over his shoulder at the comment. ]
No, I was tidying up and sorting some files after the last case I had. Nothing that can’t wait until later.
[ The idea that he might have been upset is met with a small, calm wave of a hand. ]
I don’t see the reason to be upset over something like this. Like you said, Happy didn’t mean to show up here. So, I can’t really fault either of you for something outside your control.
[ And even if they maybe could have, Yashiki still probably would have let that go. It’s not too often he gets properly angry about something, and most people found him to be a slight pushover. ]
And it’s not uncommon for me to have a guest I wasn’t expecting to show up. Happy hasn’t been a bad guest, either.
Re: @Catleaping
I see.. that sounds pretty dangerous in itself though - especially if the spirits are already angry. I assume that you probably deal with ghosts of people who were wrongly murdered the most?
[ Oh boy, good thing Happy didn't end up crashing onto his desk then and just landed nicely on the couch. Happy, the two were chatting, reached up and nudged Rebecca's leg with a paw, and she glanced down curiously. ]
See, I knew you would be worried, but he's really nice!
[ Rebecca chuckled sheepishly, giving him a pat on the head before looking back to Yashiki. ]
Happy sometimes tells me I worry a little too much.
[ She can't even comment on him being a pushover, because in his position, she... would be the same way. Not getting angry over something outside of their control, that is. Happy beams even on being told he was a good guest. ]
Heehee, I'm glad he behaved. He was probably nervous when he woke up - well, as nervous as I would have been if the positions were reversed. But this is probably the strangest thing that you've experienced in a while, huh? [ Actually he deals with ghosts so.. ] Actually, maybe not.
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[ Can be sometimes… That was an understatement, it usually was which was a source of stress and concern for most people who knew he chose to get involved in these things. There is a certain panda-eyed private detective who just couldn’t quite get it through Yashiki’s dense head that he couldn’t help everyone. ]
You would assume correct, I’m afraid. Malevolent earthbound spirits are most often born of violent deaths and with strong emotions.
[ The cat’s rather positive opinion of him gets a small duck of his head with a smile. ]
Thanks, Happy. And you’re right, there really isn’t anything to worry about. I’m just glad I could help see you both back together. And I think anyone waking up somewhere they didn’t expect to would be nervous. It would be pretty jarring.
[ Folding his arms, he leaned against the counter with a thoughtful tilt of his head. A talking cat being portalled onto the sofa in his house definitely counted amongst the stranger things he’d experienced in a while… But was it the strangest? Hmm… It was probably a little concerning that he couldn’t decide. Might be best not to think too hard about that. ]
I admit that my range for strange experiences is a little skewed compared to other people… But I have to say it’s definitely a change of pace from the usual.
[ No one’s in peril, no spiritual influences or possessions, no running around an old rotting building, and Happy was back with Rebecca. Definitely a better end than his usual strange situations. ]
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[ It was hard to not look around wondering if he lived in this ginormous house all by himself, but she was pretty curious - and he had yet to say 'Get Out', though she didn't want to wear her welcome out too much longer. ]
Really? So . . what would you say your strangest experience was, then, if that's not too personal?
[ Hrm. Now she was wondering if those horror movies and horror games got any part of the concept right... ]
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She saved him by asking, and really… It never ceased to amaze him how people could be curious about these rather unpleasant things, but the paranormal seemed to be an interesting subject, nonetheless. The magazine Moe wrote for probably wouldn’t exist if it weren’t, but thanks to her he’s at least somewhat used to being asked about his cases. ]
I wouldn’t say too personal. [ Well, some things might be. ] But they aren’t exactly pleasant stories?
[ The question was, what was the strangest experience? There were definitely some contenders… but it would have felt weird ranking them, so he decided to pick one off the top of his head. ]
Hmm... There was Miss Zoo among one of the earlier cases.
Her case was rather unique in that rather than being murdered or dying in an accident, she had chosen to die and throw away her humanity to become a spirit. Parts of her body were replaced with animal parts. Snakes for arms, ostrich legs and a pig head. She also made me take pop-quizzes to progress through the classrooms as we investigated, so uh… that counts as strange.
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That .. does sound strange - it's like a mix of a chimera's concept and a sphinx all together. Only failing to answer a question probably didn't mean death as a result... I hope. But since you're here right now, then that's proof that you managed to answer the questions correctly! Was she --erm.. is the term exorcised? Or banished? Saying 'dealt with' seems so ..cold, in the end.
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But Rebecca’s observation was pretty clever, in his opinion. ]
A chimera and a sphinx… a good comparison when you think about it.
But uh… Yeah, I did get them right. Had a little help from a friend on one that was in german, though.
[ Although he expected Hiiro would have probably had an easier time answering all the questions if their places were switched. Somehow that just seemed like his luck at the time, but maybe it was for the best that he was the test taker if things had gone poorly. ]
She was, her grudge was exorcised successfully, and her soul moved on in the end.
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That's a relief...and I'm glad she was able to find peace in the en- [ A pause as Happy cleared his throat suddenly, bringing her attention to a flashing dot on her phone. She pulled a face for a second - she was having a nice conversation and Real Life had to remind her she was technically supposed to be on the clock. Oops. ]
Augh, I guess he's on the move again. Sorry Yashiki, I should get going - I've taken up enough of your time already anyway. [ Sheepish grin. ]
But it was nice meeting you! [ Never overstay the welcome - and she'd be yapping his ear off with questions due her inquisitive nature if she didn't get back to it anyway. Hopefully the next time they chatted, it'd be on regular terms and not because a cat landed on his couch. ]
Thank you for the thread, it was fun! I hope it's cool if I tag you in the future :D
Then she explained, and it reminded him that there had been another person involved in the situation with Happy’s arrival. ]
Hm? Ah, right. I shouldn’t keep you from that either, wouldn’t be good for him to get away.
[ He does understand the need to catch the bad guy, having worked quite a bit with a detective. ]
But it was nice to meet you, and Happy too, circumstances aside.
[ He does show her back to the door, just to make sure she finds her way out where she’s on a bit of a time crunch. ]
Oh, and good luck in catching him. Hope you two don’t run into any more trouble on the way.
[ No more ending up on random strangers couches! ]
Yes definitely! :D
Yeah - don't worry, we'll get him. [ She did privately feel a LITTLE guilty since she stayed a little longer than necessary, but it was also going to work to her benefit since now the culprit would think he'd lost them and drop his guard. ]
It was nice to meet you, Yashiki! We'll be careful!
Take care of yourself Yashiki!
[ That said, the pair trot their way out - hopefully without getting hit by portal guns and ending up in weird places again! ]
@kekkin
[ Wandering closer to the shelves, he holds up the flashlight to inspect what little was abandoned there and illuminated the darker corners. The conversation occupied some of his attention though, and he only absentmindedly picks up cups to look behind or inside out of his usual habit.
He frowned a bit at the tone Mashita used, but it’s not surprising… The past was the past and you couldn’t do much about it… but it did bug him a bit. Even if Mashita could be kind of abrasive at times, there was usually a point behind it, so he didn’t let it bother him much. Though perhaps he was biased after getting to know the detective. ]
I do recall what it can be like…
[ The chill persisting, even as he let out a long visible breath as he turned a cup over to squint at the maker’s mark underneath. ]
Still, can’t have been easy for you if everyone decided you were an enemy or a problem just for speaking your mind.
[ A shiver ran up his spine, as a cool breeze stirred up motes of dust. Why the hell was it getting cold in here? There probably wasn’t a functioning air system in a place this old. A familiar sound like dishes rattling against each other sounded again nearby, and he swung his light around to scan the rest of the room. ]
Did you hear that…? Or was it just me?
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( which is how he lost his job anyway. but oh well.
the rattle catches mashita's ear, and he glances toward the source in the dark, before yashiki's flashlight really illuminates the area. what on earth... )
I heard it. ( but the air still again, once the light shines in that direction. ) ...the house?
( unlikely, but still. )
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[ It was definitely their loss in Yashiki’s mind, though. Mashita was an excellent detective and only proved that with each case he took now. The fact that he hadn’t lost that drive to do the right thing, regardless of his superiors between his youth in school and the difficult times on the force, was admirable. There were plenty of people who’d get beaten down by it and lose that after a while… Not that it made anything easy for the detective, considering what had happened… ]
So, it’s not just me at least…
[ He sounded a little relieved by that, honestly. Better than thinking you were hearing something and jumping at nothing. Yashiki glanced at the small cup in his hand and then at the corner they’d heard the sound come from. Wanting a closer look at the room but thinking better of putting it back before he finished inspecting it, he slipped it into the bag at this shoulder before moving over towards it to investigate. ]
It could still be the building, maybe if something shifted and settled with the temperature change. It’s… gotten pretty cold.
[ He’s not sure if that’s a sound logical explanation or if it was wishful thinking on his part. Crouching in the corner, he checked for anything that might have caused the sound, or some sign that something was in the wall, when the sound clinked and rattled again. This time more centralized in the room... But higher? ]
@kekkin
I’d point out that you’re not allowed to sleep on the stoop here either, but considering you keep refusing a bed, I’m not sure I could convince you not to if you decided on it.
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I'd love to see how well you fair, trying to drag me inside from the stoop
can you even pick me up I wonder...
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[ But now he’s thinking about that, which probably wasn’t the intent. On the one hand, they only had experience with Mashita dragging his sorry ass back in through a window rather than the other way around. On the other hand, given their differences in build…. ]
So I don’t know, but maybe? Might depend on how difficult you make it for me in order to stay there.
@Kekkin
[Er… Yeah… He should’ve guessed that response, he supposed. ]
I appreciate the offer, but no need to go to the trouble.
[ Because he has a bad feeling that the number would be high. He winces at the next messages, because he can imagine both their expressions to some extent, and he hates to worry them as it is. ]
Uh… yeah, that’s fair.
I wish I could say you were making that up, but I know you wouldn’t.
And Saya used to have to snap me out of it sometimes, too.
[ Yashiki’s pretty sure the answer to ‘How does Mister survive?’ is luck and everyone else watching his back and dragging his ass out of the fire. ]
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I'm sure the others might already have a count anyway
ah so you've always had the problem then
can't imagine how frustrating that must of been for her, trying to make sure her little brother knew how to handle life properly but having him zone out all the time
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[ Surely he must… Right? Right? ]
Them too, you all must have more important things that need your attention?
Afraid so.
Honestly, between that and the amount she’d have to get on my case to remind me to do things, you’d think she was the older one sometimes. She was a lot more together about uh... everything, really. She would always have me make it up to her, though I’m not sure if it really balanced much.