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[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[There are still parts of the Plane yet unlit, and Ryotarou is nothing if not a wanderer! And thus, he is wandering around with his flashlight, seeing if there's anything else that can be of use while everyone is trapped here.

Unfortunately, this is the precise moment his flashlight decides to flicker.] Ah...? Are the batteries dying...? [Ryotarou smacks at the flashlight a few times to try and get the light to come back on which is totally how you fix any faulty appliance! Too bad he isn't looking where he's going now... because that's a pool he just walked into with a yelp and a loud SPLASH.

... even worse is that he can't swim. SO IF ANYONE IS AROUND, FEEL FREE TO SAVE HIM. Or... point and laugh. Either works. He'll just be busy flailing and kind of sort of drowning over here.]

Comments

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[And while Ryotarou may be oblivious to a lot, sometimes he'll surprise you with what he notices. He's quick to reassure, in this case.] She was fine! I mean... she was still hallucinating when she woke up later, but... not as bad as before, as far as I could tell.

[contract_star]

Oh. Well that's...

...at least she's alive. [Relieved!] But she could be anywhere out there...

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[nods, now getting kind of worried] Do you... think we should look for her?

[contract_star]

Yes. But you should probably get into something dry first.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

... You're right. Um... [He glances around the pool area for a moment.] I can't remember which direction I fell in from...

[contract_star]

[Sighs.] Well, let's...let's head for one of the light sources. Someone even put up a trail of glowing trees between places--we can follow them. From there we can figure things out.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

Glowing trees...? [Nods a little in agreement.] Good idea.

[contract_star]

Right. I have no idea how they got there.

[Looks around for the nearest trail of Ammy's saplings. He points.] That way's as good as any. Come on.

[Starts walking.]

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[Ryotarou stands, a bit worn out from all the excitement of near-drowning, and follows Hei.] They're useful at least...

[contract_star]

Mm. [His mind is elsewhere.]

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[Ryotarou gives him a bit of a curious look, but... doesn't ask.]

[contract_star]

[Hei is doing that thing where he just sort of stops talking, since he has absolutely no concept of awkward silences.]

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[Ryotarou and Yuuto are totally willing to give demonstrations, if that's the case.]

Ah... Hei-san... [He's looking over at the glow the other is still casting.] You said all Contractors have obeisances, right?

[contract_star]

[Blinks and glances back over his shoulder, since that kind of came out of nowhere.]

Almost all of them.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[Not as random as you might think. Ryotarou just has an interesting thought process.]

'Almost'?

[contract_star]

Some Contractors manage to pay it off in full--though it takes an enormous price. And...then there's me, who just doesn't have one. I don't know why.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

Are there any other Contractors who don't have one? Or... is it just you?

[contract_star]

...I think I'm the only one who simply never had one.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

I wonder why that is...

[contract_star]

Hm. [Hei knows it has to do with his sister, but Ryo doesn't need to know about that. At all.]

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

[Everything always has to do with the sister.]

... Hei-san, you and Misaki-san are from the same reality, right?

[contract_star]

[Hei would heartily agree.]

Sort of. She's from a year into my future.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

Your future? ... time travel?

[contract_star]

No. Just...a different point in the timeline.

[saythistostart.livejournal.com]

That's possible...?