a simple question; (cw: death/dying discussion)

[icanhearscreams]

[An unsigned note appears on the bulletin board, written in extremely neat handwriting. There's a few smudges on it from erased lines, as if the author wrote it over and over again.]

Is anyone else here dead?

[Just five words. No signature. He'll see how this turns out.]

Comments

[icanhearscreams]

... What's your name?

[He's suspicious, but he has nothing else to really go on.]

[birdchasingecho]

What else could my name be, with this face, but Torioi Mei?

[she giggles, a little, but shakes her head.]

They've taken to calling me 'Shadow', so let's go with that for now.

And your own name?

I'll probably have a different name in the Story, but you'll know me as different because, well. I'm made of shadow-stuff. We're very different in that way.

Do we have a deal, then?

[icanhearscreams]

[Look, she could have a twin sister, he doesn't know.]

... Ushiro Jun.

[He's hesitant to solidly say that they have a deal. He now knows the danger of getting into contracts he doesn't understand. But -]

I'll look for you.

[birdchasingecho]

Then I'll leave it in your capable hands, Ushiro Jun.

Until then, keep your eyes open, and your heart unbound.

[She melts back into a pool of shadow-stuff-- not unlike a Slime, yes, that Slime--]

[And slips, like liquid, back through the stacks and away.]