[Event Post]

[fearthearrow]

*So, as you may know, Kou has been working at DA now. This isn't too much of a secret, though he hasn't really given a reason for why he's doing this.

Well, you may find him acting upon one of these reasons, later in the night on the island or in the city [You Choose Which]-- perhaps you're someone who just doesn't follow the rules of curfew or you're late coming from things you had to do, but you'll find some guy following another, certain creepy shut-in dude.

If he's in the city, he's in his dumb incognito outfit, but if he's on the island, he isn't bothering with it. Stands out too much in that situation.*

Comments

[frozenperdition]

"... yeah, I think I can do that.

I'm more worried he'd try and get me expelled, but I think I can eke through an expulsion duel."

[fearthearrow]

Sure, that works for me.

*he's definitely getting out of here, before Tarou can circle back around and surprise the both of you.*

[fearthearrow]

He isn't on official enough staff to make that judgment call himself, anyway. Just enough to try to bring up the topics and barter.

*he thinks a moment*

Think you can do it right now and try to tail him? Just say that you noticed him and wondered what he was doing. *you could use the excuse of you checking out places, anyway.*

Re: [City]

[das_yubel]

Eating souls?

And do you know why he might be eating souls?

[frozenperdition]

"... yeah."

She hands you a crossbow constructed out of pens, paperclips, and the tightest work on a rubber band you've ever seen.

"I'll go in unarmed. If he gets weird, I trust you to be able to help. Or my ghost is gonna tell Trena ya let me die."

[fearthearrow]

*taking the makeshift crossbow.

I'm shocked this even worked.*

Right, don't worry. I'll make sure you live long enough so that your ghost can't get revenge on me.

[ogrewarrior]

Kaz is moving as stealthily and as quickly as he can until the two of you are waaaay out of Tarou's range and then he drops his stalking pose and whispering.

... still kinda quiet though.

"... where the hell did ya find this guy?"

Re: [City]

[fearthearrow]

That's what I'm trying to figure out. He's only done stuff like this a couple times since I've started watching him.

If I had to guess though, it might be... like trying to power a battery in himself, in a figurative sense.

*he crouches down, trying to trace the patterns, carefully.*

[fearthearrow]

Been trying to track him down for a while, since I've been trying to figure out... things that've been happening.

An associate of mine managed to pinpoint him.

*he's keeping the hood up for now.*

[frozenperdition]

It's a miracle of Briar engineering. They think it'll work, so it works.

"Thanks."

And with a deep breath, she goes after Tarou, not trying to be stealthy much anymore.

[knowinginthedark]

*Kou's gonna follow from a safe observance distance, but eventually, you do find Tarou, sat down on the grass, putting back on his white button-up after he got a chance to wring it out in privacy.*

[ogrewarrior]

"An associate, huh? Well, alright.

And ya ain't tried to enlist anybody else? That guy's dangerous, no two ways about it. Even if on the ten percent chance he ain't the culprit, poking around the places where people disappeared is... real shady."

[frozenperdition]

"Mister Tarou...? Are you okay?

I saw ya just... walk into the river."

[fearthearrow]

The problem is that neither me nor my associate know exactly what he's up to, or if he's even the absolute source of the problem we're looking into.

Plus... I really don't want people to know about me and what I do.

*he's self-conscious, huh.*

[knowinginthedark]

*jumps a little at suddenly being addressed, turns to look. ... ??*

You're a student, right? You shouldn't be out so late.

Re: [City]

[das_yubel]

*She watches him trace the patterns.*

So then the question is, who, or more what, is he.

[frozenperdition]

Oh, right. He probably doesn't recognize me.

"It's, uh. Me. Renat Briar? ... stuff happened, don't worry about it."

Re: [City]

[fearthearrow]

*... he finishes tracing, getting up. He had to take a moment. A moment to think. Yubel here... already knows who he is. That he's been going around like this. What'll it hurt if a spirit knows?*

That's what I'm trying to figure out. What my associate's trying to figure out, too.

But whatever he is... he's been setting off this.

*he rolls up his sleeve, showing off a red-lined mark for a moment, before rolling back down.*

[ogrewarrior]

"Is this a 'dark hero of justice' thing or like a 'people don't need to know what I'm doing' thing?

I wanna help kid, but you're gonna have to give me a little more than this to work with."

[knowinginthedark]

*... he looks you up. looks you down.*

Huh. Things... definitely happened to you. I'd been wondering where you got off to after I gave you my research notes.

[fearthearrow]

... Let's just say there's specific people out there-- they're technically the same as me, but there's some bad blood between us. I don't like them knowing I'm around, or who I am identity-wise.

[ogrewarrior]

Kaz nods, slowly comprehending. ... this feels familiar, for some reason, but he can't put his finger on it.

"Gotcha. I'll do my best to not meddle unless asked. I'm a real nosy person and feel like all business is my business.

Alright, so. What's the other ten percent then? He's working for something weirder and creepier?"

[frozenperdition]

"I got stuck in a void for a bit, maybe got mocked by a kid or something. A little hazy on the details.

I wanted to start back on these sorta projects, even if I'm gonna have to repeat the year. Some things are more important. What're you doing out here? Research?"

[fearthearrow]

Right now...

The other 10% is that he might just be what he says he is: a researcher who looks into the "influence of monsters and spirits on human history", and that his behavior is mostly just a direct result of that.

I don't want to shoot anyone who isn't absolutely responsible for the disappearances, or without knowing what happened to those people at all...

[knowinginthedark]

Oh, sorta. Did you know that there's an underground vault on the island? It apparently used to keep some very dangerous cards under wraps, and was guarded by seven keys.

I was trying to see if there was a way into there from underwater.

*... something about this... feels like a cover-up. just the way he's saying it.*