[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

[ogrewarrior]

"Nope, not really."

[fearthearrow]

*... he thinks. wait, you were at LDS, so...*

Do you know someone named "Yamada, Mamoru"?

[ogrewarrior]

A nod, then a huge grin.

"Probably my best friend, honestly. .. I don't know who that reflects poorer on."

He takes a long pause, closing his eyes. Connecting the dots, then frowns.

"... That weirdo is one of the alternate wackadoodles running around?"

[fearthearrow]

I don't know.

But I do know he's been extensively researching into this friend of yours, when he's not out and being creepy like that.

*shaking his head a little, looking back at the shrine.*

Whatever he is, he likely doesn't have anything good planned for him.

[ogrewarrior]

He heaves a big sigh and starts scratching at his cheek.

"Great. Some weirdo extensively researching... Wait. How extensive are we talking? 'Cause if he leads back to the other island out there...

... wanna go get a drink? My treat."

[fearthearrow]

*... he does the math.

... he's at least pretty sure you already know who he is, anyway. and again, you're not a Signer.*

... Fine, I guess you'd wanna know what all I've seen him carrying around, anyway.

Let's go before he pops up unexpectedly.

[ogrewarrior]

he nods.

"That'd be real helpful, yeah. Let's get the hell out of here. There's a pretty seedy place that won't even care if you have your hood up I sometimes go."

[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.*

[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?"

[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.*

[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."

[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.*

[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."

[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?"

[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...

[ogrewarrior]

"I mean... Yeah. Actually. I could see that absolutely making him weird. I have a very good friend who studied that and, well. I think they're a few cuckoos over the nest, if you know what I'm saying. I contract out my real weird stuff to them.

... but I getcha. Maybe we can rescue people and they'll only need years of therapy instead of being in some Shadow Realm for eternity."

[fearthearrow]

I can only hope so, but...

Like I said, I can't act on "maybes". He's only done this sort of behavior a couple times since I've started watching him.

But the fact that he went back to that shrine bugs me...

[ogrewarrior]

"A coupla drinks kid, and then we'll go back. Just take the edge off. Because if that had gone south, well. I hope you're associate would know what to do if ya vanished.

But also have people been disappearing since you started following him?"

[fearthearrow]

No, and that's why I can't attack him yet.

But it doesn't help that I only pinpointed him after the big disappearance at the shrine.

[ogrewarrior]

A grunt.

"My first instinct is a real amoral one. He clearly knows you're following him, so if it was me, I'd lay off the heat for a bit and then once someone else disappears, you've got your proof.

... but I get that ain't the good guy option."

[fearthearrow]

Not really, no. There's other methods of tracking him, but they're not exactly as reliable as being right there.

*shaking his head a little*

I don't... want to miss this and have it continue, if that's what's happening, you know? I know logic says to lay off the heat, but...

I have a feeling like if he does this, it's because he can't avoid it.

[ogrewarrior]

"Like he's compelled to disappear people?

That's... creepy. And you're hoping to be able to catch him when he does, huh?"

[fearthearrow]

Yeah, basically. If I can see him doing it, then I can at least know what to do next.

And... context in itself is pretty important, too. I'm hoping if I follow him, I'll figure out why he's doing it. But the most I've gotten was... about your friend.

[ogrewarrior]

"I mean, there's ten thousand reasons to stalk Mamoru, considering all the stuff he got involved in...

Especially if he's researching the same stuff Mamoru did before he, uh. ... retired. From his field. Ugh, should I even bother him with this stuff?"