crowspace | call me out v. 13.0

I think so.

[At that, Reigen sighs, dropping some of his attempt at professionalism here.]

I think that they're imagining things given what they told me sounded ridiculous even by the usual standards, but it's still important to at least look into this sort of thing anyway if it'll help put them at ease.

[And put money in the bank so that he can eat more than convenience store brand ramen this month, but he probably shouldn't mention that.]

[everyone has to eat, except for gershom]

Ah. Well, it's good that it isn't more serious.

Yeah.

[Well, he still hasn't heard anything that sounded suspicious enough to warrant trying to come in. Or at least nothing moving around in the background while this person was talking with him. This "skeleton ghost" probably isn't here, or at least not in this apartment... he will have to go ask the other neighbors for their thoughts, but it's starting to look more and more likely that he's going to have to make something up for the client when he gets back.]

Alright, well, I'm going to go speak with some of the other residents before I head out, but thank you for your time. Sorry to bother you while you're sick.

[And thus, he steps back from the door and begins to walk away... only to not get very far in his investigation elsewhere when a familiar face suddenly comes speeding down the hallway towards him. If Gershom is still standing by the door, he'll be able to hear the conversation taking place... or hell, maybe he was able to tell that a ghost was suddenly making their way toward them on his own, but regardless--]

Oh, there you are, you sure took your sweet time getting here.

"Yeah yeah, give it a rest you shady bastard. We need to leave, now."

Huh, why? Did something happen with Mob or--

"It ain't Mob we need to be worrying about, it's your dumb ass that's about to be in trouble here. What do you think you're doing, standing around in the hallway while a freaking lich is nearby? You trying to get yourself killed or something?"

[......... Oh. Well then.]

Edited 2021-01-07 02:47 (UTC)

[Gershom is indeed still near the door, listening to make sure the nice(?) exorcist(??) has left, so he hears the conversation (though not the other person's approaching footsteps? weird). If he had a heart, it would stop.

So this is it. He'll have to move houses, change his identity, run far far away-

There's really nothing he can do but curl up into a little ball on the floor. Which he does.]

[Reigen doesn't notice Gershom's panic here, focused instead on Dimple here.]

What? Where?

"Right behind that door you were just standing in front of."

But... I was just speaking with the person in there, and they didn't sound like--

"That's because they can still sound normal, they're not the same as ghosts even if they are undead. Different auras and everything."

Then... what are you proposing to do about it?

"Gimmie a sec, I'm going to try to see what we're dealing with here."

[The ghost is now approaching the door, attempting to phase through it to get into the apartment... but then is pushed back out.]

"Shit, there's something keeping me out... probably what they've got on the door here."

[He says, gesturing to the mezuzah.]

"They must be a powerful one if they're able to use something like this to keep even me out."

Uh-huh, sure. Let me try something.

"Wait, Reigen--"

[Reigen rolls his eyes at Dimple, and proceeds to approach the door, knocking on it again.]

This is Reigen Arataka, again. Are you still there?

please don't hurt me please don't hurt me I didn't mean to scare anyone please don't hurt me

[Yes, he's still there.]

[... Well, that answers that.]

I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk. Can we do that? Face to face, preferably.

"Listen I know you're stupid as hell, but I'm telling you this is a bad idea, this guy is probably faking it to make you drop your guard, and when he attacks you I am not going to save your sorry ass because it's your own damn fault--"

Then why the hell are you still here? Leave then if you don't care what happens to me.

[And then, speaking again to the door as he ignores Dimple's swearing in the background.]

I'm not interested in picking a fight if one can be avoided. I just want to make sure that you're okay, because frankly you sound like you're about to collapse from how hard you're panicking in there.

Y...you're not going to exorcise me?

[It takes a minute, but eventually, the door creaks open. There is, indeed, a skeleton on the other side. He's in pajamas with cat patterns on them and he looks terrified of Reigen.

Truly the most intimidating of undead, Dimple.]

[For a moment, Reigen makes the most comical expression upon seeing a talking skeleton, before he notes the cat pajamas. It helps to lessen whatever fear he had before and school his expression back to seemingly indifferent as he coughs and does some kind of bizarre series of hand gestures to try to hide it first.]

No? No. It's fine. You're fine. I think.

[Reigen ignores whatever face Dimple is making behind his back (which is likely one of disbelief too because that definitely isn't what a lich normally dresses like) as he carefully regards the other man.]

Even if, I guess, we found our "skeleton ghost" the client was talking about... you don't actually seem all that intimidating.

[Unsettling with the whole skeleton thing, yes, but not scary, he thinks.]

[Gershom isn't sure he believes that, but it's fine. This might as well happen.]

I'm sorry... I try not to be seen, but I guess I was careless.

"I'll say... so Reigen, what are we going to do about this one? I'm pretty sure you're gonna need Mob for this one if we're gonna exorcize it. Though, I might be able to hold it down long enough for him to get here..."

[Dimple jesus christ, Gershom is standing right there... Reigen does however hum loudly in consideration before he holds up a hand to stop Dimple from potentially acting on those words.]

Alright, look, normally we're supposed to do what the client asks of us, but I'm willing to look the other way on this one... if you answer a few questions for me first.

[He says, now using said hand to point at Gershom here rather dramatically.]

[The dramatics are probably a bit overkill, because when Reigen points at him, Gershom yelps and takes a few steps back. Please don't hurt him, scary exorcist man.]

A-anything you want to know!

Good, good. First question: what is it that a lich like yourself is doing here of all places? Typically I deal with ghosts haunting places they died, but I take it that's not the case with you as far as why you're living here specifically.

Oh, well, the internet connection is good and the rent is affordable.

[Beat.]

And I've had to flee from angry mobs many, many times before.

... Really? How affordable are we talking?

[Dimple then proceeds to very loudly cough behind Reigen's head that sounds suspiciously like "FOCUS, DUMBASS."]

--I mean, right, yes, I see then. Next question: what do you use as a source of food or energy to get by?

[Ghosts tend to feed off humans in different ways, he's not sure if the same applies to a lich.]

I don't... Think I use anything?

[He certainly doesn't need regular food, and he thinks he'd have heard about it if people in his area were dropping dead at random or something.]

Turning into this wasn't my idea, someone else tricked me into it - nu, I really don't know a lot about the details. Sorry.

Oh yeah?

[Reigen seems less tense now upon the confirmation that this lich doesn't, like, feast on souls or curse people and the like to get by. Now his tone is more conversational, asking simply out of curiosity than as part of the job.]

How long have you been a lich, then?

A thousand years, more or less. I've lost track exactly, nu.

[He only really knows that much because he knows when the country he was born in was a thing.]

Edited 2021-01-19 21:41 (UTC)

A thousand years!? Geez, and I thought Dimple was old...

"You wanna try running that past me again, jackass?"

[At this, Reigen feigns surprise over hearing Dimple speak, giving him a mocking look that indicates that this is pretty routine of them to trade barbs with each other.]

Sorry, did you say something? I couldn't hear it over the sound of all this youth I've got going on over here.

"Wow, you think you're really funny, and that's somehow even more depressing than what the lich just said."

Hey--[Dimple ignores him now to float over in front of Reigen, getting up in the face of the lich himself now.]

"Seriously, if that's actually true what you just said, then you've gotta be the most pathetic lich I've ever met in my life. How could you not know anything about what you guys are supposed to be capable of? Here I am busting my ass getting here thinking that this dumbass human is going to get killed, but now you're telling me I'm wasting my time on someone this weak..."

[DIMPLE..........]

[Because Gershom is very easily intimidated, when Dimple gets up in his face, he flinches backward.]

S-sorry... I know they can do magic, but that kind of thing is against my religion, so...

[He's never tried to or wanted to.]

Religion? ... Huh, guess that explains that.

[Reigen says, with a thumb jab towards Gershom's door. Dimple however seems even less impressed upon hearing that.]

"And yet you were able to use that annoyance to keep me out... either you're lying, or you've got an impressive amount of belief in that religion of yours, despite being undead and all."

It's not an 'annoyance', it's a mezuzah.

[He has a tiny bit of a spine when it comes to people disrespecting his religion. Just a tiny bit.]

Yeah, Dimple, quit it already.

[Reigen speaks up now, attempting to swat Dimple aside to get out of our faces.]

Sorry, my... [The longest pause as he debates what to call the ghost here. He refuses to acknowledge him as a friend, at least not out loud.] ... associate is very aggressive sometimes thanks to having an inflated sense of ego and all. Just ignore him.

Oh, don't worry about it. I'm used to worse.

[No torches or pitchforks means it's a good interaction.]

"Wow, not helping with my earlier assessment of how depressing you are."

[Reigen is inclined to privately agree because that is rather sad to hear be said. Hence, why Reigen folds his arms.]

Okay, I've made my decision: I've decided that we're not going to exorcize you, sense you're not actually a threat to others. I'll tell the client something to keep them from bothering you any more so that they don't try to cause trouble after.

call me out v. 13.0

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