001 ♫ text

[songsearching]

[ Today, a text message comes from someone with the username of K in the later hours of the evening -- partially due to the fact that Kanade herself is a bit... nocturnal, to say the least. ]

This is pretty different from the texting services I'm used to, but it's kind of a relief that we get anything to begin with... even if the device is a bit concerning.

I just found out that the ferris wheel cabin I was assigned to is a bit messy, so I was wondering if anybody wanted to help me clean it.

[ "A bit" is an understatement, but she isn't going to admit that.

She also isn't going to admit that seeing what was in there almost gave her a panic attack, either. It's fine. ]

Comments

[songsearching]

No.

[ Her answer is immediate, and it's filled with something determined. ]

I'll help. So... you don't have to do this alone.

[beathollow]

... If you're certain.

( she'd pass the dolls onto someone else if it didn't mean having to explain why. ... she doesn't once think to hand them over to kanade. what she does press into kanade's hands is instead her little pink deer power bank- it works as a hand warmer as well.

something to provide some sort of comfort while mafuyu begins cleaning things up. )

[songsearching]

I wouldn't say anything that I didn't mean.

[ She just isn't that kind of person. And more importantly, if it's something that can help Mafuyu, then... she feels obligated to it. ]

[beathollow]

No, you wouldn't.

( but somehow this taunt feels so much worse than hers. like something kanade shouldn't have been exposed to, but the damage is too late. )

... Why the mud, though...

( yes. that is the real mystery here, good job mafuyu. )

[songsearching]

I don't know.

[ It's... honest, to say the least? ]

Maybe whatever was in here tracked it inside.

[beathollow]

Maybe. But I hadn't seen anything like that in my cabin.

( ... it's strange, referring to it as 'hers'. but what else is she supposed to call it?

she doesn't want to make a life here, that much she knows. and yet...

whatever. she's going to start cleaning now. )

[songsearching]

It could be unique to this one...?

[ Which.

Begs the question as to "why". ]

[beathollow]

I tried seeing if anyone else had seen such a thing when they were able to enter their cabin, but no one said anything... all I can compare is the two of us.

( both upsetting, but in different ways. hers still pristine with a cruel little message hidden in paper dolls tucked all over, kanade's messy and harmful...

ah. )

Maybe... it reflects our living spaces normally.

[songsearching]

...you really think it's something like that?

[beathollow]

... I'm not sure. Especially since I haven't seen the other cabins. But...

( ... yeah, no, she's got nothing else. but a possible connection is better than absolutely nothing, right? )

[songsearching]

...Mm. Maybe we should talk to the others about this later, then.

[ Might as well, after all. ]

[beathollow]

Yes. I'm just not sure when.

( when will they have a family meeting... i say, planning one actively. )

[songsearching]

... It's okay. We'll figure it out.

[beathollow]

( mafuyu nods, and resumes cleaning. ... when did she stop? she doesn't remember. sometime during the conversation, surely, but...

...

whatever. just keep going. )

Is it bad that I'm relieved that the others aren't here?

[songsearching]

No.

[ Kanade shakes her head, her voice still low and quiet as ever. ]

It's... better, I think. That they're not here.

[beathollow]

Mm. I don't know why we're here... but. The fewer, the better.

[songsearching]

Yeah... for sure.