young_oldman | IC Inbox: Empatheias

[but they were all set to talk about the weather...]

Miss Ayumi? I haven't heard anything about a ghost here, but perhaps I've seen her in passing? Can you show us an image?

Here. [And up pops this image.]

You may also have heard her over the crystal network. The last time she spoke, it was with regards to the Arehtei.

[He can't recall word for word what Ayumi had been going on about, but it's enough for a soundbite of her voice.]

[Bobby did remember the ghost girl- he just didn't know her name's Ayumi. And hey, he even remembers the conversation he had with her in response to her Arehtei fears.]

Yes, that's right! That poor girl! She was so scared! It's awful enough that she was murdered at such a young age. To be worrying over things like fearsome god creatures when she should be resting in peace... It's heartbreaking...!

...I remember her, too. She was expressing concern over the intent of the Arehtei when we last spoke - during the business with Junko.

[Edea gives a slight nod. And given the lead-up that Bobby had missed, it seems safe to say...]

She's not what she seems, then.

No. She's not as innocent or naive as she portrays herself to be.

[And just as he's shown Sanae, he shares with Bobby and Edea the memory of his first meeting with her. She's hardly the scared, cute young girl that most people think she is.]

She is a vengeful spirit, a ghost that is fueled by anger and malice. As the name suggests, they are the spirits of those who have had a grave injustice inflicted upon them in life. They are unable to rest in peace and roam the earth. Some of them, upon completing their revenge, are able to move on to the next world, content that justice has been served. Others linger on, unable to let go of their grudge and unleashing their wrath on those unfortunate enough to cross paths with them.

[Not what she seems? Well, that's just-

...Ah. The memory is irrefutable. Sure, it could be faked, but why bother? Lu Meng wouldn't try to make an innocent girl out to be a psychopath.]

Then... It's clear what we need to do! We need to help poor Miss Ayumi find peace at once! If we can convince her that justice will be served, I'm sure she'll be a lot less angry! That way, even if she can't pass on because she's stuck here, at least she'll have another chance to be happy! [...Yes, that is what he got from Lu Meng's explanation.]

I mean, can we really blame her for being mad? If I suffered such a horrible fate, I'd probably become a lingering phantom too! [...Hah.]

...What an unpleasant child.

[It brings to mind someone she had known well... A little girl snatched from the jaws of death. But the outcomes had been the same. Overwhelmed with bitterness and hatred, so, too, had Victoria become nothing more than a grotesque mockery of life.]

I do have to question whether or not that's actually Miss Ayumi anymore. Where I come from, spirits may be drawn to the site of a violent death and absorb the negative emotions of the deceased. Or, upon death, a soul may become corrupted by a terrible grudge and warped into a Wraith...

What's your opinion, Lu Meng? Does she seem actively malignant?

I can't say I'm an expert in vengeful spirits. But they take their vengeance without warning. [He's speaking from experience here. It may not be obvious to Edea or Bobby, but Lu Meng's shadow begins to slowly stretch out, like it's being pulled from the top end. His hands had been curled up slightly into a small fist, resting near his knee; his fingers bend in harder, and if his commanders' eyes are sharp enough, they might see the movement.]

My..."reward" for speaking to her, was that she wouldn't disturb the rest of the crowd. Whether she was referring to just simple tricks or something more sinister and violent, I can't really say, but her attitude by itself would suggest that she harbours plenty of ill will towards the living.

I don't know if she can be reasoned with. [He admits gravely.] But so far it seems she hasn't done anything wrong, apart from pretending to be a young, innocent and naive ghost.

[Hm. This is really one of those moments where Bobby wishes he knew a bit more about the spirit channeling from his own world. He knows it played a big part in certain trials in the past, but he never looked into the details. Even if he did know, would it even make a difference? It seems as if every world has different 'rules' on that sort of thing.

His eyes flicker to Lu Meng's shadow, but he doesn't acknowledge what's happening there.]

If she hasn't done anything wrong yet, that's all the more reason to get close to her. I don't think it's impossible to gain her trust and if we do that, any plans for injustice she might have would be dropped before she can follow through. Wild accusations or warnings would just make her angrier.

Mm...

[Edea will reluctantly agree. On principle, she hates ghosts, but... she can at least be impartial enough to recognize that applying the rules of her world elsewhere isn't always the right thing to do.]

Alright. If you think it's possible, then... perhaps it's for the best we try a more lenient approach. Goodness knows we don't need an actively malignant spirit around.

[She has some misgivings, but... Perhaps she's not the only one. Lu Meng's emotional manifestation will be unremarked upon. It's usually not entirely polite to comment on things people can't help.]

I am not particularly agreeable to this strategy either, but we are sadly limited by the laws of this world.

[Lu Meng's hand goes up to his temple, nursing a growing headache that is no doubt compounded by the very predicament that Empatheias's strange no-death rule had placed them in. Like Edea, he too would rather see Ayumi exorcised than running around freely with no chains on her.

Also, Bobby's comment brings another issue to mind, one that he should address here as well.]

Be careful not to let her know that you are aware of her true nature as well. Play her game, let her find her amusement in her tricks. She'll be less likely to break her cover then.

IC Inbox: Empatheias

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