Kenji fell. He was asleep long before he hit the ground, nor did he feel the ground when it eventually came for him. His conscious mind began to run slower, then slower still, as he sunk down through blackness, interspersed with patterns of green and purple.
Kenji watched. He did not reason about what he saw, nor did the thought to do so enter his mind. He watched the memory the same way one would watch a campfire after an exhausting day. Aware, but detached.
There was an enormous crowd inside with him. He could only just see the light as it flowed in through the massive picture windows. He stood on tan shag carpet, up against dark brown wood paneling on the walls, which he would have thought were tacky and outdated, if he could have thought about much in the first place. All kinds of people, stuffed as close as they could stand, and he could see that the crowd extended out into the hall as well through an open door.
They were all dressed the way he assumed people had dressed around ten years ago: they wore suits, patterned collared shirts, dress slacks, and colorful dresses. They held suitcases & clipboards, and everyone’s pockets were filled with pencils & cigarettes. A yellow Skeith stood at one side of a table. He had a scruffy brown moustache and stubble, but no more hair left on his head. He wore beige slacks & shoes, a maroon collared shirt, and an orange & green striped tie. He coughed, and attempted to look at everyone in the crowd at once as he spoke.
Alright, everyone… I expect we’re all on the same page here.
he paused, and shuffled the papers on his desk around, In this room, out on the streets, in people’s homes. We all heard the speech. The whole world heard it. …The first neopian… to walk on the moon… by the end of this decade. And now that world is watching us. And we’re gonna make good on that promise.
The people in the crowd had many reactions. Some smiled, some were nervous, many at the same time. The Skeith at the table continued.
Each one of you has talents of your own. And —in all likelihood— you’re going to get to show them off. You are going to be put on teams of three, maybe five people each, and you’re gonna have to get along. You’re gonna get a lot of feedback, and you’re gonna have to take it without having a meltdown. Making sure that whatever you design… bends over backwards to accommodate what everyone else is doing.
after a short pause, he chuckled, …And if we’d realized so many of you were gonna come at once, well we uh… we’d have rented a much bigger room. Hehehehh.
There were some chuckles amongst the crowd, but not many. Quite a few people pushed each other around in the back, and out in the hall, to see and hear what he’d said.
All of you are going to have to get situated with neopian resources, get your names and signatures written down, etcetera. We have people. Lots of people, apparently. So we gotta get this malarkey sorted out into a well oiled machine.
Kenji recognized someone in the crowd. A blue Ixi with short horns, round glasses, curled hair, and a white coat, who stood near the front of the crowd. He looked at her, and couldn’t help but think that she looked familiar. Oh.
he thought to himself, That’s the lady that was on TV… while we were getting ready to fight the ghoul. Amy? Her name was Amy, right? Right.
Kenji had been moved between the table and the picture window, though he didn’t remember when or how. Something tapped at the glass behind him. The entire room stopped, as if it were a movie paused, though Kenji didn’t notice this. He turned his head to the right, then toward the direction of the knock, to look outside.
The sky stole his attention first. It was a beautiful sunny day, and looked as though the sky itself had been painted by an artist instead of it being formed by natural processes. Thin streaks of white clouds flowed and converged like paintbrush strokes in a sky that was an intense azure. A plane rose up in the sky, and the contrails made a white diagonal line up and away. Out in the distance was tan‐ish grey concrete, then farmland, then mountains behind all of that. Huge airplanes sat on the concrete below the windows, aligned with painted lines in the tarmac. This is… airport conference room? Or a building next to an airport,
he realized, on either a second or third story.
Something tapped on the glass again, and he turned all the way around to look. Someone stood out there, on the decorative ledge outside the window. A pastel colored Lutari with long brown hair stood by his clawed toes, on the edge, as if he were weightless. Kenji felt his chest tighten, and he smiled.
It’s him.
His best friend Dakota was right outside the window.
It’s been so long.
Dakota smiled and pressed his clawed hand against the glass.
The excitement Kenji felt made his breath catch in his throat, and made the world feel like it had begun to spin. The faces in the crowd all started to blend together, and the world outside the glass became even more beautiful.
The image of a sunny day, Kenji’s father with his back turned, a burning space capsule, and Dakota’s smile, flashed into Kenji’s mind for a brief moment.
Dakota said something he couldn’t hear.
Kenji leaned in closer, and put his hand up to the glass, against where Dakota’s hand was.
The barrier between their palms had begun to crack.
The dream ended in a whirlwind of sights and emotions. Kenji was on his side, disoriented and groggy. They were all still in the same room they were in yesterday, although it had been thoroughly trashed since he last saw it.
Kenji. Kenji, hey. Wake up, man.
Rei stood over him as she jostled him by the shoulder. He looked up at her, and blinked a few times. The sun was up, and he was on the floor.
It’s…?
he squinted at the morning light, What… what happened?
Hey, goodmornin! We got ‘em!
Huh…? Got…?
The ghoul, Kenji. We won!
He narrowed his eyes, Did I… what did I do?
What do you mean?
I don’t remember what I did.
Oh uh, yeah. Sorry man. We all missed what happened. They had some kind of knock‐out gas or something. We all fell asleep, but Warren got ‘em.
Kenji sighed, and put a hand up to his head, I’m useless.
Rei stood up, What? No, no, there was nothing we could do! Don’t worry about it.
He pushed himself up off the ground, and wobbled to his feet, 畜生…Chikushō… — Son of a bitch…
he muttered to himself, どじ…穎割族…doji… kaiwarezoku… — Idiot… a useless burden to everyone around me… useless, useless….
Sechson raised his eyebrows and looked over, Hey, uh… are you okay?
I’m fine. Don’t worry.
What’s…
Rei looked confused, what’s the matter, man?
It’s nothing. I’m sorry for my outburst. Excuse me.
He walked out of the room and into the hall, while rubbing his temples.
Once he was out of the room, Sechson looked over at the vice-president.
They’d been silently watching them, sat on the bed, Well, that’s not good.
they folded their arms.
Uh…
Sechson cleared his throat, have you ever seen Kenji that mad before?
Yes.
What’s the matter with him?
I wouldn’t worry about it, it’s not your fault. I’ll talk to him later. Just give him some time to calm down.
they got up off the side of the bed, Well. Everyone’s awake. Let’s clean this place up.
Rei raised an eyebrow at them, So. Are we gonna talk about this?
About what?
The whole…
she gestured around the room, lookin like a tornado blew through here, part; the uh, you swoopin’ in to save the day, part.
Oh, hah.
they looked up to the ceiling, That.
Yeah? So?? What happened?
They didn’t look at her, That is a great question.
Are we… gonna get an answer?
No. No you are not.
They got up, looked down, then dusted something off of their jacket. It made a small metallic noise.
Rei kept her eyebrows raised and stared at them, to make sure her expectations were clear, Really. Not even a hint.
They shook their head.
Later then? At some point?
Maybe. Look, can I bribe you to not ask about it or something?
Hmm.
she smiled, Maybe.
They grimaced, folded their arms again, but said nothing.
What about Cold Scoopies?
she asked.
Again? We were just there a couple days ago.
So? It’s on the way. We passed it to get here. Plus, I’m hungry. Aren’t you?
No. Not in the slightest.
Kenji shook his head and rubbed his eyes, as he trudged behind his friends. The vice-president carried one magi‐gun (which had been broken to get at the crystal inside), and Sechson carried the other. Kenji had hidden the rising sun behind his hand, palm toward the sun, as it would otherwise hit his eyes at a painful angle. A memory stirred in him, as he looked into the back of his hand, in the middle, where the sun would be on the other side. He kept watch there, for a moment. But nothing happened.
He gave up, his arm too tired to hold itself up. He slumped his head down to watch the pavement under his feet instead. He grimaced at his own weaknes. After a moment had passed, he looked to his left. They’d walked from the neighborhood just outside the school grounds, and past the businesses that had set up shop right on the edge of the campus. There was a large gathering of people outside one of them.
He stopped and straightened up as he paid more attention. Blue, yellow, and white Brightvale ambulance lights flashed with the sirens off, and people stood around outside. There was a sign above the building, that read The Rocket
— an arcade. A two story building built into a strip mall, with a fire escape that trailed off into a side parking lot at an unnatural, inconvenient angle. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, though he wasn’t sure why.
Hey.
Kenji stared at the crowd, Over there.
The rest of them turned to look at him, stopped walking, then turned to look at the arcade.
Hm? Oh.
Rei rasied her eyebrows when she saw the commotion, Oh wow. What’s goin on over there?
The vice-president shrugged, Hm. I dunno. Maybe some kids got into a fight?
What makes you say that?
It’s just a guess. Some people get passionate about that kind of stuff.
They all watched the crowd. Paramedics emerged from the dark inside of the arcade, stretcher in tow. It was hard to see from the distance, but it was clear that the occupant was just a child, around 14 or 15 years old. Their eyes were wide open, but their body was motionless.
That…
Rei blinked, doesn’t look like a fight.
Mm. I think you’re right. But uh… it’s not our problem.
She turned to them and made an irritated, diappointed face, Warren.
What? The ambulance is already here, what are we gonna do? They can handle it. Let ’em do their jobs.
What if it’s a paranormal thing?
Why would it be?
I… I dunno. Maybe I’m just in that kinda mindset right now.
Yeah, maybe.
What do you think, Kenji?
He stared at the arcade, then glanced at her, I… don’t like it. It… gives me a bad feeling. Hard to explain.
They narrowed their eyes, then crossed their arms, Hmmmm. I’ll uh… I’ll definitely look into it then. Later, though.
Rei looked dissapointed, Later?
I’ll get somebody to look into it, okay? Just… not right now. Come on, let’s just get somewhere where I can sit down, I’m exhausted, I can barely keep my eyes open.
Fine, fine. Alright.
Rei rolled her eyes.
She watched the people stood around next to the door. There was a child there, a blue Bori with dark blue hair pulled back into a ponytail. The resemblance to Sechson caught her off guard, and she shook her head to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. As she narrowed her eyes and tried to focus on him, he walked back into the arcade, and out of sight. She looked at Sechson. Either he hadn’t noticed them, or had no reaction. She shrugged, then turned away from the arcade. They all began to walk again, and Kenji was the last to make himself move. He felt as though his eyes were drawn there, and into the side parking lot. Something about the place gave him an ominous feeling. He shook his head and tried to ignore it.
All four of them shared a table: Rei & Sechson sat next to each other and faced the wall, across from the vice-president & Kenji who sat against the wall and faced into the restaurant. The waiter stared at them as they decided on their orders.
So, uhhm…
Rei looked all over the menu, are there any specials today?
No. The special is burger.
Rei laughed, Pffft, silly. Alright, alright. Uhmm… I could just get what I had last time….
You have thirty seconds or I’m skipping you.
Right, right, uh. How about… instead…. What’s the uh…
she pointed at something on the menu, the
Big Boy’s Brunch Burger
?
Oh. It’s uh. Burger.
Mmhm? Yes?
It has uh. Fries. On the burger, also on the side. Cheddar slice. Sauteed onions.
Ooh. Yummo.
Frotwysalsagolf. Bacon, soft. Tomato slices. No pickles. No mustard.
I’m in the mood for onions. Sure! Yes, I’ll have that please!
Mm. Drink?
Achyfi, please. Oh, and by the way?
Mm?
What’s the…? Frot‐we‐salsa‐golf?
Secret sauce recipe.
Ooh really?
Mmhm.
The vice-president looked over and tilted their head toward her, It’s just ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together.
Ohh hush, you don’t know that.
Rei said, and stuck her tongue out at them.
They looked back out the window.
The Skeith scribbled something down on their notepad I can give you the recipe, if you want.
Oh, wow, really?
Yeah. Just don’t show it to them.
they gave the silver-colored neopian a pointed look and smiled, as they ripped the paper off their notepad and handed it to her.
Ohh‐ho‐ho. Yeah, you got it.
Rei said with a mischievous smile, and she stuffed it into a pocked without looking at it.
Yeah. Whatever.
the vice-president said, with no change to their expression. I just want a water.
Kenji stared at the menu he held.
Sechson glanced over to him. It looked more like Kenji was fixated on something a million miles past the menu.
You.
the Skeith pointed at him, Not‐Foof.
Hm?
Sechson looked up, away from Kenji, Oh, me?
Yeah.
Ah, right.
he made one last glance at his own menu, May I please have a uh, a hamburger steak?
Mm. Drink?
Could I have…
he glanced at Rei, also Achyfi please? I’ve never had one before.
Mm. That’s all for you?
Yes, thank you.
The Skeith turned to Kenji.
You.
He didn’t react, for a moment, then blinked and shook his head, Oh. Yes, excuse me, I’m sorry. Do… do you serve dessert? At this time?
Always.
Ice cream, あの,ano, — uhm… what flavors do you have?
All the flavors. All of them.
Kenji looked confused, Uh… all…? Of them?
Just order what you want. The logo isn’t a bowl of ice cream for no reason.
Oh… I still don’t think you’ll have it.
They leaned in closer to him, and looked even more threatening than usual: Try me.
Kenji leaned away from them, Uh… green tea ice cream?
Yeah. Any toppings?
He blinked again, and his eyes got wider, You… really have that?
Yeah. Any toppings?
they repeated.
Y—yes! May I uh… please have chocolate syrup on top of it?
Mmhm. Iz’zat all?
Yes, thank you, very much.
Mm.
They wrote something else on their notepad, and walked off.
Rei looked at Kenji, and made a face somewhere between confused and impressed, Green tea ice cream? That’s a thing?
Kenji nodded, Yes. It’s aah, very nostalgic to me. I didn’t expect them to have it.
Oh yeah?
Mmm. It’s uh… while I do like green tea… as ice cream it’s… honestly not my favorite… unless you put sweet chocolate on it, then mix it all together. My mom used to buy it from a novelty store when I was a kid.
Hahaha. Cool, cool.
Then uh, I introduced it to… a friend of mine.
the cheer his expression had gained from the discussion ice cream flavors faded, When we met. He and I would go and eat some… every once a in while.
Ah, cool, cool.
Rei looked to the side and nodded. She could feel the heavy burden the phrase a friend of mine
brought to his face, as if it was her own.
They looked over, You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.
Right, right. Thank you. …I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned… a certain thing.
he said, and he continued to inspect the menu.
They looked over at Rei, and changed the subject, So uh… something about him kinda bothers me.
Him who?
The ghoul, from last night, I mean.
Oh. Yeah?
He…. Okay, so… while all y’all were asleep, I learned a few things about, uh, this guy.
They— I mean, he talked to you?
Not much. I think he might have been delusional or something. Somehere between feral and lucid, still a person, but too hungry to think straight. Anyway. What I’m thinking is… I don’t think he became a ghoul on purpose. Judging by what he said to me… this was something that happened to him. Somebody did this to him. He kept talking about his
family
. I think… I think somebody tried to bring him back.
Sechson looked concerned, From the dead?? What if he was lying?
I mean, that’s possible too, but what reason would he have to lie? The first ghoul, uh… in the library. Did we ever get their name?
I uh… didn’t think to ask.
Mm. I assumed as much. Well, whoever they were, they were up to something. This guy though… he didn’t seem to have any aspirations beyond just fucking with people and doing whatever he felt like. He was just… some guy.
they leaned back in his seat, It… it bugs me. You know? He didn’t even seem like he knew what a ghoul was. He kept referring to himself as a ghost. I thought that that was just kind of… weird brooding act. But again, I’m not so sure. He may have actually thought he was a ghost.
Rei spoke up again, What would that mean for us?
It would mean… worst case….
they looked out the window, and back to her, Worst case scenario, we have someone, or something that can bring people back as ghouls against their will.
Is that something that can happen?
Sechson asked, What can do that?
As far I’m as aware, jack shit can do that. I have no clue. If there is something that can make someone into a ghoul against their will, or without them even knowing about it, I’ve never heard about it, even if it’s physically —technically— possible.
Sechson looked out the window, Hmm… so.
They looked over, Mm? Yeah?
He looked back at them, How does someone become a ghoul in the first place?
Oh.
they raised their eyebrows, and looked overwhelmed for a moment, That’s uh… that’s kind of a tough question.
It is? Why?
Yeah. Nobody really knows the specifics anymore.
Was it… lost to time or something?
Essentially. Everyone that knew how to do it is dead. Appropriate, I guess. Hahah. It’s possible we’ll find out, if any‐a‐these ghouls around here decide to tell us. I don’t really see that happening though.
Right. So… ghouls can’t turn other people into ghouls?
Not any easier than someone who isn’t, no. I realize you made a comparison to vampires earlier. The other day, I think. As far as being undead, and needing food or else they go bonkers, sure. But that’s basically it. They can’t spread the curse around like a disease. That’s why the concept of
making more ghouls
is so bizarre to me. I mean, we know it’s some kind of ritual. It has something to do with leaving neopia, the physical plane behind, and it has to take place during a lunar eclipse, when the barrier between the Inside and the Outside is the weakest. That’s all anyone knows anymore. Well, that’s all I know, anyway, but I do like to think I’ve got a good handle on this sort of thing.
Rei raised her hand at them, Hey, so uh, I’ve got a question too.
Oh yeah? Shoot.
What all happened last night with you and the ghoul?
What?? I thought you said you wouldn’t ask!
I said maybe I wouldn’t ask. I didn’t promise anything.
she smiled.
They sighed, No. I’m not discussing it,
then shook their head, it’s not important.
Dude, come on.
No.
Uhhhg, come onnn. You can’t do that! I wanna know what happened! I bet it was cool!
It was not cool. Believe me. I just did what I had to do. I took care of it. I called Lucine, I called the homeowner, and said that it was taken care of. It honestly wasn’t all that interesting.
Pffft. You…
she shook her head, you obviously have a uh, way different definition of interesting than I do.
Yeah, well.
they shrugged, It’s not important.
The Skeith returned, with plates of food on one arm.
Burger.
they said, and set down a burger the size of the plate it was on in front of Rei, with light‐red, salmon colored sauce on it. It had fries & sauteed onions on it, and orange cheese that peeked out from under the sesame bun, just as they’d described it.
The vice-president whispered to themselves, Damn, that was fast.
Ooh, it looks amazing!
Rei turned to the Skeith, Thank you!
Mm. You’re welcome.
They handed Sechson his plate next, Burger steak.
Kenji looked up, recognizing the dish. It too was the size of the plate, and garnished by some sort of green herbs Kenji couldn’t identify, along with spices, cheese, and grilled onions. He looked up at Sechson, …ハンバーグ……Hanbāgu…. — …Hamburg steak….
Oh?
Sechson looked up at him, You like these too?
Yes.
he nodded, They make it in Shenkuu too. I forgot they had it here. Completely, aah, spaced out what you ordered.
Oh, nice! I’ve never been to Shenkuu before, I didn’t know that.
he turned to the waiter, Thank you.
Kenji turned to Rei, and spoke quieter, Did I use that figure of speech correctly? Spaced out?
She grinned, nodded, and gave him a thumbs-up.
He smiled, and nodded too.
Ice cream. Green tea.
they set down a huge bowl of ice cream in front of Kenji. It was covered in chocolate, and had a metal spoon stuck into the side of it. The ice cream was darker and had more of a natural green color than similar colored mint chocolate ice cream.
Kenji bowed his head, Thank you. Thank you very, very much.
Mm.
they said, as Kenji began to mix it all together inside the large bowl with the spoon.
They turned to the vice-president, and handed them a glass, Here is your artisanal, pure, filtered spring‐water. Only the best, for you.
Yeah. Thanks.
they set it down off to the side, next the napkin holder by the wall.
Enjoy.
they started to walk off, but turned to say something else: By the way. I’m low on to‑go boxes. So y’all better eat all of it here before you go runnin’ off again.
Oh, yes!
Rei waved, You got it!
All of them started to eat, except for the vice-president, who stared out the window, and Kenji, who busied himself as he mixed the chocolate sauce into his ice cream.
Rei bit into her burger, and Mmmm!
ed, Ohhh this is so good! See, Warren, look,
she pointed at the sauce on the burger, I hate ketchup on burgers, and I hate mayo in general; there’s no way it’s just those two mixed together.
I’m telling you, it is.
It’s not, dude, I’d be able to tell! I’m the one eating it!
Whatever.
You wanna try it yourself?
No, I don’t.
Well, then, I guess that settles it.
Whatever.
Sechson chuckled at the two of them, as he cut off a piece of his steak and ate it.
So… there’s a reason I asked, about last night.
she said after a bite of burger, Like, not just to hear the story.
Oh? Why?
Yeah. So, with the first ghoul we fought. That guy was this, like, sorcerer or whatever, right?
Maybe? Hell if I know. He never really got to do anything, as far as what you told me.
And this guy, nasty dude from last night, was just some weirdo with sleeping gas.
Yeah?
The weirdo that didn’t even know he was a ghoul was the one that beat us.
Ahh. I think I see where you’re going.
Yeah. The first guy… was a fluke.
Uh‐huh. I told you. Whoever that was, they’d’ve probably kicked your asses if you hadn’t done your whole… surprise attack, bull rush, thing.
And that didn’t work on this guy.
No, it very much did not.
Well? I wanted to know how you did it, so that we could, like, be better prepared next time.
They sighed again, leaned back, and let their head hang over the back of the booth. I get it. I mean…
they lifted their head back up and looked at her, I’m not sure what to tell you. These people have weird, old magic. This guy in particular wasn’t even using straight‐up magic anyway, that was a charism. Thaumaturgy.
Seriously? That’s what that was? No wonder I didn’t recognize it!
Sechson looked confused. What’s a…?
They looked over to Sechson, Did you see that uh, the red glow in his hand? Where the mist came from?
He nodded.
I’ve seen that before. That was a gift, from a deva.
Rei looked stunned, A deva?? Do you think you know which one?
Jubart. Almost positive.
Really.
The Spirit of Silence.
Slumber.
she corrected them, Spirit of Slumber.
Right,
he nodded and pointed at her, Slumber, sorry. Misspoke.
Why on earth would the Spirit of Slumber himself give such a powerful charism to some random guy?
I… have a hypothesis.
Oh do you now? What is it?
Not certain yet. I’m thinking his
family
might have something to do with that, but it’s too early to say for sure.
…Hmm. I see. But still, how’d they even get their hands on something like that? And from a deva??
I have no idea. That’s part of the problem, I don’t know what to warn you about, or prepare you for. The next ghoul could pull some kind of bullshit out their ass that I’d never thought of. I haven’t seen anyone using charismata in fuckin centuries. Who knows what else these people are gonna have up their sleeves? Super powers?
Rei glanced at Kenji, then back to the vice-president.
It’s possible! Who knows at this point?
Sechson hadn’t touched his drink so far, and as they ranted, the Bori took a small sip of it: Hrrk— eckh.
he gagged, Oh… oh my Lord, this is horrible.
They looked over, a huge grin now on their face, and laughed, while Rei rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Oh come on,
Rei folded her arms, it’s not that bad.
Sechson pushed open the front door to his house, and the rest of his friends followed. They took off their shoes on the stone tile step‐up before the sitting room. Kenji was winded, but tried not to show it. The vice-president tossed the two magi‐guns they held away, and Sechson winced as the metal clattered onto the wooden floor.
Whooh. Goodness.
they huffed, Well. I’m done.
Hm? With what?
Rei looked over at them.
Just… all my plans for today have been shot. We were supposed to have a meeting this afternoon, but… do y’all wanna cancel? I’m… just exhausted.
Rei tilted her head, You are?? It’s only…. Oh. Wait. You didn’t uh. Get to sleep last night did you?
Haha. No. No I did not.
Aww, sorry about that. That’s probably reasonable.
she turned to Kenji, Whaddya think? You wanna call it a day too?
He had walked over to the table to get the backpack full of books that he’d left there last night, はい…Hai… — Affirmative… I’m… going back to bed. My sleep… wasn’t good.
No?
I’m not waking up until I have classes tomorrow.
Oh goodness, hahaha. Still tired?
Mmm. ちょっと,Chotto, — A little, just a little. I’m sorry. Bad dream. No… sad dream.
Alright, yeah.
They narrowed their eyes, Dreams, huh?
Kenji nodded.
Something I need to know about?
Maybe.
Sechson looked disappointed, Oh well. I do have a lot of reading to do. I’ll get my books.
Oh, yeah? You got books?
Rei asked.
Uh‐huh! I bought a few of them the other day! I was gonna mention them yesterday, but uh, Warren pulled out the briefcase of ghoul stuff and I forgot about it.
Sechson brought out a cloth bag, and slid the books out onto the table. Most of them were about the same dark brown color as the varnished wood.
Aah.
Kenji perked up, then unzipped his backpack, Almost forgot…. I have books for you also.
You do?
Yes, supposed to give them to you before. Didn’t get to last night either.
Wait… from the library? Oh, wow! Thank you! That must have been—
Kenji paused and looked up at him, I’m fine.
They looked over, Were there any missing?
Kenji answered, Mm, yes actually, the one by Bren was not there. It said…
pending reprint at author’s request
.
Author’s request? Really? It said that?
Mmhm.
They scrunched up their face, That’s… weird. Maybe his estate has the rights to the work or something. Well, you got Boolin’s?
Kenji nodded again.
Good. That’ll work. Thank you. Did you get these books yesterday?
はいHai — Affirmative, yesterday morning. I was free that day.
Hmm.
they looked concerned, I… see. As long as you’re alright.
I’m fine.
Kenji looked down at the titles of the books already on the table.
What are Ghouls? by Cannizarro, The Rusty Ghoul Catchers by Derel Karak, Ghoul Catchers: the Quest Continues by Vivian Larue.
Sechson pointed at them, We thought you weren’t going to go to the library after the whole uh… thing… that happened.
Kenji made a sideways glance at him, I’m fine.
then looked at the vice-president, Where did he find…?
I uh, I dunno,
they shrugged, These are kids books, so probably a local bookstore, archives, something like that. Stories and stuff.
Sechson tilted his head, Are they not good books?
Well… that isn’t a bad thing. Some of it is legitimately educational. But we’re looking for… historical accuracy, you know? Hell, one of these has some kind of self-insert character married to King Altador. Like, what the hell is that about?
…Huh.
Rei squinted.
Yeah, I dunno. Anyway. The information on ghouls is sorta all over the place, but…
they pointed to the last book Kenji had looked at, this one seems more accurate than the rest of them, even though it was clearly written for children. Have you read any of these before?
Sechson shook his head, Not yet.
Ahh. Well, skim through them if you want, on your own time.
There was a piece of cake, on a paper plate and wrapped in plastic, stacked on top of a to-go box, still on the table.
Wait a minute… is this…?
Rei picked it up.
Oh. Oops. Yeah.
Sechson looked it over, Hey Kenji uh… do you still want your cake and steak?
Hmm?
Kenji looked up.
We got a cake for everyone, and uh, we wanted to save you a piece. I put it with your steak. It’s been… kinda sitting here for a bit, though….
あの…Ano… — Uhm… no, no, I….
he paused, Well…. I think I will. Thank you. Sorry if I’m being rude.
Not at all, don’t worry!
Thank you.
he smiled a little, I… appreciate it.
Sechson looked down to inspect the books Kenji brought. Oooh, so, are these…?
Mm.
Kenji nodded, as he let Rei hand him the paper plate and to-go box, There is more than just ghoul things here, also.
Oh yeah?
Ah,
they pointed at some of the books again, Yeah. I didn’t realize you were gonna be fixated on ghouls when you first joined. I had him get a bunch of random books, lot of other more general stuff. Uh… psychic stuff… dream stuff… different dimensions… supernatural abilities… deva, demons… thoughtforms. Buncha weird shit. Dunno how much you’re interested in any of that stuff now, but hey, it’s there, if you want it.
Oh wow. That’s… a lot to take in at once. Thank you.
Rei piped up, And absolutely nothing about infohazards or novamancy!
They sighed, Yes, that is correct. And, like I’ve said before, I’m not gonna start on that right now, it’s way too dangerous. Especially with this guy.
they jabbed their thumb in Sechson’s direction, If I’m not gonna teach that stuff to you, I’m certainly not gonna teach it to him.
Bluhhh. Well, I would be mad as hell if you skipped over me.
Right, so. Everyone goes their separate ways, and, we all meet back here tomorrow evening? Sound good to everybody?
Sechson looked like he was in thought for a moment, I… guess so.
Kenji, who’d finished unpacking, took that as his que, and waved a hand, Goodbye, everyone.
Oh, gosh, already? Alright then.
Rei chuckled, Bye Kenji! See you soon!
then waved back.
He smiled and nodded as he slipped his shoes back on, then went out through the door, See you all tomorrow.
She smiled and continued to wave, until he’d turned away to walk down the driveway. She sighed and looked over to Sechson, Well. I guess I oughta get goin’ too. I haven’t done any of my chores or homework today. Bleh.
she giggled.
Haha alright.
Sechson said as she walked over to her slippers and went to the door.
I gotta work on my destruction magic homework anyway. Big kaboom! I’ve been putting that off too. I’ll see ya later!
See ya soon!
Sechson waved, and she waved back, as she closed the door and walked off the same way Kenji had gone.
Well.
the vice-president looked over at him, I guess it’s just us now, huh?
they hadn’t moved from the spot they were in when the conversation began, and they didn’t look like they were about to leave now, either. They sat down in one of the wooden chairs by the table. They wobbled a little as they did so, and stabilized themselves on the hard wood.
You… uhm… I thought you said you were tired?
Oh I am. I am extremely tired. But, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Privately. I just haven’t gotten the chance until now. I told you we were gonna talk, so, let’s talk.
Oh. Uh, alright then…?
Right. By the way, have you ever heard of Zenner cards before?
The same sun shone through the windows of the administrative building. The only sound inside was hard dress shoes against carpeted floors, aside from the background rumble of distant industrial air conditioners. Rose, a Lupe in a blue dress, carried books full of actors’ lines against her chest. She turned the corner, from the hall to a large side‐room —the temporary drama club location— and opened the door.
It was dark, compared to the rest of the building, though slim rays of light came through the gaps in the closed blinds. Someone stood in the room, and he turned to look at her. Her hand had gone up to turn on the light switch by unconscious force of habit, and she jumped in shock from the sight of someone there she didn’t recognize. He wore a black hooded cloak with gold accents, gold jewelry, black eyeliner, and what looked like historical Qasalan garb.
Oh!! Oh my goodness.
she put her hand to her chest Gracious… you scared me. I didn’t expect anyone to be in here.
He turned to her, and pulled back his hood, Ah. My apologies.
he bowed his head.
She looked him up and down. The Kyrii’s face was covered in scars, like he had been stitched back together after some kind of terrible accident. Other parts of him, like his hands, were so damaged that they seemed almost mummified. Despite his scars, he dressed like an aristocrat, from his well manicured hair to the regal way in which he held himself. He was muscular and slim, built like a 25 year old, though he had the white peppered hair of someone several times his apparent age. His expression was like still water. They must not realize they’re not supposed to be in here.
she thought to herself.
Could I… help you with anything?
she asked.
Hmm. It’s possible.
he inspected the room, and looked around as though there was something interesting on the walls she couldn’t see.
I’m… terribly sorry, but, we… haven’t quite opened yet.
Yes, yes, I’m aware. Don’t worry. What I’m looking for evidently isn’t here.
Are you here for the…
she began, but got distracted by his garb, …I must say, your costume, it’s…
He looked back at her with greater intensity. For a moment, she saw something intimidating in him. An undertow of paranoid anger flowed underneath the stoic waters.
It’s stunning.
she continued, and acted like she didn’t notice, The artistry is just… just impeccable.
…Thank you. It’s… an original piece.
You made it yourself?
Oh,
he chuckled, ho ho, no. I had it made for me. I am no tailor.
Well, what are you then?
He thought for a moment, You could say…. An electrician. Hmhmhm.
I… see. Well, whoever made it has incredible talent… it looks less like a costume and more of a genuine historical replica.
She saw the same tense emotion flash over his face, but it was fleet, and at the same instant, replaced by a polite smile. I’ll… definitely let them know that their work is appreciated, should I get the chance.
She’d glanced down, and noticed that for a moment, his hand had drawn closer to what she assumed was a replica Qasalan sword.
I’m very sorry, sir, but… no one but staff are supposed to be in the administrative building… until we open, that is. I’m terribly sorry. I’ll help you as best I can, however.
Yes, I understand.
Good, good. So, uhm, what do you need exactly?
Right… I’m looking for a group of individuals. They call themselves a
paranormal club
?
Oh.
she frowned, Those hooligans?
Hahaha. Yes, evidently. You’re not one of them?
Goodness, no.
she shook her head.
He seemed to relax as soon as she said this, and his hand moved away from the sword.
She raised an eyebrow, You’re meaning to join them?
No, ho ho, no. I do see you have a… low opinion of them.
Mmhm. I do. No disrespect to the individual members, of course, but I… just think the entire thing is a waste of school funding. Fools running around chasing shadows & charlitains, when they should be focusing on academics, or the arts. I’m biased towards the latter, as I’m sure you’re aware.
He chuckled.
He had relaxed a great deal compared to when she had first stumbled onto him, and she tried her best to act out the same level of calm.
Apologies, for not introducing myself.
he tilted forward into a small bow, You may call me…
he paused in thought, Raqit.
then chuckled as if he’d made some kind of joke.
Good to, uh, good to meet you, Raqit. I am Ms. Rose Blau. I’m a teacher here.
Well met, then.
he moved towards her, Unfortunately, what I’m looking for isn’t here. I should take my leave, then, excuse me.
She moved to the side, let him through the door, then followed him out, Why were you here for them, then?
Here?
he turned around, Ah, I was told that this is where they met.
She noticed that he didn’t actually answer her question, and narrowed her eyes. She cleared her throat, and played along, Noo, no. Well, it used to be, until very recently, but I had to… temporarily relocate them. This room now belongs to the:
she inhaled, Brightvale University Theatre 🙲 Performative Arts Collective. Temporarily.
Ahh. An unfortunate misunderstanding, then.
he nodded, and they both walked into the hall, towards the exit, You are a… person of theater, then?
Indeed! That’s why I assumed you were in costume.
Ah. Like the theater folk of Altador.
Oh, yes!
she stopped in the lobby, next to the umbrellas & the front glass doors, and he did so as well, Absolutely yes! I adore the theatrical traditions of ancient Altador.
He smiled, We both are creatures of culture, then.
Oh, wonderful, wonderful. Even my screen name, for the uhm, campus computer network, is themed around my passion for the arts. Not sure how it knew that, but it did.
Mmm. I see.
I am known as theatronDelphinidine, on there, should you ever feel the need to contact me that way.
Mmhm. I see.
he looked to the side.
She could tell she was boring him, and continued, in the hope that he would leave, The people who run this place, they don’t care for theatre, they think the arts are a waste of time.
Mmm. A shame.
he looked back to her, What do they focus on then? I’m assuming it’s magic.
he smiled.
Haha, well,
she shrugged, That’s more a hold‐over from the old days. They’ve put more stock in mathematics and the sciences as of recent. And far too much stock into yooyuball. If King Hagan knew just how little the team reads, I bet he’d have quite a bit to say about it.
Yooyuball, really?
he smiled, and his voice went up a few steps with genuine surprise. He looked out over the campus, through the glass doors. The library was visible across the street, and beyond that, large spotlights, pointing down at a field hidden behind it, …They’re still doing that in this day and age?
They are! It’s frustrating. Infuriating. So much of the school’s budget is wasted on meat‐heads.
Hmhmhm. I may go over there just to see if the rules are still the same.
he chuckled, Another question.
Oh, yes, what would that be?
You wouldn’t happen to know where they are now?
Who?
The paranormal club.
Oh, heavens no. I haven’t a clue. I’m assuming they’re still meeting up, but I don’t know where.
I see. I have…
he looked to the side, one last question for you, ma’am, apologies for taking up your time.
Oh, yes?
I’ve never been here, to Brightvale, before.
Ohh, I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit so far!
I have, I have, beautiful city, lovely people. Unfortunately, my… visit here was… unplanned. I didn’t bring my most important possessions with me. Far from where I come from. You wouldn’t happen to know of… somewhere to purchase fine clothing? And I do mean very fine clothing. Most of my regular attire was… left behind,
he adjusted the neck of his cloak, and I do so like to keep up personal appearances.
Kenji opened the door to his dorm room. The artificial lights were all off, and sunlight bled in between the slats of the window blinds. No one was in there. He breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t feel like talking to Vert right now, and he knew she’d have questions about where he was last night. He set his empty backpack down on the desk next to his textbooks, and walked over to the table next to his bed. He bent down and threw away an empty paper plate that once held chocolate cake into a trash can next to the drawer. He pulled up a cord that dangled next to it, and clicked the small plastic switch attached to it, to turn on the wax melter. A soft amber light filled the room. He opened the top drawer, and he used the light to find a packet of cubed wax. The label read Eucalyptus & Sandalwood
. He recognized the shapes of the words, but he hadn’t a clue on how to pronounce the first one. He popped it open, and put one on the melter.
Kenji sat on the side of a stranger’s bed and watched television. It was the same room, in the same house, the night where they’d fought the ghoul and woke up this morning. The memories returned to him. He’d hid in a closet, and knocked himself over. He frowned, then gripped the bedsheets tight. He turned his attention back to the television.
こんばんは! Welcome to 真夜中淹れたて!
The host of the show appeared to speak his mother tongue, even though he’d done no such thing last night. Kenji blinked and shook his head as the host continued to speak, a mixture of languages that made him feel disoriented, the meaning of the words jumbled and incorrect in both languages.
Thank you. Thank you. Oh, my brother? 幽霊を見た? Noo, well, it could have been better. 三九. It’s completely understandable, everyone trusts you, and me, dying someday. 完全に理解できる. Someone will bring us all back, I’m sure, as beautiful symbiotes, 400㌔㍍ゟthe power of thought. Thank you. It’s lovely, sorryません. まあ, ああ, いや. I’ve disrupted the nightstand.
The audience clapped & laughed without end, and they rose and fell in volume without any discernible reason. Kenji failed to make any sense of the gibberish.
Hahaha, and rememory now! 美しさに酔わないように気をつけて!
The television cut to static, and hard-to-read bright yellow text flashed on the screen, too fast for him to read. Something tapped at the window.
It began to dawn on him that he didn’t remember how he’d gotten here. He looked at the door, and it was closed. The tapping sounded again. Kenji looked to his right, to the window.
Dakota was on the other side of the window. He stood there unsupported, as if he weren’t on a second story. There was nothing but darkness behind him, as the house floated in a black void. Kenji smiled, and jumped up off the bed. The garbled yellow text intermingled with the television static, but he ignored it, and went up to the window.
Dakota said something, but the glass was too thick to hear him, and he only caught a faint muffled sound.
Kenji curled his fingers under the lip of the window, and tried to force it open, but it wouldn’t move.
Kenji looked up, and Dakota shook his head.
No…? I don’t… I don’t understand.
Kenji put his ear up to the window. The Lutari put his clawed hand to the glass and said something else, almost inaudible.
失礼, 妖精.Shitsurei, yōseichan. — Excuse me, little fairy.
Kenji snorted & laughed, and he smiled as he pulled his ear away. He could see that Dakota laughed too, You ahh… you can hear me, right? It’s so quiet, I have to strain myself to hear you!
He nodded.
Good!
he said with a grin, You call me that again and I’ll kick your ass!
They both laughed again.
Kenji put his ear up to the glass to listen.
So good to see you. I’ve missed you so much.
Kenji nodded, Yeah. Me too.
He could hear Dakota chuckle from the other side, I hate to ask but… I need something, Kenji.
Oh…?
he tilted his head.
I’ve learned things, out here. About both you and me. What I need must come from you.
O…kay?
I am an inheritor of Life. I did not will it, but that is my circumstance. You are a creator of freedom. That is your role.
He blinked, …What? I’m… not… not sure I understand.
I need to find you, 妖精.yōseichan. — little fairy.
F… find me…? But… you’re right here. You can talk to me any time! You could call me on the phone, or come over to visit….
You’re not remembering, Kenji. Just stay calm and try to think.
I don’t… you’re not making sense….
Dakota shook his head and smiled, Don’t worry. It’s okay if you don’t understand right now. I’ll talk about it later. It’s wonderful just to be here.
…Alright. It is, it is.
Kenji began to smile again.
Do I smell that ridiculous cologne that I used to wear? That woody perfume that I liked so much?
Hahaha! You do, you do.
You’ve been thinking of me, then. I’m sorry, Kenji.
はい…Hai… — Affirmative… I have. There’s nothing to be sorry about. Why don’t you come in?
Through the window?
Yes!
He looked down, closed his eyes, then shook his head, That’s what’s wrong. I’m already inside, Kenji. I need to get back out. But… let’s save that for later. Tell me what’s been going on. How have you been? What have you been up to? Where are you now?
Yes, yes. A… a lot of things have been going on. I’ve been so busy in college….
I knew you could do it.
Thank you!
Do you live on campus?
I do! In a dorm! I’ve got a picture of you by my bed, hahaha. I hope that’s not too embarrassing.
Noo, no, of course not. Which picture? A good one?
Oh, it’s the ahh… the picture your mother gave me… when you….
The room quaked, and the television static grew louder. Kenji’s heart sank, as he began to remember.
Oh… you’re…. No. I can’t say that.
Kenji pressed himself up closer to the glass, This is… I’m dreaming, aren’t I. This isn’t….
Dakota said something that Kenji couldn’t hear, and he put both hands to the glass. The room had begun to shift into a maelstrom. Kenji put both of his own hands to the glass, where Dakota’s were, and it cracked against the palms of their hands.
The market district was full of people who went about their business. Crowded and busy, no one paid attention as a scarred Kyrii stepped out of a tailoring shop, and into the afternoon sunset. He wore black slacks and suit jacket, fitted just for him, with gold buttons, cufflinks, and studs. He adjusted his tie, patterned with black and bright yellow diagonal stripes. All this, over an understated off‐white dress shirt, with thin black vertical stripes to compliment his hair color. He inspected his new fashion in the reflective window of a parked car by the sidewalk. He decided to take his leave, and disappeared into the crowd.