[IC Inbox - Carvaka]

[necrowmantic]

Notes: Henry's network object takes the form of a book, that looks nearly identical to the tome Grima's Truth. So as a default, all responses from him are handwritten (text). Where noticeable, his handwriting would show up as a small, casual-looking script that's more precise than may be initially apparent. Occasional bloodstains may or may not be involved.

Comments

[text]

[poisoninmypocket]

[After a conversation with Zexion and considering the various options, Monty decides to suffer Henry long enough to see if he can help with purification.]

Dear Mr. Henry,

This is Lord Montague. I wished to make an inquiry regarding your magic and hexes. Are you able to place them permanently upon something, or do you require active participation to ensure that they're functioning?

Regards,
Lord Montague D'Ysquith Navarro

[necrowmantic]

Hey-o, Monty!

And that totally depends on the hex! Some last longer than others, and even I'd be hard pressed to make something infinite. Uh, I guess that translates to 'maybe!'

[poisoninmypocket]

We're looking for a killing hex. Not for people, but for anything living or dangerous in contaminated water. Mr. Zexion and I would like to see to restoring the aqueduct that once ran from this settlement to a nearby lake, or so it would appear from Mr. Hanekoma and Accelerator's comments. The water is not clean at the moment, though. We have few options for purification, but I thought a creative application of your abilities might suit if it can act more continuously than whatever means Accelerator has for it.

[necrowmantic]

A killing hex, huh... you sure came to the right guy!

I can totally whip something like that up! I dunno if it'll be completely permanent, but it should last a good while if it's just killing small stuff. Easy peasy.

I think putting something into the lake itself would work best, along with wherever it comes out here. That'll probably kill the most.

[poisoninmypocket]

[Monty hadn't considered putting anything directly into the lake, but... if Henry can do that, it only sounds sensible. Why is he being so completely reasonable? He's mad. Shouldn't he be... suggesting killing people with it, instead?

Monty probably shouldn't suggest that.]

We'll need to actually get the aqueduct or some other sort of pipe and pump functional and laid out to the lake first, but that sounds amazing, sir! Is there anything you'd like in return for doing something to so benefit the company?

voice;

[trainwrecking]

[ The temptation to text this message is there, but the thought of doing so feels like it might cheapen what he wants to say. It isn't the right medium for an involved discussion.

Instead, Otonashi steels himself and speaks into the device. ]

Hey Henry, it's Yuzuru. Are you free?

[necrowmantic]

[It is a thoughtfulness that is, unfortunately, lost on Henry; his book device helpfully transcribes what Otonashi says, but it doesn't have any kind of speaker.

So naturally, Henry replies in text, though there's some delay there. Did he really want to reply? Not really. It was even possible that if he ignored it, Otonashi wouldn't press the issue, but he wasn't sure.]

Ehh, I dunno, I am pretty busy~

[Busy doing nothing, that is.]

[trainwrecking]

[ Ah, yes. Exactly the sort of response he expects. ]

Yeah, okay. Fine. I'll try to get right to the point. I think we had a big misunderstanding that got blown out of proportion. I want to clear it up.

[ A response at all is better than none, and it's enough to work with. ]

I hurt you somehow.

[necrowmantic]

Hurt? Me? Wow, Yuzuru, you really don't know me that well at all!

[Can you hear the insincere laughter Otonashi? Maximum helpfulness in play.]

But it's okay, I figured out the problem anyway!

[trainwrecking]

[ He feels he has no choice but to grit his teeth and continue as though Henry had not interjected with that. ]

I hurt you, "offended" if you like that word better - scared you enough to make you think I'd do something to take something important away from you. [ A pause, then he adds: ] You really don't know me all that well if you believe that I'd do something to make your life any less whole than it is. People before me hurt you. I'm not out to be another one.

So tell me what you think you figured out.

9/9 text;

[misdirects]

Henry-san. You're real, aren't you?

[necrowmantic]

[What a thing to ask someone. In normal circumstances, he'd brush it off as a joke, but lately....]

If I'm not I'm sure gonna have a lot of explaining to do.

What about you?

[misdirects]

I'm afraid I'm not so certain anymore. Isn't that a strange thought?

[necrowmantic]

One of the strangest I've heard! Especially from you.

Any reason you're questioning yourself now?

[misdirects]

I spoke to Mayuzumi-san yesterday.

Things don't add up.

[Voice; once reality has straightened itself out]

[aigue]

[This feels very odd, messaging someone she feels like she barely knows and yet is now incredibly attached to. But she wants to, she's decided she doesn't want to let go of that connection, even if it was created from fake memories.]

Hello, I hope you're doing well after all of that.

text;

[necrowmantic]

[Incredibly odd.

But not... bad. Even if it hadn't happened in real-reality, Henry didn't feel like it had encroached at all on his real memories. A wolf had taken care of him in his real life, and a fox had done so in another one. And being able to meet that caretaker again, impossibly revived and well--

It wasn't something he could've had in the real world, but it was- nice to have something like it for a little while.]

Renart!!

[His first response is just that- excited, too happy to hear from her to hold back on answering until he had a real message. She was still talking to him!]

I'm doing great! I was hoping you were doing okay too, I fell out of the other place pretty early and tried to go back to look for you but it wouldn't let me back in.

text;

[aigue]

[Oh no, he's too cute. Sort of like Sam, but more violent.]

Ah, I was planning on looking for you as well, but an annoying undertaker got in my way before I could even start.

I just wanted to tell you, those memories we have? I don't care if they're fake. I still treasure them.

[necrowmantic]

[Though he'd already been happy to hear from her, her reply provokes some of that other feeling- an echo of what he'd had in the other world, on being reunited with his treasured fox.]

Me too.

I mean... just because it DIDN'T happen to us, doesn't mean that it couldn't have. Like- if the fox you had run into me as a kid in our real lives, I think the same thing would've happened

I'm happy you want to remember it.

[aigue]

I'm happy you don't think it's a terrible idea.

I'd like to get to know you better, too. Make some new, real memories. If you want to, too.

text

[poisoninmypocket]

Henry, it's Monty. Have you been minding the communications network? We've recently discovered that Ms. Eris is an Historian possessing the body of a dead woman. You're the only person I know of who's from a place with an undead army, so I thought you might have the most knowledge about them. Do you know any particular tactics to employ against such things? Or do you know any hexes or curses that could remove a possession?

text

[necrowmantic]

Ooh, she's a dead thing? I love dead things! It's like getting an extra killing in.

But from the sound of her, she's a bit more like a person and a bit less like an undead thrall. Uh. I mean, you brought her back with ya, I'm assuming she wasn't going GRAAAAUGH and trying to stab you on the way.... Most of the undead I've known have been more like that!

Still, if she has anything in common with them, you have to be really thorough with the slaughter, since they're not likely to be slowed down by a missing limb or protruding guts. And I could probably kick someone out of a body with a curse, but who's gonna be the one holding her down?

text

[poisoninmypocket]

[Well, that's horrifying.]

Not like a thrall, then, no. More like a person puppeting a body of her own designs, but she would seem to be in the body? It's a little unclear how she's even doing what she is, but Ms. Salander is speaking with another Historian named Rhod who may be able to shed some light on that. It sounds like this is all an experiment, though.

As for who might be holding her down, Lucina's pulling together a fighting force to defend against her. I would imagine she'd want to launch a coordinated attach to take her down if you'd like to chime into her latest missive with what you might be able to do.

text

[necrowmantic]

Most spirits are inside the bodies they're controlling. Sorta? As much as they're in anything. I didn't know historians were ghosts! Usually ghosts possess the living, though, not other dead things.

I'm good for a fight, buuuut I'm not sure about this wandering around trying to find someone who might get caught by someone else anyway. That's boring! And she hasn't hurt anyone I like so I'm not seeing the crisis either. Crush a few people with a cool tail, and get the whole population bringing out the pitchforks! Sounds like everyone's overreacting to someone having a good time.

text

[poisoninmypocket]

[There are times now when Monty finds Henry's strangeness charming in its own ways. This is not one of those times.]

Henry, I'll very likely be going with them and may die. [He hadn't actually been planning to do so, but if it will incentivize him.] I would very much prefer not to. And it may upset Renart when she returns if it happens.

I know your good luck curse might help, but I would feel safer with you there.