hugtopia | [voice]

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Has anyone else tried communing with the dead since they came here?

[Probably not - not only have the locals probably not had a mortal body in ages, she hasn't met a single person who knows about necromancy. It's a terrible shame.]

I can't find any human remains here, I'm not sure anyone even knew what I was talking about when I asked. I found a dead animal yesterday - I think it was dead - but it didn't make any noise. I can't tell if something's wrong with me, or... if death just works differently here. I haven't even been able to hear my crow since I got here.

[There's a long pause while she stews in her distress, before adding on what seems like an unrelated thought.]

Does anyone know how to hire a maid?

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Oh! I haven't tried it myself--I don't actually know how--but do you mean like a seance? I was talking to someone a while back who wanted to try talking to some of the gods who supposedly died, and that was the only possibility I could think of. Do you know how to do something like that? By any chance?

[ After that very eager questioning is done, she continues in a more relaxed tone. ]

I don't think there could be any human remains here, since the locals wouldn't have actually been humans before they chose the robot life? And I'm pretty sure none of us who were brought here have died here--at least, as far as anyone knows.

As for a maid, I would think you could just put up a job advertisement on the network. I'm not sure what the going rate for one would be, though...

A seance? I suppose it couldn't hurt.

[She thinks it over, worrying her lip idly.]

Far be it from me to ask anyone to die for the sake of an experiment... we would have to ask around, see if any of the natives remember a dead one that didn't turn into a robot.

[A pause.]

Do you think I could pay for a maid with hugs?

So you do know how!! Ah, I'll have to tell him I finally found someone!

[ There's a quick but pensive little hum at that next part. ]

Well, if being human isn't a concern, it looks like the folks in Shoremere didn't all go the robot route--have you been there at all yet? I don't know what they do for funerals though, so it's possible they don't have any remains either--and we're kinda just getting to know them, so it's probably a little early to poke into a sensitive topic like that with them.

... Well. Some people might go for that, actually. Is the maid situation really so urgent?

Is death something to be sensitive about? It wasn't in Thornwell.

[Maybe in the rest of the world. She doesn't know.]

If they burn their dead, there will be nothing to speak through, but a seance doesn't require a corpse. Just a clear image of the person being summoned. If your friend has someone in mind, we can always try to contact them.

[Granted, there's much more room for user error without human remains... but she'll take anything.]

...Perhaps it isn't urgent, but it feels improper to be without hired help. I feel almost naked.

[ There's a pause, before she pipes up again thoughtfully. ]

I suppose that would depend on cultural perspectives and things like that. I can't say I know the details of the Aellyn philosophy on death, but if you consider that so many of the native folks picked living for centuries in robot bodies over dying normally... it feels like they might have some sensitivities about it, you know?

Ah, I don't think he has pictures. But I'll tell him about that, so he'll know to look! This is definitely the biggest lead we've had either way!

[ There's another pause, but when she speaks up this this time, there's a subtle little quiver to her voice. ]

Ma'am, I'm just guessing, but... would you happen to be royalty?

Pictures...?

[It takes Letha a moment to remember that photographs exist - they're new technology to her, something she has to remind herself of because a 'picture' to her still means a portrait painting.

And while she's thinking about that, the girl's question catches her off guard.]

...Not quite. I'm the grand-daughter of the Lady of Thornwell. My name is Lady Letha Regis of Thornwell - just Letha is fine, though.

Mmhm! [ It hasn't occurred to Kyoko to even wonder if she needs to explain photographs--she's not actually thinking of them in this scenario. ] Maybe there's something in an old book somewhere, something like that... It could take a while to find.

But more importantly! Lady!! [ There had been the briefest moment of disappointment that she wasn't talking to a princess right now, but any kind of nobility was enough to send Kyoko right to the moon. ] Please let me be your maid! No payment necessary!

[Being fawned over has become a rare occurrence, and it catches her off guard enough that Letha blushes. A bright smile warms her face, and she nods.]

Well, I don't want you to starve. How about a hug every day in return for working as my maid?

[That seems fair enough - she can't wrap her head around the exchange rate of pounds to touch, and she had never managed to get a living servant back home. The death don't need payment.]

[ It's a good thing this is audio--if Kyoko had seen that smile, the encouragement probably would have destroyed any chance of this conversation not descending into her excited nonsense. ]

Oh, it's so kind of you to worry! But I already have other income, and my replicator is pretty robust actually--it's much more important to make sure you have what you need! Really, don't worry at all! Only tell me what services you require, my lady!!

[ Well. The excited nonsense might be unavoidable, actually. ]

You won't find human remains here. Well...not unless one of the humans that have been brought here dies. But I don't think that's happened yet. [There's still time.]

I tried talking to an apparition outside the walls, but it...was not successful. [He's hesitant to count "intense feelings of hunger" as communication.]

Can't help with the maid thing.

There's still time.

[Which is said thoughtfully, without any feelings one way or the other. Death is inevitable.]

Tell me more about this apparition. Do you mean a ghost?

[He snorts softly. He likes her already.]

Yes. Though not like any ghost I've encountered before. Which...I guess makes sense, this being a different world and all.

Ghosts aren't real, at least not in my world. The living can visit the dead, but the dead tend to stay where they belong. I suppose all of that would be different here.

But I take it you have some experience. Are there ghosts in your world?

There are. Most will go to the Underworld, but some will remain on the surface.

If there are no ghosts, then are they just corpses? Can they communicate?

There are souls, but they stay in the Netherworld. When we visit them, we call it death-walking. We can speak to them through their remains, but they have no say over what happens to the corpse. Once the soul dies, we use the corpse for manual labor until the bones are too old and brittle for our magic to hold it together.

Most people shy away when I speak about necromancy, here.

[Death-walking sounds badass.]

Their souls can die? [Bodies eventually crumbling away makes sense. But he's always known souls to be eternal.]

People fear death. It's natural. I don't mind it.

[Tai knows he can't help much on the necromancy front. He can only imagine how distressed she must be about it though. Just from their brief convers,ation she'd spoken so proudly about her ability, alongside how useful the 'risen' were. If it was something that was so normal for her before coming here, well, it's got to be quite a blow.

What he can do, however, is answer that second question with a grin.]

I'm not going to be your maid, but what do you need help with?

[Even if he's saying no, the mental image of Tyler as a maid gets a giggle out of her.]

Well, I haven't gotten any laundry done yet... I bought come clothes to last me a while, but the dress I brought with me is rather delicate and I'm not sure I understand how the machines they use here work. Normally I would wash it by hand but I don't even know where to look for sal-soda and chloride of lime, let alone how to know if I've found the right thing. I keep worrying that there's some little nuance I'm missing and I'd hate to ruin it.

[The dress itself isn't that important, but it is the only garment she has from home. Even when she can find similar things to buy, they don't sit exactly right.]

[His nose wrinkles a little as he tries to recall anything he's learned from chemistry class sophomore year. He has no idea what sal-soda is, so better not to even try guessing like she said.]

I know how to use a washing machine so I can show you how to use it. We can even practice on my work apron to make sure we've got the settings right before trying your dress.

[She lights up with a bright grin.]

Of course! We can stand to sully your apron without too much fuss. Although I'm not sure what fabric it's made of, if it will act different from linen... hmm.

[Maybe she just needs to get new clothing, since everyone seems to direct her to the washing instructions on any clothing sold in their stores. In her time, every item was made by hand and one simply had to know how to handle each type of fabric. Even then, it was normally handled by risen with careful instruction from its master.]

It is meant to take a beating so we can really make a mess of it to test out the different settings. Though it's probably made of something more durable then your dress.

[It was defintiely not a linen. There was a different between fabrics? This is news to him and he hates it.]

We'll get your dress clean one way or another.

The ghosts don't stick around here as far as I know. The robots have souls but, if they die, they don't linger. I honestly have seen any dead animals either. The closest thing to a ghost I saw was out in the railway and I'm not even fully certain that's what it was. Bad news though, I wouldn't try talking to it yourself.

Do you normally hear crows?

Also, can't help with the maid thing. Maybe a help wanted ad?

Someone else mentioned an 'apparition', too. I take it the locals aren't very vocal about what they are.

Normally, I can hear the dead - any dead. My hairpin has the skull of a crow I kept as a child. Going so long without hearing him feels painfully lonely.

I don't know if it's the same one. It was some kind of a creature. One moment I was talking to it, the next

My friend was saving me. I hadn't even realized any time had passed. I didn't even notice we'd gotten hurt. The locals did warn it would be dangerous out there, I just didn't realize.

I'm sorry. That does sound lonely. But, even if you can't hear him, he might still be able to hear you. It's not much for loneliness, but it's something.

I do like that idea. I'm not sure Lothric ever understood me, but I'd like to think he's still listening. Even if his spirit isn't here.

If you want to go looking for that apparition again, I'd like to join you. We'll be safer if we go together.

Animals can be very good listeners, sometimes, even if they don't understand. The dead are even savvier sometimes.

I [He hesitates, thinking of the way he lost himself, attacked Faust, bit him. He shudders, thinking it could happen again.]

I think it would be best if I didn't. It wasn't a good experience. But, if I do have to face it again, then I appreciate the offer. Thank you.

I don't see any reason to be afraid of the dead. But if it appears again, I'll keep you safe. I promise.

[It's a touching thing to hear, for himself and for the dead in general which he's cared for as long as he's been aware. But of course, he can't feel completely the same.]

In my world, the dead tend to bite. Sometimes it's good to be wary.

But thank you. That's kind.

[He hopes she never has to try.]

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sorry ive been terrible this month

it's all good!

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