voice | un: 4025dusk2

[prozaic]

With the colder weather comes some discomfort. ... For myself, in particular. [a soft clearing of his throat.]

I am looking for some help in heating up a room-- heating a flat preferably, but even one room would be enough. A small device might not be enough for me, because... well. [for a few seconds, the video feed is on, showing a pale hand around something tube-shaped and covered in lustrous black scales, very long, the ends disappearing off-camera.

it's a snake tail. his tail, specifically.]

I am quite sensitive to the cold and will become sluggish, perhaps not as much as actual serpent-beasts, but still. I can't very well brumate until the weather warms up again, now can I?

I shall repay anyone who can help.

Comments

[prozaic]

What landlord? I've just taken over this small spot in a building no one wants.

[and therein lies the rub.]

[nagano]

...Ah.

So this 'blockade' is presumably more physical and less bureaucratic, yes?

If you'd like, I can come over and do a check to see if the guts in your flat have workable heating pipes. So long as they do, it's not outside the realm of possibility to get things warmed up again, provided you can keep things fueled.

[prozaic]

You're willing to come over yourself? That would be much appreciated. But if you find the pipes are broken beyond repair, or the building has no central heating, do not worry about it.

[nagano]

Wouldn't have offered if I wasn't willing to make the trip. Besides, this will end up being a boon for me in the long run. I have a personal project that involves some house maintenance, so if I can get an idea for the architecture of living spaces in the Netherworld, all the better.

And if the system isn't salvageable, I'm sure there will be alternative methods to keep you from freezing. People will always find a way to endure.

[prozaic]

If the system is not working, then I may move. I'm fully aware that this is a potential route for me to take.

[nagano]

I suppose that's fair, but it's worth giving a shot if it can be repaired.

The dilapidated homes all over Stygia will only fall further into disrepair, and those with working facilities will be swept up by the ever-growing number of Restless awakening. At some point or another, folks are going to need to be able to put in a little work to renovate their houses or learn how to do maintenance.

And I'm sure there are folks among us who know some of these techniques and can pass them down. I know a bit.

[prozaic]

You make a very good point, and I'm compelled to assist more now. I'll send you the location shortly, once I spot landmarks for you to reference.

[nagano]

[ Kaito scratches the back of his head, squinting down at his phone.

Huh. He expected to be rebuked. Not that he knows anything about the man on the other side of the messages, but he's fairly certain that his opinions tend to be a bit more realistic than what most folks are ready to deal with. Either way, he won't complain. ]

That's the spirit. I'm currently at the library in Serene, but it won't be hard to canvas the city for your place once you give me a few clues.

[prozaic]

[in turn, shalem sends a few pictures of the buildings around, with the caption:]

I'll be wandering outside. I doubt I will be difficult to miss.

[especially when he'll be bundled up in something that was once a blanket. now it's half.]

[nagano]

[ Within a few minutes of sending the picture, a mop of black hair (and the head it's attached to (thank god)) pops out from a nearby abandoned building's rooftop. Kaito glances down the side of the building before proceeding to parkour monkey traipse his way to the ground with the help of ledges and windowsills as hand and footholds.

After dusting himself off, a black-gloved hand lifts to wave. ]

Yo. I'm Kaito. Retort. Are you, uh...

[ He whips his flip phone out and squints. Glances up to meet the other's gaze. ]

Forty-twenty-five-dusk-two?

[ I'm so sorry for him. ]

I figured it'd be easier to find you from a higher vantage point.

[prozaic]

A mouthful, isn't it? [he's just amused at the attempt in speaking his username, as evidenced by the chuckle.

though half of it is also out of surprise, because he wasn't expecting a man to just jump down the wall in front of him. who even does that?

(well, he can imagine some coworkers being that bold, but shalem likes having both feet on solid ground or floor.)]

Call me Shalem instead. Thank you for coming to help out.

[nagano]

A bit. I'm not sure which one puts more stress on the tongue, yours or Doctor Haruno's.

Shalem works out much better. But save your thanks for if I can manage to do anything useful. First thing I should do is check out the place. I don't really have any tools on me, but that's an expensive I can afford later, if need be.

[ He'd been hoarding money like a Lung dragon ever since arriving here, so even if his funds take a hit, it'll be worth helping someone else out. At least, that's how he sees it.

I̵ ̴h̷a̸t̵e̸ ̷p̵h̴i̷l̷a̴n̸t̶r̶h̷o̷p̶i̸s̶t̵s̵.̶ ]

[prozaic]

Hmm, then perhaps we should check. [he pulls the old blanket over his head, long ears creating points in it.]

I did double-check to see if the rubble did have a breaker or heating system behind it, and I can say this is true.

[then he points down, to the ground under their feet... but really, he's pointing underground. the basement of this small, old apartment building.]

There are supposedly neighbours, but perhaps they've moved on. [he's only ever seen shadows and heard their whispers, but he's sure that they're real people rather than figments of his imagination.]

[nagano]

[ Perhaps in life Kaito might have commented (inwardly) that the look of the Pythia's ears poking points in the blanket was kinda cute. As it stands, he simply nods and gestures in the same direction. ]

If there are others living there, I should be able to tell. Give me a moment of silence to check.

[ Without specifying how he plans to confirm the presence of other tenants, Kaito closes his eyes and furrows his brows. It's in moments like these where he has to concentrate his psychic abilities that he's reminded of how much more effort he has to exert to achieve what he'd be able to instinctively pull off while alive.

Focusing on any auras in the direction of Down™, Kaito probes out to see if he can detect any living beings' emotional states... Besides the worms. It's easy to ignore the worms; their emotions aren't very complex in comparison to sapient beings. ]

[prozaic]

[shalem tilts his head, curious over what's going on. is this some form of arts-- magic, he has to remember most people know it as "magic"-- that he hasn't encountered before?

he'll ask soon enough, but he'll let the man concentrate.

there are some squatters around, like shalem, but those are few and between... and they're about to scurry away because of the presence of yet another stranger. it's annoying and a bit distressing to them, thanks to a number of reasons.

shalem himself has mostly curiosity, but also a hint of resignation-- he knows that there's a big chance the building is not salvageable, and he'll just have to move.]

[nagano]

[ After a few moments, Kaito straightens up and dusts his coat off.

Shalem won't have to ask, because Mister Rambleman himself is about to report his findings. ]

Yup. There are a handful of them down there. Couldn't really discern the number, but I'd say no more than a dozen. They're not very happy to have us around, and I wonder if they can also detect me.

—For the record, I'm a psychic. I can read the emotions of others. It may be troublesome, but I think we should try to reach out to the other squatters and see if they're willing to talk to us. Worst case scenario is that they get territorial—and if that happens, then I wouldn't be opposed to helping you find a new place to stay.

[prozaic]

[what is a psychic? he doesn't know. at least he clarified...]

If they do get territorial, I have a back-up plan and a new location in mind. But... [his tail flicks behind him, making the blanket flutter.]

I appreciate the help in any case.

[then he looks around himself, attempting to see if there's anyone around so they can get started. but he's disappointed when he actually can't see anyone, nor scent them. and then shrugs.]

Shall we get started?

i'm so sorry i lost this one in my inbox hjgkhsgh

[nagano]

Yeah, let's get to it.

[ Kaito takes a few steps towards the decrepit flat, then snaps his fingers. A head-sized sphere of silver energy forms above him, casting a beam of light down onto the ground. He cocks his gaze back to Shalem. ]

I'm gonna hazard a guess that they're either using a hidden passageway or a trap door to get underground. My abilities unfortunately don't really help me find secret entrances, so we'll have to do this the hard way.

npnp!

[prozaic]

There's nothing wrong with a bit of legwork.

I do not expect you to fix everything for me, especially not within the span of a night or two. [indeed, shalem would be ashamed if he simply sat back and let someone just do things and he reaped the rewards after.]

I am not afraid of a walk, Kaito. Don't worry.