[In the pit known only as Alexander the Great 103, there's a whole lot of moping going on. Hope -still- hasn't come out of her room, and Isaac is all alone, Kai, 'riah, and Ao all being out with their boyfriends for the night.] [It's dreadfully boring here all alone, unless your'e the sort who enjoys reading textbooks and playing chess against yourself.] [Session... START] * Isaac is that sort! Or is right now, as he's playing a bit of chess. * Something odd happens. * Isaac wonders what this odd thing is. No, really. * It's kinda hard to tell, really. Maybe Karasu left the TV on or something. * No, that's not it. There's definitely noise coming from somewhere, though. Which is odd, because the walls are -really- thick between suites, and don't generally let sound through. * Isaac searches the premise for sounds and, well, odd happenings. * There's definitely nothing in the suite making the noise. Even Hope is quiet and unmoving. * The noise, however, does seem to be getting louder. * Isaac keeps aware looking for it, reaching out with his mind to see if it's, well, something human. * A large, ghostly head bursts through the wall right into Isaac's face. White hair, pretty but still many features... and it's followed a moment later by a second head, a gigantic golden helmet with glowing red eyes behind the faceplate. * Isaac 'jumps' back... ~... Hello?~ * The golden helm ducks back through the wall for a moment. * The white-haired head comes straight through the wall, revealing an old fashioned samurai getup, complete with a pair of katana. "You don't need to think at us. We're ghosts too." * Isaac blinks and waits for it to pop back, like these things always do. ~Ah, um... I can't talk. I'm mute.~ ^^; * In the distance, beyond the wall, Isaac can just barely make out somebody saying "We found him, c'mon! And don't forget the kegs!" The voice sounds familiar. Come to think of it, the helmet was familiar, too. ~Kegs? What kegs?~ * The samurai blinks. "Maybe you should try talking. I've never met a mute ghost before. I'm Amidamaru, by the way." * Bason comes floating back through the wall, this time bringing his incredible bulk entirely into the room. "Hello, Isaac!" ~Oh, I remember you! And, um... I really don't think I could, I never learned how. ^^;~ * Isaac floats back. ~Aren't you kind of... big?~ * Bason parks his spectral bulk on the couch. "Yep, this is what I look like when I'm not being compressed into that stupid ball." * Almost a dozen ghosts come pouring through the same wall Amidamaru and Bason just came through, three of them toting large spectral steel kegs on their shoulders. * Isaac watches them float past. ~Um... So what's going on?~ * One of the ghosts, a massive black man wearing a heavy leather apron, sets his keg down. "It's a dead man's party!" * The spectral kegs are quickly set down in various spots around the room and tapped. * Isaac blinks. ~Dead man's party? Like?~ * Another ghost, a japanese kid who can't be much "older" than Isaac himself, pushes a full mug into Isaac's hand. Fights are over for the week, so all us fighting ghosts, and some of the others, get together and have a nice party. ~So you get together and just throw a party like that?~ Yes. One of the cooks in the cafeteria can see spirits, and he sacrifices some kegs to us so we can actually drink it. ~I don't think I should drink anything, but it's okay with me to do something. I already beat myself anyways.~ ^^; * The congregation cracks up at this pronunciation. * Isaac looks confused. ~Did I miss something?~ Only because you died too young. Only the good die young, you know. Anyway, drink up. * The ghosts gathered around the room all take this as the signal to start draining their own mugs. * Isaac doesn't drink, naturally. Then again, he never drank anything for pleasure before either. * Amidamaru takes a seat in midair, next to Isaac. "Why so somber? And sober?" ~Just, well... There are so many people I'd like to talk to, but can't. And I can't drink that, it smells nasty.~ >_< * The big black ghost pipes up from behind Isaac, "It gets better the more you drink, kid." Ah, you're lonely? ~A bit, yeah. The rest of my team can see me, but they're off doing other things or being creepy.~ Well, now you're meeting most of the other ghosts here, so you'll never lack for companionship. * One of the other ghosts, a pretty girl who can't have been more than twenty, takes a seat across from Isaac. "Yeah, and it's fun to play tricks on the people who can't see you." ~Heh, you think so too?~ ^_^ * Isaac turns to Amidamaru. ~Well, yes. But... where were they hiding before?~ * The girl nods eagerly, flipping her short red hair all over the place. "Absolutely. I'm Naomi, by the way. Pleased to meet you." She offers Isaac her hand. * Isaac takes her hand and shakes it. ~Nice to meet you too. I'm Isaac.~ You wouldn't believe how much fun it is to unplug somebody's computer when they haven't saved their essay. ~That's just mean!~ Teaches 'em right for not saving. Basic computer knowledge, there. ~Yeah, but making them lose all that work? That's just mean. You could get them expelled for doing that at the wrong time.~ Expelled? No way, not for missing an essay. ~Yeah, if it drops their grades and causes them to fail the course.~ Yeah, right. Like anybody would fail for being late on one essay. ~It could. It did in my classes. ^^;~ Wow. The stress musta been what killed you. ~No, it was prety easy really.~ Ooooh, you're a smart one, then? I thought you were a fighter! ~I don't think of myself as one, but a lot of people do think I'm a fighter. I help Kai out when he fights, for instance!~ * Naomi blinks. "You mean... you're a fighter, too? You do fights AND classes? * Isaac blinks. ~I guess so? I more tutor than take tests or something like that, though.~ You're a really lucky find. Not many of us are good at both. ~I think it's more like I found him... I think.~ Really? Your shaman is a really lucky guy. ~He was kinda not using his body at the time. ^^;~ What, and you just took over? ~I don't think I did. Maybe? Not really. I just remembered waking up in it without anyone else there. I felt really bad after that...~ I've never heard of anything like that. Ever. ~Yeah, it's weird. But I'm here, aren't I?~ Yeah, it's really mysterious. * Isaac waggles his fingers at Naomi. ~Spooooooooooooky, even!~ * Naomi waggles an index finger at Isaac. "You don't get much spookier than ghosts, mister. ~What about ones that talk in your head?~ Oh, that's not so bad, really. ~At least someone doesn't think so.~ What, people think you're a freak? * Isaac smiles. ~They did when I was alive.~ Yeah, but you were a kid, so that doesn't count. Kids are mean. ~I still AM a kid. And we're with other kids too!~ Yeah, but now you're with kids who deal with the impossible on a daily basis. So compared to all that, you don't seem so strange. * Naomi takse a big drink from her mug. * Karasu walks in from the training room. My, he's looking badass today. ~Yeah, I guess so...~ * The common room is a mess, Karasu. Like, seriously a mess. And there are at least a dozen people in here, some of whom are sitting in midair, and all drinking from a pair of big kegs set up on one counter. * Isaac hasn't seemed to notice Karasu yet. C'mon, drink up. It's good for you. Don't get all gloomy, we're supposed to be having FUN! * Karasu looks them all over, wondering how he managed to miss this. ~No, I really shouldn't.~ ^^; You really shouldn't get gloomy, that's RIGHT! BUt it's a long afterlife, Isaac, so you may as well start drinking now! * The rest of the party goes silent. * The ghosts are all staring uneasily at Karasu. Except for one who looks like he's contemplating diving for a wall. * Karasu folds his arms and observes. ~Nononono, I can't drink. Really.~ Why not? ~I just don't want to.~ ^_^; * Karasu finally speaks! "I didn't know ghosts could drink." * Naomi pouts a bit and takes another swig. * Isaac looks back and waves at Karasu, smiling. * Naomi casts a look over her shoulder and says "Of course we can! But only if somebody sacrifices some drink to us. We've got a friend in the kitchen who sacrifices a couple kegs to us every week." Interesting. * Bason advances a bit, pushing his golden bulk across the room. "We didn't realize you had returned, Soultaker." It was quite recent. ~Uh... Soultaker?~ He can steal the souls of the living. Imagine what he can do to the spirits of the dead. ~... Uh... huh.~ You needn't worry. I have no intention of using that ability again. * Bason seems to deflate a little, and behind him, the collection of ghosts celebrate! * Naomi turns back to Isaac. "Now, as I was saying... why don't you want to drink?" ~I, uh, just don't like the thought of something hampering my ability to think. ^^;~ But... you're a ghost. You can sober up any time you want. It's all in your head, after all. No actual physiology. ~Still... I just don't like it.~ * Naomi shrugs. "More for me! I'll just have the cook next week sacrifice a keg of cider or something. YOu'll drink that, right?" ~I guess? Just some seltzer water would be fine.~ ^_^; Sparkling cider it is! * One ghost over manning the kegs pipes up, "Noted!" ~So what were you doing Karasu? Nothing bad?~ Catching up. ~On?~ * Karasu nods. "I've fallen behind, after all." It is necessary to practice often. * Karasu nods. [Session... END. Next week, we're back on track. X_X]