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[payback]

[Doop doop doop... just in the castle lobby, but you know, it's Paradisa. There's always a journal open somewhere when things happen.

For a few minutes the journal picks up dictation of... mostly nothing. Rin talking quietly to someone, apparently Tad, from her tone and how there's no response back. This continues for a few minutes before she suddenly cries out sharply.]

Ouch!! Oh - jeez...

[There's silence for a moment. Whatever just happened, from her reaction it sounds like this was painful! But when she speaks she sounds... hesitant, and kind of nervous. A little more normal for her at this point.]

What's this...?

Comments

[losemycherry]

Something wrong? You didn't get a paper-cut, did you?

[payback]

Ah - [She hadn't realized the journal was open. There's a pause as Rin looks for the book and pulls it over into her lap. Slowly:]

N-o... ah, I don't know. I don't think this is normal.

[losemycherry]

What's not normal?

[Yamada begins forming her own suspicions, none of which are appropriate to mention here.]

[payback]

... There are numbers on my hand. [A pause.]

Who're you?

[gunslinger]

What happened?!

[payback]

There are numbers on my hand now. That's not normal, is it?

[exanimatus]

[he sort of skims the other responses and decides to pick up at the moment of interest.]

Numbers. What kind?

[payback]

... What do you mean, what kind? They're just numbers...

[exanimatus]

Roman numerals, handwriting, typeface... Carved gorily into your hand, drawn in ink, raised skin--really, any answer would have been correct.

[except the one you just gave. step it up, Rin!]

[payback]

What do you mean, Roman numerals? I don't even know what those are. Why are you talking to me anyhow?! We're not friends!

[exanimatus]

There's no requirement that I have to be a friend to show concern, is there?

[payback]

... Well then, if we're not friends, why would you be concerned at all?

[exanimatus]

I just think it'd be unfortunate if it turns out you're part of an otherworldy ritual or a castle plot, or just dead because you didn't bother to share. You know?

[payback]

Well what are Roman numerals anyway? You didn't say.

[exanimatus]

[good!]

If you don't know what they are, they'd just look like a bunch of I's and V's. Maybe an X. They're a very old way of counting.

[payback]

Well they're not that.

[losemycherry]

Oh, sorry. I'm Yamada! What's your name?

[exanimatus]

How many numbers?

[payback]

... There's four of them. And they don't hurt now.

[payback]

I'm Rin! Anyway, they don't hurt now. The numbers. But I guess they did when they appeared?

[exanimatus]

Hm... [that dashes a couple of theories.] That's good.

[payback]

Mm.

[... and nothing else. YOU'RE A MEANIEHEAD.]

[losemycherry]

Strange! Well, what do the numbers say? Maybe I can figure out what they mean for you.

[exanimatus]

What are the numbers?

[payback]

... Seventy-two, and then two zeros.

- Ah!