dictated, though anyone in town can run into him!

[mors]

[The journal opens with the laughter of a young man, and the echo of the town fountain in the near background. It's a sunny day despite it being October already, and someone seems to be out enjoying it.]

Three months, and so much has happened... I've missed a great deal, and it seems my memories are still a little hazy. I apologize if my absence was an inconvenience! Not a great deal of time actually passed for me, and I'm not precisely sure what it was that I missed while I was away, save for a masquerade not long ago. Is there anything else that happened I should be aware of?

That aside, however...

Considering that Zelman Clock seems to have gone, I will be taking up residence in his mansion as well as taking responsibility for it. When I was here last, he and I were the only ones actually living there before my departure, so it seems fitting that I would continue to do so regardless of whether or not he's there as well. If anyone finds they have an issue with this, they are free to bring it to my attention, but it likely won't change my mind.

Likewise, I would not find it particularly advisable to trespass without my permission. It won't go unnoticed.

[He laughs again, and this time it sounds almost childish; a little knowing, a little mischievous. People that knew him before can probably picture the smile on his face.]

It's good to be back.

[ Allen ]

Thank you for what you said to me before, Allen. It seems I didn't continue to forget after all.

[/filter]

[ Uru ]

Thank you for letting me stay with you until now, Uru. I hope you don't mind me leaving so soon; you are of course free to come and go in the mansion as you please.

[/filter]

Comments

Filter

[save_the_souls]

Really?!

You're back to normal?

permafilter

[mors]

I'm not sure I can say I'm back to "normal"... A lot happened while I was away, though my time away was still brief. But I do remember you now.

wooo!

[save_the_souls]

What sorts of things happened? Are you all right?

[mors]

It's nothing that you need to worry about, Allen.

[save_the_souls]

Are you sure?

Death

[ofhope]

So menacing. If someone comes over uninvited, should I wait behind the door with a scary mask on?

Joshua

[mors]

You're welcome to it if you'd really like to. I'll know if someone gets too close, so you should have plenty of time to find something suitable.

Death

[ofhope]

Hm, it's hard to scare people these days, though.

[ . . . Not like Joshua's going to run to Ryoji every time he wants someone over, because he gives no fucks really (and honestly how often does he invite someone over), but at least one person is worth mentioning since she's talking anyway. ]

The girl speaking to you now, Lucrezia, has a permanent invitation from me. I have doubts she'll ever actually take me up on it, though.

Joshua

[mors]

I never noticed.

[He's never had any trouble with it, anyway! ...Not that he ever tries to scare people. Of course. Why would he ever do that?]

...A permanent invitation, Joshua? [He laughs slightly. Oh Joshua.] I suppose she's welcome, provided that your taste in women has improved.

Death

[ofhope]

[ Picturing little Pharos saying that last sentence in his head and trying not to laugh. ]

How rude. Riful hardly counts as a woman.

[ Ya. ]

No, it's nothing like that. But the castle gave us a child while you were gone.

[heloise]

He has more friends than he would have me believe.

[mors]

If you mean Zelman, then he rarely spoke of his friends. It's hardly surprising that he would not speak of me.

Unless, of course... you mean someone else.

[heloise]

Yes, Zelman Clock.

He was being humble then, when he said he was better at keeping enemies than making friends.

[mors]

[Heheheh.]

No, he wasn't. If you knew Zelman at all, you'd know he was far from the humble sort.

He was very good at keeping enemies, if he felt like allowing them to remain around. It didn't mean that he had no friends.

[heloise]

Would that explain the mansion then?

[circleoflife]

[A warm, deep voice resonates over the journal.]

Welcome back.

[mors]

Thank you!

I don't recognize your voice at all, though. Are you new to the Castle?

[circleoflife]

I suppose I could still be considered "new"; I arrived little over a month ago.

[mors]

That would explain it. It seems I've been absent for much longer than that!

It's a pleasure to meet you.

[circleoflife]

And you, as well.

I am glad that you enjoy being here; not many do.

Pharos

[amiable]

It's no problem! You know I'd always let you stay.

... Zelman's really gone? [ It's difficult to imagine, honestly. ]

Uru

[mors]

I can't find him no matter where I look, and I can't feel him anywhere. He won't reply to the messages that I've left him, either. [And there have been so very many of those.]

I don't think there's any other answer than him being gone.

Pharos

[amiable]

[ A pause.

Zelman was odd but Uru never saw him for what others may have. He was polite enough to her. Comforted her when she cried over Pharos' departure. ]

I hope he's back home and happy. Actually... I'm sure of it! Zelman seemed like a strong person.

Are you alone there now, Pharos? In the mansion.

Uru

[mors]

Zelman was incredibly strong... and much, much brighter than most beings.

[In a completely different way from most beings. If humans were flickers, than Zelman was a howling fire. He was sure his "father" would have approved.]

Despite the fact that only Zelman and I were left when I departed, it would seem that Joshua has moved in once more. I have no reason to make him leave, so he's staying at the moment as well.

Pharos

[amiable]

He'd been here a long time too, right? [ Maybe it was just his time to go home. ] He was so mysterious, but I kinda liked that about him! [ Too bad she doesn't know about his darker side...

Joshua, huh? It's been so long for her, she wonders how he's doing. ]

I'll definitely visit the mansion. You'll need dinner sometime, won't you?