You are Tsukuda Ryouta. You can't feel anything.
You could never remember any of your dreams. You've learned about their existence through books instead of experience. You've learned that forgetting dreams is common, so you've never thought it to be an issue; just like you thought of yourself as an ordinary person, that, too, seemed in line with normalcy. But lately, you've realized that you might have never had them at all. Dreams are the reflection of a person's thoughts, concerns, wishes. Perhaps that's why you haven't seen anything - it's impossible to reflect 'nothing'. But then, in that case, how can it be possible that the first dream you're seeing... is nothing?
A blank white world. An empty, endless void. A plane devoid of sounds and smells, people or objects.
And even so, it feels like someone is here. You don't see them, but... someone is here.
"Who are you?" You ask. The question echoes through the white world, repeating itself again and again.
...It makes sense that no answer comes. No one else is here.
Why are you speaking here at all? There has to be a reason for someone who can't feel anything to go through that effort, even though it is as trivial as opening one's mouth.
...
>"I want to become a better person."
>"I need to become a better person for someone else's sake."
>"I need to know your name."
>>44814189
>"I need to become a better person for someone else's sake."
>>44814189
>I need to become a better person for someone else's sake.
>>44814189
>"I need to become a better person for someone else's sake."
>>44814189
>"I want to become a better person."
>>44814189
>"I need to know your name."
>>44814189
>>"I need to become a better person for someone else's sake."
>>44814189
Voting over, writing!
Character Sheet: http://pastebin.com/JpBL1B5n
Archives: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Shinigami%20Quest
>>44814261
>>44814319
>>44814335
That's right. You're going through this effort for someone else. You don't feel anything, so naturally, you don't want anything. That makes it a need that has nothing to do with you.
...But isn't that contradictory?
You don't feel anything, but you still have needs. As a human being-... no, as the soul of a human being, you feel hunger and thirst, you can feel pain and fatigue, you have the need to survive and live another day. You've never felt scared for your life, but something still drives you to persevere. You do those things for yourself because human nature dictates that you should; it's natural for human beings to want to live, so you, too, wish to continue living.
But this has nothing to do with those natural needs. This is a selfless desire, not at all driven by base instincts. You don't feel anything, and you should be content with that.
Butyouaren't.
This world has no form. It is a blank space with nothing in it. But even so, someone is here. Who is it?
...
>>44815413
You wake up to someone gently shaking you on the shoulder. When you open your eyes, you see a girl in black robes, her red hair tied into a long fluffy ponytail. It's Kirino Moeka, your Shinigami partner.
You're on a mission in the Human World's Berlin to find a human capable of using Kido. Along with your Shinigami colleague, you've employed the assistance of a spiritually aware human reporter named Melanie, who's currently looking into a few other potentially relevant affairs.
"So you were tired, too?" Moeka says, smiling. She stands up from your side and stretches, offering you a hand. With her help, you stand. Your back feels sore; you've been sitting against a wall for several hours. Well, at the very least, you've finished your research before you dozed off.
Outside, it's already grown dim. The days are short during winter. There's still a day before your arranged meeting with Melanie.
Her hands on hips, Moeka looks up at you with a wide smile on her face.
"Well? What're we gonna do today, Ryouta-kun?" She asks what seems like a leading question, excited. Is she expecting to hear something specific from you?
...
>"We should keep an eye on Melanie."
>Spend some time with Moeka.
>Other. (Write-in).
>>44815451
>"We should keep an eye on Melanie."
>>44815451
Investigate the Kramers associated with the company.
>>44815451
>"We should keep an eye on Melanie."
We are emotionless
It is business first and business all the time
Aaaand work in an hour, but thank you for running. Hopefully I'll get a chance to at least read it at work.
>>44815451
"We should probably take care of that hollow sooner rather than later, if there's even a chance at saving his hostage. He seems smarter than most, but he'll still get hungry eventually. However, before then, I think it'd be a good idea for us to get to know each other better."
>>44815451
>Spend some time with Moeka.
Check up on Melanie occasionally though
>>44815589
Spending time with Moeka means better understanding her personality and capabilities, which allows us to better guide her.
>>44815451
>Spend some time with Moeka.
We did agree to a date. Don't spend all day goofing off though, check on Melanie too
>>44815546
That's what Melanie is doing.
>>44815451
>Spend some time with Moeka.
>>44815451
I feel like spending time with her should involve at least light sparring as well as seeing her shikai if she has one.
>>44815633
Is she not checking up on that unknown guy in the pictures?
>>44815727
Yeah that too.
>>44815688
I don't think releasing much of our reiatsu is a good idea. Might be detected.
I think your voting periods might be a bit too long mushroom
>>44815451
Voting over, writing!
>>44815893
I miscounted the votes and thought there was a tie! Sorry about that!
And so the awakening begins
maybe
>>44815596
>>44815633
>>44815667
"What do you want to do, Moeka?" You ask her. You don't know the city, so you wouldn't know what sort of places are out here that are worth visiting. You should check on Melanie later, if you get the chance to, but for now it's probably fine to take it easy. Though, it seems unlikely that you'll just stumble into her...
You think that if Moeka's grin could stretch any wider, it would. "Well, Ryouta-kun, since you're new around town, I'll show you the places I like! I'm hungry, so let's get something to eat first."
It's been a while since you last ate anything, so that's a good idea. You follow Moeka out of the moldy library, the cold air clearing up your recently woken mind until the cold becomes too biting to bear. Your Shinigami partner seems to be enduring the harsh weather, her cheeks red, her hands together underneath her sleeves; even so, you can see the traces of a smile on the slightly lifted corners of her mouth.
"Aren't you cold?" You decide to ask. As a spirit, she can choose not to be bothered by the weather.
"Huh? Yeah! 'Course I am! We don't have winters like these back in SS. I don't think I'd want this sort of cold every day, but it's still cool for a change! They don't send me to the Human World all that often, so I'd like to remember this feeling!" She explains. You can't really relate to that.
Moeka leads you inside an Italian restaurant crowded with customers. Naturally, she's not bothered by the lack of free seating, as she couldn't really utilize the services here in the first place. Instead, she proceeds towards a nearby door, gesturing for you to follow. She phases through and, with a click, unlocks the door. Her next destination is the kitchen.
(1/2)
>>44816968
There, the cooks are working hard through the busy day. The girl giggles mischievously as she waits for a plate with a prepared dish to be set on the table near the exit, ready to be sent out to the clients. Before a waiter arrives to pick it up, she snatches it and takes it away. "Take some forks and knives, Ryouta-kun!" She exclaims as she leaves the kitchen. Without minding the clientele, Moeka swiftly darts to the other side of the restaurant, keeping her plate low and steady. Returning to the door she unlocked beforehand, she opens it and enters. You follow after her.
It's a cozy room with no one currently in it. You saw a name on the doorplate, and judging by the wide oaken desk and a comfortable looking chair behind it this is probably the owner's office. The girl sets the plate onto the desk, throws the documents placed on it carelessly off to the floor, and takes a seat in the comfy wheeled chair, her hands behind her head.
"Have you tried ravioli before, Ryouta-kun? They're basically meat dumplings. I kind of like them... Well, they actually make this really great pasta dish that I like way more - those are noodles from Italy by the way, in case you didn't know - but I think it's expensive so that's why people rarely order it." She leans back, gesturing towards the food. "You should try them! Come on, go ahead! I bet you'll be impressed!" She offers with a cheerful laugh.
You move a chair towards the desk, sit down, and try one of the dumplings. They're delicious, cooked well. You'd say this is better than the food you've had back home.
"Well, Ryouta-kun? How are they?" Moeka seems excited to hear your response, fork in hand.
...
>"It's good."
>"We practically stole this. Isn't that wrong?"
>"How often do you eat here? Has anyone noticed?"
>Other. (Write-in).
>>44817013
>"It's good."
>>44817013
>"It's good."
>"How often do you eat here? Has anyone noticed?"
>>44817013
"It's good, but haven't people gotten in trouble for this?"
>>44817013
>"It's good."
Maybe ask about her family?
>>44817013
Voting over, writing!
>>44817117
>>44817131
>>44817180
"It's good." You say. The happy looking Moeka nods and plunges into the food. She doesn't seem bothered by eating from one plate. You quickly run out, though.
"Let's get something else!" She suggests, hopping off her chair.
"Do you eat here often, Moeka?" You ask.
"Sure, all the time!" She seems almost proud about it, for some reason.
"Has anyone noticed? I think that might cause trouble for the workers here."
"Of course not! Look at how crowded the place is! I only come here when it's like that, there's more dishes to pick out from. Who'd make a big deal out of one or two missing plates?" She tries to reassure you. "And besides, we're ghosts, so even if they see plates flying around, not like we'll get in trouble for that."
That's not exactly the problem. The clients might be returning here because the food is good, but the dishes disappearing for no reason is no doubt a real headache for the staff and the clients. Moeka doesn't seem to understand that, or maybe she just doesn't mind. "I'll go get us some more!" She's really enjoying herself, so you don't stop her.
She brings back a couple more plates, this time with the pasta she must have been talking about. You're pretty sure that there's no way the cooks back there are not going to get in trouble for this... but the food is delicious, and your partner is happy, so it might be okay to let it slide for this one time.
(1/2)
>>44818181
"I'm glad that you're here, Ryouta-kun. Sure, it's nice to visit the Human World, but it can get really lonely here all by yourself! I have a friend who's an absolute nut about this place, I wish I could take her with me..." Moeka says, laughing. "Back when I was in England, I used to send her newspapers all the time. She was so excited about that! It was so cute. Even though they were just newspapers that nobody could even read and that had nothing to do with Soul Society! I'm wondering what I could send her this time around, though I haven't gotten any ideas..."
You're not the kind of person to ask for gift ideas, that's for sure.
"Do you have a family, Moeka?" You decide to ask instead.
"Ah, sure, yeah. Adoptive parents. We don't really talk much, not ever since I joined the Shinigami. Well, not that we were too friendly with each other before that, either..." She explains and shrugs. "But I have a ton of friends, though. I'm pretty popular in my Division!" She says, proudly puffing out her chest.
"What is it like working in the Eighth Division?"
"It's great! Everyone's friendly, the atmosphere is nice. We have drinking parties all the time! We don't have that many boys for some reason, but our Captain's a pretty handsome guy, so it all balances out!" Moeka exclaims. After a slight pause, she continues. "...Though, that's not to say that we don't get work done or something! We work our butts off, just like everyone else. And Our Lieutenant's a real stuck up b-... uh, she's really strict, so we don't get to slack off much. ...She's especially harsh on me."
(2/3)
>>44818232
"Why is that?" You ask.
"W-who knows?" She shrugs nonchalantly. You suspect she might actually know why, and you have your own theory as well - Moeka's casual and lazy attitude might not align well with someone who takes their job seriously. "Maybe she's just jealous that I'm friends with the Captain..?" She adds, pondering.
"Our Lieutenant is quite strict, too. Maybe they are all like that?" You wonder. Moeka, picking up on that, energetically bobs her head up and down a few times.
"That's probably it! They're not as good as the Captains, but I guess they gotta make themselves stand out somehow." She says. "...But I've heard that the 11th Lieutenant is a little girl. Wait, isn't the 12th Lieutenant also one..? But you're saying she's strict? That's surprising."
"Outward appearances don't really mean anything when it comes to spirits."
"How old are you, Ryouta-kun?" She asks a difficult question. You don't feel like saying that you're nine years old would be appropriate, even though that's technically your age from the moment you've started counting with your Academy years taken into account.
"I'm not sure. I didn't keep track." You reply honestly and somewhat vaguely. It's not as though something like that has never happened.
"I'm 26!" She announces, probably expecting a sharp reaction.
"That's fairly young." You say. The redhead nods, smiling. By Soul Society standards, and especially by the standards of the Shinigami, that's extremely young.
"I even remember my life!" She exclaims again. That's also a rarity. Throwing a glance at her plate, she realizes that the food's been gone for a while. "Hey, Ryouta-kun, let's go get something to drink. Elsewhere, of course."
...
>"I think we should get back to work."
>"Alright. Lead the way, Moeka."
>"What was your life like?"
>Other. (Write-in).
>>44818258
>"I think we should get back to work."
While we're on the way to find Melanie
>"What was your life like?"
>>44818258
>"I think we should get back to work."
I'm worried about Melanie getting caught and maybe even tipping the mage off about us.
>"What was your life like?"
>>44818258
Seconding
>>44818314
>>44818258
>"Alright. Lead the way, Moeka."
What could possibly go wrong?
>>44818258
"I'm no fun to drink with, believe me."
>>44818415
Everything, but I'm sure it will be fine this time.
>>44818258
Voting over, writing!
>>44818232
Wait I think Hikari is the friend she's talking about
>>44818796
Oh shit you're right!
>>44818796
Maybe ask her that?
>>44818314
>>44818359
>>44818358
>>44818446
"I think we should get back to work, Moeka." You say. The girl's energetic smile stoops down.
"...Am I not fun to hang out with, Ryouta-kun?" She mutters.
"That's not it. We should keep an eye on Melanie. She's the only way that magician could learn about us... Or she could be in danger if she's not on his side." You say, to which Moeka nods, though it doesn't look like her mood has improved. "I'm not a good drinking partner, either way."
"What do you mean, Ryouta-kun? It's kind of fun to talk to you. You're a pretty good listener, for a guy. I'm not bored with you at all, cheer up!" She says, a small smile briefly popping back up to her face. But the smirk is eventually forced back down by the weight of responsibility. "Well... I guess you're right. We should keep an eye on that clumsy reporter."
With a dejected sigh, the girl stands up, leaving the plates where they are. Well, trying to clean up would probably attract more attention... but this is probably going to look very strange to whoever finds them here. Even if the owner gets accused of stealing food, it might not be a big deal..?
"Let's get a beer or something on our way there. I'm pretty thirsty."
"Alcohol might not be a good idea right now, Moeka."
"Aw, come on! I won't go down from a single beer. I might look young, but I'm a 27 year old, fully mature woman! Don't look at me like that, Ryouta-kun." You're not looking at her like anything. Moeka smiles mischievously and winks. "If you wanted to see proof, maybe you should have taken me out for those drinks."
...
(1/2)
>>44819459
On your way there, you ask Moeka about her life; her real one, not the Soul Society one. Her face scrunches up into a conflicted frown.
"I dunno..." She answers vaguely. But didn't she brag that she remembers? "...It's not that I don't remember. I wasn't lying. But it's... nothing special. It's so boring that I don't wanna talk about it." She shrugs. You suspect that she isn't being very truthful about that. Perhaps she just isn't in the mood to talk about it anymore? Maybe you should ask her another time.
But suddenly, Moeka stops. "Do you think I'm depressed about it or something?" The tone of her voice is accusatory. Its firmness is very unlike what she's been using so far, making her words sound almost like a threat. "I like it way more in Soul Society, so don't worry about me, Ryouta-kun."
...Perhaps you should leave that subject untouched, after all. You nod, and the two of you continue on your way.
A while later, you find your human contact. Conveniently enough, Melanie is in her flat on the fifth floor, reading a book. It's evening, but you'd think she would be out searching for those things you asked from her instead of sitting around like that. Should you ask her about that?
...
>Go and talk to Melanie.
>Just observe her for a while.
>Other. (Write-in).
>>44819490
>Just observe her for a while.
Ask if the friend she mentioned is named Hikari
>>44819490
>Just observe her for a while.
Kinda suspicious.
>>44819490
>Just observe her for a while.
>>44819529
Seconded.
>>44819490
>Go and talk to Melanie.
>>44819490
Forgot to close off voting, but I was writing already!
>>44819529
>>44819646
>>44819659
The reporter goes on with her evening in an ordinary fashion: reading, eating, watching television, and sometimes answering phone calls and making calls of her own. Moeka squats down, bored, sipping on a bottle of cola that she took on the way here.
"This is pretty boring." She says. "Why isn't she doing anything? Shouldn't she be out doing some work?"
"Maybe she's doing it from home?" You wonder. Perhaps those phone calls are how she's receiving her information.
"Well, if she doesn't get us anything by our meeting, we should spook her so that she works harder." Moeka says, but you suppose there's only so much that can be done in a single day. Well, you're experiencing that fact for yourself - without any trails left to pursue, you're forced to rely on Melanie to get information. But her findings, if any, might create more openings for you to explore.
As the hours go by, you decide to bring something up.
"Moeka, what was the name of that friend you talked about?"
"The one who's a total nut about the Human World? Her name's Minami-chan."
"Minami Hikari?" Your question surprises her.
"Oh, you know her?"
You nod. Though you haven't seen her since you graduated from the Academy, you do know her. She's been a big help.
(1/2)
>>44820636
"That's pretty cool! Small world, huh? Did you know that she's an instructor at the Academy now? That sort of thing is usually left for high-ranking Shinigami, but she managed to fit in by working really hard. Even though she has some serious anxiety around people, she just pushes on anyway. She's really impressive!" Moeka shares her opinion on her friend with a reminiscing smile. "We're like sisters! I probably miss her the most out here. But even if I got back to SS, she doesn't have much time for anyone these days..." With a wistful sigh, the girl stands up. As she does that, the lights inside the apartment are turned off - Melanie has gone to sleep.
"It's, like, nine in the evening? Sheesh. I guess her nightly escapades took some air outta her, huh?" Moeka mutters. Her eyes light up, an idea popping up in her head. "You know, Ryouta-kun, there's a place not far from here. An old guy lives there, and he's really nice. He woke me up when I was sleeping on the snow and his wife gave me something warm to eat! They were really respectful to me, too. I saw that they have two empty beds there, so we could get something tasty and then crash there."
Is she sleepy again? You suppose the two of you haven't slept in that library for long, just a few hours, so a few more could be beneficial.
...But wait, isn't there something off with what she's just said, something incredibly vital?
...
>This kind of negligence is unacceptable; make that clear. "Moeka, you should have mentioned that spiritually aware person before."
>Meeting that person directly is too risky. "Instead of visiting him, we should be keeping an eye on that person from the side."
>He didn't harm Moeka, so he might not be aware that he's being searched for. "We're going there, but you should be ready to fight."
>Other. (Write-in).
>>44820685
>This kind of negligence is unacceptable; make that clear. "Moeka, you should have mentioned that spiritually aware person before."
>He didn't harm Moeka, so he might not be aware that he's being searched for. "We're going there, but you should be ready to fight."
>>44820685
>Meeting that person directly is too risky. "Instead of visiting him, we should be keeping an eye on that person from the side."
>Why didn't you mention that before? We're looking for a spiritually aware human.
>>44820685
>This kind of negligence is unacceptable; make that clear. "Moeka, you should have mentioned that spiritually aware person before."
>Meeting that person directly is too risky. "Instead of visiting him, we should be keeping an eye on that person from the side."
>He didn't harm Moeka, so he might not be aware that he's being searched for. "We're going there, but you should be ready to fight."
>>44820685
>He didn't harm Moeka, so he might not be aware that he's being searched for. "We're going there, but you should be ready to fight."
I'm confused, I get that the fact that Moeka knows and is friendly with two spiritually sensitive humans is probably something she should have told us earlier (though I'm not sure if she responds to scolding) but why do we think they're involved in the case?
>>44820685
Voting over, writing!
>>44821042
Any spiritually aware humans in this area are suspects. They're not usually this common.
>>44820739
>>44820812
>>44820826
"Why didn't you mention that before, Moeka?" You ask. The girl lifts an eyebrow, not seeming to understand the point of that question. "This could be extremely important."
The more she thinks about it, the wider her eyes get, until the full realization strikes her and forces out a surprised yell. "A-Aaaah! You're saying that he... That he could be the..! I... I completely forgot!"
It's hard to believe that she forgot. Though in her case, you find it just as difficult to completely count out such a possibility.
"B-but... No, I don't think he did it, Ryouta-kun. He's just a sweet old man! I mean... Oh, that's right! I never saw him making those weird paper tags, so he couldn't have done anything!" Her words come off as desperate, and while she could be correct, this negligence is still unacceptable.
"Moeka, you should have mentioned it. It's a lead like any other. Any spiritually aware human is a suspect."
"Gaaah, I didn't mention it because... because..! C-come on, Ryouta-kun, I'm sure it's not a big deal! He's probably just some old man that can see spirits, like that clumsy reporter! No difference from her!" She's completely flustered. It seems that the redhead really did forget; the possibility didn't even dawn on her until now. "Look, let's head to his house and find it out for ourselves. You'll see that I wasn't wrong!"
(1/2)
>>44821793
"We will go there. But you should be ready to fight. If he turns out to be the human we're looking for, we'll have to send him to Soul Society." You say. Instead of waiting for him to act, you'll make the first move. Observation might take time, time which he might use to realize your presence; and if he really is the magician, things might turn out for the worst.
"W-what are you planning to do to him, Ryouta-kun?" Moeka seems to already dislike the idea that she herself suggested, but although highly reluctant, she seems willing to go along with your plan, whatever it might be.
...
>"We're going to pretend to attack him - we'll find out what he truly is from his response. If he does nothing, we'll leave him alone. That's the quickest way."
>"We'll go about this without violence until we're certain about it. We'll search through his house and find out everything we can about him."
>Other. (Write-in).
>>44821825
>"We'll go about this without violence until we're certain about it. We'll search through his house and find out everything we can about him."
>>44821825
>"We're going to pretend to attack him - we'll find out what he truly is from his response. If he does nothing, we'll leave him alone. That's the quickest way."
>"We'll go about this without violence until we're certain about it. We'll search through his house and find out everything we can about him."
>>44821825
"We'll go through this without violence if we can. He's pretty old and might die if we startle him too badly? I remember reading humans do that sometimes.
>>44821825
I'm confused why we aren't talking about the old man's wife at all? Like is she the same age? Is she not spiritually sensitive but just listens to her husband?
>>44822246
Like I don't know, I want more info there.
>>44821825
>"We're going to pretend to attack him - we'll find out what he truly is from his response. If he does nothing, we'll leave him alone. That's the quickest way."
We just need to see his skills. If they match the magic used to control that hollow then we attack for real. Otherwise we apologize.
>>44821825
>"We're going to pretend to attack him - we'll find out what he truly is from his response. If he does nothing, we'll leave him alone. That's the quickest way."
>>44822277
I'll second this
>>44822277
We have to see both of their skills though.
>>44821825
Voting over, writing!
>>44821931
>>44822277
>>44822392
"We'll 'attack' him. If he retaliates, we'll handle it; if he doesn't, we'll leave him alone."
Moeka hesitantly nods, a depressed frown on her face. "He's a nice guy... But I guess we really gotta make sure, huh?"
"You've been talking about the old man in particular, Moeka. Is his wife not spiritually aware?" You ask.
"...Yeah, she's not. She can't see me at all. But she seems fine with cooking for a ghost like me. And she didn't freak out when the food suddenly started disappearing." Moeka explains and shrugs. "She doesn't look like a very friendly old lady, so I don't feel too bad about not making friends with her. Might be for the best."
She puts up an uneasy smile. "He kept calling me 'Shinigami-sama'. I bet it's because his wife wouldn't be too happy to know that he brought a young girl into the house..."
You nod. That makes your job easier. You need to deal with only one person instead of two.
"Well, follow me." With a depressed sigh, Moeka hops off the roof you've been observing your human contact from. You follow her.
...
>>44822521
>>44822628
Ending thread for tonight, it's getting really late for me! Next thread will start off with beating up an old man!
Next thread will be announced on twitter:
https://twitter.com/Mushroomgami
If you have feedback or questions, please shoot them my way! Always happy to get both of those things!
Thanks for reading!
>>44822712
Thanks for running, looking forward to next time.
>>44822712
>Next thread will start off with beating up an old man!
Serves him right!
>>44822741
Thanks for reading!
>>44822712
Wait, did Moeka specifically tell him that she was a shinigami? As for feedback I guess all the evidence just seems really disconnected right now. Maybe I'm just dumb but I have no idea where this investigation should really be going.
>>44822856
>Maybe I'm just dumb but I have no idea where this investigation should really be going.
It's never you! If things don't look like they're going anywhere, point it out for me and blame me! That's what feedback is!
But there is still information I need to present! Moeka's just hogged up a lot of time. What an attention whore.
>>44822784
He's secretly a Hitler clone
