loupmorque | ---IC INBOX

[The username alone should be an indication that this isn't a social call. He'll be opening it to Varian too, just to keep him in the loop]

Sorry to bother you, Duke. But there's something I need to discuss with you regarding a potential threat to a resident's safety.

Edited 2025-07-11 00:27 (UTC)

Sorry, my anime-based username didn't feel appropriate.

[You don't email the boss about a business matter with the nerd email handle ok]

Alright, Varian advised I start from the beginning, so sorry if this is long... and if it sounds bizarre.

I believe to have gained a new power. Last month when I took Haru to the hospital, I had strange intrusive thoughts about some of the other patients- thoughts that told me they were going to die in a certain number of days.

Originally I dismissed the thoughts due to stress over Haru... but some time later, the families of some of those patients came to the church, seeking funeral arrangements. I help the church out with funerals sometimes and... all the dates of death lined up with what the intrusive thoughts told me.

[Unsettling to say the least]

Anyway, this morning I had the same intrusive thought about Lighter when he came for breakfast. I don't know how it'll happen... but I have reason to believe his life will be in danger in six days.

Edited 2025-07-11 00:36 (UTC)

Hi Duke, I'm largely here for support and helping figure out any action plans. But I fully believe Jun here. I have a theory it might be a new elemental power coming in, or perhaps something related to one of his uh... animal changes.

I think it's something we should take seriously. I suggested maybe we have a group hangout in the fortress on the day, so a couple of us can just keep a quiet and subtle eye on him- be ready for when something happens, y'know?

[ previous tag here for later reference because DREAMWIDTH ATE IT ]

[ honestly, he prefers the full explanation, instead of pussyfooting around with stories and explanations. Having everything out in front of him on paper has always been his preferred method--honestly, in this moment, he's reminded of the Gardes back home, when they'd come to bring him a report. No nonsense and straight to the point about matters that needed immediate attention.

And now that he's run through everything both Varian and Jun have come to him with, he can understand the urgency.
Someone's life being at stake has his immediate attention. ]

This is pretty dire. Even back home, a prophecy to a disaster was something I'd take seriously. [ man built a fucking airship to evacuate meropide if it ever flooded thanks to a prophecy that may not have been true. ] From what I've seen, the prophets here in Kaisou are worth listening to. If Haru's forseen this, then I'm glad you're both taking precautions immediately. ...And thank you for looping me in on it as well.

A group hangout... That's a damn good idea, Varian.
Maybe something like a social get-together? Back home, whenever I wanted to keep an eye on a group of prisoners who I had whisperings of planning a riot or breakout, I'd have the gardes host a special dinner at the cafeteria, or create an event that played out like a contest of strength or sport that had mandatory participation.

While I don't think enforcing 'mandatory' is necessary here, maybe we should do something like that and just make sure he feels compelled to come. Have it involve something he's interested in.

[Huh, so the Duke knows about Haru's visions. That certainly makes this conversation a little easier, as normally Jun would take knowledge of his brother's power to the grave. ]

We're not actually sure if Haru's foreseen this or not. I'm a little hesitant to ask him, since him and Lighter are friends and his visions are... extremely vivid. [Asking Haru to view his friend's death feels crueler than Jun ever wants to be towards his brother] If we do need confirmation, I could ask August. His seer power isn't as strong as Haru's, but it's reliable. He'd be at least able to warn us if something's on the horizon we should worry about, and without him witnessing it in 4K.

[But it's good to know Wrio is taking this seriously immediately. He knew they could trust the Duke. ]

Varian has a lot of great ideas. [Of course he's taking the chance to praise Var] A social gathering sounds like our best way to keep an eye on Lighter without raising suspicions.

As for Lighter's interests... I know he likes fighting, but a fighting match feels like inviting disaster. Maybe something else competitive?

That's not a bad call. Hopefully a seer might give us more to work with if nothing else. August feels like the safest person to ask without risking everything getting out and causing a panic.

[ No you guys, don't praise him, his poor little heart can't handle so much of it! ]

Hah, yeah- well, I kind of figured it would be the easiest way for a few of us to watch him without making him paranoid. Or... let's be real, making anyone else in the Fortress paranoid because I'd expect that to happen only too easily.

Definitely more what he'd willingly do instead of feel forced into. If fighting's out, maybe like a competition? Or a game?

I'd hate to go around asking any of the seers, truth be told. Forcing themselves to see a vision that has someone losing their life in it... I can't say it'd be easy to swallow.
So long as we keep an eye on him, that's enough for me.

[ absolutely fugging not get complimented idiot it was a great plan and you'll get praise for it ]

I'm used to tailing people without getting noticed, I've been doing it for years, but. On the same hand, I'm not a police warden anymore so stalking someone is against the law here, I'm pretty sure. Even if it's meant for his protection.

--Ah.

Veldora left a dozen board games in my office, the last time he visited. He goes on impluse buys and gets things like this sometimes.

[ image attached... ]

Mm... that's a good point. Alright, I'll refrain from asking August about it unless we absolutely need more details.

[in other words, keeping it on the table if necessary, but he's not going to argue for traumatizing his best friend if he can avoid it

There's a pause as he looks at the photo]

...

Duke Wriothesley, while I understand destruction of property is a crime, I humbly request that the Monopoly game be burned.

Okay, that's fair. We've dealt with things without knowing what's coming before, we can do it again.

[ There's a significant pause here, because Varian doesn't know what that is (5). ]

Is- is the Monopoly game like.

Dangerous or something? Cursed?

Perhaps if nothing happens on the day we have planned, another look into the future to see if his fate changed or moved is a good idea, but.

[ now wrio is StARing at that copy of Monopoly on his desk, a gaze that suggests the board game may have offended him somehow.

fire dances along his fingertips for just a moment. ]

I could make up an excuse for an accident, if need be. And while I trust you if you feel this board game is cursed or something, I have to ask the same as Varian.
What did Monopoly do to you?

...
Are you anti-capitalist? I read about that on Google.

[A pause. Ah. Right. Both of them are isekai. They've been spared Monopoly.]

I mean... yes, I am. But that's more to do with religious views I don't want to get into than that game.

[Jesus was right to beat up the merchants, amen]

The game is probably not cursed. Probably.

It's a game about buying real estate, with the intended goal of making the other players go bankrupt.

We had a copy of it when I was a child, it was one of the few games available. [In Krusnik, but that's not the trauma] Except when we played it, Haru would go all out and bankrupt all of us before we had any chance to actually do anything. He says he didn't use his seer power while playing, but he was far too good at it for me to believe that entirely.

[In truth, Haru never did. He was just older and knew how to read Jun because he raised him]

Also one time Ash got so mad he ate the money.

Edited 2025-07-12 02:34 (UTC)

[Varian's learning some new things today. Unseen, he pulls out his Notebook of References of the Future and scribbles down: Monopoly: Capitalistic and incites family battles. DO NOT PLAY. That done, he's back to the conversation. ]

Oh. That sounds-

Is that something people genuinely find enjoyable? Real estate? Anyway, yeah let's try to avoid anything too competitive, just in case it sets any of them off.

[Varian says, like he isn't also hyper competitive. ]

There's plenty of other games we can play that hopefully will not cause a first fight.

[ Ah... it caused that much of a fuss? He knew Jun and Harumasa could be a rough-and-tumble pair of brothers, but it always seemed ... affectionate, even when they were arguing or yelling at one another.

family.

....but trying to imagine this group playing a game that would turn all of them so feral? an image of ash eating bills...

The duke can't help but to laugh. ]

Maybe Harumasa just hated fake game money. I wonder what made him so desperate to end it so fast... Maybe I'll ask him the next time I see him.

But I get it, I get it. No Monopoly. I'll bury this deep in the recesses of my office shelves, then. I can't in good conscience destroy a gift, I can make sure it never sees the light of day again.

But Varian's right. I'm sure we'll find a different game to play. There are dozens available, after all.

[It sure caused that much of a fuss. Jun and Haru did love each other, the affection between them was genuine. But this is the other side of the coin when it comes to siblings: no one can annoy you like a sibling]

Oh he hated it alright. Whenever Haru doesn't like something, he'll try to rush through it as fast as possible. It can be really annoying. I don't remember why he specifically had it out for Monopoly though.

[It was over a decade ago since they played that game and jun's memory didn't remember every detail. ]

... Fine, I can accept that compromise. Most other games should be safe to play I think.

[...]

Thank you, Duke. I feel a lot better knowing you're helping.

---IC INBOX | Kaisou

un: Shroud | Text | July 10 | Open to Varian too

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject