closed | salt of the river

[theferryman]

WHO: The Ferryman, Sunny, and Nagito
WHAT: Questin' & Investigatin'
WHERE: On the bank of The River
WHEN: After the next Crossing Toll is revealed
WARNINGS Claustrophobia, being buried alive, mental & physical pain, more as noted

[The Ferryman is as they ever are: watching The River with preternatural stillness, the weight of The Lantern barely swaying in the winds that sweep across the flat landscape. There is no movement in their facial expression or body language, but restlessness hangs over them all the same. Worry. Unease.

They are waiting. Before them are two rectangular holes cut from The River: through the topmost layer of salt, and into the mud below. There's no way around it; they look like shallow graves.

When their two volunteers arrive, before any preamble begins, The Ferryman reminds them:]

If you decide you want to leave, you can. At any time.

Comments

[blindluck]

That's right. There were more--normal memories, I suppose, but there were definitely inconsistent, out of place ones. Once you find one, it's much easier to spot more! [You know, in case the Ferryman is capable of taking a dip to go looking themselves.]

[solitarynote]

[In contrast…]

Just one… rabbit… [But by now, both of them probably realized that the ‘rabbits’ are how Sunny conceptualized the memories.]

Why… more…? [The teen’s gaze glances over at Nagito, head tilting a bit in confusion.]

[theferryman]

[Their expression settles into their usual stoicism, though now with some steeliness behind it.]

When you offer your memories for a Toll, I use them to guide you during The Crossing. Once The Crossing is finished, the memories return to The River. If some of those memories— [their gaze cuts briefly to Sunny, softening] or rabbits— were out of place, or inconsistent, then something happened after they were paid to me.

[Their mouth presses thin.]

It might have been after they were returned to The River. Or it might have been before. I'm not sure yet.

[blindluck]

I see. [Nagito looks thoughtful, turning the problem over in his mind. Of course, he knows much less about the River than the Ferryman.] If there's anything else you need one of us to look into, I'd be happy to help. Or if there's anything we should be looking out for, in general, I can let the others know. Or Sunny-kun can, if he'd prefer.

[Sometimes things don't sound the best coming from him.]