Audio | @lucky

[mindofathief]

[The texting function is so finicky and takes forever, so this voice messenger works much better. There's half a minute of Duster poking at the tablet, checking if it's working.]

Oh.

Hello? Can everyone hear me? I'm at the scrapyard near the edge of the forest. I met a spirit that threw a locked box at me, and I need help breaking it open.

[Why couldn't the spirit be like a normal ghost and leave behind a present box instead?]

...If whatever's inside is important, I don't want to accidentally break it.

Comments

@riku; text

[equinoctials]

[ When you can't call a locksmith, call a Keyblade wielder? ]

I can help. Are you able to get to bonfire square with it?

audio

[mindofathief]

[Text!! He hits the voice recorder even if it will make communication clunky.]

It's kind of heavy, but I think I can make it.

[He hadn't trained all his life to be unable to carry his spoils.]

[equinoctials]

I can come to you. It'll take a little longer. Do you feel safe where you are?

[mindofathief]

Yeah. There's just junk, and I haven't had any attacks yet.

[So he'll sit on the treasure chest and wait for Riku.]

[equinoctials]

OK, hold tight.

[ It's a long trip from the Museum, less so with the electric bike, but without anything brighter than his lantern to go by, he can't travel faster than a brisk jog. He could walk it. But Riku doesn't know what he'll find. If they'll need transport back to town.

Besides, it's the scrapyard. He might be able to find parts for creating a version of a headlight they can power with a candle from the bonfire, or something.

Over his usual clothes, Riku wears a pullover gray hoodie and a black leather bomber jacket to ward off the winter chill. ]

[mindofathief]

[There's a person approaching, and Duster can guess with great certainty that this is the guy coming over to help. He stands, putting most of his weight on his left leg, and waves Riku over.]

@daylit; audio.

[sunborne]

Oh whoa! That was pretty aggressive of the spirit to do.

You're not hurt, are you? Are you okay?

[mindofathief]

I'm fine. I think it was supposed to be a gift?

[The sound of Duster pulling on the lock.]

If we have any cutting tools at the village, we'll need them.

[sunborne]

There could be some tools in the general store that could help with unlocking it.

[ at the very least- there's gotta be something to force it open. ]

If you want- We can meet up? I'll grab what I can and I'll meet you somewhere.

[mindofathief]

I'm at the scrapyard.

[Fortunately, Riku will have already come and used Keyblade Magic to open the lock, but it's the thought that counts.]

( text to action! )

[sunborne]

I'll be there as soon as possible! You can't miss me.

[ and, indeed, one can't miss daylight's presence as he jogs up towards the scrapyard, his colours bright and colourful against the dark backdrop of their surroundings.

he's also very, very loud: ] Hey! Hey! I'm here now! Are you still around, buddy?

[mindofathief]

[Duster waves him over to where he stands with a large treasure chest and Riku.]

audio, @purrsona

[survivaltricks]

[. . . man the spirits sure are something, aren't they?]

Diiiiid you do something to piss it off?

[mindofathief]

I said "hi" and showed off one of my tools. It make noises and then this dropped out of the sky.

I'm pretty sure it's a gift. [It's pure logic.]

@shigeru: text

[mysophobic]

I might be able to help too, if you haven't already gotten it to open. But did a spirit here really give it to you?!

audio, still

[mindofathief]

[He turns on voice after a few minutes.]

Hi? We have it open, but...there's a lot of stuff in here. Do you have any bags?

[mysophobic]

[ Instead of an audio reply he gets...another text reply. He's sorry Duster, but he's mute and can't talk!! ]

Bags? I have a few, yes. If that's all you need I can come by right away! Nothing bad came out of it, right? Everyone's...okay?

[mindofathief]

[Typing takes ten times as long as talking! How do people respond so quickly?]

Yeah. We found some shiny cards in here. They might be important.

[mysophobic]

[ Well when you grow up having to type to speak you get hella good at it. ]

Cards? That's interesting. I wonder why a spirit would have something like that?

[mindofathief]

Spirits could like strange things. If they like shiny cards, then we should it like an important gift.

Daylight and Riku

[mindofathief]

[As Duster and Riku are talking, a bright figure carrying a lantern rushes towards the two.]

Oh. That must be Daylit, or whatever his actual name is.

[equinoctials]

Day!

[ Not his full name, obviously, but Riku immediately straightens up when he sees him. It's like his whole demeanor shifts, he unfolds his arms, he smiles, something about his eyes goes soft with familiarity.

To say he's friendly with Daylight is an understatement. ]

Not surprised you know each other. Daylight's a popular guy.

[sunborne]

Riku! Ohmygoshhey!

[ daylight's winglets perk up when he notices a good friend of his here, visibly brightening as his expression turns bashful at riku's comment. ] I just want to help out. That's all.

And oh whoa wow- [ now that he sees the chest in person, kneels down to examine it properly, curiosity clearly piqued by its presence now that he sees it in person. he turns to duster, clearly impressed and interested. ] This is super cool looking! And a spirit gave it to you, right?

[mindofathief]

[...He certainly did not expect a being made of metal. His body stiffens briefly from the instinct to defend himself and Riku from the supposed chimera, but that name and the lack of a hostile attitude...

He should be safe? Daylight seems more of a peaceful Clayman than a killer robot? It still doesn't totally quiet the voice in the back of his mind cautioning him not to aggravate him.

It's really confusing.]

You're Daylight? [Definitely not how he imagined him.] ...I'm Duster. And yeah, it just fell right in front of me after I met a spirite.

[equinoctials]

[ Day's humble, he gives so much to the community and, Riku suspects, he doesn't realize it at all. Watching him investigate the trunk and it's collection of trading cards, Riku folds his arms.

It's notable, but not exactly worth mentioning that Riku doesn't disparage the value of this "treasure" the way he had before. As if he's reluctant to burst Daylight's bubble, or perhaps he's just basking in his optimism. ]

What do you make of it, Day?