壱 - t....ext....??

[scarlet_ink]

*It seems like there ought to be text in this message, but there isn't. Actually, the first thing that appears is a slightly curved pencil line.

This is fairly quickly accompanied by another, then another after that. It seems that whoever's on the other end isn't actually writing anything right now; they're drawing, perhaps in a sketchbook or the like. The quick, sharp pencil strokes gradually start to resolve themselves into an image, accompanied by a few carelessly cross-hatched shadows and hints of decrepit buildings in the background:

It's a picture of the snake-and-heart statue in the Dead District, with no commentary attached as yet.

After a moment, something else is scribbled in the corner; a couple stylized Asian-looking characters (南山) accompanied by the initials 'K.N.' A few in the city might recognize this signature as that of a local artist and college instructor.*

Comments

[scarlet_ink]

It was more for fun than anything really, I suppose you're forgiven. Even if I am still utterly baffled as to how you did it.

What do I call you?

[shiromadoushi]

Bakura

And anything you write that number on becomes how you connect to the network, no matter what it is. No one's figured out how it works yet.

[scarlet_ink]

Hello, Bakura. I'm Keisuke.

Can I assume you don't know what it's for either, then?

[shiromadoushi]

Not especially. There's a few theories going around, but I don't think anyone has a good idea. But we all seem to have some common experiences; weird things that happen, either having weird visions or suddenly having an ability that wasn't there before or something like that.

Did you touch the statue...?

[scarlet_ink]

Of course not. I'd never want to disturb another artist's work, even if it's admittedly on the creepy side.

I can't say I recall anything out of the ordinary happening to *me* lately outside my sketchbook deciding to talk back... although this city as a whole certainly seems unsettled recently. Did you experience one of those strange events?

[shiromadoushi]

Quite a few of them. That statue triggered a vision too, when I got near it.

[[because saying "When I attacked it" to someone who views it as art... well... just seems mean.]]