Canon Move 3

[sotobas_lot]

[IC Edit: Text]

It'd be too much to ask for these things to stick to my actual patients? It isn't like progress is being made, either way.

Some people call this thing sentient. Is it trying to make the point that I'm an incompetent quack?

Comments

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

Mm.

I'm fine. Thanks for worrying.

[createswithink]

I hate worrying, so hurry up and stop being like this.

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

If I can get even one to agree to stay at the clinic for one... No, it'd have to be several days, I may be onto something. Even if it's just an illusion of competence.

[createswithink]

Oh, I get it. The main problem is that the affected people don't want you to help them because they don't think you're doing any good!

...Er. If that's right, you're pretty stuck.

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

Even if I could take in one... or even two, it'd be a matter of waiting it out with a host of others to use. I might save one or two at a time for a while, but after a while the burst of cooperation from a short term fix will wear off, too.

It's checkmate.

[createswithink]

Don't they want to be helped? And I know you're not bad, but aren't there other doctors to go to?

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

No other doctor would believe the cause if it was told to them. There wouldn't be a damned thing they could to, either.

[createswithink]

What's so difficult about this cause, anyways?

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

Okiagari. No, even you might not know about them... it's a small, localized legend... They'd be better known as vampires, probably.

[createswithink]

Uh...[He only knows of the okiagari ko-boshi dolls. But. He does know what 'okiagari' means.] 'Getting up' or 'self-righting'? No, I've never heard of a spirit like that. Vampires, though...some people on the community talk about them.

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

Sotoba was founded by lumberjacks and the coffin making industry. Seishin's written an article calling it a village surrounded by death... It's natural that our own local legends would center on it too, I guess. Okiagari legends are exactly what they sound like. The dead rising. If that were all, we'd liken them to zombies, but it looks like they go for blood instead of flesh.

[createswithink]

You said one of your friends was a monk, right? You can ask him to do some purification rituals around the area. Ah, wait...It's probably too late for that now. You'd have to use something much stronger to cleanse the land. [Like salted snow from Mt. Fuji or plain old fire.]

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

He's the only one I've told about this.

The town has statues and symbols everywhere. It doesn't seem to be a problem, but... I'll try to have him along once I can get a willing patient to stay over.

[createswithink]

I don't know what else to say, Sensei, other than maybe you should get outside help with this.

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

They'd think I was insane. I can't afford to be discredited right now. I'll get evidence.

[createswithink]

Ehhh, I dunno if your reputation should matter when you're trying to help someone.

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

Once you're written off as a lunatic, nobody will let you help them. You're cut off.

[createswithink]

Maybe you can't help them, but people from here can. Let them be called the lunatics--they're not from your world anyways, so it wouldn't matter.

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

And have them do what?

[createswithink]

Take care of those vampires for you! No one else will know that you called 'em in.

The other option would be to ask for volunteers from here to stay in your clinic. There's some strong people here who probably wouldn't die from being bit by a vampire, and you can get more information!

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

That would require finding or at least seeing them. All I have now is the fact that it's the only answer that fits the data. I can't watch over every house in the village... the fact that they're in hiding probably means that they can be taken on by a regular human or humans...

[createswithink]

I'm starting to get the feeling that you're not going to ask for help from people who have more experience with spirits...

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

Spirituality hasn't done anybody any good to this point. Seishin finds it even more ridiculous than me.

[createswithink]

Not everyone spiritual are strong against the supernatural. You have to just find the exorcists that are among them.

[sotobas-lot.livejournal.com]

Heh... So, we're waiting on Ikumi-san?

That won't go well...