MESSAGES

[kingmakereffect]

If you have something to ask the Kingmaker about over the phone, this is where it goes! The Kingmaker will answer the phone as soon as he's available. There isn't an option to leave a message on his voicemail, but the Kingmaker will take your calls at almost any hour of the day.

Your smartphones will only connect to the Kingmaker. There is no option to dial a number, instead it will connect automatically to his phone.

Comments are screened for privacy; no listening in on each other's private conversations without permission, after all.

Comments

[kingmakereffect]

This isn't the best place to party.

[cherryblooded]

If you invited a few of us to wherever you are, we could bring you up some sake and those roller slippers. That sounds like a great party.

[He's not serious, of course. They'd probably kill him.

Which some of them would think was a great time anyway. But probably not the Kingmaker.]

[kingmakereffect]

No thanks. Believe it or not, I'm not interested in partying with you all.

[cherryblooded]

Probably for the best. It might get rowdy.

[kingmakereffect]

I'm sure it would.

[cherryblooded]

[Pause. Well, he's exhausted that topic of conversation.]

...What do you do when you can't sleep? Normally I get some warm milk but, obviously I can't do that with the kitchen closed.

[kingmakereffect]

You don't have to beat around the bush. If there's something you want to say, you can just say it. I doubt you have any real interest in me.

[cherryblooded]

Actually, I legitimately just called because I can't sleep and talking to someone I dislike is better than bothering the others at 3 AM.

[kingmakereffect]

Of course. What do you want to talk about, then?

[cherryblooded]

...Have you ever been to the ocean, Kingmaker? It's a beautiful place, but I don't know if I could describe it to someone who hasn't seen it.

[kingmakereffect]

I've seen it before. I haven't spent much time at the beach though, and I certainly haven't been underwater.

But even if I had, I'm sure it would have been very different from your world.

[cherryblooded]

Probably. Mine seems to be the odd one out, species-wise.

It's supposed to be lovely. The sound of the waves and the seabirds overhead, the way the ocean sparkles... Normally, it's gorgeous.

[kingmakereffect]

I'm sure it is. It sounds nice.

[cherryblooded]

When I left it was all red. Like you'd poured blood into it until you couldn't tell what it was supposed to look like. There were eyes in the water, and hands, and teeth...

[He stops, bites his lip.]

Even if you gave me an incentive to bring that back, I'm not sure there would be a point.

[kingmakereffect]

...I see. I can't imagine what it was like to remember that.

[cherryblooded]

Awful. It was awful. It's worse to know I left my wife and daughter in the middle of it.

I didn't have any dreams Saturday night. Memories or otherwise. So that's it, isn't it?

[kingmakereffect]

You must be all caught up. It really is unfortunate that it ended there. I'm sorry.

[cherryblooded]

Thank you.

[And since this is a call and not text, it's probably easier to tell from Cherryblod's tone that that's meant genuinely.]

[kingmakereffect]

[...]

Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?

[cherryblooded]

Might try sleeping again.

Thanks for your time. I'll try not to repeat this too often.

[kingmakereffect]

I don't like being woken up, but I suppose this wasn't as bad as it could have been.

...Good luck dealing with the memories.

[did he actually try, who knows]

[cherryblooded]

Thank you. Sleep tight.

[Click!]