lovestruckletters | Space ghost coast to coast

[Maya does return-- eventually. The training sessions can go long, and today is no exception apart from being one of the few days Maya is able to sneak off early without being caught. Perhaps Morgan might give her grief for it later, but for now she can slip into her's and Pearl's room and press her back against the door, letting out a sigh of relief. She's tired, and for a moment it shows in the slack of her shoulders.

Despite it, she strides right up to the little table in the room and pulls her phone out from under it. She drops to her knees in front of the table and clicks the phone on- sighing when she sees there's no new message. Maya starts opening a text, tapping on the keys of her phone.... and completely ignoring that box. She hasn't even seen there's anything on it. Millenials and their phones, man.]

Son of a- Are you KIDDING me?!

[Dandy pulls on his hair and stomps a tiny foot when he sees things aren't going as perfectly as they did inside his head. Stupid...phones...!! He's so much cooler than a dumb ol cellphone, if only she realized what she's missing!! Too bad she can't hear his screaming, it's not like he can just tell her there's an all powerful device sitting RIGHT HERE for her.

...Or maybe he can.

Dandy quits his tantrum and focuses on the chest again, he'll just have to ghost it up and grab her attention another way. ...Which means rattling the damn thing like a maniac. He shakes it as hard as his little arms can, nearly causing the watch to slide off it. There, try ignoring this you oblivious mountain princess!!]

[Maya, too tired from training to even realise there's a ghost presence in her room and too busy writing and deleting texts to someone, doesn't turn an inch at Dandy's tantrum.

She does, however, jump and turn right around when the chest starts to shake of seemingly it's own accord. Eyes wide, she scrambles to her-- well no, she stays on her knees and crawls closer to the chest, actually, swallowing.

Did that just move? Surely it didn't-- but all the same, there's something on the chest that Maya's never seen before, and it might come as a delight to Dandy how quickly she closes the distance between herself and the chest after spotting the watch.]

What is this?

[She asks no one, picking the watch up without hesitation, turning it over and over in her hands.]

A watch...?

[Oh good, she's not a hopeless phone zombie after all. Who's she even texting, does she HAVE friends around here? Granted he didn't track her 24/7, but from what he did see, she's not exactly miss popularity.

...Maybe she knows some hot city chicks. Holy shit, if she could hook him up-

Focus, Dandy, focus! It's like he already forgot he's some sort of horrible fish puppy, like he really needs to think about scoring right now. No, instead he starts sweating bullets when he sees she finally has the watch. Now he just hopes she can turn the damn thing on, it's not really a normal watch feature after all, he doesn't expect her to just jump to the "find ghosts" button.

...Or however the hell this thing works, it's his first time, too.]

Pleeeeeeeeaaase... C'mon... So close, baby...

[To Dandy's benefit (this time only), Maya is so very nosy. She inspects all sides of the watch; it's a lot like a pocket watch, but-]

It's so... cute.

[She presses the button and the watch snaps open, revealing an even stranger watch face protected by a piece of glass... that's open at the bottom? Huh. She tries to shove a finger in there to see if she can't mess with the watch hands, but it's a no-go, and she sighs. Oh well. There's still more to inspect-

Ah. When she looks up from the watch face, she realises the watch's lid is not just transparent, but strangely almost magnified-- and as she looks at that, her finger rests on the watch's button just long enough to turn on its search light-- causing a sound that startles Maya into dropping it. The watch clatters on the tatami mat under her-- but it was a short fall, and it's sturdy, so it waits there, open, for Maya to try again.

And try again she does, lifting the watch up once more and pressing that button, this time a bit more ready for the sweeping sonar noise the watch makes with its light.]

It's like... a looking glass?

[Okay, in her head she's going a little crazy, because this is just like an artifact on her toku shows. But her attention is still wrapped up in it-- after all, if there's a lens to look through, what is it she's supposed to see?]

[The noise startles Dandy as well, and he jumps back much like a cat and nothing like the two animals he's supposed to be. Why's a watch need a flashlight-?

It's like... a looking glass?

Oh.

...Oh!

Dandy scrambles onto all fours as he races for the light the second time it comes around, sliding into its glow like his afterlife depends on it. It kinda does as far as he's concerned, he doesn't wanna be bored for however long the afterlife is. Most sources point to forever, so...oh god is he seriously going to be like this forever-

If Maya thought she was going crazy before, things only get crazier when a chubby little dolphin thing manifests right in front of her. A dolphin with paws and a large pompadour, all things that clearly go together.

And he stares right at her, he has to, he needs to know if this worked.]

...'Sup?

[Oh, it works. It works well. But it startles Maya enough to nearly throw the watch up over her head, then slap one hand over her mouth to cover the yell that he's triggered. But now that she's got the yokai watch lens far above her head, she can still see him.]

Whm-

[Oh right. She uncovers her mouth and pulls the watch close to her chest, and in a loud whisper declares--]

A spirit!

[Because-- because that's what he has to be, right?!]

I mean, I guess.

[She's not wrong...

Wait.

...AND she can see him!! That's a huge relief, and Dandy can push himself back onto his feet without anymore stress. He shoves his hands into his pockets, cool, calm and collected, like everything's going according to plan. She doesn't have to know he was screaming and flailing only a mere moments ago.]

I think "yokey" or somethin' got thrown around a bunch...

[He really wasn't...paying that much attention, which is terrible considering it's only his entire afterlife he was ignoring. But then again, that's exactly the point, he doesn't plan on staying like this, like dead, for long. He just has to find a way to reverse it...eventually. Dandy isn't the sort of person to let "impossible" stand in his way, there's still so many things he wanted to do before he kicked the bucket dammit.

But that's for another time, right now he has to deal with...ugh...his assignment.]

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure you'd be able to get that thing to work.

Um... I'm pretty sure you mean, "yokai".

[Maya replies, putting her hand to her chin in thought-- but with Dandy's next comment, she's set pouting.]

Well, I got it to work, didn't I?

[ . . . ]

Um.. did I? It's a watch... that shows you yokai?

[Huh. Well. That's convenient. Wasn't there something about this in her studie-]

Oh! Oh! It's-- a yokai watch?!

Don't know, don't care.

[He absolutely cares a lot, but she's not going to think he's cool if he shows it. Instead, his hands go behind his head as he starts walking around her, tail swaying back and forth. It feels so good to be talking to someone again.

Even if they are some weird mountain princess.]

All I know is I've been stuck here for a couple days and I'm already bored outta my mind. The movies always made it look like being a ghost would be cool or somethin', but the most I've been able to do is knock some shit over. No one's even screamed...

I wanted to be the next poltergeist, y'know?

[Maya watches Dandy start to circle, keeping the watch pressed to her chest. She'd like to freak out a little over the fact an important object is in her hands right now, and how has she gotten something they know so little about-- but she's also got a visible walking talking yokai in front of her now.

This is so cool.... This is so cool.

...Except that his worries seem kind of silly. And he's only been a yokai a little while...?]

Isn't that movie dated?

[is... her first comment. anyway-]

You didn't really just become a yokai, did you? For real??

[Oh great, she has no respect for the classics. Maybe he should've handed that watch over to someone else, screw the rules.

Those were his thoughts until she starts questioning his yokainess. Dandy doesn't get embarrassed often, but even he finds himself sheepishly scratching his cheek at her question. His last moments are still a blur even if they were recent, he barely remembers how it happened, just that it did.]

Yup, surprise, this is what you get to look forward to when finally punch your card. [He waves his little arms for emphasis. Look at this, it's ridiculous, he knows!] Earlier this same week I used to be human, then BAM! Stuffed animal city, baby. ...Y'know, I used to be one good lookin' guy, too. [That's the part that stings the most, his vanity's been taking a hit ever since this all started. It's not fair.] Pretty much a local celebrity.

[At least...he thinks this is local. Dandy's pretty sure he's heard about some old timey village in the mountains nearby...

Wait.

Actually...]

[Dandy lights up, his sour demeanor melting as his floppy tail begins wagging back and forth. He doesn't even realize that he's doing it, or if he does, he doesn't care.]

Hey, yeah!! Maybe you heard about me on like the news or somethin'! The name's-

[And then he stops, like he catches himself from blurting out an answer, but manages to reel it in just at the last second. Haha, got...got too excited there. Let's try again, with a little less energy, Dandy clears his throat and goes for a second try.] ...name's Dandy. Probably died a tragic death, hundreds of women left heartbroken.

...You do get TV around here, dontcha?

[Maya just kind of... blinks through his story of himself, giving no real indication of whether or not she believes him. but then he gets excited-- his death? On the news?]

Um-- yeah, but I only really get to watch it on Sunday-- hey, wait.

[Time to take the attention away from how he DEFINITELY probably didn't have a TV-worthy death and-]

You don't remember how you died?!

[What was that 'probably'?!!]

[W-What? Why isn't she jumping at his name? The poor tragic Dandy, it had to be mentioned at least once! ...Right?

They must've stopped talking about him exactly on Sunday...

Either way, his once excited tail droops as he begins to rub the back of his head. Okay, sure, open old wounds. Old, giant, fatal wounds. No big deal.]

I mean, a lot happened right after, and it's not like I wanna remember. Yeesh...

[Oh, she made him sad. Poor Mr. Dandy!!!]

I'm sorry... It must be hard for you if it's so recent, right?

[Even an obnoxious guy would be sad about his death... She really genuinely does look sad for him.]

...

[She does look sad for him, and...it's throwing him off. A lot. Why the hell does she care so much, they literally just met. And...isn't she some sort of medium? He's heard them talk, he's seen the training, dead people shouldn't be anything new to these people.

But there's no denying that look on her face.

The kinda face they make in movies...]

Uh, I mean, it's no walk in the park, but it's nothin' to get all worried about.

Of course it is!! What if something really bad happened and that's why you're like--

[Huh. Maya's face goes blank for a moment, and she asks-]

Wait, why are you here? I guess I coulda just asked that, first.

[Like what?]

Beats me, I was shoved out the door faster than I came in.

[They really want to keep that line moving...]

It's just a thing, alright? They give ghosts places to haunt and I just have to deal until someone tells me to stop...I guess. I don't even get why I had to come here, the whole town's full of 'em already.

[Dandy probably doesn't even realize that he makes a point to separate himself from the other yokai. The village isn't full of "us," it's full of "them." Fuck 'em.]

Huh. No pamphlet or anything, huh?

[Maya looks down at the watch in her hands, though she's still holding it tight.]

And you.... just brought this to me so you could tell me that?

[This is all really confusing ok, what is she supposed to do here]

Huh?

[He definitely...makes that sound more like a honk.]

Nah, I just gave that to you so I had someone to talk to. I told you already, I'm bored. If I'm gonna be stuck here for who knows how long, I might as well have one person who's able to see me. You can do whatever you want with it, I don't give a crap. I mean, now you can see whatever little monster your heart desires.

[But like, why would she want to when he's the best one here?]

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta figure out this bullshit TV situation.

O-oh...

[Well... That was a surprising explanation. He just wanted someone to see him, huh? Maya gives a few blinks, then smiles a little bit to herself. So it's a lonely yokai, huh?

Somehow, she knows her sister must be a part of this.]

IIIiiit's the remote on the table. Just don't turn it up too loud, okay?

[She definitely wants to help him, but she doesn't want to get in trouble...]

No promises~

[With the biggest smile, Dandy starts to literally march his way out of there, but...he suddenly finds himself stopping... And he can't help but look back at her...

Shit...

He needs someone who knows all the channels...]

Didn't you just get back from your mondo crazy workout? Don't you want in on this?

Wwll...

[Well, Maya did skip out on the last hour of training with the intent of doing something... Relaxing, at the very least. It was probably going to actually be cleaning her roomC but hey. It's clean enough, really, and she is attending to a spirit, now. She rests her hands, still clutching the watch, in her lap.]

Yeah, I do. But the real training ends in an hour, so we gotta be out before Auntie comes out, or we'll blow my cover!

[Woah... He was expecting at least a little resistance what with how she kept making it seem like this was such a big nono.

Fantastic.]

Well look at that, Mountain Princess's breaking the rules. Maybe this'll be fun after all.

[Whether or not he's not used to people hearing his comments again, or if he just doesn't care, is up for debate.]

Time's a-wastin', let's get a move on!

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