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[waitingforplayer2]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, CHIAKI NANAMI.

FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX

*** galagamer has joined XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
<galagamer> This is Chiaki Nanami.
<galagamer> I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

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[waitingforplayer2]

[ As difficult as it is to return to Lake Dala sometimes, in the wake of her own feeding, it's still the closest major body of water to where she lives and works, and it's also a place that has brought her a lot of comfort - she knows the tunnels in and out, she knows every inch of the shore and the lakebed. So she heads down to Dala in the early evening for her usual swim - and finds the other mer fallen on the beach. ]

Sakaki-kun?! [ Oh no. She hurries up to him, dropping her bag and falling at his side, eyes wide with concern. ] Are you all right?

[pendulumentertainment]

[Yuya flinches, looking towards the source of the voice, but he doesn't exactly sit up in a hurry.]

Um... No?

[It came across as a question posed to himself, like he had to think about whether he was or not. He's so used to saying he is fine, but he's most certainly not. He lets out a deep stress filled sigh and runs his hands down his face.]

I-it's um... I... I found out how mers feed-

[He pauses, shivering despite the weather being rather warm.]

A-and I couldn't do it.

[waitingforplayer2]

[ Her heart sinks. ] Sakaki-kun...

[ The worst part of being a monster - of being a mer - and he's come to the same spot she did. No wonder he's doing so badly, Nanami thinks. And he's probably starting to starve on top of everything, too. ]

We have to do it, or it'll be worse. [ She gently places a hand on his back. ] I'll help you.

[pendulumentertainment]

Thanks, but...[He shies away, though not fully, because she's right. He knows she's right because it's happened to him before. And yet-]

I-I don't know I just- I got close and I froze... [He runs his hands through his hair again.] I-I thought I was over the feeding thing, but this is...

[He just sighs, he can't finish the thought.]

What if I still can't do it-

[waitingforplayer2]

Then we'll take it one step at a time.

[ She says it gently, and softly. Because it's hard, and there's no way around it. The most she can do is try to be kind, and ease him into it. ]

Mers feed in a few different ways. Which way did you try?

late- im so sorry ;;

[pendulumentertainment]

Th-there's more than one?

[His voice shakes, and for a moment he's unsure if he should answer.

But how will he get help otherwise?]

Um, I just sort of... tried to kiss them? [Recalling it at all makes him whimper.] I haven't actually done it before so I-

I- I don't know- I don't know- [He repeats, sounding on the edge of tears.] Mers drain liquid, o-or something... From the person-

I was just trying to do what felt right for this monster, but it felt disgusting... to me.

no worries at all!!

[waitingforplayer2]

[ Oh no. She hadn't even tried that method of feeding. It sounds ... rough. ]

You might be able to drain water from someone in other ways, too. [ That's what the book said, so ... she has to hope. She holds out a webbed hand for Yuya to take. ]

We can find someone, and try again.

[pendulumentertainment]

[He shakes a little at the thought. Obviously not loving the idea, but...]

Okay-

[That's all he says, but he nods in agreement and forces himself up off the floor. He looks wholly uninterested but... He's willing to try anything, as long as it's not that again.]

Um, thank you... [Is that even the right thing to say?] I'll just- um-

...

I-I'm willing to try whatever-

[waitingforplayer2]

[ He has to feed. There's a ticking clock on this. Her mind races. ]

The person you tried to kill before. What happened to them?

[pendulumentertainment]

[Yuya immediately looks down to the floor, avoiding eye contact like if he looks into Chiaki's eyes he might explode on the spot. His face is just a tad red for a moment as he breathes in.]

Th-they're still alive. I tried to lead them to the water and um...

[He goes quiet and doesn't finish the sentence. The thought makes his stomach churn, and what first started as embarrassment, turns into flat out disgust.]

They m-might be around here still- maybe-

[But the chances are slim, if he just about got eaten, he's sure he would have gone running back to town himself so...]

I-I'm sorry...

[waitingforplayer2]

Hey...

[ She takes his hand carefully. Trying to ground him. ]

It's okay. We'll find someone. Let's start looking, okay?

[ She stands, and starts to guide him back towards the city. Got to find somewhere there's people, first. That's the first step. ]

[pendulumentertainment]

[While he's receptive to Chiaki's attempt to calm him, when it comes to heading back towards Bavan, he seems more hesitant, but doesn't exactly say anything...

Because if he just doesn't do it, he knows what'll happen.]

O-okay...

[Whether they stand just outside it or within it after their walk back, the tension rises. Especially when they do get into town.

The street is bustling. It being the day and all, people go about their business in a timely manner. And Yuya freezes up almost instantly. Thoughts of what had previously taken place mix with the want to feed and he feels sick, grabbing the wall for support and shying away from the main street.]

I- I don't know if I can do this-

[waitingforplayer2]

[ She hesitates. Honestly she has no idea how to find a-- a victim for him. They have no leads. None they can get quickly, anyway. They just have to-- to pick someone.

She keeps a gentle hand on him while looking around. She spots-- almost by chance-- a middle-aged guy taking a shortcut through an alley nearby. ]

There. [ She steers him in that direction. ]