May 8th, 2284.. 3:30 PM
Captain Ingram moved through brush an bush, what was Japan wasn't like America, the greenery had returned... Albeit in far greater abundance, with the roads mostly grown over, reclaimed by nature, he didn't like the feel of this new land. He was used to the deserts of Western North America, the deadlands of old Canada, Alaska, and Russia. In China there was a mixture of both as well as in Korea but Japan by far has recovered nature-wise.
Moving silently, he held his Brush Gun at the ready, shouldering it he watched his surroundings, the sun had started to fall and he had nothing but the night vision of his helmet to light the way if he didn't get to a building and hunker down for the night. He stopped for a moment at the sound of a loud crack, taking a knee he looked around, this certainly was not his element. Ingram waited for a moment before he continued on moving forward, out of the wooded area he finally came to a road, like the previous ones he noticed it had over grown with grass, tree roots, and other plant life.
Ingram brought his pipboy up and tuned it to the radio station he'd been following since he left New California, the radio signal was the strongest it had been, opting to follow the road he came to an old town, looking to the sign of course it might as well have been ancient latin to him. And not the bastardised version used by Caesar's Legion.
Moving forward with his rifle shouldered at the ready he continued down the road looking around to the small houses, some still stood while others looked somewhat... Collapsed on themselves. Walking down the main road in the centre of the town he took note of a large set of structures up on a hill. And more importantly he noticed a large almost radio tower looking structure on the tallest tower.
That must've been the source of it all. The radio signal. Everything, he'd see everything through to the end finally. Holstering his rifle in his specialised carrier on his duster, Ingram took out his sequoia, he advanced towards the buildings, up the hill. Towards the buildings he held both hands on his revolver, steadying himself just encase if he had to shoot anyone, or anything.
So far he managed to avoid a large assortment of crazies, bandits, some strange organisations and mutants. He wasn't about to get careless half the world away from home when he was just in the home stretch. Finally reaching what he assumed to be the gates of the building he entered the area carefully, watching his sectors before advancing into a building through a set of double doors.
The building itself was rather semi intact but paint was chipping off the walls, light fixtures were hanging from the ceiling or simply laid on the floor broken. But there was one thing about this place. ...While it was indeed dirty and there were piles of dirt or even rubble every now and again, the piles of rubble and dirt were shifted off to the side. As if someone was cleaning but couldn't fix the damage.
Only provide patches or keep the place clean. But he didn't see anyone in the town or nearby... What or who could be keeping this place clean. Taking a quick look around in some rooms it became apparent to Ingram, this was actually a school. Or was a school. It was as if this building was frozen in time, even the windows were in pristine condition. Somewhat dirty but still there. Nonetheless, he'd have to continue on his way though there was something almost gnawing at him in the back of his head, what was it?
Continuing on his way through the halls he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a shadow pass through the hallway to his front. "Hey! Stop!" He called out and immediately began running towards the shadow of which disappeared down the hallway, then he heard a voice, the voice of a woman. "Follow me.." He heard, continuing to run down the hallway. Reaching a T-junction the voice beckoned out to him from his right and he followed it, coming to a staircase he went up it and ran down the hall to his front, the voice continued to beckon him, eventually the scenery changed from a late pre-war sort of scenery, concrete and tile floor to wood.
The voices stopped and changed to footsteps. Looking around it became apparent to him he just likely fell into a trap. Keeping his revolver up and aimed down the hall he continued to walk, there was a door at the end, coming to it he noted like most of the other doors it slid off to the side. Holstering his revolver he used both hands to get the door open...
5:00 PM, The Abandoned School.
Looking into the room, it was.. Actually fairly cleaner than the previous ones. In the room there were two couches, a table and on the opposite side was a desk and a set of windows behind it. There was a notebook laid down on the table. Entering the room, Ingram set his pack down next to the couch to his right, removing his helmet he set it on the table. And opened up the notebook. Of course in hindsight... It wasn't exactly worth while since he couldn't read the local language. But then he remembered one thing. Perhaps.. Just perhaps.. Ingram lifted his Pipboy and looked through it... Turns out the intelligence personnel back in the NCR were actually smarter than he gave them credit for. There was a sort of universal translator programmed into the pipboy. ..He didn't know whether to actually thank those eggheads or to kick himself for not even considering it would exist, or even be programmed into his pipboy. Holding the pipboy over the notebook. Ingram was shocked. The room he was in belonged to something called the "Paranormal Investigation Club."... Or atleast it did.
Looking through the notes they were written by a person named Okonogi Momoe, he did have reason to possibly believe this was a girls's notebook. Ingram, looking through the book read more deeply into it... There were multiple mentions of a ghost named "Yuuko-san". Even what he assumed to be a base story of the ghost. This ghost apparently haunted the school and died in it... It reminded him of a story about a building on the east coast he heard about where chanting could be heard on a regular basis... However he didn't hear chanting. Just a girl's voice. Was this perhaps this.. "Yuuko-san"? Regardless he'd spent most of the day walking, as he had done so for the past seven months, from north America to far eastern Siberia then China and Korea. Ingram then got the idea to check his Pipboy, he turned it on and the singing had stopped... The airwaves were dead but the signal still showed up on his pipboy.
Ingram rose from his spot and walked around the room.. After a moment he realised, his footsteps were coming through on the signal. The transmitter was in the room. Taking a look around the room he found the transmitter, it was under the desk... Taking up the microphone he cleared his throat, hopefully the NCR could hear him. "This is The Lone Ranger, due to the disappearance of our main guest, I am sad to report that our station will be off the air. This is the Lone Ranger all the way from sunny, sunny, shady sands of the NCR to bumfucknowhereville in Old Japan, signing off. I'll be back home soon." And with that, Ingram turned off the radio, letting out a sigh he sat in the chair behind the desk, setting the microphone down.
"Damn... That's one mission over... I'd say it's easier than what I've done before but holy hell, I never expected to end up here from New California." Sitting there for a moment, Ingram stood up and pushed the chair back in, walking around the desk back to the couch. It was already late, he couldn't very well travel at this time. So he was stuck here for the time being... Might as well get some shuteye, he thought to himself, before he took his duster off and let it hang on the back of the couch. Laying up on it, using the armrest as a pillow he drifted off to sleep.. Rather quickly. It was hard to explain, he usually took atleast an hour or so to fall asleep but for some reason he started to feel as if he wasn't alone, as if someone was watching him... But he was alone, wasn't he? Somehow the feeling of someone watching him didn't give him the usual feeling of paranoia or let him feel as if he had to sleep with one eye open, it was a calming, warm feeling. ..Just as he was about to fall asleep he swore he felt a soft hand, gently patting his hair. What was this feeling? It wasn't long before he fell asleep fully.
May 9th 2284. 3:00 AM... The Old Paranormal Investigation Club room
Ingram awoke in the middle of the night, his vision was blurry, he'd yet to adjust to the low light however he noticed something, there was a girl with him in the room, she was looking over his Pipboy, curiously. Almost fixated on it, silently he looked over to the table and a number of things were taken out of his pack, namely in abundance were his boxes of ammunition, and some books... It looked as if the books were already looked through, a couple were open while the others were laid neatly in a pile on the floor next to the table... However the one thing that surprised him was this girl. She wore a strange black outfit, had long dark hair and red eyes. He'd never seen anyone with genuine red eyes... He quickly became annoyed with this girl just waving his arm around, twisting it to look over his pipboy, taking his revolver out of the holster as quietly as he could he pulled the hammer back with his thumb, a minute click heard of which gained her attention.
The young woman turned her head towards Ingram, meeting the end of his revolver of which was now pointed right between her eyes. "I don't care who you are, but I'd like my arm back. Now." The woman let go of Ingram's arm and put her hands up backing away slowly. "So you're awake then?" She said in English. ...Of which was entirely unexpected, this girl knew English? She didn't look American, she looked like a native. "Yeah. I'm awake." Ingram sat up and motioned for the girl to sit down on the other couch with the barrel of his revolver, of which she didn't follow at first but quickly connected the dots. Going to the other couch she sat down with her hands up. "Alright, Now that, that's out of the way. Who are you and how did you find me?" Ingram asked, letting the hammer of his revolver move forward from it's cocked and ready to fire position to it's "safe" not ready to fire position. "I was actually about to ask you the same thing." The woman said much to Ingram's dismay. He didn't find her. She wasn't even here when he went asleep.
"Don't turn my question around on me. I want an answer." Ingram said before he set his revolver down while the woman put her hands down. "I live here. I found you here after you tampered with my radio. ...May I ask why you did that?" She asked to which Ingram raised an eyebrow. "The radio is yours? ...How did you manage to get it to reach all the way to New California?" The woman tilted her head off to the side as she raised an eyebrow. "New California? ..I've never head of it. Is that where you're from? Across the ocean?" Ingram at that moment did realise he just jeopardised his own operational security... Loose lips sink ships and he just sank his own ship... Well not technically, this girl was likely to remain here, there was possible way anyone on this side of the earth at this time would have any interest in the NCR. "Yes. I am from across the ocean, Captain Ingram of the New California Republic's Desert Rangers... The NCR's own special forces, like in the old world.
"Ah... I see. I'm Yuuko. Yuuko Kanoe." At that moment, Ingram's blood chilled... Yuuko? ...Yuuko-san. The one he read about in the old notebook that was still on the table infront of him, just now buried under a number of his materials. "You can't mean you're..." Ingram slid a book of his of which laid up ontop of the notebook he read from and tapped it with his finger. To which Yuuko smiled and nodded her head for yes. ...This job. ...Just got weirder. "I uh... I see..." At that moment, a hundred questions ran through Ingram's mind... This girl can't be serious, could she? If she was then he'd just phase right through her. For a moment there was a brief silence before Ingram slowly reached across the table and touched Yuuko's cheek, he felt it. He didn't phase through... Yuuko herself blushed, looking to Ingram's eyes. "I uh..." Ingram slowly retracted his hand before Yuuko took it and brought it back to her cheek. "No.. Please, that's fine. I don't mind... I know you doubt it but yes, you can touch me." This was officially... A next level of weirdness not matched by anything else in the Mojave, or California.
"I don't.. Uh... I thought if I touched you, I'd just go right through. ..That's usually how ghosts work right?" Yuuko nodded her head and stood up coming over to Ingram's couch, sitting right next to him taking his right hand again holding it to her cheek. "Just because you can touch me, doesn't guarantee I'm not a ghost." Ingram was for once, speechless. "Ma'am I... I don't. Look, I really... Don't know what to say." Yuuko let go of Ingram's hand and he let it rest on his lap. "It's alright, you wouldn't be the first to be in shock. ...A long time ago I knew a boy who had much the same reaction as you, but well... He didn't touch me in the same place you did." Yuuko looked away, a blush coming over her face. "I see..."
Ingram turned away from Yuuko and stood up, beginning to pack his supplies away, Yuuko simply watched while he did so trying to think of something to say. "So, what will you do now? I suspect you came all this way just to find out why there was a radio signal." Ingram stopped and turned to Yuuko, he wanted to say something.. It was just how would he say it? "...Yes ma'am, I won't lie. I was ordered here to find the source of the radio signal and put an end to it because my superiors feared it was a signal of something they couldn't possibly handle to come." Yuuko couldn't help but feel bad, she caused a number of people, possibly a large number to worry about something happening, only for it to not. "I'm sorry, you had to come all the way here... But could I ask you to stay a bit longer? With me? I've been alone for the longest time so I was using the radio to try and get someone to come here. I didn't expect you to come all the way from your NCR. I just want someone to spend some time with."
Ingram at this moment... Was hard pressed to say anything. This girl, has been stuck here for how long? Dead, unable to pass on for some reason. "Miss Kanoe..." Yuuko stood up and hugged Ingram's left arm tightly, he'd never in his entire life expect that he'd be hard pressed by a spirit to stay with them. "Please. Call me Yuuko." Yuuko said, her speech muffled as she hugged Ingram's arm, her face buried in it. "Yuuko, I... I don't know if I could stay. I've been gone from my home, I do appreciate you watching over me. ... I guess I can stay for a little while." Yuuko looked up to Ingram and let go of his arm, hugging him, throwing her arms up around his neck almost tackling him to the floor. "Thank you!" Yuuko hugged Ingram's head, his chin just above her chest. "Y-yeah, no problem." Ingram gently patted Yuuko's back, a smile developing on his face. Sure she was a ghost, sure he didn't exactly truly know how to handle the situation but still. If he could do something for this poor girl, then by all means, he'd do it. Besides, it was a good way to see how far this rabbit hole goes down.
May 9th. 2284 6:30 AM, The Abandoned School.
Ingram followed Yuuko through the halls of the school he had been informed as was Seikyou Academy. In it's latter years it was a small school, however over the years it was modified and had additions added to it, new buildings and the like. Yuuko herself didn't know anything about how she died. ...Strange for a ghost to not know that, atleast that was the opinion of Ingram. Yuuko explained everything to Ingram, namely about the old club members... Before they disappeared some 200 years ago... 200 years ago was when the bombs were dropped Japan was likely struck then, just not as bad. The Chinese didn't care for Japan, just America... Funny for a nation he read about in old history books, hating Japan with a passion. Guess America was a bigger threat. However, Ingram became lost in thought and unconsiously separated from Yuuko of whom turned down another hall while Ingram continued walking straight forward, Yuuko noticed this after a moment and came back after Ingram.
"Captain Ingram!" Yuuko yelled out to him which caused him to realise he spaced out for a moment, turning around to see Yuuko, Ingram smiled and walked back with her. "Sorry, I was deep in thought... You said you didn't know anything about your death... I don't know what I could say about that.. I'd think you'd probably remember it... Perhaps and I know at this time it's a long shot." Yuuko paused at the offer, it would be nice to know how she died, and possibly why she couldn't remember... But should she try to show him? "You don't have to decide right now, just think on it." Ingram smiled and patted Yuuko's head causing her to blush and pull back. "D-don't just pat my head like that!" Yuuko yelled, she was clearly embarrassed. Ingram lowered his arm and let out a chuckle. "Well anyway let's get outside, I'll cook some breakfast... Can ghosts eat?" Ingram asked, looking down to Yuuko of whom took a moment to think on the question before answering with a shake of her head. "I don't really know. I don't think I can." Yuuko answered with a shrug of her shoulders. Perhaps she could and she just didn't know?
After the conversation, Yuuko lead Ingram outside to the courtyard and began to help him gather sticks for a fire, afterwards, he brought out a box of insta-mash, a deathclaw egg, crunchy mutfrut, a box of Blamco Mac and Cheese, and some salted fish meat. ...The latter of Insta-mash and the Blamco Mac and Cheese didn't look to... Appetising to Yuuko while she watched Ingram cook, whistling a tune he had heard almost a thousand times over, Big Iron, it was a ranger's song. However halfway through cooking, Ingram realised something... There was more people aside from Yuuko watching him. Stopping he put his pan down, which caused Yuuko to wonder what Ingram was up to.
"Is there something wrong?" Yuuko asked to which Ingram only looked at her. "There's someone watching us." Ingram said, putting his hand on his revolver. Yuuko did notice someone coming out from the building they had just left. They wore a uniform she had seen before but.. Their skin... Their skin was gone which caused her to let out a shriek. Ingram then turned and pulled his revolver from the holster, firing a round in the air before aiming at the figure. "Reach for the sky! Now!" This caused the figure to put their hands up and be joined by another figure.
The first figure started to yell.. "Please don't shoot me! I'm not armed!" ...In English? ...Too? Another local speaking English? ...What were the chances of that. The second figure took the place of the first standing infront of what Ingram could only assume was another female. Both were female, they were missing their skin and their voices... Somewhat slightly twisted but Yuuko recognised the voice of one. "Don't shoot! We don't mean any harm!" The second called out, the voice was eerily familiar to Yuuko of whom walked forward towards the figures past Ingram. Ingram figured he'd better keep his mouth shut for the time being... Atleast until he knew, they could see Yuuko too.
"State your names, now!" Ingram yelled to the figures as he slowly approached them, the clothes they wore indeed were similar to Yuuko's, perhaps they were at one time students here? The second figure was quick to respond. "I am Kirie Kanoe! My friend behind me is Momoe Okonogi! We were students here! Please lower your weapon!" Kirie yelled to Ingram of whom holstered his revolver. "Students? ...So you got caught up in the radiation of the great war huh?" Kirie lowered her arms and began walking to Ingram.
"Yes sir, we were evacuated by the National Police Reserve when the bombs fell. ...We finally managed to get back here, who are you if I may ask?" Kirie asked as she walked past Yuuko, bumping into her, Kirie's eyes darted over to Yuuko of whom smily waved her hand nervously. While the girl behind her followed up closely, clearly this girl was Okonogi. The girl who wrote the logbook of the Paranormal Investigation Club. ...But where was the boy he read and heard about from Yuuko? "I'm Captain Ingram of the New California Republic Desert Rangers." Kirie and Okonogi seemed to be taken aback by this information. The New California Republic? A Desert Ranger? Why would someone from America be here?
"Could I ask you what brings you here, Captain Ingram?" Kirie asked, crossing her arms, looking to the Captain almost in disbelief. "That there radio tower up at the top of that building brought me here. Seven months ago we received transmissions originating from here, my superiors believed it was the sign of an invasion to come, however upon reaching here, I found no such thing of the like was happening, just a transmitter on for whatever reason. I'll be heading back to New California soon, however recent events have had me put my departure on hold." Ingram replied before turning back to finish cooking his breakfast. Kirie and Okonogi joined Captain Ingram at the fire, sitting opposite to him while Yuuko sat up next to Ingram.
"May I ask if it's what I think it is, keeping you here?" Kirie asked and Ingram's eyes came up and met Kirie's of which diverted to Yuuko's direction,. So. Kirie could see Yuuko, could Okonogi? He'd find out sooner or later. "Yeah. Yeah it is." Ingram replied then looked back down to his breakfast. "You girls hungry? I can throw a can of Pork and Beans on and some Insta-mash if you want. Isn't anything fancy but it's a meal."Ingram offered to which Okonogi was the first to say something about. "Yes! Please! I'm so hungry! I haven't had anything to eat in a while!" Ingram chuckled and looked to Kirie. "I'm cooking a meal for two then. Don't worry I'm a decent cook. Let me just finish up with the wasteland omelette and I'll get your's going girls."
After Ingram finished cooking his wasteland omelette, he set it of to the side on his mess kit. Kirie and Okonogi had left earlier to find plates and utensils, coming back they set them before Ingram of whom had started cooking their breakfast. "Okonogi, could you go back to your club room and check on a couple things for me? I left some stuff in there like some salt and pepper, they're probably on the table."Ingram said to Okonogi of whom looked to Kirie, Kirie nodded her head for Okonogi, giving her an okay, Okonogi then went on, back to the club room. Giving Ingram and Kirie a moment to talk. "So, you can see Yuuko too huh?" Ingram said while he was cooking Kirie's portion of the breakfast, looking up to her for a brief moment before continuing to focus on the task at hand. "Yeah. I can. It's been a long time but I can still see her."
Kirie said, looking to Yuuko of whom smiled. "Welcome back, Kirie. Is Teiichi following up behind you?" Yuuko asked to Kirie of whom didn't respond... Though her face was devoid of skin it was clear she was troubled by the mention of this... Teiichi. After a moment it became apparent to Yuuko that something was wrong. "K-Kirie... Where's Teiichi." Yuuko got up and approached Kirie, holding her hand out to touch Kirie's arm only to have Kirie draw back and tears become visibly apparent rolling down her cheek muscles... Something happened to him. This was clear. Ingram now had to mediate. "Kirie, what happened to Teiichi?" Ingram asked, stepping in front of Yuuko. "Tokyo... A large part of Tokyo was just... There was nothing left. I went to where Teiichi told me he was going but... It was gone... There was nothing, just a crater." Yuuko became distraught by the news... This Teiichi was that important to her? Yuuko began to cry and sob, dropping to her knees and covering her face all the while going into denial over it.
"No! No! No! No! I refuse to! I... I can't! I can't believe that! No! He's not dead!" Ingram turned and came down to Yuuko's level, hugging her head to his chest. "Yuuko... I.. I'm so sorry... But if he's gone... He's gone... I'm so sorry." Kirie then rushed and hugged Ingram, holding onto him. Ingram adjusted his position, holding both closely in each arm. He didn't know what he could say. He was a ranger. Death was a close friend of men like him. He himself had killed a large number of people, he couldn't help but feel worse for this. He didn't know what he could say. He certainly felt sorrow for these girls. Though however more so for Kirie and Yuuko, they looked quite similar... Perhaps they were of some sort of relation... That didn't matter now. He couldn't leave them there to their own devices. They ha already been left there on their own for over 200 years. How did they even make it this far?
The sounds of Kirie's sobbing must've drawn Okonogi back because she came out about to yell something.. Until she stopped and saw Kirie was crying, in Ingram's arms, though to her it looked as if he was holding two people in his arms. ...Why would he be doing that? ..No matter Kirie and herself were the last of their little three person group. Okonogi rushed over and hugged Kirie from the back. Over the course of an hour the sobbing would subside and Kirie would be back to what Ingram assumed was her usual self.
May 9th. 2284 7:30 AM. The Courtyard of the Abandoned School.
Ingram began packing up his cooking pan and mess kit when he noticed, everything was eerily quiet. Yuuko earlier before the news had been a cheery, happy girl. Now? It was as if someone had ripped her heart out and stomped it into the ground right before her eyes. ...Kirie was much the same, Okonogi was of course trying to get a conversation going before Ingram interrupted. "Listen. You girls wait here, I'll be back in a little bit. I have a surprise but I need to get it together." Ingram said then left the group before realising they might not believe him. So he turned around and took his pipboy off, setting it down before Kirie. "Just so you all know I'm serious. I'll leave this here. I can't get back home without it."
Ingram then turned back around and left, going back to the room. He wanted to do something for these girls, to bring their spirits back up. Especially Yuuko, he didn't want to see her so.. Sad, it was a strange feeling, he just couldn't stand it. Ingram entered the Paranormal Investigation Club's room and began to unpack his pack, taking out holotapes with music on them, an NCR flag, some small trinkets he picked up in New California before leaving, and lastly a few Nuka Colas that managed to survive the trip. Perhaps these would give the girls a taste of New California and bring their spirits up. After figuring a way out to hang the flag on the wall, he pulled out a holotape player from his pack as well and set it on the table, the holotapes he had mainly had songs like Lone Star, Big Iron, Jingle Jangle Jingle, California Here I Come... And a few other tunes from around the wasteland.
Everything was set, he left the room and went back to the courtyard to still see Kirie, Okonogi and Yuuko still sitting there, though only one out of the three were aware of the existence of the latter. "Hey girls!" Ingram yelled from the doors, Kirie, Okonogi and Yukko all looked to Ingram to see him motioning for them to come back in. Kirie picked up Ingram's pipboy and brought it to him, Okonogi and Yuuko followed behind her. Taking his Pipboy, Ingram put it back on his left arm and motioned for them to follow him. Of which they did silently, drawing close to the old Paranormal Investigation Club's room, Ingram turned to the girls. "Here. I put some work into this." Ingram went to the door and opened it, moving off to the side. Kirie and Yuuko were the first to enter, Okonogi was last, the first thing they noticed was the NCR flag hanging on the left wall while some trinkets and other things sat around the room.
On the table sat a holotape player, some holotapes and four Nuka Colas. The four turned back to see the ranger standing in the doorway, leaning on the door. "I figured I'd give you girls a taste of New California. To get your spirits up. Please, sit down, play whatever tunes you want, and have fun. ...Afterwards I want to talk to you all about your futures." Ingram then turned and left the girls to their fun.
May 9th 2284 7:40 AM. The Roof of the Abandoned School.
However Yuuko joined Ingram as he left the room, he went to the roof taking a spot next to the old railing, looking out to the scenery below him. "Why do you care so much about us? You don't barely know me, Kirie, or Okonogi." Yuuko asked while she sat down next to Ingram. "Why shouldn't I?" Ingram replied while he didn't take his eyes off to the distance.
"I don't know... You just.. You allowed Kirie and I to cry on you, you held us tight. You knew we needed it." Yuuko said hugging her knees up to her chest. "Yuuko... You've been alone for so long... And how long you've been stuck as a ghost... I don't know. You're innocent. Too innocent for this world.. Kirie, Okonogi are much the same way but they've seen too much evil of humanity... As have you I suspect. Which is why I'm going to do everything I can to keep you all safe. If possible I'm taking you all back east with me. To the NCR. I don't care if Kirie and Okonogi are Ghouls... Or if you're a ghost. I can't leave you all here... I just can't." Ingram turned to Yuuko and hugged her. "I can't help you find out how you died or why, but the least I can do is help you to see the world. ..Do you have any idea where your body is?" Ingram asked, looking down to Yuuko, her face had turned red from his touch but... Him asking about her body was something she didn't expect.
"Why do you want to know?" Yuuko asked as she pulled back from the hug, looking up to Ingram. "Because... If I take one of your bones, like your skull then you can always be with me." Yuuko's face remained bright red but... The idea of her skull being taken? What would that entail? ..Could he not take her whole body? ...She'd just have to hope for the best, she did want to remain with Ingram. In over 200 years he was the first person to touch her, not the way Teiichi touched her but still, he touched her. And she could feel his intentions were just. He was being honest. He did worry for her, Kirie, and Okonogi. "..Alright... Tonight when Kirie and Okonogi fall asleep, I'll let you see my body." Yuuko said, looking away from Ingram of whom smiled and pulled Yuuko close with his right arm around her waist. "Thank you. You know those girls better than I ever could."
Yuuko looked up to Ingram and smiled, laying up against him she let her head rest to his chest, feeling the hardness of his Chestplate. She'd have to get used to it but that was how it was. "Thank you.." Yuuko smiled and let her eyes close, what was this? She just found out about the boy she loved just only an hour or so ago... But this man, she wanted to stick with him. She couldn't do it here, so she'd have to do it in whatever way was possible. After a few minutes, Ingram gently shook Yuuko, waking her up from her light slumber. Yuuko looked to Ingram of whom stood up and bent over, lending his hand to Yuuko. She of course took it and stood up with his help. "Let's get back to Kirie and Okonogi, yeah?" Ingram said and began walking back to the staircase leading down off the roof, leaving the roof with Yuuko right behind him, he got back to the Paranormal Investigation Club room and opened the door to see Kirie and Okonogi fiddling with the holotape player on the table while they drank the Nuka Cola's he gave them.
May 9th. 7:50 AM, The Paranormal Investigation Club's Clubroom.
"Need any help, girls?" Ingram asked as he entered the room with Yuuko behind him. Kirie was the first to take note and nodded her head. "Yeah, it's been a long time since I've seen one of these." Kirie admitted much to her own embarrassment to which Ingram chuckled and sat down, picking up a tape... California Here I Come by Al Jolson... Fitting for the question he was going to ask. He put the tape in and turned on the player, turning it down from it's usual volume of which was very unreasonably loud. "Now, I chose this song for one reason and one reason only. To offer you two girls something." Ingram said, looking to Okonogi then Kirie with a smile on his face.
...An offer? What did Ingram have in mind? Kirie asked herself before Okonogi did for her. "Uhm... What do you mean by offer Captain Ingram?" Ingram then looked to Okonogi. "I want you girls to join me. Come to New California with me. You'll be safe there. I promise that. You'll not want for food or anything, I don't know how it is here but in the NCR there's... Well... There's a minute degree of racism towards.. Well in America we'd call girls like you of whom have lived for this long, Ghouls, I'm sad to say. But still, there's next to no racism. You'll have me to help you out with jobs, if you want to join the Army I can promise you I'll find you a job there. If you want to work for the government, I could pull a few strings, get you girls a job, whatever you want. I just... I just feel like I can't leave you here. It'd be a mistake. I don't know how, I don't know why I have this feeling but I do." Ingram said before he looked to Kirie then to Okonogi. They appeared to be almost speechless.
This stranger, this total and complete stranger was offering to take them to a place far away from Japan, to start new lives? ...This almost seemed too good to be true... But something told Kirie he wasn't lying, especially about his feelings. Okonogi couldn't see it but Yuuko was hanging onto Ingram, like she used to do with Teiichi... How could she? How could she so easily transition from Teiichi to Ingram?! More than anything that was the only thing that upset her. Teiichi was a dear close friend to all of them, to Yuuko he was her boyfriend, and now she tossed any memory of him aside for Ingram! "I can't believe... You..." Kirie said, the last part just barely escaping her lips, this still gained Ingram's attention...
What was wrong with Kirie? He could see tears well up in her eyes and she immediately stormed off much to the shock of Okonogi, Ingram, and Yuuko. "K-Kirie!" Okonogi yelled to which Ingram motioned for her to stay put. "You stay here. I'll go talk to her." He then directed his gaze to Yuuko of whom just sat on the couch Kirie sat on, then Ingram shot off after Kirie, chasing her footsteps down the halls and up stair cases until he finally found her in a class room, sitting at a desk. Sobbing. Ingram took his duster off and draped it over Kirie's shoulders, to which she looked up to Ingram, directly into his eyes. At that moment he knew, it was about Yuuko. "Talk to me. I'm a good listener." Ingram pulled up a chair opposite to Kirie and put his right hand on her left shoulder.
"She forgot him... Didn't she? ...She forgot Teiichi." Ingram looked down to Kirie... He didn't know if Yuuko did forget him but he knew that since the trip to the roof there was indeed something different about Yuuko, Kirie had lowered her head once more and continued to sob while Ingram gently held Kirie's shoulder. "I don't know... I honestly, don't know." Kirie looked up to Ingram, raising her head once more, she got up from the desk and hugged Ingram tightly. He held her his hand running over her head and the patches of hair still left while she sobbed, crying out. This Teiichi was certainly someone important to the group... But Ingram would have to press for information later, now he had to just comfort Kirie and likely Okonogi should she break down and cry.
