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[She hadn't spoken to her friend in quite some time. Or perhaps it hadn't been that long but... long enough, in her mind, that she thought to contact him out of the blue.]

Hello, Naruhodou. Apologies for the sudden message. I suppose I just wanted to say hello and... [make sure he was still around] ...make sure you're doing well.

...Hey. [Rather than give her the usual chipper response one would expect from Naruhodou, it comes back short and hallow. There's no way he could hide the immense sadness and emptiness he felt, even if he tried. The connection itself felt heavy, like the weight of the world was pressing down.]

I'm managing, I guess. Just been busy cleaning around and such. You've...seen how the house is, you know.

[Her heart sinks at both the tone and the mood that filters through the amulet. It's a familiar somberness that she experienced not that long ago herself.]

Aye, I recall. [Something about the people he lived with and their "organized messes".]

Has something happened?

[There's a long pause, a deep breath, lifting the heaviness, but only for a moment. Quietly, a voice responds, struggling to keep steady.] They've...they've gone home.

[Oh.

It was as she feared then. The fact that it is more than one makes her feel all the worse for him. Of course she understands how this feels. She might even know exactly who has left. It makes her angry and upset all at once.]

I'm... [She starts but trails off. Saying she's sorry doesn't feel right.]

...May I come visit? I understand if you do not wish to have visitors at the moment, but...

[Did he feel like having any guest? Not really, but to be honest...he wasn't never great being by himself either.]

You can come. [The connection is abruptly cut off, probably so he had some time to compose himself. A dreary overcast will loom over the ol' Baker Street home when she does come by, threatening to rain over the home.]

[Well... if he says so then. She wants to make sure he's okay more than anything. From experience she knows there's little she can do or say to comfort him but... also from experience she knows it helps to just know someone came to check on you.

So she heads out, acknowledging the gloomy cloud over the now familiar to her house once she arrives. She expected as much and sympathizes even further.

Alisaie knocks at the front door.]

Naruhodou? It's me.

[It takes a moment before there's a click and the door slowly opens, another moment before Naruhodou realizes he should open the door more than a crack so Alisaie can eventually enter.]

Thanks for coming... [He squeezes the sword he was holding in his hand, a red ribbon tied to it's sheathe. His wasn't looking directly at her, maybe out of embarrassment or maybe trying to avoid making a scene.]

[She looks sad when she sees him even if she tries not to. Alisaie takes a glance at the sword he holds. It makes her feel even worse for him.]

Of course. [She probably would have checked up on him eventually if he had denied her request for a visit now. She can understand what he's going through.

She remembers that sword.]

That was for Asougi, wasn't it?

[He nods.] I had it repaired, and then...well, it's staying with me again. [He moves, waiting for her to come inside. Nothing appears to have been disturbed in the home, eventhough Naruhodou said he had been busy cleaning.]

Did you want tea? I could use some tea myself actually. [He's going to go ahead and move towards the kitchen before Alisaie gets to answer.]

[She steps inside when he silently offers, glancing around. It doesn't seem like anything had changed since last time. Then again she doesn't know how recent the disappearances were.

She wont' object to tea although he heads for kitchen before she can properly responses. So she just follows him and assumes by doing so he'll know her answer.]

I suppose... 'tis a nice memento. [She kind of wishes she had something like that for those who aren't with her right now.]

And who is to say you cannot give it to him once he returns?

[Once he returns...he lifts his head, a quiet sound coming from him that sounded like he was trying to laugh. It's funny, hearing this come from Alisaie, when not too long ago he was the one assuring her about her friends.]

Yea, eventually. Be it here or whenever I end up going back. [He carefully places the katana onto the dining table.] Although, it might be a while if it were the latter. This sword is part of a case I...we were working on. Sort of.

[She cants her head at him at the noise he makes. She's unaware of the irony here. For all her pessimism for her own situation she always seems to have hope for others in the same boat.

Her eyes follow it as he places it on the table and then glances back up at his face.]

I see. That's right, you're... some kind of law enforcement officer. Right?

[Close enough.]

I hadn't known Asougi was too.

Mm. He's been at it longer than I have. [With the water boiling, he settles into a seat across from her.]

I actually would have been doing something entirely different, if it weren't for him pushing me to give it a try. [Somehow, just talking about him sort of helps make this easier, if only a little.] ...He used to be a defense attorney like me, but then things happened and now he's my opponent.

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