WANNABE

Honestly, Trish wasn’t at all expecting that question. Did she have something in mind? Or was it just her mischievous side’s insatiable curiosity that had driven her to seek out Reimi?

“Um, I don’t know. I guess I was just kind of curious. You see it all the time on TV, and who else actually gets the chance to ask a real ghost about that stuff?” And really, that’s the most important thing in her mind, the fact that she knew, and others didn’t. That didn’t mean she couldn’t come up with something though.

“But if you can, that means you’d be able to get some pretty juicy gossip, right?” Yeah that was her first idea. Eavesdropping on people in their homes. Such is how the mind of this thirteen year old girl worked.

ㅤ ㅤ She nodded softly, Trish’s response sinking into her heart little by little. Of course people would be curious about something as strange as a ghost alley nearby. Even if it was just one of Morioh’s bizarre things — and not even the weirdest one, still worth a visit or two. Far from being offended, it was that curiosity that kept Reimi so active and hopeful. ❝ I haven’t seen a lot of horror movies, but the reality is quite different. ❞ Her tone had no trace of sadness, just the peaceful conformity that has blossomed over the years. ❝ In this case, I’m happy to answer your questions— Although I don’t know much myself. ❞ And that frustrated her to no end. It would be much more fun to show that all the mysteries of the afterlife were in her hands, an entity as mysterious as it was powerful! But that would be lying, and she was never a good liar in the first place.

The prospect of secrets though?

“Hmm... let’s see....” She had to ponder the possibilities for a moment. There were so many unusual people she’d gotten to know during her relatively brief time in Morioh, but it never hurt to know more, right?

For now…. That was odd, wasn’t it? Maybe not. Trish wasn’t too privy to what was normal in this line of work, and perhaps changing one’s name often was part of it. In any event, she was glad to at least have a name to attach to the face. That was always more comforting.

“Kasumi… well it’s nice to meet you I guess.” Not necessarily the most friendly statement, but she was trying. It was also nice that the other woman had allowed her to suggest a conversation topic. She wasn’t quite sure what people like her usually talk about casually, and frankly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

“I like fashion, and music I guess.” Another fairly noncommittal answer, but this time it was because she was hoping her two passions wouldn’t be shot down immediately.

 It would always take awhile to warm up to someone, especially in the most dire circumstances, that much Kasumi knew personally. When she had first moved to Morioh and was discovered to be a Stand user everyone regarded her with the utmost caution, but now she had enough trust built among them that she could leave her own home to their care while she was away. She hoped she could build that same trust with this team too.

“If you think Italy’s great, well, it is, but take a trip to Milan and your eyes will be opened. It’s like, the center of the fashion universe.” And this is when her age really showed. Get her talking about an interest, and you’ll never hear the end of it. “We’ll have to get you in some Dolce and Gabbana as soon as possible.”

Her eyes lingered on the ground for a moment. For some reason, this wasn’t an easy question for her to ask, despite it not being a particularly prying one. She drew her legs up into herself and glanced over at him.

“When you got your Golden Experience, what did it feel like?” Was it an odd question? Probably not. But Trish wanted to know what the others’ experiences were like. Maybe that would help her sort out what she was feeling.

An interesting question for sure, one that makes his head tilt back in curiosity. Just when did he notice his stand abilities? It felt like it was always there, even if it hadn’t physically formed yet. A part of him just thought it was that ‘green thumb’ people always joked about, but he doubts people good at taking care of plants could feel what he did. 

“I’ve always had my stand, but I first took true notice when I was eight.” Sounds about right. Even when he saved that mafia don, he didn’t fully understand what this ability of his was. “Whenever I walked anywhere, I could feel life beating and flowing around me. I’m not sure I’m very good at describing it, but it’s like I could hear everyone’s hearts beating as one against my ears.” Now? He had a better control of feeling someone’s life energy to one at a time, but it was a difficult thing to process for sure. 

“Plants also had a tendency to grow and then die of age around me. Some thought I was an omen for it, I just thought it meant…things.” He didn’t particularly like discussing his self hatred, but he certainly thought it showed how worthless he was to the world.

“Wow....” It was almost an unconscious reaction. Trish was sort of impressed. She couldn’t possibly imagine feeling something like that all the time. It sounded overwhelming. Maybe Giorno was the wrong person to ask about this. His perspective seemed much broader than she anticipated. Maybe that’s what made him so deceptively wise.

“That’s... more than I expected. I guess our experiences are pretty different, huh?” That was certainly an understatement. Trish was sure that Spice Girl hadn’t made her more empathetic, that was just a result of being around the others.

There was a lot about this place and the people that inhabited it that confused Trish, and she had no shortage of questions. It seemed like every day there was some new bizarre occurrence that probably shouldn’t have realistically happened, but there was no denying the proof.

Today however, there was one particular question that was burning a hole in her brain, and she had traveled to that fateful alley just to ask it. She was leaning on the wall nonchalantly and looking directly at the other girl.

“So if you’re a ghost, does that mean you can walk through walls and stuff?”

ㅤ ㅤ Each visit held a special value for Reimi. People who had just met her and still reserved a small part of their time to gently talk to her… That was priceless. The least she could do was welcome each of them with a singular joy and enthusiasm. Something so easy to do — since she was a social butterfly per se, permanently hungry for human presence. Truth be told, something else made her happy to see Trish there. Even if she was too grateful for all of her new friends, it was a fact that the number of girls was small. There were just her and Yukako, and even though none of them were exactly talkative, the pink-haired girl standing in front of her still seemed to be a safer bet. Perhaps, if she was patient enough and played well, some true friendship could blossom little by little. An incorrigible optimist, she was.

“Um, I don’t know. I guess I was just kind of curious. You see it all the time on TV, and who else actually gets the chance to ask a real ghost about that stuff?” And really, that’s the most important thing in her mind, the fact that she knew, and others didn’t. That didn’t mean she couldn’t come up with something though.

@xfthemist liked

Trish was wary of others, and she liked to think she had a good reason. Ever since her mother’s death, an overwhelming majority of the people she’d met have been trying to capture or kill her. So when this new face showed up out of nowhere, she had to be a little suspicious. She wasn’t quite trying to hide it either.

“Sorry, but I hope you won’t take it too personally if I come off a little irritable. It’s been a rough week for me.” This was quite possibly the understatement of the century, but she figured she at least offered the other some conversation, and maybe it would help to assuage her worries a bit.

“I don’t think I caught your name.”

   Just when she had grasped a new lead to her own personal mission, Kasumi found herself being called back to the mafia group she has managed to wrap herself up in the very day she stepped foot in this country. She couldn’t complain, not when she and Bruno made a mutual agreement that she’d lend her skills when called, but the fact that she was forced to pull away from her leads aggravated her to some degree.

   “Ah, I’m used to being surrounded by such emotions. It’s a given when you’re in this line of work.” Kasumi wasn’t the least bit bothered by the young girl’s attitude, in fact she was a bit relieved to finally be around another feminine soul. The mission to protect and deliver Trish to some greater figure quickly settling in an instinctive note within the woman despite knowing very little about her.

“Kasumi... well it’s nice to meet you I guess.” Not necessarily the most friendly statement, but she was trying. It was also nice that the other woman had allowed her to suggest a conversation topic. She wasn’t quite sure what people like her usually talk about casually, and frankly, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have been surprised that she possessed the latent ability of a Stand, what with her father having one as well. Still, that didn’t change the fact that this was a uniquely alien feeling for her, having what felt like another personality in her head. Or maybe it was just another part of her, a more capable and level-headed part.

In any event, Trish found herself occupying the strange room inside the turtle with her golden-haired acquaintance. She fidgeted a bit, wanting to speak but not sure if she should. Eventually, she decided to just go for it.

Teal eyes look down at his stand, still in relief that he was actually alive and with both hands. Had it not been for Trish…Everyone on that plane would’ve surely died.

“Go ahead.” Sitting on the couch next to her, legs crossed over one another.