( hunter's game | day 2, 6:45 PM | private with mondo oowada in cabin i, room 2 )

[construe]

[ Continued from here.

As soon as they reach Mondo's room, Kirigiri strides in as though she owns the place. She moves to his desk and clears a space, motioning for him to join her. ]

Do you have the illustration, and some extra paper? Your notebook will do.

Comments

[diamondo]

[Mondo tips his head at the question.]

Like this, see?

[He writes the kanji on the page underneath Kirigiri's notes: 大和田 紋土]

[construe]

[ She studies it. ]

Oowada is composed of... [ She taps each character as she speaks. ] 'Large', 'sum', and 'rice field'...

[ Kirigiri then writes down her own name: 霧切 響子. ]

As for Kirigiri, that's... 'fog cutter'.

[ Where is she going with this? She moves back up to the top of the list of translated terms, her pen stopping at 羽.

She purses her lips. ]

Isn't it interesting that of the people that could have discovered the drawing, it was a Japanese person? If we're to believe that the Critter wanted you to find it... it must be be a language thing, right?

[ She looks up at him, wondering if he's caught on. ]

[diamondo]

Ah, yeah, that's...! It would've overheard my conversation with Charles! I said I was going to check out the museum after the trial, so it knew to put something there for me!

[But why him of all people? Did it really want to make sure its clue wasn't solved? Or maybe it knew Kirigiri would be there too?]

So I'm guessing it's got another meaning, right?

[construe]

There's no reason to wait for a Japanese person to receive the clue, unless it has to do with the Japanese language, right?

[ She points at 羽 again. ]

'Hane'. That's the kanji for feather. Let's write it in as though we're writing our own names, shall we?

[ She rewrites the character on its own sheet. ]

Oowada-kun. Is there a person here who might have that character in their name? A Japanese person?

[ She opens a page of her own journal to the voting list she copied down. ]

[diamondo]

[Mondo glances at the names in the journal, carefully picking out the Japanese ones and going through them. Most of them don't seem very promising, but he pauses at one, frowning.]

Hanekoma? That could have the same kanji, right?

[construe]

[ She nods, pleased with his reply. ]

Yes. Hane- we've definitely got that part right. But koma...

It's kind of funny... This kanji contains the same elements as that for 'crime'...

[ She writes down 狛. ]

Koma. The definition of that... is 'lion dog'.

[ She circles the completed name, 羽狛. ] Hanekoma. There you have it. Feather lion.

[diamondo]

Shit.

[And for a moment he just stares at that, stunned.]

Shit. We've gotta warn 'em! There's no way we're gonna let another person die!

[construe]

[ She nods, though she looks contemplative. ]

Do you think Sanae Hanekoma is the next target?

Or maybe... he's something else?

[diamondo]

Ah, that's--!

[He hadn't considered that. Mondo stares at the paper again as if that will give him answers.]

Shit, I dunno. I've never met him so I can't say. What do you think?

[construe]

[ At that, she shakes her head. ] I don't know. I haven't had any interactions with this person.

But I am positive that you were meant to find the clue for a reason. Today... I think we've done enough work in that regard. Let's not panic and wait to see what happens tomorrow.

[diamondo]

Yeah, I guess you're right. There's nothing else we can really do, is there?

[Hopefully he won't end up dead tomorrow...]

Thanks for the help, Kirigiri. I couldn't have figured this out without you.

[construe]

No, thank you. I used to think that working alone was the only way to be... But another mind to share ideas with is much better.

[ She sets the pen down. ] The blizzard will be moving in soon. I should return to my room before it hits, to avoid a penalty...

[diamondo]

[He seems quite pleased with that.]

Yeah, it really is helpful to have someone to bounce things off of!

[Even if he isn't the ideal person...]

Oh, yeah, I guess that's right. I'll see you tomorrow, then.

[Assuming neither of them die tonight, that is.]

[construe]

Yes. Please be safe tonight, Oowada-san.

[ Apparently their sleuthing hasn't dulled her weird sense of humor, because she follows that up with: ] And if we're still around tomorrow, you can invite me to your room any time you want.

[diamondo]

Yeah, you too--

[And then that hits and Mondo turns bright red again.]

That's--!! That's not what I meant!!

[But he manages to calm himself down after a moment, at least enough to add onto his first statement.]

I'll see you tomorrow. You can count on it!

[construe]

[ Kirigiri laughs. ]

I will. Good night.

[ With that, she gathers up her journal and makes a quiet exit. ]