Log:The Spirit of Charles Claymore

2021/01/02 Evan Phantom|Travis 1

It's a quiet night and all through the house, not a creature is stirring, well, except for Travis who wants a snack and something to drink. And probably Evan who wasn't in his room up off the fountain room. So, down the stairs trudges Travis, a sleepy Unnameable One in the crook of his arm providing some visual aid between squeaky growls and yawns.

Without many people around, it's hard to look at a clock. Or tell what time of the day it is based on light. So sometimes, especially on holiday breaks with no school or while on the run across several dimensions, Travis keeps weird hours. The Unnamed One does help a bit, when it can keep its cute eyes open. At least Travis' inherent clairvoyance helps him avoid misteps or walls.

Travis is wearing plaid fleece pajama bottoms and a soft, grey fitted tee. His hair is a messy and unstyled this time of night, rather than the perfectly groomed look he usually has.

As you come down to the second floor, the Unnamed One peers around and spots a translucent man down at the far end of the hallway near the head of the stairs leading down. He's dressed in torn and dirty battle fatigues. He's the ghost of Charles Claymore, you realize; the last of Claymores who died on the other side of the world during the Korean War. Charles starts down the stairs to the first floor.

Travis's brows creep up in surprise as one of the ghosts shows up. With them getting settled, and the girl spirit still hiding and playing her games, he had taken a break from trying to seek them out. But as the Unnamed One has spotted him, Travis halts and considers a moment before breaking off to go after the ghost Charles Claymore. "H-hey, Mister Claymore. Charles?"

Charles doesn't seem to pay any attention as he walks, drifts down thw stairs out of sight. By the time you reach the landing, the ghost is out of sight down the stairs. The Unnamed One peers down the stairs then up at you then down the stairs again before it purrs roughly.

Travis scritches the kitten under the chin and sighs before heading downstairs. It may be faster to go astral, but he doesn't want to leave his body lying in a hall in the dark to get tripped over.

As you heasd down the stairs, you hear a piano playing softly. It's a melodic tune but a bit melancholy in tone. The only piano in the house is the baby grtand in the living room.

It takes a moment to remember where the piano is...and that they had one. But Travis can follow his ears as well as the Unnamed One's vision to find his way there.

As you turn the corner into the living room, you can see the ghost of Charles Claymore seated on the piano bench next to Chalmers. It's Chalmers who plays the piano as Charles looks on. The haunted look on Charles' face is bit less prevalent as he slowly nods his head in time to the song.

Seated in a chair near the fireplace and away from the piano is Evan. He's drawing as he watches the two spirits.

Travis is surprised to see Chalmers is behind the music. But it makes sense that the ghosts probably...well, know each other. He ends up staying quiet and moving over to find a chair near Evan. <> he asks as he sits down and sets the Unnamed One on his lap.

The Unnamed One decides to get comfortable by kneading its tiny sharp claws into your lap, fortunately missing anything delicate, as it makes itself more comfortable.

The ghosts don'e seem to notice you taking a seat as Chalmers transitions into another song, this one a bit lively, but still quiet.

Evan glancces over at you then replies on the Brain Wave as he continues to sketch. <>

Travis grits his teeth and stiffens as the cute murderkitten claws into him. <>

<> states Evan as he turns a page. You note through Evan's eyes that he's already made one rough sketch of Charles. << I'm watching to see if I can 'see' anything. Probably won't, but...>> He shrugs.

<> Travis nods thoughtfully, head tilting down to his lap, though his gaze is...off. His sightless eyes are aimed past the kitten. <>

<< I...I can't ask you to do that, Travis,>> states Evan over the link. << I've got no idea what the dangers might be entering a dead man's mind. Or if you can affect his mind...Could you, did you touch Harrington's mind? Other than sensing his 'presence'?>>

The Unnamed One watches the two ghosts with curiosity it seems, twitching its nose and tilting its head.

Chalmers speaks in whispers to Charles, but you cannot overhear what he is saying to the young man. And Charles does look young; certain he died before he was much out of college.

Travis smiles faintly. << I've seen plenty of terrible minds. I'm not too worried. I already helped that Ghost lady and her memories.>>

<> he says with a nod. <>

<< Maybe, but her mind was pretty shattered. Messier than Blink's room>> Travis smirks. <>

<> says Evan after a moment. << Better than maybe provoke a, um, bad reaction. He's not an enemy after all. No reason to make him one.>>

Travis nods softly and leans back in his chair. He closes his eyes, his head drooping slowly as his mind separates from his body. His astral self walks calmly over to Chalmers. "I didn't know you played, but that's pretty cool." He looks over to Charles and offers a kind smile. "Hey. We haven't really be introduced. I'm Travis." Maybe as his astral self, the ghost will see him as one of them.

Chalmers murmurs, "Learned at my parent's adventure camp, Travis," but then falls silent as you address Charles.

The soldier looks at you for a long moment, a thousand yard stare as if looking through you, before he replies in a soft Colonial Bay drawl, "Ah, are you here to relieve one of the the platoon commanders, Travis? And where are my manners: I'm Claymore." He quirks a small smile. "No jokes about me going off, OK?"

Travis decides not to break the illusion for Charles just yet. "Yes. Yes, I am, Claymore. I don't think I've heard reports of you going off."

"Just an old joke someone..." Charles face clouds for a moment as if he's confused then he continues "JUst an old joke someone told me. Can't remember who right now. Like the mine? Cause of my name? But, well, doesn't matter." He looks down as Chalmers starts another song. "I used to play back before all this. Glad this Canadian officer knows how still." He holds up his hands which look particularly shredded right now, like they were blown apart. YOu note for a moment that his chest looks that way as well then his hands and chest just look normal, dirty, a bit bloody, but whole.

Travis tries not to cringe or flinch too much. He's seen enough freaky stuff lately that his appearance as rattling as it could be. "Maybe I should take you to the med tent to get checked on, Soldier," he says lightly, like it's a small deal. "Get you patched up good as new." The irony that a man named Claymore got blown up, probably by a landmine, doesn't escape him.

"Oh, I'm fine as a fiddle, Travis," says Charles. "Just tired from my patrol. First Sarge and I were out when..." His voice trails off. "Sergeant Barker? He's alright isn't he? He took a bullet right before that Chinese pineapple got lob..."

His eyes grow distant for a moment then he softly says, "Oh, that's right..." then fades from sight on the physical plane. Astrally, you see him get up from the piano bench and start towards the door to the outside, flying rather than walking.

He's still standing upright but his legs aren't moving, He's just flying along like he's on a wire from above.

Travis is caught off guard, then starts to follow Charles. "He's fine, just fine. Just like you are. Just a bit dazed, that's all. I can maybe help with that."

"Yes, I know he's fine," murmurs Charles absently. "That's why I grabbed that grenade. Knew I didn't have time to throw it back. Had to protect my men, the Sarge and the others." He drifts quickly through the front door and out into the yard. For a moment, he looks around then he starts to move more quickly, in the way of someone familiar with the lower Astral, kicking it into high gear as it were.

Charles quickly passes out of sight heading towards the west as he zips away through the trees and houses in the neighborhood.

Travis loses track of Charles due to his speed. Where the heck is he off to? He sighs and floats back to the living room. "Sorry, Chalmers. I tried," he says before he drifts back into his body. Travis physically opens his eyes and lifts his head. "Well, that blew."

Chalmers has sequed into some sort of lyrical piece that sounds vaguely familiar. Probably one of the classic classical pieces. He just nods to you as he contineus to play.

Evan, on the other hand, says, "What blew?" as he sketches a throughly shredded hand that looks like the one's Charles held up.

"He started to remember how he died and sped off so fast I couldn't figure where he went," Travis explains, going back to pet the Unnamed One.

The kitten has fallen asleep and seems to have expanded somehow to take up your entire lap.

"Ah, well, um, did he say anything before he headed off? And, ah, what direction did he head?"

Travis points in the direction Charles went. "Uhh...that way? Ish? He just said how he grabbed the grenade that killed him to save his men."

Evan looks at the direction you point then closes his eyes for a moment as he raises his hand to point the same direction. "Um, could be he went to the cemetery out in Old Town...that's kinda in that direction." He then opens his eyes and looks at you. "So...hungry?"

"Uhh...huh. I mean, is he even buried there, or was he...y'know. Part of the remains we put to rest here?" Travis asks. "I'm...not so sure I'm hungry anymore after seeing that."

"Not even for some nice chocolate covered lady fingers?" says Evan with a smirk. "And I've no idea. Guess we can check. And best not to go to bed on a growly stomach. You'll wake up grumpy...well, grumpier than you do."

"No, his bones woulda been older than the hundred years we told the Verminax to dig up."

Travis cringes at the mention of fingers. "Definitely...no...fingers." Travis keeps his dinner down. "I guess...I could try and check out the cemetary sometime on the astral plane, but...there could be a loooot of activity there. Then again...our old friend is out there, too. Hmm."

"Our old frie...Oh, the Night Hound. Yeah, he might be able to help if you can find him. good idea," murmurs Evan as he flips his sketchpad closed and sliodes the pencil into the spiral binding. "Come on, let's find you something," he adds as he gets up. He's still dressed like he was earlier today and seems not really tired.