IC INBOX

[spelleton]

Available through calling, texting or network contact.

"Greetings, you've reached Ekkehardt Gehring. If you're listening to this, I'm probably busy. Try again later, or leave a message."

EKKEHARDT GEHRING
UN: HEMLOCK

STATUS: Graduate/TA. School nurse assistant.

ACCOLADES: I graduated from this academy 22 years ago. I've been rather boring otherwise.

BIO: I'm here to help treat whatever injuries you children can't just bounce back from. Try not to get into trouble.

© TESSISAMESS

Comments

BIRTHDAY (Before party crashing)

[hattersgonnahat]

[She wanted to give to before class, but inevitably she had to just leave the package by his door, along with a signed card and some doodles.]

[Ekkehardt had already gotten a star charm from her before, and a spare meteorite chunk, but Puella hadn't thought combining the two together yet. So what he got was a small star shaped bottle full of meteorite filings - which had a sort of goldish silver shine to it - and other little metal decorations around the bottle that was supposed to bring good luck. Because shooting stars, wishes, and good luck were all practically the same thing right?]

[Once there was a break from classes, the first thing Puella did was look for him again.]

[spelleton]

[ He wears the star bottle as a hair ornament, attached to one of the chains clasped around his veil. What better way to display his new gift, and Puella's hard work?

He's wearing it when she comes to visit him; he's in the infirmary, as usual. Doing work, as usual. ]

Hello, Puella. Having a good day?

[hattersgonnahat]

[Kind of figured he would be here. Although he really should be doing something special for today than working.]

[But Puella saw the star and got extra giddy.] You got it!!

[And a big hug already.]

[spelleton]

[ That's assuming Ekkehardt ever treats his birthday as anything more than just another day, which he does not. ]

Of course! I couldn't miss it. [ He scoops Puella up for Advanced Hugging Techniques. ]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Advanced Hugging Techniques are being deployed.]

So you like it???

[spelleton]

If I didn't like it, I wouldn't be wearing it, would I? [ As if to prove his point, the star bottle jingles against one of his other chains. ] Did you make it yourself?

[hattersgonnahat]

I put it together! [Making it seems like it could be a stretch, maybe. But it was entirely her idea.]

It's enchanted so it should keep you safe too.

[Ekke is also a troublemaker and she knows it.]

[spelleton]

Well, I can't argue with that. I suppose I could use the extra help. [ He's not going to argue with it....she's seen him get in trouble enough anyway.

And he's just going to get into more trouble this month. Whoops. ]

Soon after the Herald's Mark

[subconmodo]

[What had been a stray thought sometime during the traversal of the dreamscapes has begun to nag at Avery, and sometime late at night, he shoots a text message Ekkehardt's way]

Question: do you remember how my car got wrecked? Not the Ferrari. The one before.

[spelleton]

[ It's an odd question. He stares at it for a moment.
He does remember the car getting crashed, by Avery's younger self, and...

...

He frowns. Wasn't there someone else there? Why can't he remember who? ]

Your child self crashed it didnt he

I think?

[subconmodo]

Yeah, I remember that part. Broke the mask and everything.

Thing is, I don't remember him being in the driver's seat. I can't remember who was and it's bugging the hell out of me.

[spelleton]

I dont remember either

>:|????

[ He should remember. He's a lich; memories aren't something that slip away from him any more. ]

Theres something strange about this.

[subconmodo]

[So it's not just him. There were a few holes in his memory recently. Small ones, not enough to bother him, and only coming up when someone brought up something vaguely related. This on the other hand, something that upset his younger self so, something that had led to the destruction of his old car...

Well. It seemed important. And a year was far too short a time for details like that to get fuzzy.]

Think it's some kind of spell?

[spelleton]

Theres not much else it could be if its affecting both of us.

But who benefits from making us forget one specific person?

[ He'd been so busy, he'd barely noticed there were things missing from his life. But he'd felt the gap, somewhere, that slight wrongness. ]

[subconmodo]

[He takes a moment to reply, thinking it over. A Herald is his first thought, but at the same time, if the person was that important, wouldn't there be more parts of his life curiously absent or altered?]

Some kind of fae or daemon, no doubt. Wouldn't be surprised if one of the students ignored all the lectures on NOT making Contracts.

Way, way, backdated (wobbly time before the last Resurrection?)

[unpocoloco]

[She's been gone for a while, Imelda. The knowledge of it stabs at him. It's been harder to reach his family and harder for him to get to play Coco's song with her. Back to playing music alone, he can't help finding it lonely at times, not the relief it used to be now that he's so close to true happiness again.

On this night, it can't be brushed aside. He goes and starts to look. Whether passing in the Hall or knocking on a door, he finds himself facing Ekkehardt with a request.]

Hey, Ekkehardt. I know this is out of the blue, but, would you be interested in something of an impromptu jam session?

[spelleton]

Oh? [ He does have work to do, but doesn't he always? It can wait. ] Certainly. What do you have in mind?

[ Something with the organ, or one of the school's many loaned instruments, or even singing? He's interested to find out. ]

[unpocoloco]

Weeeell...

[His head tilts with his drawl of the word.]

I was thinking of letting you choose whatever suited but... how would you like to learn some guitar? [A pause, then a frown follows.] Unless you already know guitar.

[spelleton]

[ That gets a little laugh. ] I've never tried, actually, so it would be a pleasure. [ He can imitate a guitar's sounds with his voice, he's sure, but that's not the same as playing. ] I've never quite dabbled with anything other than an organ, so you'll have to forgive my inexperience.

[unpocoloco]

Forgive?

[He laughs too, at that.]

Mi amigo, if inexperience must be forgiven then I've got a whole ledger of other things.

[And besides that, he's kind of pleased to know there's one little thing he can actually offer.]

Where shall we start then?

[spelleton]

At the beginning, I hope? [ What else can he say to that. ] I know the basic principles [ mostly because he's seen Héctor play so much ] but that's all.

[ If Héctor's walking anywhere in particular, he's just going to follow. He has nowhere in mind. ]

[unpocoloco]

[He snorts. Whether it was intended as a joke or not, it makes him laugh.]

You have no preferred place to sit then?

[In that case, he will lead the way. Outside is a comfort again, years stuck out in it and none of the threats that were around able to touch him anymore, he takes to, but he wants to play along with his friend and so the music hall will be best.]

Don't worry, I won't throw you right in the deep end. Promise.

Like 2 minutes after the Kokoro thread

[imyoubut]

Brother, I may require your aid. Are you familiar with a girl by the name of Kokoro Belmont?

[spelleton]

I am.
Is there something she needs?
I didnt hear of anything.

[imyoubut]

An excellent guess. Indeed, she certainly is in need of something: a proper Halloween costume! Do you know what she went as last year? A bargain bin cheeseburger! And she bought it last minute!