Tale as Old As Time [Finished]

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried shakes his head. "You misunderstand. I am not speaking of last night, but of that evening some days ago, when I asked about your past. Something happened to you, then, and I'm concerned by your inability to recall what it was, and by the changes I sensed happening in your mind while it did. I don't mean to pry, but..."

[CalamityJade]

Obsidian rolled his eyes. "And that's going to be prying teeth...I mean, I get the kid, but it's stuff, and while his parents had a lot of stuff, it wasn't what was important...at least that's what was said." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Better question. What improvements COULD we do that would ease some of the money problems?"

[accalia]

Echo sighs heavily.

"This one was wondering if you meant that. The past is a terrible place for this one... Every time this one has healed is etched indelibly on this one's soul. When this one heals one feels the entire pain of the healing, every single iota of pain the sound has caused, from when it was first incurred through to the very final healing of it... This one does not like looking back into the past"

While it is clear that Echo is hiding something bu omission the words he speaks can be plainly felt to be solid truth

Julie: redistributing and updating the stock portfolio will help, but not much in the short term. That's more of a long term fix. If we can untangle the existing agtreements on the bulk of the assets we might be able to get more, but i doubt it will be enough.

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried reaches out, as though to touch Echo's hair gently with two fingers, but then forces his hand to his lap. This one was not his to soothe in that way. "I am sorry. I would help, if you would let me."

[CalamityJade]

Morden frowned. "As bad as it sounds, you should also look into current trends in the renting market for the rental properties. You might lose a few tenants, but that may also help with some of the early costs."

[accalia]

"No, please. This one appreciates the sentiment, but no... it is this one's burden, no one else should bear it."

Julie: be that as it may, but several of the rental properties will need major maintenance and renovations soon, and right now you lack the capital to deal with that and renovate this location. Right now all the rental properties are in the black, but  that won't last forever. Still it would be a good idea to reevaluate rents. they havent been adjusted in ten years or more and in most places are well below market rate.

[yamikuronue]

"That's the funny thing about burdens. The sharing often makes the burden itself lighter." Siegfried smiles, sadly, glancing down at his lap. "It hardly seems fair to leave you in such pain when you have done so much for the Young Master."

[CalamityJade]

Obsidian gave a nod. "I'll see if I can get him to sell a couple of them. At least to get everything going. Once this place is back in working order, we can look at the other properties."

[accalia]

"this one thanks you for you concern, however the last time someone tried to shoulder even part of this one's burden........ They died...."

Julie: it would help if you could. I'd recommending unloading the properties in Greece. there's enough instability there right now that it's a good market to sell in and the land value is still pretty high. the sale could be used to pay for the needed renovations and upgrades to the remaining properties and still be enough to be most of the cash infusion that you need to renovate this place.

Julie pauses for a moment

Julie: as for the rumour of haunting, it would perhaps be better to use contractors who already exist beyond the veil? they'd be a bit more expensive and wouldn't do anything to dispel the rumours of hauntings but they also won't care about the.... you know there really isn't a way to say it without sounding condescending, the mundies and their superstitions.

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried hesitates, his hand reaching toward Echo's knee. "May I?" he asks, softly. If given permission, he rests his hand on Echo's knee in an attempt to give comfort.

"I do not see how speaking of your troubles can cause my immediate demise. Surely, at least that much comfort can be given? Even if I do not attempt to enter your mind, speaking of the issue can be lightening."

[CalamityJade]

Obsidian laughed a little. "Point...thought maybe if we had some normal people around, they'd think the place was less creepy...and I'm fairly sure it isn't haunted."

[accalia]

"Please, just no. This one chooses to live in the now, the past..... just no. Please."

Echo waves off the physical contact but makes no move to distance himself from Siegfried.

Julie: No, you're not haunted. I've been around Ms. Schreien long enough to know the signs of that. But among the mundies any life beyond the veil can be seen as a haunting... They're not that different than us really. Smart individually but en masse rather stupid.

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried hangs his head, folding his hands into his lap. "I see," he says, his voice mournful. "I should not have... forgive me."

[CalamityJade]

Morden gave a bit of a sigh. "Though, I will say there is a lot more damage done by one of us doing the incorrect thing than them. With the mundane, the worst they can really do is be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's not as if they can use the wrong tax codes and summon spirits from the beyond."

[accalia]

"when acting in compassion there is nothing to forgive. you acted out of compassion and concern, that is a rare and noble thing."

Julie laughs at Morden's words

Julie: well most of the time, i do know one accountant who managed to summon a lesser imp by accidentally using a page from a book of summoning as a piece of scratch paper for calculations. the poor imp thought it was a desk calculator for years afterwards!  Still your point is valid and well spoken.