> What do we remember of Koishi's eyes? The ones in her head, not the one attached via cords.
> "I think it best not to dwell on it, then. The only other physical oddity I noticed is that her smile never broke, no matter her words. It came close, once, when Utsuho suggested she be invisible less, but that was it."
> "I wonder if getting her to express herself more would help. Ah, wait, I misspoke earlier. Lady Saigyouji didn't say she was borrowing memories, that was my guess. Lady Saigyouji said she was borrowing thoughts. I apologize for the error."
> Did Yuyuko-sama mention such a thing?
> "She did not really specify, beyond pointing out that she was borrowing them from the people around her, and that there is 'not a lot left to be Koishi' when she has no one around her to borrow from."
> Nod.> "I believe Utsuho came to the same conclusion, yes."
> "If I may offer one last thing, Lady Saigyouji did suggest that Koishi undoing the things she has done to herself would help her get better. However, it does not seem like Koishi will be fully willing to try such efforts. Even just the suggestion that she make herself unseen less did not go over well, as she claimed she didn't want people to hate her more."
> "We conversed for some time while she remained unseen, and when I asked her if I could take a look at her to see if she had any physical symptoms of her condition, she appeared before me once I promised I would not hate her. As for the other two, it is my understanding that I missed some grant adventure, but I seem to have been able to convince her to give the other two a second chance. They were actually playing Parcheesi together while having lunch when I left."
> "I suppose that when one's very existence is threatened, a gesture of good faith and a desire to help from family goes a long way, regardless of whatever happened in the past."
> "Of course. Please lead onward."> Follow the kasha to wherever we are going to be waiting.
> Take on an equally quiet tone.> "I believe Koishi said something about how she did not want to be a burden or a worry for anyone. But perhaps there is more to it than that?"
> "Ah. I suppose that makes sense."> Would a mindreader be able to hear the thoughts of the Netherworld's ghosts?
> "Yes, she did not seem especially by the crowds in that regard. The most she did was use Utsuho as a shield from the crowd."
> Frown.> "I'm not sure you want my answer to that question."
> "Well. If the solution to the problem is that Koishi needs to do some painful things that she doesn't want to do, I think the best way to get her to go along with it is if other people do painful things for her sake that they otherwise don't want to do ."
