Play@YSDC

Paul walks over to Bridget after she gets off the phone and says "I think i will be retiring for the night what time will we all be meeting back down here in the morning?"

Francis doesn't feel very well. He has passed a good part of the nigth writing all the details. This is practicaly a story written by itself. He is just changing some details: it's the story of a men who is looking for his love who has vanished in Japan.

You all spend a fairly restful nights sleep at the hotel, although more than a couple of you had bad dreams. At nine the following morning you are all gathered in the small dining room. Little evidence of last nights parlour game remains, other than the odd patch of dried wax. Of the Japanese couples there is no sign, however given the size of the room that might be a good thing. If asked Axelby will mutter something about them having gone sight seeing.

In the lobby seeing how fast he can drink one of the bottles of Sino-German beer, is a badly dressed westerner. Shorts, shirt that looks in need of repairing, and washing, topped off by a stained khaki coloured bush hat, one side turned up, of the style worn by the Anzacs during the war.
Axelby,in the process of serving a scalding hot beverage that he misnames 'coffee', nods at the figure and whispers, "The Ferret"

Ted Nelson
.
Ted takes a cup of joe but refrains from drinking it while its too hot. He walks over to Ferret and sits down. "Hello friend, my names Ted Nelson. I understand you give tours into the forest."

Professor Krugman nods rather awkwardly at the coarse looking man.

Tony nods but doesn't say anything yet, letting Ted do the talking.

Francis waits that the other man says something.

Ted Nelson:
The Ferret slowly turns his head and regards you for a moment or two in silence. "G'day mate, Charley Proby, but folks call me Ferret 'cause I find things." he speaks in a rich Australian accent, "I guess you're a Yank?" he glances over to where the others watch, "You with them?"
He finishes his beer and places the empty bottle on the counter following it with a loud belch, "Get out ya beauty". Then after wiping his mouth with the back of his hand he continues, "Yeah sure I do tours of the forest, if the price is right mate"

Bridget descends the staircase from the sleeping quarters, tactfully put together as always, but the faded quality of her normally astute stare belies her restless night. She glances towards the table where Ted is engaged in conversation with a rather rustic looking individual.

She picks up a cup and saucer and smiles gratefully as Axelby pours a cup of vile, brackish coffee. She declines to taste the foul brew, content instead to merely feel it's warmth drift through her fingers.

"Who's that?" she inquires, blowing a head of steam from her cup.

Ted acknowledges everyone, "yea we are all together. I understand you took a young lady into the forest a few days back. Another American. What can you tell us about her mate?" Ted has a $5 folded up in his hand, but makes sure the Ferret can see it.

Ted Nelson:
Proby (the Ferret) reaches across the counter and pulls another beer towards him, using a bottle opener attached to a chain on the wall he opens it, ignoring the sudden spurt of warm beer. If he notices the money in you hand he makes no indication.
He swallows half the bottle in one long gulp, belches and again uses the back of his hand to wipe his mouth.

"Oh sure, she gave me a fiver, American, you know that’s what I get per day for a trip in to the old Akkey, it seems high, but I assure you there’s nobody but me who can or will take you in and no mistake. We met last week some time. I came by to the hotel bright and early – she was dressed like a spy in some book, with the long coat and the hat, she was. We took a trip just through the outskirts – I kept trying to tell her about the, you know, natural features and plant life and that. But she just shushed me like I was a child. I had half a mind to call the whole deal off right then and there. But she was a kid and all, so I say, let the client have her way. Anyway at some point she just stopped at the edge – that’s what I call it, there’s a skirt of scrub before you get to the deep forest – and just looked for a long time. Then she said she wanted to go back to the hotel. We did and that was that, no fooling."

He finishes the beer, looks pointedly at the five dollar bill in your hand, "Aint seen her since, I guess she's around somewhere"

Paul sits quitely sipping his coffee watching the conversation going on at the table.

"You're good at finding things," says Tony. "Can you find people too? Our friend hasn't been to the Ryokan in days. If she's still in the area, can you help us find her? If she doesn't turn up in the village, I think our best bet is for you to guide us where you took her in the forest, particularly to that part of the edge that caught her interest. It might help us to see what she saw, and she may have tried to go back there on her own."

Francis is listening with curiosity. Why do the locals tolerate a foreigner doing tours?

Proby (the Ferret) pulls the sweat stained bush hat from his head, and runs fingers through his matted corn coloured hair. He turns to Tony, eyeing the big guy thoughtfully, "Sure, I could do that - for a suitable fee of course", his eyes move to the five dollar bill that Ted still holds in his hand, "But if she went back to Accy without me guiding her, she probably got herself lost. Those woods are bloody thick mate, easy to get lost in there"

He pushes the battered hat back onto his head, "Give me an hour to sort out my truck and I'll be available - five dollars American a day"

"Thanks, sounds good to me," says Tony.

Francis nods

Francis nods

Francis nods

Paul finishes his cofee.