Waifus Are Forever

You Used to Call Me at the Seance

Dim lights from scented candles reflect off of REN, MORTY, DARIOS, HARU, AZURA, MIDNA, CORTEX, and N. GIN as they sit in a circle on the concrete floor of a storage room. REN, HARU, and AZURA are visibly uncomfortable from the sensory overload.

MORTY: (excitedly) I haven't done one of these in forever!

MIDNA: (to MORTY) So... this isn't how the dead normally communicate with each other, then?

MORTY: Not in the modern era, of course! (pulls out cellphone and waves it around) Granted, it's an Android, but it does the job. I would rather have that then sell myself out to Steve Jobs and-

DARIOS gently places his hand on MORTY's shoulder and shoots him a kind but stern look. MORTY puts his phone back into... wherever he had it, and clears his throat.

MORTY: Right. Now, there's three ways to do this sort of thing: we can either use objects they had in life or DNA from someone they knew in order to make direct contact with them. The last one is more like manifesting, since we don't have anything to link them to. It'll take longer to get into the system. We might be here for days if we do that. (to REN) Do you have anything on you that belonged to your friends?

REN: They're all back at home.

MORTY: That just leaves us with the other immediate option. Any kind of DNA extraction works. (innocently) What're your thoughts on a blood sample?

CORTEX: (appalled) And risk him getting operated on again due to blood loss!?

MORTY: What? No, only a drop or two would work! I'm not going to drain him or anything!

AZURA: (hands over her nose) May I say something? (waits for everyone else to face her) What about his hair? Wouldn't that be enough?

MORTY grimaces in embarrassment and smacks his face into the palm of his hand.

MORTY: Right... that's the much simpler option, now isn't it? (glances at REN through his palm) Just a few strands, Ren. That's all I'd need.

Not wanting to embarrass MORTY any longer, REN runs his hand through his hair and gently tugs it as he makes his way across. Several strands of hair gather in his palm, which he gives to MORTY.

MORTY: Thank you. I should warn you all in advance that the connection might be unstable at times, but this is our best option.

He accepts the hairs from REN and proceeds to clasp his hands firmly around the hair. MORTY closes his eyes as if saying a prayer, then releases the hair into the circle.

MORTY: Finally, we have to keep a link to the living world as we do this. If we don't, there's a chance of rogue possession. Everyone, hold onto each other's hands!

Within the circle, everyone joins hands: REN to HARU, HARU to AZURA, AZURA to MIDNA, MIDNA to N. GIN, N. GIN to CORTEX, CORTEX to DARIOS, DARIOS to MORTY, and MORTY to REN, ALL in a counter-clockwise direction. After the sound of a dial-up, the hairs begin to glow and levitate off of the floor. A series of shimmering silhouettes flicker across the concrete floors until, finally, RYUJI fades into view atop the hairs. REN gasps.

MORTY: (to REN) Is that one of your friends?

REN: (nods to MORTY, then turns to RYUJI) Ryuji!