♥ 04

[priceofmagic]

[ action ♥ 770 Bunker Street ]
[ Satou woke in her bed with a start, as if from a nightmare. She last remembers being stabbed, over and over, until she just couldn't bear to be conscious anymore. The memory keeps knocking on her thoughts as she forces herself to get out of bed and stumbles to the vanity in her room. ] It's okay... It's okay, don't freak out, it's okay... [ Then she stops. Standing in front of the mirror, in the middle of changing her clothes. It takes a moment for the sight to completely register. Her wounds are still there. They're not bleeding and they're not fatal, but they're still there. Satou tries to calm herself again by searching for her pulse, to remind herself that she might be wounded but at least she's still alive... unable to find it, she stumbles to the nearest bathroom and skips breakfast that morning.. ]

[ action ♥ High School ]
[ Despite her physical state, Satou does all in her power to be cheerful at school that day. She'll greet anyone and everyone with a smile, even if she's never met the before.  ] Good day! Are you excited, for, um... February? Let's make it the best!

 [ But she will never take her gloves off. She has long sleeves on, long stockings, and is making all possible effort to keep her body completely hidden. Though she seems to be social and friendly, get too close to her and she'll back away from you nervously. At lunch, she sneaks away from the cafeteria to avoid eating anything. Satou doesn't want anyone to know her revival wasn't perfect.  ]

[ phone ♥ Evening ]
[ Just barely an hour after school and Satou is finally healed up. Since she is no longer freaking out over her failed revival state, Satou now has the time to open the package addressed to her. Despite the strange lack of contents, she sounds relieved as she finally picks up the phone. ]
Good evening! Is this too late to be making a call? I just, um, wanted to know. Did anyone else get a package today? I got one and... there wasn't anything in it. Is that normal? [ Her tone does from relieved to slightly upset. ] Did I get ripped off?

{ for any action tags, please respond to Satou's permissions post for her empathy, if you have a moment! Thanks so much! }

Comments

phone

[forgottenmagia]

No, dear. The empty packages should have a picture in them, I believe. They're placeholders for intangible things given back.

Like when I received my magic back. There was a picture of a witch's hat and cauldron.

phone

[priceofmagic]

Au? Really? That's not a card...? That explains why nothing was written on it...

[forgottenmagia]

Mmm! You simply need to touch the card, and the intended feature should come back to you.

[priceofmagic]

R-really? Then I guess whatever is was is back now! Since I put the card on my desk... Oh, what did yours give you? Is that okay to ask?

High School

[burdenbearing]

[Mirai, in her usual sour mood, frowns at Satou's cheery greeting.]

How can you look forward to something that's already here? You're even dressed for it!

High School

[priceofmagic]

Um, by... Oh, by being an excited-able person, I think! This is my first February in Mayfield, though. I wonder what it'll be like!

High School

[burdenbearing]

Probably as awful as the December and January. Why would it be any different this month? The only good thing is that death isn't forever in this place.

[What a Debbie Downer!]

High School

[priceofmagic]

Death isn't...

[ Nooo stop thinking about that! ]

But December and January weren't bad! There was Christmas! And New Years! And now there's... February!

action // highschool

[crosseyed]

[[nia hadn't gotten a hold of her when she called all the people she tried to (or succeeded in) hurt. she tried her damndest, but it didn't work.

she's pretty quiet today, which is unusual for nia. in the cafeteria, she nibbles on a "sandwich" (somehow nia finds a way to screw up sandwiches), trying to bury the knawing feeling in her stomach. it's not working all that well.

then, out of the corner of her eye, she sees the familiar girl. the one she actually killed. without thinking, she throws her sandwich down and goes after her.]] Excuse me!

Excuse me, miss!

1/2

[priceofmagic]

[ Nia has been on Satou's mind all day, despite her attempts to forget. At first she was haunted by the terror of dying. Then by the humiliation of having been defeated in such a manner. And now all that's left is the guilt of staining Nia's hands with another person's blood. Nia would never have been able to kill her if Satou wasn't so stupid. Death in Mayfield is something easily fixed-- even if it's only partial in Satou's case-- but Satou knows from experience that the feeling of murder doesn't go away.

Despite feeling sorry for Nia, and wanting to try to ease that guilt, Satou's initial reaction is to freeze up. The voice of her killer makes every muscle in Satou's body raise the white flag. Her mind goes numb, to spare her the pain of being stabbed again. ]

ah-...

2/2

[priceofmagic]

[ And then she eases up. Just enough to turn around, slowly and with shaky movements.

It's not her fault

Satou faces Nia with a blank expression.

You're the Witch of Sins! You caused her to do this! ]

ah... Ah, G... Good day, miss, um... [ A smile is forced across her face. It isn't her fault. ] Good day! I'm glad to see you feeling better!

[crosseyed]

[[jumping to the case. she sort of forgets the circumstances and runs up to her, grabbing her hands, and clutching them tightly.]]

I know what I did was bad, miss! But, please, do not think I am always like that! [[her face is a mixture of worry and seriousness.]] The me now, the me who is talking to you, I never wanted to hurt you! I never wanted to hurt anyone.

I am so, so very sorry for doing that to you. And I am so glad that you are alive again, because I have been wanting to say I am sorry since I became normal again. I tried to call you, but I could not get a hold of you, but I can tell you now. [[a deep breath. and she repeats:]] I am so very sorry.

[priceofmagic]

[ Oh Nia... You're going to make her cry.

Satou's completely frozen at first. Nia has such kind hands. And her feelings are definitely genuine. Everything about this girl is completely different from before. Everything about Nia reminds Satou that she never deserved to kill anyone. ]

Y-you... you don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault, you... [ She takes her hands away from Nia's. As kind as Nia's hands are now, it hurts Satou to remember that she stained them with blood. Instead, Satou wraps her in a tight hug. ] I'm so sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Are you okay? That must've been awful..!

high school action;

[extraordinarily]

February? [ A beat. ] Do you mean Valentine's Day?

high school action;

[priceofmagic]

N-no way! I... I don't... think I can look forward to that holiday!

[ For a number of reasons. None of which make her go Doki Doki, really. ]

high school action;

[extraordinarily]

Why not, huh? [ There's a sly smirk on Haruhi's face now. ] Do you have a boyfriend back home?

High school

[noluckduck]

... The hell's so special about February?

High school

[priceofmagic]

Um... It's not January or December... but it's still cold! It's also the only month that starts with the letter "F"! Oh, and the days are different and leap years happen and um... [ A pause. ] It's very unique!

[noluckduck]

...

Whoop-de-freakin'-do.

phone

[soulless_soldier]

They did that once to me. I think they do that for things that aren't... physical, ya know? Did ya already open it?

phone

[priceofmagic]

Ah, yes! I did! But non-physical things... you mean like abilities?

[soulless_soldier]

Yeah. That they sent with a card. In an empty box, they sent me old injuries. Scars.

phone ♥

[beastorian]

Good evening. Did you receive an answer to your question yet?

phone ♥

[priceofmagic]

Huh? Oh, y-yeah... I think so! Sorry to have bothered you..!

phone ♥

[beastorian]

That's fine. We've spoken before, have we not? [ a pause ] Kuroneko Satou.