xiii. phone/action

[ryougi]

[Phone: filtered to Touko Aozaki]

The bet's off. [And just like that, she hangs up.]


[All around Mayfield

For the whole day, Shiki can be found walking around the whole town. That in itself isn't really anything out of the ordinary, but... there's something off. Even if you don't know her, she almost seems lost. Barely paying attention to where she's going, wandering around without even looking--if she bumps into someone or something, she barely notices and probably tries to continue on her way without a word. Either she's too distracted by her own thoughts or she's trying not to think of anything at all.]

Comments

[action]

[thunderace]

[Yep. Way too late to abort now, Shiki.]

I'm not going to force you to talk about anything. I just figured I'd offer my help.

[action]

[ryougi]

[Ah, how could she have let this happen... Can she just walk away now and never look back...........]

... [Deep contemplative silence as she thinks about it. Well, the base of the problem is common enough here, so admitting that at least wouldn't be so hard.] Someone left.

[action]

[thunderace]

[Ah... yes, Fate can understand this feeling well.]

Someone important to you?

[action]

[ryougi]

Sort of I guess. [More like THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN HER ENTIRE LIFE but 1) what is admitting that, 2) what is accepting that...]

[action]

[thunderace]

... I know how that feels. I was separated from my most important person for nearly a year.

[She won't mention that they were recently reunited. It would be too out of place.] It hurts. No matter how strong or how happy someone acts, losing someone important to them will always hurt deep, deep down.

[action]

[ryougi]

It's supposed to be better that they aren't here though, right? This place sucks.

[action]

[thunderace]

You're right. This place is horrible, and if I had a choice, I wouldn't want to see anyone I care about show up here.

But that can't stop how you feel. If you have a strong bond with someone, and that person goes away, not even knowing it's for the better doesn't really help much.

I guess the gist of that is that feeling selfish for wanting them here just really means that you care? [She laughs a little.] Sorry, that came off as a little strange.

[action]

[ryougi]

Doesn't being selfish usually mean you don't care?

[action]

[thunderace]

That's why I said it's strange. But doesn't it seem that way? Wishing that someone won't leave, even if this place is pretty bad...

[action]

[ryougi]

So then I actually... care. [a beat] In a normal way.

[Granted what is normal for Mayfield but THIS IS LIKE A REVELATION TO HER normal feelings are new.]

[action]

[thunderace]

[She nods.] Exactly.

[action]

[ryougi]

... weird.

[action]

[thunderace]

... What's so weird about it?

[action]

[ryougi]

S'just. A little weird. To me.