02.50 - week two, saturday

[afflictionmods]

W2 SATURDAY

Like last Saturday, everyone will get an announcement on their tablets; this time, the announcement is preceded with a bell of some sort before Lorelei appears on the screen again.

"Good morning, everyone. This is an announcement to let you know that today's lesson will take place starting at 8:15 tonight. Again, today's lesson will be starting at 8:15. Please meet at the lower campus exit near the lecture by 8:00pm; Florence will be waiting for you there.

If you have a bag for some snacks and, perhaps, an item you can use for self-defense in the case of an emergency, please arrive with those things on you. We will provide you with an overview of what to expect when you arrive at 8pm.

Thank you."

The alert ends.

You have the day to prepare, ask each other what the hell is happening -- Florence and Lorelei do not seem to be available, strangely enough. There's a lot to take in with the information you have now. But before you know it... night falls.

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[cheerfuldays]

i. act.

( oh. oh no. oh no no no no no- shizuku is not a fighter and she definitely does not do ghosts- the big thing is to run now, but- where is... shoot. for a moment, she can only try to look around, find people but. as the chaos breaks out and more people are trying to flee, catching up seems a bit moot at the moment. so she has to hide- maybe someone will find her. and maybe that someone will have some ghastly company. )

ii. react.

( eventually, shizuku is going to catch something's eye. it's inevitable, especially in all the chaos. but between the shining teeth, those countless eyes... how it can cut off every escape she tries, turning up at one end of the room and then the other, anticipating her ducking around displays or trying to lose it in the halls, until it appears before her, almost like it was waiting for her in the shadows as her heart's pounding in her chest-- the start of a scream is cut off as it takes her and everything goes numb. and in seconds she goes from recoiling in fear to her hands dropping to her sides, shoulders falling. there's no spark in her eyes. nothing. if she hears you, she certainly doesn't care. why should she do anything? everyone is so noisy.

it might annoy her, if that was worth anything. but no. shizuku hinomori is left a tired, emotionless shell. one who doesn't really see the point of even getting out of the way. )

[vedr]

[ Grimnir nearly collides into Shizuku, not just from avoiding ghouls on his own, but it sounded likes someone's cut-short scream was in this direction? You can't really ignore that! ]

I heard a scream, was that you?

[ Something is off, here. ]

[cheerfuldays]

It was, yes. ... There's no reason to be here, though. It's already passed.

( for all that they havent' spoken one on one, grimnir has had to have heard shizuku at least- seen her singing for the pep rally, heard her talking in passing, light and airy and full of whatever she was feeling at the moment.

this is nothing like that. if anything, she barely seems to be speaking above a whisper. )

... Do as you wish, now.

[vedr]

[ Yes, she seemed so lighthearted and ha sung so well, this is quite a shift, isn't it? Hearing her (barely) like this and so quiet... ]

It passed? Did the ghoul go somewhere else...

[ Looks left and right? He doesn't see anything ghost-like, but otherwise. ]

W-what kind of phrasing is that??? Do you want to get to somewhere safe and away from scary stuff coming back?

[cheerfuldays]

No. It caught me. It doesn't matter though. You can do what you want. I don't really care.

( ... how freeing it must be, to exclaim like that. a twinge of jealousy flashes in her heart for a moment, but... only a moment. )

[vedr]

Wait they got you! I guess that makes more sense but... Uh...

[ Literal and mental flailing. ]

U-uh... I want... to get that ghoul to leave you alone! But I'm not sure how.

[cheerfuldays]

Why?

( oh... look at him go. he's so energetic. it's almost annoying. ... )

It doesn't matter either way.

react!

[cloudalike]

[ Why is she just standing there - ]

Shizuku?

[cheerfuldays]

... Chongyun.

( she says it more like a statement than acknowledgement. barely any inflection... and she hardly turns to look at him, either. )

[cloudalike]

[ The difference between how she is now and how she usually is startles him silent. It's a brief pause, as his mind run through possible scenarios. He eventually settles on the most normal one first. ]

Are you scared of ghosts? Here, I'll stay by your side - we can find you a safe spot to hide.

[ That's what he says, but his eyes study her expression carefully. ]

[cheerfuldays]

... I don't care either way. But it's noisy. Everyone is yelling... it's... bothersome.

( idly, she glances as someone flees past, or maybe they're on a rampage. it doesn't really matter which one it is. as for her expression... it simply doesn't change at all.

and that's bothersome in and of itself, isn't it. )

[cloudalike]

[ ... It must be the same thing that was happening to Xingqiu earlier. And he really, really doesn't like what it's doing to Shizuku, who has never found him bothersome. Who has always, always been the personification of kindness.

He thought they were here to fight and save people, but he didn't expect the fight to be an emotional and mental one. And he's not sure how to handle that. ]

I'm sorry if it's bothersome, but do you really not care? What about - oh. [ He digs into his pocket and takes out one of his talismans - the one with the washi tape. ] Here, look. Do you remember this?

[cheerfuldays]

Is there a reason to?

( emotional... it'd be easier if she felt anything in her empty heart to start with, wouldn't it.

the washi tape is... recognizable. )

... Yes. I do.

ii

[partymagician]

[ Huh.

Fai has never seen Shizuku like this. She's the kind of person who tries to help everyone she can, so he's surprised to see her simply standing around. ]

Shizuku?

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku looks up at him, but doesn't answer. there's recognition, at least, but... not much else. ... )

Yes?

[partymagician]

Is everything alright? You seem a bit out of it.

[ And by "a bit" he means "very". ]

[cheerfuldays]

Is that... important?

( but shizuku eventually just... shrugs. it's something, at least. )

It doesn't really matter if I am or not. One of them caught me. And everything went away.

[partymagician]

It does matter. You're a sweet girl that should be checking in on everyone right now.

[ He doesn't know what to say to everything going away... it's unsettling. ]

[cheerfuldays]

... That sounds tiresome. Even if I comfort them now, they'll just get hurt in a little bit. What's the point?

react!

[totaltrashfire]

[Mae’s moving fast, because she doesn’t want to get possessed, no thanks- when she smacks right into Shizuku’s back.]

Sorry, sorry, I-

[Wait. Something is wrong here.]

[cheerfuldays]

( for the prompt called react, shizuku sure doesn't! she just... kind of keeps standing there. but she's at least turned to look at mae somewhat... for all it might matter.

she doesn't say anything. )

[totaltrashfire]

[Shizuku is nice, but even a nice person should react to something like that.

Mae gets closer and waves her hand in front of her eyes and, if that doesn’t work, claps her hands in front of her face.]

Hey!

[cheerfuldays]

... Yes?

( why is she clapping.... )

[totaltrashfire]

Oh good, you can hear me.

[And see her!]

Come on, we have to run! [She'll tug a little on Shizuku's arm.]

[cheerfuldays]

I can hear you. ... Do we? It won't do anything. It didn't save me. It won't save you, either.

( said in a quiet monotone... but she lets mae pull her anyways. there's no point in fighting anything, after all. )