theafflicted | 02.50 - week two, saturday

02.50 - week two, saturday

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)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I know who I am. It just doesn't mean anything.

( an idol... someone to spread hope. joy. bring smiles.

what a waste of time, honestly. nothing lasts forever.

and the alarms are sounding, certainly. unfortunately, shizuku doesn't really care. )

Will it now... I don't really care what you do.

( 'so do as you wish'. )

[ Shizuku has several factors that are working in her (survival) favor:

1. Hien is desperate to have things be fine.
2. Injuring Shizuku would contradict having those things be Fine.
3. She's a child in his eyes.
4. That hollowness she exhibits gives him a lot of conflicted emotions. ]

Not even if I stab your face?

[ Absolutely a bluff. ]

I don't care.

( she wouldn't. impassive, hollow, empty... who cares about her image. who cares about how it would hurt, how madara would feel it too. not her, certainly.

perhaps her first time seeing the darker side of hien, and it doesn't matter at all. )

Oh, no. You're not fine at all. I don't see your usual face, or a face at all.

[ figuratively ]

Your teammate will be so distressed about you, and you don't even care. That's so sad, Shizu. We have to make you care.

[ Hien pretends to think about it and grins. ]

Oh, I know. I'll go stab him and tear his neck from his body. Maybe then you'll care.

( there's a twinge of something she can't recognize. it's hot and cold all at once, sharp and almost painful. )

... That sounds like the opposite of 'fine'.

But you will be fine!

[ That's what matters to him right now, supposedly. Thanks, ghoul. ]

You only want me to care so that I can hurt, then? I didn't think you were so cruel.

( it's... stronger than not caring. but it hurts. )

All that matters is that you care. Everything will be fine. Anything that comes after is irrelevant.

[ He ignores the cruel comment, because. Well. He won't deny that. Not even in a self-deprecative way. He knows he is. He knows what he's done.

But all that made everything Fine* so it's okay!

* citation needed ]

Why do you want me to feel pain and sorrow? Why do you want me to care? I don't understand. How will it be fine?

You'll understand when you allow yourself to feel. To feel pain, means you're alive.

[ Hien turns to get ready to leave and might be looking for Madara in that case. Will Shizuku stop him? ]

( there's a part of her that simply doesn't c a r e.

and much, much louder, is the part that's screaming to run for him, stop him, find madara and get away from this place. but she doesn't know where he is. what she does know is that hien, at least is here. as he turns to leave

shizuku lunges after, grabbing his wrist.

she seems just surprised by her own actions, honestly. )

... I don't... want you to hurt him...

Hm?

[ Hien lets himself be stopped and turns around to look at Shizuku with a smile. ]

What did you say? Did I just hear conviction from someone who doesn't give two shits?

I-

( it looks like she's struggling with something- like a conflict of interests is overheating her head and she thinks she feels herself tearing up. something in hien's eyes might start flickering. )

I don't... please, Hien...

Edited 2022-06-04 23:44 (UTC)

Please, what? Say it loud and clear, Shizu.

( don't touch him. help me. don't touch him. help me. both requests try to force their way out, choking her with her own words-

but she's never been one to focus on herself ultimately. )

Don't hurt him.

Why? You don't care what about happens to him.

[ Hien, even when possessed, is just like this—trying to help Shizuku, but in the worst way. ]

That- that's not true- I-

( something is holding onto her still, hard and with teeth and claws. shadowed and many-eyes, all digging into her shoulders- )

Help me, Hien--

[ Hien doesn't need a ghoul to help him feel hollow. It's been his companion for so long. But he hears Shizuku's plea for help, so he'll deliver. With a smile. ]

You what? You're taking an awful long time when I could go shred him up right now. Hey, Shizu. Did you know?

[ He looks happy. ]

This is only one of my forms. I'm actually a monster. I eat anything and everything. And sometimes, I feel really hungry.

[ ... ]

Maybe I'll start with his legs first so he can't get away.

I care! Just don't hurt him, PLEASE-

( the words rip from her throat with hot tears, and the ghoul is gone- and all that's left is shizuku holding onto hien's arm, despite everything he just told her, shoulders shaking. )

Just leave him alone...

[ It sucks seeing Shizuku cry, but this was for her own good in Hien's opinion. Sometimes he just has to act upon terrible methods.

His smile turns softer and he gently pats Shizuku's head. ]

Alright. I'll acknowledge that you care enough. Don't ever feel hollow again, okay...?

It- that thing- It keeps finding me... No matter where I hide, it's like it knows what I'm trying to do- I don't want to feel like that!

( grimnir, fai, chongyun, mae... and now this. it won't leave her be. why won't it leave her be? despite the softer treatment, she can't help but sob. )

[ And here Hien is just thinking where the hell Madara is (but unfortunately that creeps into meta hell), but he keeps quiet. That's not his concern. It shouldn't be. ]

Shh... it's okay. You can stay with me until it's all over, okay? I'll make you happy. Everything will be okay. There, there.

[ If Shizuku wants to cry on his shoulder, she can. He continues to pat her head gently. ]

( oh that does ring some alarm bells now, but... it's not his fault. just like her not caring wasn't hers. and if he's focused on this, then he can't do something to someone else, right? )

I- okay. Okay.

( give her a moment, she can help him too. she just needs to collect herself. )

I'm glad. I can actually see your face now.

[ Full of life, having her own self and identity... he seems satisfied.

It's certainly a sight Shizuku probably won't see again outside of this situation. ]

I'll be on my way then!

[ Presumably to terrorize more people into being happy and fine. If Shizuku wants to help him, she'll have to stop him now. ]

No- wait!

( hi hien, you're being grabbed again- this time even more urgently. )

Hien, please- this isn't like you. You helped me, so- let me help you, too.

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Cw: gore mention

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cw cannibalism mention(?), descriptions of gore(?)

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