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

[selfconcept]

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?

[cheerfuldays]

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...

[selfconcept]

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

[cheerfuldays]

( 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.

[selfconcept]

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. ]

[cheerfuldays]

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--

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

[selfconcept]

[ 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.

[cheerfuldays]

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...

[selfconcept]

[ 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...?

[cheerfuldays]

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. )

[selfconcept]

[ 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. ]

[cheerfuldays]

( 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. )

[selfconcept]

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. ]

[cheerfuldays]

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.

[selfconcept]

[ He can feel the urgency in how Shizuku grabs his arm. It makes him raise an eyebrow. ]

Hm? I don't need help though. I'm fine!

[cheerfuldays]

Are you? The Hien I know doesn't smile through awful things like that. He- he doesn't make people be 'fine'. Every time until now you've helped me, it's been gentle and without- without force!

[selfconcept]

Well, here I am. This is the me that you didn't know.

[ Like the part about him being a monster, or so he claims. But is that even the truth? ]

I am many parts, and all of them are me.

[cheerfuldays]

Was the way I was earlier 'me' as well? I don't believe this is really you, Hien. Not for a second.

[selfconcept]

That's quite the bold claim, Shizu.

[ He honestly doesn't want to say the hollowness was a part of her, but he knows it could be. ]

What do you know about me? I just want to be happy and help you, see?

[cheerfuldays]

This isn't how you've ever shown me happiness before.

( his mischief, how he danced or ran about- even if his face was subdued, he was having fun. this isn't like that. it's- she doesn't know. but it's wrong. )

[selfconcept]

[ There's something inside of Hien that tugs. He's happy. Everything will be okay as long as he's happy. ]

Well, you see...

[ He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's happy. He's ha▓▓▓▓ ]

I've never shown happiness to you.

[cheerfuldays]

( that stings. but. she can't... she can't give up. )

Even when you were having fun?

[selfconcept]

People tend to ask less questions if they meld into social situations seamlessly.

[ aka he reacts so that no one will have to question him. However, it's different from putting on a mask. Shizuku is right in a way—Hien would be having fun if he genuinely felt those feelings. But for now, he can't, so he reacts in a way what he would have done if he could genuinely feel, so it's not really a lie.

But all this is pretty much admitting that he isn't really happy, so what Shizuku does is working. ]

[cheerfuldays]

( shizuku frowns, and looks up at him. so he's felt like this... even all this time. was any of it real? did he ever actually enjoy anything here? she wants to make him smile. a real smile, not- whatever this is. )

I believe you when you say this. ... But I cannot believe that whatever these things are doing to you is your real happiness, either. You don't have to be happy. You don't have to feel anything but what's in your heart. But these things don't have any right to decide what that is.

[selfconcept]

[ Normally, friendship speeches and the like don't really work on him. However, Shizuku worded it in a way that sounds like competition—that the ghoul is getting the better of him. To tame him?? Naw, son. The ghoul is forcibly thrown out of Hien's body and scurries elsewhere.

Hien's expression is in its usual blank state after the ghoul's departure. ]

It feels less stuffy now. Thanks, Shizu.