seiriald | ✿ Twelfth Bud [Action]

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✿ Twelfth Bud [Action]

[Who knew if anyone bothered to come by this part of the village so early in the morning, with the light of the sun only just bothering to peek over the horizon. If there was anyone though, and if they happened to come by the playground behind the school such a person would be able to spot a brunette teenager, sitting on one of the swings that was swaying ever so slightly with her journal discarded a few yards off. She's not sleeping, and there are no physical injuries to be seen, but the near-dead look on her gray face should say more than enough that if she tries to move, she won't be getting very far.

Not that she even intends to try, her fear and absolute sense of helplessness will keep her from doing anything on her own for some time.]

((ooc: tags in earnest later in the morning after some sleep!))

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[Freyjadour always got up shortly before dawn, and as he always did when so many people he knew were missing, he had been making rounds around the village a few times each day.... just in case Selphie, Kaori, or Crystal returned. So many people missing from the house made several of them ill at ease, Freyjadour included.

So when he spots a familiar looking figure in the distance, sitting at the swing set on the playground, he couldn't help to head over to investigate hopefully. And it seemed he was right to.] Kaori!

[ Argh, she couldn't sleep. She was becoming way too restless here, and it was just irritating. She figured there was no point in fighting a losing battle, seeing as the only way she'll become tired was to get rid of that energy. That was the only reason she was out here now, at this time. The sun was barely up, no one in their right mind would be up, much less out.

But that's why this sight bothered her.

A girl sat on the swings of the school playground. Shiki wasn't used to seeing it occupied, considering she usually passed by here in the night. She seemed to just stare blankly ahead, like she wasn't even alive. That bothered her. Shiki squinted, her own eyes flashing blue, several lines crossing over the girl's figure in her vision, before a splitting pain traveled through her head. Shiki shook her head, her eyes going back to black. The headaches still come whenever she activated her eyes, even when she didn't do it often. Dammit.

The girl was alive though, that was obvious enough, She looked back to her, before approaching her quietly. ]

[Kaori can hear him, and she sense him nearby as well but there just isn't enough focus right now to do much beyond stir, attempting to show that she at least knows he is there. But her thoughts are too scattered an fogged to focus on much of anything beyond just knowing that he was here.]

[And even though Kaori realizes that the person approaching her is not someone she recognizes in the slightest, she is in no condition to act on the urge to try to keep her away or listen to the desire to just have someone, almost anyone nearby after having spent time with the Malnosso. As it is now her body at least tenses, eyes widening as she attempts to bring her face up toward the direction Shiki was coming from.

She wants to tell her to stay away, to please not leave, but there's nothing coming out of her mouth.]

[When the sun is a little higher in the sky, Mithos will be checking on her. He's been calling her journal at the beginning and close of every day since she was taken, as soon as he's done the same for Martel. Every time, he hopes to hear a familiar voice from the other end and know things will be a little more alright, and every time he only ends up disappointed.]

Kaori? Can you hear this? [...her journal is now full of worried little messages like that. Now comes the waiting part.]

Kaori? [he jogs closer, pausing in front of the swings with concern when he gets no response.]

....Kaori?

[Something... was wrong, and he places a hand on her shoulder gently as he bends down to look closer at her, examining her for injury.]

[ The girl was looking at her now. Seemed like she was noticed. Not that this bothered Shiki at all, it at least gave her reassurance that she was somewhat okay. She continues to approach, finally reaching the swingset, and without saying anything, sits in the one next to the girl. She didn't know what to really say. Of course, it would be a good idea to ask the girl if she was alright, but...for some reason that didn't feel like the right thing to say. Instead, she keeps silent for a little bit, before finally speaking up. ]

You like swinging in the morning?

[Except when he places his hand on her shoulder, her body reacts by cringing back so terribly she would have fallen out of the swing had she not been grabbing on to the chain. Stupid, it was stupid because this is Freyjadour, the one person in the whole village she knew without a doubt would never physically harm her, but the shadows of faces in her mind are keeping her body from acting on what her heart knew.

She wanted to cry, but already she was too scared and exhausted to do even that.]

[That voice only confirms that this is someone she doesn't know, rather than her fear just keeping her from recognizing the person. Natural instinct makes her bow her head and hunch slightly, almost as though she were trying to hide herself while at the same time she tried to summon the will to attempt to answer her.

All she can manage is a faint shrug, then a shake of her head slowly. At least the chill made sense now, if it was morning.]

[He's not sure whether to pull away or try to support her in case she fell, so his hand pulls away, but stays within distance to grab her, that concern growing by the second.

What had they done to make to react so.....?]

Kaori....? What happpened, Kaori?

[Her hold on the swing had managed to loosen as she tries to calm herself down, but it is replaced by her body beginning to shiver with how emotionally overwhelmed she had felt. After all, she had remembered things while she had been with those damn scientists, but what did they care that she needed someone she trusted nearby?

And now she can't even answer him. Her lips are moving, but there is no noise coming out.]

[ The girl just shrugs, before shaking her head. Well, that answered that question. Shiki wasn't expecting her to agree, but still...

She pushed off the ground slightly, making her swing move forward slightly. ]

Why are you here then?

[That was something she would like to know herself, if she could even find her voice. No matter how hard she tries there is no sound coming from her mouth aside from a huff of frustration after a minute or so of trying.

As if she didn't already have trouble communicating, they had to take her voice as well?]

[He notices the lack of noise escaping her mouth, and tries to fathom why that is the case.

He didn't know if he should hug her, try to heal her, or anything with how she was acting. Her earlier reaction only made him think touch would cause more harm to her then good.]

Is your throat ok......?

[ The girl didn't really reply. It looked like she was about to, but nothing came out. Shiki looked towards her, still pushing the swing. Something was very off about her. It was obvious this wasn't a place she normally went to (or anyone would, at this time of day), but felt like...

She couldn't say for sure, but this whole situation was just odd. ]

Don't wanna talk about it? That's fine. [ She pushed a little more. ] I don't really have a reason either.

[And she shakes her head immediately, knowing right away that it wasn't. She wanted to talk to him so much, to ask him to take her anywhere that was remotely safe and that she was so scared but now... there were no means to. She didn't have a voice, an she didn't have her sight to write to him.

But she could still sense that he was there and nearby, and that's more than enough as she reaches out to him, wanting to confirm that she is not still with those damned scientists.]

[Except that Kaori did want to talk about it, or at least hear Shiki continue to talk. It was the only way she could know for sure that she was back in the village, and if she managed to indicate answers to the right words, maybe she can help her back to her home here.

So she tries shaking her head again. Silence never sat well with her anyway.]

[ Another shake, which Shiki could only guess was directed towards her last question. So she did want to talk...but it was obvious now what the problem was. ]

You can't talk, can you?

[Instead of shaking her head again, she responds with a nod. Even if she didn't understand that gesture, the distressed look on her face should be more than enough of an answer. Nevertheless she had felt relief that the other person at least understood that now.]

[He takes that hand she holds out, grasping it firmly to show that he's there. It had to be terrible, to be unable to see who had taken her..... At least she knew his voice.]

It's ok. You're not there anymore. You're back now.

[ Shiki looked to the ground after her nod. Now this whole situation was just seeming even stranger. A girl alone at dawn, at the playground, who is mute. ]

Were you always like this? [ Maybe all of this was none of her business but...it bothered her. ]

['You're back now.' That was all she had needed to hear, and all that prompts her to reach forward and cling to Freyjadour as tightly as she could, her body shaking in both relief and fear, and who knew what else beneath those prominent emotions.

She just wanted to go somewhere safe, and she trusted him to be able to help her with that.]

[And there is another shake of her head, knowing for sure that this wasn't normal for her. It had to be something the Malnosso did, or maybe it was due to the terrible memories that had been conjured up by being placed directly into the hands of scientists again.

Whatever it was, it makes her start shaking again.]

[ So she wasn't always mute. The situation finally began to dawn onto her. She had only been her four months, but she had heard of the things that could happen to people. Sudden disappearance, and when they return, they're different. Different personalities, something different about their bodies, in some way, no longer the same person. Her eyes narrowed, though she kept her indifferent tone of voice, as the girl began shaking. ]

The Malnosso, huh?

[And again she nods her head, since thus far it had been the most effective means of communicating with this person. Her teeth clench when she hears those damn people called by their organization name, but it won't stop the shaking. Why did they want her with them again, or anyone honestly?]

[ Looks like she was right again. The girl's shaking wouldn't stop. Whatever they did to her, it had a lasting affect. She knew better than to ask what happened. It would change anything anyway. ]

Want a push?

[He hold her tightly, allowing her to shake in his arms as she deals with whatever they had done to her. He didn't know, and the pit of his stomach twisted coldly when he tried to imagine what they might have done to make her react in such a way.]

We can go back to the house... I can make you something to eat, and then you can get some rest. I won't leave your side, ok?

[The only response she can give him, to tell him that she agrees with all his suggestions is to just nod slowly. She couldn't remember the last time she ate, but physical pain was nothing in comparison to the emotional turmoil she had going on now.

Tugging on his shirt in hopes of communicating to him that she was ready to leave, Kaori still squeezes her eyes shut in hopes of somehow escaping the fears trickling through her mind.]

I'm going to pick you up, ok? [that warning given, rather then risk her body being potentially too weak to walk, Frey instead allows the hug and takes it one step further- scooping her up in his arms, carefully, very carefully, in case she was injured anywhere he could not see.

She was almost worryingly light.]

Edited 2012-05-25 06:28 (UTC)

[The simple question had been unexpected, and almost seemed out of place as her eyes widened in surprise. Admittedly, that pale emotion was much more preferable than the lingering fear.

Quietly she nods again, even if she was only agreeing to it due to the rising bubble of curiosity. It had been a long time since she had been in a playground, after all.]

[It had been hard to not notice the number of messages Kaori had found sent to her when she finally mustered up enough strength to check her journal, each one sending pangs of guilt into her heart as she heard the worry and hope mingling in his voice. She had left him alone, and though she wanted nothing more than to respond to him there was no choice for her but to wait for Mithos to leave her another message.

The instant she hears his voice again her heart starts racing, her hands fumbling for the journal and trying her best to make sure that the camera was facing her. She couldn't respond to him verbally, but at the very least she could allow him to see her as she tries to smile.

I'm so happy to hear from you.]

[The idea of him picking him up was... weird to say the least, given how little it happened back home. Yet she raises no objections, merely holding on to Frey and trying not to dwell too much on the fear that had been a constant while she was there.

It almost made her want to be a small child again, so she could cling to the security he provided without thinking of herself as pathetic that she was being so weak that she still had to rely on others so heavily in adulthood.]

[ Shiki rose from her seat, when she saw the girl nod. To be honest, she wasn't sure why she asked her that question herself. It just felt better than any alternative. She got behind the girl, giving her a soft push. ]

I haven't swung on one of these in years.

[His heart leaps up as soon as he sees her face smiling quietly on the page. He sits up a little straighter, leaning forward in his seat a little as he peers down at the journal in his hands - he's unable to hide the excitement bursting inside of him, chased by cool relief.]

Kaori! You're back!

[But quickly enough, the many days' worth of worrying will come rushing to the surface.] Are you okay? What did they do to you?

[hopefully he could check her over more properly when they got to the house..... But for now, with how slow to respond she had been before, he would prefer to not risk it.

Light though she may be, she was still large enough to be of some difficulty to carry. It's slow going as he carries her to the house, keeping his arms securely around her as he goes.]

[If Kaori were aware of the difficulty Frey was having in taking her to the house, she would have insisted that she could try to walk on her own even though she felt so fatigued. It was probably for the better, since the state of her mind would likely affect any ability she had left to control her body that hadn't been robbed by lack of sleep and the beginnings of malnutrition.

She almost wanted to apologize, and her lips begin to move to do so even though sound would refuse to come out still. It only made her frustration all the more apparent on her face.]

[Even the soft push startles Kaori, making her cling tightly to the swing enough that there would be little chance of her falling out unless she somehow managed to flip herself over. But once the initial shock of it was over, there is a faint feeling of giddiness forming in the stomach that just moments ago almost felt like it would have sunk into the ground if she hadn't held on.

Though hearing Shiki say such a thing leaves her expression full of wonder, nodding slightly again as an invitation for her to continue if she wanted. At the very least, she could feel no open hostility.]

[Hearing all that worry in-person, raw and unrelenting almost makes her cringe. How could she allow for him to go through such a thing, when he had already been so worried about his sister before the droids had come for her? And worse yet, there was no way for her to answer any of the words he had expressed.

The frustration on her face is all too apparent as she bites her lip, knowing that it would be useless to even try while having no idea of when the effect would wear off.]

[ As the girl returned to her, Shiki gave her another small push, noticing her nod at her comment. ]

Yeah, no one goes to a playground at my age anymore. I think the last time was when I was in elementary school.

[ Another small push. Hopefully, this would help the girl relax. ]

[He doesn't notice the movement of her lips as he concentrates on his grip on her, but he does eventually notice the frustration, and frowns in response.

What had they done, to cause all of this....?]

It will be ok. I promise.

[He waits a moment for her answer, but when all he gets is silence...]

Kaori? Is...something wrong? [Of course something is wrong - she had just spent a few weeks with the Malnosso, and he's already tortured himself plenty with thoughts of what they could have done to her.]

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✿ Twelfth Bud [Action]

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