#// sayuri pointing out: YOU WOULD NEVER is hysterical

[usagimen]

❝ i'm not going to stand here and argue with you about how much you need to get some rest. if i find you passed out on the floor i'm leaving you there. ❞ // gino !!

            The dramatics caused her eyes to roll, long legs that swung idly as she smoothed the softness of her skirt with one hand. Was she truly tired? The days that were spent either in the throws of academic pressure or competing athletically, pale skin that was bruised surrounding her lower eyes, she hid them well with expensive cosmetics or sleek designer glasses. “And yet you are still here, arguing with me, in public might I add” the childish remark was akin to a spoiled brat, she wasn’t able to have her way, thus ending in an unceremonious tap of her foot. Perhaps it was all the pressure surrounding her, what would her life’s direction be after graduation? The thought of the unknown that caused her skin to crawl as she wished to either become pro or enter the mundane life of an accountant, Sayuri could have screamed right there. Dropping her nylon bag, she slowly removed a few wristlets, headband, huffing as she pouted in a juvenile manner.

         “I could say the same for you, Ice King” , the razor-like sharpness of her voice that drips with sarcasm, she moves to stand, flicking away long legs of ebony from her countenance - tying them quickly with a silver hair ribbon. Alice, the common nickname that resided amongst the student body, small && curious, enticing in her dreamy nature while utterly ruthless in her serve. “When was the last time you slept decently? I don’t mean dozing off in calculus solely because you cannot keep up” even then, she would dutifully record the lecture notes, bemoaning that it was tiresome to work twice the load for them both - even if she was never asked. “Relax, I’m not that unprofessional to fall flat on the court, you don’t need to keep stressing about my health, it’s fine” waving him off, she stretched her petite form, hand resting upon her shoulder.

          “You wouldn’t, that’s not who you are, enough with this bickering! Either work with me or leave, I can handle this without the constant nagging”

 // various sentence starters. (accepting)

[moonrisecalamityretreat]

public enemy || hanji || trial 3.3 || re: futaba, yuriko, sayuri, loic

Hanji sort of just shrugs when they're scolded-- talking with their mouth full rather simply felt more convenient than wasting time chewing and swallowing before they could talk. And it'd be even more of a time-waster if they said something sillay in response, so they move on. Now, they're pulling up an intricate looking lock puzzle, something a lot less noisy to work on than the ghost cube.

"Hm. I reckon th' responsibility o' th' case rests in th' fact that the culprit failed to save Rowan. Responsible fer not keepin' 'im alive, rather than fer actively killin' him, eh? So it ain't matter if it was an accident of another person's or the shitty carriage. We're jus' lookin' fer whoever was there with him last."

Which probably sounds more terrible than finding a killer, but just like always, that wasn't Hanji's concern, and it never was.

"A plant, huh... I'd be surprised if who dun'nit wou'dda been in any stable mindset to even think 'bout plantin' shit in such cryin' hysterics. But t'entertain th' idea, I'm inclined t'believe that, since th'blood smear was aligned towards enterin' th' lounge, the makeup wipe was most likely th' plant. They were cryin' remember? There's even proof of tears." Because i licked it "Maybe they had a wipe on hand, an' anyone would wanna hide th'fact they were cryin' if they were out an' about.

But th'key here was that, 'cos they were cryin', they wiped their makeup away, and 'course, you'd wanna redo it as soon as possible so no one could tell y'were cryin', yeah? It'd make more sense fer sum'un in a hurry t'go to their own lounge to do that immediately. In such a hurry t'conceal yerself before th' body gets found-- a body that was announced with a death scream, mind you-- you prob'ly wouldn't notice y'left behind blood at all. Especially if th' body was found as fast as it did; maybe they only didn't see th' smear 'cos everyone was called to th' crime scene as soon as they were done reapplyin'. So if there was any plant, it'd be th' make-up wipe."

Of course, this could be wrong-- they weren't the killer after all, so they wouldn't know at all how it went. But this was the fun of mysteries, wasn't it? Putting yourself in the killer's shoes, and thinking about how another human would've acted in such a situation... This game was fun, it just sucked that real people had to die. This all would've been better off just being a video game concept.

"Th' evidence wouldn't make sense th' other way. I'd much sooner notice I dropped sum'n on th' ground on my way out, and I'd be too busy prioritizin' my appearance an' washing off th' blood off'a me to even think about smearin' it on th' opposite wall, while it's easy t'look at a wipe in yer hands and see it as an opportunity.

Blood couldn't have been planted after reapplyin' either, or that'd mean they did their make-up with a stinky nasty blood finger. It's easier t'plant a wipe in this case than blood, 'cos it could've been dropped before or after goin' into a lounge, while th' blood could've only logically been placed before, 'til it's washed off their finger. Andunder the assumption th' culprit was prioritizin' cleanin' themselves up over planting, th' latter seems unlikely."

Between the soft clinking of the lock puzzle in their hands, they huff, as if talking had already become tiring.

"So. We're lookin' fer sum'un who has waist-long hair, knows Japanese, and wears makeup, eh? That's three people. But we still need t'pay attention t'the tone o' the apology. To those not familiar wit' th' language, 'suman' is rather casual compared t'the more polite 'gomen' or 'gomenasai'."

After all that, they never point out who those three people were. Instead, they just close their two cents with something unrelated.

"Let's not complicate this case by bringin' AEDS into it. The bitch who lurks said an AEDS comeback is impossible, remember. 'Cos 'everyone forgot same time', as they said.

We'll benefit more from lookin' at th' evidence an' buildin' a timeline, than entertainin' wild what-ifs."

[sayurifellfrost]

Weeping Snow

Sayuri Aoki slowly opens her eyes into narrow slits, staring at the floor for a moment. Her ears twitch and flicker as she comes to, the realisation she has been moved slowly setting in. She presses her palm into the floor and begins to push herself up to sit, exhaling a ragged breath as she does. Sayuri turns her head around, letting her gaze search the room - ears flattening as she notices she is alone.

The sound of shouting fills the room. It is distant at first, and grows louder, and louder. The sounds of a panicked man... And the slam of the door, as it opens, and he is shoved inside. A Viera man, with unkempt silvery hair and dusky skin uneasily stands in the room, afraid. His ears move back and forth... "...Sayuri?"

Sayuri Aoki's ears shift uneasily as the shouting emerges, tensing up further the closer it gets. She keeps her hands pressed down against the floor flatly - subconsciously holding her breath as the door behind her opens up. Her unease is traded with shock as her name is spoken, ears perking and head slowly turning to look at the man before her - eyes widening. "..E-.. Eir..?" Her tone is quiet and choked.

“Eir Fellfrost”: "S...Sayuri? I..." He swallows, and staggers closer. His clothes are bloodied, and his hair is a mess, dangling over his features. "Y.. You're okay?" He moves towards her, dropping to his knees with a sob. "I... I never thought i would hear you again..."

Sayuri Aoki's eyes well up with tears, that she doesn't even try to hold back. She quickly scrambles herself towards Eir, seeking to throw her arms around him and pull him into a tight hug. "..I-.. I thought-.." A sob interrupted her speech, a slight tremble running through her body in the process. ".. y-you were... g-gone.."

“Eir Fellfrost” scoops Sayuri against him, holding her close as his head settled against hers. A quiet, shaky breath. "I...I thought so too, for a while. They... They kept me alive. It was only on good behaviour that i was allowed... That i was..." He swallows hard, moving a hand over her back. "...I missed you."

Sayuri Aoki tightens her wrap around him and buries her face against his chest, sobbing weakly. The air around her grows a tiny bit colder as she clings to him tightly. "..I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry.." She whimpered, choking up once again. "..It.. was my fault.. I'm so sorry.."

“Eir Fellfrost”: "It's okay... It's okay, Sayuri." He cooes, and pulls her closer, tighter. Both arms wrap around her, holding her as close as possible. He speaks again. But something is... Off.  "...It was all your fault." He chuckles. The voice is deeper. Darker. Somehow, the hold on her is tighter, stronger... And much less pleasant. "...It was all your fault..." The body shifts. Changes. Larger and larger. The skin is paler, and his hair, darker.

“Grymahtyn Maetisathsyn”: "...Kitten...."

Sayuri Aoki's temporarily shuts her eyes as Eir speaks, ears twitching at the sudden change in his tone - and when his comfort turns into blame. Unease washes over her as the frame she's holding onto grows, her tremble of sorrow turning into quaking of fear - her already pale complexion almost appearing even paler as Grymahtyn's tone heaves out. She directs her gaze upwards with widened eyes, a look of absolute terror taking to her features. Her breath catches in her throat and she releases him, desperately attempting to wrench herself out of his grip as the cold increases significantly, ice spreading across a large portion of the floor as she shrieks. "-- NO!"

The grip holds fast. It is powerful; almost bonecrushing, but with no intent to throttle the life out of her... Yet. His face pulls into a sneer, seemingly unaffected by the cold. "All your fault he died, Kitten. And he died screaming for -you-. Funny how we should meet again, after so many, long years..."

Sayuri Aoki frantically shoves her palms against Grymahtyn's chest, fingers curling to the point her clawed nails rip into his clothing - but obviously not all the way through. Her sobbing grows hysterical as she continues to try to tear herself out of his firm grip, the cold only increasing the more her panic grows. She screams out, yet her voice shatters midway through. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

“Grymahtyn Maetisathsyn”: "YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL! UNGRATEFUL LITTLE CHILD! I'VE COME TO TAKE YOU AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!" His hand moves to the back of her neck, and begins to squeeze; as though he could pick her up with it if he so pleased.

Sayuri Aoki whines as his hand clasps onto her neck, the increased pressure placed upon it prompts Sayuri to fling up her hands towards the hand grabbing her - seeking to sink her claws into his skin in hopes it'd prevent him from squeezing tighter. "-NO-! -AWAY-!" She shrieks. The ice which has opted to stay on Sayuri's body the past suns expand and grows jagged in appearance along with her rising terror. The frost clinging to the room itself follows suit, growing a touch jagged and spiked as it continues to spread across the floor and eventually up the walls. Her aetheric output is climbing, very rapidly.

“Grymahtyn Maetisathsyn”: "AHAHAH! AND WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO, KITTEN? YOU THINK YOU CAN HURT ME? YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME?" The laughter is deafening... Was it echoing around the room? His lips move into a twisted grin. "GO ON AND TRY IT!"

Sayuri Aoki removes her left hand from his, suddenly swiping it upwards towards his face in an attempt to claw it - as she had done all those years ago. Not once does she cease her writhing, utterly desperate to flee his iron grip. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

“Grymahtyn Maetisathsyn” cries out in pain; and anger. Sayuri is hurled against a wall with force... But maybe not quite as much force as what could have been expected from Grym.

Sayuri Aoki is promptly flung into the wall, crashing against it and whimpering upon impact, colliding with the floor shortly afterwards. She shuffles herself around enough to sit with her back pressed up against the wall - nudging herself into what would be the closest 'corner'. Her eyes do not leave Grym, and a look of utter fear remains on her. Her chest heaves rapidly with each strained breath she takes.

“Grymahtyn Maetisathsyn” is hunched over... And begins to sob. Taking the opportunity to shift during Sayuri's impact, the figure is no longer towering... But small. Dusky skin and plum hair fall from the shoulders of the Raen, before she looks over to Sayuri; a vicious wound on her face that poured with blood. "..Wh... Why...?"

Sayuri Aoki freezes, eyes now locked upon Emiko. "..E-..Emi..?" Sayuri's voice is utterly hoarse at this point, hesitantion in her voice as.. She's uncertain what to believe.

“Emiko Tanaka”: "Wh-Why would you... D-do this..?" She sobs, tears streaming from her eyes. Unsteadily, she makes it to her feet, and slowly walks towards Sayuri…

Sayuri Aoki: ".. N-no.. I-.." Sayuri's ears flatten, guilt adding itself into the mix of her horror. "..It-.. it wasn't.. y-you.." Her breathing grows unsteady, the tears running down her cheeks leaving a frozen trail before sticking like droplets to her chin. "..P-please.. stay away.. my-.. my aether.." She whimpers, utterly against the very thought of hurting Emiko - image or not.

“Emiko Tanaka”: "Don't you m-miss me...?" She asks, and moves closer, despite the warning. She walks forth... Straight into one of the icicles that stuck up, that pierces her cleanly through the thigh. The girl gives a desperate whimper of pain...

Sayuri Aoki whimpers out loudly as she approaches eitherway. "P-please! I don't-- I don't want to hurt you!" Sayuri's tone is pleading at this point, the look of the icicle stabbing into Emiko making Sayuri recoil directly into the wall. Ice rapidly climbs up the wall, threatening to touch the very ceiling at this point. ".. Emiko, please!"

“Emiko Tanaka” continues to walk forth... Or at least, tries to. The icicle in her leg hinders this, a 'snap' as the ice separates from the floor, and sending the Raen crashing down. Another icicle meets her torso; and another sticks at a horrible angle through her cheek. ...Were those icicles always there? They did seem a little conveniently placed. The girl chokes and gurgles, and blood pours from her wounds.

Sayuri Aoki: "-- EMIKO!" Sayuri's utter distress from the collective things she has seen and gone through since arriving to the ship - and this room specifically - forces her aether to rise to levels it hasn't fully seemed to reach before. In a matter of moments, the entire room looks as if a blizzard shot through it, while Sayuri scrambles herself forwards and reaches for Emiko - despite that she internally knows that this is not her.. she can't seem to rationalise it. The ice upon Sayuri's body travels further, beginning to extend down her right leg but not hindering her movement. She hesitantly reaches her hands for Emiko's head, seemingly not able to form words anymore - making her simply sob.

“Emiko Tanaka” remains on the floor, bleeding. There is only snow and silence, and ice.... Until she moves her hand, to pull herself up. The icicle remains on the floor, as her head slicks over her it with an unpleasant, wet noise, as the girl morphs once again... Into a hyur. A simple looking man with no notable features, as the blood that drips from his body seems to vanish before it hit the floor. "Ah, excellent!" He manages. Blood runs down his eye, however. "...Maybe i can be a -little- less ordinary looking now. What do you think, Moth? Should i keep the scar? No?" He asks, to seemingly no-one.

Sayuri Aoki recoils as Emiko's body moves and... turns. She scrambles herself back into the corner, staring directly at the Hyur before her. Her ears twitch at the mentioning of Moth, but otherwise she offers little in terms of a reaction to his words.

Familiar Face smiles at you.

Familiar Face walks through the door, and behind the cage. "Ah, a little chilly. Best not be in here too long, yes? Father?"

The screen lights up anew. "Ah... My beloved daughter!”

Sayuri Aoki stares after Familiar Face as he moves out, brows furrowed and expression relatively blank at this point. Her chest continues to heave as she tries to catch her breathing, head slowly turning to stare at the screen.

"Such power! Such capability! I have never seen such a tremendous gift! Welcome, Weeping Snow... You have completed your test!"

"We have something special planned for you... Yes. You are not like the others... "

Sayuri Aoki: "..Gift..?" Sayuri manages, voice remaining hoarse and broken. "..Weeping.. Snow..?" She pauses for a moment. "...Test.." Her gaze directs to the ice coated ground for a moment, a look of disbelief clinging to her features before she looks back up to the screen once more. "...Why..?"

"Yes, well... There were some... Necessary evils involved, to see the extent of it. But now, we have borne witness! And we are proud..." His voice trails. "...It will be a difficult few suns yet. But you should not be conscious for it all. I promise, all will be well at the end..."

Sayuri Aoki: "... Necessary.. How-.. How was any of that.. necessary..?" She chokes up a touch, letting her head droop down. "..Has there not.. been enough..? How.. much more.. will it take..?"

"You are tired, child. I can only imagine your grief. Face, take your sister and report to me, yes? As for you, Snow... Just rest, yes..." Familiar Face moves to leave the room, and the door closes with a bang. "...Just rest..." -- The pipes begin their dreaded hissing, as the same sweet smelling gas pours out of the wall. "...Just rest..."

Sayuri Aoki raises her head back up to look in the screen's direction, exhaustion clinging to her features. "..Why..?" She manages to choke out, before the gas begins to engulf her. She slumps back against the wall, having no energy to even attempt to fight back against it as her consciousness slips between her fingers.