| Introductions Over Steaming Bowls of Bacon; [Chika, Hanako - Closed] | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 25 2013, 07:30 PM (471 Views) | |
| The One True Nobody | Nov 29 2013, 02:50 PM Post #11 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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Etsuko blurted the word out almost the moment Hanako stood up, as if by doing so the girl had held a pistol to her head--first she looked to Hanako as if hurt when she said she should probably leave, and then when Hanako stood, she blurted out the word as by saying it she was really saying, Please, sit down, stay... "Spiders!" she said. "I'll tell, I just--it's just not easy t' talk about, is all. I ran 'cause o' the spiders..." Chika, who hadn't made any moves to stand up or look away, or anything, continued to sit where she was. But now, it was with confusion on her face. "What spiders?" she asked. Masumi, on the other hand, who had been in the process of standing up with a cross look on her face, paused mid-motion, looking toward her ward in confusion. Of all the things she might have expected to hear, that obviously hadn't been it. |
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| Nonsequitur | Nov 29 2013, 04:59 PM Post #12 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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Well, it had began. Honestly, Hanako just didn't want her to suffer discomfort because of Chika's attitude. She probably ended up making it worse. But now what? After she said that? What would have been the best course of action. With a sigh, she was back down at the table. Her hands were on the table before her and she spoke softly. "I'm sorry about that. I understand this must be difficult for you. Do you want to talk about it more, or…?" She couldn't imagine that she would. If that were the case, they could just go on to talk of something else, as though it were never brought up in the first place, right? |
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| The One True Nobody | Dec 2 2013, 06:57 PM Post #13 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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"No, it's--it's fine," Etsuko said quietly, with a shake of her head. Masumi held a hand out toward Etsuko, but the girl waved her off. "It's fine," she said again. "It ain't like I was the one who--who had t' go through it all. And I don't know what my sister did, exactly..." The girl locked eyes with Chika, and after a moment, went on: "...but it must be pretty bad if y'can't even look at my face without gettin' angry about it. So, I'll make you a deal. You tell me exactly what kinda monster dad turned my sister inta, and I'll tell ya what he did t' turn her into it... what he woulda done t' me too, if I hadn't run. Deal?" Chika opened her mouth, then closed it, looking to Hanako in indecision. Whatever it was she hoped to learn here, she wasn't sure she could point-blank tell Etsuko that "your big sister killed my big brother." Masumi, for her part, was at a loss. She knew it was only a matter of time until the specifics came out, but the fortune-teller also felt an irrational urge to delay that dark moment for as long as possible... as if Etsuko might be just a little happier for just a little longer, not knowing the cruel truth... |
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| Nonsequitur | Dec 2 2013, 07:27 PM Post #14 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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To say the situation was tense was an understatement. It seemed to be an incredibly awkward and difficult moment for Etsuko. It wasn't any different for Chika either. Hanako was beginning to realize why she had to come with Chika rather than the two meeting her separately. Without a go-between this would have been pretty bad. So she met Chika's gaze, and nodded. Yes, she knew what she had to do. It was a lot for her to list all this to Etsuko. She turned her attention back to the younger of the Sadako sister's "Actually…would it be alright if I told you? I mean, if you both are okay with that?" She looked to them both, seeking an affirmative that the alteration of the offer would have been satisfactory. Lastly, her gaze turned to the adopted mother. She could guess she liked the turn of events less than anybody there. She would have to apologize to Masumi later. But on the other hand, what was she supposed to do? If Etsuko wanted to know of her own accord, why shouldn't she tell her? |
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| The One True Nobody | Dec 2 2013, 07:54 PM Post #15 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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"...If it's easier for ya," Etsuko said after a moment, nodding. Chika gulped, and ducked her head. Now she'd gone and put both Etsuko and Hanako on the spot. This had been a bad idea. A horrible idea. What was the point, anyway? What was the point in knowing...? Why did she even care? Why should she? Still... what he did to turn her into it... "Well, this is a lovely dinner conversation," Masumi said in a faintly sour tone, setting her chopsticks down. "Are you sure you want to go into this now?" "It's better to get it out of the way as quick as we can, yeah?" Etsuko countered, looking to Masumi. "Like y'said about taking off Band-Aids..." "...Where the devil did you pick up 'Band-Aid Theory' from?" Masumi asked, blinking incredulously. Etsuko just stared back with a puzzled expression, evidently not knowing what Masumi meant by the question. |
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| Nonsequitur | Dec 2 2013, 08:43 PM Post #16 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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"It's something that had to be confronted sooner or later." It was all she could offer to alleviate Masumi's ire. "I mean Etsuko's got a point, might as well get it over with now." So, where to begin? Just the facts; She had no intention to go into gory details unless she was specifically asked to. "Well…the thing is? That we know of? Nishiyo has murdered at least five people and tried to arrange a fifth just the other day. One of the people she killed was Kenshin Nakadachi, Chika's brother so there's um…there's that. She'd also used Chika as a hostage to avoid retaliation from Kyo Charinko, a lot of the people killed were important to Kyo. Kenshin for example, was Kyo's boyfriend at the time… and the person she tried to arrange to have killed was her mother so You can see why this is all kind of difficult?" That was most of it, right? At least an outline. Hanako can't say she held even a bit of sympathy for Nishiyo in light of that. She talked about Shane with that once, but that was more from a place of rancor. Her rational side was on the same page though: Even if she was made into a monster, that didn't change the fact that she'd sooner see the monster dealt with than left to roam free. |
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| The One True Nobody | Dec 2 2013, 09:07 PM Post #17 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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Etsuko listened to Hanako speak with a flat look on her face. She didn't seem surprised at all when murdered came up, nor by the number. She flinched a bit when one of the victims was specified as Chika's brother, though. Chika, for her part, bit down gently on her own inner lip, just barely enough for it to hurt. In the absence of the ring, this was a passing substitute for the twinge on her finger that reminded her to breathe, to focus on breathing and calm down. The short-haired girl across the table played at her noodles and nodded when asked if she understood. Masumi seemed horrorstruck; the number of people killed, the fact that one of them had been both this girl's sister and Kyo's boyfriend... the fortune-teller didn't even know where to begin. Fortunately, she didn't have to. When Etsuko answered, she did so without delay, only a few seconds taken to put her thoughts into words. "Our family," she said slowly, "...conditions its children t' have no regard for human life. It happened when I was five. She was six. I didn't see it, but Nishi said it was in the dinin' room. Dad brought out a guy he wanted executed and made Nishi be the one who pulled the trigger. When she wouldn't, he... took her by the hand and pulled the trigger while her finger was still in the guard. And then he punished her for not doin' it." The girl's chopsticks poked at a bit of shredded pork at the top of the bowl, and Etsuko gulped, as if there was nothing in the world less appetizing than the bowl of soup on the table before her now. "...He had a compartment under the floor in the basement," Etsuko said slowly, still staring down into the bowl. "It was for, y'know, stuff he'd wanna hide if there was a search, I think. But, that night it was full o' spiders he'd put there, just for Nishi. He threw her in, and shut her in. Nishi said there weren't any light, just spiders, lotsa spiders. They were all over her, in her clothes, she said she even swallowed a few. She passed out, she said, so I dunno how long they left her in there. But she was too scared t' go against dad after that." Masumi had brought both hands to her face, covered her mouth with them, even before the spider hole was mentioned. Her face was ashen pale by the time Etsuko was done, and she old removed the hands just enough, to ask, in a soft voice, "Your sister was... six? When he did this?" A soft voice, a soft, indignant voice. Etsuko nodded, still not looking up from her bowl. |
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| Nonsequitur | Dec 3 2013, 12:02 AM Post #18 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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The story was shocking. A person who didn't know any better might have even accused Etsuko of sensationalist exaggerations. But Hanako did know better. Every detail she probably saw or heard with her own eyes. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the loathsome abuse parents inflicted on their own children. No doubt to 'toughen them up.' "Well, personally I think it's good you ran away then. Taking your chances on the road is a lot better than what your sister became." She didn't have it in her to even pity Nishyo. No matter how cruel they were to her, to warp her into what she became. The very idea of the end product of their efforts killed any notion of sympathy for her. But for Etsuko? There was relief a relief that she didn't end up like or or was subjected to that. Though in her mind, a thought formed. Singular, and mildly worrying: If only their parents didn't exist, the world would have been better off for a lot of people, wouldn't it? With that notion, a sudden flare up of blinding pain came across her forehead over one eye and the bridge of her nose. Places previously nearly crushed. She gasped and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't even notice that her nose began dripping blood like water from a faucet. |
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| The One True Nobody | Dec 3 2013, 07:24 AM Post #19 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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"I ran away," Etsuko said, still not looking up. Her voice shook as she said it. "I ran away and I left Nishi behind. I ran away and I left her behind. I wanted to help her but I was scared. So--" Etsuko looked up, and her eyes widened. Chika, who had been staring straight at Etsuko with a blank look--something like dawning puzzlement--didn't notice until Etsuko did. Masumi, whose attention was also fixed on Etsuko, and who looked like she wanted nothing more than to scoop the girl up into a vice-grip hug, also didn't notice until Etsuko did. But it was Etsuko who noticed first. And she said, in a scared voice, "H-Hanako? You're bleedin'." Chika flinched, and hurriedly took Hanako by the shoulder. "Hey, hey, are you--?!" "Bathroom!" yelped Masumi, scrambling to her feet. "I can help her. Bathroom. In the bathroom. It's upstairs, though. Bathroom is upstairs. This way, this way--" The fortune-teller rushed to Hanako's side and took the girl by the arm, gently pulling her to guide her to her feet, and then toward the stairs. Etsuko moved to get up, but Masumi added sharply: "Stay here, Etsuko, honey. Chika-chan, please stay with my da--...w-with Etsuko-chan. Please." Chika released Hanako's shoulder, blinking a bit. At the slip, Etsuko paused, her mouth dropping open for a moment. As Masumi guided Hanako away, Etsuko flumped back down on her mat, and Chika stood there, watching Hanako as she Masumi steered her toward the bathroom. As they left, Masumi whispered into Hanako's ear, "I have healing magic, but Etsuko-chan doesn't know about Personae yet..." |
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| Nonsequitur | Dec 3 2013, 02:50 PM Post #20 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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"Wha…?" She pinched at the bridge of her nose with her free hand. Before she knew it, she was being lead along by Masumi. It was all a blur of lights she had such intense vertigo she just stumbled after her. She had to focus, to keep it together somehow. "Hmm? Yet…?" She squinted at the fortune teller as she tried to keep pace. Both with her feet, and with her mind. She just said something important, but she was in no condition to put two and two together, at least not at once. "You mean she has y'know, you're expecting something to happen with her and this, this thing?" When she spoke, she got a mouth full of thick, vaguely metallic blood, her own. …oh, she's bleeding. Her hand moved from her head to under her nose. It was an attempt to somewhat staunch the bleeding. Her mind was working better, sharper as the pain dulled. "I…I don't think this is just a nosebleed. I mean, I got upset about Nishiyo and her family I mean really upset and…right here." She motioned. "I was hit right here, very hard and…" And what? She got so mad she opened up an old head injury? Was that just nonsense? One is supposed to tilt their head back with a nosebleed, right? |
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