rakuen | On the platform: New characters and old ones that want to come and meet them!

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On the platform: New characters and old ones that want to come and meet them!

As you all crowd onto the platform with your new and still bizarre mix of faces, expressions, clothing and wild theories, you are met by two girls. Both are in uniforms that would match if not for the colour differences - skirts, waistcoats, and light summer shirts that seem totally inappropriate for the thin layer of snow and ice coating the station platform. Both have a beret with a crest - one shows a sword, the other a shield.

At the first lull in the chatter, the shorter girl speaks up, her soft voice somehow cutting over you.

"Excuse me,"

She explains, in precise, quiet sentences, that they're prefects, representing the two schools in Rakuen. Nanami of Fortitude, she says, placing a hand on her own collarbone, and Santana of Conquest, here pointing to the taller girl she's leaning against. The girl nods, looking fairly bored.

"We will be sorting you now. When we say your name, please move quickly and quietly to whoever called you."

"Yeah," Santana interrupts, "Then we can go back to the dorms. It's not getting any warmer however many times they make us do this."

They separate, moving to stand several metres apart, and both pull a list from their waistcoat pocket. Alternating, they start to read out your names.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's going through a series of nervous ticks. A hand goes through his hair; he tugs at one of his sleeves a bit; he shoves his hands in his pockets and stares down at the shoes before typing into the PDA. His typing is a little frantic though. He doesn't know what he's done wrong this time. He was trying to keep conversation light, but apparently it didn't work.]

did
...
did i fuck up somewhere???
i mean
ive done a shitton of shitty things
yeah
would reintroducing myself fix it???
we can pretend i can talk
if thats the problem
uhm
...
are you mad???
because i couldnt save you??????

[ Tears drip down her cheeks, and she shakes her head. No, no, she couldn't ever be mad at Dave. He tried so hard to save her -- and the last conversation they had still rings in her ears, and she still has nightmares about it. About his promise, I'll save you Jade, and then the meteor and then nothing. No people, no land, nothing but sand and desert and loneliness.

For a minute she's trapped back in the wasteland, staring at the names she dug into the rock. Dave Rose John Dave Rose John Dave dave daveevdave dave dave dave dave and the tears fall faster. ]

I-- I killed you, you asked for help and I wouldn't tell you anything. But then John never got me into the game, and the meteor hit and I couldn't talk to you...but you cried, I saw it in the clouds. And I'm so sorry. I'm really, really sorry.

[Oh god. Oh god he made her cry. Fuck his coolkid rep (not that he had one here) and people being around. He is losing his shit and it will be lost for quite awhile. Because Jade is crying and she's apologizing about killing him except she didn't kill him (for some reason that gives him a bit of a headache, but he doesn't care at the moment).

And, oh god. How does he make her stop crying. He doesn't even know why she's apologizing since he's alive and he never died or anything. Maybe...hopefully Jade doesn't mind a very awkward hug from him. Because that's what he's doing. And maybe he's shaking a bit, although whether that's from pent up feelings or being cold is questionable. He just wanted her to stop crying.

God he'd say sorry, but he can't say sorry and fuck if anyone actually knows how to sign at this place.]

[ She doesn't stop crying for him; Jade hasn't had enough moisture in her body for months to accurately cry. The tears dry fast and her eyes sting as they attempt to use water that isn't actually there, but that doesn't stop her from hugging him tight again as soon as he wraps his arms around him. Who cares, if he's awkward? She's awkward too, all angles and malnourishment and slender, fragile body.

Jade's outburst has lead to a coughing fit, and she holds onto him as she hacks, body shivering with the effort. ]

[Fuck. Right. He totally forgot he actually had some majorly thoughtful plan that included bandaging those injuries, getting her into warmer clothes, and getting her food.

He lets go and slips his shoes on, but he kneels down in front of her and gestures that she should get on his back. It would be quicker and she wouldn't have to keep walking in this shitty weather.

This is really shitty weather and no one will convince him otherwise. Any weather that isn't warm and comfortable is shitty weather.]

[ She's a little confused for a moment -- why is he kneeling? And then she realizes what he wants and hesitates. What if she's too big for him to carry? What did she do to deserve this?

And then she decides that Dave Strider would only offer this to his very best friend, and carefully climbs on his back. Jade leans her head into his shoulder, closing her eyes. ]

You don't need to carry me... [ But her voice is drifting, and it's obvious that she enjoys it, even if she was hesitant at first. ]

[Holy shit she's light. Okay. New plan. Stuff Jade with food. If she pops, well, that's something they're going to risk for the sake of making sure that she is not a skinny mess forever.

He stands upright and starts heading to Fortitude. He'd go by the infirmary first and probably weasel out a first aid kit. Then the dorms.

There's a bounce in his step. Maybe he's got a tune in his head or maybe he's trying to make this kind of fun for her somehow. Unfortunately, he couldn't talk back now, but that was okay right? She didn't mind the silence. Maybe she can talk. He liked hearing her talk.]

[ She smiles slightly as they walk, enjoying the ride. ]

When I was stuck on Earth, I used to imagine that you would come and save me. [ Her voice is faint, but it's obvious that she's rambling a little bit, trying to simultaneously explain and keep the mood light. ] You would pick me up like this, and Rose would hug me....

I don't know where John was, but that's okay. I bet you saved him, too.

[He just listens to her talk since he can't talk. He nods his head as he listens.

And maybe his chest tightens a bit. It isn't a good feeling and it hurts a little. Because maybe John isn't there because he's dead. Maybe Dave didn't save him. And he won't tell her that, because it sounds like she so believes that he did save them all.

But he knows better. The only way to save them was keeping their Alpha versions alive. But that would mean that any Doomed version ceased to exist and all the Doomed versions of himself were doomed to die.

But if she believed that he saved her and John. He'd want her to believe it. Because maybe, some universe, he did. Just not this one.

Dave gently puts her down once they reach the infirmary and steps inside for a little bit before coming back out with the first aid kit. Yeah...that's not getting returned. He's keeping this in his dorm room in case.]

[ If she notices that she's been sat down, she doesn't say. She just continues with her story. ]

But then you didn't come. And John was never in my clouds, but you and Rose were...and you thought I was dead. I tried to call out for you, but... [ Her voice fades for a moment, and she continues. ] I stopped believing in my dreams. And I knew you wouldn't come.

And then I got on a train, and I dreamed real dreams without Prospit. But first...there was black. Just lots of black. And no one was there to talk to, either.

[Dave is quiet for a bit. Finally, he reaches out to grab her wrist gently. He presses his forefinger to her arm and writes out sorry. He doesn't know if she can actually tell that he wrote that out, but he hopes she gets it.

If he could have saved her, he would have. He knew he would have. He wouldn't have wanted to leave her there unless it meant he couldn't get to her.]

[ She can't quite make out the entire word -- S, O -- but she doesn't really need to hear the rest to know what he's trying to say. ]

It's okay. [ She turns her wrist in his grasp so that she can grip his as well. A small, sad smile flits across her face. ] I lived on my own for a long time, but I'm here now. And you're still my best friend.

[ She tries to think of something to talk about in order to change the subject. ] Oh. Do you...speak the hand thing?

[ The hand thing being ASL, of which she knows one phrase; she holds up her free hand to him. Even though it's a sore sight to look at, bloody and nails cracked or gone, the meaning's still the same.

The symbol for 'I love you'. ]

If I knew best friends forever, I would use that one too.

[He nods when she mentions the 'speak the hand thing' to him. He's pretty sure she knows what she's referring to. It would be quite something to try and figure out what else it could mean.

He feels a flush rise on the back of his neck. Always so forward!

But he returns the gesture. The rest though, he has to switch to his PDA.]

if you want
i can teach it to you
...
we should head to the dorms though
so you can get some clothes
then we can get food together

[ Jade is the most forward paramour. Not that she really knows exactly what she's implying, which is why it's doubly adorable. But she nods. ]

I'll learn it for you. But... [ Her stomach hasn't rumbled in a long time, but she looks down at it anyway. Her body is so thin that you can see her ribs through the holes in her shirt. ]

Food sounds yummy. I haven't had food in a long time.

pizza
my treat

[He pockets the PDA and motions at her to get back on his back so he can get them to the dorms. He'll ask what dorm she is once they get there. It isn't all that important now.]

I don't think I've ever had pizza...

[ Has she? If she did, it was a long time ago, when Grandpa would make it. She climbs on his back again, yawning a bit. ]

Do we get to go to bed soon?

[Oh shit. Never had pizza? Dave is going to make sure you are indulged in all kinds of delicious and unhealthy foods. Not sure if cheetos exist here though.

Dave nods though. She can sleep in a warm bed and things will be as normal as you can get at this school.

He shudders a bit as they get back out and he's just gonna book it towards the dorms.]

[ She shivers against him, mumbling something a little incoherent, something about meteors and doomsdays and repeating her friends' names again and again. Jade is tired -- she's spent her days crying and her nights wandering -- and Dave is warm enough that she thinks she might be able to get a nap on the way to the dorms.

When they get there, he will find her fast asleep on his back. ]

[Shit. Shittttt. He doesn't want to wake her up, but he also wants her to sleep. God, why can't life actually be easy peasy instant mac and cheesy? Wow, he did not actually think that.

Instead of waking her up to find her dorm room, he takes her to his. With some miraculous multi tasking skills (and the fact she's pretty fucking light), he's gotten his door open and gently puts her on his bed.

He gets back up so he can get a washcloth and some water so he can clean her hands and feet (and anywhere else that he can clean that isn't awkward) before wrapping her hands and feet with clean bandages. She doesn't have to be awake for this anyways. She just better not fall asleep when he gets food with her.]

[ She doesn't wake up through the bandaging or washing; Jade's a pretty sound sleeper. But as soon as he's finished, her eyes flutter open, looking a little clearer after their nap. ]

What did I miss....

[He's just shoved the first aid kit into his bedside table and just points at her hands to indicate that he didn't really do all that much while she was asleep.

He still needs to make sure you're in some decent (read: warmer/comfier) clothes before they head back out. Not that...these uniforms are all that warm in all honesty.]

[ She looks at them carefully. They're no longer bleeding, though she's not quite sure if she's glad that Dave saw her deep cuts and gashes on her hands. ]

I did that myself.

[ To not tell him would be breaking some kind of friendship code. But to tell him feels shameful. ]

[He takes a seat next to her. He's quiet before there's the sound of clicking from his PDA.]

you dont have to do that to yourself anymore
not here

[He meant it. Sure there was fighting. But there wouldn't be any crazy session bullshit. No constantly dying for stupid reasons. It wasn't all that bad here other then his constant suspicion as to what this place wanted.]

[ She nods. ]

I thought it would make me feel better...but it doesn't. It just hurts. And then it bleeds...

dont worry
itll heal
just give it time
we should get you into new clothes though
and then hit the town up
i think youll like it
its nice
i guess

[Maybe it'll make her smile. He'd like that. To see her cheer up.]

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