(no subject)

[platinumlucifer]

[VIDEO]

You know, after that whole super spooky cave business, I think some R-and-R is in order. I saw someone talking about a party earlier, and I think that's just what everybody needs to shake off this funk. I know you guys are kind of prudes sometimes, so I won't suggest going out to Caldera to party, but I hear that Refuge has some pretty good food and drinks out there. Come on, let's forget about what other people saw for a few days and live it up! Take some advice from your big sis Excellen here. I'm always right about these kinds of things.

[ She gives the camera a wink before cutting the feed. ]



[ACTION]

[ Excellen over the band and Excellen in person? Two entirely different people right now. Where she was vivacious and energetic on the feed, she's significantly more subdued, almost chillingly so. She seems locked in her own mind as she goes through the motions of training, moving on muscle memory.

The things she saw in that cave... she wished she hadn't seen. The accident. Having to relive the accident from Kyosuke's point of view, and hearing voices that she did not quite recall, left her mind wandering into deep, dark places she did not want it to go. How did she survive that accident? It took nearly a year before she was back to anything remotely like herself--but how had she managed even that?

"She won't feel it anyway. She's already dead."

Those words echoed in her mind, drowning out her rifle rounds. Excellen didn't want to think about it, and yet she couldn't help herself, she couldn't stop. Putting down her rifle, she hardly seemed to notice how riddled with holes the dummies--and the surrounding grounds--were. ]

Comments

Action, but more in response to the video

[platinumlucifer]

Kyosuke?

[ She should have expected him to be here, and honestly that wasn't what surprised her. What did, however, was what he was holding.]

What's that?

[steelbeowulf]

A Refuge Ale. Very brisk.

[He slides one over to her]

[platinumlucifer]

[ She stops it, looking a bit surprised. ]

You know, you really confuse me sometimes.

[steelbeowulf]

You are an anomaly, I am constantly told I am a very simple man.

[platinumlucifer]

I never said you weren't simple.

[steelbeowulf]

Then I'm not sure I see the problem.

[1/2]

[platinumlucifer]

Of course you don't.

[ Excellen stirs her drink in her hand a bit, staring down into it before taking a nice big chug. She exhales deeply, doing her best to give him a smile. ]

Man, they weren't joking! This stuff is the best! Especially when you don't have to pay for it! It really takes your mind off things, don't you think Kyosuke? You know how to take care of your adorable little kouhai, don'tcha!

[2/2]

[platinumlucifer]

[ She's not dumb. She also knows that he isn't either, and despite being a line-faced no-emotions steel-type hunk, he's surprisingly perceptive. To some things. Other things, well, she just wished her senpai would actually notice her. ]

Say, Kyosuke...

[ Staring down at the little bit left in her cup, her expression turns unusually dour. ]

Let's not think about that stuff we saw down there, okay? I can tell it's eating at you.

[ And her, well... ]

I don't like to see you like that. I like the normal Kyosuke.

Re: [2/2]

[steelbeowulf]

I'll be back to normal soon.

[sip]

[platinumlucifer]

Everything turned out fine in the end.

[steelbeowulf]

And hopefully it will keep turning out OK.

[platinumlucifer]

It won't be if you keep being such a downer.

[ She tries to give him a joking smile. ]

Trust me, okay?

[steelbeowulf]

I trust you. Some of the other stuff I don't trust as much.

[platinumlucifer]

Like what?

[steelbeowulf]

The world is a strange and dangerous place.

[platinumlucifer]

You've gotta be more specific than that, so I can refute anything you have to say.

[steelbeowulf]

We don't know what's out there. What we've seen here guarantees that it's even less uncertain that we thought before.

[platinumlucifer]

Stop being so pessimistic. You'll get gray hair.

[ Although he would probably look pretty distinguished. Hmm.

No, no she'll stick with her statement. ]

All you're doing is asking for trouble. Lighten up a bit.

[steelbeowulf]

Being prepared doesn't hurt anything.

[platinumlucifer]

Being prepared and looking to punch trouble in the face are two totally different things.

[steelbeowulf]

Trouble is less troublesome when you punch it in the face.

[platinumlucifer]

You're gonna break something that way, Kyosuke.

[steelbeowulf]

If I'm breaking trouble, there's no problem.

[platinumlucifer]

I mean something of yours. Like your fists.

[steelbeowulf]

I assure you, danger to my fists is minimal.

[platinumlucifer]

Of course not.

[ The point.






Kyosuke's head. ]