[She looks a bit of a mess from where she's sunk to the ground next to a wall, bits of grass stuck against her hair. A broadsword sits discarded nearby, Hikaru instead opting to cling to the own plushie against her arms.]
Yoshizawa-chan...?
[She shakes her head immediately, drawing herself up to sit on her knees and look a little less depressing.]
No, it's okay. I've been trying to wish to talk to someone from the castle, but... nothing's happening. I'm really worried about what might have happened to Hajime-chan...
[What did "removed" mean, anyway? Where did she go? And why?
She offers up her best attempt at a smile, though.]
I can go outside if you want...! Maybe they'll hear your wishes more than mine?
[... A shake of her head, squeezing the plushie a little closer.]
It's okay. They said they were consulting with the realm, right...? If they haven't responded yet, perhaps we oughtn't disturb them.
[Maybe she's just making excuses for them. She doesn't really know what to think.]
... But, Shidou-san, Ichinose-san is... [She trails off momentarily, before trying again. He always told her to keep her head up. So, that's what she has to do.] Ichinose-san died.
[Sorry, Hikaru. She looks genuinely pained, but lying about it will only make it worse, so she nods.]
I ran into Leveilleur-san and Barnes-san after we received the first notification, so... We headed to the east side of the forest together. [A beat, and presses the plushie closer to chest.] ... We found her body.
Her hands press against her mouth for a long moment, her whole face tightening as her eyes widen.
Hajime was... dead? Really, really dead?]
I...
D-Did she... was she just...
[It's a stumbling of words, before she just clutches her hands to her chests and blurts out:] Did something hurt her, Yoshizawa-chan? Did she get attacked??? Is that--
[Is that why this was so sudden? But why would...
She bites her lip hard, pressing her hand back to her mouth as her eyes start to water.
[She doesn't reply right off the bat because, well. That's easier said than done! The what ifs are killing her, Hajime. But she knows insisting will only make the other person insist as well, and that's not comfortable for either of them.]
I know. [Well, technically.] I just wish there was something we could have done for her.
[She's in a towel a la Japanese Baths, thank god for modesty, and with her short stature she's practically nose-deep in the bathtub right now. It's so warm...
She sputters in the water a little, though, turning to look at Sumi.]
Ah -- Hi, Yoshizawa-chan! No, you're fine! Sorry, I guess I was falling asleep a little.
[Doggo's chilling on the other end of the spa, its flames momentarily doused due to the humidity in here, but still looking comfortable and a little relaxed for once.]
Do you have baths like this where you're from? Like, places to be together like this.
I can't imagine having something like this nearby all the time. I'd never wanna leave. [She stretches her arms out over her head, the scars of numerous healed gashes scattered against her skin.] I guess you can't be relaxed all the time, though.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week zero, friday.
... Sorry, I didn't realize somebody else would be in here.
[That sounds worse than it is. She just doesn't want to intrude if Hikaru wants some alone time.]
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Yoshizawa-chan...?
[She shakes her head immediately, drawing herself up to sit on her knees and look a little less depressing.]
No, it's okay. I've been trying to wish to talk to someone from the castle, but... nothing's happening. I'm really worried about what might have happened to Hajime-chan...
[What did "removed" mean, anyway? Where did she go? And why?
She offers up her best attempt at a smile, though.]
I can go outside if you want...! Maybe they'll hear your wishes more than mine?
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It's okay. They said they were consulting with the realm, right...? If they haven't responded yet, perhaps we oughtn't disturb them.
[Maybe she's just making excuses for them. She doesn't really know what to think.]
... But, Shidou-san, Ichinose-san is... [She trails off momentarily, before trying again. He always told her to keep her head up. So, that's what she has to do.] Ichinose-san died.
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...
What?
What, no, she... she can't... They can't have meant that about her body being...
[She was removed, right? That couldn't mean death... Could it? But Kasumi looks so genuinely upset...
Hikaru pushes up on her feet, the plushie dropped to the floor.]
Y-Yoshizawa-chan, what happened??? Are you sure? Are you sure?????
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I ran into Leveilleur-san and Barnes-san after we received the first notification, so... We headed to the east side of the forest together. [A beat, and presses the plushie closer to chest.] ... We found her body.
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Her hands press against her mouth for a long moment, her whole face tightening as her eyes widen.
Hajime was... dead? Really, really dead?]
I...
D-Did she... was she just...
[It's a stumbling of words, before she just clutches her hands to her chests and blurts out:] Did something hurt her, Yoshizawa-chan? Did she get attacked??? Is that--
[Is that why this was so sudden? But why would...
She bites her lip hard, pressing her hand back to her mouth as her eyes start to water.
Why?]
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[Sometimes, you trip into the corpse just as the invest slot ends. These things happen.]
I'm sorry we couldn't do anything for her. When we arrived, she was already... dead.
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No... No, don't you dare apologize! Please don't say sorry when it's not even your fault in the first place...!
[She's just gonna rush forward and, since Kasumi's hands are occupied, she will just place her hands on those crossed forearms and gently squeeze.]
It's not your fault, Yoshizawa-chan... it's not. Please don't blame yourself.
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I know. [Well, technically.] I just wish there was something we could have done for her.
week five, tuesday.
Oh—! Um... [Hikaru, your name.] Is now a bad time?
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She sputters in the water a little, though, turning to look at Sumi.]
Ah -- Hi, Yoshizawa-chan! No, you're fine! Sorry, I guess I was falling asleep a little.
[Doggo's chilling on the other end of the spa, its flames momentarily doused due to the humidity in here, but still looking comfortable and a little relaxed for once.]
Do you have baths like this where you're from? Like, places to be together like this.
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Mhmm, we do! There's actually a bathhouse right in front of my senpai's home, though I've never gone in myself.
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