[the appearance of the mansion startled her almost as much as her sudden arrival here. she hadn't assumed anyone would live out this far -- is this far away from a town? that was probably impossible to know, and the uncertainty ate away at her. but considering this was one of the only signs of life she'd seen so far, she figured she'd take a gamble on it.
standing at the doors of the mansion, she raised her fist and gave two polite knocks.]
H... Hello?
[it wasn't like her to stumble over her words; a school idol should always speak clearly and cheerfully! but this wasn't a situation suited to a normal school idol, so perhaps she could be forgiven.
there was no reply, of course; she hadn't really expected there to be. however, the door did creak open -- invitingly? meanacingly? -- and kotori dithered in the doorway, unsure whether to continue or flee. she might need a little push (physical or literal) one way or the other...]
c. eien friends
[as kotori continued to explore this mysterious mansion, she couldn't help but succumb to a little bit of... fear. it was certainly nerve-wracking to be spirited away to a forest of the kind you'd normally see in picture books or movies, complete with a towering, foreboding house-on-a-hill all its own, and the lack of human interaction certainly didn't help her any. she knew better than anyone that she thrived the most when she had a bit of support. as if to give her that inner calm, a line from one of her songs, a duet with hanayo, suddenly ran through her head.]
Wow wow loving you! ♪ I love you, do you love me too?
[kotori grabbed at that thought and held it close. a cheerful song always puts you in a cheerful mood, right? she even hummed lightly under her breath as she continued her explorations, letting the rest of the song play out in her mind. she was already starting to feel a little better.]
g. wildcard
[if you have an alternative prompt to throw at me, you can do it here!]
[ yamagi very rarely listens to music. he's much more used to hearing the constant sound of a very rowdy group of people he calls family; the delighted giggles and loud tears of young kids running around, orders barked out and metal clanging, shino's warm laughter when he teases him... yamagi is surrounded by so much noise all the time, the silence of the mansion is even more unnerving than it already should be.
so the upbeat song stands out in the midst of all the static chatter and catches him completely off guard. once he focuses on it, though, everything else fades into the background, and he stops exploring just to listen.
yamagi would clap if there was anyone there to clap for. ]
[kotori accepted the compliment with characteristic cheerfulness. really, nothing made her feel better then spreading the happiness µ's brought to her -- if yamagi got even a moment's joy from her song, that was a job well done to her. despite everything going on right now, her heart already felt a bit lighter.
of course, the strangeness of the situation didn't set in until right... about...]
[and now that it had, kotori yelped in utter shock. she clearly -- she knew she hadn't been singing aloud, had she? well, maybe a few words had slipped out unbeknownst to her, which was a bit embarrassing -- and then she got the second shock when she realized there was no one nearby to say what she'd just heard, never mind hear her sing to begin with.
all sorts of thoughts swept away the momentary good mood she'd enjoyed. kotori froze on the spot and clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from making any more noise. it occurred to her that she might run -- but she wasn't as fast as rin -- or perhaps fight back? -- but she wasn't as fearless as nico. she was plagued by sudden indecision, and her mind raced with possibilities, none of them good.
a look into such a mind would reveal... was she being recorded by the odd device around her neck? was there some creepy pervert lurking around the corner watching her? could he read her mind -- no, that last one was impossible, wasn't it...?! they were like dominos or a tidal wave tumbling over her (and presumably over yamagi), but for good reason dude!]
[ yikes. okay, that definitely wasn't the reaction he was looking for, but he supposes he shouldn't be surprised. while his own reaction to telepathic communication wasn't quite so... dramatic, he was still freaked out. he runs a hand through his hair and, not for the first time, asks himself how he got into this terrible mess. ]
Relax! I'm not going to hurt you. Er... Listen, haven't you been noticing something like, I don't know, radio static in your head?
— Wait. Can you do me a favor and describe your surroundings? Maybe I can find you. Then this won't be so... well, weird.
[come to think of it, she had heard something like that -- a low level hum in the back of her mind. she had chalked it up to the stress of being away from... well, everything she knew. but now that she narrowed in more...
wow. she could hear -- other people's voices. intermingling, mixing, and not entirely clear, yes, but they were there all the same. it was -- amazing, in a way she wasn't sure how to describe.
but the first person had asked for more information, so she refocused her attention on that.]
-- Oh! Um, I'm inside this mansion in the middle of this forest. I just left the library, I guess you would call it? It's upstairs and had a large glass ceiling.
Unless there are two mansions, I'm probably not far. Just give me a minute, okay?
[ yamagi hasn't run into anyone yet without the use of telepathy, so it's a bit relieving to know that soon he can interact with another actual human being in the flesh. he's not the most social person, preferring to keep to himself and his work, but the circumstances aren't anything close to normal. he can't afford to be his plain and reserved self when he has no idea where he is, where tekkadan is, where shino is —
she can probably hear his thoughts, too, he realizes with some degree of embarrassment. they've been racing a mile a minute. yamagi attempts to shut them down while he loops around the bottom floor until he finds a spiral staircase, pads upstairs, and peers through every door until he sees a girl in what looks like... is that a school uniform?
huh. ]
Um.
[ he shuffles his feet, awkwardly standing in the middle of the long, ornate hallway. ]
Sorry. I wasn't trying to impose. I know how unsettling it is to know that anyone can be hearing your own thoughts, so...
[ his cheeks color the slightest bit and he averts his gaze. he doesn't know how to talk to cute girls? not that he has any interest, but regardless... ]
[kotori was feeling the loss of her friends, so she understood the mild ebb of his feelings all too well. then a sudden thought occurs to her -- isn't this an invasion of privacy? especially when he's thinking about those people so fondly...
jerking her head toward the side, she focused on staying still and waiting to be found. that window sure is interesting. yep.
when yamagi eventually arrives, she bowed, low enough that her ponytail flopped over her face, before standing and brushing her hair out of her eyes.]
I'm Kotori Minami! It's nice to meet you, Yamagi-kun.
[she hesitated for a moment before shaking her head and letting her gaze drift to the side shyly too.]
No, I'm sorry for... overreacting. It's just, well, I've never had anything like that happen to me before. I've never even seen a ghost before, so supernatural things like that -- they're completely beyond me...
You didn't overreact. I'm still not sure what's going on here. All I know is that I've been caught lost in my own thoughts one too many times by total and complete strangers, so...
[ he looks down at his feet. it really is embarrassing... he's glad that, if kotori heard anything, she's nice enough to keep quiet about it. ]
But putting that aside— I've never heard music like that before. Are you a singer?
[ maybe changing the topic will distract them both. yamagi doesn't know what he's doing. he's just going to wing it. at this point, a distraction is more than welcome. ]
Me either, so at least we're together like that! But you're the first person I've met here, so you really caught me off guard...
[kotori didn't need to be a mind reader (or to use her newfound mind-reading powers) to sense yamagi's nerves. he reminded her of eli almost instantly -- distant, but not unkind about it. and like eli, she was inclined to let him come to her on her own terms.
she nods at his question, a warm smile coming over her features.]
I am! Well, sort of. I'm a school idol with a group called µ's. We're all amateurs, but we work really hard to give the best performances we can.
[ being an orphan, yamagi is only vaguely familiar with anything related to school, although he did learn how to read and write, unlike some of the others. still, he could recognize that much. ]
A school idol... ?
[ idols, though — that's a completely foreign concept. it's not a stretch to guess that she can probably sense his confusion and curiosity. despite his situation, yamagi likes learning about new things and new cultures. it's a positive. ]
[considering how pervasive school idols were around japan, the curious thought is he from another country...? passed through her mind. but just as quickly as it came, it was discarded; anybody can enjoy music, no matter where they're from.]
Mm-hmm! Our school was going to be shut down due to a lack of applicants, so we formed µ's to try and draw interest to it. We write our own lyrics, compose our own music, choreograph our own dances, and make our own costumes! So we're "school idols".
[as kotori ticked off the things µs did together, she obviously radiated pride. she didn't think about it too often -- those after school activities were normally rowdy fun with her and her friends, and never really felt like work even when they were being pushed to their physical limits -- but listing it out like that felt a lot more impressive.]
[ yamagi's eyes go a bit wide as kotori prattles on. he can't imagine doing even one of those things, let alone all of them. ]
That's amazing... Let me guess. You woke up here and you're not sure where the rest of µ's is, right... ?
[ Can Relate™ ]
By the way, were you able to? Draw more applicants in, I mean.
[ he is genuinely curious. what kotori is describing sounds really impressive to him, even though he still doesn't entirely get it. he thinks he'd have to see a performance to really understand. ]
[kotori deflated a little at that. yamagi obviously understood how scary and a bit painful it was to be somewhere like this without your friends... but for their sake, she would keep a healthy smile on her face. they wouldn't want her to be sad, and she wouldn't want to be sad for them. that sort of mutual love was the foundation of µ.]
-- I think so. We hadn't got the results for Love Live back yet -- it's a competition among school idols -- but we did really well. A lot of people were cheering our names.
[she paused momentarily, then raised a finger to her lips.]
... Do I sound like I'm bragging? Sorry. How about you, Yamagi-kun? What did you do?
[he wasn't wearing a school uniform, but he didn't look that much older than her, so...]
[ yamagi feels a little bad that he brought it up — a smile suits kotori so much better than that fleeting distant expression — but it's not like the knowledge that they're both missing people wasn't right there. there's no real need to avoid it when it's something they're both dealing with.
he holds his hands up and shakes his head, the bangs covering his eyes doing little to hide his expression. ]
No, not at all! Like I said, it really is amazing. I can't imagine how hard you all must work.
[ yamagi deflates just a little bit before answering her innocent question, averting his gaze. he's always had a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to tekkadan's pilots, and it seems like it extends to other things, too. he can't talk about anything as exciting as what kotori has to share, right? ]
Me? Ah... Nothing special. I'm just a mechanic. I work on machines all day and make sure they're in top shape for their pilots to ride. I guess I handle more technical things.
[ shino crosses his mind again. yamagi wishes he could stop worrying about him. he's just always so reckless he's worried he's gotten himself into trouble, or... or something. anything. ]
[not to say it couldn't be work, but really, all things considered she was incredibly lucky.
kotori tilted her head to the side slightly when she heard yamagi's response. she'd thought they were similar ages, but to already have a full time job, he might be a little older -- perhaps in his twenties? either way, he seemed a bit saddened by the question, so she thought she'd give him some (genuine) encouragement in the form of her true thoughts:]
A mechanic? For... airplanes? That's amazing, Yamagi-kun! You must be so smart to know how to put them all back together! And all the other pilots depend on you to keep them safe and sound -- I wish I could do something like that.
[cause airplanes are what you fly around right? although rough work like that probably wouldn't suit a gentle bird like her in the long run, it was clear from her tone just how impressed she really was.
kotori really wasn't aiming to read his thoughts, but she had to admit, she was curious -- about the "shino" he kept drifting to, and about the extent of her new found mind reading abilities... instead of "sending" anything verbally, she concentrated and attempted to send a picture -- more like a quick flash of a memory.
within it, honoka was on one side of her and umi on the other. the three of them were taking their daily walk from otonokizaka, late summer light filtering through the trees and presenting everything in orange hues. honoka had a piece of bread in her mouth, and umi scolded her on not taking greater care to keep her shirt and mouth clean; idols must be ready to be approached at any time!, umi said within it, stern but not unkind. aw, umi-chan, i'm just so hungry from practice... honoka replied with a visible pout despite her bread, and between the two, kotori giggled. it was a memory that radiated fondness; the bond of friendship between the girls was palpable enough to serve up like a strawberry shortcake.
the connotation was clear: the same? different?]
Edited (i accidentally a word) 2017-07-07 01:39 (UTC)
[ yamagi can't even remember how long he's been working. growing up as an orphan among other orphans, you do your share. that's part of the very foundation of tekkadan.
a blush creeps onto his cheeks, lips curving into a small smile. it's impossible not to when he can tell that kotori's enthusiasm is genuine, that she speaks from her heart. he decides there's no real reason to go into the logistics of piloting a gundam; if he's completely unfamiliar with the concept of a school idol, then chances are, kotori is unfamiliar with his life on mars. ]
Not exactly airplanes, but... Something like that, I suppose. I still wish I could help everyone more, but... I do what I can.
[ he looks down at his gloved hands. yamagi may look delicate, but there are callouses underneath, proof of his hard work using all different kinds of tools to fix what's broken and keep up with regular maintenance on what isn't.
yamagi sees the picture as soon as kotori imagines it. everything about it is so vivid and vibrant and colorful, it's impossible to miss. that pure bond of close friendship is able to come through as clear as day. it makes something in his chest constrict.
yamagi has something similar in tekkadan, his precious found family, a bond tying them together unlike any other. there's an image of orga, mikazuki, takaki, eugene, kudelia and atra and the rest standing below a bright blue sky — everyone is there, but shino is reaching out his hand in the middle, smile as bright and blinding as ever. there's a metaphorical line between tekkadan and shino that crosses the barrier of family and friendship. shino is shining just a little brighter than the others, like he's the center of yamagi's world, a shooting star that he's always trying to reach up and grasp.
i need you! i'll make sure to protect you, so don't let go of my hand! those words are burned into yamagi's memories. he closes his eyes for a brief moment. yamagi's wordless answer to kotori's silent question: different. ]
[ cyan was in much the same predicament-- despite having experience with being sucked into strange places through her phone, or snatched away by robot-ninjas, it never really gets any easier to deal with. much like kotori, cyan had no idea where she was, how she got here, or if she was in midi city or some other place all together; admittedly, she was more confused than scared, thankfully, but that was only because she believed deep in her heart that the rest of her friends or another familiar face like the omnipotent darudayu would appear.
still, that didn't mean this place wasn't scary at all... her tail was standing on end, fur bristled, her ears perked and twitching in alertness. she's thinking about how much this situation sucks and how badly she wishes retoree or chuchu or moa were here with her, but her ears pick up faint humming in the distance.
the melody is upbeat and sweet, leading cyan to believe that obviously this is midi city, and obviously there's another myumon here. ]
H-- Hello?
[ her pace picks up, albeit slightly. myumon were almost all nice, but still. s t i l l . ]
Is someone else here? I heard your song just now-- So maybe you can help me? Please?
[kotori stopped her walk and cocked her head slightly. if she didn't just imagine it... that was a voice, wasn't it? it was the first sign of anybody she'd seen since coming here, so without a whole lot of thought, she replied:]
I'm over here! Down this hallway!
[she picked up her pace to get to the intersection of the hallways, shifting back and forth to see who'd called out to her. though now that she thought about it...]
They said they heard me singing? I guess I was humming louder than I thought...
[kotori wasn't shy by any means, but she hadn't exactly been expecting to put on a show for anybody here, so she could cop to being a tad bit embarrassed. oops...]
[ cyan's search is equally hurried, not wanting to forestall getting to the bottom of this bizarre situation. too many questions ran through her head; where were they, did this myumon live here, what band did they belong to since her voice was way too beautiful and well-practiced to be an amateur's-- she knew wondering on everything would get her nowhere, but someone as high-anxiety as she is has a hard time keeping calm at the worst times. ]
I think I see you! I'll be right there, okay?
[ she isn't being overly optimistic; the person she was searching for was definitely a girl, though cyan was also quick to notice a distinct lack of some form of animal ears or tail. maybe she was like retoree, whose ears were well-hidden? ]
Thank goodness I found someone-- Nyaaa!
[ cyan's sigh of relief is cut off by an embarrassing scream. she tripped over one of the last few steps and completely eats shit on the floor, and is left with her chin perched on a step and a disgruntled daze swimming through her head. ]
[kotori turned to greet the other girl just in time to see her go crashing to the floor. wincing in sympathy for a moment, she quickly picked up her pace and raced to her side.]
Oh, no! Are you okay? Can you stand -- here...
[she bent down and offered her hand to the stranger. and now that she was up close and personal, kotori couldn't help but notice the ears and tail. being the legendary maid that she was, she was used to seeing cosplayers of all sizes and stripes. this girl certainly was one of the more committed ones, though -- her ears and tail were an exact match to her hair, and they twitched much more fluidly then the wire tricks she'd seen pulled off before. really, they were as close to the real thing as she could tell. it was pretty impressive.
but of course, she wouldn't want to be rude about it -- besides, they both had more important things to worry about! making sure she wasn't hurt was the most important thing, so kotori let her do the talking.]
[ kotori's concerned voice snaps her out of her stupor, and as soon as she focuses her vision, cyan makes a surprised noise before reaching up to tentatively accept kotori's hand. her legs are a little shaky, shins burning beneath her socks, but all in all she's fine.
cyan laughs nervously, holding onto kotori's hand a little too long before releasing it, awkward and sudden. ]
S-- Sorry! I didn't mean to make an entrance like that. I'm alright though! More importantly...
[ cyan relaxes somewhat, only to look to and fro at their surroundings. ]
Do you live here? I haven't seen anyone else, so this has to be your house...
[after making sure cyan truly was steady on her feet, kotori shook her head gently.]
No, I just wandered in since the door was unlocked -- not the nicest thing to to do, but I wanted to see if I could find anyone else. I just... woke up in this strange forest...
[she trailed off, with the obvious ending to that sentence being you, too? certainly cyan seemed as confused as she was, but there's no telling. nothing about this situation made any sort of sense.]
[ elle is in much the same predicament; there's no way this was a fractured dimension since she didn't come to this place with ludger and the others, but that didn't explain where exactly this place was or how she even got here. there weren't even any cats to convene with! what kind of awful, boring place is this?
(actually, it's kind of spooky... being alone in a place like this isn't her idea of a good time...)
elle is wandering nearby, lingering near one of the stairwells. her logic is that if something creepy happens she can dart out the door and into the safety of... well. she'll figure that part out when the time comes.
--but, uh oh!! she hears a voice calling out from the entrance! elle is not a fan of random voices echoing through an abandoned scary mansion. ]
Eek--!
[ elle can't help a little shout of her own before quickly covering her mouth. dangit elle!! don't let the creepy stranger know you're here!! ]
[kotori had fairly good ears, so she caught that eep from somewhere within. it took a moment to process, but when it did, she thought "ah, that was the voice of... a little girl?" this was no place for kids to be hanging around without someone to watch out for them!
her mind was quickly made up upon hearing that squeak. she stepped inside, and called out once more -- this time letting her voice properly carry and echo through the empty entrance hall.]
It's okay, I won't hurt you! My name is Kotori Minami. I just -- ended up here, I guess you could say, and I was looking for anyone else...
[ elle had already tucked herself in a great hiding spot behind a browning plant, but kotori's melodic voice is so disarming-- she perks up a bit before peeking out from around the side of the vase, not that kotori can see her all that well. ]
Kotori... Minami?
[ finally, elle clambers to her feet before taking a few slow steps out and around her hiding place. ]
Wow, it really is just a pretty girl, and not a monster...
[ with a breath of relief, elle takes a few steps down the stairs before lingering halfway, hands clutching the straps of her backpack Just In Case. ]
So your name is Kotori, right? And you're lost too...? Then you're just like me.
[ elle hums in thought because oh fuck, she was looking to see if someone else was in this house too......... ]
[yep, that confirmed it -- the mystery person was, indeed, a little girl. yikes. yikes! who would abandon a kid here all on their own, in what basically amounted to the middle of nowhere? a variety of emotions ran through her, but the one she stopped on was concern; although kotori wasn't exactly the most mature member of µs, fake it to you make it.
once elle revealed herself, kotori strode over and leaned down slightly to be eye level with her. she smiled wide, doing her best to seem nonthreatening. no scary monsters here, promise.]
It seems like it... In that case, we should look together for information, shouldn't we? What's your name?
[ normally elle would be pretty alert since stranger danger is something she deals with a lot, but kotori is so pretty and totally pretty and definitely sees her as an equal since she isn't baby-talking her, so she's more than willing to put her thinking cap on. ]
Yeah, working together seems like the smart thing to do. Good thinking, Kotori!
[ --oops, elle nearly forgot!! she puffs out her chest, fists on her hips, obviously proud of how great she is. ]
My name's Elle! Elle Mel Marta! It's nice to meet you, Kotori! I can tell you'll be a great sidekick, so let's get going!
[a great sidekick, huh. . . kotori a sudden flashback to the phrase "backup dancers". but this was just a little kid, so it didn't sting as hard.
she nodded her approval and stood up, straightening her skirt.]
Elle-chan, then! It's nice to meet you too... Hm, do you want to head upstairs? We might be able to see all around from the balcony and the windows.
[after a moment's hesitation, kotori offered her hand to elle -- she seemed like she had a good head on her shoulders, but it never hurt to be careful. and if elle got offended, kotori could always brush it off as her being scared instead.]
Good idea! Maybe we can even see past the big forest, and we'll find out where we are!
[ elle was eager to get out of the area the y were currently in (one could only linger in one spot in a creepy mansion for so long), but pauses when she sees kotori's outstretched hand. on one hand, she was actually pretty nervous about this whole situation; sure, she's traversed long distances alone before, but that doesn't mean she liked it. besides, hiding in a boat daddy had cast her away in was different from aimlessly wandering. plus, what if there were monsters?
but elle doesn't want kotori to get the wrong idea about her. elle may be a kid, but she's not a baby, she's practically a big kid if anything. weakness isn't the best thing to show someone right off the bat. she's never seen that sort of thing go well, if ludger's overabundant kindness was any indicator.
but, still-- with a small moment of hesitation, almost begrudgingly, she takes kotori's hand. ]
I'm not some baby who needs to have her hand held, but-- I guess since this place is weird, and I bet you're kind of scared, I'll be nice and hold your hand.
[ that's her reason and she's sticking to it. before they proceed, elle smiles smugly. ]
Daddy says first impressions are important, so I need to make sure you know how tough and reliable I am!
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no subject
[the appearance of the mansion startled her almost as much as her sudden arrival here. she hadn't assumed anyone would live out this far -- is this far away from a town? that was probably impossible to know, and the uncertainty ate away at her. but considering this was one of the only signs of life she'd seen so far, she figured she'd take a gamble on it.
standing at the doors of the mansion, she raised her fist and gave two polite knocks.]
H... Hello?
[it wasn't like her to stumble over her words; a school idol should always speak clearly and cheerfully! but this wasn't a situation suited to a normal school idol, so perhaps she could be forgiven.
there was no reply, of course; she hadn't really expected there to be. however, the door did creak open -- invitingly? meanacingly? -- and kotori dithered in the doorway, unsure whether to continue or flee. she might need a little push (physical or literal) one way or the other...]
c. eien friends
[as kotori continued to explore this mysterious mansion, she couldn't help but succumb to a little bit of... fear. it was certainly nerve-wracking to be spirited away to a forest of the kind you'd normally see in picture books or movies, complete with a towering, foreboding house-on-a-hill all its own, and the lack of human interaction certainly didn't help her any. she knew better than anyone that she thrived the most when she had a bit of support. as if to give her that inner calm, a line from one of her songs, a duet with hanayo, suddenly ran through her head.]
Wow wow loving you! ♪ I love you, do you love me too?
[kotori grabbed at that thought and held it close. a cheerful song always puts you in a cheerful mood, right? she even hummed lightly under her breath as she continued her explorations, letting the rest of the song play out in her mind. she was already starting to feel a little better.]
g. wildcard
[if you have an alternative prompt to throw at me, you can do it here!]
c
so the upbeat song stands out in the midst of all the static chatter and catches him completely off guard. once he focuses on it, though, everything else fades into the background, and he stops exploring just to listen.
yamagi would clap if there was anyone there to clap for. ]
Wow. You have a lovely singing voice.
1/2
[kotori accepted the compliment with characteristic cheerfulness. really, nothing made her feel better then spreading the happiness µ's brought to her -- if yamagi got even a moment's joy from her song, that was a job well done to her. despite everything going on right now, her heart already felt a bit lighter.
of course, the strangeness of the situation didn't set in until right... about...]
2/2
Ehhh?!
[and now that it had, kotori yelped in utter shock. she clearly -- she knew she hadn't been singing aloud, had she? well, maybe a few words had slipped out unbeknownst to her, which was a bit embarrassing -- and then she got the second shock when she realized there was no one nearby to say what she'd just heard, never mind hear her sing to begin with.
all sorts of thoughts swept away the momentary good mood she'd enjoyed. kotori froze on the spot and clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from making any more noise. it occurred to her that she might run -- but she wasn't as fast as rin -- or perhaps fight back? -- but she wasn't as fearless as nico. she was plagued by sudden indecision, and her mind raced with possibilities, none of them good.
a look into such a mind would reveal... was she being recorded by the odd device around her neck? was there some creepy pervert lurking around the corner watching her? could he read her mind -- no, that last one was impossible, wasn't it...?! they were like dominos or a tidal wave tumbling over her (and presumably over yamagi), but for good reason dude!]
no subject
Relax! I'm not going to hurt you. Er... Listen, haven't you been noticing something like, I don't know, radio static in your head?
— Wait. Can you do me a favor and describe your surroundings? Maybe I can find you. Then this won't be so... well, weird.
no subject
[come to think of it, she had heard something like that -- a low level hum in the back of her mind. she had chalked it up to the stress of being away from... well, everything she knew. but now that she narrowed in more...
wow. she could hear -- other people's voices. intermingling, mixing, and not entirely clear, yes, but they were there all the same. it was -- amazing, in a way she wasn't sure how to describe.
but the first person had asked for more information, so she refocused her attention on that.]
-- Oh! Um, I'm inside this mansion in the middle of this forest. I just left the library, I guess you would call it? It's upstairs and had a large glass ceiling.
no subject
[ yamagi hasn't run into anyone yet without the use of telepathy, so it's a bit relieving to know that soon he can interact with another actual human being in the flesh. he's not the most social person, preferring to keep to himself and his work, but the circumstances aren't anything close to normal. he can't afford to be his plain and reserved self when he has no idea where he is, where tekkadan is, where shino is —
she can probably hear his thoughts, too, he realizes with some degree of embarrassment. they've been racing a mile a minute. yamagi attempts to shut them down while he loops around the bottom floor until he finds a spiral staircase, pads upstairs, and peers through every door until he sees a girl in what looks like... is that a school uniform?
huh. ]
Um.
[ he shuffles his feet, awkwardly standing in the middle of the long, ornate hallway. ]
Sorry. I wasn't trying to impose. I know how unsettling it is to know that anyone can be hearing your own thoughts, so...
[ his cheeks color the slightest bit and he averts his gaze. he doesn't know how to talk to cute girls? not that he has any interest, but regardless... ]
I'm Yamagi.
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jerking her head toward the side, she focused on staying still and waiting to be found. that window sure is interesting. yep.
when yamagi eventually arrives, she bowed, low enough that her ponytail flopped over her face, before standing and brushing her hair out of her eyes.]
I'm Kotori Minami! It's nice to meet you, Yamagi-kun.
[she hesitated for a moment before shaking her head and letting her gaze drift to the side shyly too.]
No, I'm sorry for... overreacting. It's just, well, I've never had anything like that happen to me before. I've never even seen a ghost before, so supernatural things like that -- they're completely beyond me...
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[ he looks down at his feet. it really is embarrassing... he's glad that, if kotori heard anything, she's nice enough to keep quiet about it. ]
But putting that aside— I've never heard music like that before. Are you a singer?
[ maybe changing the topic will distract them both. yamagi doesn't know what he's doing. he's just going to wing it. at this point, a distraction is more than welcome. ]
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[kotori didn't need to be a mind reader (or to use her newfound mind-reading powers) to sense yamagi's nerves. he reminded her of eli almost instantly -- distant, but not unkind about it. and like eli, she was inclined to let him come to her on her own terms.
she nods at his question, a warm smile coming over her features.]
I am! Well, sort of. I'm a school idol with a group called µ's. We're all amateurs, but we work really hard to give the best performances we can.
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A school idol... ?
[ idols, though — that's a completely foreign concept. it's not a stretch to guess that she can probably sense his confusion and curiosity. despite his situation, yamagi likes learning about new things and new cultures. it's a positive. ]
Sorry, I've— I've never heard the term before.
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Mm-hmm! Our school was going to be shut down due to a lack of applicants, so we formed µ's to try and draw interest to it. We write our own lyrics, compose our own music, choreograph our own dances, and make our own costumes! So we're "school idols".
[as kotori ticked off the things µs did together, she obviously radiated pride. she didn't think about it too often -- those after school activities were normally rowdy fun with her and her friends, and never really felt like work even when they were being pushed to their physical limits -- but listing it out like that felt a lot more impressive.]
she's so cute...
That's amazing... Let me guess. You woke up here and you're not sure where the rest of µ's is, right... ?
[ Can Relate™ ]
By the way, were you able to? Draw more applicants in, I mean.
[ he is genuinely curious. what kotori is describing sounds really impressive to him, even though he still doesn't entirely get it. he thinks he'd have to see a performance to really understand. ]
you're cute and so is yamagi
[kotori deflated a little at that. yamagi obviously understood how scary and a bit painful it was to be somewhere like this without your friends... but for their sake, she would keep a healthy smile on her face. they wouldn't want her to be sad, and she wouldn't want to be sad for them. that sort of mutual love was the foundation of µ.]
-- I think so. We hadn't got the results for Love Live back yet -- it's a competition among school idols -- but we did really well. A lot of people were cheering our names.
[she paused momentarily, then raised a finger to her lips.]
... Do I sound like I'm bragging? Sorry. How about you, Yamagi-kun? What did you do?
[he wasn't wearing a school uniform, but he didn't look that much older than her, so...]
////
he holds his hands up and shakes his head, the bangs covering his eyes doing little to hide his expression. ]
No, not at all! Like I said, it really is amazing. I can't imagine how hard you all must work.
[ yamagi deflates just a little bit before answering her innocent question, averting his gaze. he's always had a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to tekkadan's pilots, and it seems like it extends to other things, too. he can't talk about anything as exciting as what kotori has to share, right? ]
Me? Ah... Nothing special. I'm just a mechanic. I work on machines all day and make sure they're in top shape for their pilots to ride. I guess I handle more technical things.
[ shino crosses his mind again. yamagi wishes he could stop worrying about him. he's just always so reckless he's worried he's gotten himself into trouble, or... or something. anything. ]
tf i thought i replied to this
[not to say it couldn't be work, but really, all things considered she was incredibly lucky.
kotori tilted her head to the side slightly when she heard yamagi's response. she'd thought they were similar ages, but to already have a full time job, he might be a little older -- perhaps in his twenties? either way, he seemed a bit saddened by the question, so she thought she'd give him some (genuine) encouragement in the form of her true thoughts:]
A mechanic? For... airplanes? That's amazing, Yamagi-kun! You must be so smart to know how to put them all back together! And all the other pilots depend on you to keep them safe and sound -- I wish I could do something like that.
[cause airplanes are what you fly around right? although rough work like that probably wouldn't suit a gentle bird like her in the long run, it was clear from her tone just how impressed she really was.
kotori really wasn't aiming to read his thoughts, but she had to admit, she was curious -- about the "shino" he kept drifting to, and about the extent of her new found mind reading abilities... instead of "sending" anything verbally, she concentrated and attempted to send a picture -- more like a quick flash of a memory.
within it, honoka was on one side of her and umi on the other. the three of them were taking their daily walk from otonokizaka, late summer light filtering through the trees and presenting everything in orange hues. honoka had a piece of bread in her mouth, and umi scolded her on not taking greater care to keep her shirt and mouth clean; idols must be ready to be approached at any time!, umi said within it, stern but not unkind. aw, umi-chan, i'm just so hungry from practice... honoka replied with a visible pout despite her bread, and between the two, kotori giggled. it was a memory that radiated fondness; the bond of friendship between the girls was palpable enough to serve up like a strawberry shortcake.
the connotation was clear: the same? different?]
sorry he's incapable of getting gay
a blush creeps onto his cheeks, lips curving into a small smile. it's impossible not to when he can tell that kotori's enthusiasm is genuine, that she speaks from her heart. he decides there's no real reason to go into the logistics of piloting a gundam; if he's completely unfamiliar with the concept of a school idol, then chances are, kotori is unfamiliar with his life on mars. ]
Not exactly airplanes, but... Something like that, I suppose. I still wish I could help everyone more, but... I do what I can.
[ he looks down at his gloved hands. yamagi may look delicate, but there are callouses underneath, proof of his hard work using all different kinds of tools to fix what's broken and keep up with regular maintenance on what isn't.
yamagi sees the picture as soon as kotori imagines it. everything about it is so vivid and vibrant and colorful, it's impossible to miss. that pure bond of close friendship is able to come through as clear as day. it makes something in his chest constrict.
yamagi has something similar in tekkadan, his precious found family, a bond tying them together unlike any other. there's an image of orga, mikazuki, takaki, eugene, kudelia and atra and the rest standing below a bright blue sky — everyone is there, but shino is reaching out his hand in the middle, smile as bright and blinding as ever. there's a metaphorical line between tekkadan and shino that crosses the barrier of family and friendship. shino is shining just a little brighter than the others, like he's the center of yamagi's world, a shooting star that he's always trying to reach up and grasp.
i need you! i'll make sure to protect you, so don't let go of my hand! those words are burned into yamagi's memories. he closes his eyes for a brief moment. yamagi's wordless answer to kotori's silent question: different. ]
C.
still, that didn't mean this place wasn't scary at all... her tail was standing on end, fur bristled, her ears perked and twitching in alertness. she's thinking about how much this situation sucks and how badly she wishes retoree or chuchu or moa were here with her, but her ears pick up faint humming in the distance.
the melody is upbeat and sweet, leading cyan to believe that obviously this is midi city, and obviously there's another myumon here. ]
H-- Hello?
[ her pace picks up, albeit slightly. myumon were almost all nice, but still. s t i l l . ]
Is someone else here? I heard your song just now-- So maybe you can help me? Please?
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I'm over here! Down this hallway!
[she picked up her pace to get to the intersection of the hallways, shifting back and forth to see who'd called out to her. though now that she thought about it...]
They said they heard me singing? I guess I was humming louder than I thought...
[kotori wasn't shy by any means, but she hadn't exactly been expecting to put on a show for anybody here, so she could cop to being a tad bit embarrassed. oops...]
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I think I see you! I'll be right there, okay?
[ she isn't being overly optimistic; the person she was searching for was definitely a girl, though cyan was also quick to notice a distinct lack of some form of animal ears or tail. maybe she was like retoree, whose ears were well-hidden? ]
Thank goodness I found someone-- Nyaaa!
[ cyan's sigh of relief is cut off by an embarrassing scream. she tripped over one of the last few steps and completely eats shit on the floor, and is left with her chin perched on a step and a disgruntled daze swimming through her head. ]
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Oh, no! Are you okay? Can you stand -- here...
[she bent down and offered her hand to the stranger. and now that she was up close and personal, kotori couldn't help but notice the ears and tail. being the legendary maid that she was, she was used to seeing cosplayers of all sizes and stripes. this girl certainly was one of the more committed ones, though -- her ears and tail were an exact match to her hair, and they twitched much more fluidly then the wire tricks she'd seen pulled off before. really, they were as close to the real thing as she could tell. it was pretty impressive.
but of course, she wouldn't want to be rude about it -- besides, they both had more important things to worry about! making sure she wasn't hurt was the most important thing, so kotori let her do the talking.]
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cyan laughs nervously, holding onto kotori's hand a little too long before releasing it, awkward and sudden. ]
S-- Sorry! I didn't mean to make an entrance like that. I'm alright though! More importantly...
[ cyan relaxes somewhat, only to look to and fro at their surroundings. ]
Do you live here? I haven't seen anyone else, so this has to be your house...
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No, I just wandered in since the door was unlocked -- not the nicest thing to to do, but I wanted to see if I could find anyone else. I just... woke up in this strange forest...
[she trailed off, with the obvious ending to that sentence being you, too? certainly cyan seemed as confused as she was, but there's no telling. nothing about this situation made any sort of sense.]
B.
(actually, it's kind of spooky... being alone in a place like this isn't her idea of a good time...)
elle is wandering nearby, lingering near one of the stairwells. her logic is that if something creepy happens she can dart out the door and into the safety of... well. she'll figure that part out when the time comes.
--but, uh oh!! she hears a voice calling out from the entrance! elle is not a fan of random voices echoing through an abandoned scary mansion. ]
Eek--!
[ elle can't help a little shout of her own before quickly covering her mouth. dangit elle!! don't let the creepy stranger know you're here!! ]
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her mind was quickly made up upon hearing that squeak. she stepped inside, and called out once more -- this time letting her voice properly carry and echo through the empty entrance hall.]
It's okay, I won't hurt you! My name is Kotori Minami. I just -- ended up here, I guess you could say, and I was looking for anyone else...
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Kotori... Minami?
[ finally, elle clambers to her feet before taking a few slow steps out and around her hiding place. ]
Wow, it really is just a pretty girl, and not a monster...
[ with a breath of relief, elle takes a few steps down the stairs before lingering halfway, hands clutching the straps of her backpack Just In Case. ]
So your name is Kotori, right? And you're lost too...? Then you're just like me.
[ elle hums in thought because oh fuck, she was looking to see if someone else was in this house too......... ]
We're both totally lost!
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once elle revealed herself, kotori strode over and leaned down slightly to be eye level with her. she smiled wide, doing her best to seem nonthreatening. no scary monsters here, promise.]
It seems like it... In that case, we should look together for information, shouldn't we? What's your name?
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Yeah, working together seems like the smart thing to do. Good thinking, Kotori!
[ --oops, elle nearly forgot!! she puffs out her chest, fists on her hips, obviously proud of how great she is. ]
My name's Elle! Elle Mel Marta! It's nice to meet you, Kotori! I can tell you'll be a great sidekick, so let's get going!
[ ADVENTURE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ]
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she nodded her approval and stood up, straightening her skirt.]
Elle-chan, then! It's nice to meet you too... Hm, do you want to head upstairs? We might be able to see all around from the balcony and the windows.
[after a moment's hesitation, kotori offered her hand to elle -- she seemed like she had a good head on her shoulders, but it never hurt to be careful. and if elle got offended, kotori could always brush it off as her being scared instead.]
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[ elle was eager to get out of the area the y were currently in (one could only linger in one spot in a creepy mansion for so long), but pauses when she sees kotori's outstretched hand. on one hand, she was actually pretty nervous about this whole situation; sure, she's traversed long distances alone before, but that doesn't mean she liked it. besides, hiding in a boat daddy had cast her away in was different from aimlessly wandering. plus, what if there were monsters?
but elle doesn't want kotori to get the wrong idea about her. elle may be a kid, but she's not a baby, she's practically a big kid if anything. weakness isn't the best thing to show someone right off the bat. she's never seen that sort of thing go well, if ludger's overabundant kindness was any indicator.
but, still-- with a small moment of hesitation, almost begrudgingly, she takes kotori's hand. ]
I'm not some baby who needs to have her hand held, but-- I guess since this place is weird, and I bet you're kind of scared, I'll be nice and hold your hand.
[ that's her reason and she's sticking to it. before they proceed, elle smiles smugly. ]
Daddy says first impressions are important, so I need to make sure you know how tough and reliable I am!