Night 45: F11-F20 Hallway

[quickdrawbkiddo]

Beatrix barely noticed that her roommate had never shown up. Her and Daphne had spoken so little, she could honestly say she didn't care. Her concerns were with who she might get saddled with this upcoming night or if she'd be given the privilege of being in a single room for a while. It would be nice, that's for certain

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[quickdrawbkiddo]

Curiosity was a trait of the young. It was a trait of the old as well. Beatrix should have expected the girl to venture outside her room.

"Alright, I can understand that," she said. "There are creatures out in the halls that will try to eat tasty young girls like yourself. If you're going to be out, I want you to be safe."

The Bride turned a few options over in her mind. "Being safe means you need to have someone with you out here at night. Now, I can't be with you tonight; I have plans with those men like I told you. It's very important." And idea clicked in her mind. it wasn't the greatest option, but it was one.

"Now, I know it's probably not what you had in mind when you came out here tonight, but if you really want to go exploring tonight and don't have a friend to meet, go to F32 and find my friend Donna. She's an adult like me and British, but she's very caring and very fun."

She then drew a slightly curved carving knife with a blade nearly as long as Rika's forearm out of the oven mitt. The weapon was clean, thankfully, and she held it out to the girl handle first. "Take this. In a place like this, you need to be able to defend yourself if you find you cannot run away from a threat. Mind you, Rika, running away should always be your first option. Ok?"

[repeatingfate]

She couldn't help her own curiosity; it might have been less natural for anyone else, but this was a different kakera than what she knew. Rika didn't know it as well as she knew the mountain and forest paths around Hinamizawa. That put her at a disadvantage.

With all that in mind, she nodded. "I'll be careful, Arlene-san. I just...I know everything at home really well. But I'll try and find a map tomorrow, and I'll remember where your friend's room is." She hadn't actually met anyone from England before, so that might be interesting.

Rika's hand trembled just a little as she reached out, taking that knife in her small hand. The memories of her past flooded her mind. She didn't have the option of ending this cycle herself, so she needed to remember that. "O-okay. I won't use this unless there's no way I can run away."

[quickdrawbkiddo]

"Thank you. That makes me feel better," Beatrix replied.

She looked down at the knife in Rika's hand and, for a moment, got a very sad look in her eyes. Children that age should not be forced to bear weaponry.

"Try not to cut yourself with it. It is sharper than it looks." And then she couldn't help herself; she went to adjust Rika's grip on the knife.

[meironohosoku]

For the very first time since she had arrived here, Hanyuu was almost glad that night had begun. That was probably a very bad thing, but she couldn't help it. Both Shana and Sakura had been nothing but nice (as far as Hanyuu had seen) and while she had only spent one dinner with her new roommate now, she already knew enough to know that the girl scared her. There wasn't much that didn't manage to scare her in one way or another, but that was a little beside the point.

Once her roommate had left, and once she was sure she wasn't going to come bursting back into the room to yell some more, Hanyuu finally climbed down from her bed and retrieved her flashlight. She didn't have any plans since it seemed she had slept all day, but now that she knew Rika was still here, she hoped to catch her friend before she got too far into the hospital. She wasn't exactly sure what she'd do then, but at least she wouldn't be alone.

Peeking out into the hall, she could hear a few voices. And, unless she was mistaken (and she wouldn't really doubt that, given her luck), two of those voices were very familiar. Slipping into the dark hallway, she turned the flashlight on and, sure enough, it wasn't long before the beam passed over those two people.

"Rika! Arlene!" The spirit smiled and hurried over to them, pausing only once she noticed the blade Arlene was carrying and the knife Rika was holding. Weapons were necessary in this place, Hanyuu knew that, but... it was still unsettling. She'd seen Rika with knives before, and those times had never ended well...

Shaking her head, she tried to force those particular thoughts away. "Are... Um... Y-you're both okay, right...?"

[repeatingfate]

Rika turned - careful to point the blade away from both of them - at the sound of that familiar voice, and once she heard it, the knife fell to the ground with a clatter. She ran up and hugged Hanyuu hard, having not expected to hear her or see her. "I'm fine! I...I didn't think you were here, though? I couldn't hear you, and I tried and tried..."

She let go, picking up the knife again. "Don't worry about this. I know what you're thinking, but I promise I won't use this unless I have to, Hanyuu. I promised Arlene-san, and I promise the same thing to you." And I definitely won't use it on another person, or myself. That, I also promise you.

"I...I can't say I'm glad you're here, because I'm not, but I really am glad to see you. I was so scared for everyone..."

[quickdrawbkiddo]

When the light flashed upon them, Beatrix's eyes hardened into ice as she looked to find the source, wondering if she was going to have to kill the intruder. She'd spent too much time with the other assassins, snuffed out Ophelia's life just the night before, and been too long without the children... It was a lot harder to hide the fact that she was a killer anymore.

Yet, just as with Rika, if not moreso, the sharpness slipped away from the Bride when she saw who the intruder was. Hanyuu. It was Hanyuu and the girl knew who she was. That meant she had been held captive away from the rest of the population instead of gone like the rest. That infuriated her more than she thought possible. The girl was like a daughter to her...

"Hanyuu," Beatrix said, holding a hand out to the girl once the two were done with their reunion. She repeated the girl's name once more, barely audible.

[meironohosoku]

Hanyuu was a little taken aback by their reactions, but she returned her friends hug nevertheless. Maybe someone had left a note for her on the bulletin, and became worried when she failed to respond. It seemed a little much since it had only been one day, but Hanyuu would've likely panicked if she'd gone a day without seeing or hearing anything from Rika or Arlene.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," she said, giving Rika a small, apologetic smile. "I'm really glad to see you too." There was a pause, and her smile fell away. "A-and I know it's really important to have a way to... to defend yourself if something happens. It's just... Auauu..." At least she didn't need to elaborate on why seeing Rika with a knife made her nervous. The promise helped relieve some of that nervousness, but there was still some nagging doubt.

The spirit then turned to Arlene, tilting her head curiously. She was becoming a little concerned now, but she still reached out to take the woman's hand. "Arlene? Did... Did I worry you too? I... I really didn't mean to..."

[repeatingfate]

"Don't worry. That's okay. But, Hanyuu...what's the last date you remember? At home, and here?" Rika looked the spirit in the eyes, biting her lip nervously. "Because..."

She looked down, picking up the knife and noting that she'd need to fashion some kind of sheath for it. That could come later, though, once she figured out the time piece of it all.

"I...I heard earlier I'd been here before. I don't remember any of that. The last I knew, it was August...and...there had been an accident. I had expected to wake up at Irie-sensei's clinic, not in another kakera..."

[quickdrawbkiddo]

The girl was there. She was really there. Beatrix grasped Hanyuu's hand gently and pulled her closer, barely keeping herself from scooping the girl up in her arms. She mostly didn't because of the sword across her back and the multitude of knives in the over mitt at her side. It was almost as if she didn't want to taint the girl.

"A week, Hanyuu. It's been a week. Where have you been?"

[meironohosoku]

The spirit had been worried before, but after hearing what both Arlene and Rika had to say, she was this close to becoming full-out panicked.

"A week? But that..." Hanyuu shook her head, her eyes widening. "I-I had dinner with Sakura just last night! And then I fell asleep! A-at least I think I did. I don't really remember anything after that... I did have a different roommate when I woke up though..."

Had she really been missing a week? That would explain their reactions a lot better, as well as the new roommate. But if that were true, why couldn't she remember? She didn't remember returning to Hinamizawa, or returning to her spiritual form, or... anything really. If something had happened that made her miss out on a week, wouldn't she remember...?

"At home, i-it was June... We... Rika, how could it be August? We were still... We hadn't... A-auauu..." Hanyuu hadn't known for sure, but it had seemed that she and Rika were from the same world before. That was what she had assumed anyway, since that was the way it always was; they entered worlds together. They'd arrived here together too, even if it had taken a while for them to find each other. But if Rika really had vanished again, and if she was talking about August now, did that mean Rika had been pulled from a different world this time? One that Hanyuu didn't know...?

[repeatingfate]

"I see..." Rika hummed a bit, then put her hand on Hanyuu's shoulder. "I...I think this has to be another world. We...we did it, when I'm from, Hanyuu. We stopped the cycle, and we got the miracle. Everything was all right."

Two months had passed - peacefully, almost blissfully. The wounds on everyone's hearts had begun to heal, and so had the town itself. Things were moving along, and it seemed as if those happy days were permanent. But...

"The last thing I remember is it being August. We - meaning me, Shii, Mii, Rena, Satoko, and Keiichi - had been playing at the Okinomiya pool that day. On the bike ride home, I got reckless. You tried to warn me...to warn me not to be too reckless, to remember that things could change.

...and...I got into an accident, like I said. And woke up here..."

[quickdrawbkiddo]

It sounded like Rika and Hanyuu had a lot of catching up to do and the Bride had some assassins she needed to meet. As reluctant as she was to leave the girls, Beatrix knew she had to. Killing Landel was partially for their sake as well. She'd already warned Rika that she was working with the kind of men the girl would consider very bad to pay back those that had hurt them all, Mion, and taken BB, but that didn't mean she wanted to tell Hanyuu the same thing. Even if the girl seemed at times to bear a weight someone her age never should.

Squeezing Hanyuu's hand, the Bride let go. "I think you two need to talk. And I have a couple men to meet tonight," she said with a glance at Rika so the girl would know who she meant. "Find a room and stay safe tonight." Her eyes moved to Hanyuu. "Find me tomorrow?"

[meironohosoku]

Rika's words brought about a mix of emotions. First was the complete and utter joy -- they'd done it! They'd stopped that cruel cycle, and finally reached the miracle that everyone deserved. The spirit was elated to hear that, there was no question about it, but at the same time, she was a bit... frightened. She had no knowledge of a world like that. There had been a few times when Rika had lived past the usual date, but even in those cases, things met their usual end eventually -- and things were never 'all right'.

It wasn't just the fact that she couldn't remember though (although that was a big part), it was Rika's mentioning of an accident too. Had they truly fit all the pieces together and managed to stop Rika's murder, as well as the murder of anyone else, only to have Rika be in some kind of accident a couple months later...? She didn't look as though she were hurt right now, but...

"Huh? O-oh, right..." Yes, it certainly did sound as though she and Rika needed to talk... Hanyuu was a little sad that Arlene would be leaving them, but it was probably a good thing too. At least she would be able to speak more freely with Rika if it were just the two of them.

She nodded, more in response to the woman's question this time, and tried to smile. "Be careful, Arlene... And I will find you tomorrow, I promise."

Turning back to Rika, the spirit shook her head once more. "I... I really don't remember anything like that. I don't remember going to Okinomiya, and... Rika, what kind of accident? Are you... Are you okay?"

[And into F14.]

[repeatingfate]

"Yes, be careful, Arlene. We will, too. My room's right down the hall from here, and I don't think my roommate will mind - and she's really nice, so. There's nothing to worry about." Rika nodded once, then turned to Hanyuu.

"Come on. Let's go...we do need to talk." Rika pointed down the hall to her room, then pushed open the door. She put the knife in the bottom drawer of her desk - where she'd know where it was, but wouldn't be out in the open. After that, she sat on her bed, then began to explain. "L-like I said...we did it, Hanyuu. You were the missing piece. You helped us put it together. You don't remember that?"

She frowned deeply, putting her head in her hands. "A-and. I'm okay. I got reckless going down a big hill...and that's the last thing I remember. A truck hit me. I woke up here, though. I wonder if the accident knocked me into this world..."