Night 51: F-A Block Hallway

[mizuhomaiden]

[from here]Sheena silently slipped into the hallway at the end of the block. Taking up a spot where she could be easily seen, and the gun-like weapon she was carrying, she waited for Aigis. She wanted to get this over with so she could00

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[no_dont_go]

[from here]

Aigis had not asked much about what to look for when she had posted on the bulletin. She knew only one thing about the poster; her name was 'Sheena.' But she had promised to meet the android first thing that night, so Aigis hoped she would find the girl easily.

Sure enough, only two females stood at the end of the hall. One looked much younger than the other, but both seemed to be waiting for someone. The dim light of Aigis' flashlight--was it losing power?--reflected back at her from something metallic and of a familiar shape in one of the girl's hands. Was that--

Aigis approached the older-looking girl, keeping her bat down so as not to look hostile. Her flashlight beam and eyes, however, remained poised on the Evoker. Her voice came out a little shaky, though her words held certainty. "Excuse me. You are Sheena-san, correct?"

[mizuhomaiden]

"Yeah, I am," the ninja replied. "You're Aigis, right?"

Sheena probably should not have been so willing to accept that this girl was Yukari's friend, but with the way she was staring at the weapon and with her own distractedness, the ninja just wanted to get on her way.

But to where?

"Sorry about your friend."

[no_dont_go]

Aigis nodded. She normally would have followed up with a polite saying, or express her pleasure at making her acquaintance but tonight she couldn't summon such pleasantries. This wasn't a meeting between new friends. It was a transaction.

"Yukari-san..." Aigis looked down for a moment, full of an emotion she could not place. It brought a heaviness to her eyes, like it had earlier that day, and a weigh in her chest that made breathing difficult, almost painful. How strange. Involuntary actions like breathing could become somehow rough and forced when experiencing astringent emotions. Humanity was such strange, wonderful, terrible thing.

She took another breath, then looked Sheena in the eye, fighting back the full force of the mystery emotion. "Yukari-san, did she manage... is the Evoker the only thing left?" Did she really leave them with nothing else? Not even a written word?

Would this have been easier had they been given a chance to say goodbye?

[mizuhomaiden]

"Yeah. Sorry." Sheena could only muster so much sympathy with her thoughts elsewhere. "When people disappear here they just disappear. I'm surprised this thing was left behind."

The ninja held the 'evoker' out. Odd name for a weapon. "My first roommate didn't leave anything behind."

[no_dont_go]

They disappear. As though they had never been here before, it seemed. Landel had a cowardly way of hiding the evidence of his crimes from the outside world. How cruel, to also leave them with only such a small memento. Certainly, the Evoker was useful, but having it was a small consolation. Aigis would much rather have her friend at her side than the weapon, though she would accept it with gratefulness. At least she had somethingShe reached out and took the Evoker from Sheena's outstretched hand. Such a familiar weight. Cold, unfeeling metal. She clutched it to her chest, something precious and irreplaceable. Even more so now than it would have been had Yukari not left it to their keeping

[mizuhomaiden]

Sheena was only cool-headed because this wasn't the first time someone she knew had disappeared and it wouldn't be the last. Soubi was gone too. She'd need to spend some time with Ritsuka tomorrow.

Wait, didn't she just think about going to see him now? What had changed? Oh. Yeah.

Sheena put a hand up over the thick bandages on her neck and nodded. "Yeah. Soon. Take care, Aigis."

And without anything else to say, Sheena headed back into the hall where her room was. Where her youkai's room was.

[to here]

[no_dont_go]

Sheena walked away without much circumstance, leaving Aigis alone and aimless. What was left to do now that she had the Evoker? Should she go out and try to use it. That seemed like a logical goal. If she didn't try, she would never be sure if it would actually work for her. The barrier between herself and Athena was different in this body, sure, but would that mean just switching to an Evoker would bridge that gap

[no_dont_go]

[to here]