action ☍ day one

[arbitraries]

[ in contrast to how light he feels, Beyond Birthday moves with the heaviness of solid, conscious reality: the first sign that he hasn't simply woken into another dream. the second is that he feels sharp and alert and when he counts seconds, he doesn't miss any -- his perception of time is accurate, rather than the vague awareness of dreams

Comments

[libraria]

[ Nodoka has gathered her bearings, pulled herself together and is now wandering. The blood from her knees (she fell, foolishly, earlier with the small child) has stained her ballgown a little and she sighs at it as she moves forward. She's learning the lanes around her, trying her best to commit them to memory as best she can.

She's searching still, however, for Negi-sensei and her friends and, when she sees a figure, she makes a small noise of joy before she realises that it's not someone she knows - it's someone new, again, and that's not really a good sign. Gathering her courage and her voice she moves forward ]

Um, e-excuse me?

[arbitraries]

[ the last person he'd expected to see was a cute girl in a ballgown, but at least unlike the others he's seen she's human: Nodoka Miyazaki, so she's Japanese as well. he's actually somewhat relieved to see her; being unacquainted isn't a problem for him as he prefers everyone to be strangers. his relief is because he knows that at least his eyes are still functioning properly, even if the realisation that the people he's run into so far must either be automatons or not ... something, he doesn't know much about how his eyes work really, is extremely unsettling. ]

Pardoned.

[libraria]

[ Nodoka blinks. Of course, that was to be expected, in a way, but it still comes out as a little odd. Still, she plasters a smile onto her lips, moving forward now that she has made contact. Her knees are aching something fierce and she shakes a little, but that is fine; she can handle that. ]

Um... Yes, t-thank you! Do... Do you know where we are, sir?

[arbitraries]

[ he notices now that she's injured, though it seems only mild, and he frowns; of course it won't be fatal, but nonetheless he doesn't particularly enjoy that she's in pain. he almost scoffs at "sir," but refrains from doing so -- he probably looks older to her than he really is, and that's fine. ]

The word "Reduceres" comes to mind, but geographically no, I am not aware of our location. You should rest those.

[ on his last word, he gestures casually at her legs. ]

It wouldn't be wise to push your body beyond its limits. You'll need it, you know.

[libraria]

Well- I... I know! I-It's fine, I can stand... A little boy bandaged them for me.

[ She glances down at her knees - there is a little spot of blood, but it's nothing. She feels bad for ruining the dress - what would Negi-sensei say? And Yue - but thinking of her friends and her reasoning for wearing the dress makes her face crumple in pain for a moment before she pulls herself together ]

Reduceres... I-It sounds familiar...

[arbitraries]

[ he shrugs, resting his eyes just to the side of her face. ]

It's quite obvious that you are capable of standing, as that's exactly what you're doing. A little boy.

Mm, I wonder if you could point me in the way of a deli?

[ he's testing to see if he's the only one who awoke with vague knowledge of the city's layout. ]

[libraria]

Ah, w-well, yes - but I can stand for a long time! And walk, too!

[ She realises only after how silly that sounded and closes her mouth firmly. Taking a moment, she frowns as she turns, his question making her think. A part of her wants to direct him to the left and then straight on, but she's not entirely sure why - she's never been here before, after all! ]

I... Left, then s-straight... I'm not sure why, though! I-I've never been here before!

[arbitraries]

I see; so the two of us at least have this knowledge not acquired by experience.

[ he grins at her, his posture relaxing though he doesn't notice it. her death date is far off but still there, which is both comforting and mildly upsetting. she's quite pretty, and he wishes not that she wouldn't die, but that he could remain unaware of when. ]

Compromise with me then, please. Join me for something to eat.

[ he could use the company, really; he wants to know what she's learned about this place and anyone else she's met, and if he gains a reputation for genuinely caring for peoples' well-being -- well, all the better for him. ]

[libraria]

Mm... It's very strange - like... I've been here b-before, but I haven't!

[ She sighs a little, thinking back of Craig-san and Aisha-san and Negi-sensei and... Her heart breaks a little when she returns to the conclusion that they're lost again, that the mage wasn't a dream, what they're really gone... But she fights back the tears, offering her new 'friend' a weak smile ]

Ah, a-alright!

[ She has apples in a bag in her hand but that's fine, she can eat them later. She moves forward, awkwardly, and stands beside him before bowing a little, wincing at the pressure on her legs ]

I am Nodoka Miyazaki!

[arbitraries]

[ of course he noticed the apples, but they don't mean anything to him -- she can eat those when they sit down, if she wants. what does slightly worry him is the wince that fails to escape his notice. she's quite small and he could offer to carry her, but that might be investing a little too much effort in his faux persona as a helpful person. instead he offers what he hopes is a compromise he actually hopes she won't take him up on. ]

Please call me Ryuuzaki. Will you be all right to get there, Miyazaki -- -san? Your knees seem to be giving you quite a bit of trouble.

[libraria]

Ah, a-alright, Ryuuzaki-san! I'll be fine, thank you... I've had worse.

[ It's true; she has been pushed around, shot, tentacle touched, pressed against walls by demons and nearly turned to stone. She can handle scraped legs, she thinks. It's the emotional pain that is causing her issues. ]

[arbitraries]

[ he's both disappointed and relieved that she didn't ask for his physical assistance: relieved because it means he won't have to deal with the awkwardness of physical contact, and disappointed because he's aware that it's easier to gain trust when physical contact is involved. to compromise, he begins walking slowly enough for her to keep up even injured. ]

Nn, I'm sure; you seem quite distressed nonetheless.

[libraria]

[ Nodoka glances over, a little shocked. She supposed that it was fairly obvious that she was quite distressed and upset, but it's not due to the pain. She doesn't think she can put that into words comfortably, though, so she just shakes her head, lifting a hand feebly. ]

N-No, Ryuuzaki-san... I'm fine.

[arbitraries]

[ regards her lifted hand curiously, not quite knowing what he's supposed to do. should he take it? ]

If you're sure, then.

[libraria]

I am! B-But thank you for your concern, Ryuuzaki-san.