Dec. 29th, video; Evening

[wiredgod]

[It had been eating at her for days after that discussion with Emil. She'd wanted forget--all three of them had tried to forget, and it had gotten them nowhere. The vivid scar along their spine reminded them daily of those events

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[heavenly_earth]

[Seeing the red panda, Neji blinks, memory of where he's seen the transformation coming back to him in a flurry of remembered panic. He drops what he's doing and looks for her, and watches the animal shake for a few moments before approaching with the same tentative steps he'd taken on Halloween- just before she had tried to throw herself off the rooftop of Casualty Communal that night]

Lain...? Are you alright?

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[wiredgod]

[Her ears raise, twitch, and then she sits up to give him an almost pitiful look of sorrow]

...I'm okay. [Pause. Her ears flatten against her head] ...Not really. I just...

Why did this happen to me... [She doesn't mean this, as in her panda form, but the entirety of events that led up to her receiving said form in the first place]

[heavenly_earth]

[Her mental state is relatively stable then, at least and he crouches down in front of her, taking in the sorry look her animal expression wears with a frown of his own. He reaches out to touch her head, fingertips brushing over red fur with a curious texture- and hesitates

Because I wasn't there to protect you, is the immediate answer that comes to mind, sharpened to a painful degree of guilt that's difficult to swallow. He hadn't been there- and neither had her former Meister.]

..I don't know, Lain. I wish we could have rescued you before this happened.

[wiredgod]

[She tilts her head into the gesture, rubbing her head against his hand. There is something like a smile on her face, or as close to it as she can get with this body]

I was a nobody back then. You didn't even know me back then.

...All the friends I'd made had been taken home, except Yoko-san, Lee, and Gaara, or were kidnapped like Naruto.

[Her ears droop somewhat] ...Byakuran-sa-- [She stops, not wanting to use the honorific that had been instilled in her] ... Byakuran had been sent back as well.

[She steps up to him, closer and nuzzles his hand as if to be comforting] I was an easy target, I suppose...

[heavenly_earth]

[He closes his eyes, shaking his head, and breathes] I had only just arrived to hear about the kidnappings.. Lee told me the night I arrived here that they had taken Naruto and they were still happening..

[So there was no way to know her then, and he hadn't heard much about her from Lee and Gaara until they set out on that rescue mission. He lifts Lain up, settling down and leaning back against the wall to hold her strange weight against him]

..I'm sorry.

[wiredgod]

[She lets him move her, curling up against him]

There's nothing to be sorry over. [She sighs lightly, tail swishing lazily] I wasn't close to Lee and Gaara then either.

[Actually now that she thinks about it..] I didn't really have any friends. I was a different person then-- not much different, but enough.

[heavenly_earth]

[He idly pats her fur, silent as fingers smooth over her alternate form while he considers what to say.]

..You have many friends now, though. We'll continue to help you through this.

[wiredgod]

I know. [She presses her nose against his cheek, a sort of kiss, and her tail wags]

I've changed a lot. And so have you.

[heavenly_earth]

[He stiffens at those words for a moment, thinking back to his argument with Gai.. then relaxes, shaking his head]

Yes.. I suppose I have. I've been making decisions on my own, here..

[wiredgod]

[She says nothing for a moment, concerned]

...Is that a bad thing?

[heavenly_earth]

..No, I don't believe so. Not for myself, at least, but others can deal with the change as they will.

[wiredgod]

[She nuzzles him, tail swaying happily] Mm. Hanabi says you're lightening up too, and that me and Bold helped that.

...I'm glad, if that's true. I like seeing you have fun, and enjoying yourself.

[heavenly_earth]

Has she..? [Were the changes that drastic, or just noticeable because she lives with them? He huffs a short note, absently patting her fur]

You should cherish your memories of the game the other day, then. I don't generally participate in things of that sort..

[wiredgod]

[Her face looks as disapproving as a red panda can be, her voice reproachful]

Oh, was there a game? I thought it was you and Sasuke-san trying to destroy each other with snow, and Bold deciding she doesn't need a team and going after everyone. [Which also happened. Dammit, Bold.]

[heavenly_earth]

[The scorn surprises him, and he lifts an eyebrow, looking back at her. Of course he'd felt her disapproval, but this.. He shakes his head]

You could say we're rivals in a way- although not friendly ones like myself and Lee, and Kakashi and Gai-sensei are. Our respective clans have a long history.

[wiredgod]

[She feels really bad for reacting that way, actually, her ears flat against her head]

Still.... I guess... [She trails off and sighs, changing the subject for now] I'm getting tired.