019 || [Action]
[Heather isn't known for being one of the most stable people in the school. She stays up late, can be found wandering around campus long after the sun has disappeared, winds up in the infirmary much too often with a strange assortment of injuries...
But this is a bit different.
It's the evening, the sunlight dimmed, sky colored a light gray-- ( Read more... )
But this is a bit different.
It's the evening, the sunlight dimmed, sky colored a light gray-- ( Read more... )
She gasps and recoils when the Closer moves, shutting her eyes and pressing herself against the wall, bracing herself for a strike from those arms. When nothing happens, she dares to open her eyes again, and finds the Closer simply standing there, tall and menacing, arms swaying idly, and the pipe placed between them.]
Wh-what... [She flinches with another barrage of static: You can attack me, killing me won't solve a thing, wake up, gotta pull through, staying here. The voice is distinctly feminine, just barely familiar. She keeps her eyes on Fang, and inches forward a bit, hand ready to reach out and grab the abandoned pipe.
But she stops, and drops her hand to her side. This must be some kind of trick. But... it isn't attacking her. It's just standing there, waiting for her. Does it... want her to pick up the pipe? It that what it's waiting for?]
... Killing you won't solve a thing, huh...? Maybe you're right, but I... [The monsters were something of an enigma sometimes. She hated them and maybe Vincent was right, in a way-- maybe she did enjoy killing them. But there were times she actually pitied them-- the monster trapped in the locker back in Otherworld-Balamb, even the Glutton. They had one thing in common-- they didn't attack her.
She thinks she knows the voice. Maybe she can get a bit more of it out...] You're... You're not gonna attack me? ... Not gonna eat my face? [Hey, that... was the Closers' favorite pastime.]
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I rather like your face; you've got a pretty one. I got no plans to eat it. That'd just be missing the point, yeah?
[ Fang becomes a bit more serious, though she's still smiling slightly and a hint of that humor remains in her voice. ]
I dunno what you're seeing, but it's not real. You're safe here, alright? I'm not gonna let anything hurt ya.
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She waits for the words, wincing just slightly at the tear of static. As she strains to listen, she hears nearly every word, some slowed and warped in places, but still understandable. She is even able to hear the voice clearly on a few selected words, a telltale tone and slight accent-- one she knows well.
This all seems familiar. It scares her. "Not real"? That's right, it's--
She takes a small step forward, pushing herself away from the wall, squinting at the Closer. She leaves bloodied handprints behind.]
.... Fang...? [The static's volume suddenly drops, a dull whine in her head. It's easily ignored.]
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[ So saying, she covers the rest of the ground between them and hugs Heather, ignoring the blood for right this second. One arm's around Heather's waist, the other hand on the back of Heather's head as Fang speaks in a softer tone. ]
Easy now - I've got ya. It's just a nightmare, Kitten, and it's over now. You're alright.
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Heather's first reaction is relief-- she's so happy to not be alone in this place for once, and her company is someone she'd say she was close to. She whimpers slightly and trembles, and briefly buries her face in Fang's shoulder.]
... Fang, I--
[But if the Closer was Fang, then this isn't real. This isn't the Otherworld at all, is it? She tenses and looks up in time to watch the Otherworld peel away from reality, leaving not the nightmarish hallway, but the dorm hall she's familiar with. This isn't real. None of it. Or... was it...? Her eyes dart around wildly, disoriented and frightened again.]
What-- N-no, this is... No, this is all wrong, this... isn't... I saw it, dammit...!
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[ That last part is a lie. Fang's noticed the blood, and when someone's leaving handprints like that, things are almost never "fine". But her first priority is to get Heather calmed down and stable, otherwise they'll be right back at square one.
...She'd thought earlier that Heather could pose a threat to the other students, and Fang's hoping that's not the case. But Heather had attacked her out of nowhere, and not everyone can take a hit like she can. Fang puts the matter out of mind - she was creating problems she didn't know she had. ]
Talk to me. I'm here; I'm real- [ her hands tighten slightly on Heather's shoulders to emphasize the point ] -so depend on that. What's goin' on? What're you seeing?
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The... The Otherworld. It's everywhere-- there were monsters, I... I don't just hallucinate, it... had to be there, just... no one can see it. It's messing with my head again...
[But Fang is real, she knows that. Or she... thinks she knows that. Messing with her head indeed. She looks down at her hands idly, the faded blood staining them.]
You were... one of them. The monsters. I thought you were gonna... kill me if I didn't kill you first.
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I believe ya. You wouldn't come after me otherwise. [ Heather's reaction when she realized Fang was real confirms this in her mind. No offense, Heather, but Fang doesn't think you're good enough of an actor to pull that off. She must have lost control of her power again; honestly, that's a little worrying, especially after the recent episode with the dogs.
Here's the moment of truth. Fang keeps her eyes locked on Heather's. Her tone is urgent, but she keeps it under control, trying to walk that line. This is important, and she's not panicking or turning away. ] Heather. Did you fight any other monsters?
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... Yeah. There were... a few, I... I ran from most of them, but... [Her hands begin to shake.] I... killed one. And the others ran.
[There is a dull sense of dread, no longer the frantic terror of earlier. Somehow, this feels more stifling. Killed... It was a person, wasn't it? Not a monster at all. Not one of her monsters.]
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But she also feels a certain amount of responsibility towards Heather. It's not just that she's fond of the kid or her repeated promises to help her, but also because Heather's obviously still in a certain amount of trouble. Losing control, possibly killing someone... those aren't easy things to handle, and uncertainty is always worse than knowing. At least it is for Fang.
She comes to a decision and looks back at Heather. She's matter of fact, confident, as if the right answers really were that easy, and they weren't standing in the middle of Aldale with a blood-stained pipe at their feet. Hullo, my name is Fang and I'm here to take over. ] Alright, here's what we're gonna do.
You know where I live, right? Go to my room. Take a shower, eat something, pace a hole in the carpet, I don't care. Try to calm down. If you're hurt or you just need someone, Vanille and Namine are right next door, in room 27. I'm gonna go find whoever's out there and take care of 'em.
[ She hasn't let go of Heather's shoulders, and she squeezes them lightly, trying to impress on Heather that she's being extremely serious right now. ] This is me helping. This is not me shoving this under the rug. Whatever happened tonight, you are responsible, even if your power went haywire. But this is a school, and if everyone could keep it under control all the time, then nobody would be here. So tomorrow you and I are gonna go to the principal or whoever'd be in charge of this, and I'll back you up. I won't let 'em do anything nuts, but I'm not gonna try and get you out of any punishment. Because you are responsible, even if it ain't your fault.
[ That bears repeating, and Fang pauses for a breath after saying it, wanting it to sink in. That's another thin line, but it's an important one. This whole moment is important: how Heather handles this is going to shape the person she becomes: whether she's someone who runs from things or beats herself up over them or accepts them and tries to learn from them, to name a few. Fang can't quite put that into words, but she senses it, and she's trying to lay out the path for Heather. But she can't make her follow it.
Her tone becomes a bit more gentle, more reassuring, But she's still not taking it easy on her. ] This is important too: you're gonna go to my room, and you're gonna stay there until I get back. [ She lets out a soft breath. ] Guess there's something I should tell you.
[ Technically, Fang knows she could go to Heather's room after she returns, but she has the feeling a change of scenery might do Heather some good. Harder to mope than if she's sitting alone in her own room. Plus the advantage to the teacher's suite is that Heather can get cleaned up or eat without running the risk of running into someone else in the halls. ] You got all that?
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She keeps her eyes trained on Fang as she speaks, trying to hold onto anything that feels more real.
Her eyes only waver at mentions of it being responsibility-- she knows it is, and she was not planning on running from it or shoving it under any rug... but talking to the principal? That would mean she'd have to explain everything she and her father worked so hard to keep hidden. She'll have to figure something out, some way to keep as little information leaked as possible. But that would be avoiding her responsibility, wouldn't it?
When Fang finishes talking, all she can manage is a weak, shaky nod. Just resting sounds ridiculously tempting, but a part of her is still stubborn-- she shouldn't have Fang dealing with this for her; Heather handles her own problems! But she knows she wouldn't be the most convincing person to explain her case, especially in her current condition.]
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Looking at Heather, Fang wishes she could be in two places at once - she's not too keen on the idea of Heather being on her own right now. She's not that worried about the Otherworld returning, but Heather just seems so out of it, so different than how Fang usually thinks of her.
But Fang dismisses the notion. Besides being impossible, she doubts Heather would react well to being babysat right now. There isn't anything left to say, and Fang's out of time to delay. She needs to go find that student. ]
[ She gives Heather another quick hug. ] Be back before you know it. [ And since they're so conveniently near the staircase, Fang's gone in just a few seconds. ]
((ooc: would you like to do the supportive chat thing? and if so do you want it to be here/in a new post?))
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She looks around the hallway and up the staircase Fang climbed, and starts walking toward the exit. It's not long before she instead decides to run, toward Shyvere and Fang's room. She's glad she actually remembers where it is, and incredibly relieved that she doesn't encounter anyone in the halls. It's the evening-- they're probably out with friends or locked inside their rooms studying. She fears she was spotted when crossing from Aldale to Shyvere though, with those bloodstained hands, and she practically leaps inside.
She spends some time just trying to steady her rapid breathing, still leaning against the door. Then, some time for sorting out a few things. She's in trouble, she's hurt people. It was her power; she is guilty, but it was not her fault. Fang will help; Fang is a teacher, they will listen to her... at least more than they'd listen to a crazy-eyed, blood-soaked teen with a history of gang affiliations. What happened, happened. She will deal with it, like she's dealt with everything else.
It takes a while, but she eventually calms, at least a bit. So she sets to accomplishing what Fang recommended-- more calm. Shower, eating-- well... actually she'll skip that; she's lost her appetite. Getting out of that blood-splattered vest. And calm. Definitely easier said than done, but she tries.]
((OoC: It really doesn't matter to me! Ummm, let's just keep in here, if you don't mind? :D))
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She opens the door, calling out softly. ] Heather? I'm back.
[ As she closes the door, she gets a good look at herself and shakes her head. She's got blood on her, the consequence of first hugging Heather and then carrying the kid over to the clinic, plus the bruises from earlier are starting to form. She's a pretty sight. Well, first things first. ]
Found the kid. Doctor said he'll be fine, though I think they're gonna keep him there for a day or two.
Hang on a tick. [ She goes back into her bedroom and reemerges just a minute later, sans her sari and arm guards, tucking the ends of a green sari around her waist, not bothering with the proper folds or the top part. There, now she's more comfortable and Heather won't have to look at drying blood. It's a win all around. ] How're you holding up?
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She looks away and nods at the mention of her victim.] ... Good. [A pause.] Those doctors must've seen every injury ever by now.
... I'll be alright. Just... [A small, bitter laugh.] Trying not to go crazy.
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Fang makes one last stop - poking her head into the bathroom long enough to grab a small, clean towel. She unfolds it as she walks over, then puts it over Heather's head and starts to gently tousle her hair dry. Please accept the physical affection and care-taking. ] We do tend to get into scraps around here.
[ There's a slight pause. Despite Fang's outgoing nature she is, in many respects, a very private person. With a few exceptions, she doesn't go out of her way to hide anything, but it's rare for her to volunteer too much as well. She's been trying to figure out how to say this, and she doesn't have any better idea how to begin than she did before. Her voice is soft. ]
Look, I dunno exactly how your power works or what you see. But you're not crazy, least not any more than the rest of us. ...I'm gonna tell you a story. It's about a kid fighting in a losing war. One day, the guys in charge decide that they can't hold on much longer. It's wipe out the other side or be wiped out. So they seal a spirit or beast or power - whatever you want to call it - inside the kid and say, "Go destroy our enemies and be our salvation." [ She doesn't use that word lightly.
Fang takes back the towel, tossing it over a shoulder and smoothing Heather's hair down with her fingers. It's a good enough job, and it gives Fang a little more breathing room to find the right phrasing. ] ...Like I said, I dunno what exactly you deal with. But having something inside of you that ya gotta keep from leaking out all over the place...that much I can understand. You're not crazy. You're not your power. Even if you got Alessa in there with you, you're still Cheryl Mason, yeah?
[ She's struggling slightly, trying to put things into words that she's never had to before. She's literally never talked to anyone about this, never said any of this out loud. At least, she doesn't think so. ] Point is, if you're having trouble with your power, then maybe you've got a leak - and we're gonna fix it. If I lose control normally, I end up breaking stuff. Trouble is that you seem to start seeing things or having visitors. That ain't your fault. And right now I don't know what'll work for you. But I'm gonna help you find it. You're not on your own, and you don't have to do it by yourself.
[ Maybe that's what she's been trying to say. Maybe that's why she pointed out the similarities in their stories. Fang knows that Heather likes her, respects her. Maybe if Fang's story resonates with Heather the way Heather's does with Fang... maybe she'll have a little more hope that there is a solution. That bitter laugh struck a chord with Fang, and the last thing she wants is for Heather to give up hope. Cause Fang knows that sometimes hope is the last line of defense. ]
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