A moment's all it takes for rumination to occur

[godlessblossom]

Who; godlessblossom and OPEN
What; Strife Delivery is opening for business soon and the workaholic is performing last minute prep
Where; Strife Delivery
When; Saturday and Sunday pre-Snow In (Just mention what day in the subject)
Rating; PG-13 just to be on the safe side
Status; Open and Ongoing

Comments

Sunday afternoon

[justapodiatrist]

Lisa had had her own place for quite some time now, not very long after the invasion of the dino...no, that was impossible. She wasn't going to think about it. Not now, not ever.

It was about time she took to mapping out the lay of the land, really, and so she was out, dressed in something that made it obvious she was used to cool weather (though that was bizarre in and of itself), a large tote bag slung over her shoulder and ending just past her hip.

She didn't recognize the building, but the door was open, and she wandered in after a moment's hesitation.

"Hello?"

[godlessblossom]

She had never cared for the weather but she had added a light brown jacket to her usual clothing, her usual stockings changed over for a warmer, thicker pair. Of course the skirt stayed since shopping was the last thing on her mind these days. When a women's voice called out Misaki had been touching up the ledger at her desk in the back of the store, listing the new employees and figuring out their incoming pay.

She closed her accounting book and wandered out to look at the woman, recognizing her from the network.

"Hello. May I help you with something?"

After a moment she remembered to take her glasses off, setting them on the counter.

[justapodiatrist]

"Oh--oh!" she gasped, putting a small hand to cover dark red lips. "I was just looking around, the door was open..." she gestured, her hand pointing backwards as though the Japanese girl had no idea.

A moment before she gathered herself, both hands going to clutch the foremost strap on the tote bag. "No, I was just wandering around the Under--the town, seeing what was what and where everything was. Did you recently open this?"

[godlessblossom]

"Recently reopening actually, however, I suppose you were not around before it was burnt down. Please come in and rest, but close the door behind you. You must be cold. Would you like some tea?"

It had been some time since she had been of mind enough to remember manners, but her business was finished for the day, for the most part, and the weather was bad enough that she understood the danger of being outside too long. The last thing the Underworld needed was a sudden onslaught of colds or even pneumonia.

[justapodiatrist]

Lisa's eyes widened. Jeez, this girl had all her bases covered.

The redhead shut the door behind her and took in a great breath before nodding. Odd how the nurse was being schooled on what needed to be done in cold weather, particularly at what point in time she'd been pulled from.

"Thank you, you're very kind," was all she found herself capable of saying. The promise of tea, however, caused bright eyes to smile, even if her mouth didn't. "I would love some tea, thank you again."

[godlessblossom]

"You are welcome. If you will excuse me for just a moment. Please make yourself comfortable in one of the chairs in the office and I will be back with tea."

Without a second glance at the woman Misaki went upstairs to ready the tea, choosing one from her green tea assortment carefully. After a few minutes the young woman returned to the office with a tray holding two tea cups and a small tea pot. She set it down on her desk and poured a cup, offering it to the woman.

"I have seen you on the network before but I do not know your name. My name is Misaki Asou. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She inclined her head slightly in a small bow.

[justapodiatrist]

Lisa's dainty hands took the cup, the hot liquid inside warming her palms immediately. At the inclination of the younger woman's head, she returned it at exactly the same angle.

"I'm Lisa Garland," she returned, her bag resting on the corner of the back of her chair. "A pleasure to meet you as well."

Dark lips formed a circle as she blew on the steaming drink, though she wouldn't try right away. That would just be foolish, and disastrously so. "Might I ask how long you've been here, Miss Asou?"

[godlessblossom]

At least the woman seemed to have the sense to let the tea cool down slightly unlike most. The woman also had manners, something Misaki cataloged in the back of her mind. Already Lisa was earning points in her favor.

"Please, call me Misaki. We are too few in this place to bother with last names and I have grown accustomed to being called by my first name." She brought her own chair to the desk Lisa had chosen to sit at, positioning it close but not close enough to violate personal space, and sat down. There was a moment's hesitation as she thought of just how much time had gone by. "I have been here for more than ten months now. It will be one year come early February. When exactly did you arrive? I must admit I have not been too attentive these last few months so I have missed many people's entrances."

[justapodiatrist]

"Er," she thought, crossing her legs at the knee as eyes looked off in a gesture of remembrance. "Just a little over a month ago, I believe?"

Of course she had manners; it was part of patient care, after all. A sort of customer service, only in regards to health. All sorts of people came to Silent Hill, and with Alchemilla being the main hospital, it was guaranteed that she would run across damn near everyone that could be imagined (and some that really couldn't ever be so in the mind of any sane or slightly altered mind). "You seem to be doing well for yourself, though. A business? That's a very ambitious endeavor wherever one goes."

[godlessblossom]

"It was not mine to begin with but when the owner disappeared it was either let it fade away or keep running it in his memory. Of course, after some time I made it into my own." And of course Cloud Strife had returned but he seemed content to let her run it, even allowing her to employee him. It was odd to think her old protector was now working for her.

Since the tea was cooled down enough for her, Misaki took a sip. "How have you settled in? I imagine you have already become acquainted with the acts this place tends to perform."

[justapodiatrist]

"I was living with Inara for a while," she replied, taking Misaki's lead and sipping at her own tea. There was a quiet hum as she leaned back into the chair with a contented smile on her face. Dead as she was, she had no need to eat or drink, and was always cold, but the warmth of anything going down her throat and into her body was always something she enjoyed. In fact, she rather longed for it above most anything else.

"I eventually found my own place, yes," came after a moment as she opened her eyes. She could have drank the entire cup boiling and it would have looked stupid of her, of course, but it would have been welcome, just to feel something so fiery in her all over again. "And...er. Well, there have been strange things here so far, yes, but I am not sure I could ever grow to, hmm. Could become accustomed to them?"

[godlessblossom]

"That is something most new people to the Underworld say. It takes a few months, and several events to happen, but you will become accustomed to it. Otherwise you will break and go mad. However most adapt and I cannot think of one person who has gone completely mad in this place."

Of course it was possible that those who became broken were sent away. Akihiko may have been close to the breaking point when he went away. Mitsuru leaving may have been the last straw. Misaki pulled herself from her thoughts to take another sip, her eyes staying on Lisa and observing the woman. Something felt off about her but it was not a negative feeling. Only something different.

"If you have only been here for a month or so then you have not experienced the worst of it. If you do not have a support system set in place I suggest you start on that immediately. You will need them if you start to sink into either depression or madness."

[justapodiatrist]

She looked up as the younger woman told her to secure a support system, one dark eyebrow lifting at the brazenness of it all. She wasn't offended, no, just surprised. Several things happened to survivors of traumatic events, and if she had been here for nearly a year, she certainly had the opportunity to pile up a great deal of them.

"Depression or madness?" was the rhetorical question as she took a great semi-gulp of the tea. She had to feel warm again, heated and full, even if only for a few short moments. "Sounds like a support system is definitely required."

[godlessblossom]

She noted the raised eyebrow, still looking at Lisa critically, and did not hesitate with her words. "If you have Inara then you are already off to a decent start, though more may be needed. Of course depression and madness are not the only problems. I believe one person had to be killed by his friends because a demon possessed him and he was a danger to others. "

Finally she placed the feeling and decided to test her theory. "Even the dead can die again in this place."

[justapodiatrist]

The blunt simplicity of her mention of truthful demonic possession was definitely overwhelming, but she hid it in her non-functioning heart and made no mention of it, from body language to vocally. She'd heard a lot of things in her days as a med student and nurse, though the idea of demonic possession had always (hopefully, in her mind) turned out to be someone in need of certain pills and nurturing to care for chemical imbalances.

At her correct assumption, Lisa let the hands holding the cup drop to her knee, where she rested it carefully (still holding it, of course). "Yes, and we can feel pain as well," came the reply. Clear eyes fell to the liquid resting in it, a fingertip tempted to press down and cause a ripple.

[godlessblossom]

"I had already assumed as much. If you are capable of dying then of course this place would make you feel pain as well."

Misaki took another sip, glad to have figured out what the feeling was. She often had a hard time discerning what each feeling meant, even after all these months, but perhaps soon she could devote more time to figuring out her powers.

"So Lisa, what was your world like?"