☼ six; video.

[recalls]

[Vanille's sitting on a low branch of a tree, bouncing her heels against the trunk. It is immediately apparent that she does so halfheartedly, without her usual overenthusiasm and energy. She lets her head fall back, lets it bump against the bark with a dull thud, and peers up at the sun through a canopy of brilliant autumn leaves. The Queen has

Comments

video;

[ofnobility]

Hey, Vanille-chan. ...How've you been?

[She remembers Vanille from the lake, and the change in mood troubles her. Vanille seems like such a nice person, and Utena doesn't want her to be sad. She's been worried and a little sad herself, concerned about Juri's sudden disappearance, but none of this shows when she answers the question.]

I miss my friends, Himemiya and Wakaba. Oh, and Chu-Chu.

[recalls]

Hi, Utena! [It's an approximation of her usual cheer, but the strain is probably evident, even to a dunce like Utena. :|] I've been all right. How about you?

What are your friends like?

fuuu gotta do this whole tag all over again THANKS LAZARUS

[ofnobility]

I've been okay. [She's not dumb!! Just a little challenged.]

My friends? Chu-Chu's a monkey! He eats everything, and he cries when it's dark out. He belongs to Himemiya. And Wakaba, she's always cheerful. She gets excited over all sorts of things, but she's a lot tougher than she looks. [Utena rests her head on her knees.] Himemiya, she's polite, and gentle. She likes flowers and cleaning, but she's not a good cook. She likes animals, but she's shy around other people. [It sounds inaccurate to Utena, to say this. The words she first thinks of are: "She doesn't like people," but it seems like such a mean thought, and surely it can't be true...] She likes watching game shows late at night, and she has an older brother. And...

[Utena's smile has steadily faded throughout this reminiscing, and by the time she's done, it's gone completely.] Even if I don't understand her all the time, she's my best friend.

[recalls]

Vanille watches, and listens, as Utena talks about her friends. She's nodding along at first, but as Utena's mood clearly takes a downward turn, so does Vanille's. She hadn't meant to upset her, had only thought that maybe hearing about her friends would distract her from her own sadness.

Her expression is one of gentle regret.] I'm sorry. I guess talking about them makes you miss them more, huh? They sound really nice.