let out a sigh for another day ( OPEN TO ALL )

[mermaidcursed]

WHO: Nene and You !
WHAT: Nene Yashiro explores a bit !
WHEN: Over Spring Break

[ This isn't the first time Nene has found herself in a strange place. But even that had been at Kamome, with school grounds she was familiar with, knew all too well even before she met Hanako-kun... and she had everyone she knew and loved at hand. Things were strange, yes, but she wasn't alone in unfamiliar territory. She didn't know anything about this school, save for scraps that made almost no sense.

But she's here. She's here, and she can't call on Hanako-kun to save her. ... She never did like being the princess in the tower, though. So throughout the break you may find her various places.

You might find her at Class 1-B, examining her own desk- or what she remembers to be her desk?- or other things. Maybe the teacher left something at their own desk! Or maybe she's glaring at spring break homework that has the audacity to exist. She's been working on it, she just is mad that it's there.

You may find her in the home economics room... or rather, rooms. If she's not going over sewing supplies- and stumbling over an odd coin hidden in a pin cushion?- then she's in the cooking room, looking over leftover ingredients and recipes. ]

Oh- I thought that I might be able to make something for us to eat... we can't just live on vending machine snacks.

[ There's only basic ingredients... but it's definitely workable!

Other times, you may find her in the Clock Tower. Admittedly, there's nothing to do there, not really. But she can see the outside. The sky feels wistfully far away, and the boarded up building and broken fencing are... suspicious. But there's not much she can do about it. All she can do is watch the outside world go by.

Between any of these moments, Nene is exploring less conventional places. Maybe it looks like she's just looking around... and technically, she is! But in her defense, she's been watching the hidden supernatural world for months now. The fact that it's suddenly gone... it can't be, right? The mokke have to just be hiding. They're probably scared too. Right? ]

Comments

[commences]

( with students comfortably settling into their homerooms, komaeda takes this as a chance to look around. he's not one to stay in place because he's of the curious sort — he's used to investigating by himself or using his luck in hopes to find something interesting, though there's another predicament for him to handle. he wants to be prepared for the future, and so he thinks gathering a few supplies will come in handy for the mechanical device attached to his left arm.

you never know when something unfortunate might happen and that's the reason why he finds himself in home economics. give him a bit to find the correct room and as soon as it's found, he enters with wide eyes — excited to obtain what he's looking for.

he notices that he's not the only one in the room, so he doesn't speak at first figuring this is where he needs to be. he's too busy staring at what's on the counter, taking in the various color strings and threads hung up on the wall, but none of that is what he needs. going to the other side of the room doesn't work out in his favor either as he begins to open the drawers — sewing kits! exactly what he doesn't need.

every drawer that he opens doesn't have the specific tools that he needs which makes him hum in thought — now that he thinks about it, maybe this isn't the room he needs. with a hand raised, he sheepishly begins to scratch at his cheek slightly embarrassed as he attempts to laugh it off. he then speaks to himself, sighing... )

How unlucky...

( he looks towards the female in the room, waving his free, metal hand in her direction. )

Excuse me, would you happen to know where the workshop is?

[mermaidcursed]

I think it's just across the hall.

[ Just kitty-corner, right? Though, she has no idea what to even do with over half the stuff in there, so she hadn't payed it much mind. ... Maybe someone could use it to take down some of the barriers later? Provided that whatever force was keeping them trapped inside was merciful, maybe.

... Yeah, no, never mind. She's been called carefree but even she isn't that foolish.

There's a lot to take stock in though. One of the cupboards even has cotton! There's so much she could work on to make things a little easier. Blankets, extra clothes, and more... Her sewing lessons for Stephanie could be incredibly fruitful in more ways than one!

But before that? This guy. So she reorganizes one of the kits she'd been going through and puts it back, turning to give Komaeda her full attention. ]

Is there anything else you need?

[commences]

Haha, no! You've been plenty help.

( it's the answer he was looking for actually, which allows him an easier time finding the workshop. he's grateful for the help, smiling kindly at the female as he chuckles softly to show his appreciation. that warmth comes off in waves, though for a moment, until his curiosity gets the better of him — he does try to remain polite though. )

... You're the first person to have assisted me, not too many pay me any mind.

( he sounds down when he speaks, almost saddened by the realization, one that he admits aloud. the truth behind this matter is that he's only feighning his dejection — this is him attempting to check her empathy levels. of course, he tacks on a statement that might make his intentions seem even more innocent considering she appears to be making sure the place is in perfect shape. )

Is there anyway I could repay you for your kindness?

[mermaidcursed]

[ Nene frowns at that. Sure, they were all strangers- but they were all in this together, too. ]

Well that's not right. What if someone did that to them?

[ It sounds so simple, her worldview. Maybe even a bit childish. Naïve? Probably. But she stands by it, even now. Maybe especially now, in this strange place with false memories and no one being where they belonged and no way out. Kindness went a long ways. So when he asks, she shakes her head. ]

You don't have to do anything. Maybe pay it forward to others who need help? But I don't do things to be repaid.

[ (Hanako-kun would probably be yelling at her for this.) ]

[commences]

( her response was easier than intended, he thought he'd have to work a little harder, but perhaps she's a kind soul. instilling doubt into others just by a few measly words makes him smile, laughing softly as he times it with her concern. he uses it like reassurance to pull him back into high-spirits. )

Are you in charge of this room?

( the tools are needed for a later date, but it's brought upon this lucky opportunity to meet with someone. he hasn't turned his nose up at her yet — he's not the best around non-talented people, but like everyone else here he does want to test her hope. )

I could help you clean, it's one thing I'm good at..

( perhaps this can be his in, he does notice her organizing things properly from where he's standing. besides, when they first came here, all they wanted was for people to clean, remove unknown substances from the floor and walls. besides, he wonders if there's something hidden in here, and if she frequents this spot then she would know about any irregularities. )

[trialbyliar]

[Kokichi's not sure what to make of this whole situation. The vague "memories" are unsettling, but not completely baffling. He'd had doubts about the validity of his memories in the last place too, right? The setup now is just a little different. If this is all set up by the same people somehow (what are the chances this is entirely unrelated? How could be go from his last moments at the Ultimate Academy to this without there being some crossover?) then it only adds evidence to his existing theories.

But setting that aside for now, said memories mean he isn't wandering around lost, at least. There's an unusual sense of familiarity as he lets his feet guide him to the home ec room. He hasn't been there before in his conscious memory, but he still knows regardless. So which memories are the fakes? Is any of it real? He can't get complacent here, it took him too long to figure things out last time, so–

That train of thought pauses as he opens the door and finds the room already occupied. Ah, damn. He quickly plasters a look of surprise on over his blank thinking face, leaning in the doorway and making a show of looking around.]

Wowww, we even had a classroom like this here? So cool!!

[mermaidcursed]

Oh- yeah!!

[ Wow, he's super enthusiastic, huh? It's kind of cute, actually. But she can't say she was expecting company. More... important things to do, she supposes. Places to investigate. Classrooms to languish in. Things like that. ]

It looks like it's split in half, so that the cooking supplies and sewing supplies don't get mixed together- and there's a workshop across the hall, too.

[ she's helping!!!

Still, Nene isn't sure if he's going to stay or go. Maybe he's just getting a better look at things with the lights on. ]

[trialbyliar]

[Oh good. The kind of person who jumps to helpfulness without even being asked. That's handy information.

He seems intent on staying, though. Kokichi bounces inside the room, spinning like it's all brand new and nodding as she explains the setup. He's clearly just super jazzed about cooking or specialized classrooms or something.]

How fancy! What a nice school to be trapped in, huh? Waaay better than the last one!

[He sounds so at ease, all conversational as he darts over to peek inside one of the supply cabinets on the sewing side. It looks like idle curiosity, but he's quickly taking rapid stock of what they've got on hand and scanning for something specific.

With a contented humming, he starts rummaging through it all, pulling out a pincushion and peering at it.]

[mermaidcursed]

[ Excuse me? Sir? Sir are you okay. With genuine concern written in the twist of her brows and the loss of her smile, Nene stops what she's doing almost completely. ]

The... last one? Did this happen to you before?

[ Considering the clashing memories- and the headache that comes with them- and the lack of anywhere to sleep and barely enough food for everyone, that's. Incredibly concerning!

Not that she could say anything, given that the last thing from home that she remembers is escaping the painting, a false school with the threat of false memories of it's own fast approaching. ]

[silentabyss]

[Noah can't cook, so anything Nene wants to make goes. That's what he tells himself when he pokes into the kitchen anyway, looking for snacks that aren't vending machine foods (because he ate all the candy bars he managed to get, which was like, two of them).

To be frank, he hadn't been expecting someone else to be in here. He's done a good job at staying clear of most of the other students out of nothing more than anxiety and paranoia. He definitely does a double-take when he's spoken to, freezes up, and then sort of... slides into the room some few feet away.

If she can cook, that's good. Honestly, even if she can't, it's probably better than candy bars for lunch.]

Y...yeah. That's true. U-uh. [The social anxiety is strong with this one.] What... what are you planning on making?

[mermaidcursed]

Well, we have plenty of rice... there's some stuff to make bread or cookies, too, but cookies aren't really a meal. I was hoping maybe there'd be something in the fridge- oh, maybe I could use some of the stuff from the vending machine though?

[ She's mostly speaking to him, but partially speaking to herself. Planning things is hard when you've only got so much. Even her musing doesn't prevent her from noticing how uncomfortable the other seems to be though. ]

My name is Nene Yashiro, it's nice to meet you. Now that... we're all lucid, I mean.

[silentabyss]

[Cookies are totally a meal!]

U-uh? Yeah, it's nice to meet you too... I'm Noah. S-sorry, I didn't... expect to find anyone in here, i-is all.

[Not to mention the fact that Noah absolutely cannot speak to anyone ever without being slightly freaked out in the process. Most people his age aren't this bad at talking to others, but that's not the point. The point is that he's hungry and Nene is probably going to cook, which means...

...which means he should help instead of standing there with his face red, looking like he's never seen another person in his life before.]

U-uh... I'm not great at cooking, but I can probably help if you tell me what to do? Should I check the fridge?

[mermaidcursed]

[ If cookies were a meal she'd let people just eat vending machine snacks!!! That'd nix the point of all of this! Still, the rice cooker's already going- because even if she can't make a full meal, she can still make something work. ]

No, that's okay! It's really empty, with almost everyone else gone. I think most people are sticking to their home rooms.

[ At his offer, she perks up considerably. ] Would you please? Maybe you'll see something that I missed!

[ Two sets of eyes are better than one, after all. While she lets him do as he pleases, she continues searching the cabinets- ah, spices... that will be nice. ]

clock tower but also show me coin... maybe

[unsurely]

[ Why... are there... so many... stairs... in this tower?? Please excuse Shuichi while he weakly makes his way up the last bunch of them, holding on to the wall to the best of his ability while his steps have long since started to drag. Sure, he's been training with Momota-kun lately (in some... memories that aren't even from this place so how long ago are they even??) and he's gotten a little bit better, but he's... far from exactly athletic. And of course, he had to use the second-floor entrance instead of the fourth, since he wanted to inspect the entirety of the stairwell. ]

Ugh...

[ And so he arrives, with a series of somewhat quieted wheezes and huffs, sinking weakly forward as soon as he's made it. His hands rest themselves at his knees and he just stands there, slouched like that for a few seconds. Though as he glances up, he notices at last that there's someone there, and lifts his head a little in response. ]

Ah...! I-I'm sorry.

[ Why is that his first reflex? It's not like anyone owns the tower, or any of the common areas... but he still feels as if he interrupted her. Cue his gaze shifting out the window-equivalent clock panes instead of being able to face her. ]

I didn't realize... anyone was already up here. Do you mind if I look around for a bit...?

coin! coin! coin! coin!

[mermaidcursed]

[ She hadn't expected anyone to show up here. It actually pulls her from her morose lack of real thoughts, which she's thankful for. Getting lost in your own memories already sucked, but when you have two sets? Yikes. ]

Oh- no, you're okay. ... Are you okay? You seem tired-

[ Wait, no, ugh- Words!! Couldn't have just said alright, could she? Too late now, though. Nene doesn't quite move from where she's sitting just yet, but she's fully prepared to if he like. Falls, or something. That would be... mmm... Bad. She's gotten pretty good at bursting into action thanks to Yako though. ]

Go ahead, but I'm not sure what all might be here. We can see some of outside, but it's not as comforting as many of us would like.

(me chanting with u) coin! coin! coin!

[unsurely]

[ To his credit at least, he doesn't come stumbling forward any more than he did already. It only takes him a few moments of standing there, as he's gradually catching his breath. ]

I'm alright... It's just, um... I'm not used to climbing this many stairs.

[ It feels a little embarrassing admitting that, but well... it's the truth. His main skills have never been in that area. Finally a little less shaky on his feet, he straightens his shoulders and takes a few proper steps into the room, that seem mindful of how aged the floorboards might be. After a quick glance around, he joins her from a slight distance in surveying the outside. ]

Ah, would it really feel comforting...? Even if there was something out there, it doesn't seem like we're able to get to it...

[ Sorry Nene, he's not exactly the most optimistic person. ]

i'll find a way to work it in!!!! coin! coin! coin! coin!

[mermaidcursed]

Stairs kinda suck.

[ She gets it, fam. ]

Even if we're trapped, knowing that there's something to work forward to might help.

[ This isn't her first school-shaped prison. It's just the only one that doesn't extend further (a painted world still belongs to the artist completely, after all...). Or... considering she has memories of her parents and Black Canyon outside of the school but in this town, maybe it wouldn't. Maybe the cage would extend bit by bit but never let them go. Wouldn't that be sad?

She doesn't voice this speculation. Instead, she shifts to stand up and stretches- for once not wearing the uniform, but something else entirely. Funny what you find, checking the lockers! ]

So, what are you looking for? I think I've spent long enough moping, I can help!

keywords... relevant? wow,

[expio]

[ he really doesn't make for the picture of a typical 'student,' but then again... Abel is far from the only one, right? a 6'4, tall, lanky, silver-haired idiot man dressed in a slightly rumpled uniform is passing by the cooking room door, before he does something of a double take. --did he catch a glimpse of someone, just now...?

--ah! he did; he's leaning upon the doorframe and giving a jovial wave, face breaking out into a too-bright, dreamy, far-away smile for someone who is about to utter these words: ]

O-oh, wonderful~! So there is an angel here to shepherd my weary soul off to the afterlife once I die of starvation in this wretched place...! I had almost given up hope...!

[ well, now that his target has been spotted, he's inviting himself inside... he doesn't need any invitation, right? right, right, of course. his "angel" here won't mind the company, surely...!! ]

Please, Miss Angel-- will you promise to whisk me off to heaven and deliver me from this cruel, harrowing world...? Will you bury me on a hilltop beside the ocean and lay red poppies on my grave? --Oh! Oh, make sure you cry against the wind so it carries your teardrops away, dramatically? Like in one of those romantic movies~! A-ah, doesn't that sound beautiful...?

a b e l ........

[mermaidcursed]

[ What. What? Did he drink the pINK WATER-

Almost immediately she starts fretting, because oh jeeze is this guy okay? He must be more worried about everything than she thought, if he's going off like this... ]

N-no one's going to starve!! It's a little difficult right now, but we're going to get through this! Sit down- [ because you're clearly delirious ], you can stay here while I cook...

[ Despite how taken off guard she was, she's clearly concerned. There's a stool by the counter that she tries to gesture to while she clumsily rounds the counter- she'd been in the middle of working with the rice she'd made. A couple completed riceballs have been set to the side already. ]

save urself nene.....

[expio]

[ haha surely you don't mean to suggest the pink tint isn't strawberry for flavor?? wow, that's awkward,

...o-oh, no, she's cute?? even cuter than he thought at first glance... he SHOULD be feeling guilty about menacing someone so adorable, and yet

and yet.

he's heaving a weary, long-suffering sigh as he all too gratefully accepts her offer of uselessly perching upon this stool, leaning on the counter and looking well and truly defeated. woe... WOE... ]

Ah, no-- no no, please, I really can't have you wasting precious resources on the likes of me, Miss...! I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I permitted such a thing, you know...? Please, just worry after yourself, would you? Surely someone with a weak and pitiful constitution like me is already doomed. Mm. No saving me. Really, just one foot in the grave at this point. But I'll rest easier having known my last moments will be in the presence of your kind soul, so... please try not to mourn me for too long, would you...?

she's in too deep already!!!!

[mermaidcursed]

They're for everyone. Here, there's only a couple, but I've been making rice balls- you're clearly not okay. I'm not going to take no for an answer!

[ And to be honest? She knows he's being dramatic. Maybe he's picking on her. But he still is hungry and needs to be fed, and she wants to feel useful in this stupid, lousy, awful, weird school-prison. She's not smart, and she always needs to be rescued. At least she can do this much.

So really, Abel, you're terrible. I hope you're happy. ]

[crystallomancy]

( Less conventional places, you say!!

Well, Natsume's not a conventional person by far, so it's not surprising to see him somewhere odd -- though right now that's because he's been following Nene to see what the fuck she's up to. Before she gets into, I don't know, a vent or something, he's going to... stop her?? Maybe??? )

—There might be spiders in THERE. Or RATS. ( things normal girls are scared of he guesses, they're ok. don't mind his weird voice intonation. it's like a song just out of key. just enough to make you pause. ) Just what are you up to, anyWAY? This isn't how I expected a student to spend their spring BREAK, though while the cats are away the mice shall PLAY... Rather, there's no better time to infiltrate the nooks and crannies of the school than when the teachers are GONE.

[mermaidcursed]

[ The sudden voice startles her more than it should, honestly, considering that she visibly jumps and turns around. ]

Ah- well... they're... good for the environment, so I don't mind! I was just.... looking around! Seeing if someone hid something in there- [ Which actually is a good thing to look out for, but. Well. Nene Yashiro is not a good liar. At all. And this isn't the truth, though it could become so later. Her voice wavers too much and she's clearly trying to sound sincere, and it's just... she's not good at this, but she isn't being malicious. Help... ] T-there's a lot to look into, you know?

[ Despite being caught, she hasn't... actually moved away from the vent. She's just not looking down it so intently any more. But her real search still hasn't lead to anything... ]

[crystallomancy]

( Well, jumping like that certainly isn't suspicious at all!!! )

Considering the school I go to has someone living in the VENTS, I wouldn't be too surprised if you did find someTHING. ( why do we live in a world where such sentences can be said so casually. ) But I'm not conVINCED... Is that really all you were doING, Little Lamb? You jumped just a little too high for some innocent snooping aROUND.

( ...........Welcome to having a weird nickname, Nene, even if you tell him your actual name he's going to call you this. )

[mermaidcursed]

[ Oh no. He's on to her! And she was lying so well! Unfortunately, it doesn't look like her usual tactic for being called out would work here either. (Which is to say, she doesn't think she can run away and pretend this didn't happen.) ]

Welllll... I am looking for something, but... [ And it's either nerves or something else, like the fact that she's not sure how this boy feels about the supernatural, but her voice gets quieter. ] I don't think anyone would believe me about what...