(open) break yourself inside out

[decrypter]

who: Whoever wants to show up.
what: Nine body pileup, who wants to compile info.
when: 10/7, at least
where: Dorms study hall
warnings: Attempted murder over children's games

[in the afternoon, a message shows up on the forums. is she copying Natsume? utterly, since his organization is why she's thinking about this.]

h.adams

Please try to set aside an hour or so of your time this evening at around 7:30 pm to return to the study hall. I'd like to speak with as many people as possible regarding the recent incident in the school.
-H.A.

[and she won't be replying to anything posted below it.

by the time the hour rolls around, Helena's set herself up in the study hall with the rolling whiteboard she took from the school set up. the markers are a toss up between colors, but the important part is there. she's seated herself by it, and when 7:30 hits, an alarm on her PDA goes off. silencing it, she stands up.]

Thank you for coming. I realize it's another demand on people's time, but given the vast scope of the murders, there's more to be said than unsaid. With it, we had no choice but to split up and find what we could, to do our best at the least to remember and categorize what we saw. Generally speaking, I'd like if we could pool our resources to see if we might draw any parallels between what was where, and if there are any peculiarities to distinguish this or that event.

With that said - [she points behind her at the whiteboard, where Rantarou has been kind enough to write out a list] - if we could try to speak individually, we could write down anything critical shared, so we could look at it from a larger perspective. As well, if something comes up in other days, we could reconvene and add in new information.

As I am unable to do it for you, please allow my dependable transcriber to do so. And a final note before we begin - if anyone becomes overly agitated, I request that you kindly step outside until you can keep your voice to a moderate level. Sound echoes well enough without yelling added to the mix.

Let's begin.

Comments

[silentabyss]

[Noah would have attacked Dito if there were an opening, but Amami got fucking stabbed and in a second the kid is at Amami's side to catch him, concern and determination etching his brow all at once.

He's not going to ask if Amami is okay, because he's not fucking stupid, but Noah always carries a roll of stolen gauze on him from the nurse's office, injury-prone as he personally is. First priority, stop blood from getting on the floor — the void is not a good place to be right now. Second priority, wrapping the wound. Hopefully blood isn't pooling that much—]

I could use some help over here!

[He lets Amami lean against him, fishing the gauze out of his pocket, and the first person who comes to help will get it handed to them. They'll need it.]

[filialdeception]

[ ... So apparently nobody can count on things going at least for one meeting here because suddenly! Amami ends up stabbed.

Meng Yao can't even retaliate in time because of this, and he grits his teeth. Normally he is pretty good at keeping his cool, but the fact that one of the very few people he gives an actual shit about in this rotten place got hurt is more than just a little upsetting. Yes he wishes to hell and heaven and back that Amami didn't do something like get in the way like that but he didn't deserve to get stabbed.

For a moment, all he can see is red, his hand drifting to Hensheng, and then Helena makes her move...so he turns his attention towards Amami, repressing that rage which may be hard for most people but he can manage. Which means him having to shift gears has Noah get to him before he does, which is good to ensure the other is caught at least. ]

I'm here!

[ He's hurrying right on over and taking the gauze, ready to assist where needed. Though, considering they were technically 'dead' and whatnot, another idea does come to mind. Even if he hasn't used it before in this place. But regardless of the fact the healing attempt won't be impressive, he's going to try to suggest or at least give it a try. ]

I can also try to see how much I can heal his wound.

[silentabyss]

You can heal—

[Oh thank fuck, because all Noah is, is a heavily-armed kid desperately trying to keep pressure over the stab wound with one hand. They can't have Amami bleeding out on them.]

...okay. Do it.

[And if they need to move Amami's shirt out of the way, Noah will help with that too, and continue to support the man in the meantime.

He looks to where Dito and Helena are, wondering briefly if he should attack while Dito is down—

—no. Amami first.]

...I can't heal, so.

[filialdeception]

[ Passing the spiritual energy to heal is going to tire him out a tad, but it's fine; it's something that can be regained with his golden core, after all.

Meng Yao reaches out to the other male, lightly touching him on the shoulder even a bit before Noah gives the go ahead, though he does nod.

So there he goes, passing the energy through to the other to deal with the closing of the wound. Which theoretically should ​do a decent enough job to bring things out of the fatal/danger zone, at the very least. It's not going to be perfect on how it looks on the surface, but it does the job. ]

[sisters]

( hm... wasn't expecting this part though. he blinks again, and suddenly there's dark and blue in his peripheral, coming into focus all at once to make sure that amami stays steady — a loud voice follows, and he can't help but feel a bit embarrassed about it. like, yes, that sharp feeling like fire burning through the tips of every nerve in his chest is slowly beginning to spread outward, a hollow throbbing feeling as the pain registers and spreads with each breath he takes as his damaged ribcage expands to accommodate, then shrinks as he winces at the pain, but really? )

It's okay — don't worry, I'll be fine.

( "it's not a big deal," says the guy who's probably in shock, voice strained.

but yeah, he will be fine. he's assuming so at least, because the next person in his line of sight is meng yao, and that's obviously what that would mean, right? and even though amami's own gaze finally manages to catch the sight of komaeda leaving the room, concern flashing across his features, well... it's probably safer in another room right now, so that's fine too. everything is going fine, because it's not like he's never got himself hurt before. )

Thanks, Meng Yao.

( there's some visible relief in his expression as he turns his attention back to the two at his side. the temporary feeling like a cool compress pressed against the burning surface of his wound as the spiritual energy begins to close off the flow of blood. not much they can do to save the sweater though, he can't help but think. )

[silentabyss]

[Thank fuck that Amami is alright. Noah can't help but breathe a sigh of relief, trying to keep the hand that was pressed into Amami's wound off of anything, even including his sweater. It kind of just... uselessly hangs in the air next to him. Not touching. Not smearing blood on things.]

...as someone who's been stabbed before... You're not okay. Don't pretend to be.

[Not even to comfort them. Noah doesn't want it.]

It's okay to... not be okay.

[filialdeception]

[ Meng Yao considers wondering if they can get out the bloodstains to save the sweater, though blood is honestly difficult to get out of clothing, even if he can definitely the tear together. Amami would really need to get a new one.

This is what he focuses his thoughts on for the moment because yes, he has no idea to respond to that statement. In a sense, it's true, but...with all that's happened, his thoughts are more or less the same as Noah's. But, he'll take a slightly different approach for now, and even as he speaks his tone isn't harsh. ]

This one is glad to assist you, as always. But please in the future ensure that you're not throwing yourself into danger like that again—there are others far more equipped to handle those types of matters.

[sisters]

( oh, man, he's really got the two of them worried here, hasn't he? the apologetic look in his expression is meant more for them than out of any concern for himself. )

Yeah, I know, I know.

( but shock and adrenaline can be a hell of a drug too, so maybe the weight of what's happened hasn't really settled in yet. give him a couple hours on that — it'll hit. for now that cool feeling has begun to fade, and all that's left in its wake is a raw, searing type of pain that, frankly, he's become a little bit more familiar with than he'd really prefer to be. )

Sorry for worrying you, but... I couldn't just stand by and watch. I wasn't sure if someone else would make it in time, so...

( when the world moves in slow motion, and you see someone whose presence means something to you in danger — when you've already lost two important people in the very same week, it's impossible to just stand by and wait to see what happens. being one of, if not the closest person to the scene as it played out, he'd never have forgiven himself if he hadn't stepped in. )

[silentabyss]

...I know what that's like. I don't blame you. I would've taken the hit too, if I could have.

[There's a long pause after Noah says this, like he's thinking.]

Do you want us to help you to the bathroom to wash the blood off? I don't... [Glances back toward the door,] ...I don't want to leave you alone to wander the hallways with Dito out there doing Elria knows what.

[filialdeception]

Just—as long as you don't do it again, please...it is not as if I don't understand, of course.

[ But all the same he doesn't blame Amami either, as he can't find it within himself to do so.

Though it also takes all his control not to look even the slightest bit murderous at the mention of Dito's name, but by the gods he manages to keep his worried expression in tact. It may be easier because he's feeling both of those things, honestly. ]

I would be amenable to assisting, of course.

[ In case there's any worries he's not, should Amami be agreeable to them doing that. ]

And I do agree that man is rather dangerous enough for that to be a concern.

[sisters]

( not gonna lie, he does look kind of uncomfortable at the request not to do it again. won't meet meng yao's eyes as he glances back to the door but they do the favour of changing the topic for him, which is pretty lucky on his part. he latches on to that instead, at least tangentially. )

Really, what I should be doing is going to pick up— ( sideglance at noah, and a beat later— ) the shopkeeper.

( it's getting dark out, which he knows they're not a fan of, but the store is probably closed by now, so he doesn't like the idea of not at least stopping by with the offer, asking when they do wanna come back. still, he shakes his head, wry smile tugging at his lips. )

But if I went over there like this, it'd probably just worry them, so yeah. You're right.

( and while this is the part where he'd sigh, when he breathes in he ends up making a face like he regrets trying to do that, tensing as his rib disagrees with him. he'll pass on that for now. )

I'll go clean up, and if either of you, uh, wanna come... I guess that's fine too.

[silentabyss]

[...]

You got stabbed in the chest. Can you walk alright by yourself?

[Not that Noah's going to let Amami walk the halls injured by himself, of course, but it's more of a question of "Do I have to hold onto you?" To Noah, Dito seems violent enough to want to finish the job — it's not like there are many people here who can possibly stand up to him on a physical level anyway, either.]

At least let us help you to the bathroom before you go get them.

[filialdeception]

[ ...Meng Yao takes note that Amami doesn't for the future so he can account for things (or...try to, hah), and instead focuses on the immediate situation.

There's a polite pause on his part as Amami mentions who he intends to visit, but his expression is still very much the same as he holds back from saying anything for the moment as Noah makes his own comment.

He too is wary of allowing the other to walk the halls alone due to Dito's, uh...display. ]

This humble one will happily accompany and assist you on the way, then.

[ Since Amami said it was fine for them to come along. ]

At the very least it shouldn't take too long, I imagine.

[sisters]

I'm sure I can do that much.

( thinks he can, anyway. it'll take a few hours to process. for now, he feels caught in a far away reality that he's only tangentially a part of; it doesn't actually feel like this has anything to do with him.

noah can say it again and again, but as long as it's left up to amami? he'll smile through the chill that's seeped under paling skin, pocket hands that are shaking at the tips of his fingers, and ignore the better part of what's happened over the course of the last while. if anything, it's really only the relief that he's willing to acknowledge, tucking the anxiety and fear neatly underneath. so he'll make his way a few steps towards the door, glancing back towards the other two to check that they're following along. )

The nurse's office might be a good idea too, after.

( painkillers... probably gonna need 'em. )