sights that can't be seen

[decrypter]

Who: Helena Adams and etc.
What: Catch all log - nonevent things, random starters, whatever.
When: December.
Where: All over Yogen.
Warnings: Will edit when needed.



(for whatever we want to do this month! jump in with a random starter,
or if you'd like something custom, message me via journal or plurk.)

Comments

for pumpkin.

[decrypter]

komaeda, 12/24.

[decrypter]

[the storm is picking up, she knows, but she can't stay inside, or she'll pace the building up and down and then someone will ask what's wrong. twenty minutes, it's all she needs - just twenty minutes, to walk and clear her mind instead of twisting ribbon over and over in her hands, feeling sick to her stomach.

so it was that she slipped out, took her coat and gloves, and carefully exited the dorms, using her mental map to try and orient herself and walk through the snowstorm, swallowing any anger she feels. control, control - she shouldn't be so surprised that there's only blood under everything in this school, that even kind hands move to harm and hurt. nowhere is safe. nowhere is decent. the manor looms large in her mind, and she half expects to smell gunpowder and decay, to simply keep walking and end up back there.

if it wasn't one cage, it was another. if it it wasn't one set of killers, it was another. her head is so full, and time slips away, and everything is cold. the sounds of the world are half muffled by snow and wind, and she has to think about what she knows.

twenty minutes is long gone, by the time she realizes she's been angry enough to be disoriented, that she needs to figure out how to head back, when her soul feels numb enough that maybe she can keep it in ice, and the pain will stay at bay.

it's probably night, given how the air feels, and the wind bites at Helena's cheeks. the snow is too thick to properly gauge where she is unless she were to dig a hole, and it's more trudging than anything else.

nothing for it but to keep walking, trying to find some kind of landmark.

strange, how one can feel alone and yet be at peace with it.]

[commences]

( it wasn't as bad as everyone made it seem, a large storm felt like a dust of snow for him or so when he started out in search of what? nothing really, he knows the limitations of the school, and any further will only cause them to pass out, but the worst part he didn't account for what getting lost. his footsteps lost in the oncoming snowstorm, and taking a step back is just his foot pushing down through a large amount of snow with a crunch. he manages at first to avoid the snow falling on him, but perhaps bad luck has cast over him, and now white flakes are attaching itself to his hair, though it blends in perfectly aside from what's attached to his jackets — yeah, he has about three on, but it doesn't seem to be enough as he keeps his arms wrapped around himself.

in the darkness and snow however, he doesn't expect to see someone else out here, and easily he calls — )

Hey!

( he knows better, though, that someone of that size and frame shouldn't be out here. he marches through the snow, reaching out to place his hands on snowed shoulders. his eyes notice the cane, and it's easy to make out who it is covered in this weather, and komaeda continues though his hands shake on her shoulders. )

Girls like you really... shouldn't be out here in harsh conditions. ( even as he says that, he leans to the side to see in front of her, looking out in the distance. ) Are you lost, too?

[decrypter]

[girls like her. what was that supposed to mean, exactly? or really, who is she? if she collapses here, will she wake back up in bed? will her spirit be brought back, cycling again and again, water in a whirlpool that never touches the bottom? but she's alright, with his hands on her shoulders - he can probably feel how she's trembling a little from cold, but still standing up.]

I suppose I am.

[because being lost is easier than saying she went looking to get there. that she needed to breathe instead of wanting to jump down someone's throat. lost, but with someone else.]

Can you see anything at all to guide us?

[give them a goal, a path. even the smallest hint would do. a fence, a wall.]

[commences]

( komaeda makes many mistakes, and this will happen to be one of them, he starts to remove a jacket from his person in the terrorizing snow, the whistles and screams as the wind blows gives it a bit of life as they're surrounded by a pure wonderland of darkness. he places the jacket onto her shoulders, it's amami's, so he believes that's fine. )

Nope. We might die out here.

( he says easily, laughing only a bit before he starts to walk by her side, the snow crunching under his feet. she can hear that, he's sure, even stepping a little harder so she knows he's there. )

Don't give up though, sometimes... things like this happen for a reason. If we need support, we have to make something out of nothing.

( he's cold, and it's a shame he has no space heater, or a portal, walking heater like normal. truly he's been spoiled, but he looks at helena wondering her thoughts on the matter. )

...What do you hear?

( leaves rustling together? the drop of snow? he may have the eyes, but her ears are better than his. )

[decrypter]

[the jacket is appreciated, because even with her own, she's still cold - the weather blows right through her, and so she quickly moves to put it on as much as she can. too big for her, but she knows this particular scent...why does Komaeda have Amami's jacket? that's a question that's not worth asking right now, when she has to listen to the world.

she hears wind. snow falling. the crunch of snow under their feet. his voice. but none of that is going to give them what they want, and she stops, considering things.]

...Just wandering isn't going to get us anywhere but killed, and I'd really rather not die if there's a choice.

[she's thinking. gripping her cane tight in her hands, tapping the snow with her feet.]

Komaeda. I'm going to need you to help me out and lend me your hand.

[commences]

...My hand? Hm, why? Isn't it you who came out this far, nothing this bad is an accident unless you're looking for trouble.

( the reason he came out is on his own volition, this is a typical occurrence that happens in regards to him. placing himself in danger, going places that he shouldn't, and part of him realizes if she's here that there probably wasn't anything to search for. if he decided to, he could turn around, and just walk off in an aimless direction that would lead him to the dormitory again.

it's a shame they aren't in the woods, the trees pressed together, and the frozen river would have made the scenery. )

Just like last time...

( he mumbles before canting his head to the side, looking down where helena stands as he settles his hands behind his back, holding them. what could he be pertaining to, that should be easy to guess considering what place were they at last time which put them in this position, there were more people, but helena fought for her own direction. )

[decrypter]

Because of the snow. I need to discern our surroundings, but with how deep the snow is, it will be more effective if I put more force behind it - it will make a louder sound that goes farther. And thus, I will be able to see our path.

[she's not hesitating this time. she's only pausing, waiting for him.]

Put your hand on my cane, and add your force to it. Unless you'd rather wander a little more?

[commences]

( unless he'd want to wander around a little more, ah, having someone's life in his hands from his decisions is ideal at most times, but there's nothing to be gained wandering around. he reaches out, placing his hands on the top of her cane to show that he's willing to take part in her idea, and she said force was needed? he can do that. )

Interesting, what made you want to go this far?

( his fingers wrap around the handle of the cane. )

Truth be told, I don't mind walking about... but what could have made you come this far...

( an escape? )

ranger.

[decrypter]

[it's not often that Helena comes around the sewing area in the school - it's far from her specialty, due to the number of sharp things that exist in the club. but today, she's there, bag on her arm and coming in - she needs to find someone who will be willing to do her a favor in exchange for another. someone with good sewing skills who can hopefully do what she's going to ask.]

Hello? Is anyone here?

[she's listening for them, but if they're busy, then she might be out of luck today, and she'll try for tomorrow.]

[rearranger]

[ The room is empty aside from Ranger. He came here sometimes, and sometimes he went elsewhere, but he always avoided the students that stayed here. It seems that his introduction hadn't earned him any fans, and the feeling was mutual. He perks up at the sound of a person coming in, though, pausing in his work. The chair creaks as he leans back in it, letting an arm rest over the back as he turns his head to see who's entered. ]

Yep, sure is.

[ He doesn't mind Helena being here. He cocks his head to one side. The chair creaks a little more as he leans it back some, the front legs inching off the ground. ]

Whatchya need?

[decrypter]

Ah, Mr. Ranger!

[her tone and face brighten, and she's got one of her notebooks in her hand as she hurries over to where he's sitting.]

Could I trouble you for a favor? A secret favor - this part is quite important - but in exchange I would owe you something.

[not like in club, where he's been kind enough to look over her work if she can't get Shin to do it or doesn't want to trouble it - there, everyone collaborates and tries to get better. but this is more personal, more of a one on one, and she has no problems making it an exchange.]

[rearranger]

[ Helena might not see the way he blinks a few times at her request, but she'll certainly hear the puzzled sound that follows her request. The chair clatters a little more as he shifts his position to look at her. ]

Hmmm? ... Oh, sure, what's up?

[ He sounds a little puzzled... Maybe it's related to the secret Santa? Or Christmas more generally. That would make sense. ]

I won't tell anyone.

[decrypter]

Excellent, thank you!

[putting her notebook down, she flips it open to a page bookmarked by a handwritten list - one she had replicated in braille to the side. tapping it with a finger, she beams.]

This whole secret Santa exchange - there's an item or two that requires sewing prowess if I'm to achieve it for them, so I need someone with vision who will be able to help me with this. I want to do my best to get the majority of things here, after all.

[she can't sew a shirt. but she can hunt around for items like markers.]

[rearranger]

[ He leans over to take a look at the list, mumbling parts of it aloud as he reads it. ]

Let's see... A new toolbelt... Lighter... "Leo is the coolest" shirt? Yeah, that sounds about right... A fire breathing metal dragon..

[ That was quite the list. It's not a bad one, though. Rio approves of the majority of the items on there. They'd be fun projects if he had the correct tools. ]

Hmm... Some of those might be tough. The shirt should be doable, though. I think we could make a dragon too, though it wouldn't be metal.

[decrypter]

Could we make the dragon out of fabric that resembles metal instead? I know it wouldn't be the same, but...it would be something to touch, wouldn't it? I can obtain the supplies, I just need help with the execution, and I'd owe you a very big favor! Even if you can only make the shirt.

[even just the shirt would warrant debt from her - she wants to make this a wonderful surprise for Leo, and so she is willing to put her all into it.]

[rearranger]

[ It wouldn't be the same, but it would be quite cute, and it would make for a fairly unique gift in a place like this. ]

It's fine, we can do both.

[ The insistence on providing a favor is a little surprising to him. He likes her well enough, and Rio doesn't like many people, and that seems to be enough for him... Then again, it probably wasn't obvious to her that he isn't even human. Fortunately, he's too focused on their joint project to think about that. ]

I think that'd work. They've got some metallic fabrics here that would work. It's not the same, like you said, but they look and feel sorta like a lizard's skin. It's a pretty scaly material... Red's out of the question, but we could probably do orange or yellow to make it look more like a flame.

amami.

[decrypter]

[Saturdays are the beginning of the weekend, so they ought to be feeling freer than the rest of the week. but with exams looming, the general unrest in the school, and winter's chill, it's not exactly the freedom it could be, after classes. in fact, it gets dark swiftly enough that it only feels uncertain.

not that this is a problem for her. in fact, she appreciates how quickly people leave after school, as it means she can conduct a little experiment. it's an odd assortment of things she has in her bag, all with string tied to them. it's very simple, how this is meant to go. she takes one item - she's moved onto an apple, at this point - and throws it out the front door as hard as she can, until she hears the plop in the snow. then, confident it's secure, she holds onto the string and walks forward, as if connected-

no. the barrier's not budging.

she's running out of ideas of things to throw. or ways to connect herself, so she can get past it. of course, if other students come to see this, then they can chalk it up to a transfer finally having lost it. at the least, her frustration is building higher and higher.]

[sisters]

Helena?

( it's not a native student who comes to stare in confusion at her antics, at least, and to amami's credit, he can kind of imagine what it is she might be going for. watching as she pulls herself towards the apple, only to walk face-first into the boundary... he can't really blame her if the frustration colours her features. well, regardless, he'll make his way over, leaning up against the nearby wall and folding his arms, conversational as he asks. )

You're trying to get outside again, huh?

[decrypter]

Yeah.

[with a sigh, she pulls the apple back from the snow by its string, putting it in her bag and exchanging it for the next item, a school shoe.]

I feel like there must be some trick to it - we used to not be able to go in the courtyard, after all, and now we can. But...I'm not sure what it is. Or even if we'll be allowed to go as far as we need.

[she holds the shoe, contemplating throwing it. likely, she'd meet the same fate as she has so far.]

There's something out there, you know.

[sisters]

( ah... she's been at this for a while, huh? he can tell by the resigned sigh, and also the preparations she has for the failure. still, if she wants to try, he's hardly going to be one to stop her. he's actually about to note what he's learned so far, but she beats him to the punch — that can hold on a minute, it's hard not to be curious about a lead-in like that. )

What do you mean by something?

( he's thinking, like, kazuki's monster cousin or something, but whatever it is seems to pique his interest regardless. )

[decrypter]

I can't be certain of whether they were telling the truth, but I heard some of my classmates mention a shrine in the woods. Somewhere out there, past the gates. They seemed desperate enough to want to bargain with whatever lived there, if something lived there.

[she shrugs, since it's not like she has yet been able to go and check to see what could be there.]

I say I'm not certain because I did ask someone else who knows the forest if something's there, but they denied it. But then again, they could be lying as well. It's hard to say.

[sisters]

A shrine, huh... Well, I can't blame anyone for not knowing or saying the details, but it's worth investigating.

( it doesn't sound that unusual; it's not as if he's never encountered a shrine or similar in the midst of a forest, far away from human interference, but close enough that they could travel and offer their prayers in desperate times. still, there's one aspect in particular that draws his attention — to bargain with it, huh?

...

he supposes he'll start off by crossing out the obvious answers first though. )

I don't suppose it could belong to Kazuki-san?

[decrypter]

Kazuki was the one that told me it doesn't exist.

[and given that he's the one who talked to her most about what's out there, made it sound like he knows the place in and out...she's torn between wondering if he really doesn't know, or if it's only a rumor.]

12/25, leo.

[decrypter]

[standing outside his room is Helena, with a decent sized paper bag in her arms.]

Merry Christmas, Leo! May I come in for a moment?

[she knows the point of Secret Santa is to be secret, but there's a point now where she can't hide it, not if she's to give him the whole amount of the gift.]