yogen | (open catch-all) further yogenland tales

[ In the span of a few weeks, too much has changed, and the morning jog routine simply isn't the same anymore, Alice imagines. Not that various odd rumors are no longer rampant... Why in the world would anyone believe that Jou Tazuna is a robot, for instance? One can only hope that people have the tact not to spread strange gossip about the boy and his female friends, at least, particularly Chiaki Nanami's disappearance and Jou Tazuna's new roommate arrangement, even if it seems that such topics are especially popular...

It's early — as a diligent morning exercise regimen dictates — but Alice has learned to rise promptly for whatever activity needs him out of bed at this hour. Quietly slipping out of his own new dorm room today, he crosses the hallway and turns the corner to stop in front of Sun 4's closed door. It's likely that Jou Tazuna is already awake to busy himself with warming up outside, or to take care of any soccer team captain duties, while Yumemi Minazuki may be asleep, but Alice tries a brief knock to make sure, nothing too disruptive.

It is early enough that he might have woken up before anyone else! ]

[ Joe's done his absolute best to ignore all the rumors that he can. He doesn't want to hear them especially about himself. Especially when it comes to girl stuff. Normally that's just embarrassing... but honestly it's been very hurtful lately. ~~Though someone tell him where the robot rumor came from please.~~

He's quick to answer the door so his new roomie won't wake up, greeting him quietly as he closes the door behind him. ]

Hey, Alice. [ He glances around briefly. ] How 'bout we get goin', yeah? I... kinda wanna just jog with you today if that's okay.

[ He knows Alice won't gossip about him. ]

[ Ah, so Jou Tazuna must have risen only a short while ago himself! Noticing the boy's apparent distraction — or unease, perhaps? — Alice forgoes basking in his own early start to the day. He greets Joe with a nod, following his gaze up and down the quiet dormitory halls. There's no one nearby, which is presumably as Joe hoped, given developments of late. ]

Good morning, Jou Tazuna... Of course I have no objections — you may rely on Merlin's apprentice in your more solitary fitness pursuits! Let us set out at once.

[ Tapping his fingertips against his chest as he speaks, Alice turns to lead the way out of the building. He casts Joe another sidelong glance, however, searching. ]

...You appear to have something on your mind.

Heh, you're apprenticing now? That's really cool, dude! You gotta tell me about it!

[ Joe's definitely relieved that Alice is okay with just the two of them. He follows after but immediately glances away when Alice looks back at him, fists smarting. Part of him wanted this of course. But his stomach is all in knots suddenly. ]

U-Uh... my head is always empty! Ha, you know that already!

[ He suddenly starts to jog even though they're still in the hall, taking the lead now. He can't work up the nerve just yet. Better to run away from it now... ]

Keep up!!

W-Wait— Jou Tazuna?!

[ How suspicious! It's as if Jou Tazuna is fleeing from the conversation, avoiding eye contact and running off like that... The reaction only convinces Alice that there's something afoot, but they're hardly so close that he should insist on his observations. And yet—

Not without a frown, he breaks into a run to catch up as Joe dashes through the dormitory building. Obviously he refuses to fall behind! Unfortunately, beginning their jogging indoors means some commotion until they make it past the exit; Alice's footfalls thump noisily against the floor.

Finally, he's closer to gaining on his jogging partner, allowing him to voice more to say without shouting. ]

If you don't wish to speak of it, I don't intend to force you...

[ He doesn't wait up, knowing Alice can keep up with him. They've been jogging together for awhile now after all. If anyone is mad about the noise, Joe will apologize to them later for both of them. But for now, he really just wants to get out of here.

Joe starts to slow a little when Alice catches up, but he stares straight ahead with mixed look on his face. After a moment, he sighs out loud. ]

Just.... wait until we get outside, okay?

[ He'd rather someone who shouldn't hear what he wants to say can't given how bad rumors have been. ]

...Very well.

[ That sigh alone is rather telling. And so, Alice answers with a quick nod, leaving it at that for the time being. It is somewhat awkward to carry on a conversation while running, especially if they're still trying to keep reasonably quiet inside a building filled with other students gradually waking up.

Slowing down slightly should help — Jou Tazuna has the stamina to jog and speak, and Alice is confident that he can indeed keep up, but they'll inevitably be a little out of breath before long. A few more paces, and they're at the doors leading outside.

Here, Alice stops entirely, taking it upon himself to let them through. Mercifully, the air isn't too warm yet, this early in the morning. ]

[ There's some relief when Alice doesn't push it, and he stays focused ahead. He's trying to be reasonable with the amount of noise he makes, but Joe also just really wants to be away from here. It sucks that this is such an uncomfortable place for him now.

Joe slows to a stop when Alice gets the door, thanking him before walking through. The warmer air hits him, and he takes a deep breath in while closing his eyes.

After a moment, he starts up again, but while it seems like he's gonna jog, Joe actually walks. He stuffs his hands into his pockets and just walks on ahead, expecting Alice to keep up. ]

...We can jog tomorrow. I just wanna talk... if that's cool.

[ Joe doesn't make eye contact. Instead, he watches his feet while he waits for Alice to be at his pace before speaking again. ]

... C-Can I ask you a kinda personal question? You don't gotta answer if ya don't wanna.

[ Merely walking and talking is a breeze! Past the doorway, out in the morning light, Alice falls into step with Joe soon enough. Though the boy's eyes are lowered, he keeps his own trained on him a moment longer before minding where he's going. ]

Speak freely, Jou Tazuna. I shall listen, and I see nothing wrong with taking a break today.

[ Their sprinting through the dormitory building is surely adequate for now. Jou Tazuna is already athletic — one day of resting won't affect his health negatively. Plainly, there is plenty on his mind, and a person's heart requires the same care as a person's body. ]

In other words, ask away!

[ What kind of question could it be, for Jou Tazuna to hesitate? ]

[ On a normal day, Joe would appreciate Alice's bombastic personality. But today, it makes him feel kind of awkward. Because of what weighs on his mind and what he knows he wants to ask Alice. He rubs his arm awkwardly as he tries to work up the nerve. ]

Do... do you miss Reko a lot...?

[ His stomach twists when he asks it, immediately regretting his question. Of course he does; that's Alice's sister. Joe feels stupid suddenly, waving his hand a bit. ]

S-Sorry... forget I asked that.

[ As soon as the question hangs there between them, Alice understands. The hesitation makes sense, clearly meant out of consideration, but it's impossible to dismiss the topic — it would take another intervention to forget it altogether. For all that he wants Reko to be somewhere better, he has thought of her, enough for something to wield it against him at every opportunity.

And without a doubt, there are too many people for Jou Tazuna to miss. ]

I... don't have the right, but it's natural. You don't disagree, do you?

[ As painful as it is, it's a normal human feeling. Distractions aren't much in the face of that, nothing like a lasting remedy. ]

a. dorm kitchen

[ The mystery deliveries have spoken! When the set of kitchenwear appears, neatly folded and unused, it seems to be a hint to make use of the lot in the ongoing pursuit of beetle-free self-sufficiency. Though none of the items are striped, the bunnies printed on each one are acceptable. This theme radiates an aura of effortless housework competence!

In the kitchen, Alice slips the apron over his head, fastening it around his waist with an evenly-tied bow — a lopsided look would ruin the effect. Setting the potholders and oven mitts aside for now, he investigates the supplies on hand. A recipe book might be helpful, but nothing saw fit to surprise him with that alongside the other things, so it's probably risky to be overly ambitious...

The most important first step is to wash one's hands thoroughly, of course, and Alice occupies himself with that by the sink before he'll continue checking over ingredients and equipment. Thankfully, the water looks completely clear now, no trace of that pink tinge tainting it any longer. Flowing from the faucet, it runs over Alice's fingers, rinsing away perfectly pristine soap suds.

It is a constant reminder of what it took to accomplish Komaeda's clean water objective, which doesn't lead to the best images to dwell on, and Alice scrubs his hands harder, never mind that the bloodstains are long gone, his garments worn that day thrown out. It was for a good cause — retrieving a body from the forest for such a purpose can't be a bad thing, either, no matter how disgusting and scavenger-like. ]

b. dreamcatchers (cw: mild gore)

[ If others happen to stay the night in Moon 1 for some reason, or they've obtained a dreamcatcher of their own, there's a chance that they'll have access to Alice's dreams, or Alice may become a visitor witnessing theirs. His dreams are pleasant enough at times, less so on other occasions, not necessarily memories. Some are bizarre, and some might change to treat visitors as participants instead of spectators.

Perhaps someone visiting sets foot in a jail cell, where a flower has somehow sprouted from the floor. Or they could become the next person blessed with stripes! Another possibility is that they come across an absurd tornado to flee from before it's too late...

Sometimes Alice simply kneels beside a young woman's corpse, hands pressed over a wound in her torso. It's pointless — her chest is crushed, her ribs broken to protrude from torn flesh, and his hands are slick with her blood. ]

c. student store

[ The student store's latest guardian undoubtedly takes some adjusting to for anyone accustomed to his predecessors. Alice is no less diligent, however! He's learned how to encourage customers to walk away with something purchased that meets the needs bringing them to the shop in the first place. He knows not to do anything that would scare them off upon approaching the counter. As before, the same morning and evening shift principles apply.

When he isn't arranging and restocking the merchandise, carrying around boxes to open, he busies himself with keeping the shelves tidy. Allowing dust to accumulate would surely interfere with everything that the student store stands for! Then he might hum melodies until a customer arrives, or whenever he has more time on his hands, he's tempted by the library's growing collection of new items. ]

d. wildcard

[ Anything you want to tag in with, or let me know if you want me to write something! ]

[there's a knock on the door. he's probably been expecting this, observant as he is, with the growing absence in their lives. the emptiness that can't be filled, almost more painful than if it was sudden. she has to talk to him about it, has to use that name, has to say something's wrong to someone who will understand that it is.

knock knock, Alice. please open the door.]

[ This room isn't what it was mere weeks ago, let alone what it must have been when it was a place to visit a close friend. The thought stirs uneasily in Alice's mind as he answers the door to greet his visitor standing on the other side — Helena is far from unwelcome a presence, but he is surprised, having concluded that like a changed space, he would only remind her of everything lost.

It's strange to view it that way, as if it's the finality of death, when that isn't the case. Then again, the actual circumstances are painful reminders themselves, aren't they? ]

Ah... Helena? Do you wish to come in?

[ He steps aside as he speaks, waiting for her decision. She knows the room's interior well — in a way, it's more her space than his, he imagines, even if she has a room of her own, had roommates herself. ]

Yes, if you'll allow it. I'm sorry I took so long to come see you.

[slowly, she comes into the room, cane in hand. usually, she knew this room enough to not need it. to be able to walk around with the trust that things would be in generally okay places, only using her hands to steady herself. but she taps, because she needs the feedback, needs to verify and fold up and bury the last shred of hope she had.]

...He's really gone, isn't he?

[he doesn't have a reason to be here anymore, in the dorms. he was still in classes, but it's painful, now.]

[ Why would he deny Helena, of all people, access to this room? The question is on the tip of his tongue, and so is the desire to convey that it's hardly for him to decide whether she should be allowed to come and go as she pleases, as before, and that she doesn't owe him an apology. He hasn't forgotten that she was glad to see him, that morning in the nurse's office — he remembers the way her expression brightened. Even so, Shin Tsukimi was there then, himself.

He only shuts the door once Helena has entered the room, and he watches her with her cane, the deliberate tapping.

The question she asks doesn't need his answer. It acknowledges what she knows, confronting it aloud. ]

...To tell the truth, I don't understand it. I suppose everything that makes him the person he truly is was somehow put back to sleep?

Yes. He's not Shin anymore. Not right now. Somehow, everything's been boxed away again.

[she takes a breath, and the pain is clear on her features as she sets her cane aside. unnecessary now, before she comes back to Alice, and throws her arms around him in a tight hug. like he's a lifeline, like she needed this and was wanting this for too long, which is true. Subaru had gotten her too used to hugs when she needed it. now she has to seek them out on her own.

the grief is only bearable because it is shared.]

[ Helena's reply states the facts plainly, perhaps to distance her heart from that reality — it belies the anguish written in her expression now. It's difficult not to look away, at a loss, knowing that no one can predict what might happen from here, by the sound of it. It's not as if Shin Tsukimi has retreated to a cocoon for an extended nap away from too much on his mind, and eventually, he's bound to reemerge from it. It's not as if he resembles a caterpillar or a butterfly at all, so that metaphor would be ridiculous to utter aloud!

The next moment, Alice finds himself caught in Helena's arms wrapped around his middle. Astonished though he may be, he understands. This has a better chance of comforting a person than clumsy words, and he feels sufficiently confident that his hugging ability has improved significantly since the hug he offered Komaeda like preparing to pick up a box.

His arms come up to return the embrace, enveloping Helena in it. After a moment, he gives her small frame a cautious squeeze. ]

Alice...

[the words are a little muffled against him, but she's not moving in the slightest. this is where she needs to be, right now, and he's doing something right to keep her there at the moment. her arms hold him just a bit tighter.]

Please do your best not to forget yourself. Please stay as Alice. I don't want to lose you too.

[it would truly, truly be unable to be borne. she might have to flee into the woods again, and take her chances then.]

Edited 2022-07-28 07:28 (UTC)

[ He wants to find the right words to reassure Helena, though he knows that it can't possibly be enough. The people she's lost — those are irreplaceable bonds. The fact that she mentions forgetting, in particular, speaks volumes.

It's the pain of being alone with her memories, reminded of it over and over, isn't it?

Alice moves one hand until his palm rests between Helena's shoulder blades, steady there. No one intends to revert to that boxed away state, surely, and so neither of them can make any promises, he's aware of that, but they're here so far. They don't want to let go of any memories. ]

...I refuse to forget anything else. I may not be Merlin's apprentice after all, but every time we meet, we'll know that you're still Helena, and I'm still Alice.

( i considered the depressing option because it's the most overt, but stripes sounds the cutest and is tangentially related if nothing else, so stripes is what it shall be. in fact, the flower is cute too. amami is certainly going to be curious about it as he blinks his eyes open, finding himself in his very own prison uniform, looking down at the flower as well. when he glances up, he's greeted by a head of electric blue hair that's becoming more and more familiar.

hm... )

Yabusame-kun?

[ Bars yet again, and the most drab decor imaginable... How bleak! Alice isn't especially eager to examine why this dream jail cell lacks even the standard furnishings that a prison with ties to Asunaro deigned to provide, so it's not a bad thing at all to discover that he suddenly has a cellmate this time. Two, even, if the flower counts.

The number of stripes in this space has increased significantly! ]

Rantarou Amami?

[ It's not quite like having a visitor over, whether in jail or in a more ordinary setting, but Alice indicates their strange surroundings with a sweep of one raised hand, as if to show a guest around his home. Between them, the flower sways gently from side to side. ]

Er... Welcome, I suppose. Worry not, I'm sure we aren't truly locked up in here.

(open catch-all) further yogenland tales

for joe

for me!!

✨

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july (open)

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b-cause i promised and then died

amami does deserve More Stripes!!!