blessingone | [ voice/action ] please not now

[It takes Fenimore some time to reach for her journal after they find Shirley missing. But, eventually, she drags herself over and opens it. It's no small matter for Shirley to have made friends in Luceti -- the girl had spent her first fifteen years friendless. She can't just leave that alone. But, even once she opens it, there's silence for a full minute. When she sighs and begins speaking, her voice is calm, though this is by willpower alone.]

For anyone who cares -- [While it's intended as a general "to who it may concern," the slightly bitter edge that creeps in at the end sounds accusatory. She knows it isn't fair and regrets the unintentional addition, but she has belligerence against the world to spare today. When she continues, her tone is flat again.] ...Shirley has gone...home....

[She trails off. The voice doesn't sound like her own. In fact, the entire entry sounds -- and, by the camera, looks -- as though it were made by someone else. Except for the tone, it sounds as though.... She slowly reaches up to touch a braid hanging from the side of her head.

Shirley's voice continues, quiet and strained:] Oh, that isn't fair.... [Using Shirley's hands, she closes her journal and cuts off the feed.

She doesn't want to meet any of the others like this. Not now. Even though she knows that Stella is out of the house, chances of running into her accidentally seem small enough to risk it. In any case, getting away from the house seems pretty attractive right now. She doesn't have to change, thankfully -- they're close enough in size that her clothes just feel a little loose in places. Though of course, on her way out, she does have to stop to grab some things for the cold weather.

Her intent was to avoid people entirely, but she stops at the river next to house 34, by the bridge. That's where she had found Shirley after Senel had left. Shirley had acted strong, no matter how much it had bothered her. "Acting"...but, if she thought about it, being able to act that strong was strong in itself.

She can be found sitting with her arms around her knees on the bank, north from the bridge and away from the pathway -- this time, it's far too cold to even wade, whether or not ice impedes that. She hopes that she's out of sight, and it might have been hard to accidentally catch sight of her were she not wearing a hat that stood out against the snow.

It's still a stupid hat. It doesn't even keep her ears warm.]

[Backdated to during the day! Comments will be answered by

blessingone. Journal comments will be answered with an in-Luceti-time delay and, if she doesn't have anything to say, might not be answered at all (apologies if you get hit with the last one). Action ones she doesn't really have a choice on -- she might be a little unfriendly, but she's not upset enough to cut someone off completely.]

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[he wasn't staring... okay he was a little but it wasn't that creepy honest]

They changed you into the friend that left, didn't they?

[At first, she's startled.]

Huh? How did--? [Oh, right. The journal.] ...Yeah. The timing couldn't have been better. [Except, by her tone, she means "worse."]

[well, there isn't much of a bright side to the situation but he can try.]

At least you can use this to say goodbye.

[In retrospect, she will appreciate the attempt -- actually, once she adjusts, she will probably use the opportunity to do something like that. But, right now, she's not acting too grateful.]

What, goodbye to myself? Even if I look like her, I'm not her. It doesn't change that I won't be able to say goodbye for now.

Well, the goodbye is for your sake. Next time you see her it'll be a hello.

[He does have a point, even if she doesn't admit it out loud. She looks away.] It's not like she'll be able to say anything back even if I do.

[........]

You know... When you make a friend, a link forms between you. The stronger the friendship, the stronger the link.

[he folds his arm on the deck rail.] Very strong links are unbreakable. Even when the other half is somewhere else.

[She averts her face even farther, muttering into her knees.] You're just saying that....

[But, from the tone of her voice, it's pretty clear that the words meant a lot to her and it's just the tsun talking. It actually touched her and was even a little comforting, but, at the same time, it also made her feel a little like crying -- it's a complicated feeling. She didn't want to look at him in case any of it showed on her face.]

[tsundere, huh... he's getting the feeling that's the case. regardless, he just smiles at her even while she's looking away.] Because I know it's true.

How would you--?! [Erk. She was overreacting, wasn't she? And she had told herself that she would be happy for Shirley's sake, that she had managed to escape....]

You've probably had people disappear on you, too -- haven't you?

I have.

[So he probably wasn't just saying that. Ugh. She had to stop taking out her anger on other people. She shouldn't be angry when this was supposed to be a good thing...except, maybe, angry with herself.

After a short pause:] I know you're just trying to help. But I'm fine. Really. [Maybe if she says it enough....]

As long as you're sure. [He knows it's not always necessary to make a big show of grief... but that still doesn't work for everyone. This girl is a stranger, but sometimes it's easier to talk with someone you don't know.]

...Yeah. I should be. [At least, that's what she thinks.

She sighs and...well, the girl has been trying to help. She ought to ~~have her player actually remember to do an introduction~~ ask her name.] What is your name?

[and now he has to decide. Tell her his real name, or tell her the name of the body he's in? Either would end up pretty awkward if she ever runs into his sister after the experiment... And he doesn't know what she really looks like either.]

It's Minato. [...] But this isn't my real body either.

Minato, huh? [And she doesn't completely mispronounce it! She just will need to say it a few times before it's not awkward.] My name is Fenimore -- though, you already know I don't usually look like this.