Alone in the D/The Thunder Rolls

[thisclinchesit]

Characters: Shoutarou and YOU.
Setting: Floor Four or Dorms
Format: Starting in action brackets, will match.
Summary: Power's out, and Shou has night-vision goggles. Also he finds the the storm fascinating.
Warnings: Possibly ghost run-ins!


Floor Four

[After the broadcast, Shou was heading back upstairs to check on the others when he got rather caught up in watching the storm outside. After all, watching the rain is a hardboiled thing to do, right?]

Dorms

[Shou's going from room to room, checking on others there, using the DenDen Sensor to navigate the dark hallways. Bless Philip for putting this thing together, even it seemed silly at the time.]

Comments

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[] Hello...? []

[thisclinchesit]

[Nope, just Shou muttering about the situation.]

[The voice makes him turn.] Who's the--AUGH! [There's the sound of stumbling feet as Shou moves back a bit, pulling the goggles away and rubbing his eyes. Light sources and night-vision are a bad combination.]

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

Shou?? [] Are you alright?

[thisclinchesit]

[He groans, rubbing his eyes.]

The light caught me off-guard. I'll live - just glad you're alright.

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

Sorry about that. [] Have you- did you see a girl around here with her hair up in pigtails? Similar in appearance to Madeline but more prone to scowling?

[thisclinchesit]

[He shakes his head.] Can't say I have, no - I can help look, though.

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

I- ... [] It's fine...

[thisclinchesit]

[Shoutarou's head tilts a bit, considering the words.]

...someone from home, I take it?

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

A friend. [] What are you doing out here anyway? Lose someone?

[thisclinchesit]

[The mention gets a nod from the detective, and he does not press further.]

I was down in the library when it happened - been trying to find my way back, and helping guide anyone I run into if I can. [As he says this, he holds up the goggles.]

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[] Interesting gadget... reminds me of Korea and Japan's toys they'd make......
[] An...... Anglettere? []

[thisclinchesit]

Well, I am from Japan...

[The change in attention made Shou follow her gaze, peering through the goggles.] Eh? I don't see anything...

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[]

[thisclinchesit]

H-hey! Wait! Francisca!

[He follows, trying to get her to pay him some mind.]

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[]

[thisclinchesit]

[If only Philip were here, Shoutarou could just pull her back with the Luna Memory...]

[And now, Shou's flat-out running.] Damnit, wait up!

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[There- a flicker of something that went round the corner-!] Anglettere! [She almost slips because of her shoes and snarls, pausing to yank them off before running again.]

[thisclinchesit]

[That pause gives Shou just the right amount of time to close the gap, and he reaches out to try and grab her arm, shoulder, even her shirt - something.]

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[She sees the flicker again and reaches for it, fingertips just a breath away from the figure-

And suddenly the breath leaves her body and her eyes roll up, cold spreading from her hand to her body. The figure turns and looks ready to attack, but then Shou's grip on her arm drags her back into safety. She crumples to the floor, eyelids heavy and finding it suddenly difficult to breathe, as if the air has turned to a thick syrup around her.]

[thisclinchesit]

Francisca--! [Shoutarou looks down to her, then at the figure that struck at her. He scowls, stepping between Francisca and the phantom while pulling the Joker Memory from his jacket. He goes to click the button, and...]

[Nothing.]

[Click. Click. Clickclickclick.]

[He stares at the Memory, dumbfounded. That wasn't supposed to happen...]

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[Francisca retches, breathing suddenly far too much for her, and forces herself to focus her eyes on Shoutarou and his surprised expression. Something's gone wrong and the thing is coming.

... But she hadn't seen them in the actual rooms-]

S-Shou...! [hoarsely] Get to- rooms-

[thisclinchesit]

[Francisca's words snap him out of his daze - and he realizes that he's feeling very, very tired.]

Right...!

[The Memory is pocketed, and Shoutarou stoops down to take Francisca's hand, attempting to pull her arm over his shoulders to help her up and take her with him.]

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[Her head flops like a rag doll's as she forces herself up, legs weak as she comes to stand, leaning against Shoutarou and breathing hard from the effort.]

Pressé... Hurry-!

[thisclinchesit]

[There's some grunting, and a bit of adjustment before he starts off with her. His grip on her is tight as he moves toward the inside wall, walking against it for both support, and sooner or later, he'll feel a door.]

I... I got this. Don't worry...

[champagnedelis.livejournal.com]

[Her eyes close as he practically has to drag her along, but she forces her hand to move along the wall to feel for a door. Finally she feels the door handle and jerks on it, pushing Shoutarou through and letting out a hushed cry as she stumbles on the ground, slumping against the doorframe, half in and half out of the room.

Her eyes blearily open and watch with weary uneasiness as the ghostly figure approaches, but she can't move anymore.]