towerofanimus | [.oo8] A Compulsion of Memory [OPEN]

Entry tags:

[ou] naminé

[.oo8] A Compulsion of Memory [OPEN]

Characters: Naminé (OU) and any passersby.
Setting: Floor 11/later in the day Floor 3, December 26th
Format: Responder's choice.
Summary: Naminé's Christmas present from the Tower has put her in a strange mood. Studying ensues, resultant exhaustion included.
Warning: Memories/possible reference to kidnapping, violence, death etc. pretty much only as a past occurrence.

Floor 11

[Someone is seated at the edge of the lake, right in front of one of the waterfalls that empty into it. A couple of blankets are gathered around her, probably taken from her bed. Wrapped around her and even forming something a hood over her head, only a few strands of golden hair visible from behind her, they offer some amount of defense against the cold as she works. Curiously, there appears to be a small doll also tucked into the blankets, on the edge of them not far from the girl's right side. On her left, some distance away from her but close enough to imply that it belongs to her (whether she likes it or not) is a white cage, about the right size to house a small bird. It is empty.]

[Those who are familiar with it or have the sense for it may recognize, even before getting close enough to see what she's doing, that she seems to be practicing magic. Persistently, over and over as if training, she reaches out pale, slender hands to form glowing barriers against the falling water, allowing it to flow off over the edges of the spell but attempting to maintain or strengthen that shield as best she can. Other times, she does something else entirely, using another sort of magic to stop portions of the water entirely, as if they are frozen in time, though this, too, wears off eventually. Over time, she is becoming more skilled.]

[It looks like something has encouraged Naminé to do a little studying.]

Floor 3

[Later in the day, Naminé can be found in the library, several books relating to magic spread out on the table before her, the doll next to them and the cage on a chair by the far side of the table. Unfortunately for her, it seems she's done a little TOO much studying today, because she's out cold, head on her arms which are folded over the one book she was trying to use to FINALLY take a break, a book of fairytales (ironically) open to the story of Sleeping Beauty. The blankets are still wrapped around her, but in her sleep it has fallen from around her shoulders and now rests mostly against the chair itself.]

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Naminé didn't seem inclined to blame her for it, even though the blonde did seem intent on studying the other girl thoroughly. The dangers of those one did not know was not something Naminé was unfamiliar with. Even so, her expression was not unfriendly; in fact, when it was replied to, that smile grew in strength.

"Nothing specific-- although I did want to finish reading. It's just... not safe to be caught sleeping out in the open like this. Not in the Tower." Or as 'open' as a library could be; it still wasn't the enclosed and comparatively safe haven of her own room.

"That's true..it is rather dangerous to fall asleep in the library, even with the librarians. I would have moved you, but I was afraid that you would have woken up."

After all, that had happened to Tetra before, and Tohko didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

"What were you reading?"

"I probably would have." There was a hint of apology in her smile, even though it wouldn't have been her (conscious) fault. "But-- thank you for at least considering it."

The question seemed to surprise her slightly, and she glanced down out of reflex, arms drawing away from the book. She'd nearly forgotten it was still there.

"Oh-- just some fairy tales. I'd spent so much time reading about-- other things," Like magic and its practical applications, by the looks of the other books. "... that I'd finally decided to take a break and read something less... heavy."

Tohko smiled. "Oh, you're welcome."

At the mention of fairy tales, Tohko's grin grew even bigger, and she looked over the girls shoulder to see what she had been reading. Sleeping Beauty. It was a good story that tasted like a fluffy, sweet piece of bread with nuts. Looking around Tohko could see that hte other books were about magic and it's applications.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with reading fairy tales! Quite a few of them are really sweet and delicious. However, I wish you luck in your studies. I know a couple of other people that practice magic here, but I'm not quite sure if it's the same type you're used to."

The grin was a bit unexpected, but decidedly welcome, and it encouraged Naminé to respond with a stronger smile of her own. She leaned slightly out of the way so that Tohko could have a look.

"Delicious?" That part got a blink and an honest, devoid of sarcasm, "I didn't know that they had a taste...?" But that would not be the biggest surprise of her life, in truth. "-- I wouldn't know, either. I'm only a novice. The person who was teaching me... left the Tower some time ago. But-- thank you. I'll probably need all the luck I can get."

Tohko chuckled nervously and scratched her head, trying to cover up her blunder. "T-to be honest, they don't. I just compare food to books because cooking and writing is similar."

She then sighed. "Oh, no problem. If you told me who that person was or what he looked like, I might be able to help you find them if they ever arrive in the Tower again."

"Oh...! I'm sorry. I... think I understand." It did get a headtilt, though, as she considered that. Huh. Well, even if that was a touch suspicious, she didn't intend to press it.

"Thank you...! I wasn't her only student; she was on the network before to speak about giving lessons. Her name is Aqua." And Naminé can justify giving that information because Aqua gave it herself, when she was in the Tower.

"Oh, it's alright! Don't worry about it! I am glad that you get it though. Most people don't."

Tohko moved back so that the girl could look at her book again and nodded. "Ah, alright then. I haven't met her, but if I see her again, I'll let her know that you were looking for her, alright?"

"Mm. I've heard much stranger things." And she was a pretty clever girl, in the right situations. "That's a very creative way of looking at it."

Although Naminé seemed more inclined to look over at Tohko. Wouldn't it be rude not to? Or some such thing. That aspect of it wasn't really the reason, anyway; Naminé learned a long time ago not to take her eyes off of people she didn't know very well. "Alright. That's very kind of you. She's... very kind, herself. I'm sure she'd be a good person for you to meet, anyway."

Tohko chuckled and scratched her head again. "I suppose so. I've just always looked at it that way."

She then nodded. "Well, whether she's kind or not, it would be nice to meet her..and it would be good if I found her. That way, she'd be able to teach you magic again!"

Since learning magic was usually just confined to stories, Tohko loved the fact that there were people here who could perform it and teach others.

"I'm glad that you shared it with me." And she was; it was always interesting to her to hear the thoughts of others.

"I'd like that. -- Well, I... suppose it might not be best for her if she had to be in the Tower again, but-- I would really like to see her again. To learn magic and just because she is so kind. She... was very comforting."

Tohko nodded and patted the girl on the head.

"Don't worry, I understand. Since she's your friend, it'd be nice to have her around, but you wouldn't want her to suffer. But..I think it would be best if you two were able to see each other again, even here. After all, bad things are a little bit more tolerable when you have friends around you."

That pat was thoroughly unexpected, and her eyes widened, her body going still. She recovered soon enough, however, careful to smile again quickly. It seemed like an innocent enough gesture, just a surprising one as well.

"Exactly. That's just what I meant." That smile flickered larger. "You know, it's funny-- I think I'd say the same, if our places were switched." The part about wanting them to be together again, that was.

Tohko lightly chuckled at that. "I guess that means our thinking is similar-at least, in that regard." Tohko wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but she was happy to see that there was someone here who was similar to her, thought-wise.

Her smile widened. "I guess so. Hopefully it won't come back to bite us." Meant humorously, of course, as her tone and growing smile made clear. It was always nice to find a kindred spirit, at least in certain aspects.

Tohko chuckled again and patted her head. "I don't think it will! However, if you ever need any help with something or have a question, don't hesitate to ask me, alright?"

This time, Naminé was considerably more prepared, and there was a lot less tension involved. Smile widening, "Me neither." To the last part a pleasantly surprised nod, and, "Alright...! But only if the same goes for you, okay?"

Tohko smiled and nodded. "Good! I'm glad to hear that. And don't worry! If I need your help with something, I'll be sure to come and ask you for it!"

Her own smile grows easier. "Okay. Thank you, and-- I won't forget."

Edited 2012-12-28 02:07 (UTC)

"Oh, no problem! I'm always happy to help..and I'm glad you won't forget."

Tohko thought it was odd that she should tack that onto the end of her sentence. Did she have memory problems?

"By the way, what's your name? It's going to be hard to help you if I don't know it!"

'Problems' in the looser sense of the word, perhaps; the problems Naminé had with memories were not the problems most people had with them. She just nodded at the end of that, smile unhelpful as to what she might really mean.

"-- Oh! Of course, how silly of me...!" She looked appropriately apologetic for forgetting such a thing. (Ironically again not related to normal memory problems.) "My name is Naminé."

Tohko chuckled and scratched her head. "Oh, it's alright! Don't worry about it! It's nice to meet you, Namine! I'm Tohko Amano, the book girl!"

"It's nice to meet you, too, Tohko." Naminé was glad there didn't seem to be any offense taken at the slip up, though her curiosity was quick to distract her from that relief. "'Book girl'? Why are you called that?" Though it wasn't the strangest addendum to be made when they were meeting in a library, she supposed.

And Tohko's grin just got even bigger.

"Because I love and know more about books than anyone else! After all, who else can tell you why Bulgakov burned his first draft of The Master and Margarita in despair or why Barrie created Peter Pan and how weird his first draft of the story was, or whether or not No Longer Human is an autobiographical tale or not! And there are even fewer people who can tell you that they've solved a murder-mystery with nothing but their wits, luck, and love of books!"

Tohko gushed as she spoke and quickly added, "So, that's why I'm the book girl." before stopping.

It wasn't hard at all to follow in the beginning, and thus her smile was healthy, then. Though as Tohko continued, Naminé's lips slowly formed into a surprised 'o'; she didn't know the first thing about most of those books - save for the name Peter Pan, which was quite a strange thing to hear, but perhaps not as much so as it would have been if she hadn't already seen the movie version of Beauty and the Beast and learned of those sorts of situations before - and wasn't even familiar with most of the titles. There was a blink and then another, and then that smile was back, accompanied by a small laugh.

"I see what you mean...! I've never even heard of most of those. It sounds like you've really earned the title. It's good that the Tower has a library for you, then." There was a pause, then, half-playfully but sincerely curious, "Why did Barrie create Peter Pan?"

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