tenth prayer [closed]

[prayed]

Characters: Kyoko Sakura, Czeslaw Meyer
Setting: Room 03-08
Format: Action brackets.
Summary: Checking up and enjoying the fall weather.
Warnings: None.


She has a bad feeling about him. That kid that she spoke with before. She couldn't pin down precisely what it was, but there's something about him that she just doesn't like.

Even so, this place is making her soft, far more than she cares to admit, and after the recent bout of flooding she finds herself checking dorm rooms for him out of what she tells herself is boredom. It didn't seem like there was anyone taking care of him and a kid that size would get washed away with everything else.

Of course, nobody going by the name "Benjamin" exists. She's made sure to check each one and, at first, she wonders he's gone, but--no, she's pretty sure he's still around here. The telepathic message she's able to send him (What the big idea!? Giving me a fake name--there's nobody in this place by the name of Benjamin, y'know!) is proof enough of that.

Eventually, after trying a few dorm rooms and coming up empty, she chooses the right one. Spotting Czes, she's just going to glare at him like he just killed her family and burned down their house. And she's going to continue her thoughts without skipping a beat.]

It took me forever to figure out where you were. I was starting to wonder if they'd kicked you out, y'know.

Comments

[bytheirhand]

Thank you so much, Kyoko!

[prayed]

You're really starting to cramp my style here, y'know.

[She laughs a little though, her misgivings seemingly forgotten for the moment. She shakes her head one more time, pushes the door open, walking out with her hands behind her head.]

[bytheirhand]

[He grins and runs out the door after her. He zooms past her, running in a circle around her with his arms spread out. HE'S AN AIRPLANE. He comes around full circle until he's in front of her, walking backwards so he can still see her while he talks.]

What floors are the forest floors? There's still a lot of them I haven't seen!

[prayed]

[She blinks, watches as he runs past her with a soft smile on her face. This feels a bit nostalgic, somehow.]

You're gonna trip if you don't watch where you're going, y'know. [As for the forests, well...] The only outdoor floors worth visiting are pretty far down, so it's gonna be a bit of a walk.

[bytheirhand]

[And almost like it was cued, he stumbles as he's going backwards. He giggles a bit and smiles apologetically before falling into place next to her. He reaches up to hold her hand as they walk, seemingly just out of habit.]

Mm, alright.

[prayed]

[Kyoko rolls her eyes as he stumbles, averts them when she feels him taking her hand. It's a bit awkward, but she won't turn him away.]

Oi. You said you're used to taking care of yourself. Were you being serious about that?

[bytheirhand]

[He nods quietly.]

I don't have a family and I probably never will, so...

I had to learn how to take care of myself. I don't have anyone else.

[prayed]

It's the same for me, y'know. My family died a few years back, so I've been on my owns since then.

[A slight shrug.]

I'm fine with it, since being alone means that I can live freely, without having to worry about something as worthless as regret. Whatever happens to me, I'm just suffering the consequences of my own actions, y'know.

[Despite herself, she laughs a little. She's...not really alone anymore though, is she? Sayaka, Mami, even Homura and Madoka...those girls from Mitakihara really are troublesome.]

Well, I probably don't have any right to say something like that anymore.

[bytheirhand]

What do you mean?

[prayed]

[She considers for a moment, tugging a chocolate bar out of her pocket and biting into it.]

It's easy to live just for yourself. Anyone can do it once they've figured out the trick, but you know...there are people out there who refuse to do that. You can't agree with them on anything. They just keep coming at you, no matter what. No matter how many times you beat then down, they just keep getting in your way.

People like that are really troublesome, y'know. By time they're done with you, you'll have suddenly realized that you're alone. Even though it's already been years, and in the end you're going to lose them anyway...well, in short, it's that kind of situation.

[Chomp. Another little laugh.]

You're thinking that I said that in a strange way, right? It's fine. You'll figure it out eventually. How much being alone sucks.

[bytheirhand]

[He looks confused more than anything. Still, he doesn't argue what she said nor does he ask any further questions. It's not important right now though it did give him some more information about her.]

I... I guess.

[prayed]

As I thought, you don't understand at all. How about this, then: is there even one person that you'd truly want to protect? Ah, don't bother counting yourself.

[bytheirhand]

Well, it's like I said earlier. I don't have a family and I'm used to being on my own, so all I know how to do is protect myself.

[prayed]

[She nods understandingly.]

Right. So then like, can you even imagine what it'd be like? Having somebody who you can trust completely. You could sit down and have good food with and be completely honest. That kind of person.

[bytheirhand]

[He shakes his head and looks away from her, his brow furrowed.]

It's kind of hard to imagine, but... I think it would be nice.

[He smiles a bit, hiding the fact that inside he is going NOPE. NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE that would not be nice at all.]

[prayed]

Heh. You think so?

[She sounds a little displeased, somehow, though who can say why.]

[bytheirhand]

Mm, I don't think it would be too bad. At least you know you have someone who cares about you.

[prayed]

That's right, but it's also wrong, y'know.

[bytheirhand]

[He looks up at her, waiting to see if she'll elaborate.]

[prayed]

You don't have to trust someone to care about them and you don't have to care about someone to trust them.

[She shrugs, as though it were simple.]

I don't expect you to understand right now, but you know, if you live long enough it'll happen to you too. You'll find somebody that you can't stand at first, 'cause you're just too different from you, but y'know...whether or not you want to, eventually you're gonna get to a point where you actually want to protect that person.

It can get pretty lonely after that though, y'know, since being alone suddenly isn't enough anymore.

[bytheirhand]

I... I guess I'll have to take your word for it.

[prayed]

Heh. You don't believe me at all. Well, I'd be glad to pound that fact into your head, but y'know,

[She stops rather suddenly, holding her arm out to keep him from walking any further. She tugs a box of pocky out of her pocket.]

It looks like that's going to have to wait. Looks like we've got company.

[She flashes him a confident grin, before nodding towards the monsters lurking around and on the bottom of the staircase.]

[bytheirhand]

[He nearly runs into her when she stops and his eyes slowly follow hers down to the bottom of the staircase.

His eyes widen in fear and he pulls on her hand, trying to go back up the stairs.]

[prayed]

[She doesn't budge, shaking her head.]

I've got plans, y'know. There's no way I'd let something like this get in my way. Super pisses me off when they show up uninvited, y'know.

[After pulling a piece of pocky out of the box with her teeth, Kyoko will tear her hand away with his, instead handing him the box.]

Just hang tight and hold this for me, 'kay? If you lose it, I'll make you pay for it.

[bytheirhand]

But--!

[She shoves the box of pocky into his hands and all he can do is stare. If she wants to kill herself, so be it. He wasn't going to stop her.]