[Semi open] There's a pink one, and a green one, and a blue one, and a yellow one...

[taintedwhite]

Characters: [A] Shiro and Cie (Toto and Ganta)
[B] Shiro and Wilhelm
[C] Shiro and EVERYBODY
Setting: Candy hunting in the Tower, during the whole event.
Format: prose to start but I'll match.
Summary: This is Shiro's dream event. Candy everywhere!!! Wretched Egg however hates this event so she'll be nowhere in sight. Anyone want to pair up with a Candy Hunting Specialist? Just apply here ^_~
Warnings: PG to be safe (since WE is not here, it should be pretty soft and not to violent XD), will update if needed.

[A] Shiro pushed the aeration grid out of the way and then hung upside down for a bit to check if it was actually in the right room. She beams at someone still hiding in the shadows.
"Shiro was right, Toto! This is Ganta's room!"
Shiro made a somersault and she landed back onto her feet on the ground. Then she leaped onto Ganta's bed.
"Gaaantaaa! Wake up, Ganta! There are candy everywhere in the Tower and Shiro is gonna find them ALL!"
And you're officially recruited as part of Shiro's Candy Hunting Team. Be proud.

[B] Shiro was sure she'd find lots of candy in the library. There were so many shelves and secret corners where one could hide candy bars or lolipops. She was trying to use some kind of 'method', systematically checking the row in the same order and so on... But Shiro was not the patient kind. So it was kinda hard for her. Someone in the library would hear lots of sighing, and books falling down the shelves before being put back in place.
At one point she reached that particular corner of the library in between two bookcases that Wilhelm called his 'office'. That's where he would play chess with Aceman. Shiro came closer to it, wondering if she'd be able to find more candy there. Wilhelm didn't like candy much anyway (although he'd never refuse to share a snack with Shiro), so he probably wouldn't mind...

[C] Shiro stepped onto that new floor and started scanning the whole area around her with the expert eye of the Professional Candy Hunter. She knew there were candy to find here. She could almost 'feel' them even if she couldn't see them yet. But it was only only a matter of minutes... or seconds really until she'd find them. She striked a pose and exclaimed to all and sundry.
"Shiro's here! And Shiro's gonna find ALL the candy! And Shiro will only share with people who help Shiro find the candy!"
There, you've been warned.
[ooc: Tell me what floor you choose in the subject line! Thanks ^_~]

Comments

[oforder]

Wilhelm nodded in greeting. "I am aware. I felt a strange desire to hunt for candy as well, but now, I believe that I have performed satisfactorily."

Shiro wanted to--... oh, of course. "That is fine. But remember my rule: Do not touch the Compass. It is for your own safety. Only I know how to use it. For anyone else, it is dangerous." The only way he can think of to explain it so that Shiro would understand.

[taintedwhite]

"Oh?" Shiro gave him a curious look, a bit similar to the cat who's just spotted something that could be a bowl of cream. "Did Wilhelm find a lot of candy then?"

Shiro shook her head firmly. "Shiro won't touch the Compass. Ever. Shiro did promise."

[oforder]

"A fair amount." The fact that his clothing hasn't begun tightening on him like it did last year gave him the impression that he isn't supposed eat the candy; at least, not yet. "I would hold on that candy, if I were you. What happened last year is not happening here again. The Administrators are capable of blocking my ability to predict the future, so I am not certain what they are up to, this time."

He nods. "I believe you."

[taintedwhite]

"Really? Shiro got a lot too!" She was not envious but part of her still would have liked to know if he got more than she did. Shiro frowned at what he said next. "Shiro is not supposed to eat the candy she's found?" Well granted she only ate a piece or two so far but she was planning to eat more later on. That's... rather disappointing. "Why hide candy for Shiro to find them if Shiro can't eat them?" She was pouting slightly now.

He could. Shiro was always true to her word.

[oforder]

"I don't know. The Administrators' games differ all of the time. However, unlike last year, I do not feel a compulsion to eat them - only to find them." He wasn't sure, either. The only thing he can think of is that they're supposed to feed them to something - or someone - else, or if the reason they'd need to eat them hasn't happened yet.

"Let us begin, then." Wilhelm began looking in between the various books on the bookshelves.

[taintedwhite]

"Let's start!" But then her enthusiasm seemed to deflate just a bit and she brought a thoughtful mitten covered finger to her lips. "What's a... compulsion, Wilhelm?"

[oforder]

"An overwhelming, irrational need to do something, almost without thinking. Sometimes, it is uncontrollable." Maybe she'd understand that. It was like her own habit of referring to herself in the third person.

So far, nothing in the bookcase. He took one of the larger books out, and began looking through the pages, and inside the jacket and the spine of the book.

[taintedwhite]

"Oh." Shiro kept silent for a moment. "Shiro likes looking for candy but... this time... Shiro feels that it is really important to find candy. Is it the compulsion thing, Wilhelm?"

Shiro carefully observed the way Wilhelm was proceeding. Then she picked another large book and did the same.

[oforder]

"Yes," Wilhelm answered. "Normally, you wish to find candy only for yourself, right? Without wishing to put it into a specific bowl?" He paused, waiting for it to sink in for her.

"That is what I refer to. Such compulsions are not natural for me. I can only assume it is connected to the fact that it is a 'Ruana month.'"

[taintedwhite]

Shiro listened carefully, then she nodded. "Shiro sometimes puts candy in bowls but not always. But Shiro knows that if she doesn't, the candy will disappear. Shiro can't let that happen."

Shiro's hand balled into fist without her noticing. Then she looked down at her hand, opened it and looked up at Wilhelm. "Shiro thinks Shiro understands what 'compulsion' is now."

Shiro gave a smile at hearing Ruana's name. "Shiro knows Ruana. She organized the haunted house game! It was fun." Well at the beginning at least, it was.

[oforder]

"That is precisely my point," Wilhelm continued. "This is an event. There is no other explanation." And plus, October is famous for Halloween. And Halloween, in turn, is famous for candy, which, as he has gathered, is pretty much Shiro's entire diet. Except for when Wretched Egg takes over, of course.

"Many would call your fondness of Ruana's months masochistic," he added, while opening another book, and searching for candy inside the spine. Nothing. "I cannot comment. I am not capable of feeling fear, or resentment."

[taintedwhite]

"An event. Okay. Shiro knows everything about events!" Except... she didn't but she knew enough. And she wanted Wilhelm to think she was smart, so. But it was getting difficult to keep pretending she was getting everything. Wilhelm kept using big words.

"What's maso... chistic?"

And the she blinked at the last part. "You never get scared or angry? ...Is that because you're too strong for people to try and mess up with you?"

[oforder]

"Do you know why we will be needing to collect this candy, then?" He's not asking her to be mean. But, hey, maybe she really does know. Shiro is much smarter than she lets on, he has figured this out a long time ago.

"It means you enjoy making yourself experience hardship." Well... that's a very watered-down definition, but he didn't want to give her the more graphic version. He knew Wretched Egg was listening. She always was.

"No. It is because the Collective Subconscious created me with only the bare minimum amount of emotions, so that every decision I make will be based on logic and rationale. It is so that I do not allow emotion to cloud my judgment, when I decide what is best for humanity as a whole in my universe."

This part about Sorae is pure headcanon jsyk but I could picture her saying that.

[taintedwhite]

Why? ...Oh. Was he trying to trick her and check if she really knew as much as she said she did? ...No. Wilhelm was Shiro's friend. He wouldn't do such a mean thing to her. So he really was asking for her opinion. Shiro was flattered. She thought about it, very seriously. "Shiro thinks it's a contest. The more candy one finds the better chance one gets to win a big prize. Maybe it does not only depend on the number but on what kind of candy one got too."

It sounded like a valid reasoning. Shiro was quite proud of herself. Maybe Wilhelm would be impressed.

...Or not. He knew so many important stuff.

"Shiro doesn't! ...Who likes that? Shiro likes only sweet, fun and happy things." Games, candy, comics and Ganta. Not necessarily in that order.

"So... Wilhelm doesn't get angry and scared because people never make good decisions when they are, right?" Or something like that, hopefully. But at least this part made sense to her. Ganta's Mom had told Shiro something similar once, she remembered. "But what about good emotions, Wilhelm?"

Headcanon accepted \o/

[oforder]

Well... yes, and no. He knew Shiro was much more intelligent than she seemed on the surface, and he took every opportunity he had to confirm this fact to himself.

"That is certainly possible," Wilhelm concurred. "But the prize would likely not be an actual prize. Ruana is not known for her generosity." Or her kindness, for that matter. Even if Shiro seems to enjoy her months. At least she managed to look on the bright side.

"There are many people in this Tower who appear to be as warped as the Administrators themselves are. People who take pleasure in suffering, both their own, and others. And there are those who seek the Administrators' power for themselves. It is a game, and we are not the players, but the pieces on the board."

He turned back to face her, just as she asked about 'good emotions.' Placing the book back on the shelf, Wilhelm thought for a moment. "I often do not have the luxury for such indulgences. But if you are referring enjoyment or to pleasure, yes. You are aware of my taste in music, chess, and wine, already."

[taintedwhite]

"Not actual prizes?" Shiro frowned. "Shiro wants to win something she can keep... or eat!" What kind of prizes could be worth it if they didn't meet those criteria.

"...Shiro doesn't know. Most people Shiro's met seemed to be nice. Shiro doesn't think they wanted to be administrators." They were nice to play with but... they often vanished too soon. "Shiro thinks it's just sad they don't always get to stay..."

"So good emotions do not prevent Wilhelm from making good decisions? Even important ones?"

[oforder]

"I am aware. Unfortunately, we do not live in such circumstances, here." Their lives and not being tortured, for one. But then again, that was their lot in life, here. Or so it seems.

"'Aceman' tends to deal with the less friendly people here. That is what I have noticed, when it comes to your well-being."

Wilhelm shook his head. "Attachment does."

[taintedwhite]

Shiro just pouted because, well, there was nothing she could answer to that. But it was still unfair.

"Oh... Shiro guesses it is true." Aceman had always done that, from the moment when Ganta had disappeared back then when they were kid. "It's Aceman's duty to deal with mean people."

"But what if people are attached to Wilhelm?"

[oforder]

"It is true." He's come to learn much about both of Shiro's personalities. The Wretched Egg, whom Shiro refers to as 'Aceman,' is extremely protective of the other personality, and shows absolutely no mercy towards anyone or anything it perceives to be a threat to her. Shiro, on he other hand, is the exact opposite.

"That doesn't matter here, does it?" Wilhelm answers. "This is not my universe. Though, in my universe, I seldom made public appearances, and many in Vector have never met me."

[taintedwhite]

"It does matter." Shiro's expression turned very serious as she said that. "If people are attached to Wilhelm and Wilhelm ignores them, those people will get sad."

A pause.

"Wilhelm must feel lonely in his world." Just like Shiro had felt for such a long long time.

[oforder]

"There were few in my world who ever did have that opportunity, and fewer still who lived as long as I have," Wilhelm answered. Yeshua and Mary were the only ones, and while he and Yeshua didn't see eye to eye on a whole lot, neither of them considered the other an enemy. There was a strong mutual respect, there.

"Sometimes. But I do not have the luxury of dwelling on such feelings. Besides, the Testaments kept my company well enough."

He also has a special detachment of Realian servants, though he doesn't use them for anything beyond the most rudimentary of tasks, like cleaning his office and cooking for him, just to keep up appearances.

[taintedwhite]

"What about here, Wilhelm?"

After all, he was the one who kept saying that here was different because they weren't in his universe.

[oforder]

"Death is irrelevant, here." Not exactly what she was asking, but, well, this is Wilhelm. "As for company... I have several people in this world that I interact with regularly. It is not the same as my own world, by any standard."

[taintedwhite]

Shiro nods. "People don't stay dead. But people can disappear."

You never knew how long you'd get to enjoy someone's company in the Tower. So to Shiro, it wasn't so different from back home. But for Wilhelm who couldn't die back home, this place was probably a big change.

"Interact? Interact is not what Shiro meant." Not exactly at least. She gave him a gentle smile. "Shiro wanted to ask if Wilhelm had made friends here?"

[oforder]

"Yes. Though what happens to those that do... I don't know if I believe it, or not. Nothing here is as it seems, and just when you believe you have it figured out, it changes yet again."

Wilhelm was openly admitting he isn't five steps ahead of everyone else, for once. And he's admitting it to Shiro of all people.

"Why don't you tell me, Shiro? Have I?"

[taintedwhite]

Admittedly Shiro was probably the less risky choice, if he was to tell that to someone. Except that whatever Shiro knew, Wretched Egg knew as well, but.

"Shiro can't answer that. Only Wilhelm knows." Ganta had taught Shiro, even if he was probably not aware he did, that friendship worked both ways. "Shiro likes Wilhelm. But does Wilhelm think of Shiro as a friend?"

[oforder]

But, hopefully, she has no use for that kind of information, beyond simply getting the pleasure of hearing it from his own mouth, instead of speculating.

"Yes, Shiro. Of course." Because, well, why not? She's been kind to him without any sort of ulterior motive (the same can't be said of Wretched Egg). She's always trying to talk to him. She's never been anything but sweet, and he sees no reason whatsoever why she would interfere with his own personal goals, both here and in his own world.

[taintedwhite]

Hearing it from Wilhelm was almost disappointing to Wretched Egg but no, she had no use for this information. Not right now at least.

"Really?" Shiro blushed and gave him the happiest smile ever. Then, without further ado, she hugged him. "Shiro is happy Wilhelm thinks Shiro and Wilhelm are friends too." Even the Candy Hunt was momentarily forgotten, which was quite the feat. Wilhelm should feel proud.

[oforder]

Wilhelm was taken aback by the hug. He didn't flinch or back away, but he was very unused to any kind of physical affection, from Shiro or anyone else. Regardless, Wilhelm tentatively placed a hand on her back, in a sort of pseudo reciprocation of the hug.

"Of course."

[taintedwhite]

Fortunately for Wilhelm, the hug didn't last very long. But Shiro smiled as he placed that hand on her back. She pulled away, slowly. The blush was still visible on her otherwise pale cheeks.

"Shiro is glad to play the Candy Hunt game with a friend."

The compulsion was still there and she was starting to feel the urge to resume looking for candy. Not that she minded.

"Maybe Shiro and Wilhelm can trade candy too. It's probably better to have many different kinds of candy, right?"

[oforder]

He releases her as soon as she releases him. Wilhelm was not used to that, and barely even knew how to react. Despite this, there wasn't any sort of sense of relief when she released him.

"Are you not being accompanied by others already?"

And at her offer, Wilhelm nodded.

"Of course. If that is what you need, you know where to find me."