(no subject)

[unlikelyfarmhand]

 Characters: Hachiken Yugo, anyone who wants to meet him
Setting: Dorm room 1-16 and the dorm floors
Format: Willing to match you.
Summary: One new member, somewhat confused at what's going on here.
Warnings: Probably none, he's pretty tame.

The first thing Hachiken noticed was that he was lying in a bed again. He'd been in the process of walking back to school, that he was pretty sure of, and yet, here he was lying in bed. Had he fainted again? That was possible, but he should be all better now.

The letters caught his attention and he froze, reading them. His world had been destroyed? That couldn't possibly be true. As he thought about it, he looked around, and it didn't look so much like a hospital then a dorm room not unlike the one at school in a way. The entire world? How? What about Mikage and Komaba? The thought of his best friends dying somehow brings tears to his eyes. He pushed his arm up under his glasses to wipe away any stray tears.

No, what he needed was answers. This couldn't be right and in fact, he really shouldn't be crying until he knew for sure. Carefully, with hesitant footsteps, he opens the door and peers out into the hall for a moment before stepping out and looking around. It was definitely like a dormitory of some kind, but where was he?

Comments

Aha, I see Hachiken is stuck with both of my characters now!

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick must've missed his new roommate that morning when he stumbled out of bed and went about his patrol of the first floor dormitories. Making the same mistake on his return would be much more difficult.]

[And somehow he manages.]

[A large, orange tabby cat comes trotting around the corner from down the hall, taking his time to casually rub against the last few doors on that end. That makes a full circuit marked--a successful morning! With his territory re-established and accounted for, the cat is more than happy to relinquish control to his human counterpart who, in the blink of an eye, suddenly appears in the feline's place.]

[Hachiken may or may not notice this transformation occur. But he will no doubt take notice of the nervous blonde man when he starts making his way towards 1-16 and abruptly freezes, squinting in surprise and confusion at the fellow who steps out of the open door. He doesn't look familiar...a new friend of Ion's, perhaps? New person in general?]

[Well it certainly won't do having some strange, red-faced man staring at him. Rick fumbles for some kind of excuse.]

...Uh...s-s-sorry. A-Are you...l-looking for s-s-someone?

How unfortunate for them XD

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[It's a good thing Hachiken doesn't notice the transformation because that kind of change would be quite a shock to brain if he had. He blinks at the other man and he sucks in a deep breath.]

I don't know. I'm lost. I woke up here...

I dunno, I would feel worse for Hachiken in Codi's case...

[bashfulshifter]

[So he is new...and also walking out of Rick's room. Seems like that last bed has always been empty...]

Oh...I am...v-v-very s-sorry. [A proper greeting for a place like this, probably, but Rick doesn't feel any better about giving it. He tries to lessen the blow: ] --I-I m-mean--I'm s-sorry you're c-c-confused. I-It's...u-un--understandable. Did you, uh... [He makes some odd gestures, unsure of where he wants to go with this.] ...the n-note?

Haha, we'll just see!

[unlikelyfarmhand]

I read it. Is it true? I mean, why would someone pick me?

[His brow is creased in a frown, hands trembling a little as he worries at the zipper of his hoodie.]

>:3

[bashfulshifter]

[He nods, slightly numb, eyes distractedly flickering to the boy's hand as he fiddles with his jacket's zipper.]

I've, ah...a-asked the a-a-admins that, b-before. Zo, I m-mean--he s-said he c-c-can't c-control it. Just...whoever he c-can g-grab on to.

[A beat and the blonde man's face falls.]

...I'm sorry. This m-must be...s-s-sorry.

[BECAUSE HE CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[That made more sense then it should have. Hachiken runs his hand through his hair nervously, not really sure how to take everything. It's stressful, really stressful and he's never entirely sure how to cope with stress. He'd rather ignore everything until it goes away, however it doesn't look like that is going to happen.]

It's...

[Well it's not okay, but he's not really sure what word to use.]

I mean..you must be in a similar situation, I'm guessing.

[bashfulshifter]

...We a-all are.

[Rick chances a look up at Hachiken's face. Ah--he knows that look. It's one the blonde man wears quite a lot himself. His expression softens into something more hopeful, almost pleading.]

--A-And w-we're all w-working to m-make everything r-r-right again. W-We...w-we'll b-bring them back.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

Is there a way to do that? I'd like that. I don't know what I can do to help, but if you need anything, let me know. I'd really like to see Mikage and Komaba again.

[bashfulshifter]

There h-has to be.

[An uncertain answer, but said with much more certainty than Rick should ever have.]

W-We're, ah...s-s-still f-figuring out h-how. B-But w-we'll get it. [He nods and smiles very slightly, face flushing light pink.] ...I-I...a-a-appreciate the h-help. I d-don't, uh...

[Rick looks away for a moment. The kid seems very eager to help, but as to how he can help directly, he's not entirely sure. There's so much going on around here that jobs start blending together...]

[Eventually he snaps his fingers and goes back to the most faithful response: ]

--Ah! Um--r-research! These-- [He points to his blue collar.] --w-we've, ah--f-f-found s-some s-s-samples of this--s-stuff, and--w-we're t-trying to f-find out w-what it does. There are d-d-different g-groups, and...m-maybe you c-could help there?

[unlikelyfarmhand]

I could, I'm just not sure I know enough about this place yet. But I will help you when I do. Promise.

[bashfulshifter]

...Thank you. [A beat--then he snaps to attention and awkwardly extends a hand.] --Er--s-sorry. I should--um--I'm R-Rick. I l-live-- [He gestures at the open door to 1-16.] --I-I'm, um...n-not sure h-how h-h-helpful I can be, b-b-but--if you w-want to a-ask me a-a-anything...?

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[He blinks for a moment but shakes his hand with a small smile.]

I'm Hachiken Yugo. I woke up in that room...I guess I'm supposed to stay there? I don't know what I'm supposed to ask.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick opens his mouth to answer but stops short. Presumably they're supposed to stay in their rooms? He's never intentionally slept elsewhere, and the one week he was trapped outside the dorm levels he did feel pretty gross--but that could have easily been because of general exhaustion and trauma. Still, he can think of at least one reason not to wander around.]

...I-I w-w-wouldn't r-risk s-s-staying s-s-somewhere else. [He worries his lip.] ...The m-monsters c-c-come out at n-night. But...they d-don't go in the r-rooms.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

Wait, monsters?

[Hachiken's eyes go wide.] What...what kind of monsters?

[bashfulshifter]

[Oh no, he's worried him! Rick sputters, stammering incoherently as he tries to correct this mistake.]

--A-A-Ah--they uh--i-i-it's f-f-fine if you d-d-don't g-go out at n-night! They--w-well they u-usually--er--

[This isn't helping!]

--J-Just--b-be c-c-careful. D-Don't...don't go in, um...d-dark p-places.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Is that a chill down his spine? Probably.]

Dark places? I don't understand. How can there be monsters? They don't exist.

I don't normally go out at night, but what if I have to use the bathroom or something?

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick glances anxiously over his glasses.]

...T-Trust me. They're h-here.

[You will learn to hold it in because your life depends on it.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Hachiken is skeptical, but it makes about as much sense as waking up in a tower in the middle of nowhere. He's still confused but mostly he just looks worried.]

I'm...not doubting you exactly, it's just that monsters don't really exist where I'm from.

[bashfulshifter]

[He nods slowly and scratches the back of his head.]

...Same. Th--There are...a l-lot of th--things h-here that...sh--shouldn't e-exist.

[It's best not to think about them too much, he's found.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[He puts a hand to his head, it looks like he might be getting a headache.]

I don't want to think about monsters.

[bashfulshifter]

[Definitely not helping.]

...M-Maybe you should...l-lie d-d-down for a b-bit?

[unlikelyfarmhand]

No. Just...no. I've done enough of that in the last few days. I'd rather not if I can help it. [He sighs a little and tries to brush it aside. Monsters. It's all too incredible.]

[bashfulshifter]

--O-Oh! Uh--s-s-sorry. [Has he hit a nerve? He's hit a nerve.] I-I-I d-didn't mean to...um...

[There's a very awkward pause. How does he make this guy feel better?]

...a-are you h-hungry?

[unlikelyfarmhand]

No, don't apologize. It's just that I spent two days in hospital. It was really boring.

[Hachiken thinks about it and then he nods.]

I think so.

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick opens his mouth to apologize for his companion being in a hospital--is told not to apologize and is about to apologize for it anyways--and then finally realizes that he's agreed with him, so really there's no point to fretting about it at all. The blonde man's eventual expression is one of (understandably) bewildered confusion, and it takes him a few moments to respond coherently.]

--Uh--a-ah. O-Okay.

[Another pause. Rick blinks as a nervous blush steadily takes over his face.]

...W-Well th--there's a, a-ah...c-cafeteria on the f-f-first f-floor. G-Good food this m-month-- [He pulls a face.] --I-I m-mean, you'll h-have to eat o-o-oatmeal f-first, but--the r-rest is f-fine. I, uh...I-I can w-walk you there?