An idea and a problem

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Characters: Veronica and OPEN.
Setting: The 23rd. Dorm floors, Floors 1, 26, 27 and 30
Format: Anything goes
Summary: Veronica's continued life in the tower. Also, she gets an idea.
Warnings: Usual stuff.


Dorm Floors-Patrol because why not
[Well, she was still in the tower. Whoop dee doo.

Veronica rose from her bed slowly, groaning as her muscles did things that they did not want to. After that big fight with Sephiroth, Veronica was more than angry at the tower for putting such a person here. Why couldn't he have died on his planet? Why couldn't he have died instead of Rick?....Ugh, it was too early to care. At least she hadn't died, which was a good thing.

Preparing once again to following her usually regime, Veronica got up and prepared to start her day. Deciding to try and be helpful, Veronica made her way into the halls of the dorm and started patrolling like she used to back home, looking for any possible danger. She didn't look very scary from a first glance, in fact she looked sort of tired, but her weapons were right underneath her cloak, ready for anything.]


Floor 1-The Cafeteria
[Back to the cafeteria. Veronica had notable been absent quite a lot from this floor on account of just being busy, and the hunger was starting to get to her.

So, she had taken into the kitchen and was preparing herself a sandwich. Several sandwiches actually. She was also being rather sloppy, and making quite the mess with all of the ingredients around her. Guess her skill and finesse with fighting did not stretch to food making.]

Floor 27/26-The Research Library/The Morgue
[Remembering her jobs, Veronica hurried to the library floor. Being less than excited for what was going to happen, she almost forgot to go. Lab duty was something that Veronica was not admittedly good at. Her knowledge of science extended not nearly as far as her sisters'. Honestly, she would have rather stayed as a bodyguard or a mover. But, it was true that she did know things, and these people needed anything they could get.

Especially now, since she was helping another fluid team altogether. Being back in the morgue was okay she supposed, it also let her do some of her cleaning duties on the side. Veronica scrubbed away at one of the drawers, having tossed its only item, a bloody severed hand, into a bucket next to her. At the very least the job offered something to do while she thought about things. And she knew that eventually she'd run into Rick here again as well, so the two could probably chat. There was a hint of doubt in her decision though, especially now that she met Richtofen, and knew that Gamzee was on the orange team. She'd have to be cautious around them, and be careful of what she says. Who knows what would happen if she said too much about home.]


Floor 30-The Eternal Night Floor
[The darkness on this floor did nothing to Veronica, her special eyes cutting through even the darkest black. She was here for a reason, a personal reason. She'd had an idea.

To those poor others that might have entered this floor for whatever reason, something will more than likely draw their attention. Sounds of a struggle echo throughout the room. Something was surely fighting something else.

The first something was Veronica. The second, a Chocobo. The bird was large and fierce, lashing out with its clawed feet in an attempt to gut the little thing that was attacking it. It was in vain though, as Veronica already outclassed it in both speed and stealth, running circles around the monster and moving gracefully as she struck the beast with her blades at crucial points. It's not long before the bird succumbs to its injuries and drops to the ground, still alive but in pain. Veronica, dark cloak stained with blood that wasn't her own, quickly got to work and starts plucking yellow feathers from the beast's side.]

Comments

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Yeah...

[She didn't want to think about that, please and thank you.]

Wh... why w-were you here anyways?

[unlikelyfarmhand]

I kind of got lost.

[Hachiken blushes a little bit, looking sheepish.]

I was heading back to the dorms and I thought I had to come this way.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[She giggles a little at that. But noticing his sheepishness, she stops quickly.]

S-sorry... The elevators s-should be able t-to take you straight to the dorms, so you d-don't have to go up t-the floors.

[It took her a while to learn.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[He's not upset she laughed at him, Hachiken has a terrible sense of direction, and he knows it.]

It's okay, i get lost all the time, really.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Oh...

Well, I could help you learn about t-he floors, if y-you want. Then you'd k-know what floors to avoid.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Hachiken ducks his head.]

I should learn that, although I'm not entirely sure it would make a difference. I've gotten lost a few times even on the school grounds. I'm not really sure why I can't keep a map in my head.

Anytime I've gotten lost at home, my father has been very disgusted with me.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...Oh.

Well... He s-shouldn't be! You just h-have a hard time g-getting around. He s-should try to help you!

[Like... like her father helped her learn how to live.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Hachiken shakes his head, holding his arm close to his body.]

I don't think he would help me figure it out. Mostly, he just...

[He's not sure really how much he should say. People don't really want to hear about it.]

Frustrating.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...Do you want to talk about it?

[Yeah, well Veronica's not people.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Hachiken looks surprised at the offer and he sighs a little.]

I'm not sure...I mean. We just don't get along I guess. I'm not as good as Shingo a-and I've failed him a lot, so he's pretty annoyed with me.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Veronica huffs. The two of them were out of the floor now, Veronica leading Hachiken towards the elevator.]

Well that sucks. Y-you s-shouldn't listen t-to him if he doesn't s-say anything good.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Hachiken is glad there's light, until he sees his arm. Ugh.]

Well he...no, I screwed up pretty bad. Shingo is perfect. He always got great grades and he got into Todai while I...

[He sighs.]

I get lost, and in prep school I didn't...there was a thing, a problem. I couldn't compete with everyone and I wasn't at the top of the class and I couldn't handle it. I had something of a nervous break down I guess, and he was furious about it. He hates the school I picked because it's full of 'dumb kids'.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Yeah, the arm is not looking pretty right now. Try to avoid looking at it.]

I had that problem a few times. Went to this one school, everyone hated me. Treated me like garbage. But I got back at them in a big way in the end.

...The people at your school. Do they like you?

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Hachiken sighs a little bit at his arm and pointedly looks away. He shook his head.]

In the prep school we were too competitive. I never had friends before, but I freaked out and I had to leave so I went to this boarding school and finally I...yeah I have friends now. It's really different and nice.

I didn't go there to be the best, even though that's what he said. I just had to get out for awhile. He wants to take me out of that school now, I passed out at the festival and wound up in the hospital and when he came to see me because they called him, he lectured me for awhile, about wasting time with friends and having pizza parties and everything else.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

B-but... that's what having friends is all about. At l-least, t-that's what I've heard.

[They've reached the elevator now, and Veronica helps him in and presses the button for the right floor.]

You should be allowed to do what y-you w-want to do. No one is supposed to be perfect.

[Despite what her sister believes.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

In his opinion, I'm his worthless son.

[He sighs a bit and leans against the wall.]

My brother quit university and he's been pressuring me a bit more.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Then in my opinion, he's a worthless father.

[Veronica's... a bit to the point on these kinds of things.]

And if your brother quit university, then he's not so perfect either.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

I just want him to understand me. No, he's been pretty upset about Shingo quitting and marrying a Russian woman. She's nice though.

[It's okay, Hachiken knows their relationship is rocky at best.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Well, if he's angry at your brother too, then it's not just about you.

He just wants you both to be his idea of perfect, and that's no good.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Maybe it's the pain kicking in but Hachiken is babbling a little.]

He was so mad when I placed third. I couldn't take it. He kept saying how worthless I am and I went right into the school and demanded a school with a dorm for high school. He used to tell me I should at least be as good as Shingo, but he never...I don't even know if I want to go to university. How am I going to tell him that? Maybe I'm not as smart as I need to be.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[And Veronica's just listening and following along.]

Do you have to tell him? Seems like if you do he'll just demean you more.

You really should do what you think you should do. Don't think about what he'd want you to do.

[The elevator dings and opens. They're on a floor near the infirmary now. Veronica leads him out.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

[Hachiken sighs softly.]

If it were up to me, I would never talk to him, but yeah, it's going to come up sooner or later.

I really don't know what I want to do. I don't know how some people are so certain of that.

[stitchedupbodyguard]

[Veronica just shrugs for what was likely the tenth time.]

That's up t-to you I guess. You j-just go out and d-dicover what you want to do. I d-didn't have that though, I was given a job... and I t-took t-to it.

[She was made for it basically.]

[unlikelyfarmhand]

I guess it's lucky you like it so much.

[He sighs softly, but doesn't continue. He's said way too much already and Hachiken isn't sure what he's thinking except his arm really hurts.]

[stitchedupbodyguard]

...Sometimes I don't. But it's still something I have to do.

[And the two of them walk through the entrance into the infirmary. She leads him to a seat and helps him sit down.]

Here, you probably don't need me anymore.

[unlikelyfarmhand]

Thank you for your help, Veronica.

[Hachiken gives her a small smile.]