video / action

[priceofmagic]

 [And just like that... Ada is gone. Satou worried at first. She knew her roomie frequented Everglade, so was scared something had happened to her... but also, kind of knew what had really happened. Her first instinct had been to call Ada, after all, and see that her name was removed from the directory.

After her fruitless search, Satou returns home. It's early in the morning and she is exhausted from roaming the streets. Trying not to sulk, she opens the video function.]

[video]

I'm sorry... Ms Ada is gone. I don't know what I did wrong, but she's g-gone. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have asked her to stay with me. I shouldn't have leaned on her so much for advice about the occult. I-I shouldn't have been so complacent. I should have learned my lesson already, and just lived alone.

[She whimpers, swallowing her tears, then lowers the video. She doesn't want to be seen crying, so have a nice view of her pendent.] I think I'm going to go training for a bit. But I thought her friends should know... I'm really sorry.

[action - all cities + holodeck]

[You've got some options! One being finding Satou wandering around late at night to early in the morning, on her pointless search for Ada. She approaches everyone she sees during this time and asks if they've seen her roomie. The next day-- or well, after the morning video call,-- Satou still hasn't slept. She can be found hanging around the holodeck between practice simulations. It's abundantly clear that Satou is exhausted, too. She comes out every hour to get water and pay for another time slot, but someone really needs to stop this cycle of stupid grief avoidance.]

Comments

[Video]

[micancion]

[Ay...he rubs his hair a bit.]

It's dumb when people say 'I'm sorry for your loss' so...how about, is there anything you might need, chamaca? Food, drink, a shoulder or two?

video;

[ivegotadream]

If there is one thing I've learned here is that we never know when people are going to leave.

[She has had this happen to her too, but she still finds living alone is lonely. Sure she had her Pokemon friends, but that was different.]

But it doesn't mean that people shouldn't live with someone. We just have to keep going forward, find someone else and just keep trying.

Video

[hot_handed]

[...]

Satou. Stop what you're doing and come to my place. Now.

[Video]

[priceofmagic]

[That throws Satou for a loop. It's something she never expected. 'Sorry for your loss' was as far as Satou thought anyone would go... But what she needs?

A mental list of needs temporarily stuns her. Then she blinks it away, and shakes her head.]

I... I don't know. I don't know if anything can fill the hole Ms Ada left. I'm sorry.

video;

[priceofmagic]

I know what you mean. I-I really do, but...

[Satou bites her lip. It's only now, when faced with that phrasing, that she realizes she's being terrible to Ada... Because her grief for Ada is crossing with the grief from home, which she's never dealt with.]

If a pattern forms, wouldn't I be a fool not to learn from it?

Re: [Video]

[micancion]

Hey, that's an okay answer too. And I don't think anyone is going to expect you to replace your friend.

[He looks a bit sheepish before smiles.]

But you want to remember her, right? She sounds muy importante, very important to you.

[priceofmagic]

[OOPS, it's Katsuki! She needs to be tough for him..!]

... I'm training, Katsuki-san. I really shouldn't interrupt my schedule. [Actually, she really should.]

[Video]

[liorafae]

...You didn't do anything wrong. This world...it seems to bring people here and send them back home whenever it wants. None of us have any control over it. It's not your fault...

[Although Liora is all too familiar with the self-blaming game. It's no fun at all.]

[priceofmagic]

[She gives a shaky nod. This conversation still confuses her. Satou's never had an adult talk her through healthy grieving.]

I do! I don't want to forget her, just because she's not in the phone. I didn't even know her that well, b-but she was nice, and smart, and silly, a-and...

[It clicks. She isn't just upset about Ada. She's using Ada as an outlet for mourning over someone else.

With this realization, Satou clamps down on her jaw. She's afraid of opening that can of worms.]

... I don't like that the last thing I feel about him-- her, is pain. It's not fair.

[Video]

[priceofmagic]

M, Ms Liora...

Even then. That's so scary. I want there to be a way to protect my friends from leaving.

video;

[ivegotadream]

In this worlds case, not really. Because people just vanish for no reason. So we'd have no actual way to know if it would be a pattern or just really bad luck.

[hot_handed]

You can train when I'm done. Do I need to drag your ass over myself?

[micancion]

Hey, hey that's nice too. You don't have to really know someone to think about them in a good way, si? I mean, any good memory is something nice to think on.

[Hector catches the slip, it was pretty easy and with her reaction he figures they can stay with the detour of Ada for now.]

I got it! What was something you liked to do together. Just you and your friend.

[He'll go vague, so she can to. If she needs it. If not, hey they can talk about Ada.]

[Video]

[liorafae]

...But what did your friend want? Did she want to stay here?

[It kind of spooks her, because she doesn't want anyone to try to prevent her from leaving.]

I'm asking, because I want to...no...I need to return to my own world as soon as possible...

[The knowledge that time stops in their own world doesn't keep her from worrying about it, unfortunately.]

[priceofmagic]

[She thinks she played that slip-up like a pro. No one knows. She did great.

So Satou is still trying to focus on Ada.]

... cards. [probably tarot cards, but ssh. Shugo and her played normal card games.]

B-But. You're busy. You barely know me, I-I... I'm going to burden you.

[priceofmagic]

That's so sad... If there's no way to stop them from leaving, there's no way to make them stay either.

[She settles down in her chair, pulling her knees to her chest. Her feelings are confusing her, but talking helps.]

The people who've been here longer must be hurting so much more than I am...

[priceofmagic]

[Yes.]

I... I can't. I don't want to think about anything right now. I'm sorry.

[hanging up!

She knows she'll regret that, but she just can't stand to have a breakdown in front of him.]

[priceofmagic]

[Satou gets that. She really does. She knows that she needs to go home too, even if she doesn't like what's awaiting her.]

It should be her choice! People should leave because they want to. Th-They should be able to say good-bye, at least. She was so excited about things here. Ms Ada deserved to control when she left.

[hot_handed]

[Well. Damn. The logical thing would be to leave her alone, give her space]

KURONEKO FUCKING PINK CHEEKS SATOU, IF YOU CAN TRAIN THEN YOU BETTER BE READY TO FUCKING FACE ME!!! I'LL GIVE YOU A BATTLE YOU'LL NEVER FORGET!!!

Action

[bigbadrose]

[It is a good thing Satou works in Everglade, because that it makes it easy for Rose to recognize the streets and hunt her down and tug her into a one-armed hug-glomp.]

[And her a lollipop. It's not blood flavored, at least.]

All right you, you are getting tea with me, you can tell me everything weighing you down, but it's not your fault she left. And it is never a bad thing to lean on friends. If friends are gettin' overwhelmed, it's their job to tell ya so, but 99 percent o' the time, it's a great thing. They want to be trusted and to know that they can help and that you feel okay leanin' on 'em. If anything... me and the Doctor, and hell, even Jack... we should probably all lean on each other more, but we don't, because we're a mess. But don'tcha ever feel bad for leanin' on friends all right? Because it's a really REALLY good thing. And it makes your friends feel invincible. I only met Mirajane because she was so stubborn about gettin' me to talk, yeah?

And mmmn... Three people really important to me went home. And I felt terrible every time. And I still do!! And I really miss them!! And I blamed myself a little too because I was jealous of all o' them, and I was like "Oh no, what if I caused this." But sometimes we just blame ourselves like that, because it's scarier to remember we don't have any control over things like this. We can't just wish them to come back hard enough and that sucks, yeah?

[TIGHT HUGS AND STEERS HER TO THE TEA SHOP, grabbing a small corner booth so Satou is basically cornered and stuck. :V]

[She didn't even ask...]

And you should meet Mirajane, she basically adopted me like a sis. She was gonna teach me some dark magic too! But I said it can't be anything that would hurt anyone else. Not as severe as you, but I just... can't hurt even cockroaches or I feel bad for 'em. And like it's not my best me. But she's a total sweetheart. And you should never alone.

I think most of my fighting with the Doctor at the start was about that. I don't think... anyone should really live alone. It's not good on anyone, yeah?

[micancion]

Cards? OKay, I know cards.

[He gives a small grin and waves his hand.]

Ay, that's okay. Where I'm from, no one really knows anyone until they meet. And cards are a great way to know someone.

[As for the burden.]

Hey, I'll let you in on a secret, okay chamaca? Familia, is never a burden. And when you have no one or very few people, anyone can be that familia.

[He takes off his hat in greeting, flashing her a big grin and making sure the light catches his gold tooth.]

I'm 'ector.

Action;

[innocent_royal]

[Anastasia spotted Satou early on working on whatever it is she's doing at the Holodeck'd. They were both being busy ladies, so Anastasia opted to leave her be for now.

But when Anastasia came back later after finding Satou's video on the network, she finds her still in the Holodeck.

She waits quietly for Satou to come back out for another break.]

[liorafae]

If we could have the choice, that would be great. I just wouldn't want anyone to "protect me from leaving," as you put it. I'm sorry...

[priceofmagic]

[It takes her another moment to find the right words. She's so used to being ignored, forgotten, and unwanted. A lot of this is strange for her to hear and she's tempted to give in, but also afraid of not seeming independent.]

Satou... K-Kuroneko, Satou. [Becoming more timid, she averts her gaze briefly.] I wrecked my last family. I might not deserve another one.

[priceofmagic]

[Satou squeaks in surprise. She kind of expected this reaction...!

She'll be in the Holodeck, hoping he won't find her. The idea of facing him in this state is too scary!]