pawnstorm | [OPEN] it's not so bad

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[OPEN] it's not so bad

Who: Hakuno Kishinami and you, yes, you!
When: Throughout June
Where: Caissa and Lasker, K101 if you're a resident of she told you where she lives
What: Jobs and adjustments
Rating: None (will change if necessary)

one: you can (not) have a drink
Hm...

[Hakuno is standing at the edge of a safe zone, like some mischievous child dancing at the edges of an irritated beasts cage. Or, well, maybe without the dancing; she seems more concerned with getting her hair under control. Her water gun is at her feet, all but forgotten for the moment as she stares uncertainly at her reflection in a nearby window. There are two hair ties pinched between her lips, and her hands are buried in thick, long, dark hair as she wavers between several different hairstyles.

She... she's literally spoiled for choice, is the problem. Back in the Moon Cell, she was incapable of modifying her appearance, even if she had the theoretical knowledge of how to do it. It's so weird, seeing herself like this.

She doesn't know which one to pick. Feel like lending a helping hand, so she can finally get started with her glorious water combat experience?]

two: law & order: dunyaland
Okay, so, we'll need a culprit, and some decoys...

[After a surprisingly popular impromptu ploy not too long ago, Hakuno has been given the green light for a full-blown mascot murder-mystery. More to the point, she's been given responsibility for plotting the whole thing out, which leaves her here in the break room, with her bunny head on the table next to her and her costume shoved down around her hips as she pulls faces at the collection of notes in front of her.

- culprit: The Mysterious Melter (?) (find a volunteer who can ham it up)
- victim(s): find volunteers/be the victim
- weapon: Melting Ray (find water gun)
- motive: ?
- clues: ???
- witnesses: find volunteers
- crime scene: gonna need more chalk
- other stuff: ?????? why did I do this to myself

...it looks like she could use some help.]

—ah. That's right, we'll need a lead detective too...

three: FADE IN: king 101, interior
[After everything, Hakuno has to take a minute to sit on her new Real Life Bed, in her new, shared(!), Real Life Room. She's had personal rooms in the Moon Cell that she shared with her Servant, but those were much sparser aside from what few accessories and decorations she could trade Taiga for. So far, all she has are her clothes, her bow, her quiver, the Gilgamesh figure that Gilgamesh himself forced upon her, a small toy lion she bought on a whim at Dunyaland, leaned up against the still-unsealed figure-box, and a tiny snow globe-esque cube she actually searched for.

Hakuno hugs her pillow to her chest, mindful not to disturb Francis Xavier, who is peacefully snoozing on her lap in a little, fluffy ball. Her hair is damp from a recent shower, with a towel draped around her neck to keep dripping and puddles to a minimum.]

This... is my home now.

[The words are quiet.

She's a soft-spoken girl to begin with, but her voice is even softer now, as if scared to actually voice the words. As if scared to take the chance and believe them.]

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[ Irisviel makes her way over to Hakuno. Despite the strangeness of what she says sometimes, she's a good girl. In a way, she's reminded of her own daughter. ]

Hakuno.

[ she says cheerily with a wave, lowering her own water gun as she walks over. ]

Come, let me help you with that.

—oh, Ms. Einzbern.

[That... Is how you say it, right? Hakuno barely knows the first thing about German, but she's about 30% sure 'von' is part of a title rather than just another name.

Ignoring that, Hakuno obediently hands over the hair ties.]

Yes, I'll leave it up to you then. I've been having trouble making up my mind one way or the other.

[ Ding ding ding! Hakuno got it correct. She grabs the hairties ]

Please, call me Irisviel. Ms Einzbern seems so formal.

[ Unnecessarily so. But she takes those hair ties over from Hakuno and looks over her hair. It's a good thing she's got a brush in her pockets because she has her own really long hair to deal with, so first off she styles Hakuno's hair into a pair of high twintails - reminiscent of a certain magus with a red sweater. ]

How's this?

Alright then, Irisviel. ...that feels nice.

[She's never had somebody else brush her hair before. She closes her eyes to fully enjoy it, and when she opens them again her eyebrows raise slightly in surprise, and a smile steals across her lips.]

Oh, I look a little like Rin now. Cute. Thank you.

We can try a number of styles if you like.

[ Irisviel looks pleased with herself. Hakuno looks really happy with her choice of hairstyle. ]

It looks like nobody's coming over here to bother us, so we can take our time. Is there anything in particular you would like to see?

Um...

[G-Give her a minute, she only knows so many girls, and some of them just had short hair or wore it loose. There was Rin, and Rani, and...

Oh.

There was Alice, too.]

Maybe... braided?

Oh! We can do that.

[ She giggles as she moves to undo the twintails that she had done in Hakuno's hair. Irisviel is careful to do it gently, as there is a lot of hair and it can be painful but she has the gentle hands and touch of a mother. ]

Are you not used to being able to fix your hair like this?

[ asks Irisviel out of curiosity as she begins brushing Hakuno's hair again, loosening some of the tangles. ]

[Hakuno never had a mother, so she doesn't recognize the significance. She just knows it feels good.]

Something like that.

[Oh, what the hell. She's told plenty of people.]

I was created by the Moon Cell, so certain aspects of my appearance were regulated by it. I could switch outfits and things like that, but not hairstyles. I mean, I have the knowledge that different hairstyles exist, and I could touch my hair and everything, I just couldn't... change it on my own.

Edited 2016-06-11 21:50 (UTC)

[ Irisviel tries to understand what Hakuno is saying, but like the last time... she's have a little difficulty getting her head round what she is saying. At least this time, there weren't so many words that she didn't recognise. ]

Mmm... I think I understand.

[ She began brushing Hakuno's locks into two bunches oh so very gently, separating them down the middle. ]

You had the knowledge but not the capacity, am I correct?

More or less, yeah. You could call that place an 'illusionary world,' and I was not the one in control of the illusion.

[She rolls her shoulders slightly.]

It's a lot to get used to, even though it really shouldn't be.

Mm... I don't like the Holy Grail Wars, but I know that I wouldn't have a purpose if they didn't exist.

[ It's a cruel fate, all these wars for the wish that the Grail may grant. She wishes that all these people, all these souls - didn't have to get involved. But that is the reality of the world they live in and well... it feels like a reprieve here. A wonderful one.

She's idly thinking these things as she braids Hakuno's hair, in a practised motion. Irisviel's finished one braid and is about to start on the other. ]

Like this?

Ah, well... I mean, when I won, part of my wish was to stop the Wars for our Grail.

[Would Irisviel approve or disapprove of something like that? Her previous answer made her stance a bit unclear. Hakuno perks up as her attention is redirected back to her hair.]

Yes, perfect. Thank you so much, ma'am.

Call me Irisviel. There's no need to be so formal.

[ How cute this girl was. How beautifully wonderfully pure she was. It made Irisviel's heart sing. ]

Perhaps it is different on the Moon, but I was made purely as a tool - a vessel for the Grail in the world I was in. I would die, the spirits of all the defeated Servants would enter me and the Grail would come forth from my body.

[ She has no hesitations telling Hakuno this now, knowing what she wished for. ]

But my husband and daughter taught me that I have meaning beyond being a mere homunculus for the Grail. So I thank you, Hakuno... for your wish in another world.

I...

[Hakuno's voice catches in her throat, squirming against some undefined fear. She's given enough people various pieces of the puzzle, but coming out and saying the whole ugly truth is...]

If it weren't for a certain interruption, the Grail would have dissolved me back into itself as soon as I finished my wish. I... It's policy was to delete all erroneous data, and even if I wasn't an aberration in its perspective, all NPCs were meant to be deleted upon the conclusion of the Grail War anyways.

[Hakuno doesn't look at her, even in the reflection. Her eyes are fixed on the pavement below her feet.]

It's probably not the same but... Edging towards oblivion like that was really scary, you know? I... I think you must be really brave, Irisviel.

Come here.

[ Irisviel finishes the braid and makes a gesture for Hakuno to turn around, gently directing her via hand on her shoulder to face Irisviel. She pulls Hakuno in to an embrace, pulling her into an embrace. Poor Hakuno. She could feel how nervous she was, and again - there were many things she didn't understand in her speech.

But she did understand the idea of Hakuno being something erroneous and something that would be deleted in time if it weren't for some intervention. It sounded horrifying. Terrifying, even. But Hakuno is here with her now, and she's going to do her best to comfort her. ]

It was difficult, wasn't it? You were scared the entire time, weren't you?

[Hakuno turns, and she sees the way Irisviel shifts, the way she tugs at Hakuno's shoulder, but somehow she's still completely blindsided by being drawn into the older woman's arms. For a moment, she's just stiff and uncertain, overwhelmed by the gentle, soft feeling, the faint, sweet scent, the indescribable warmth of being embraced by another person.

Hakuno is horrified to realize that her vision is blurring, but there's nothing she can do to stem the tears that finally spring to her eyes.]

...I was!

[It's a choked, muted little wail of a confession. Between Gilgamesh's sudden intervention and her arrival here, Hakuno hasn't had much time to think on her most recent brush with death. Sure, she had nearly died a few times before, but she had always persevered toward some greater goal. In the heart of the Moon Cell, however, there was nothing more to drive her. She had been resolved to make her wish, no matter the cost.

But, even then, as she floated down all alone, she had been scared.]

...i-it was... I really thought...

[Suddenly she's clinging to Irisviel as she cries, as desperate as a child in the wake of some terrible, terrible nightmare.

Perhaps, in a way, she is.]

[ She can feel Hakuno sobbing against her chest and she wraps her arms around her, gently rubbing her back all the while letting her sob her heart out. Irisviel is reminded of when Illya had bad dreams, bad visions that would wake her in the night. And she would sit there, comforting her until it was all okay. Sometimes you needed to cry to expel the fear from your heart. ]

Hakuno, look at me. It's alright. You're here with me right now - you're now a real person. Not an erroneous thing that can be deleted on a whim.

I—I—

[Her breath stutters from her as though physically beaten out of her. Those words actually hurt. To hear somebody else affirm that she's here, that she's real, feels so good that it loops back around to agony. The offhanded assurance that she's safe, that she can't be deleted is...]

...I'm... here.

[She hiccups, resting her forehead against Irisviel's shoulder for a moment before lifting her head up and meeting the other woman's gaze. Her face is a flushed, teary mess, to the point where she almost looks like a different girl entirely.]

[ Poor girl, Irisviel thinks. If she is the victor of her own Grail War, then she has gone through so much by this point. Not just competing, but winning. How many friends and comrades did she have to kill to get to the point where her wish could be granted?

It must be completely overwhelming.

Irisviel reaches into a pocket and pulls out a handkerchief, before dabbing at the tears on Hakuno's face, all the while making gentle sounds of reassurance as her other hand rubbed her back. ]

It's okay, it's okay...

[ The hand that was previously resting on her back had now moved to gently stroke her head. ]

There's no reason to be afraid anymore.

[The answer? All but two, not counting Gilgamesh.

Hakuno's shuddering begins to calm under those careful, mindful ministrations, the tears slowing and the crushing memories abating bit by bit. In the warm light of this summer afternoon, the sea of imaginary numbers that tried to swallow her up seems like an eternity away.

That crushing, lonely fear can't creep in anymore; not now, with a real person wrapped around her.]

Th... Thank you. Sorry.

[But in the absence of fear, embarrassment is more than happy to move right on in.

It's alright, my dear.

[ She'll let Hakuno disengage the hug in her own time, as it seems the most apt to let her decide when she's had enough. Irisviel recognises the loneliness in Hakuno - having experienced something similar herself. But she saw fragments of what Illya in her and well... she hopes she can bring a little bit of hope into Hakuno's life. ]

Don't apologise. I have a daughter. She's still very young, but I'd like her to grow up into a beautiful girl like you.

[If that's her plan, then they might honestly be here a while. Hakuno's embarrassment in no way measures up to the incomparable feeling of a Genuine Mom Hug. Still, at the very least, some of her normal composure seems to be trickling back in.]

Like me? Well, they say that it's good not to have expectations that are too high, but... if she's even half as pretty as you, she's probably blown past that benchmark already.

[Self-deprecating humor, her long-time friend. Damned good to see you again, old fellow.]

[ That gets a light, melodic laugh out of Irisviel. She never really considered herself attractive - there were plenty like her, as all Einzbern homunculi came from the same template. Even Illya, who was not a homunculi in the same way, looked very much like her. ]

That's no way to think about yourself, Hakuno. Have you been listening to that awful Servant with nothing good to say about people?

[ She means Gilgamesh. ]

Well, it wasn't like I had any choice, what with him being contracted to me.

[That's a lie. Gilgamesh was impossible to ignore, yes, but her own uncertainties and lack of her experience made Hakuno eager and open to any advice or stories he might share. It was just a sad fact of life that those rare gems ended up buried in deluges of demeaning or abusive dressing downs at her expense.]

But, I'm self-aware enough to know I'm not some stunning beauty, too.

That's a lie. Look at you.

[ And Iri finally steps back from the hug, disentangling herself from Hakuno so that they could both look at her reflection together. Now that Hakuno's hair was in braids that fell loosely on either side of her face, it gave the impression that she was less swallowed up by her hair and clothes. It was, very cute. ]

You're beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[ she has so many things to say to gilgamesh now ]

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sealeted - 2016-06-17 13:00 (UTC) - Expand

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