[open]

[gilttrip]

Who: Pacifica and you!
When: 9/12 (backdated)
Where: Grantebrycge
What: Paying a visit to the hospital, looking for some answers
Rating: None


[Though she did her best to ignore it, there's a sense of curiosity that Pacifica's been harboring since she first began receiving letters and gifts from other Heroes. The job posting on the bulletin board had drawn her attention more than once, too, making Pacifica pause whenever she passed by it. Who would waste the energy to comfort complete strangers? she'd scoffed to herself at the time. Yet, she'd known that many of her fellow Heroes would do exactly that.

The question "Why?" has lingered in her mind since then, making her curiosity grow rather than fade with time. So when Pacifica finds herself stepping through the hospital's doorway after classes one day, it's with an air of resignation, as if she knew she'd end up here eventually. The job listing had mentioned hospital patients as possible recipients of those letters, after all.

Perhaps it's the embarrassment that she's even here, but Pacifica skips over the main desk and chooses to study a directory on the hospital's wall. With the majority of the student uniforms here embellished with Bixbite colors, Pacifica stands out in her Citrine uniform. She doesn't pay any of the odd looks thrown her way any heed, though, focused as she is on the writing in front of her.

She mutters, just loud enough for anyone nearby to hear--] Where is it? Why isn't this thing more organized?



(ooc: Prose or brackets are both fine! I will match whatever format is used.)

Comments

[openhanded]

[Sorey isn't even wearing most of the uniform, just an unbuttoned green coat, but it already marks him as a pretty big nerd. Prehnite lured him in with knowledge after all. He doesn't seem to care about school pride, however; he's got a big box full of letters and stuffed toys, and anyone who looks at him long enough gets a smile and a piece of candy.]

Hey, Pacifica! You look a little lost. What's up?

[gilttrip]

N-nothing! [Startled, she jumps away from the directory. Inwardly, she scoffs at her own stammer, knowing she'll never fool anyone if she keeps giving herself away so easily.] They said a lot of the students go here to study healing. I wanted to see the facilities. That's all.

[Searching for anything that she can use as a distraction, Pacifica studies him until her gaze falls on the box he's holding.]

What's all that?

[openhanded]

Oh, yeah! This is supposed to be the best place to learn. [His expression seems a little clouded for a moment. He's never had magic before and so far, his healing attempts haven't been bad, just nothing special. He has a hard time believing he has any aptitude for it. It was always Mikleo who...

Right, the box. He shifts it and grins lopsidedly, a bit embarrassed.]

I'm here to deliver letters to the hospital patients. I thought it'd cheer them up a little. Some of them are still recovering from the last battle, so...

[Then, an idea:]

If you're not busy, do you want to come with me?

[gilttrip]

[Her eyes widen, and she looks between him and the box for a moment.]

So there are some soldiers from that battle here?

[She blurts the words out without thinking. She's too busy musing that Sorey's just the kind of person who would take that job, to realize she's given herself away with her question.]

[openhanded]

[He nods. Her outburst doesn't bother him at all.]

I'm sure they'd love to have some company.

[He reaches into the box, takes out a stuffed animal and gently plops it in Pacifica's arms.]

There are some injured students, too. I'm sure there's something we can do to cheer them up.

[gilttrip]

[Without thinking, her hands tighten around the stuffed animal, as if she's accepting the suggestion. She stares down at the toy.]

I--fine. [Pacifica tucks the toy under her arm, chin raised as she tries to regain her dignity.] I don't have anything better to do anyway. [She adds, looking at him expectantly--] Where did you want to start?

[openhanded]

[If Sorey sees right through her facade, he doesn't say anything about it. He continues to treat her with the same smile as always. She's trying, and that's what's important.]

Let's visit the kids first. Some of them have been here a while.

[He locates a sign indicating the children's ward, and heads down that hall.]

[gilttrip]

[She trails after him just a little apprehensively.]

You seem familiar with the patients. [Her stare bores into the back of his head.] How many times have you been here already?

[openhanded]

[He ducks his head a bit. Normally he'd rub at the back of it, but his hands are full.]

Um-- this is the third time.

[gilttrip]

Third?? [If she wasn't so busy staring at him, she'd probably be shaking her head because of course.]

Do you just keep bringing them all these gifts?

[openhanded]

It's not always toys. I brought flowers once, and food the other time.

[They round the corner to the ward. There sure are a lot of nametags sitting outside the doors.]

... You know, with some of these people, the nurses are the only friends they have. Even their families have stopped visiting. I have a hard time believing it myself but it's true. If my family were stuck in a place like this, I'd be here every day.

[He readjusts his grip on the box.]

Anyway, let's head in. This girl is really nice. She's too weak to walk most of the time, but you'd never be able to tell.

[gilttrip]

Even their families? [That...certainly puts a perspective on things.]

If my parents were in the hospital, I would... [Actually, she isn't sure what she would do. Stay angry with them? Abruptly, she changes the subject.] Never mind. Let's just visit the girl.

[She avoids his gaze as she walks into the room, hanging back slightly to see how Sorey handles the situation first. Comforting people isn't exactly her strong point.]

[fuhrinkaed]

Don't worry about it, Pacifica. [Ed doesn't know what's going on yet, but he knows that he's sure he can help! Probably!]

As it so happens, you've got me here! And I'm great at organizing. [Blatant lie, look at his room.]

So... what'cha looking for? Are you doing more of that rejection letter work from before, or is it something else?

[gilttrip]

[Automatically, she grimaces. Just the thought of that previous job is enough to sour her mood.]

Uh, no, as if I would take that job again after those rejects threw fruit at us. It probably took ages to get those stains out. [She assumes, anyway, since the maids handle the laundry back in the Hall.] You're lucky you didn't take that job like we did.

[Or did he? Either way, Pacifica's just stalling and trying to distract him anyway.]

[fuhrinkaed]

Er... I did a little of it myself, but. [He's successfully stalled. And distracted!]

So anyhoo, anything I can help you out with? I've been working on getting my head around the school grounds--they're not bad.

[gilttrip]

I'm looking around, too. I heard the hospital was a good place to examine the effects of certain spells and curses. And there's supposed to be some kind of internship here, too.

[Pacifica waves a hand, indicating the other students in the hallway with them.]

It's probably reserved for the Bixbite students anyway.

[fuhrinkaed]

I'm sure if you asked nicely they'd let you in! I mean, they let me into the library and I'm with Achroite. We're like... the branch you'd least expect to see in the library.

Nobody even blinks twice. I'm sure it'll be just fine if you give it a shot.

[gilttrip]

[She wrinkles her nose slightly, not caring if it's unladylike for the moment.]

Is it just me, or is the branch division kind of ridiculous? You're, like, one of the biggest bookworms in the Hero ranks that I know, and people don't expect to see you in the library just because of your new branch?

[suzinkazan]

[Well.

Susan herself hadn't had any business here, but she did see Pacifica come in. that was enough to pique her curiosity, leading her to follow behind. She's just as blinding in HER Citrine uniform.

She does quietly come up to her, though.]

Looking for someone in particular?

[gilttrip]

Eep! [Wrapped up as she is in her search, Pacifica doesn't notice Susan until it's too late. She whips around, eyes almost comically wide in their surprise.]

Ugh, Susan! Sneaking up on someone like that is totally rude, you know.

[It's really not, but it's easy to grump at the other girl when it feels like her heart almost jumped right out of her chest just now.]

[suzinkazan]

I didn't sneak, you just didn't notice me.

[She's trying to stifle her laughter now, though.]

[gilttrip]

[She huffs, shoulders straightening as she struggles to regain her lost dignity.]

Whatever, it's totally the same. And I'm not looking for someone, I'm just. [A pause.] I'm just examining the school grounds. The other students were really useless when they gave us the tour the first day.

[suzinkazan]

Ah, I see.

[She waits a moment, before prying.

Nosy nosy.]

Is that why you're looking at the directory?

[gilttrip]

[For anyone but Pacifica, the way she sputters, apparently tongue-tied is probably hilarious.]

I wasn't--! [Pacifica's bottom lip sticks out in an obvious pout as she turns her head away.] Okay, fine. So I was looking for someone. It's, like, not a big deal.

[suzinkazan]

Did someone you meet get hurt?

[She's tapping her chin.]

And you're here to see them?

[Now she's prying.]

[gilttrip]

No, it's not someone I know. Not really.

[It's rare for her to be fumbling for words like this, and Pacifica dislikes how off-balance she's felt since arriving in this world.]

I saw that job post on the bulletin board. The one about the letters. They mentioned something about the Gammon soldiers that got hurt in battle. [Her face reddens slightly.] I wanted to see what the fuss was.

[geneolgian]

[ Although his colors are usually more blue than green, it seems that green lured him in...this time. He's a huge nerd who dreams of being a scholar, so it seems only right that he get sorted into Prehnite. As a result, he and Pacifica really do stick out a bit in this place mostly occupied by Bixbite students.

Well, there are other reasons that they stick out, such as the whole Hero thing, but details. He taps her on the shoulder gently, so as to not startle her too badly. ]

Are you looking for someone? Or something?

[gilttrip]

[She's not expecting the tap on her shoulder, but she barely manages to hold back her squeak of surprise.]

No! [That answer comes a little too quickly, and not at all convincingly.] I was just...having a look around the school grounds.

[geneolgian]

[ . . . Okay, even if Yew's a pretty bad liar himself, he can smell when something's up. ]

Really, now?

[ He flashes her a smile. ]

I could take you on a tour, if you'd like, then. Knowing where everything is is the key to getting to classes on time, and getting to classes on time is the key to academic success!

[ Sue him; he's an egghead. ]

[gilttrip]

[There's a rather suspicious pause as Pacifica struggles with the idea of just telling him or going on the tour to further the pretense. She finally settles on the former, disliking the idea of wasting time.]

Just the hospital, since that's what I came to see. [Pacifica tosses her hair over her shoulder, trying to look nonchalant, but mostly looking uncertain instead.]

[geneolgian]

You too, huh?

[ He's not falling for the non-chalant act one bit, but carefully decides not to call her out on it. She seems like she feels a bit awkward already... ]

Well, if you're that interested in the hospital, why don't we pay the patients a visit together? I've got a bunch of letters to deliver.

[ And indeed, in one hand, is a stack of letters, tied up in string. Each envelope is properly sealed, with his house's symbol, a white lion, printed on it. (He tried his best to get the printing press to replicate it.) ]

[gilttrip]

I guess we could do that--

[She trails off as her eyes find the letters in his hand. It registers, then, that he must be there for the same reason she is.]

You're here for that job, too? [The words are out of her mouth before she can bite them back. Oops.]

[geneolgian]

[ "Too." He figured it was something like that, but again, consciously decides not to call it out. ]

That's right. I figured that these patients might appreciate a pick-me-up.

[ It was certainly tiring writing all of these letters, but...having it mass-printed kind of kills the sentiment he's trying to convey with them. Plus, it's not like he's not used to repeatedly writing things down, either. ]

These won't deliver themselves, so...shall we?