-14.6 ml- [Voice]

[pilot_princess]

He... he just... He's...

[There's soft chirping of a little chick, and Gulliver's quiet gurgles.]

Sorata's... He... he went... h-ho--

[She chokes up for a moment and just goes quiet. Hazelnut chirps a few times. Anemone's moving about, but there's not much other than that for another minute or two. Then finally the movement of cloth, and she speaks again.]

C-come on, Hazelnut... y-you too, Gulliver. Let's... let's go check on Daddy Rooster.

...oh. [Click!]

Comments

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

I'll be there.

[starting commentlog here]

[pilot_princess]

[And Anemone all but runs to Latimir to find Souji. She' got a little bundle of blankets in her arms, bundling up her fat pig-dog-badger and the little chick in a warm box. Hazelnut's quiet, which sent Anemone through all sorts of panic until she heard the scuffling.

She's frazzled and confused. She and Yukari were going to meet up with Souji, but she couldn't find Yukari in the lobby. She even ran upstairs to knock a few times. Still nothing. Until Anemone checked the frequency; and it was... missing? It had to have been a malfunction. After all, Yukari was just there. But with Sorata's disappearance, and now Yukari's, Anemone's just lost as to what to do.

So she just runs to Souji's. His frequency's active, it's still there, she can see it. She keeps an eye on it as she hurries to Latimir.]

Souji! [She's not sure if he's around the lobby, or inside, or outside. She's too worried to check on the communicators either; she's not even sure she can see them. Her vision's blurring from the tears that have begun forming and threatening to streak her cold-flushed cheeks.]

Souji! Where are you? SOUJI! ANSWER ME!

[commentlog]

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

[Souji was about to leave his apartment, explaining the situation to his roommates first so they wouldn't worry or wonder. Or think he was running off into danger (something he'd surely never hear the end of anymore). Since Yukari and Anemone would be there, it would be all right but... He had finished putting on his shoes, when he suddenly heard Anemone calling for him.]

Hm? [He said he was going to meet her and Yukari at Horton. Why was she here? His brow formed a slight crinkle of concern as he frowned and Souji left the room, quickly making his way out into the lobby. He had a bad feeling all of the sudden. Something deep in his gut that filled him with dread.]

Anemone? What's wrong? I'm here.

[commentlog]

[pilot_princess]

[Anemone spun about, the chilly air irritating her lungs and making her light-headed as she tried to find her brother. The blanket slipped in her hands and Gulliver squeaked loudly, picking up on her distress without any way to console her. Hugs and comfort weren't working this time. She just needed to not be alone at the moment.

She needed to make sure Souji hadn't left too. Not so soon, not right after Sorata and Yukari's disappearances. Once she caught sight of him--or she was guessing, blinking repeatedly didn't help clear her vision--she hurried closer.]

Souji-nii, Yukari, she... I just-- but it was just five minutes-- [She stopped talking. Fell silent instantly, trying to breathe so she could get at least one sentence out. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure she could, and just thrust her communicator at him. He could check. She didn't want it anymore.]

[commentlog]

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

Yukari-san? What about her?

[He took Anemone's communicator, unsure of what she meant. "Just five minutes"? And Yukari wasn't here. Could it be...? The dread in his gut just seemed to build up, as he checked Anemone's communicator for her. For Yukari. Yukari's frequency.

Wasn't there.]

... I see. [His lip tightened as he stared at the screen, his expression growing slightly darker. But he had to keep together, if only for Anemone. Had to be strong.] Yukari-san's gone too.

[commentlog]

[pilot_princess]

[So she wasn't just seeing things. The cold, upset feeling just sank in completely when he looked at it. The expression change, that knowing feeling that just formed...

And then he said it. Anemone could have cried. Really, she wanted to, but she had already cried so much, and she just wanted to go to the barn. Check on the animals, focus her attention everywhere else. Something that wasn't this. Something that didn't eat away at the precious few bits of sanity she had left.

She just stared at the floor for a few minutes.]

Souji? Let's... let's just go.

[commentlog]

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

To the barn? [He asked quietly, for if he spoke louder, the knot in his throat would've been obvious. Anemone didn't look so well. He would've rather insisted that she calm down first, but... already two people were gone. It was like adding salt to the wound.]

All right. Just stay close to me.

[commentlog]

[pilot_princess]

[She nodded quickly. The barn seemed like the best place right now. At least so she could put down the animals, and maybe find a nice dark corner to sit in for a while. She really didn't want to fact the fact that Sorata was there, but it was just too bizarre that two were gone so fast. Moving Gulliver and Hazelnut's box to one arm, she hooked her other arm with Souji's.]

I'll stay close...

[commentlog]

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

[Souji nods, escorting Anemone and her pets to the barn, careful to avoid any unnecessary encounters in the streets. In a way, it was kind of strange. Even though Sorata held the barn for a long time, Souji had never visited it until after he was gone. It sort of made a wry twist in his stomach, like twisting a knife.]

[commentlog]

[pilot_princess]

[Once they made it to the bar, Anemone quietly stared around. Just the few animals they had left... it felt far too empty. She busied herself with letting Hazelnut out of her box again, leaving the blanket on the floor near the rooster as she gave him his baby for a while. Setting Gulliver down next to them too, she left the animals to reacquaint themselves and returned to Souji.

And with that, she just rushed over to hug her brother. She was about to start crying again.]

[commentlog] HNNG SO LATE orz

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

[Souji calmly watched Anemone let Gulliver and Hazelnut down, staying by the door. In a way, he was waiting too. Because he was prepared to wrap his arms around his sister when she ran to him. He held her close.]

It'll be okay, Anemone. [His voice was quiet, but steady.] They're safe and sound back home.

[commentlog] THAT'S OKAY ILU

[pilot_princess]

[She just held on tightly, trying to fight back the sobs since the tears had already begun.]

M-Maybe Yukari... but... Sorata... Sorata's going to die, Souji!

[commentlog] /sob

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

[Souji rubbed up and down her back, pausing only when she said that very last part. When Sorata came back in October, when he was accused of murdering that girl, he told him that his hand was broken. Souji never found out the reason why... He let it drop back then since Sorata didn't seem willing to say, but he was starting to regret not pursuing it now]

... What do you mean?

[commentlog] /HOLDSSSS

[pilot_princess]

[She looked up at him, hands gripping his shirt.]

He's... he's going to save Arashi... and... then h-he's... going to die!

[She sniffles again, but just buries her face against his chest and starts crying again.]

[commentlog] /SOBS

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

How do you know that?

[He sounded somewhat uncomfortable, wary of his own words. The idea of death had that effect. He took it seriously, even in a place like this.]

[commentlog] STOP CRYING, THAT'S ANEMONE'S JOB

[pilot_princess]

B-because... because he told me!

[And crying she does. Hard and loud, because she pretty much lost her composure by this point and was just going to... cry. She ended up letting go and fell to her knees.]

[commentlog] I'M JUST SO EMOTIONAL ;o;

[pursuestruth.livejournal.com]

He knew he'd die...?

[He wanted to ask more. Ask why Sorata knew he'd die if he went back home, what was happening. Things he could've known about if he'd been more persistent. But all those questions left him when Anemone crumbled. He knelt down without another word, placing a hand on Anemone's back again, occasionally stroking her hair. He would let her cry as long as she wanted to, as much as she could. He would stay with her as long as it took.]