D E S P A I R O U S E L

    she is NOT invincible, even if a STONY facade would lead to such a belief – weakness lies within her bones, protected by such careful CONTROL. jumped after a gambling match with an OUTCOME in her favor, she was LUCKY ( or UNLUCKY ) to be standing here in the nurses doorway. to go to the hospital would mean a BIGGER fuss being made, more chances for her truths exposed. here it would be one person. it was SAFER. 

         and so she is INITIALLY wordless as she steps inside the door to move towards that empty cot. a pale hand wet with BLOOD sits upon her abdomen as she sits down upon the bed with a slight GRIMACE.

                                           “ you have m-my gratitude. “ 

        Mikan can’t yet begin to properly work without information, and all she has to work with are her initial observations. A soiled face, a bloody hand, potentially covering up a wound to the abdomen, a pained expression accompanying upward movement... no, this isn’t enough, she needs to dig further, despite Celestia’s usual dedication to her facade. There are cracks in the stone this time, and though Mikan does have the urge to break her wide open, she knows that this patient demands delicacy.

Mikan’s words cause a shift in Anri’s expression. From one thats slow and soft, to a rather cold one. They look back towards the supplies, adjusting a few things that were perfectly in place. A simple distraction, really. Something as an excuse to avoid eye contact. 

“ Tsumiki. Is that really relevant right now. Both my talent and your apparent stabbing fetish. At least, I’m really hoping its just a stabbing fetish. ” They begin, tone flat now. “ I used to be a nurses aid in my old school. I like routine. So now I’m here. Also, not stabbing you. Or whatever you’re asking for. ”

Mikan immediately starts crying. She goofed. She goofed real bad. Despite her comfort with violence, she doesn’t expect such a whiplashed reaction. This school is so confusing, why is everyone having such strange reactions to her offer? Why hasn’t anyone tried anything on her today? Is she losing her appeal? Too much of an easy target?

They’ve known she’s been looking at them for a while now, not bothering to mention it or acknowledge it as they carefully put away supplies used on a visitor that left prior. Neat and orderly, they act with a skilled rhythm, sticking to the system in place. It’s just habit, to organize in a place that feels familiar.  It’s difficult to remember the last time they felt this relaxed with someone buzzing over their shoulder. Slowly, Anri looks behind them at Mikan. They blink slowly.  “ You don’t need to worry about that. ” Anri begins. “ I’m used to assisting in these environments, and really I have nothing else to do. If you want me to leave, just say the word and I’m gone. ”

They don’t move haphazardly, and there are no messes for Mikan to clean up. In fact, it’s quite the opposite; There’s a perceptive amount of grace and confidence to the stranger’s movements, and it only further stokes the feelings of jealousy that are starting to bubble up. But Mikan pushes them down, comfortable with the knowledge that her repugnant presence will eventually drive them away.

A pack of wolves was hunting a lone sheep.  It was too easy for these disgusting people to rip the cowering girl in the middle apart, tearing into her heart with words that can surely cut and scar just like knives.  She had no allies.  Beneath the torment of the bullies encircling her, the victim was completely defenseless.

A green handled switch-blade was gripped tightly in Sunako’s right hand.  There was no way she could allow herself to stand so idly by.  Intending to ward them away by twisting the fear buried deep inside of them, Sunako confidently stepped forward.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Sunako slung an arm across the shoulders of one of the bullies.  “Ohhhh!  A cafe trip between friends!?  I would LOVE to join your group!”  She laughed, uncomfortably leaning close to the stranger’s side.  “But how is this nice young lady supposed to join us like that?   Hee hee!”  

She gestured to Mikan with her free hand.  The other, carrying the switch-blade in plain sight, was held a short distance away from the bully’s face.  “Teasing others with fake promises of friendship is suuuper cruel!  If you’re going to have her join your party, you might as well follow suit and tie your long flowing hair to lockers too!  Ordinary girls love to conform, right right?”

Sunako shrugged, feigning carelessness.  “If that’s the case, please allow me to remedy this communication problem.  I can give everyone haircuts just like hers.  You will all look just as lovely as her by the time I’m through.  Then your little group won’t be so jealous of her right?”

     To say that Sunako catches the girls off guard would be a gross understatement. The brazen familiarity of her approach is shocking, so much so that most of the girls can only stare, slack-jawed, struck dumb by the entrance of this challenger. It was unlike these girls to back off so easily, but Mikan recognizes the catalyst right away- A knife. A knife, paired with a complete and utter lack of any fear.

     Mikan is easily just as dumbfounded as the others, remaining entirely still aside from her full-body shiver of terror, slumped back against the locker with the knot in her hair holding her head up. Friends. Nice young lady. She’s never met this girl before, but could she be feeling territorial, perhaps? Jealous that she wasn’t invited to join in on the taunting? Had she not made herself available enough to everyone? And the switchblade... was the torment really going to escalate so quickly this time? It would be a pain to be cut up so early in the week, and have to spend the time patching herself up. But if that’s what this stranger needs, so be it.

     “Hey, what the fuck, come on...” The bully in question titters, letting out a nervous laugh but being careful not to move too much, “We’re just messing around. No need to get psycho, okay? We’re cool if you’re cool.”

      God, just being in Fuyuhiko’s range of vision is enough to make her ears hurt. The yelling is inevitable, and this encounter is no different, as much as she wishes otherwise. She raises her hands to her hears, but tries not to be too obvious about her sensitivity, lest she hurt his feelings and get scolded.

      Truthfully, Mikan is feeling a bit territorial. She’s accustomed to the nurse’s office being her exclusive domain, but she has to remind herself that this classmate is trying to be helpful, and she’s horrible for thinking these things. She’s fascinated by the crutches, though, and she can’t help but hover slightly.

      Celeste is always so well put together, so impeccably composed, but this figure in her doorway... this is different. Her injured visage is shocking, really, so much so that at first, Mikan can’t even speak. Immediately, her mind is swimming with the steps she needs to take- stop any continuous bleeding, examine the head for injuries... But first, get Celeste inside. 

      God, this costume is hot. It’s certainly not as bad as the plated armor pieces that the real reenactors are wearing, but Mikan wishes she could be in plain clothes instead. Aren’t medics supposed to stand out in case of emergency? She’s keeping an eye on everyone, of course, but naturally, her eyes follow her schoolmate, Kohaku. How could they not? She has to be suffering in this heat.

      “Hey, piggy, you going with us to the cafe?”

      The speaker, an upperclassman girl, is someone who is most certainly not the type to invite Mikan out, at least not seriously. No, she’s merely a distraction, someone to draw the nurse’s attention while another girl works at tying one of her choppy violet locks around the handle of her locker.

      “Wh... huh...? Are you i-i-inviting me...?” Mikan murmurs, clearly confused by the change of heart.

      “Yeah, come on, hurry up before I change my mind.” The elder girl grumbles, beginning to walk backwards and beckoning her forward.