Smiling Guy

Small sticky notes were left around the building in slightly poor Russian— most likely Bee’s doing, but he did include small translations at the bottom from German, to broken French, and to English.

“A “Goodbye World” party is happening! Bring drinks, food, and whoever you want! Quitters are visitors.”

The large room had already been decorated— thanks to Host and Bee. There were at least three stacks of nine vinyl records beside a vinyl player, one song already playing.

Drinks— going from soda to alcohol (there was some juice.. just to be safe) neatly arranged on different tables, cups stacked on said tables, and there was a snack table pressed against the wall near a window.

There were chairs at a couple of empty tables, a couch that somehow got in, and four packs of poker cards on one of the tables.

Bee was already pouring himself a drink, pausing a bit before turning around, he simply waved at everyone and gestured for them to come over.

“C’mon! Party’s gonna be boring if you don’t join..”

The room was filled with banderoles and colorful balloons, but the star of the show was the rock music playing in the background : good stuff. Some american music... Wich was kind of rebellious for Russia.

They correctes some of the sticky notes in passive agressive red pen, like a teacher would do.*

- Everyone welcomed. Let's have fun. Chill visitors allowed. Or not. LoL.

*But for good measure, they tried to recruit some other people more directly, either by voice or by sliding them notes, like in school.

Those lucky few were :

And they DID ask about CJD in the exam

Keep being overeducated about topics gang

...

[It was staring at her for a quick while with a tired, almost irritated stance to their body]

Hey. Y-you... uh- can- shit...

[They get increasingly agitated at themselves for not being able to piece the words properly now.]

I need... help.. im- h...hungry but i dont feel- feel... full when... eating.. i keep throwing up... i dont know what- what is happening... is... is it on me or...

[They trail off, their words sounded pretty desperate.]

//ʰᶦᶦᶦ ᶦᵈᵏ ᶦᶠ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵐᵃᵏᵉˢ ˢᵉⁿˢᵉ, ᶦ ˢᵃʷ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵒⁿᵉˢ ʰᶜ ᵒᶠ ᵛᶦˢᶦᵗᵒʳˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵇᵉᶦⁿᵍ ᶠᵘˡˡ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ⁿᵒʳᵐᵃˡ ᶠᵒᵒᵈ ˢᵒ ᶦᶠ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵈᵒᵉˢⁿᵗ ᶠᶦᵗ ᶦⁿᵗᵒ ᵘʳ ʳᵖ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵈᵉˡᵉᵗᵉ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵃˢᵏ ᵒᵏ ᵗʰᵃⁿᵏˢˢˢ⁽,,ᵒ . ᵒ,,⁾ ᵘ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵈᵐ ᵐᵉ ᶦᶠ ʸᵒᵘ ᵈᵒ ᵗʰᵒᵘᵍʰ

- Hi there ! Is there something on my face hehe ?

*Tie Girl's hands are tensed as she rubs them ankwardly with each other, feeling very stressed and judged under that gaze... Who is that person, already ? She saw them around definitly !*

- Ah ! Aaah ! It's just that, aha ! Yes, yes, we aaaall went through this. Me too !

*She immediatly relax and her shoulders untense. It's not a creep, it's a baby visitor ! Just like she was some months ago !

And she was lucky to have found some help, so now, time to be a mentor !*

- Aha, I'll be your visimentor ! Get it ? Visitor and mentor ? Yeah... Okay. Hum. Well, we, visitors, cannot feed entierly on human food. Most of us at least. We can try, and digest most meats and sugar easily. The rest is totally useless. We eat like teenagers hehe...

*Her character was weird. Way too casual about it all. Detached from reality.*

- Depsite thar, we NEED human meat once in a will. BUT !

*She lifts a finger in the air.*

- Blue or Red ! Noted !

*Lucie smilled, thinking that with a bit or white it would be the Russian flag... Or the French one !

It made her a bit nostalgic. But she would be making it for her new friend, so truly it was alright. Those two colors were kind of horrible together, what might she do to arange them ? Stripes ? One half and one half ? Little squares ? Just pick one of them and choose for poor Rei who was probably going to forget about it anyway ?*

- You are doing a good work. I hope it will help you !

*Surely it will. For a time.

But, what, after ?*

- ... Have you tried eating a brain yet ?

*If visitors were meant to eat whatever needed replacement within themselves, surely Rei's memory would be saved by eating whatever part of the brain was responsible for that, no ?

[They nodded and continued writing, until Lucie's question stopped them. They stare off to space a little bit, trying to remember. Brain... no memory came up.]

eh... No.. I th-think not. N...not recently I- er... at least. Why?

...

[It was staring at her for a quick while with a tired, almost irritated stance to their body]

Hey. Y-you... uh- can- shit...

[They get increasingly agitated at themselves for not being able to piece the words properly now.]

I need... help.. im- h...hungry but i dont feel- feel... full when... eating.. i keep throwing up... i dont know what- what is happening... is... is it on me or...

[They trail off, their words sounded pretty desperate.]

//ʰᶦᶦᶦ ᶦᵈᵏ ᶦᶠ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵐᵃᵏᵉˢ ˢᵉⁿˢᵉ, ᶦ ˢᵃʷ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵒⁿᵉˢ ʰᶜ ᵒᶠ ᵛᶦˢᶦᵗᵒʳˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵇᵉᶦⁿᵍ ᶠᵘˡˡ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ⁿᵒʳᵐᵃˡ ᶠᵒᵒᵈ ˢᵒ ᶦᶠ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵈᵒᵉˢⁿᵗ ᶠᶦᵗ ᶦⁿᵗᵒ ᵘʳ ʳᵖ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵈᵉˡᵉᵗᵉ ᵗʰᶦˢ ᵃˢᵏ ᵒᵏ ᵗʰᵃⁿᵏˢˢˢ⁽,,ᵒ . ᵒ,,⁾ ᵘ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵈᵐ ᵐᵉ ᶦᶠ ʸᵒᵘ ᵈᵒ ᵗʰᵒᵘᵍʰ

- Hi there ! Is there something on my face hehe ?

*Tie Girl's hands are tensed as she rubs them ankwardly with each other, feeling very stressed and judged under that gaze... Who is that person, already ? She saw them around definitly !*

- Ah ! Aaah ! It's just that, aha ! Yes, yes, we aaaall went through this. Me too !

*She immediatly relax and her shoulders untense. It's not a creep, it's a baby visitor ! Just like she was some months ago !

And she was lucky to have found some help, so now, time to be a mentor !*

- Aha, I'll be your visimentor ! Get it ? Visitor and mentor ? Yeah... Okay. Hum. Well, we, visitors, cannot feed entierly on human food. Most of us at least. We can try, and digest most meats and sugar easily. The rest is totally useless. We eat like teenagers hehe...

*Her character was weird. Way too casual about it all. Detached from reality.*

- Depsite thar, we NEED human meat once in a will. BUT !

*She lifts a finger in the air.*

[They tried to take in everything she said. It was hard on their alreasy brittle mind. They looked a bit tense and unsettled by her casualty and mannerisms but ultimately doesnt say anything]

Visitor... me..? I don..dont.. uh...

[He grabs his hat in frustration, mostly to themselves. They didnt want to believe but what was there to believe. Plus she seems genuine]

*She recognised that look in their eyes : disbelief, denial, and a bit of fear. Just like she was some time ago. And Beetle too.

She sat on the coutch, willing to take her "lesson" slower and be more gentle with this lost soul... Who truly looked out of this world. A pretty advanced visitor state, already...*

- Hummm... Well, usually I depend on Pink and Pax. But Pax left... And Pink leaves outside...

*She takes the time to think, her own stomach grumbling at the mention of food... Yes, she needed it too ! She smiles like "aha, sorry !" About the noises her poor belly is making. She lost a lost of weight lately, her clothes too loose on her... The other, too, looked disheveled !

Suddenly, her red eyes lit up. A genius idea !*

- Want to dig up some graves with me ?

Ff... I know... I know I- I dont look too w...well. Nor- nor act norm- normal. But im not- not a v...visitor. I've never- never been... attacked or... uh... whatever. I'm just... d-diseased. Get it- it right...

[She says through gritted teeth. She had noticed changes on her body and mind, but to her, that was just malnutrition and their condition worsening. They though they were just getting forgetful, and being called out like that didn't made her happy]

D...dig up graves..? oh- uh... like that old h-hunchback?

[It places a hand over their stomach and winces.]

Sure... sure. I'd do anything to... to eat.

*Being liked and polite was more important for Lucie than being right. She knew he was a visitor, no normal human would agree so easily to eat human meat and dig up some graves for that...

But she was not going to insist, her terrible craving to be loved by everyone way stronger than anything else. And she did not want to have a conflict. So she smilled ankwardly, playing with her bloody hands, chewing at the little skins around her nails, nervous and red eyes darting away. This was bad...*

- I did not mean to make you upset... I must have seen wrong.

*A little white could not hurt, right ?*

- You know, I am a visitor myself, no need to hide it to you... So maybe I just wanted to find a friend with my condition... ? But a human to share a meal with is good too !

*That should do the trick ! Her sorry face would be enough, right ?*

- Like the hunchback, yes ! But I leave him the theet. I only care about the meat.

*She smiles with teeth too bright and perfect.*

Its.. fine. J-just know that...

[It trails off. They look a little surprised at Lucie's admission on being a visitor. His eyes dart across her face, trying to remember the signs to see of they fit, but he couldn't remember any of them. They shrug and bury the thought]

Visitor... i dont- mind... i- i am glad you... will find something to- to eat with... uh. Me.

*She smiles, little white teeths not looking that sharp, and red eyes full of playfull friendliness. Her bloodied hands are surely the scariest thing about her, but it's self inflicted... So who cares ? She's never killed anyone ! A peacefull little "charognard"...

For now.*

- Follow me. Someone made a nice little cemetary... A whole buffet ! There's one grave pretty new, the body must be fresh... Yum !

*What horrified her some weeks ago was now considered normal and perfectly fine and fun. And that was maybe the one truly horrofying thing about Lucie : her capacity to bounce back.

But her compagnion looked way WORSE. Yikes ! Whag a face ! What a stench !

Sick hat, tho...*

- Oh ! I did not get your name yet ! I'm Lucie, but people refer to me as "Tie-Girl" round here...

[He echoed, already craving it. It had been so long since they had eaten something that didn't end up in them throwing it up. It was craving this so bad that his hands were shaking a bit more than usual, to the point that they questioned if those were their usual tremors]

Hn..? Name... ah- Lucie. Nice to... uh... meet you. You can call me.. Levi.

[She responded. It didn't trust themselves to remember Lucie's name, but it was nice to know it for now. They followed her outside towards the graves in the forest. Several unnamed graves sit there, they looked to be fresh, at least some of them. He could smell the corpse sitting below the dirt. It didn't remember their sense of smell being this good, but also what did it remember properly?]

Here..? who... hm..

*This was the only compliment she could give. Everything else was a disaster in her opinion. Her fragile senses were under attack from that stench...*

- I have done this a few times, follow the lead !

*She picked the last one. Bent like an animal over the freshest grave there was, Lucie started to dig with her nails the dry dirt, soil warm and crumbly. It was easy to dig in, and she seemed to possess way too much strenght for her small body.

The nammed carved on the wood read "Francis". The body was feminine, but her head was blown off by one or two gunshots. She wore clothes but her arms were free and quite delicious looking, still somewhat tender.*

[They say at the compliment. After watching Lucie a little, she helps her with the digging. When the body was out Levi freezed up. Not in horror, but in hunger. He could feel his hands shaking, so much so they had to clutch their head to focus.]

I- I- raw is f-fine...

[It manages to say. She steps closer to the body and grabs one of the arms. she pulls on it and with a crunch it comes right off. Levi was surprised that they seemingly had the strength to pull it off but it was quickly forgotten when they bit into the arm.]

[It couldnt stop the shudder running down their spine. He didn't know if it was from disgust or relief. They continued to devour the piece of raw flesh]

//artist rendition id imagine

Lucie stands off a bit to the side, letting him eat all he wants. She's not that starved, she'll make do with the leftovers and will probably cook something... She was a sophisticated visitor.*

- Oh my oh my ! You needed that, you little... human. Cannibal.

*She almost called him a visitor again. Oopsie.

As Levi finishes to eat, she takes what se can from the corpse, feeling a bit bad for this person but her negative emotions were burried deep inside for now. She was too hungry to reeeaally care.*

[Lev eats a good portion of the corpse. Seems like they had been extremely famished by the time all this happened. When he finishes eating, he gets up and yawns. It actually looks less... feral? save for the blood stains all over them.]

Ah- mh. Thank... thank you for- for... uh... this.

[It says in a rather cheerful tone while licking some of the blood stuck around their mouth.]

Heh... it... it does make me- me a c-canibal... right... don't- don't tell anyone...

[She says while wiping more blood off his mouth, though only smearing it around more. It then just notices that Lucie didn't eat anything.]

*She smiles reassuringly, picking a little piece of what was left. Two pieces, in fact. Flat and thin, perfect for some millanaise...*

- It would be impolite of me to eat at the same time as my guest ! Also, I prefer my meat cooked. I am refined, you see ? I'll make it fried...

*With no side dish, as she could not stomach it anymore. Only meats and sugars. Even the oil will make her sick, but she can't help but look for "the goold old days" even in those circumpstances.*

- No need to thank me, friend !

*Oh the deal was sealed.

ha... right.. right. just- just being... uh..... cautious.

[they say after trying to remember the word a little. The difficulty at remembering was unsettling him but as always she brushes it off under the rug. It wasn't the time to think about this. He gets up on its feet and dusts off its coat. She glances at the half eating corpse, then back at Lucie]

*She feels good about that. Being a mentor is always rewarding ! And look how good he eats !*

- That was a person, Levi ! I will use only what I need, little pieces, and dig back the rest. That poor girl deserves to sleep... Heh, I'll probably save the rest for later tho !

*She pockets some pieces of old meat, taking it inside with her, not even caring about being discreet anymore. This was her home. People here loved her. No one would ever really care. So why bother ?*

I... was the one to... ask... Right! right... I- I was... I for-forgot.. haha...

[The laugh is anything but genuine. Forgetting wasnt funny, at least to them. She hopes that this was just a moment of weakness and not a reoccuring thing. They rub its face and watches Lucie take some meat with her.]

You d...dont eat a lot..? ah... well. I- I'm a bit em..embarrassed now.. hah... I just ate- ate a lot in front of you...

[She says sheepishly. He then puts the body -or rather what's left of it- in the casket to save it for later, as per Lucie's words]

Hm? ah- yes! yes.. I- I am f-feeling a lot bet...better... Cr-crazy how eat-eating human flesh does.... uh.. that. May-maybe I'm one- one of the human eating g-ghosts now? ahaha...

- You needed that, buddy ! I have some stock of energy on my bones...

*She point at her tummy. She is in fact still quite chubby despite the apocalypse, and despite her hunger her cheecks are looking rosy and fresh. She's a very healthy visitor... All things considered.

And that might be concerning...

For humans !*

- Well you told me you were not soooo... Heh ! Who cares anyway ?

*As they come back inside, Lucie leads her new visitor friend to the kitchen, where she starts to cook a delicious roasted Francis, with a pepper and cream sauce. She is shamelessly using human food that people need in such times. Not because she is cruel or uncaring, but because she does not think like a human anymore.

She just wants to eat.

And to make it tasty.

The butter and meat are leaving out a delicious smell in all the kitchen*

Ah? Where i- i come from? Well here! Ha-ha... just kidding.. i-i know im not- not fooling any...one.

[She snorts at her own joke]

But no... i... uh. I've been living h-here for a while now.. a few y-years? I th-think? Ah- something like... like that.

[She shakes its head, trying to focus on the asked question.]

Get-getting off track again... sorry... um- before- before uh... coming here... i was in... over- overseas. Japan. I spent my chil...childhood there... that- that's why i still uh... sometimes mix- mix up L's and R's when- when speaking. Esp...especially if i'm dis- distracted. Levi isnt- isnt my r-real name either.... hehe..

*Plating her meal and putting the fire down, Lucie seats at the table, a little napkin on her button down as to not risk any spot on her fancy clothes.

She starts eating Francis with elegance, little bites cut clean with a good knife.*

- Japan ! I dream of going there... What made you leave ? And... What is your "real name" if you don't mind me asking ?

*She stops talking to take another juicy bite. Good she was starving ! Her stomach growls in anticipation as she cuts another piece.*

Your... dream? Ah ah- i get... get it. Japan is.. not bad. Its... um- pretty. Though I- I left.. because... uhm...

[She falls silent a bit, then shakes her head. It doesn't want to think about it.]

Er... I dont... want to say much. Though one- one part was for work. This place is bet-better about.. plane en- engineering.. Better education.

My name? ah! Its... its Reitarou. I can write it if there is a paper- ah. none. Nevermind- My f...friends here had hard- hard time pronouncing it and.. well. I- I go by Levi now.

[She let out a small chuckle when he thought of how she ended up with that name. They didn't mind. It wasn't too far from their real name, in a sense.]

- Reitarou. What a pretty name !

*The french accent quite works with Japanese prnonciations, way better than the russian accent !

For once Lucie is not butchering a word but giving it it's initial grace, really.*

- Yes, I get it. Japan is... Very good for a vacation, but I am sure it's like every other country, it's a society with a lot of challenges ! Work culture, sexism, and everything. France is idealised by tourists too, but we have things to deal with too. Racism, and anti-religion for exemple.

*She seems deep in thoughts and count on her fingers.*

- I was there for two months before the apocalypse started, four months ago... So half a year ! That's why my accent is still so bad, sorry sorry !

*She looks at Levi with more attention now that she finished her plate.*

[Levi's smile widened to a more genuine one. She seems chuffed that her name didn't get butchered. For once.]

Th-thank you! hah... you can c...call me by that too.. if you want. Or just Rei- if easier. Ah- what am i talking about.. shit.

[He shook his head after reprimanding himself for losing the train of thought.]

Hn.. I see... Well.. nowhere in this world is.. good. Everywhere has racist people.. Even here.

[They said with disdain, eyes staring at nowhere whiile reminicing about the past.]

Tsk.. nevermind. Your ac..accent is fine! hah... Mine was worse when I was- was here for a few m... uh... months. Why did you c...come here, can I ask..?

[A small glint came to its eyes at the mention of aviation.]

*Seeing the poor man bash himself like that because his own brain was not braining correctly was... Sad. And Lucie felt an old, human emotion twist her stomach : empathy. She offered a reassuring smile, but the man was already on another subject. Gosh, had she finally met her match ?*

- Oooh god yes especially here ! I kept my mouth shut for weeks before daring speaking... And I'm a tour guide ! Pfff ! Everyone was going to know anyway... And I'm too much of a chatterbox to keep quiet for long !

*Yes, Lucie, we noticed.*

- I came here for work. An art museum ! I wanted to specialise in East European paintings from the XVIII and XIX centuries ! Pretty cool, ne ?

*An Ingeener ! And a Art Specialist ! Two VERY different sectors. He did not look line a plane ingeneer. But what was even that supposed to mean ?*

- That's very cool. I hope once the sun is back to normal and we all heal and become human again, you'll find a good job and make a lot of planes that dont shake too much when there is wind... It always scares me so much ! Iii !

Tour guide? You? .... I- It fits you! ha... not- not in a bad way... of course.. hah... In an art museum too..? that- that's nice. I- I never had a uh.... um... talent for art... Were you also... uh- did you d-drew too or just... knew. about art?

[She sat on the table silently a bit and kicked her feet as he pondered over Lucie's words about future. She wanted to be positive, she really did. But it drained his energy like no other. With a somber sigh he took off his cap and ran their hand over their hair]

I... I'm sorry... L...lucie. I won... won't be better. I won't get a job. H...hell.. I don't even think I... er- I'll see the end of this.. this... uh- disaster. I... I hope you.. see it when- when the sun is good again.. though.

*It's not a surprise. She is the ultimate theatre kid. And It's not her formal wear that can hide their whimsy within her, and the wide variety of her facial expressions. She is quite a good actress. Surely It's why no one killed her yet.*

- My favorites are drawing and writting, tho. Surely you had some hobbies, too ? You cant spend your days laying on the couch !

*She smiles wide, way too happy to be alive for someone so doomed.

And then Earth called Spaceship and Lucie's smile dropped. Back to reality.*

- ... D-dont say that ! You dont know it ! I'm sure F.E.M.A is working on a cure for Visitors ! If we did the travel in one way surely we can do it in reverse !

*But there are some travels you can only do once. Dying, for exemple.*

[He shakes his head and raised their hands in a hurried fashion. Lucie's question about hobbies are left forgotten.]

I- I'm not gonna... shit- get better. No.. not- not- uh.. It's not- Visit- no. It is s...something... uh- SHIT!

[She clutched her head in frustration. Speaking in a panic made an already difficult task even more difficult. The frustrations about both her impending death and not being able to tell what they want to were getting to them. They force themselves totake a few breaths and mutter something unintelligable under their breath]

No... Lucie... I'm.. It's not- not about visitors or- or the sun. I... I've been diseased. for some- some time. And- and it is... isn't something to- to be better. My brain is- is eating itself and- and- Shit- uh... There is nothing t-to do! Thats it! I w...will die. No.. noth...ing else...

- Hey. It's okay, Reitarou. Let it out.

*Her voice dropped the fake joyful tone and she sounds more human. She reaches for one of his hands, gently holding him to try to reassure him. He looked so devastated. But when you have so little time what use is there is wasting it in tears ?*

- ... I don't like seeing you upset. Is there anything I can offer you ? A hug ? A shoulder to cry on ? A glass of water ?

Ah... s-sorry for th...that. I- I- hm... I was just- st...stressed. I guess... I have- have been keep- keeping it... uh- to myself... It kinda- hah.. exploded..

[She runs her free hand over his hair again as a way to destress while the other one remains in Lucie's hold.]

*She asks as she gently squeeze his hand. What is it with everyone of Lucie's friends being condemned ?! Spiral, then Levi, and finally Void being KILLED ?

Was she cursed to lose everyone ? People left here and there, some plainly dissapeared or died. She was... She was...

No no no no back to focus ~*

- It's normal to explose when you bottled up too many things... You should not keep it all to yourself ! Do you have friends here, except me ?

I- i think i.. have... had... but i- uh.. i dont know.. some of them.. left. there was this-

[She made a vague gesture, then dropped her hand. The image was vaguely in her mind, curly hair, a strange hat, an acrid smell, but she couldnt find the words to describe them.]

fuck. I cant- cant find the... words... to...

ARGH!

[He groaned in frustration and buried his face in his free hand. What he was fearing, forgetting russian and forgetting who was people, especially his friends. He slowly looked up to her again]

*That was... Well, what was it, exactly ? What was the right word for the feeling she had ? Sad ? Blue ? Devastated ? Heart ripped appart ?

She let go of his hand.*

- I am Lucie. You are Reitarou. You come from Japan and I come from France and we are bad at Russian. You love planes and I love paintings. And I think I saw you speak with Artie. I think we should write all this down. Somewhere. In japanese too. For you to always keep on you and read when you dont remember. Oh !

*Lucie runs to her blue backpack in the corner of the room and gets out... Her lanyard ? A work badge was dangling on the end lf it. With her name and role.

"LUCIE. Tour Guide. I speak Russian, English and French. Ask me anything !"*

That- that'sa great idea! you- ah- thank you! I c..can remember ..or- or relearn stuff like that.. We... we should f-ffind a p..paper to write.. though...

[He whips his head around briefly. There is no paper lying around in the kitchen, why would there be? He turns back to lucie.]

*She says as she puts her lanyyard around her neck. She looks even more professionnal and formal now ! On the back, she might write "I am a nice visitor. Please don't shoot."

Of course there is paper somewhere. Artie has made countless paper cranes. Ilya has something to draw on. Lasha has a journal. Well Lucie has one too ! And the mute boy Nemoy ! There is nothing BUT paper in this school ! Old books forgotten, schoolar material F.E.M.A didnt bother to steal.*

- I will find you something ! We are in a school, you see ? There is everything we might need. Except like... The actual useful stuff, but we have paper, stickers, crayons and those children scissors that wont cut hair... Always wondered how it worked... Anyway !!!

[Before they could finish the sentence, Lucie was out the room. Levi stepped outside and looked for her briefly, she was already gone. They didn't want to chase after her, so waiting was a viable option for now.

He didn't go back in but remained in the corridor for some time, thinking. The look of the school was very different from what he was used to. He started walking down the hall slowly while looking around before coming across the door tot he school's library.

- AH !

*Lucie started to panic. She told him not to move ! Where might he be now ? Deep into troubles maybe ?

The young woman started running around like a headless chicken. She opened every door. Woke up a few people. Even interupted a kiss. She closed that door in a hurry. Oops !

When finally, it makes "tilt" in her head.

The library !

There was no better place to learn and certainly Raibary went there for ressources and some alone time. Sometimes Kitty and Lasha were there but it was mostly quiet...

She sneaks in, and find him in the dictionnary section. Deep into research. So, she silently approaches from behind... And places her hands over his eyes.*

- BOUH ! I found you !

*She chuckled from her little prank, so relieved to find him again. He was so distraught earlier, she feared the worst !*

- Silly, you wanted to play hide and seek ?

*She chuckled again while giving him everything she found.*

[She screamed and jumped when she scared them. She muttered something unintelligable under her breath and look back at Lucie.]

WHY!? Shit- dont do that!

[They said and manages to calm down after taking a few breaths. They fixed their hair a little and huffed, a bit embarrassed over being so scared over something simple.]

I- no. no... I wasnt playing.. I- er... uh.... shit...

...

Right! I- I was looking f-for a dic...tionary. In case I for..get rus-russian... ha...

[He let out an emotionless laugh while taking the stationary items. There were variety to them. He looked really interested at the mention of another Japanese speaker, but the interest all deflated when he heard he was in FEMA.]

- EEEK !

*She took her breath too. Epic fail.*

- Oh I'm so sorry ! Didnt mean to spook you. Aha, and I thought I was the less scary visitor ever...

*She winks.*

- Besides, I already ate !

*But her playful attitude was swiped away by Rei's words. Oh. That was... Sad. Just so sad.*

- But I'm sure... I'm sure it would go fine. And he is my friend, he could teach me and... And yeah ! If you forget Russian than it's me who will learn so you'll always have someone to talk too.

*Lucie was forgetting two things.

First, Rook was really not her friend. At ALL.

[They chuckle a bit. They glance down to the stationary in their arms and look around for a place to make the lanyard. They decide to just sit on the ground on a rug a few steps away.

He dunks all of the pens and papers on the ground and sits down aswell. He inspects the pens for a bit in a daze and then realize what he was supposed to do.]

Right- right...

[She opens a blue marker and pulls the paper in front of her and just... stares. She glances to Lucie awkwardly]

...

*Her smile was so trustworthy... For a visitor.

She sat on her knees next to Rei, taking off her lanyard to show it as an exemple.*

- You could start with your name, the languages you speak... And that you are nice and safe. For the badge it's enough. For the little notes in case you forgot russian, I advize you write everything that makes... You !

*She starts enumarating on her fingers.*

[The chuckle is everything but genuine]

name- age... i should write in both- both russian and japanese...

[He slid a paper and a pen in front of him and lay on his stomach to write]

名前....怜太郎..苗字.....

[She begins to write, reciting what she writes out loud. It takes a while for her to finish this section but its done. She sits up and holds the paper up]

Done! I... didnt write things.. uh- that i forgot.. like the start of- everything.... but- but doesnt matter now...

[It shrugs and looks at the paper again]

Instead she sits on her knees next to him and try to pick some Japanese. She promised to learn, after all. And she had direct translation, so it was easier. If she succeeded, she would speak four languages ! Whao !

If she survived and if she became Human back and if work meant anything in tommorow's world, she would put it on her C.V.*

- A lanyard ?

*Ah ! She didnt think that far !*

- I dont have a second one. But I could let you borrow mine, or, if you give me your favorite color, I could crochet you a yarn one !

*She was good with her little crochets, and all her yarn was unused... In a heat apocalypse, who needed a new pullover ?!*

[It didnt remember what crochet mean, and it didnt want to embarrass itself by asking. Pretending seemed to be the better option for now. It hoped Lucie didnt catch on]

Thank you so much, though