[ It feels like so much has happened since everyone arrived—and even more in the days since they moved from the Coven to the house. Lux is still getting used to sharing space with others, learning everyone's routines and figuring out how to live together peacefully. So when Akira is strangely absent the day of the full moons, at first she questions if that's simply something that he does. Was he the type to disappear like that? It isn't any of her business if he is—but considering the timing and what she observes in the city that day, she can't help but grow concerned. Was there a correlation?
Inevitably, that's what brings her to his door, juggling a tray with tea for two and a small plate of sweets in both hands. She might not be very good at this whole roommate business just yet, but that doesn't mean she won't try. He can tell her she's a pest, but she at least wants to know that he's all right. Although she should have probably set this down before knocking but she's committed now, which might explain the shuffling sounds outside his door. The sound of clinking porcelain cups, quiet nonsensical mumbling, readjusting—
And a knock! Success! ]
Akira? [ She pauses. Yes, she's still holding this tray, and debating if she wants to try knocking again. ]
[ Back during their weeks at the Coven, Akira was little more than another face—nobody really noticed when he came or went, and if he'd disappeared for a while, he doubts anyone would've come looking for him. But here, in their not-so-little house of three, it's much more obvious when he fails to make an appearance for almost an entire day.
The knock jolts him out of sleep and into confusion as he takes in his state: sprawled across his bed, journal open beside him and pen... underneath, apparently, Akira notes when he shifts and feels it poke into his side.
That's right. After Akechi left, he felt well enough to come up to his bedroom, where he finally succumbed to the pull of sleep at some point. There's a pause as he recalls everything about the night before, and his hand suddenly flies up to his head—
The weird, elongated ears are still there. Looks like it wasn't just for the night of the full moon or (if only) a bizarre dream.
Akira breathes out a sigh and scrubs his hand down his face before speaking up, voice still somewhat groggy. ]
[ ...Did she wake him up? Far be it from her to question someone else's sleep habits (she's the last person who has any right to do that), but it seems a bit off. Maybe Lux was right to be worried about him after all—although she won't know for certain until she goes inside. That might be difficult considering her hands are full. But it's fine.
On his side, all Akira will hear is her shuffling around, a failed attempt at turning the doorknob, and more shuffling before the door finally opens. Lux sticks her heel in, her back turned as she crouches to pick up her tray. How the maids managed to do this gracefully back home is entirely beyond her, but she's committed now; standing up and pushing the door open with her hip, her back still turned to him. ]
I was making myself tea and thought you might like some.
[ It's technically not a lie, but it's not the whole truth either. Lux speaks as she turns toward him, a pleasant smile spread across her lips. ]
I wasn't sure what you like, so—oh.
[ That note of surprise tumbles out before she can catch it, as she catches the change in appearance almost immediately. It's slight, but the shift in eye color is enough to throw her off. Standing there with tray in both hands, Lux blinks almost owlishly at him as she does her best not to stare. That's... Different. ]
[ Her entrance is almost comedic in how much effort it takes, a hint of a smile unconsciously surfacing as Akira rubs the sleep out of an eye. He's about to offer Lux a hand when she manages to make it through the door without spilling her tray, and suddenly all of her attention is on him. Rightly so. Akira is well aware of how noticeably his appearance has changed in the last twenty-four hours. ]
I had an interesting night.
[ The humor in his brief explanation is, admittedly, somewhat forced, an attempt to dispel Lux's apparent shock. Her stare drives home how real it is—not unlike those whispers he heard when he first arrived at Shujin.
Akira sits up fully, moving the pen to rest on top of his journal, eyes following the movement of his hand. ] ... Thank you for the tea.
[ a knock on the door— who is it it! why it’s the mail! a boy yells outside postal service! and awaits with papers in hand, eyes looking down, and once he hears the door opening, the libero doesn’t look up from his script. this one’s a new one. ]
Good afternoon, sir, ma’am, or other! If I can have five or more minutes of your time for this su-plen-did, splendid, survey that could win you—
[ mid sentence, he stops, doing a double-take, and once his eyes focus past the ears, which are a little longer than he remembers— he points and makes an inhumanly excited sound. literally this is
[ Akira isn't really sure who would be sending them mail, but that doesn't stop him from answering the door when he hears the shout come from the other side.
And if he isn't expecting mail, then he definitely isn't expecting to find a familiar face waiting on the doorstep. What Noya is saying barely even registers in light of Akira realizing that it's… well, Noya. Whom he remembers from that dream but hasn't seen at all until now? Even though he kind of sticks out for multiple reasons, so Akira thinks he would've noticed him if he were around. ]
… Noya? [ He can safely say from the enthusiastic pointing that follows that the recognition is mutual. ] When did you get here?
[ And why is he peddling the fantasy-Victorian version of spam mail? ]
[ dude?! dude. bro. he remembered loving you like his own. nishinoya holds his hands up over his head, expecting another pair of hands to expose themselves for an ultimate high five. ]
A few days ago!! It’s been crazy but I got this job?! [ pointing!!! to his jacket!! ] You got your own place now!
[ It only takes a moment for him to realize what Noya is going for. Akira obviously isn't going to leave him hanging when they've only just been reunited. Bam, double high five!!
His hands slip into his pockets after. ]
Ah, I've been here for a month. [ It's strange that it took Noya an extra month to get sucked through the mirrors, but he can wonder about the implications of that later.
When Noya points out his living situation: ] Well, I'm living with a couple of friends... [ The place is still way too big for just three people, but. ] Did you find a place to stay already?
[ The job seemed easy enough—watch the area around Smugha and defend this Witches inside, should the need arise. With some luck, it would be an uneventful night. Would the shades that lurked within the icy depths make an appearance here on the surface? Hopefully not.
It made sense to ask Akira to come with her; they may not be Bonded, but he was someone she could trust to watch her back.
Waiting outside the wall of the city, the hood of her dark-colored cloak drawn over her head, Lux looks up when she hears someone approach. A quiet smile quirks her lips. Right on time. ]
[ Lux's invitation is met with an easy acceptance. It's been a couple of months since the cave, and since then, most of his time has been spent drifting along day-to-day. Akira is getting restless and, quite frankly, feels that he's overdue for some excitement.
Is this job guaranteed to deliver? No, but even if he doesn't, he'll spend a night hanging out with Lux, which seems like a fair break from the monotony as well. Besides, he thinks he's rather qualified—Akira might not be able to see in the dark as requested, but staying up all night is a skill in any high school student's arsenal.
The sun has only just dropped below the horizon when he arrives at their designated meeting area. The Bright Wall, massive as it is, casts a shadow that swallows much of the slums within sight. Akira's cloak blends right in as he makes his way over. This form of stealth is new to him—it's not quite like the social camouflage afforded by glasses and a quiet demeanor, nor like sneaking from corner to corner in a flashy jacket and fine shoes.
Lux is a bit harder to locate without that bright hair on display, but he spots her figure nonetheless, making his approach. ]
I had three cups of coffee. [ Throughout the day, but still, it suits the purpose of the joke. ] I've never been more ready.
[ There's a reason why Lux has gone to great lengths to keep herself busy. It gives her less time to dwell on the amount of time that they have spent in this world, and still did not have a single lead on how to return. There was also the elephant in the room that she wasn't sure if she wanted to face—how comfortable she felt here, knowing that that might never be the case back home.
Honestly, something like this was much needed for the both of them, even if the night ended up being uneventful.
Closing the space between them, Lux pauses, pressing her lips together to keep from giggling. ]
Isn't that a bit excessive? You won't pass out on me, will you?
[ Look at that, she knows what a caffeine crash is. Definitely not from experience.
Adjusting her pack, she begins to make her way past the Wall, glancing back at Akira to make sure that he's following. ]
I take it this is your first time on an operation like this.
[ When Lux accepted this mission, she assumed that she would be playing the part of a good Samaritan, the role she had chosen to play while she was here in Dorchacht. She was no stranger to offering succor and aid during times like this to those who needed it, but as she made her way deeper into the orphanage, her priorities took a severe pivot. She hadn't seen any of the dark horses here, and while she could feel that Akira was close, the fires felt even closer.
She had to have faith that someone would come here. But she's seen what happens when she stays silent, when she chooses to wait and hope that things will turn out for the best, for fear of what would happen to her if she acts. If she only bides her time and does what she's told, rather than doing the right thing, lives will be lost. She won't make that same mistake again.
Finding where the Monsters were being held didn't take much, nor was finding a spare key to the cages. Small and cramped, many of them were already emptied out, "cleaned" and ready to fill with the next generation. The quickly approaching flames the only light in this dark space, it's difficult to make out any clear details—but she still manages to see a figure hunched over in his cage, head lowered and lanky shoulders held tensely. Lux moves to his cage first, pulling out her purloined key and unlocking the door, she pulls it open before starting to back away. Her gaze falls away for an instant. ]
There—
[ Just enough time for whoever was in there to attack, launching Lux back with a powerful kick to the chest and knocking her to the ground. She tries to force air back into her lungs, attempting to shake off the pain and confusion, and will herself up. The Monster that attacked pushes her back down with a taloned foot on her chest, his winged arms outspread as he looms over her. Slowly bearing his weight down on her, Lux gasps out, struggling to break free as her head starts to swim. ]
"That's right. Struggle, just like the rest of us."
[ It takes some effort to lure the caretakers out of the orphanage after the children, but when it comes down to it, the flames threatening to lick at the building offer that extra bit of encouragement. They clearly care more about protecting their own hides than trying to conceal what's hidden inside.
Unfortunately, that leaves them little time to finish clearing the place out. Akira is on his way back in to do just that when he feels it: distress pulsing suddenly in his chest, an emotion that's not his own.
Lux.
It pulls him in without a second thought. He's off, tearing through the hallways as fast as he can, no regard for the smoke that fills his lungs. Why isn't she with the kids like she was supposed to be? No, he knows why. Lux wanted to do more. She's doing more.
The sight that greets him among the cages turns his blood cold, only for it to boil once more as he springs into action. In no time, he's yanking the harpy off of her, twisting one of those winged arms behind his back with a snap of delicate bone and a subsequent shriek of pain. ]
She's not with the Coven! We're trying to get you to safety.
[ Between the adrenaline pumping through her veins and the steadily crushing weight on her chest, it's difficult for Lux to focus. She can feel something prickling at the edge of her mind (dread, then anger), but her thoughts are trapped in the visceral fight-or-flight response that keeps her struggling beyond her better judgement. Ah, this is bad; it's getting harder and harder to breathe.
Then a lot happens all at once. The weight pinning her down is lifted, and she takes a deep, labored gasp of air before curling on her side with a pained shudder. She hears the Harpy yelp in pain, and Akira's sharp tone cut through the fog in her head.
The Harpy's attention quickly flits between the two of them, as he tries to free himself from Akira's grasp. That statement clearly isn't a lie (he would know if it was), but he still doesn't seem to be thinking straight. ]
It— [ She takes a shaky breath, slowly trying to pull herself up. ] It's all right. It's my fault.
[ Considering she's the one on the ground, it's not a very strong argument. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I'm off today.
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After all, I'm benefiting from this as well.
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I can be ready in a few minutes if you want to go now.
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Inevitably, that's what brings her to his door, juggling a tray with tea for two and a small plate of sweets in both hands. She might not be very good at this whole roommate business just yet, but that doesn't mean she won't try. He can tell her she's a pest, but she at least wants to know that he's all right. Although she should have probably set this down before knocking but she's committed now, which might explain the shuffling sounds outside his door. The sound of clinking porcelain cups, quiet nonsensical mumbling, readjusting—
And a knock! Success! ]
Akira? [ She pauses. Yes, she's still holding this tray, and debating if she wants to try knocking again. ]
Are you there?
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The knock jolts him out of sleep and into confusion as he takes in his state: sprawled across his bed, journal open beside him and pen... underneath, apparently, Akira notes when he shifts and feels it poke into his side.
That's right. After Akechi left, he felt well enough to come up to his bedroom, where he finally succumbed to the pull of sleep at some point. There's a pause as he recalls everything about the night before, and his hand suddenly flies up to his head—
The weird, elongated ears are still there. Looks like it wasn't just for the night of the full moon or (if only) a bizarre dream.
Akira breathes out a sigh and scrubs his hand down his face before speaking up, voice still somewhat groggy. ]
Come in.
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On his side, all Akira will hear is her shuffling around, a failed attempt at turning the doorknob, and more shuffling before the door finally opens. Lux sticks her heel in, her back turned as she crouches to pick up her tray. How the maids managed to do this gracefully back home is entirely beyond her, but she's committed now; standing up and pushing the door open with her hip, her back still turned to him. ]
I was making myself tea and thought you might like some.
[ It's technically not a lie, but it's not the whole truth either. Lux speaks as she turns toward him, a pleasant smile spread across her lips. ]
I wasn't sure what you like, so—oh.
[ That note of surprise tumbles out before she can catch it, as she catches the change in appearance almost immediately. It's slight, but the shift in eye color is enough to throw her off. Standing there with tray in both hands, Lux blinks almost owlishly at him as she does her best not to stare. That's... Different. ]
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I had an interesting night.
[ The humor in his brief explanation is, admittedly, somewhat forced, an attempt to dispel Lux's apparent shock. Her stare drives home how real it is—not unlike those whispers he heard when he first arrived at Shujin.
Akira sits up fully, moving the pen to rest on top of his journal, eyes following the movement of his hand. ] ... Thank you for the tea.
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Good afternoon, sir, ma’am, or other! If I can have five or more minutes of your time for this su-plen-did, splendid, survey that could win you—
[ mid sentence, he stops, doing a double-take, and once his eyes focus past the ears, which are a little longer than he remembers— he points and makes an inhumanly excited sound. literally this is
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And if he isn't expecting mail, then he definitely isn't expecting to find a familiar face waiting on the doorstep. What Noya is saying barely even registers in light of Akira realizing that it's… well, Noya. Whom he remembers from that dream but hasn't seen at all until now? Even though he kind of sticks out for multiple reasons, so Akira thinks he would've noticed him if he were around. ]
… Noya? [ He can safely say from the enthusiastic pointing that follows that the recognition is mutual. ] When did you get here?
[ And why is he peddling the fantasy-Victorian version of spam mail? ]
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A few days ago!! It’s been crazy but I got this job?! [ pointing!!! to his jacket!! ] You got your own place now!
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His hands slip into his pockets after. ]
Ah, I've been here for a month. [ It's strange that it took Noya an extra month to get sucked through the mirrors, but he can wonder about the implications of that later.
When Noya points out his living situation: ] Well, I'm living with a couple of friends... [ The place is still way too big for just three people, but. ] Did you find a place to stay already?
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full moon
The moons are annoyingly bright.
How are you feeling tonight?
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I'm feeling all right.
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You seemed to think you wouldn't be last month.
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[ It's playing pretty fast and loose with the term "medicine," but Akira is just grateful for the slight sense of stability. ]
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I’ve got something interesting.
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Early August; Nighttime
It made sense to ask Akira to come with her; they may not be Bonded, but he was someone she could trust to watch her back.
Waiting outside the wall of the city, the hood of her dark-colored cloak drawn over her head, Lux looks up when she hears someone approach. A quiet smile quirks her lips. Right on time. ]
Are you ready?
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Is this job guaranteed to deliver? No, but even if he doesn't, he'll spend a night hanging out with Lux, which seems like a fair break from the monotony as well. Besides, he thinks he's rather qualified—Akira might not be able to see in the dark as requested, but staying up all night is a skill in any high school student's arsenal.
The sun has only just dropped below the horizon when he arrives at their designated meeting area. The Bright Wall, massive as it is, casts a shadow that swallows much of the slums within sight. Akira's cloak blends right in as he makes his way over. This form of stealth is new to him—it's not quite like the social camouflage afforded by glasses and a quiet demeanor, nor like sneaking from corner to corner in a flashy jacket and fine shoes.
Lux is a bit harder to locate without that bright hair on display, but he spots her figure nonetheless, making his approach. ]
I had three cups of coffee. [ Throughout the day, but still, it suits the purpose of the joke. ] I've never been more ready.
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Honestly, something like this was much needed for the both of them, even if the night ended up being uneventful.
Closing the space between them, Lux pauses, pressing her lips together to keep from giggling. ]
Isn't that a bit excessive? You won't pass out on me, will you?
[ Look at that, she knows what a caffeine crash is. Definitely not from experience.
Adjusting her pack, she begins to make her way past the Wall, glancing back at Akira to make sure that he's following. ]
I take it this is your first time on an operation like this.
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[1/2]
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September 25
She had to have faith that someone would come here. But she's seen what happens when she stays silent, when she chooses to wait and hope that things will turn out for the best, for fear of what would happen to her if she acts. If she only bides her time and does what she's told, rather than doing the right thing, lives will be lost. She won't make that same mistake again.
Finding where the Monsters were being held didn't take much, nor was finding a spare key to the cages. Small and cramped, many of them were already emptied out, "cleaned" and ready to fill with the next generation. The quickly approaching flames the only light in this dark space, it's difficult to make out any clear details—but she still manages to see a figure hunched over in his cage, head lowered and lanky shoulders held tensely. Lux moves to his cage first, pulling out her purloined key and unlocking the door, she pulls it open before starting to back away. Her gaze falls away for an instant. ]
There—
[ Just enough time for whoever was in there to attack, launching Lux back with a powerful kick to the chest and knocking her to the ground. She tries to force air back into her lungs, attempting to shake off the pain and confusion, and will herself up. The Monster that attacked pushes her back down with a taloned foot on her chest, his winged arms outspread as he looms over her. Slowly bearing his weight down on her, Lux gasps out, struggling to break free as her head starts to swim. ]
"That's right. Struggle, just like the rest of us."
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Unfortunately, that leaves them little time to finish clearing the place out. Akira is on his way back in to do just that when he feels it: distress pulsing suddenly in his chest, an emotion that's not his own.
Lux.
It pulls him in without a second thought. He's off, tearing through the hallways as fast as he can, no regard for the smoke that fills his lungs. Why isn't she with the kids like she was supposed to be? No, he knows why. Lux wanted to do more. She's doing more.
The sight that greets him among the cages turns his blood cold, only for it to boil once more as he springs into action. In no time, he's yanking the harpy off of her, twisting one of those winged arms behind his back with a snap of delicate bone and a subsequent shriek of pain. ]
She's not with the Coven! We're trying to get you to safety.
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Then a lot happens all at once. The weight pinning her down is lifted, and she takes a deep, labored gasp of air before curling on her side with a pained shudder. She hears the Harpy yelp in pain, and Akira's sharp tone cut through the fog in her head.
The Harpy's attention quickly flits between the two of them, as he tries to free himself from Akira's grasp. That statement clearly isn't a lie (he would know if it was), but he still doesn't seem to be thinking straight. ]
It— [ She takes a shaky breath, slowly trying to pull herself up. ] It's all right. It's my fault.
[ Considering she's the one on the ground, it's not a very strong argument. ]
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