(no subject)

[mightletyouknowme]

[ Kobato had grown into quite the young lady if she did say so herself. She was only about an inch taller than she had been when she was 13 and she didn't really seem to have matured very much, but it counted. A whole inch at least meant that she hadn't stopped growing altogether (probably). She was in high school now, finally legitimately a member of the Neighbors Club.. even if they didn't really need to be there anymore. The Neighbors Club was a club for people who didn't have friends and they'd all made friends with each other.

This still meant she was small enough to fit underneath Kodaka's umbrella but since she was a high school student now, he'd finally started insisting on personal space being a thing so she was underneath her own fairly frilly black umbrella. Fullmetal Necromancer was obviously still a thing with her, even if she was older. She still wore a dress and the contacts, even if the unexpected rain had begun to pour down as she had her brother had gone to meet his girlfriend and Kobato's friend (after much, much denial and screaming of both the good and bad variety) Sena.

Sena herself hadn't changed much, at least not outwardly. Her signature blue butterfly still nestled into her blonde hair, which she still kept cut the same length and her clothes were still cute in a modern way.

And she was still quick to smile when she saw the message on her screen. They were nearby and Sena would have already been there if she hadn't had to go back for her umbrella. She wasn't sure which had surprised her more, the fact that the confession had happened or that one day, she realized she and Kobato had actually gotten closer!

Closing the phone with a slight "heh" that she was glad they weren't there to see, she would place it back into her purse and turn what should have been the last corner.

Amidst Kobato and Kodaka chatting animatedly with each other, Kobato stopped to wave to Sena once she spotted her from beneath her umbrella, catching Kodaka's attention. Sena waved excitedly back then turned her eyes to her feet as she stepped into the street.

Kodaka launched himself forward, leaving Kobato with surprise plastered to her face. Then she froze when she saw what Kodaka had moved so quickly toward.

Sena hit the ground, hard and fast, before she even knew what had happened. The girls both turned their eyes to the middle of the road where Kodaka lie. Kobato didn't move. Her umbrella fell next to the one Kodaka had abandoned, Sena's having rolled across the ground when she'd been pushed out of a way.

A truck. That had been what he'd run for. He'd saved Sena's life but in return...

Sena tried to dash for Kodaka's body as soon as she realized what had happened. The video showed her screaming, plain as day, some by-standers started calling 911 or grabbing ahold of Sena. They didn't pay attention to Kobato since she was still frozen in place.

After what seemed like ages of Sena struggling, Kobato took a few steps forward, legs shaking, and spoke that nickname that she still called him but it was too quiet for anyone else to hear. Her throat was too tight. While everyone was paying attention to Sena, she moved into the middle of the street and kneeled down next to her brother and took his hand, squeezing it. He didn't squeeze back. Her voice broke and she started crying, harder than she ever had before as she refused to let go of his hand.

Sena's teary eyes turned to Kobato now, the younger girl's screams being more than enough to confirm that Kodaka was dead. Some of the adults moved toward Kobato now and tried to pry her off, but she threw herself over Kodaka and refused to let go. The paramedics had come and it wasn't until then that anyone could get Kobato away from her brother or Sena could get to Kobato.

Sena put her hand on Kobato's shoulder but didn't move otherwise. They were both a mess, Kodaka's blood, water, and mud smeared all over Kobato and Sena's clothes but that didn't matter. Finally, Kobato buried her face against Sena's side and cried into it, even harder than before. Sena wrapped her arms around her, finally having found the strength to move again, and embraced her back, tears unceasing. ]

Comments

[oceanicbutterfly]

Sena-san... Kobato-san...

[They're alive. They're alive, but--]

[kukuku]

[ She takes a while to reply, but she doesn't look at the post because she doesn't want to see it. ]

Karen do you have a place I can stay? An-chan had the keys. [ She didn't bring hers since she was going to be with Kodaka that day. And she doesn't want to stay at Sena's because part of her is starting to blame Sena for this. ]

[oceanicbutterfly]

Of course. [She blurts it out before she can actually think about it. Fortunately, it's true.]

...do you need me to pick you up?

[kukuku]

[ Kobato nods. Not like she has a worldhop.. ]

[oceanicbutterfly]

All right.

[A few minutes later, there's a glow from a nearby alley, after which Karen steps out and glances around--oh, there she is.]

[kukuku]

[ All her clothes are in their home, so she's still in her dress with blood and dirt and water. At least the paramedics gave her a blanket. She looks like she's trying not to cry again and she doesn't really notice Karen yet. ]

[mightletyouknowme]

[It takes a while before she even comes on. When she does, her eyes are red and they begin to water again. Sorry Karen, you just seem like someone she can cry to.]

I...

[oceanicbutterfly]

[No apology is necessary. At least she can trust you to not turn into a giant monster she'll have to kill or anything along those lines.]

Sena-san...

[mightletyouknowme]

I didn't... I didn't know it was coming. I didn't know he would do that... [And then she's crying again.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

Do... do you need someone?

[It's a stupid question. Why is she saying stupid things? Because she feels like she has to do something and she can't think of anything useful, that's why.]

[soulfist]

...Get up, you have to get up!

[kukuku]

We're up. A-An-chan's not.

[mightletyouknowme]

[Her stomach had started to hurt from all the crying. When she shows up, her hair is still a mess, her eyes slightly swollen. This is her at her worst.]

...He won't. He won't get up.

[winterkicker]

What...

[kukuku]

That was my brother.

[ She's not even bothering with the roleplaying Reisys bit right now.. ]

[winterkicker]

Jeeze...I'm so, so sorry. I know it's not much and it looks like you have a place to stay now... Just. If you need anything, just ask, okay?

[kukuku]

[ She nods. She's not replying to anything while she's busy crying, so there are some big pauses between her replies. She can't even make out her own words sometimes when she keeps trying, but it's really obvious that she's been crying a lot.

When she goes on for this one though, what she "needs"... gets her and she starts crying again. ]

I-I need-- I need An-chan!

[mightletyouknowme]

He's dead! He..he... he's...

[winterkicker]

Y-yeah... We all kind of saw that. [okay, this is Chie's best at trying to be tactful]

[mightletyouknowme]

[Tears start to fall again.]

I didn't want that to happen. I did't want...

[believemyvoice]

S-Sena?! [Good God. This community was doing horrible things to people everywhere!!] Sena! Are you alright?!

[mightletyouknowme]

[She just shakes her head. No, she's not okay at all.

She would say more but she can't, her voice too choked up on tears.]

[believemyvoice]

Sena...[He frowns deeply.] I-I can't worldhop or I would be there...

[mightletyouknowme]

[She wipes the tears away with the side of her hand, nodding.]

I...I know. [She doesn't blame you. She's far too busy blaming herself.]

[believemyvoice]

Sena...It isn't your fault. [He could almost see what she was thinking.]