[on this fine day, sora's on his way back to the hotel when he finds himself falling into step with yoshizawa on the main road. it's not entirely on purpose, but now that they're here he doesn't see anything wrong with saying hello.]
Hi. I don't think I got your name when we met the other day. I'm Sora. [hewwo new friend.]
[She's literally out here jogging in the very same outfit she arrived in, with the addition of a brand new pair of glasses. Thanks, Rabbit. She will be nice enough to slow down once he falls into step with her.]
Oh! Hello! I'm sorry, it must have totally slipped my mind. [An itty bit winded. She continues to slow down her pace until she stops, in order to offer him a quick bow.] I'm Sumire Yoshizawa. It's nice to meet you, Sora-san.
[why is she. well okay! he was definitely keeping up with the jogging for a bit until she slowed down, but he smiles when she stops anyway. he also doesn't seem at all bothered that she read his profile and knows his name already.]
It's nice to meet you, too. I think we were a little distracted that day. How're you doing? Settling in okay?
[he also notices the glasses but he does not comment. i'm glad she can see.]
[SOMETIMES... YOU READ THE OTHER PROFILES WHILE FROWNING AT YOUR SISTER'S NAME. And sometimes I, Kyuu, come down with sleepy bitch disease and forget he didn't introduce himself. It's fine.]
Yes, I am! I wish we had more information to work with, but it's a relief to finally meet the ones who wrote the message. [Even if one of them seemed... not as friendly.] What about you? How are you doing today?
[I MEANT WHY WAS SHE JOGGING KYUU I'M CRYING. IT'S FINE, THEY'RE FINE.]
About the same, I think. I wish there was more we could do but it was nice to listen to them and understand what we're being asked to do. It'll be better when we can meet the other three though. I hope it's soon.
[there's a smile.] But it sounds like we have our work cut out for us, doesn't it?
Yes, you could say that. [It's kind of overwhelming to have yet another apocalyptic event shoved at you, over any of your more competent senpai, but. She sighs.] ... If you don't mind me picking your brain for a little while, what do you make of it? It sounds like everyone will really be in trouble if we fail.
Hm...[he doesn't seem to mind that she's asking as he looks to the sky, hands behind his head as he mulls over his thoughts.]
I think we should take this as seriously as we can. No matter what, it does sound like the Realm really needs our help. And if the Leaders came here even before we did, we know they're not the ones who brought us here. They need our help, too.
[She knows that much. But hearing it from someone whose in the same situation as her doesn't make it any less daunting. Hey, Realm? Why did you pick someone like her for this? Thanks. Sighing, she pushes her glasses up.]
Yes... I feel the same way. And not to mention, the leaders have already given up so much for our sakes. Even if I want to discover what's causing this as quickly as possible, I can't disregard something like that. We owe them.
I think so, too. [he looks more at ease now knowing that their thoughts seem to mirror each other.] They chose to help us, so it's only right that we don't forget them. It sounds like they don't even know what's causing it either, but I want to find out as fast as we can, too.
[but he thinks it over.] Has anything like this ever happened to you before?
No. [... And then a pause, as if suddenly remembering something.] Although, I suppose something similar happened three months ago. I wouldn't call this a repeat, however.
[Memory fuckery and getting whisked away to a foreign realm is a little bit familiar, that's all.]
[he nods easily.] Not exactly like this, but this isn't the first time I've been to a new world without knowing how I got here. But the memories...[hm.]
It's okay. I don't really remember what happened, but I know that it needed to. Maybe that's why I don't feel so bad about this place. Like maybe it'll be something like that.
[Well, here's Sumire! Still looking a bit sick and cradling a plushie in her arms, she will run into him somewhere in the outer fringes of the forest. Looking up once they're in each other's vicinity, she blearily blinks at him.]
[this poor girl? once she approaches though he'll look back at her and give her a light smile. it's not exactly happy though.]
Oh, Sumire. I was just...[...well.] I guess it's kind of dumb, but I wanted to see if there was a squirrel around. I thought maybe he might be able to lead us to something else.
[...he's eyeing the doll curiously but he does not say anything yet.] What're you doing out here?
[Squirrel...? She perks up a bit, though not by much. The doll is fine. Just ignore the doll like she's about to ignore his question, by asking a question of her own.]
This may sound like a strange question, but did the squirrel happen to have a piece of cloth with it?
You were in that group Hilda saw on the other path. The ones that found her...[he'll get back to the cloth in a sec.] Are you okay? That must've been pretty scary.
It's not your fault. How could any of us had known something like this would happen? [but still...it's awful.] Did you guys find anything else nearby? Any clues?
[Bold of Sora to assume that will keep her from feeling guilty.
After a brief pause:]
There wasn't a lot. We ran into a, ah, trail after entering the forest from the east side. The cloth was a little further down the trail, and— [Ugh.] Ichinose-san's body was at the end. We found a broken branch nearby as well. That's all I remember right now.
It's funny. We found a trail leading into the forest, too, but it was in the other direction. We followed it to a clearing where the squirrel must've ran from your group. Hilda kept going and that's how she saw you guys.
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