028 ♦ Video (+Closed)

[peacefulwinter]

The Winter that appears when the camera clicks on... looks like she's had better days. There are bags under her eyes, her hair's a mess, and she's vaguely twitchy. But she seems whole, at least. She's also in an unfamiliar room, for anyone that's been keeping score... and that's unusual in and of itself. She'd already showed what color her new walls were, and this isn't it.

"Hi, everyone... I wanted to say that if anyone was looking for us over the weekend, we decided to leave Locke City. I can't... there's no way I could stay in the city with everything that's going on. It feels like I'm r-running away, but I refuse to let my parents be in danger. Or the people I care about. I-" She cuts off, grimacing. She said she wouldn't do certain things anymore, and it's making her hold her tongue now.

"Anyway, Lily and I decided to come back here until things settle down in Locke. Jasmine and Marina are with us, too, and my parents. We left Thursday... and here we are. I'm tired from all the driving, but if anyone needs anything, let me know. And... if anyone wants to get together, let me know about that, too. I could use the time to unwind, or else I'm just going to crash. That won't end well for anyone." Least of all Lily, who will have to deal with her unease, but that's another matter. "That's all I wanted to say. Sorry for not letting anyone know earlier, I just... I didn't want to draw any attention away from the important things. I think that's everything, so... um. I hope things are going all right for everyone."

She reaches out a hand, and the feed clicks off.

Setting down her Kindle next to her, she lets out a sigh, collapsing back onto the soft-but-not-that-soft hotel bed. "Did we do the right thing? I feel like I left... everyone behind. That they're going to have to deal with things without us, because I couldn't deal with staying. It just... leaves a bad taste in my mouth." She turns onto her side toward Lily, sighing. "Our days can't ever be quiet and peaceful, can they? I don't mind what I am - it's helped me grow, and it's how I met you, too - but it's so... stressful, some days." She brings her hands in front of her, clasping them in front of her, rocking slightly as her legs dangle off the side of the bed.

"Unless you want to do something, I might take a nap. I'm exhausted... I don't really want to sleep after I spent a whole trip thinking about all that, but I don't know if I want to go out right now, either." She's in that awkward state where not much besides ice cream or books will make her move.

[[The girls left Thursday afternoon, without fanfare but with several conspicuous stops for luggage and passengers. Winter made a point of locking up the house behind her, and all the lights are off. They'll remain that way, barring anything unusual happening. Winter's parents are staying in a hotel room (an actual hotel, rather than one of the casinos) by themselves, with Winter and Lily in a second, and Jasmine and Marina in a third. She's not publically sharing the location of any of the rooms, for now at least. But she won't be hiding her presence in Vegas, either - and she will not return to Locke short of her friends or her house being in serious danger.]]

Comments

action;

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Beside Winter on the bed, Lily sits and for the moment is staring quietly at the thing she's set on the bedside - a pretty pink vanity mirror that looks like some little girl's toy, but Lily is quite aware it is much more than that. She'd received the Heartcatch Mirage from the last time they were in Vegas, attending that godforsaken meeting. She'd learned what it can do from a certain memory... but having that knowledge and using it were two separate things.

"Well, on the bright side, if there is a dragon we might be able to handle it," she says, completely dry and lacking in any humor. She sighs and turns to look at Winter. In spite of everything, she smiles a bit and reaches out, stroking the hair at the top of the other girl's head.

"We can't afford our families getting caught in the crossfire. That much I'm sure of," and she sounds confident enough about that much. "But this doesn't have to stop us from being able to help. We can get back. We just... can't necessarily be reckless about it either. We need a plan. But... now's not really the time for one. We need to get our heads about ourselves first, try to relax..."

She lays down beside her, smile thinning out. "Or in lieu of that, at least rest. Winter, if we spend too much energy worrying, we're not going to be much good to anyone... I've got most of my important people with me, so let's just be thankful for that, for now. Okay?"

[peacefulwinter]

Yeah, it looks like a crazy thing someone picked up at the local Toys-R-Us. But she knows better. The Heartcatch Mirage... something related to Yuri's team, then. Knowing their luck, it had some kind of crazy powers. But really, that's not her concern now. It can't be. There are... other things she needs to worry about right now. Lily is helping her calm down, at any rate. "We can talk at it until it gets tired of us and leaves us alone. Or we can throw a vermini at it and hope it gets numbers."

But... there's the original problem again. She frowns, eyes closed. "Yeah. I know. Your father can get out of the city pretty much at will, but... Mama and Papa can't just leave. We took a pretty big risk, and I hope Mama can find work here. We're going to be in trouble, otherwise. We can go home, eventually, but... when will that be? Tomorrow? Next week? Three months from now? I don't... I don't know how to help them with that. I shouldn't have to. I'm eighteen... my parents are supposed to be able to take care of themselves." Her eyes slide open, and she sighs, frustrated. "But I asked them to leave home, because I thought it was too dangerous for them to stay. A daughter, asking her parents to leave because it's not safe." There's a pause. "Sorry. It makes me mad, but there's nothing I can do about it. When we've made our city a safe place again, I'll take them back, and we can laugh about all this. We'll go home, and we'll put some of the pictures we'll take on the walls, and we'll go back to our lives." Winter's voice once again holds some of that conviction she'd had before they'd decided to run for it. Which is probably an improvement.

"I'm too tired to plan," she adds, tilting her forehead into Lily's hand. "I don't know if I can relax, but... maybe I can get a break in, at least. I got Mama and Papa out, and Jasmine, and... and you. Some of the others are leaving, and... there's nothing I can do for the people that wanted to stay, except to hope they'll be okay. I... I have faith. I didn't want to risk it, but everyone else... I trust them. So I'm just going to try and take it easy... maybe pull a cat out of a tree later, or something. I think I... will be sticking close to you, though. This isn't home, but... I have the most important thing from it."

She tries to smile a little bit. They're safe, now. It was a long trip, and a stressful couple of days before it, but they'll be okay.

[alilyinthemoonslight]

"Well see, then it'd be in our shoes. We could throw it back at Locke, and a lot of these problems could just disappear," she murmurs, and though it's slightly dark, the thought of siccing a giant dragon upon the mafia is oddly comforting. All the same, she slides a little bit closer, moving her hand from Winter's forehead to her cheek, making sure the other girl saw her eye to eye.

"It makes me mad too, but that doesn't mean we're giving up. We can jump back whenever we need to, if our help is needed... If there's something we can do. We won't have to hold back the same way we did last week." Her jaw clenches and a distinct look of determination crosses her eyes. "We can do what we need to in the future, now. We still have people back there. We'll find a way to help them. Especially with our parents safe for now. But for now..."

She moves her head over just a little bit more, kissing her on the forehead before pulling back to look her in the eyes again. A smile touches her lips. "I have faith in not just them, but us too. We'll figure something out. We've been through far too much not to, right? I can't say I'm much wanting to let you out of my sight right now either, though..." There's a slight pause, letting herself stroke the other girl's cheek in the meantime. "...but a house is a building... It might be ours, but it's replaceable. My home is right here, with you, and so long as I've got that... I'm fine."

Incredibly sappy maybe, but well. You know Lily by now, Winter. You should expect this.

[peacefulwinter]

"Knowing our luck, the mafia would have a dragon of their own, and it'd turn into some kind of catastrophe. Although, we could just have one of the giant robots punch their dragon a couple of times." She shakes her head slightly, twitching slightly as Lily's hand moves. "This whole last few weeks has made me so angry... I don't know what to do with myself. I know I can't do anything right now, but that doesn't really make me feel any better."

Her cheeks warm a little bit at Lily's proximity, though, and she relaxes a little more. "I know we'll manage. I just worry. Not that you needed to know that, of course. And... yeah. Home is anywhere we choose to make it. So, I'm probably going to be a little moody for a while, but... thanks for putting up with me, Lily."

With a slight murmur, she pulls her legs up onto the bed, closing her eyes. "I don't know if I want ice cream to calm me down, or to just take a nap for a while. I'm really wiped out after that drive... again. Once was bad enough, but this is twice now. And having all the pulses hit all at once is still really weird." She'll never get used to the odd gasp of Raquel suddenly having sentience again, or the complicated feeling she's seen working across Lily's face, or her own tangled web of emotions whenever she crosses back into a barrier.

Voice

[icy_heavens]

[Winter, you dumbass, this is an important thing. He wants to say that, but he won't.]

So that's where you've gone off to. [There's actually no judgement in his tone. It's more of a somberness that the network doesn't hear often. He's usually too busy being annoyed or dispassionate. But he's not either of those at this news.]

[video]

[peacefulwinter]

Yes. I... didn't want to put my parents in danger. I was scared, and... I ran away. I'm sorry, Toushirou. For not telling anyone, and for... for leaving, when there are so many other things I could have done.

[...He's past the "angry at you" stage and right into "disappointed comment before disconnecting." She's kind of afraid he isn't going to talk to her, now that she left when they really could have used her help.]

[video]

[icy_heavens]

I get it, okay? You're public and your family's in danger. Don't go thinking something stupid like I'm mad at you or something. [He does understand, really, even if he hasn't seriously entertained the idea of leaving himself.]

[peacefulwinter]

[...Okay, maybe he isn't fed up with her. It's enough to brighten her expression a tiny bit.]

I'm expecting a war back there. Able bodies leaving the city isn't how you win a battle. But... thanks. I thought you'd be angry I left, after I talked so much about how I wanted to protect people.

[Video]

[originaloddcouple]

You guys need anything?

We'd be happy to help in any way!

[Granted, they haven't really talked since that surprise party last year, but Dians are ones who tend to help first, think later.]

[peacefulwinter]

[Oh hey, she remembers these two. From the party... that feels like so long ago. It was a long time ago, of course, but that's not the point.]

I don't... think so? I'm getting used to being in Las Vegas again, but I don't think I need anything in particular. Being safe is enough, for now. How have you been? I haven't talked to you in a long time.

[originaloddcouple]

Pretty good!

Had a fight, got back together...

Let some buddies stay over, became immortal... its been pretty busy, all in all!

What about you?

[peacefulwinter]

Well, I'm going out with a very good friend of mine, I moved into a new house, and-

[A long, pregnant pause, after which Winter's voice is very small.] ...Immortal?

Voice

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

... You probably made the right choice, but... We've gotta figure out how to stop them, too.

[peacefulwinter]

Right. I refuse to stay on the run forever. We'll get these people out of our city. And then... I'll come home.

Any ideas yet?

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

Nothing refined. Dealing with an entrenched organized crime organization... Isn't precisely my specialty.

[guitar_case_vagabond]

[Raye shows up on the video at a weird angle at first and it might take a second to realize that she's flopped on a couch with her phone aimed downwards at her. She's on her own, dressed in regular clothes but you can bet Senketsu isn't far away.

This is blasting from the headphones around her neck, probably way louder than would be recommended.]

Jesus, that's a long fuckin' drive.

[A pause. She glances around herself.]

You guys didn't miss much on your trip. It's pretty quiet around here.

[peacefulwinter]

[Way to lounge, Raye. Winter grimaces as the "music" reaches her ears, but it's Raye's choice what she listens to. She just doesn't have to be happy about it.]

It's a little longer than I would like, but the best way to look like you're leaving... is to visibly leave. And I'm glad it's been quiet, at least. I was worried, and...

[There may be a twitch in her brows.] Isn't that a little loud, for what you're listening to?]

[guitar_case_vagabond]

[She's a pro at this lounging stuff though she does miss the setup she had back at home.]

Yeah, after all that stuff last week it's kinda nice. Not sure it'll stay that way-

[She stops, and glances down toward one of the headphones blasting her music.]

Not really, I turned it down a little to talk.

[jasminebloominginshadow]

... Hey.

You holding up okay, Raye?

I still wish you'd come with us... it feels really cheap to have left you behind right after letting you stay with us...

[guitar_case_vagabond]

Hey.

[She sits up a little, shrugging a shoulder and sighs.]

I told you, I get it. You guys gotta look out for your families. I'm doing the same thing, I just can't get them to pack up and take off.

I'm doin' fine.

[dragon_blossom]

If there continues to be nothing we're missing out on, hey, all the better, maybe that'll make it so we can come home.

[ Probably not so easily. ]

Iiif you can actually hear me right now.

[guitar_case_vagabond]

Don't count on it. We're probably just waiting for the shit to hit the fan again at this point.

[And then she huffs out a breath, rolling her eyes.]

I can hear you just fine.

[Video]

[espigeonage]

Aww. I know you liked that house! I'm sure you'll be able to come back...

I'm leaving too. Haha, I'm not happy about it either! But some of my friends are heading west and invited me to come along.

[peacefulwinter]

It was important to me, for a lot of reasons. I'm counting on coming back and returning to it. Once it's safe, and... nobody will have to worry just because they're my family.

Anyway, we'll be here when you arrive, Julien. It's not exactly a motivation, but it's more people you kind of know, at least. That... helps a little.

[espigeonage]

No kidding. I'd do the same like that, if my sister was still in Locke.

Aww! Well, I'm glad to hear it. I hope I'll see you around!