FOREST COVERED: IC CONTACT

[standingonmyneck]

"If this is a prank call, then hang up and know that someone is always watching. For all other calls, remain on the line to spout out your word vomit. You have thirty seconds."

[Mail | Physical | Voice]

Comments

action

[usomatsu]

[Sometime before this.]

[Abbies eyes spots a familiar girl while on his morning jog. He remembers that the bespectacled girl had talk to both his brothers during the cook out some days back. From that fact alone, she might know a thing or two.

He jogs towards her and once he's close, he slows down and waves.]

Good morning!

[standingonmyneck]

[She was on her way to the library to start working when she ran into this one.

Okay, one of the brothers. Now, which one? Chipper, too happy. Ah, that one. He was getting too awfully chummy with her for being a stranger. Riye, being who she was, didn't expect this to be just an innocent hello. It didn't feel right.]

It might be.

[jyushi]

[Ah... He'd given Yotsuba an ample amount of time to do this on his own, but two weeks have come and gone, yet still no progress. It would seem that an extra push is necessary.

But fear not! Match-maker wingman Jinmenju is on the case!]

hey can we meet up?
ive got something important i need to ask you
tomorrow under the cherry trees if u can make it

- 🐾

[Did you know Jinmenju can copy Yotsuba's handwriting? Because yeah. That's totally a thing.]

hey guess what - more action

[usomatsu]

[On a hindsight, he saw it coming a mile away the moment he had noticed the two interacting during the cookout in February. Only a true idiot would be oblivious that, after so many years- a whole decade of Yotsuba slowly closing himself from everyone, something or someone has taken the fourth brother's attention so much. And, Abies is by no means an idiot.

There's a lot of factors why he decided to take his time with this instead of swooping in like when Larix told him of Schneewitten. Namely, there might actually be something going on with this and that meant to see the possible outcomes. They may have the same desires at times but even with the same thing in mind, they all deal things differently and Abies isn't particularly fond of coming across... a particularly shitty outcome about this. That's why he waited and observed, and coming to narrowing it down to two possibilities.

He waits in front of Riye's shared room, hands on his pocket and sporting no smile. When she arrives, his gaze shifts from the blank space to her without a word. He's waiting for her reaction finding him approaching her again with silent intent.]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOhh

[standingonmyneck]

[It was like any other day. In Koriko maybe. A dash of stupid with also what to expect around these parts. She was on her way to the room and to decompress. Riye brought over a few more books from the library.

That was when she noticed a guy by the door, looking like he was waiting for someone. Eyeballing her as she was about to go inside, also noticing that this was one of them. Though she had a hard time figuring who it was out of the siblings this time. No fake smile, or crazed smile, definitely not Larix or Yotsuba. Maybe not Levant, Levant acted a lot less...weird. Levant was still weird but not that weird.]

Uh, yes? Can I help you?

SURPRISE ACTION

[firstloser]

[It's been weeks and Larix is still pretty giddy about the whole play thing. He wants desperately to go oup and perform again and never leave, but alas, he must wait until another script is produced. There... will be one, right? Surely that one was just the start of things!

Well, you know, it might not hurt to have it casually pop up in conversation or something. Since he's bringing Riye a thank-you gift anyway...

Here he is at her door, a bouquet of blue roses and nightshade in hand. Knock knock.]

SURPRISED

[standingonmyneck]

[Since Larix never mentioned anything before, Riye hadn't worked on another script and was busy with her own affairs. There was feeling like it wasn't a useless venture and giving him a somewhat sentimental token for a birthday present. Because, uh, that'll do. Thanks. Besides, it was a rather decent thing of him to make her feel...more sure of herself about it.

It paid off, and that was the surprising thing about it. Sure, it might've really benefited him. Maybe her as well. Neither of them were necessarily saints to each other with it to start, it was a business transaction.

It just happened to work out, right? Even if it all felt...a bit more important.

Here came another day, and a knock on her dorm room door. Might as well answer, she was the only one here. She didn't have many visitors, if barely at all. Definitely for one of her crazy roommates (that wasn't Alexis, because Alexis was alright).

She didn't expect to see Larix at her door, putting it that way. With a bouquet of...flowers? Uhm, a small perplexed glance appeared in her eyes.]

Larix? What are you doing here?

Action

[meowbel]

[Somewhere in the middle of the night, Alexis suddenly couldn't sleep. Although, no one could blame her. Not when she had been having some bad nightmares as of late. With her brother gone, it had been a rough couple of months. Not even meowing herself back to sleep was going to help anything.

Which was why in the middle of the night, she quickly got out of her bed and started going straight for the door. At the same time, she wasn't being subtle about it either. It was hard when she was holding back her sobs]

DAMMIT...

[standingonmyneck]

[Riye had been sleeping light as well, the passed couple of days kind of making her think a bit too much to sleep. Stupid brain of hers, it wasn't helping her.

All it took was a small shuffle in the room to start making her alert. But she was too dazed for a bit, despite her restlessness she actually got into a deeper slumber a few moments ago. Initially, she felt annoyed. Roommate problems.

But after a few moments, she realized who it was. Then the mood shifted. Soon enough, she was able to catch the sounds coming from her roommate she actually kinda liked.

It was distress.

After a few more seconds to adjust to the dark, even with her poor eyesight, she was able to see the small figure head for the door. The sound of holding a bawling cry ringing in her ears.

Riye reached for her glasses, and moved any hair from her face.

She felt like she had to reach out.]

Alexis? What are you doing? It's late.

[be_acknowledged]

[As much as he would normally be fretting about the idea of dumping his problems on a woman -- AGAIN -- he figures there isn't much lower he can sink in peoples' esteem. The idea that the only person who thinks he's a piece of shit right now is HIM doesn't even cross his mind. After all, everybody back home said it, his brothers say it all the time, it's true, right?

Especially right now.

So fuck it.]

need someone to talk to. get something off my chest. it's okay if you don't want to hear it though.

- Levant

[standingonmyneck]

[She honestly didn't know how much other baggage she could take. Considering she wasn't in the best spirits right now herself anyway. So when she saw the note, it took a bit to process.

But it made sense.

Levant.

The one who seemed to try to get a grip on things the most. The one who internalized things the most.

This guy needed someone. He came to her.

No matter what she thought, she simply could not refuse it.]

There's a coffee shop close to the bathhouse. Meet you there.

[blackblossom]

[Immediately after this thread.]

Um, hi. I'm sorry if um...

Hi. It's Bb? I just...

I don't know if you know but your friend is here. He was really really hungry. Um, I'm sorry. I cold only afford a few snacks for him.

I think... He thinks you hate him? I don't know if you guys fell out. Sorry, it's none of my business really.

Um... Yeah. Sorry again if you already knew he was here.

- Bb

[standingonmyneck]

[....By damned, she actually did do it. It was that seriously apologetic girl. The one where she had a hard time trying to shove off to her better conscience and judgment.

After talking with him, she just wanted some space. From the whole thing for the day. She had to place it somewhere before she thought about it. Keeping it at arm's length, still being an extension of help to him before trying to fully repair it. On her end, she didn't think she knew how to repair it.

Which made it so hard. Which made this the hurting period, slightly going into healing.

And then this. She thought long and hard. She SHOULD say something, but she didn't really want to.

A dilemma.

I think... He thinks you hate him?

....]

Thanks for keeping your word, I guess. I know he's back already.

[She literally didn't know what else to say. She felt so angry again, but she was sure it actually wasn't directed at this person.

If it's not your business, why are you even ASKING?]

Action

[usomatsu]

[It has been some time since certain two people had cross paths, hasn't it. Though considering their last encounter, it's actually rather civil that neither of them have confronted one another again since. In Abies eyes, it's been more than a decade, more than enough to completely move on with any sort of grudge or jealousy.

He's going by a morning walk until he spots a bespectacled girl whose appearance brings him back memories of his youth. He waves to her once she's close.]

Morning, saving your energy for the rest of the day?

[standingonmyneck]

[Riye made the decision to be okay with never seeking out Abies especially ever again. Or just talking to him, welcoming him. It wasn't hard for her, to cut off whatever she felt was threatening to her. That was part of still being a pretty bitter misanthropist. Then she was fine.

There was something about him balling up his fists and being rather aggressive in tone that completely got her to throw out all of her verbal slander.

It also wasn't ten years for her.

She was on her way to work when she accidentally encountered him. It didn't take long to come to conclusions by this very brief meeting. She saw Karamatsu earlier, and maybe she did think about what happened the rest of the Brothers. Wondered. She wondered.

Because she never cared to know of Abies, she had a hard time identifying this one. So, she felt unsure. Remained so for a while.]

Sure, I'll use that for an excuse.

Mail

[meowbel]

[Hope you like a giant sweater with Alexis/Mabel's name written all over it because it was there now on the door! From there, it read...]

Hey, Riye! If you're reading this, I'll probably be going back home now. I know what you're thinking, it sure sucks that someone I know has gone home and I can't! But I just wanted you let you know that I might be gone but I'm not really gone gone or however those movies goes! You know that I'll still be cheering you on right?

And if you ever get lonely, just think of the giant pumpkin sweater I made! I'll still be with you okay? Just keep rocking out, Riye! And who knows, maybe I might even show up again some day. You can always look forward to that!

-Alexis/Mabel

taking you to hell

[standingonmyneck]

[She didn't know what to expect when she saw the sweater. Except for when she noticed there was a letter with Alexis' name on it.

She had a bad feeling as she picked up the sweater...and the note.

Alexis, no, Mabel was now gone.

She stood in that room for a moment and felt a wave of anger first. Why tell HER of all people the rhetoric? Does she really think she'd BUY that? Then it hit her again, it hit her that this was her not wanting to be angry or sad. Saying she had to leave; in the best way she knew how. Being positive, being happy, and making sure she left Daria with something.

It didn't matter, she was gone. Another person important to her. Gone. That wave of loneliness hit her in the heart as she held the new possessions rather tightly now.

She laid down on her futon, and seemed to take it in slow. Laying there with the sweater laying on top of her. She let out a sigh and remained there for a few hours before deciding she was cold.

She had a new sweater.]

drags you back into the flames

[freeplay]

hey miss riye? it's raiden!! from the halloween party remember??
how're you??

KICKING AND SCREAMING

[standingonmyneck]

[...Huh? This wasn't something she expected to see in her mailbox. She was taken a bit aback. Oh, Raiden. Right. From the party. So. What to do now? Um.]

Alive and kicking, amazingly. Especially after the shift I had. I had to explain the difference between J.K Rowling and J.R Tolkien for an hour.

[She wasn't sure how to answer, since it still felt like yesterday.]

Borrowing books at the library to the tune of 12 days of Christmas.

[ryosan]

[On the first day of Christmas Oni-san gave to me ♫

Dickens' Christmas Spirits

and a smile as cheerful as can be. ♪]

[ryosan]

[On the second day of Christmas Oni-san gave to me ♫

A Zombie Story for Christmas

and a knowing look filled with glee ♪]

[yoshinocherry]

Stashed safely away in Riye's cubby is a simple little letter with her name written on it. Opening it up gives her a message reading:

Hello! Thank you for participating in the Secret Santa event~⋆
The person you've been assigned for getting a present for is Cheetah, and I've enclosed his information here for you to use! The party is going to be held on the 25th in the employee lounge, and we'll be exchanging everything then, so please be sure to be ready for it!

And, sure enough, there's an extra sip of paper tucked into the note:

Name: The Spirit Legs of Seidou, Weasel Cheetah-sama
Hobbies: Predetermined plotlines that combine combat with interpersonal drama (wrestling),
teenage violence,
games
of all kinds
Anything you want in particular?: A date for Christmas eve

[standingonmyneck]

[....You poor sweet summer child. How could you let this happen.]

[freeplay]

hey miss riye!!! merry christmas!!!!

—⚡

[ in the wrapped package, riye will find quite the mug! ]

[standingonmyneck]

[....He was really trying. Not many sports people really looked to her and tried to reach out. Then again, neither did she the other way around. Intentionally. After all, why bother trying to understand her? They were from different worlds and different interests. Why bother getting to know the dull, somewhat plain, boring, bookworm? There were far more interesting people more fitting for their environment. Sarcastic and standoffish, because it was easy. She didn't have to play the victim, they didn't have to try. She didn't have to make any friends, she couldn't get hurt or hurt others.

Then she got this mug, and she stared at it.

She didn't really shop for the holidays, she never did. But maybe a day later, he would get a mug also.

...She really appreciated it.]

A REALLY BELATED CHRISTMAS

[ryosan]

[After taking out books on the days leading up to Christmas, he finally has something to return that doesn't belong to the library itself.

On the 25th there's a present left on Riye's desk. There's no card, nor is it wrapped in paper. There's only a bookmark tucked into the front cover.

Honestly, who else could it be?]

[standingonmyneck]

[Huh...there's no library stamp or anything on this book. Just a book, and a bookmark.

She took one little look at the book and...well. Yeah, who the less else would go out of their way to get crappy books and have that sense of humor.

Pranks aside this year, annoyances also, there was book in his mailbox. As well as a bookmark. Hey man, they got back at each other. No more suffering right?]

1/2 | mail

[ultimatedespear]

[After the festival, Riye can find a note addressed to her slid under the door of her room.]

Thanks for talking with me about my sister. It helped. But she's back now, so I guess I don't have to deal with it anymore.

[It's not signed because she doesn't want her sister finding out about this, but it's probably obvious who it's from.]

[standingonmyneck]

[Oh she knew, she totally knew. It didn't take much to add two and two together to make a four way crash of concerning discomfort. That didn't sound like a really happy note. Then again, she wasn't a happy person. Why no name? Did she just forget?

She had many questions, many many. She wondered how much effort and energy she should put into it. Riye had a very bad feeling and couldn't shape it up.

After a day, there was a vague note in the mailbox, she had to leave it so vague. Just in case her gut feeling HAPPENED to be wrong. She was making a lot of assumptions based on very little clues. There were SOME clues, if their conversation was anything to go by. Getting in the middle wasn't something she wanted. Riye didn't think so....at this moment.]

To Whom It May Concern,

You still know where to go.

- Someone You Talked To

Mail Call

[ringrust]

You mentioned something about names when we met and now I'm interested
Tell me everything you can

-Mal

[standingonmyneck]

[Ah. To be honest, she was kind of waiting for this to happen. Now that things were in order, she perhaps found it appropriate to get into more detail. No doubt Mal deserved it.]

Let's just say it doesn't sound complicated but how it happens could be.

None of us remember our names, that's a given. But there could be things that could jog our memories of them.

- Riye

[action]

[ringrust]

[SO HOW ABOUT THAT VALENTINE'S DAY DEBACLE. Ha ha. What a wreck, right.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the night's troubles for Mal. The entire holiday escalated to the point that he outright vanished for a day or two, the only evidence of his presence reduced to young trees snapped in half where a fist collided with them, a hole in the wall of the first floor hall of the housing quarters, and burst sandbags littered about the gymnasium.

Until finally, looking even more tired than usual, he showed up in the library with his usual offering of coffee and a buttered bagel to accompany it. He never was good with apologies, or speaking about his emotions in general - as their last encounter proved. So he approached Riye's workspace and set them down in front of her without so much as a word.]

[action]

[standingonmyneck]

[Since then, Daria just...went on. She moved a bit slower. She talked even less. Did less. Went to sleep, couldn't even focus on her reading or writing. Had a bird like appetite. Probably skipped breakfast this morning as she mulled to try to figure things out all by herself. You know, what she does usually.

She finished her morning work and decided to pull up a book she rented out. She needed to clear her head. She was in a Jean-Paul Sartre mood, and rented out The Age of Reason.

That was when, out of nowhere, a coffee and a bagel magically appeared at her desk. It was obviously unexpected.

What was...interesting, obviously, was the person who sent it.

Mhm.

I see. Buttering up with a buttered bagel.

No words were escaping her lips yet, she just looked at him. Nothing to say? What do you mean, Mal?]

White Day BEFORE I FORGET

[ringrust]

[On the 14th a mysterious gift has appeared on the librarian's desk.

Nothing fancy, just a small decorative jar of water holding a bundle of pussy willow branches tied with a white ribbon. What? They're fuzzy. Everyone loves fuzzy things.]

/////

[standingonmyneck]

[Oh?

It wasn't like she was into celebrating holidays but she did notice the holiday today. Americans didn't really celebrate White Day, she only learned of it through her own research and saw it in practice here.

It couldn't have been a coincidence that a little token was placed on her desk when she came to revisit it. Someone thought of her today and offered a rather sentimental little gift. It was simple in design but there was something pretty about it. Not that she was a sappy person by any means. But it sent a little warmth in her soul. Someone thought of her and gave her something, she couldn't ignore it.

It was very pretty. Thank you stranger.]

quickest mail possible

[needscounciling]

Riye,

I'm apologize if this seems sudden, but did Mallory visited the library after I ended my shift today? I haven't at all seen him this morning, nor did Ethan saw him today.

Reply as soon as possible.

- Luna

longest internal scream and bubbling anxiety

[standingonmyneck]

Mal? No, I haven't seen him this morning either. Or all day for that matter.

Mail!!

[carrotkeeper]

[If Riye wanted to wake up and see something horrible, well, today's the day. There's a piece of paper-a mixture of terrible drawings and magazine cut outs, waiting for her. There's also a note that reads:]

Here's the rough draft! It's got everything. Action, love, mushrooms and a chocobo.

[standingonmyneck]

It really does. You really did do it.

[Said in shock, oh my god she actually did it.]

[dumber]

[ By the time Ethan's worked up a schedule for himself, everything goes to hell. What nice. What good. A day or two after his run in with a fist very well leaving his nose in a minor fracture (that didn't need any placing, thank God), Ethan walks about with a bruise to show for, by now a lovely mesh of purple and the beginnings of yellow just under the eye and stretching to the nose.

He didn't forget about Miss Riye, as he had never, arriving at the library on the same day every week. One hour reading and some kanji— perhaps today he had been a few minutes tardier than most days (he wasn't all that punctual to start), arriving with quickened steps into the building and gliding awkwardly to the table that awaited him, notebook in hand. ]

H-hey, sorry I'm late, Miss Riye, the farm's pretty busy lately— [ He clatters a chair, takes a seat— and with a quiet oh, he reaches behind him to drag his bag sideways, fish through it and—

Teacher gets a jar of strawberry jam, placed right by her. Fresh from the farm. ]

;u;

[standingonmyneck]

[Going back to a routine was easy come, easy go. After coming back from the woods, she didn't have much time to recover before everyone decided that switching bodies was a good old fun time.

When that whole annoyance was over, she groaned and sighed, like usual. Then she went right to it. That meant going to her regular appointments and following through with them.

So Riye made sure she set up the books on literature and Kanji, her notebooks and books. Why did she do this again? Was it because she gave enough of a crap about a genuinely nice guy? Maybe. As much as she knew she wanted to do it because he was eager to learn and was actually nice to her, it was still extra work she placed on herself when she could be resting and sleeping. But, hey, so far she hadn't regretted it. He may not be all that bright, but he really tried hard. All of the time. She wasn't SOOOOOO judgmental (anymore) that she would be blind to honest effort thrown at her face.]

Considering, I might actually believe you.

[Her head was pointed to the table, somewhat struggling to move her neck from the pain (thanks Raven). So when she saw the nice gesture of a jar of lovely jam, she took a look at it and reached on over to pick it up.

Aw...

Mhm.

That would be when she would look at her "student", and her eyes raised at the purple and yellow on his face.]

Um, I hope you have the concentration today.

[dumb bullshit]

[ringrust]

[On one morning coffee delivery, while Riye is busy with a library patron, Mallory just leaves the cup on her desk with a card underneath. He saw it (likely at the same place she got that birthday sweater) and could not resist.]

[my favorite i'm smiling]

[standingonmyneck]

[What a pain in the ass customer it was. After convincing the spirit that the copies were all simply checked out for the time being on a book, she lugged to her desk to find the delivery.

She would find the card and smirk at it. She not only needed this today, but she needed it period. Ah, but it was also oh-so true.]

early june (at your convenience!)

[kurotets]

[ It's about time for him to talk to Riye about, well, what has happened. Everyone in the island deserves to know what was going on, no exceptions, but he's going to try to talk to the people he has enough courage to talk to first and foremost, unless approached (ahem Mallory). Even for Riye, his own roommate that he's grown so fond of, it takes him nearly a week to finally face her, after much escaping and avoiding. Going back late, leaving early, rinse and repeat.

This night, he's gotten to return relatively earlier than usual as the workload for the day is pretty much done. There's always time to talk everyday, but not quite like today, and this kind of rarity might not always occur again. So he strengthens his resolve and walks back to his room. If he's not wrong, she should be in the room by now, unless she's out for errands. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart, readying himself for what the roommate has to say to him. It's so obvious how he has been running away from her, instead of explaining things.

Slowly, he slides the door open. ]

[standingonmyneck]

[The time passed seemed to go on and on. For as much as Riye couldn't spot him, she thought about it from time to time when she hadn't been trying to keep herself busy with repairs. Once she did so, she reminded herself that he wouldn't be so daft to approach her easy. Considering what happened, and what occurred after, she had a hard time blaming him. Still angry for it but. Well, for everything else she had a hard time placing how she felt. She was upset with him and worried for him at the same time, and where that made her stand with the issue morally was pretty ambiguous. It would depend on how he approached her, if he ever did.

Which considering, she didn't really depend on. She knew he was probably avoiding him.

At least not easily.

Which led to that fateful moment when she laid down on her futon after a hard day of repairs. Cracking open a book and trying to relax. That would be when the door would slide open and That Guy would finally show himself...

...She was no longer reading.]