2260/A Walk In The Park

A Walk In The Park
Date of Scene:	28 December 2016
Location:	Mitakihara/Pikarigaoka - King Penguin Park
Synopsis:	Lacrima and Sora and Kukai meet in the park. Sora tries to slug Kukai one.
Cast of Characters:	Norie Okana, Sora Hisakata, Kukai Souma

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Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima some problems to sort out in her head. Personal and otherwise. On her hand was an old, ornate antique ring. A gift from Eilam. Once it belonged to someone he loved. Now she is wearing it, and it gives her pause. He mentioned a berth of things. Family felt the most appropiate to her. She afterall, had Natsumi-chan. But...

Natsumi-chan was mortal. She'd be gone-- heck. She didn't even know if she'd 'grow up' yet. Surely, when Natsumi-chan became say... twenty she'd want someone who did not look thirteen.

She has thusly, gotten dressed in one of her more fanciful outfits and grabbed a parasol to excurse out into the snowy December.

She found herself staring at the iced over pond as she observed skaters- that parasol keeping the light dusting of snow off her as if she might melt if it touched her-- she would not. But this was preferable to being snowed on to her. It made her stand out.

Shinobu sure gave her some odd ideas for sure.

She purses her lips as she looked around. Something felt. Off. She couldn't put her nose on it. But it felt more...personal than... something being wrong with the world.

What was it? She seemed confused a bit, occasionally, showing in the expression on her face.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
Sora is wandering through the park, she's remained withdrawn and keeping to herself, but she's back in class, and she's back at volleyball club. She's even started doing some tutoring again, so for the most part, it's back to normal. So when she comes across Lacrima looking sad, she approaches, arms reaching out to wrap her friend in a hug. "What's up, Norie-chan?"

Kukai Souma has posed:
It's been a nice Christmas so far for Kukai. Thankfully, now that it was tending towards over he had a few minutes on his own to get out of the house and away from school and everyone to go on patrol and exercise a little. Big dinners are not good for keeping your weight down.

Going out to the park was a good idea, even though he had to have on a thick jacket with a hoodie and heavy pants to keep the wind and snow from being too awful. The cold wind was bracing, though, and made the jog enjoyable. He at least was hoping today was going to be on where there weren't any youma or witches or anything.

Of course, as he rounds a corner, heading towards the skating pond, there is always the chance he'll run into someone he knows. And there in the distance is a familiar shock of purple hair, even if he doesn't recognize the outfit. And there, giving her a hug... The taller, black haired figure is almost enough to make Kukai want to turn around, but hey, he's never been a coward. He just decides to keep going and whatever happens, happens.

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima is sort of ambushed hug. This causes her to tense. She's still cold and horrid feeling. She blinks and looks to Sora. "Ah. Sora-chan." she says quietly. "Have you been recouping good?" she asks. A pause. "Right... I've been. Living in a manor. I discovered. and fixed up. If you need... someplace to go. There's. Enough spare Guest bedrooms for a small family. And right now it's just me-- and sometimes Jia-chan." she says. "Oh. Right now. Eilam-kun occasionally." she says.

She doesn't go off about the specifics as she twitches a bit and she wonders why. Oh. There's... a jerk. In the distance that's entered her field of vision.

"I do belivie that is Kukai-kun." she says frankly.

"Have you spoken to him since....?" she asks. "The thing."

A pause. "I am merely out here contemplating and thinking about things." she says softly.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
Sora sits down on the ground near her friend, looking at the ice skating figures. "I've been recouping fine. I just... I feel lost, you know?" She doesn't sound like she cares much to elaborate, and then it's pointed out that Kukai is approaching. "I haven't spoken to Souma-san, no. Probably should, but..." The tone of voice suggests quite clearly that she's not sure she feels like it. "Are you thinking about things or worrying about things you can't change, Norie-chan?"

Kukai Souma has posed:
It's sort of hard for Kukai to avoid the fact that now both Lacrima and Sora are looking at him as he approaches. He slows and coughs, looking away for a second, thinking, then sighs and looks back to them, slowing again and stopping near the two of them. "...aah... Hi. Was.. out, jogging, getting away from the family for a bit. Didn't expect to run into anybody, especially.." His eyes run over the two of them, maybe a bit nervously.

He continues. "Well. Hi. How're you, Lacrima, ....Sora? How was Christmas?" He's not exactly sure how to continue the conversation - how do you talk to someone you are regularly getting into fights with?

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima gently waves at Kukai. Is she waving him over? Maybe. She's still hiding under the parasol technically. She looks back down to Sora, who's sat on the ground as she purses her lips.

"Thinking and Worrying. It's easier for me to worry than not." she says frankly.

"-and some dreams are being more insistent, and tugging people into them now and that's disconcerting to me." she says frankly. "For people to see what I dream about sometimes." she says.

She gently looks back over to Kukai. "Kukai-kun." she says. "Hello."

"My Christmas was not particularly pleasent. How was yours? Does your family...celebrate?" she asks.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"Christmas was Christmas. Same as always." This is said in a perfectly neutral tone, maybe Sora doesn't particularly care for the holiday, or maybe she just doesn't like it and is downplaying that. "I'm sorry about the whole... mess, you know what I mean." She doesn't really bother explaining, and turns towards Lacrima. "That's... huh. Weird. I hope that won't go anywhere bad."

Kukai Souma has posed:
Kukai approaches them and nods. "Yeah. At least we spend time together and celebrate and have dinner and give gifts. I'm sorry about your holiday. Hopefully it's a little better now, though?" He sits down besides the two of them, then looks over at Sora. "Well... it's time to be with family and friends." He doesn't follow with the common final part of that statement, 'love ones'.

Kukai sighs and then nods. "Well... we fought one another hard enough to where there's not a lot to apologize for." He rubs his chin. "Is it over, at least?"

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima frowns. "It is weird." she says. "I just dunno what to do about it." she says quietly. "And Jia-chan thinks she has all the answers. As usual." she says rolling her eyes as she frowns a bit.

She looks over to Kukai and purses her lips. "No, it isn't much better." she says softly, despite his insituation. In her eyes, it won't be better until she can go home again.

"My family.. actively celebrates it. On my Dad's side." she says. "But I am not able to be home." she says.

She looks between the two. "Ah..." she says.

"That apology was rather painless." she says. "At least."

"Appeared to be." she says.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
Incants some lines in ancient sumerian, making movements that imply she's performing magic, and then... nothing. "If it wasn't over, I would be wrapping myself in shadow right now." She answers Kukai, and then she sighs faintly. "I was an idiot, but I meant to help. Now I can't do anything." She looks mildly frustrated at the very least, "Friends and family throw themselves into danger to protect people, and I'm stuck at home hoping they'll be fine." That may be a reference to Christmas.

Kukai Souma has posed:
Kukai nods, then reaches over, patting Lacrima's back. "It'll get there. And hopefully you'll be able to go home again soon. If you really want it." He sits up straight, then nods. "Pretty painless..."

He leans back as Sora begins speaking, the hackles rising up on the back of his neck, then lets out a breath. "Weeell... maybe it's better that you're not, considering what's been driving you around recently. And..." He rubs his face. "I could give you a big speech about telling people what's going on and how you're feeling and all that but it's all past now. Some good will come of this, I hope." He lets out a little sound of dark humor at that last comment. "I've heard that same line from Nagihiko before. Something about being mad about not being able to help more. So I understand, in a way."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima frowns at Sora. "I know that feeling. I've been developing...ways around it. I have some headway. Mainly..a .. converter that.. takes my dark energy to power a device that doesn't expell dark energy out. To let me.. help Natsumi-chan and the like... without feeding... things. Accidently, as I've done thus far trying to 'help'. Not as powerful as myself- but.. also better than nothing." she says flatly.

She looks to Kukai and tsks.

"Is... Amu-chan? Doing okay?" a pause. "She visits. Weekly. As you know. I'm sure." she says. "But. She lied to me already about her state in the past, and I'd like to know that she isn't lying this time around." she insists.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"Yeah, I know. The power I had wasn't power I could quite control, but... I don't have any more control than I did back then." Sora sighs, and then when Nagihiko gets brought up, she twitches and her hands ball into fists. "You've got some nerve, comparing me to him, you philandering brat." She throws a punch, though it's not well-aimed and she's not trying that hard, it's mostly frustration. Right after, "... that sounds neat, Lacrima. I hope that works out for you." She doesn't know Amu, so she remains silent there.

Kukai Souma has posed:
Kukai listens intently to Lacrima's words about having a dark energy to light energy converter. Or something similar. That's interesting. But then she turns to him and speaks, and he nods. "Well, after she got over whatever it was and I spent a while fussing at her for feeding you, sure, she's doing fine now. I'm keeping an eye on her, though."

Kukai looks back around past Sora, then erks as she balls up her hands. Maybe not his brightest moment. "Hey, you were there, I wasn't myself!" He scoots back, trying to dodge the punch and feeling it basically tap onto his arm. "Sora, I'm just saying a lot of people have to wait for us to fight and help. You're not even alone in that..."

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima purses her lips at Kukai. "She's still feeding me. But she cut back from 'every night' which is frankly- more than I need- to twice a week. Which is more inline with my usual intake when I don't over-stress myself. Honestly, it was concerning, but she was basically forcefeeding me, and I am not in a position to say no."

"Then I'm glad she's telling the truth this time." she says flatly.

Her eyes look between the two as Sora raises her hand. She doesn't move to stop her.

"People feeling powerless is a theme I'm experincing a lot lately. Sora-chan. Have you meet Alexis-kun yet? He is.. in a similar boat. That is. Someone who feels powerless against things, but wish they were not." she says.

Sora Hisakata has posed:
"If I can beat myself up for things I did when I wasn't myself, then why can't I beat you up for things you did when you weren't yourself?" Sora sounds like she's joking, and she's pulling her hand back. "But uh... that kinda did piss me off. It was when that came out that I first started using dark energy. I think you were the first person I used it on." She awkwardly smiles, "Uh. Sorry about that. Pissed or not, that was unwarranted." Sora shakes her head when she hears Lacrima bring up Alexis. "Don't think I have. If I did I don't recall him." She sighs, and leans over to rest her head on Lacrima's shoulder. "... Tired."

Kukai Souma has posed:
Kukai grits his teeth a little and nods. "Yeah, I know she has, and it's making me a little nutty, but..." He hmphs. "She's always like that, trying to do so much more than she needs to. But I also like for her to be able to walk around from day to day, so..."

He sighs and then shrugs. "I.. y'know, Daichi is part of me." Kukai's pocket wiggles, and the top of a shock of blue hair sticks out of it. "He is me, really. So I guess I can't just blame it on him. And..." He winces, reaching down to rub his stomach. "Well you were maybe the second most painful user of it that I've dealt with, so that's something. It hurt, really, really bad." He looks over at Sora, then nods. "I forgive you. It sucked, though." He then sits up, looking out at the skaters for a bit. If things were different... but they're not.

Norie Okana has posed:
Lacrima frowns at Sora. She's tired and soon she's sort of drifting off. She looks over to Kukai. "I'll take her someplace to lay down." she says. She frowns. "As a reminder, I did not ask Amu to do that. It is her decision. I do appreciate it. I have not needed to attack anyone for energy for a month." she says frankly. "I still will need to. At times. Depending. But. It beats... weekly. Or daily." she says softly.

"I will... see you again. Kukai." she says softly as she gets Sora into a princess carry. And offfff down the path. She'll find a place to sort of teleport back to the manor. Sora'll be safe there.