View source for 3071/The Other Side of the Wall

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2018/01/22
|Location=Lacrima's Manor
|Synopsis=Lacrima and Jiaying catch up. Jiaying admits that maybe sometimes she should ask for help. Lacrima admits just how much help she seems to have gotten.
|Cast of Characters=160,171
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Some things did not change. There was still a load of donuts around the house. Lacrima still slept in her basement coffin. She still went to work at UMBRA and still came back. She still dressed in ostentatious dresses.<br /><br />BUT there's some changes to, since that night. Lacrima actually watches TV. Not just using it for noise. On some news channel. She's watching the anime. She's in fact, doing that right now. Sitting on the couch, watching some show that seems to be some magical girl anime about a witch girl that does good deeds-- old style.<br /><br />She seems WEIRDLY engrossed in it- as she's eating another box of donuts. It's almost empty. One wonders if she'd try to bite her hand when the box was empty.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki has been in and out of her room more and more often lately. She's been working on some kind of project, not telling anyone what she's up to or why. The room does have a ward on it, but it's facing inward. Instead, just a simple lock. She's letting her hair grow out, pulled back currently into a simple ribbon. Any looks inside of that locked room wouldn't find anything worrying. Books, most in Chinese, a few scrolls, notes and notebooks. She's just been studying. A lot. Various subjects of course. <br /> <br /> She is still a creature with a large appetite though, which is why she's currently downstairs, studies left behind and making her way to the kitchen. With a bypass towards the couch, trying to sneak up on Norie so that she can steal a donut quietly. Not because she's worried, but because she thinks it's funny. <br /> <br /> Successful or not, she'll take a bite of said donut, grin and say, "Hi." simply enough.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>A donut gets shoved into her mouth again and she goes to grab what she thinks is the last one when she grabs...air. She actually takes another few swipes at it until she blinks and actually looks at the donut box, but then up at Jiaying. OH! Jia-chan!<br /><br />"Hi Jia-chan." she says quietly. She resettles, she isn't making a big deal about the donut. Because she has a few more boxes in the kitchen somewhere!<br /><br />She settles a bit and says. "Thanks for... helping. During. The. Thing. The other weekend." she says quietly. Yes. Thing.<br /><br />Thing where she almost legit died.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki looks over her shoulder, halfway to the kitchen, donut already half eaten, the other half halfway to her mouth. She hesitates, turns on her heel and makes her way over to the couch. She clears herself a spot, settles in comfortably and sits quietly. Then slowly leans over and gives Norie a hug. "Don't scare us. Me like that Norie. I'd have to find you on the other side and yell at you if it had happened." She holds that hug for a moment. <br /> <br /> Slowly sitting back up straight again, she looks over, tries offering a cheerful smile and asks, "How are you feeling? I've been... distracted. I think." She chews her lip, thinking. "I think I need to be more careful, to think things through better. I keep saying it, then I run headfirst into things and get hurt. Even with practice, training, help." Another moment before she adds, "You should ask for help too, if you need it. I'll always be there and so would anyone else."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima eyes Jiaying and get's a hug. "I couldn't do anything about it." she says quietly. She just leans into the hug. She's not hugging yet. But she sighs a bit. She shifts a bit. "Whatever Ari-chan did..." she says quietly.<br /><br />"It fixed me." she says quietly. "I mean. It. Fixed. The problem that thing caused. But it also....fixed. Me." she says, as she twists the words in her head. "I can. Feel. Positive feelings. They're muddy but. They're there." she says. "-and I'm /sure/ of things I'm usually not." she says quietly.<br /><br />"---and I'm watching these stupid TV shows." she says as she eyes the donut box. "And I loose focus. And..."<br /><br />"I know that sounds like a downside?" she asks. "But. It...it was so hard to. Distract myself. I mean. I don't even know how long I've been here? Watching this?" she asks.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki tilts her head and looks confused for a moment. Ears perked, head tilting to the other side. "You're fixed?" Head slowly tilted back to the original position. Then she realizes what it means and she grins, "You can feel them more clearly at least, right~?" <br /> <br /> She then grins and asks, "Wait, what are you losing focus on? Like the boring parts or something else? Some of those aren't great..." She shakes her head quickly and adds, "That's great though, seriously." There's another moment of hesitation, "Uh... maybe you should get up and move around a bit?"

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima blinks. "Move around, why? My body's still a ... dark energy construct." she mutters as she stands up. "That hasn't changed." she says quietly. She does stand up and walks to the kitchen. Why? She needs a new box of donuts. She returns with that as she places the box back down on the table.<br /><br />"It's like..."<br /><br />"Before there was a wall. I know what's on the other side of the wall. I remember what it looks like. But I can't see it. Interact with it. Or touch it or anything." she says quietly. "And I can't climb it or get over it." she says.<br /><br />"Now it's... there's still a wall. But it's more like a large chain link fence. And I can see it. And if I stick my arm through I can brush it and touch it and it can talk to me through the chain link fence and...." she shakes her head.<br /><br />"My dark energy signature has stabilized too. It's predictable when I'm calm." she says. "It's always usually been a mess. It's why I twitched sometimes." she says.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki shakes her head and says softly, "I... get that Norie, but it doesn't change that you're also losing track of time and getting up and movig around might help with that?" She shrugs, sticks her tongue out and starts to follow her into the kitchen to steal some donuts herself. <br /> <br /> Listening quietly, she takes a donut from the bag and begins to munch on it. "I get that, it's uh I get the idea at least?" She shakes her head quickly, swallowing the bite of donut. <br /> <br /> "I'm glad though you know. It means that we can maybe do even more right? I mean to help you to, you know, go home? Or do- I don't know. Ignore that."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>A donut gets shoved into her face. "I can't go home. Brother still knows what I am. And until he's okay with that. I can't go home." she says quietly. She chews a lot. "The donuts? That's a... post-Dark Energy thing. But... the loosing of time?..."<br /><br />"That's old me. I used to flake a lot. Be juuuust tiny late for things." she admits, perhaps with a hint of shame. "Old me. I mean. Pre. Dark energy. Human. Just Norie." she says.<br /><br />"-and I'd watch stupid stuff like this." she says with slightly wider eyes.<br /><br />She settles back down. "I'm going back to school though." she says quietly. "New ID for that. Maria Hanazawa." she says.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki points to the TV and says, "If you're enjoying it, you're enjoying it, who cares if it's a bit dumb? You should see some of the stuff on TV back home." She shakes her head after, laughing a moment. Another donut gets devoured as she settles in on the couch. "The quantity of the donuts maybe, by the way. I bet you still liked them before. Right?" <br /> <br /> Looking over, she points, grins and says, "You are just Norie, it's why I don't like using the other name. IT's so sad too though.."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima eats another donut. "I didn't really eat a lot. That's a post dark energy thing." she says. "Donuts are also a post dark energy thing." she admits sheepishly. "I mean. I ate donuts but I did not consider them a major food group." she says dryly a little.<br /><br />"I also apologized to... Ari-chan. For. Making her cry and. for... the... well kiss..." she mutters. "--and told her. What I was trying to say." she fidgets a bit at that.<br /><br />She sits back down. She frowns. "I'm Norie." she says. "But I am also Lacrima. But I am also Maria now." she says quietly. "'Maria'." she says. "Is just an identity to hide from mundanes. Because 'Norie' is still missing." she says quietly.<br /><br />"What's sad...?" she asks quietly.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki scowls and says dryly, "I'm never going to get the names right you know." Before muttering to herself. It sounds like she's trying to drill in the name Maria to her memory. <br /> <br /> She gets a mock annoyed look on her face after and says, "And you never gave me a kiss! I see how it is!" Clearly teasing, guessing by both the goofy smile and the tone of voice. Then she holds her hands up, palms out while saying, "I'm not being serious, not serious." <br /> <br /> Leaning forward, she fishes a third donut out and begins to eat it. "I've been trying to study what was happening there. I... don't have the stuff to do anything with- well any of it. I'll keep trying though. It's getting easier I think. Magic." Beat, "You'd think a magical creature would do magic better."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima seems taken aback by that, but only for a moment before Jiaying explains she's joking. She huffs and shakes her head. "It may come innately, but things still need a little practice and testing." she says quietly. She sits down and turns off the TV.<br /><br />"....Did I ever tell you about how I met Ariel?" she asks quietly.<br /><br />"It was. When I started running into magical people. I ran under the radar for about a year. Because. Single draining monster flies under the radar of various things like the Dark Kingdom and Walpurgisnacht." she says.<br /><br />"The first few I met attacked me straight away. I was just another monster." she says. "Not everyone. Some tried to ask what I was doing and could'nt take 'I have to' for an answer." she says.<br /><br />"....except Ari-chan." she says quietly.<br /><br />"I was there. Hovering over someone I drained. I forget. Who. I try not to remember faces." she says.<br /><br />"She asked me what I was doing. And then I told her. And then I got ready to take a hit." she says. "That never happened. She didn't judge me. She talked. To me." she says. "And didn't judge me. And... she still. Doesn't judge me." she says. "Even when her dog was showing all sorts of warning signs at me." she says. "Lucky doesn't do that anymore." she says.<br /><br />"But...it's why. When I found out about the problems she was having. I'd come to help her. And why I wanted her to have her mother back." she says. "She was practically. One of the first friends I made when I was this thing. Not. The first but one of them." she says.<br /><br />"....and. It hurt me. Seeing her so sad. And crying. Because I said things." she says quietly. "And after. That tear I just. I tried to tell her I.... loved. Her..." she says quietly. "But...I couldn't Make the words so. I. Kissed her." she says.<br /><br />"I told her that. She told me that I didn't make her cry. Unicorns choose to cry. Because unicorn tears are a very. Primal. Miracle. Form of magic and she was afraid she was going to loose me. And do whatever she could for me." she says quietly.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki tilts her head, flicks her ears and asks, "Wait she's a qilin?" Beat, "Uh... wrong kind. Right." She quickly shakes her head again and listens for the rest of the story. When it's over, she finally speaks up, "I, when I uh, first started going out on the patrol thing. I wanted to do the same. I got hurt a lot. Tried to jump in where I shouldn't. You and Sora were the only two that really came to help for a while you know." She points to Norie, "It's why that hurt so much, a few months ago. It's also what told me I was going about things wrong." She gets a pained expression and adds, "And the family calling me back to Taiwan for a good chewing out." <br /> <br /> She shakes her head quickly, hands shaking with them, "It was my fault though. I'm glad you were able to express it, one way or another you know. It's-" She hesitates, "-A good sign, that you were able to do that at all. I know how long it take-took you to get anywhere approaching that before."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima nods. "Part of.. the mess. Was. I broke up with Natsumi-chan." she says silently. "and between. My brother mess and.. some stuff with Alexis-niisan that happened. I was a mental mess and wanting to hurt people so instead I.... started attacking all the dead plants in the backyard." she says. "And I kept doing that." she says.<br /><br />"Ariel-chan said I shouldn't be doing that. But. Kunzite also said that he was happy I was able to take control and aim that at... something other than people." she says.<br /><br />"Y-yeah and.. I still. Feel it? And I'm not in Kukai's body or anything." she says with wide eyes.<br /><br />Another donut gets taken and she sighs a bit. "Weird having feelings again." she says. "Part of me wonders if I 'need' to eat now but. I shouldn't." she says softly.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki tilts her head and asks, "Can you taste them or is it a memory?" She shrugs after and continues, "Either way, it's a memory of being a normal person." She coughs and mutters, "Normalish at least." mostly a joke at her own expense. "I'd eat even if I didn't have to. Especially if I could taste it still. I uh, have the opposite problem. I'm pretty sure I've got an incinerator, not a stomach." <br /> <br /> "I was wondering why the plants kep-... If you need anything Norie, please, please remember to ask." <br /> <br /> Resting her chin on her hand, looking over, she asks, "How's your Chinese going? I never know just how far you've gotten and I'm going to have to start watching what I say if you know more."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima nods. "I could always taste. It's the one sense that wasn't flooded or changed too heavily by my transformation." she says. "Just it never did anything for me besides make me feel comfort." she says softly. "Because it's the one thing that didn't change." she says quietly.<br /><br />She snorts. "I don't even have a stomach. It just goes into the dark matter and dissolves to nothing or gets added to my dark energy reserves." she shrugs.<br /><br />"I...didn't want to ask. Everyone was having their own major problems at the time." she says quietly. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine right now as far as I can figure out." she says.<br /><br />"Uh. I've been reading..." she purses her lips.<br /><br />She tries saying something in Chinese that amounts to 'Hello, how are you today?'.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki shakes her head and reaches out to poke Norie's hea, or tries to at least. "Something going on or not, ask for help" She then stops, looks down and says, "I'll try to do the same. I prefe-... I'll do the same." <br /> <br /> "At least you don't have to burn the calories off for your rampant eating? See the bright side to it?" She sort of looks away and looks embarassed. "Probably not as funny to you." <br /> <br /> To the question in Chinese, she replies simply, "Wo hao." and sticks her tongue out.
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