hugtopia | [video]

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[video]

The last several jolts of Vianca's consciousness had not been what anyone could call pleasant. The last thing she had remembered about Havenwell was the warmth of morning sunshine. Then that sunshine had lost its warmth, its departure bringing weak stutters of breath and the crumbled remains of a place that had once been her whole world. The sunlight was still there, filtering in through the broken ceilings and crushed walls. Oh, she had thought as she laid there, a dream. A very nice one. It was a shame she couldn't hold on to it in the end.

Then there was nothing.

So when she opened her eyes in a sunlit temple a second time, she was not sure what to do. She stayed right there for a very long time, until one of the kind priests helped her to her feet so she could find her way. It... had been cold, the last time she had been outside? She thought so anyway, but the more she thought about it, the more she wasn't sure. Maybe it had been warm the whole time?

She had only gotten so far through the temple before she had to crouch down in a corner, because things were a little too overwhelming. Thinking about what the season meant was too much. Starting over was too much. What if it was just her all over again? That, more than anything, was far too much.

It took a very long time, but eventually Vianca slowly picked up the tablet that had been handed to her. Whether it was the same one she'd had or a new one, she didn't have the courage to check. The focus was simply on opening the network and keeping her breath steady.

---

[It was a little bit dark there in the corner of Ohma's temple, but it was still possible to see the pink little girl on the screen. Her mouth was pressed in a thin, worried line, and for a moment it might have seemed like the video frame was actually frozen.

Then she took a breath, and spoke in a spectacularly tiny voice into the screen.]

... Hello?

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[If you say so. She nodded.]

Yes. See you... See you soon.

[ The feed switches off after a final grin and wave from Kyoko, and after that, An Amount of Time--less than an hour? Probably, where does Kyoko even live in relation to the temples--passes by before she jogs up to Ohma's temple. She's already yelling even before she reaches the steps. ]

Viiiianca-chaaaaan? [ wheeze, wheeze ] Viianca-chaaAAAN!

[Oh there's yelling now. Did there need to be yelling? It at least meant Vianca moved with a little bit more haste out of her corner, walking quickly over to the entranceway to peek around it.]

It's okay, I am here.

[ Kyoko had made her way closer to the entrance, heaved a breath and--oh, there she was. There she was! It was really her! Right here!

Practically flying up the steps, she landed in a crouch next to the little girl, eyes wide. ]

You--you are!

[ Oh wow! ]

[Vianca nodded, feeling a little less frazzled now that she had a little more time after speaking to someone to comprehend that was what was happening.]

I am sorry for...

[She trailed off, realizing she wasn't sure which word to use. She couldn't assume what emotions had happened. The worry? Had anyone worried? The inconvenience? That seemed a little closer. Hm.]

... [She gave a little shake of her head.]

[ As the shock of actually seeing her in the flesh again fades, and that shrinking apology comes out, Kyoko's eyes soften. And then it's her turn to shake her head--a much bigger, firmer motion than Vianca's. ]

It's okay. I don't need an apology from Vianca-chan. I'm happy already, so don't worry about anything.

... Okay.

[She was happy, she said. Vianca ducked her head, just a tiny bit.]

Mmm. Thank you for coming?

Mm! I wanted to see you! Am I keeping you from--oh!! [ Shifting, Kyoko pulls her bag around in front of her to pull out a ribbon-wrapped package that's larger than her head. ]

--This is changing the subject, and it's kinda late, but I wanted to give you your birthday present.

...

...

... A birthday...

[Vianca stared at the package with wide eyes. Had her birthday happened? When was that? Kyoko doing this a second time was a thing all on its own, but how long had she kept it? Why had she kept it in the first place?

This packaged presented a whole lot of things that Vianca wasn't processing fast enough, so for a few more moments she just. Stared at it. While her hands gingerly curled themselves into the hem of her sweatervest.]

[ How could she possibly have thrown it away, or given it to someone else? Even if she'd never gotten the chance to give it to her, this was Vianca's. It could finally go to its proper home with her now, that was all.

... If Vianca wanted it, anyway. Tilting her head, Kyoko watched the girl with gentle concern. ]

You... don't have to take it right now, if you don't want. I can hold onto it for you a little longer.

[Oh no. She needed to say thank you properly! It was a very kind gesture, Vianca couldn't let Kyoko's efforts go to waste. She needed to tell her, with words, that she appreciated it.

The tears beat her to the punch though. They were already starting to well up, trembling on her eyelashes and threatening to fall at any moment.]

[ Oh no. Oh no. Was she being too much? Vianca had only just gotten here, and she seemed so fragile--Kyoko didn't know what had happened at home, but...! ]

Vianca-chan....

[ What should she do? Helpless, Kyoko tucked the package down onto her knees, and reached cautiously for those tiny hands clutching that sweatervest. ]

It's okay--I--you don't have to do anything.

[There was a big need to lift her hands to wipe her eyes and banish those tears before they fell. She didn't want to pull them away from Kyoko though, lest she give her the wrong idea. So the tears fell, and Vianca shook her head.]

I... um.

I didn't expect anything.

[ It was a very gentle hold Kyoko was keeping, but insistent, ignorant of any wishes Vianca might have to attend to her dignity. ]

Sorry--that was kinda sudden of me, wasn't it? It's already been this long since your birthday, of course you wouldn't be thinking about it! I should have held back a little!

[Vianca shook her head harder, trying to blink away more of those forbidden displays of emotion.]

You are very... very nice.

Vianca-chan...

[ It had probably been inevitable, but now it was finally time for tears to well up in Kyoko's eyes as well. ]

You're a good girl! Just a really, really good girl!!

[She still shook her head, but it was slowing now into just mild disbelief. Had she made it to good girl status? Was it true? She took a sniffly breath, carefully squeezing Kyoko's hands.]

Is that why I got to come back?

What are you saying??

[ Tears were just openly flowing down her cheeks now; Kyoko made no effort to change this, clinging to Vianca's hands. ]

Whether you're here or somewhere else, you're a good girl, and that's it!

[Fresh off the heels of what happened when she wasn't a good girl, Vianca felt a little wary accepting that. But things were different here, weren't they. That's why Kyoko was right here to begin with, not even counting the way she was holding Vianca's hands so tight or crying over... anything.

Vianca sniffled again and gently tugged her hands away, but it was only so she could teeter forward to hug her.]

[ Kyoko had released her hands without a fight, and there was only a small, soft gasp when Vianca lurched forward. Better open her arms to catch her, then, and then hold her, gently but close. There could be no fighting this. ]

[Vianca held on tight, just in case she was about to flutter away into nothing. She wasn’t sure. Who knew.]

Thank you for thinking of me.

[ And Kyoko's arms stayed right there, snug and warm. No fluttering anywhere for anybody. ]

There's no way I'd forget.

[ Whether it was birthdays or the girl in question. ]

[Vianca took in a shivery breath, shaking her head.]

That’s not true. People forget alll the time, even when they don’t want to.

[She’d seen it happen, over and over. Friends that no longer knew each other. People that had forgotten important things. Strangers that were achingly familiar.]

This is very lucky.

[ Her arms constricted tighter around the girl, because what could she say to that? Kyoko knew better than to make rosy promises when there was so much she couldn't control, even if Vianca wasn't too smart to believe them. ]

... Then don't say thank you. If it's only luck, then all you have to do is cherish it.

No.

[Vianca squeezed her a little more.]

It may be luck but... You still wanted to. You did not have to. Thank you.

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