[video]

[pinkmin]

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?

Comments

[video]

[daikonrose]

[ Kyoko's face was almost equally cautious, but nowhere near as still. There was a slow narrowing of her eyes, a furrowing of her brow as she leaned in close to the screen. For a moment, her mouth worked uncertainly. ]

Vi...anca-chan?

Video

[21kingpuddings]

[What a soft, small voice. It would be so easy to miss, especially if it weren't the kind of thing someone would listen for. The video(?) is enough to give Tamaki a shock, but what really gets him is hearing that voice, that little confirmation that this wasn't just, say, an old photo misposted to the network. There's a few moments where he simply stares at the post to make sure he's not just imagining it, before sending his own video back in response,]

Vicchan?!

[For real? Is that you? Have a nice, loud reply to your tiny, quiet greeting.]

[pinkmin]

[Even if it was just through screens, that tense leaning in made Vianca lean back a bit. She carefully raised a hand up to her face to touch it, as if maybe this level of concern was because something was wrong. Had she changed colors again? Was there still-- but no, the preview seemed the same.

Her hand stayed right there in front of her mouth, but Vianca nodded.]

[pinkmin]

[It was in fact so loud so suddenly in the quiet of her corner that Vianca dropped the tablet with a gasp. There she goes. There was the ceiling and frantic glimpses of her sleeve as she uttered very quiet "oh no" after very quiet "oh no."]

[21kingpuddings]

['Oh no' is right, oh no he's startled her! Oh no there goes her tablet! Oh! No!!]

Sorry, sorry! [Ah, jeez, okay, he'll lower the volume a bit, for her sake.] You're still there, right?

[Like she would just... disappear again in the middle of the recording, or something.]

[pinkmin]

...Yes!

[That might have been extra muffled, the tablet was now in motion and there were glimpses of her as she checked its corners. And then there she was again, taking a big breath.]

... Yes.

[daikonrose]

It--it is Vianca-chan--!

[ See, she'd confirmed it and everything! But aah, that cautious, reluctant face...

Kyoko's own face falls for just a second, and then she leans in with renewed intensity. ]

--I'm Kyoko! Kyoko Mogami! Let's--let's be friends, okay!!

[pinkmin]

[Oh. Oh no. Oh no. That fraction of sorrow had been enough. Vianca had been forgotten enough times to know, even if Kyoko had not frantically confirmed it with her introductions.]

I remember-- [Was an attempt at an interjection, but then she waited a moment to let Kyoko finish and nodded again.]

I remember, Kyoko. We were...are already friends.

[daikonrose]

[ There's a small sigh, Kyoko's hand going to her chest, and then she smiles into screen with fresh warmth. ]

... Yeah, for sure. I'm glad... I'm glad you think so, too.

[pinkmin]

[It still felt awkward to say, certainly, but it was important to say it if she thought it even a little bit. She thought she'd figured that out last time!

But it was especially important because it was relieving to see someone she had known.]

... It is good to see you.

[daikonrose]

[ There's an eager nod. ]

It gave me a little shock, but I'm really glad to see you! Did you just get here?

[pinkmin]

Um...

[She paused, looking beyond the tablet to see if she could tell how much time had passed. When that was inconclusive, she looked back at the screen.]

I believe so, for the most part. Things are... fuzzy.

[daikonrose]

Fuzzy?

[ Like... she didn't know? Kyoko tilted her head. ]

Where are you right now, anyway? The lighting is kinda... well, it's hard to make out on the screen.

[pinkmin]

[She nodded. Fuzzy.]

I haven't left Dr. Ohma's temple yet.

[daikonrose]

[ That did tip the scales in favor of "just got here," but, more importantly-- ]

Are you about to go anywhere?

[ There was some jostling on Kyoko's end, the background shifting as she padded down a hall. ]

[pinkmin]

[Vianca watched this changing background with interest.]

...No. Not yet.

[daikonrose]

[ Cool, keep watching as she suddenly stops, gasps as if she's just realized something!!, swerves around, and hurries back the way she came, the picture bumping and swaying even more. ]

And--would you mind having a visitor, very much??

[pinkmin]

[um.]

... That would be fine.

[Does she mean herself? Vianca is assuming she means herself.]

[daikonrose]

[ She is in A Bedroom now, frantically rummaging through drawers, but she pauses all that long enough to steady the camera. ]

Then, I'd like to come over today! Soon! I can make it in--twenty minutes? Forty...? I haven't gone to Ohma's place in a while--um....

[pinkmin]

[There was a very slight tilt of Vianca's head.]

I... should still be here. [She thought. She hoped? It's been longer than that already.]

Um... but you do not need to worry if you have a problem.

[daikonrose]

A problem? No, I'll definitely be able to get there!

[ Thumbs up!! ]

But if you do decide to go somewhere else before I get there, will you let me know when and where I can come see you??

[pinkmin]

[Kyoko it looked like you had a problem.]

I can do that.

[daikonrose]

[ It's under control now. ]

Then I'll definitely see you soon, Vianca-chan!!

[21kingpuddings]

[Okay, okay that's good. She looks like she's fine after that shock. Tamaki's still pretty stunned himself, but there's a definite look of wonder on his face when she comes back into the frame.]

It's been... it's been a while! [Not even considering the possibility that she might not remember her time here, huh? Gosh, Tamaki.] You're not hurt or anything, are you?

[ video]

[pinkxeno]

Hello! Are you new here? I'm Mina, what about you?