♫3 - Cold Steel Coffin

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

[Action - The mean streets of Prospero, the Dark Hour]

[Almost two weeks ago there was a corpse brought into the hospital. It was an arrival brought in near the start of the (now-forgotten) zombie "invasion" and, much like the other victims of the upcoming inhuman assault, was barely able to be called an intact corpse. Limbs were torn off, the face was caved in, great gobs of flesh were simply missing. Sadly,  there were more pressing matters concerning the intact cadavers actually rising up to life again. While the extra-ordinary violence of the case caused discussion among the coroners, doctors, and orderlies, it was placed upon the back-burner. Jane Doe wasn't going anywhere, after all, and those who had perished at sea and washed up on shore were doing quite the opposite.

After the full moon had passed and all trace of revenants was scoured from the streets of the city and the minds of the population, the case of Jane Doe was merely treated as an unsolved violent crime. Nothing too unusual in Prospero in recent months, sadly, even if it was an astoundingly brutal case compared to the rest. The only thing of note was the victim herself - female, assuredly, but one who's physical traits did not match any specific ethnicity. While interesting, this was merely written off as a side-effect of the condition of the corpse, and the body was shuffled away into the morgue as attempts to identify and contact the departed's relatives were made.

This evening, when the dark hour struck, a certain drawer in the morgue slid open, the sound of a person in motion echoing throughout the deserted building shortly afterwards. Whatever solemn stillness the location maintained was then be shattered by a sharp, startled cry.]

Damn it's cold!

[Not too long afterwards, a certain red-haired woman could be found - in admittedly tattered, bloodied, and all-but-demolished clothing - employing as much stealth as she could muster in order to sneak back into the Bay View Hotel unnoticed.]


[Voice, near the end of the Dark Hour]
Sorta funny. I never really realized how damn cold it got during the dark hour 'till now.

[A familiar voice, but one that's been kind of quiet as of late. Devola hums to herself slightly before following the statement up with a question.]

How've you all been holding up? Between the temperature dropping and the shadows and everything, that is.

Comments

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I'm alive, so that's good.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd hope you were alive if I was hearing you. Aside from the "going crazy" implications, that'd mean you were dead, and that wouldn't do at all.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Well, I was. But it was temporary, as it seems to be.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

[Can you hear the wince, Issei? It's almost audible.]

My condolences. I mean, it's good that it's temporary, but...

[There's a pause as she looks for the proper wording.]

Well, if I'm lead to believe rumors about that state of being, it's something everyone should only have to experience once. Ideally very late in life, as far as timing is concerned.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I agree completely. That's what I would have preferred.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Mn. I won't force you, but if you wanna talk about it - or anything, really - I've always got an open ear.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Hearing that means a lot.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Any time.

Unpleasantness aside, think you're managing to adapt alright? I remember you were a bit worried about it a while back.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I suppose so. I have lessons planned in the use of the sword, so that will be something.

Re: [Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Sword-fighting, huh? I swear, every month it seems more and more like a good idea to pick... some form of combat up.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I'm decent at hand-to-hand, but it's looking like a better idea not to get that close.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

I'd say the best idea is just to avoid having to fight, but that's looking less and less like an option as time goes on, isn't it?

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I can't stay back, if other people are risking themselves. Not willingly.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

I had a feeling you'd say something like that. Still, make sure you know your limits and don't overextend yourself. Like you said, you won't be the only one fighting.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Believe me, I have no intention of going through that again. I'll do my best.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Erk, I didn't mean that grim of a warning! You overdo it and it'll be easier for you to catch a cold, for example. Nobody likes getting sick.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

That is a good point. I don't want to miss any more school.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Do they have problems with it if you miss too much? Other than the obvious falling-behind.

[A pause, adding thoughtfully.]

School as an institution wasn't really a thing where I'm from, so I wouldn't really know.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Some classes will automatically lower your grades for absences.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

That hardly seems fair. You're missing the information anyway and have to catch up, right? Why give you more to deal with?

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

It represents what you haven't contributed by not participating, instead of a class that bases grades on assignments.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

I guess that'd make sense... but isn't education here something for the individual as well as the group? The group can move on without the one, but the one will have trouble following the group if it moves ahead.

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

That's true, and I'm sure most of my teachers will be understanding, particularly those who also fight Shadows.

[Voice]

[skaldssong.livejournal.com]

Oh! Does that mean you've got [There's a pause - adaptation to dealing with two names for each person is all-but-complete.] Mrs. Barnes for a teacher?

[Voice]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Yes, indeed I do have her as my teacher.