codecast;(01) | ACTION

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[There is no network call or the usual screaming demands of where, why, and how. The newest arrival to Prospero does nothing to make her presence known. Though, anyone walking along the shoreline of the island this afternoon would probably notice the new face.

BECAUSE THERE IS AN UNCONSCIOUS GIRL FLOATING FACE UP IN THE MOTHERFUCKING OCEAN.

Thankfully close to the beach's shores, at least. Still... Help would be nice right about now.]

Comments

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

You know Saber?

[Issei is more and more confused by the minute. He reaches out to steady this weird girl who might know him or Saber, since she looks weak still.]

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

Aren't you supposed to know that kind of stuff? You practically help run the War...

[For an NPC, Issei was being unusually helpful and compassionate right now.... Though Hakuno finds it odd, she sees no reason to not trust him, as the Elimination Period wasn't here yet. Masters had to stay in top form until that day...

So she lets him support her, though reluctantly.]

Ugh, I'm either dreaming or this is another test.

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I don't run any kind of a war. I'm stuck in this place as much as any of the rest of the people who were brought here, which seems to include you.

...Sorry, but, where have we met?

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

Are you really seri---

[... Wait. It suddenly dawned on her. Could it be that... this Issei was actually the person that the NPC Issei was based from?

Hakuno needed to clear this up, even if it would end up with more questions than answers. She needed to know the truth. Like always. There was only one way to find out... ]

Does the term "SE.RA.PH" ring any bells for you?

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

None whatsoever.

[It was hard to fake that level of 'I have no idea what you're talking about'.]

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[... And he didn't even malfunction like Sakura did. Which meant... he was a real person. Which also meant---

The realization almost made Hakuno lose what little strength she had to stand. Despite being usually reserved, she couldn't hide the shock on her face.

I'm in the real world... Somehow.

Ugh, her head was beginning to hurt even more. A hand went up to her forehead again as she tried to make sense of this.]

I guess we both... have some explaining to do, Issei...

[Speaking of which--]

And, sorry... you got wet because of me... [She turns her head away for brief second to sneeze. Okay, yeah. Maybe finding a warmer place would be good around now.]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Unless you intended to show up unconscious in the ocean, I doubt I have much to hold against you. Now, come on. We should get shelter somewhere. Pick a building, any building.

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[Right, right. She manages to give him a small smile, and plays along by pointing to the nearest building.]

Hopefully there's a place to sit... I'm still feeling a bit dizzy.

Oh, and... I'm Kishinami Hakuno. Just "Hakuno" is fine.

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Ryudo Issei. Although apparently you already know that, somehow.

[He helps her towards the nearest building, which iiis a clothing store. Which has benches in the lobby for convenience.]

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[Hakuno sighs with relief once she comes in contact with the wonderful heating system of the store. She pretty much collapses onto the bench, the pain thankfully being less intense than before.

Right. Explanations.]

... All right. Who should go first?

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

You should probably get a bit of rest before hearing mine.

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

Then I'll explain my case meanwhile... Plus, I guess it's pretty creepy how I "know" you, so it may be for the best.

[She takes a slow breath in as she wrapped her arms around herself again. Where to begin...? Even she didn't quite understand the SE.RA.PH yet.]

You've heard of virtual realities, right?

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I've heard of them. They show up in a fair number of novels I've read.

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

Well until now, I've been stuck in one. Long story short: It has a school setting, and Ryudo Issei is an NPC in it. My memory got wiped to think you were the student council president and my best friend. Any questions?

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

...

Who thought I was important enough to make me an NPC?

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[Shrug.] Hell if I know. Though I did hear that the SE.RA.PH based Tsukumihara Academy on a school that existed in the real world.

Anyway, what's the situation here? Isn't this the real world...?

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

People tend to just wake up here, and the people they know and places that they came from no longer exist. If I were to call my father, the number would be unregistered. If I were to fly to Japan, I couldn't find my hometown. So I don't know if that counts as 'the real world'.

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

So... It's like being stuck in 'another world'?

[Her mind was already trying to connect the pieces together. There were so many conclusion to draw, and yet so many more conclusion that sprang from it.]

This is seriously giving me deja vu...

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

That's a good way of putting it.

...And also, there are monsters at night. The hotel is relatively safe, so if you're outside of it at midnight, you'll have to be able to defend yourself.

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

Monsters?

[Sounds a lot like the enemy programs back in the SE.RA.PH... Her next musings were more toward herself, rather than Issei.]

It sounds a lot like the Arena. I'd be alright if Saber was with me, but... [They didn't seem to get transported together.]

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

We have a Saber here - actually, we have three Servants summoned to that class.

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[Suddenly, alarm bells are ringing in her head.]

Wait, you know about Servants? It seemed like you weren't familiar with the Holy Grail War...

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

I wasn't until I came here. We have enough Servants and Masters from home that I eventually found out about it. My best friend was a Master, for one thing.

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[But if that's the case, then wouldn't they be from the same world? Yet, Issei has no idea who Hakuno is and seems perfectly human. None of this made se---Oh!]

So that would mean we're from the same world, but different times... I think.

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

That sounds right. There are Servants from both the Fourth and the Fifth War, and my friend's father is alive here when he's dead in our time.