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]

[HOLY CRAP THERE IS A GIRL THERE THAT SHOULD NOT BE.

Welp, time to drag her to shore, getting his clothes wet in the process. And it's freezing, but no time to think of that!]

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[Thanks, best friend that she doesn't actually have.

Thankfully, it doesn't take that long for her to come to. Her eyes open slightly, but remain as a pained squint as her vision remained out of focus. Her head and joints of her body felt like it was being smacked around with a powered-on jackhammer.

Geez, why didn't Rin warn me that hacking me out of the Arena would be so painful? Hakuno manages to complain mentally despite all her pain.

Hakuno fails to immediately recognize Issei, as her mind was still in the process of clearing up.]

Ugh... Wh-Where...?

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Are you alright? Don't try to talk too much. Where are you in pain?

[Issei's natural state is worrying.]

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[That voice. Hakuno knew that voice. It tormented her during the preliminaries, a reminder of how she knew there was something wrong with her daily school life.

Not paying attention to her immediate surroundings, she chooses to focus on the person before her to assume where she is. Slowly, she struggles to sit up with a pained groan, and brings a hand to her forehead. She's so exhausted that she didn't have the usual verbal filter for her sarcasm.]

It's probably not in your programming to care, but... it hurts freaking everywhere, Issei.

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Of course I care, and- sorry, have we met before?

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

Is that some kind of trick que---ACHOO!

[Hakuno ends up interrupting herself with a sneeze, and realizes that dear god it is freezing right now. She didn't remember the SE.RA.PH having a weather system other than sunny... Instinctively, she wraps her arms around herself and tries to fight back her shivers.

It was then she finally registered the feeling of the sand she was sitting on, and the sound of the ocean she got pulled out of. And that she was cold. And wet. And it sucked.

But the one thing that struck her the most was the horizon. The sky didn't have a single binary code swimming in it. Is this really still the SE.RA.PH?]

Where... is this?

[unknownrival.livejournal.com]

Prospero. Island city off the coast of the United States of America. Come on, you were in the ocean, you need to get inside where it's warm.

[nrvn-qsr.livejournal.com]

[]

Oh?

[]

PRAETOR!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

That is an unsightly way to come to the island, Praetor! Pull yourself together.

[]

[willdieifkilled.livejournal.com]

[Despite aching with every move she made, Hakuno managed to push herself to stand.]

I guess it's better than dying of--[SNEEZE.]--digital hypothermia or whatever.

[Upon realizing that she didn't get the usual pompous affirmation from her Servant, Hakuno blinks with confusion, and took second glance around.]

... Saber? Where did she go?

[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]

[Hakuno groaned upon awakening to the familiar chastising of her Servant and the feeling of getting dragged through the sand. Her body's still pretty sore from being hacked out of the Arena.]

It huuurts, Sabeeeerrrr.... Hmm?

[Wait, Saber? Her Saber, whom Hakuno had been so deathly worried about, was strong enough to drag her out of this unexpected ocean and not dying?

Hakuno quickly forgets all her pain and practically throws herself at the shorter girl. She embraced her Servant tightly, though she ends up accidentally burying her face between Saber's breasts. Hakuno remains blissfully unaware, because all she cared about was that Saber wasn't suffering anymore.]

SABER! You're all right!

[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?