destinystrings | Sixth Star of Fate

Entry tags:

Sixth Star of Fate

Who: Aoi Misato, Yuzuru Otonashi, Avitus [Closed]
Where: Misato House
Summary: Two thirds of the household are now bitty and possibly screaming.
Warnings: None
When Aoi woke up, something was off.

Although she remembered it being summer, instead it was incredibly cold in her house - far too cold to just be a morning chill. And even though her futon had been freshly cleaned not long before, today the design on the cover was distinctly different.

She quickly got to her feet, feeling ill at ease. Something was wrong here, but she wasn't sure just what, or even how. But surely, if she just spoke to her parents, she could find out what was going on, right?

Wrong.

At first timidly calling out "Mother? Father?" to her parents' door, there was not a single response. A quick peek inside told her enough: neither were inside. Thinking - or rather, hoping that one of them would be downstairs.

Instead, the strangers she found there would be greeted with a high pitched shriek.

Who were they? Why were they sleeping in her house? Mother and father weren't the type to invite people to spend the night--

Were they (sleepy) burglars...?!!

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Aoi, you are getting a startled, but very confused look from a fellow kidlet, if you shriek at them. Kid's wearing a loose red shirt of some kind which matches the long black skirt and red sash, and sandals. The kid looks... well, the kid would look suspiciously familiar, if she can remember how Avitus dressed up for Halloween: a head of curly blond hair, pale skin, and gold wrist cuffs. Bracers. Bracelets? Whatever those are.

The kid stops right there in the hall near the kitchen, a piece of fruit in hand with a bite taken out of it, paused in chewing to stare at her. After a second to shift that food to one cheek to make speaking possible, "Good morning?"

He nearly drops the coffee in his hand, startled by Aoi's shrieking. By now, he shouldn't be surprised when something strange happens in the night here, but alas.

"H-hey, what is it?! What's wrong?"

At least he has an inkling of what might be going on...

She nearly dashes up the stairs again, and it's only with a large gulp to steady herself that she doesn't.

"Wh-who are you? What are you doing in my house?"

And then, as she suddenly realizes it--

"D-did you take away my parents-?"

"....What?"

The other little kid just blinks at her, not understanding.

"Did you... have a bad dream, perhaps?"

"I don't think it was a bad dream..."

Otonashi crouches down to the children's level and waves Avitus over first, then the frightened little girl.

"You're Misato Aoi, aren't you? I, ah, I should explain..." Right, as soon as he comes up with a believable explanation. Somehow 'you asked for housemates yourself' seems like it might not be the best modus operandi, if you will.

She still looks uneasy, but she does nod. "Yes... How did you know my name?"

She doesn't know either of these people, and the fact that one seems to already know her name... She's definitely wary, and doesn't even dare come any closer.

Avitus steps closer, as directed, showing no sign that he's even a little bit wary here. He finishes his mouthful before he speaks up.

"Were you supposed to stay here for a while too, and help take care of things?" He looks up at him... apparently, he remembers that much, at least.

He looks to Aoi, and back to Otonashi, not sure who to ask when he opens his mouth again. "And what's parents?"

"Yeah. I was asked to help out." It sounds like his best out, especially with Avitus's testimony. A house servant -- that's what he is.

"Oh. I, uh... I know your name because I was told..." This is all very, very strange, and the temptation to ask them to 'stop messing with him' is there, but the likelihood of this being a terrifyingly well-organized prank is quite slim.

"Ma...ybe we should--"

Wait. What's 'parents?' No. No, no. That can't possibly be a real question, can it?

"... Oi, oi, don't scare Misato like that. Parents. Mom and dad. Everyone had parents."

She shakes her head rapidly. "I live here. We... We don't have any servants that look like you. Mother and Father would have told me." Or at least, mother would have. Father was away on one of his trips right now, wasn't he?

Her frown only deepens when Avitus gives his question. "Why don't you know what parents are?"

"But I'm supposed to do chores here." He gave her a look, still confused. "Like sweeping the floors and stuff, like I do back at the castle." He tilts his head, looking between the two of them. "Because someone has to do that, right? And...."

Avitus paused, trying to remember something, but whatever it was, it wasn't coming to him. He shrugged, and apparently decided to simply answer Aoi instead. "And anyway, I just... don't know. What's a mom and dad? Are those like captains and lieutenants or something?" Another glance to Otonashi -- it didn't look like he was feigning his cluelessness.

He succumbs to silence, soon arriving at the inevitable conclusion.

"This isn't working..!" Otonashi has the sense, at least, to hush his tone, but the frustration still rings clear.

"L-listen, I'm not really sure how to explain all of this... But this isn't Tokyo. This isn't the castle either, though Avitus seems to know that somehow. This is Hinoto-Ri, you guys aren't supposed to be children and... and there's no adult around, is there."

It's not really a question, but a resigned statement. He fully expects to get more screaming in his face for the 'big reveal,' but he'll have to deal with the consequences as they come. For now, he'll just grab fistfuls of his own hair, still crouched on the floor.

Aoi just begins backing away even more, her hands drawn up to her chest.

"I don't understand what you're saying." It's all so weird. How could this be anywhere but Tokyo? And Hinoto-Ri? And... why wouldn't she be a child?

Judging by the expression she's got, she seems to be considering the possibility that the man in front of her is crazy, and she's still coming to a decision as to what, exactly, she should do. Run away? But he's between herself and the exit...

"Yes, why wouldn't we be children? I'm six!" He gives Otonashi a very concerned sort of confused look at that. How was that confusing to the other at all? "I'm not gon'ta be an adult for ten more years!"

Common knowledge, clearly.

"Just 'cause Winnoc's not--" He paused, looking back to Aoi, something falling into place in his thoughts. "Oh! Were you looking for the lady in charge here that said for us to help keep the place clean? The very pretty one with the long black hair, who's really nice? Her?"

The temptation to bite back with snark is there, but he contains it. He shouldn't argue with confused children. The right course of action, however, eludes him.

"She's-- I don't think you're going to find any adults in this house. Outside of it, maybe, but you won't find this Winnoc or your parents in Hinoto-Ri..."

There just seems to be no way to break them out of the constraints of being children: Aoi especially. "I know you probably have no reason to trust me, but... can I at least make sure that you're dressed warmly and fed?" By now, his voice is hushed, sounding vaguely confused and defeated. Another oddity thanks to Hinoto-Ri, just what Otonashi didn't ask for.

She shakes her head, her back finally touching the wall. "Why is mother gone?" Father, she could understand - he was always away with work. But mother should be here...

"Mother would have told me if we hired more people." She's just so sure of that. The person Avitus is describing... there's just no way it could be the mother she knew. "What happened to her...?"

"I don't know... maybe she had to go somewhere fast? Sometimes Winnoc goes to meetings and doesn't tell me, but he always comes back." He took a few little steps toward her, slowly, giving her a gentle smile. Surely she wouldn't be afraid of another kid, one who was closer than not to her own size and age, and seemed cheerfuly enough relaxed about all of this, and friendly enough?

Well, he could try, anyway. He wasn't exactly shy, unlike his older self.

"I'm sure she'll come back too. But I'm supposed to clean the house here... so I'm going to finish eating and then do that, and if you're hungry too, you should get something to eat. There's more fruit... or you can have some of mine, if you want?" He offered her the big white pear he held, its round shape marred by a few little bite-marks directly into its flesh, a small trickle of juice leaking down its side. "Or he could make us something to eat too -- he's really nice!" He peeked back to give Otonashi a little smile, indicating him to Aoi. He might've been confused and not remembering most things clearly himself, but it seemed that some things, he did. "And then if you want to, you can play in the room I was in... the bed is a giant bowl of pillows! It's really soft!"

At this point, Otonashi is close to giving up, if only he could leave children alone in good conscience. Right now, he's certain that he's the "scary big kid" in the room who can't be trusted, so he backs off to the side even further. He's not mom, not dad, not... anyone from some faraway castle. Just confused little Otonashi.

"I'll do whatever you need me to do..." As for the burning question, though, he has nothing. Breaking news to kids is just so much harder.

She stares at the food offered by Avitus before slowly shaking her head. She just doesn't understand anything - even though she's here, in her home, everything is wrong and there are strangers and not a familiar face in sight.

"Mother wouldn't leave me with strangers." That's what she's sure of. "Should... Should I go to the police?"

Police are supposed to help you if you're in trouble, aren't they? Usually it was when you were lost, but if your parent got lost, it's kind of similar. Right?

[He looks between the other two once more, again unsure who to ask to get an explanation.]

What's a police?

[No, really... is that like... a cafeteria or something?]

"... I guess so. That watch on your wrist -- you can pull up a map of the city with it. If you don't find anything satisfying..."

Which she very well may not--

"... You can look me up on there if you need help. Just find 'Yuzuru Otonashi.' I'd like it if you went together. Maybe Avitus can learn who the law enforcement officials are."

The redhead straightens up and glances outside. He may not be perfectly dressed for the weather, but he probably should find out if everyone has suffered the same curse.

She nods, looking determined even through her fear. Contacting the police... Yes, this was the normal answer to this kind of situation. And right now, Aoi could use a little normalcy.

"Yuzuru... Otonashi. Okay."

She looks down at the watch, finally registering its presence properly. It looks pretty high-tech... Nothing like the watches she's used to. With a careful prod, she nearly leaps back in surprise at the screen that appears.

Avitus blinks at seeing that, and steps closer to her again, to get a better look. "Oh...! So that's what that is? ...should I fetch mine from where I left it?"

....Yeah, he took it off and left it in his room. ~~It didn't go with his outfit, all right?~~

At a distance, he holds up his wrist and navigates to the map with a few easy button presses. With a cheerful beep, a projected map appears.

"Yeah. Everything is clearly labeled. I recommend keeping it on. You can use it to make... uh, calls, basically." No need to overcomplicate the explanation. "All you do is navigate to the name of the person you need to talk to."

Otonashi dismisses the map as easily as he had summoned it and nods once, sharply.

"Good luck finding what you're looking for. See you later." He pushes the door open, hesitating only briefly before heading outside. How badly had this thing affected the city...?

"Um... Y-yeah." She nods, looking at her watch again with puzzlement. Just when did she get this, anyway...?

At any rate, she turns to Avitus. "So... We're supposed to go together, right? Umm... What was your name?"

He watches Otonashi, a little sad to see him go -- he looked so disappointed, really! -- and then turns back to her.

"It's Avitus. Or Avvy. I get called that too sometimes. And you're Aoi, right?" He gives her a smile again, deciding to try being in a good mood for her benefit again. Maybe it'll catch on? "But if that has a map, I'll go fetch mine, all right? I'll be fast!"

He turns to go back to his bedroom; he really wouldn't take long.

"Uh-huh. My name is Aoi Misato."

It's another kid, so... giving her full name should be okay, right? When he decides to retrieve his bracelet, she just gives a quiet nod, watching him retreat to the other room.

As she waits, she turns to the door Otonashi had just exited, drawing her hands close to her chest. She's gone outside by herself before, so that wasn't much of a problem, but... That man had said something about how this wasn't Tokyo, right? Even with a map... would she really be able to find her way around?

By the time Avitus returns, he'll notice that she looks just as worried as before, her expression firmly in a small frown.

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Sixth Star of Fate

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