daybreakacademy | Of space rocks and wagons (Open/Semi-Open)

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Of space rocks and wagons (Open/Semi-Open)

Who: Puella and YOU???
What: Some catch-all shenanigans. More gifts to CR. Kit adventures.
When: Second half of January-ish
Where: Around campus

A - Christmas came again. [CR only]

[After searching up and down the hills for SPACE ROCKS, Puella eventually got herself a nice collection of meteorite pieces. Though obtaining a basket full of them through totally legit means sure did help a lot.]

[It was only tradition now that she had to bring something back for Valvatorez each and every time she went on a big adventure. It was only thanks to him that she was able to explore more without getting lost. But you know what, these rocks were pretty damn cool so she should give one to other people she liked the most - and then a few more so those other friends didn't feel left out.]

[...]

[So everyone that Puella knew is just getting a space rock now. Student or professor alike. Unless you're Hibiki. She made sure to put them somewhere that those people would find them, along with some sort of note or card so that they'd know what's up. The rocks were theirs to keep and they could do whatever they want with them. (Supposedly they work well with magic! Or so she heard.)]

B - Kit's Day Off [All throughout January]

[The tiny, living plush doll that was sometimes spotted doing errands for Avery was now more frequently spotted wandering around on his own, sometimes with a new red wagon if he was going outside. There was a few hills that he thinks it should run quite smoothly on, before the wheels get too beaten up. And best of all, it didn't even matter how fast of recklessly he was with it since it didn't even hurt one bit!]

[It was probably more fun now than it would have been if he was still alive. Although sometimes landing in the snow brought back...thoughts. Sad thoughts. But something that could no longer harm him now.]

[Other than that, he would occasionally wander into the common rooms to watch people. It was a much more relaxing hobby but he liked doing it too. Everything is so different than how he used to remember it!! That observing it makes it a little easier to understand it.]

[That and people were just interesting now. Even the purely human ones.]

C - Tradition Talks [Closed to Kokoro]

[It had been awhile since Puella last talked to Kokoro about Hunters and such. A bit has...sort of changed since then. She kind of wondered it if was worth asking again, if she can even find her number first--]

hiiiiii, are you there?

D - Generic Wildcard Option

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Greetings. Who calls? Worry not, all I have is math homework right now, and permutations and combinations are an easily thwarted foe. Usually.

[Math homework? Ew gross.]

its puella!! i wanted to ask you something

Hello! What did you require? I shall try my best, whatever it is.

[Oh boy, how to word this...]

well uh...

i kinda wanted to know some more about hunters.

I see. You will already know the basics, but a Hunter can be anyone who has had contact with the supernatural and a reason to fight. Many are born into clans who have held the duty for generations, like me. But others simply start out on their own, often once a supernatural threat has harmed their life in some way. While we disagree on many things, any Hunter should have the same end goal: to protect the world by destroying any threat to its peace.

What did you wish to ask?

[She's not really sure what she wanted to ask either, to be honest.]

so youre really not bothered by it? being one?

It's all I've ever been. Though it seems to bother you, from what you have said.

because not everyone likes them, and some of them arent that nice tomy friends.

and now i was supposed to be one too.

[Maybe she should have mentioned that sooner.]

Wait. When you say you were supposed to, do you mean it is a duty you inherited? You gave the impression that your parents were civilians.

they are. [...Kind of. They were part of a Rune Guard before she was born, and only began to do work again after Puella left for Daybreak.]

but at some point my great great great parents were hunters.

[She's not sure if to add or remove some of those 'greats' in there. There might be a lot!]

I see. That doesn't automatically mean you have to. Like I said, not all Hunters are families like mine. Many simply do it because something happened to them. Yet if you worry, perhaps I can answer some questions if you have them. To the best of my ability, at least.

we still use the same kind of magic as them though. my parents copied them the best they could from stories and then i learned it all from them.

.....but i also think there was something that happened a long time ago, and theres not too many of them anymore.

Such stories do exist. Even the strongest have been felled by powerful enough adversaries. My family has a few enemies who never seem to be gone forever. Is it the same for you?

i dont know. they wouldnt say much about it. but it sounds like there was a lot of nonhumans that didnt like them.

...but maybe they should have mentioned them if theyre really that dangerous.

[Or perhaps they were worried that Puella would somehow go out looking for them. The clan had been torn apart well over a century ago. No daemon by now should be still checking in on them.]

...do they attack you often?

Not regularly, at least not while here at Daybreak. But there is always a chance. They say it's every hundred years that we have to worry, but in practice, it isn't that simple.

has it been a hundred years yet?

[Maybe her own threats are somewhat the same!]

A little over. It was supposed to be taken care of, but I must admit, the result... well, no one knows. My brother went out, as I was too young back then. Nobody's seen him since.

did anyone go look for him?

I'm certain they must have. But he was powerful and skilled. Even if I'm supposed to have the same potential he did, I could not hope to be as strong. So if anything happened, I know not if anyone could do anything about it.

[Puella decided to just stop there, since she was pretty sure "your brother is probably dead" was not something Kokoro probably wanted to hear. And Puella did not really like it either. She had no brothers or sisters but she does have a whole 'new' family at the academy, and she didn't want to loose any of them. It's already almost happened before.]

...where are you right now?

[Finally she comes back.]

Personally? Just at the dorm. I should go train after I'm finished with this math work, though. I still haven't gotten the hang of this Option.

[Oh right, the math homework.]

wait for me. ill be right there!

[A tiny hat is on the way. ...As soon as she knows which common room that is.]

If you're certain. I'm at the Lumière fourth floor.

[Puella will indeed find Kokoro there, plugging away at some permutations.]

Well met. I hope I have the answers you seek about Hunters.

Hmmm, maybe for right now. [She was not exactly sure how much of it is actually true for her too, but it does help a little.]

[But that's not quite why she came here. Not entirely anyway.]

Are you alright?

[Kokoro sets down the pencil and looks at the child, thinking for a moment.]

People seem to be asking me that lately. But usually incredulously, like, "I can't believe you would be dedicated to this. Why do you care about stopping Nightfall? Why do you actually want to perform the duty you inherited?"

It's true that I don't believe I have a choice. Others may, but I was born into this. Someone will have to carry it on after me. And if I run away, I know some ill will befall me regardless, as well as everyone else.

[She rests her elbows on her knees and sinks a little into the lounge chair.]

I'd like to be normal, I'll admit. But I will settle for protecting those who can be. ...Is that what you mean?

Oh...Actually I meant about your brother missing.

[But, if she does want to talk about that.]

I don't...really want to fight Nightfall either. But Candles are supposed to stop it somehow.

...Although some say I don't have to if I don't want to. But if I don't go, someone else I know could get...hurt...instead.

[And in such a way that could have otherwise been preventable.]

So, I rather it just not come at all.

And so we must fight. I know. Perhaps after that, everyone can be happy.

[She looks at the floor and thinks for a while.]

It was a long time ago. He'd almost be twice my age by now, if he were still around. But I always think about it. It's why I fight the way I do. I've never been able to do what he did, so I always adapt to my own shortcomings. The ancestral weapon disappeared with him -- the whip I use is just a regular one. That's why I compensate with my Rune Armour.

I don't know if I'm okay or not. I simply try to be.

Ohhh, I wanna see the armor sometime! [It sounds neat. And maybe she could help with it.]

[As for the rest of the things, she looked far less happy about. Although damn, twice Kokoro's age? That must be like, super old!]

Does it gotta be a whip that you use?

[Maybe - maybe there's some other special, magical item to use instead!]

Not necessarily. I've got other weapons as well, like my throwing axes. But, well, it's been in my family for almost a thousand years, so it's got to be special somehow.

[She coughs and sits up straight.]

Well, there are a number of stories about it. It was made by an alchemist in the Middle Ages, so it could turn from a leather whip like mine to a metal chain and other such things over time. They say it contains a soul willingly sacrificed to slay those who would do evil, but in all honesty, I know not if that's an exaggeration. It's supposed to be true.

So it's kinda like Time Pieces!

[And with that, Puella revealed the magical hourglass that she had with her. Don't ask where it was pulled from, since it is bigger than any pocket.]

...There aren't many more left though. Because a lot of monsters wanted to smash them or take them away.

[And by extension, anyone that carried them too. But that, was even less of a pleasant detail. And probably not that hard to figure out.]

[Kokoro leans in and looks over it with a small gasp.]

Is this the sort of thing that created that incident in the dorm?

It's the same one!

I can go back to that world so long as I have it.

Are you certain it's safe, though? I realize I may not be one to talk...

Edited 2020-02-22 03:05 (UTC)

[Not this again...] Of course it is. All I did was mess up that one time.

[But, she sighs anyway.]

...But there's not that many that actually believe me either.

...I believe I know how you feel. My apologies. I shouldn't have said it.

[Puella shakes her head. There was nothing that Kokoro did wrong.]

...Has no one ever forgive you too?

Perhaps not quite as such. But there are some who like to point out how often I fail and how I've never been able to measure up to what I should be. I wish Hibiki would shut up.

[Perking up. Did she hear that?] Hibiki?

You met her too?

She seems to think I'm an embarrassment.

I don't think she really likes anyone...

[There were...a few people at this school who were like that, though.]

Probably not. Some people are just that way... Usually mages, in my experience, but it isn't their fault. It's their lot in life, or something of the sort.

We should get along. Or else, some of the really bad Nightfall stuff actually might happen!

[And for whatever it's worth.] You seem fine to me...

My thanks. I'll do my best as well. You've been doing well. ...I apologize for what everyone's said to you.

[That does mean a lot. Even if she does have to pretend slightly to be happy about it.] ....I think it has to get better eventually. I just gotta keep trying!

[Try what exactly? That she can handle the Dream World and Time Piece? Prove that it's not such a bad place? That she can take care of herself? Presumably yes to all.]

You already know way more than me. I don't know why anyone would pick on you.

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Of space rocks and wagons (Open/Semi-Open)

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