[open]

[unlogic]

Who: Desidera and anyone
What: her roommate/best friend/??? almost died and their adopted vocaloid got kidnapped, so uh. yeah.
When: starting December 9th and probably going until Gunvolt's recovery
Where: mostly at the infirmary, but classrooms/Aube 2nd floor/library/cafeteria is doable too
Warnings: stuff that can reasonably be expected given what happened. will edit for specifics if necessary later.

Desidera's normal routine went more or less out the window upon her return to the academy after the mission. She still went to her classes and occasionally checked in with Valvatorez like normal, but most of the other activities she usually did were being almost completely disregarded; she stopped making her usual visits to the Mithril Cage (both not feeling up to it, and afraid of what might happen while she felt so horrible), went to the library less often (only to look into things related to her classes and nothing more), and didn't remain in the cafeteria for long (leaving the minute she was done eating instead of lingering around or getting more).

This was all so she could prioritize spending whatever free time she could find in the infirmary, refusing to spend any more time away from Gunvolt than she absolutely had to. She wasn't leaving unless they made her leave, or unless it was late enough that she needed to return to her room to try (and probably fail) to sleep.

Noticeably, she also made a point of wearing her uniform all the time now as opposed to changing into any of her normal outfits—what she normally wore tended toward darker colors, but blue and white were his colors—and the bracelet she had been given before any of this happened hasn't been removed since she first put it on.

Comments

[shockingblue]

Desi...

[...It was harder than he though to get the truth about what happened out. He didn't want it to be true. But it was, like it or not, and now wasn't the time to feel self-pity. There could be no going back how it was. That option ceased to exist when Asimov showed his true colors.

Monarch, and perhaps even more than that, were counting on him to get it together now. His voice grew quiet, his gaze still distant and almost on another world.]

It... it was. It was Asimov. Asimov shot me. And he took Monarch.

[...Once it was out, though.... then the anger started welling up, but he gave no voice to it yet. But his gaze grew more focused, as he came back down to earth.]

[unlogic]

[GV could hold as tightly as he wanted and it probably wouldn't really hurt her; Desi was made of some pretty tough stuff and he most certainly knew that now, having seen the approach she took after Viper had started pulled out all of the stops.

When he told her who, exactly, had put him into this bed, the look she gave him was mostly one of disbelief, but Gunvolt knew his roommate well enough by now that he could likely identify a little something else in there too.]

... What.

[shockingblue]

[His expression hardens, and his grip tightens further, his hand almost shaking with a barely contained fury... and almost despair.]

...He's completely insane.

[He tries not to grit his teeth, but he tucks his chin as his eyes hardened.]

He talked about wanting to create a world only for Candles after the Nightfall. No one else. I think you know what that means.

[That she, and many of the people they knew, wouldn't be part of that new world. ...Or any world.]

Asimov's vision of the future is fucked. He thinks that genocide will lead us into some kind of utopia, and he wanted Monarch and I to lead it.

[He grit his teeth behind his lips, his free hand flexing experimentally before forming into a fist.]

He didn't like it when I told him where he could shove it.

[unlogic]

That...explains the looks I'd been getting... [She felt uncomfortable under Asimov's gaze the first time, but then the second time she'd chalked up to nerves and not wanting to let him or the team down after how well the first mission had gone.

Evidently, that discomfort was ultimately not without reason.]

But— Only Candles? E-even disregarding the obvious problems with that, isn't it impossible? [On a worldwide scale, it sounds like it would be way too much to be feasible.]

[shockingblue]

He'd been giving you looks...?

[They'd largely gone unnoticed by Gunvolt; even though he knew Asimov well, or rather, thought he did, he never caught him giving her any dirty looks. ...But given what he said about her later, it ceased to surprise him.]

...I think he figured by the time Nightfall was averted, there would be a lot more Candles that came into being. And that more would follow. Like we were some kind of evolution for the human race.

And that he wanted to build a world where we wouldn't be exploited for our power. Like what Sumeragi's been doing. Like others have doubtlessly done, and will do. ....Like we're the only ones who have been suffering.

...It doesn't make sense. And a madman doesn't need to make sense.

All that he needs is to be is stopped. Whatever it takes.

[unlogic]

[Desidera tightened her own grip somewhat, but she did it only just barely, to avoid causing any harm.

She also didn't bother to ask what Gunvolt was intending to do. That seemed awfully obvious, and she understood it in very much the same way that Valvatorez understood what she had told him; beyond needing to do what he knew was right, GV had been hurt and wanted to get back at the person who hurt him, much like Desi did herself.

Remembering what she told the professor earlier:] Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it.

[shockingblue]

[He managed, however briefly, to give her the first small smile he had since he awoke, upon hearing those words. Though it was fleeting, there was a deep gratitude in his eyes.]

Thanks. Glad you have my back... just like always.

[His smile faded.]

...We're going to need a plan. ...And we'll need help. Running off on some one-man crusade is a good way to end up dead.. ...And we'll need information. Think I know where I can get it. There's a guy, Chinese branch of QUILL. Old friend of mine by the name Xiao Wu. He's far enough removed from Asimov that I think I can get reliable info out of him.

Once I do, we need to tell the faculty. Professor Kiske. Maybe Professor Jailbreak. And whoever else we can get.

...And we'll need to gear up. Fast. I don't know how much time we have... or what he intends to even do with Monarch yet.

[unlogic]

Lia and Vivi. [She rattled the two names off like they were a factual statement, rather than any sort of suggestion.] They're part of our team, we should see if they want in on this. Should I get them while you're checking into that, or wait until we have the information we need?

[buddinghopes]

[She nods to the first part, brushing some of her hair back.]

Ah... well... I'm holding up, at least. If worst comes to worst, I'm probably not gonna be okay, but I'm kind of hesitant to say exactly how I'm doing at this point, you know?

[Shit's fucked.]

[unlogic]

[Right, it's difficult—if not impossible—to really say how any of them are really doing right now, while GV is like this. She probably should have known that, but it's been hard to actually think these past few days, being preoccupied with various what-ifs and just wishing he'd come back.]

Ah.

[Things are quiet—and maybe slightly awkward—for a moment, but then Desidera fumbles around a bit, reaching for a box that had been sitting on a table nearby. It's recognizable as one of Becky's, specifically the one that Lancer had carried for her the previous week when she was showing him the way here. That girl was in the habit of making stuff to bring to the infirmary now.

She opens the box then tilts it a bit in her hands, angling it toward Lia.] Do you want any? They're really good. [She doesn't know that Becky and Lia are roommates.]

[shockingblue]

[Lia and Vivi... yeah. He could trust them too. They'd been with them through this whole affair and were two of the people GV had absolutely no reservation about. "Part of our team" was right.]

...Yeah. You can talk to them about it. I'd... rather not have to explain it any more than I have to. Let them know that something might be in the works, and I'll fill in the blanks once I get done with Xiao.

[His hand still in hers, fingers still brushing against each other, he paused and looked thoughtful for a moment, though his intensity didn't fade.]

...Suppose I need you to get the medical staff in here too. I need to know what kind of shape I'm in... and I gotta make sure I can get mission ready ASAP.

[unlogic]

Right. Give me a minute to get someone, and then I'll see about talking to the others.

[Finally breaking contact, Desi headed out of the room. She would be back soon enough, with whoever she found first in tow.]

[spelleton]

[ He'd deliberately stayed out of the room to give them some time alone, even though as soon as Gunvolt woke up he immediately knew. He wasn't going anywhere, and his condition was no longer critical.

Plus, he'd felt that surge of Radiance. Best to stay out of the room with his...condition. ]

It's good to see you're awake. How are you feeling, first of all? Well enough to eat?

[ He's not going to overwhelm him with a rundown of all his injuries first. ]

1/2

[shockingblue]

Alive. ...And a lot better than I thought I'd be.

[He took a moment to look himself over, move his limbs that he hadn't yet. Ekkehardt could probably tell well enough that Gunvolt was stiff, perhaps sore, from being in bed for the better part of a week.

...After a moment, he nodded back.]

Everything feels hooked up right, so I'm doing okay.

2/2

[shockingblue]

[And then he took a moment to think about food.

...Although his stomach had rolled over several times while he spoke to Desidera, a feeling of near-sickness hitting him at least once...

The thought of food made his stomach instantly voice its opinion.

Loudly.]

...Yeah. Uh. I think I'm pretty hungry too.

[unlogic]

[After bringing Ekkehardt in, Desi had skipped out for another couple minutes, but she came back again with her phone in one hand, and a box of some of Becky's cookies in the other.] There are still some of these left if you need something right now, or I could go and get something from the cafeteria, or whatever else.

Before GV Awakens

[bejustorbedead]

Ky had classes and coursework to attend to, so he didn't have as much time as he'd like to check in on the young man.

His breath catches as he enters the infirmary, sitting down quietly next to her, his expression taut, his long hair pulled back in a loose, messy ponytail that seems to threaten to spill out.

"How has he been doing?" The man asks quietly.

[unlogic]

When she first hears—and then looks and sees—Ky walk in, Desidera straightens herself up a bit in the seat she's taken.

"He hasn't gotten any worse," she answers, "but it's hard to say if he's really getting any better, either."

[bejustorbedead]

"This is the worst part of returning from combat," He murmurs perhaps a little louder than he intended. He should have kept a headcount, made sure everyone was there - then he might've -

No. It was useless to dwell on the what ifs.

"Unfortunately, for most people, this kind of injury will take days to recover,"

[unlogic]

"This school isn't 'most people,' Professor." It wasn't a denial that it could take time, because she wasn't stupid, but it was more like raising the possibility that maybe it wouldn't be too long. "But... I'll wait however long I need to, if he's okay in the end."

Gunvolt had been one of her first friends—her actual first, even. They were also roommates, and were effectively partners ever since they had teamed up during the attack on the school near the end of August. She'd wait as long as it took for him to come back if it meant not losing any of that.

[bejustorbedead]

His lips quirked into a sad, but knowing smile at that, his attention turning to the young man... something about how he's laying that reminded him of a bad winter where his younger brother was stricken with fever. He couldn't do much but pray in either case.

Ky's fingers curled against the back of his hand. "He has a good friend in you, I think having someone close by does help."

[buddinghopes]

Becky's cookies are pretty awesome.

[She'll help herself to one, but no more than that. Still, the change in topic causes her to brighten a bit.]

She and I are usually up to our elbows in baked goods, so if you want to drop by sometime once Gunvolt's doing better...