008 | OVERFLOW

[godsoffortune]

This is an overflow post for 008 | Sakura 2.0: You Can (Not) Have A Picnic. Please bring any further comments here and link to your threads at the original source.

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[galactically]

I don't usually do this kind of thing often, but it's quite fun.

[Her smile widens a bit more, the slightest bounce to her feet as she takes a step forward. This man appreciates finely crafted words, she can tell.]

We should do it again, someday!

[koukai_kirai]

[He's not really the smiling sort -- he looks a little bit like a cautionary tale about making a face until it sticks forever, honestly -- but his posture is relaxed as she approaches.]

Might not mind that. What's your name?

[galactically]

Great! It's Sheryl. [A beat.] Sheryl Nome.

[Her introduction may be casual and light, but the way she says her name is filled to the brim with confidence.]

And yourself, sir?

[koukai_kirai]

[He gives a respectful little nod of his head at her introduction.]

Hijikata. It's a pleasure.

[galactically]

A pleasure to meet you, too, Mr. Hijikata.

[She dips her head a little in a polite greeting, now that she's introducing herself in front of an adult man. Despite her job as a pop star with the occasional diva flair, she tries to keep manners in check.]

Have you been here for long?

[koukai_kirai]

[Hijikata shakes his head.]

Not long. About a week an a half, since the day they had us all cleaning up around here. You?

[galactically]

Oh. They couldn't even do their own chores, so they had us do it for them instead. Lame!

[A soft puff of breath, an irritated sound. Despite her annoyance, Sheryl can't lie and say she didn't learn a thing or two about housekeeping chores. It's good for her experience.]

A month for me. [She folds her arms.] When I first arrived here, there was a festival going around while people have to move boats. What was it... Hinamatsuri, I think?

[koukai_kirai]

With the dolls?

[He tries to remember what he can about the festival. All his siblings are older, and after their parents' deaths, his surviving sister wasn't really in too much of a place to spend a lot of time playing with dolls...]

So that should be... a month and a half, two months?

[galactically]

Right! I saw boats being filled with those cute dolls.

[Is that even the right name? Admittedly Sheryl's first day at Tamakagahara is foggy save for a few moments, such as meeting some of her future teasing targets for the first time. Her first shinki, her favorite people... time sure flies. She looks utterly pensive.]

Two months so soon. Oh my, it doesn't even feel that way to me.

[koukai_kirai]

That's a bit of time to get used to it, at least.

[He gives a tiny, tired half-smile.]

Though they do seem to keep us busy, so far.

[galactically]

[She smiles right back, a bit muted and possibly brittle.]

Very busy, like they expect us to do aaaaall of their work. At least Miss Amaterasu isn't so bad.

[koukai_kirai]

[Hm. Someone's not pleased -- though he can't say he's thrilled about the menial chores, either.]

I can't say I've had the honor of making her acquaintance just yet.

[galactically]

I talked to her on the BBS once when she made her first announcement about those awful chocolates.

[There's a pause as Sheryl exhales gently, creasing her nose.]

She was trying to figure out who the culprits were.

[koukai_kirai]

The B -- ah. On the computer?

[That's new territory for him, but he's trying to adjust, at least.]

Any luck with that? I heard about the incident, but not in detail.

[galactically]

She told me that she's still looking for them.

[A faint scowl appears on her face. It may have happened a few months ago, but the bad moments are fresh in her head.]

I'm just happy there isn't a repeat of that terrible incident.

[koukai_kirai]

[Hijikata watches her expression, trying to read as much about the incident as he can in it.]

That's good to hear. We'll all need to be on our guard, though, especially if no one's figured out what happened.

[galactically]

[She draws out a heaving sigh, cupping her own cheek with one hand.]

If one incident is over, another one begins, just as bad if not worse! How irritating.

[koukai_kirai]

Hmm. That's just how life is.

[Irritating, and also one capital-I Incident after another.]

[galactically]

Life is such a mysterious thing, isn't it?

[Her tone turns wistful as she glances up at the stars glittering across the sky. She can't deny that the worst things in life exist, but...]

Isn't because of the terrible things that we have to fight to continue living for the best?

[koukai_kirai]

[He looks away from her at that -- not at anything, really, just away. His hand strays to his own stomach, and for a moment, he can almost feel the bullet that he's sure killed him.]

...Maybe so.

Maybe we owe it to the people who can't be here anymore to live life for them.