[Day 196] And why don't you be the artist? [OPEN]

[bedheadstyle]

Who: Haruka and You!
Open: Open
When: Days 196 (late evening, after everyone's gotten home)
Where: Dragonfield, near the lake
What: Haruka has snuck out of the hospital before he's supposed to. Why? Because he wants to draw.
Format: Prose
Warnings: N/A

[Haruka and Takane had some time to recover, though they had been instructed to get far more rest in the hospital for a little while longer before being let go to find their own apartment and settle in properly.

But being in the hospital was never fun.

Well, never fun for some one who didn't sleep for fifteen hours a day.

Like Takane.

For Haruka, though, he was beginning to get restless, and curious. He wanted to know what this place looked like beyond the walls of this hospital. Colin had given him a sketch pad, some pencils and even an iPad sort of device that he could do digital coloring on, but he could only draw Takane's face so many times before she threw a pillow at him and told him to draw something else.

So he waited until she was asleep (which meant he wasn't waiting long) and shuffled out of his bed, finding his legs shaky but strong enough to stand on. Items under one arm, still in his hospital tunic and pants, he made his way out of the doors.

There he stopped for a bit, just to stare at everything that was around him. There was evidence of the ruined world that Colin and the others had talked about, but there was still something amazing about what the Bastion was. The moon was high in the darkened sky above, illuminating the many buildings scattered across the massive hovering chunk of land in a pale glow. It was so pretty!

But he had seen something else out the small window in the hospital room, and after a bit of searching (and slow walking so he doesn't wear himself out) he came across the Dragonfield and the lake, that same moon shining silver against it's gently moving water.

Perfect place for a boy in a hospital tunic to drop down and start drawing, right?]

Comments

[bulletofhope]

[ Well. Hope you don't mind a SHSL heroine joining you.

Naegi himself was having a sleepless night tonight - not that he ever really had good sleep back in Hope's Peak before finding himself here in Bastion - but tonight was worse because while he was starting to get used to being in Bastion, the numbness of having pretty much the whole world he knew being destroyed took its toll on him.

Oh, if only he knew he wasn't missing that much outside of Hope's Peak.

His wanderings had taken him to the Dragonfield and its nearby lake, their serenity drawing him close to the shoreline. Sighing quietly, he's about ready to head back when he sees Haruka.

... and then he finds himself peering over Haruka's shoulder and at the drawing he's working on. ]

Ah... that's pretty good so far!

[bedheadstyle]

[Haruka hasn't been there long enough for that to hit him so hard yet.

But it will.

Just give it time.]

Oh--!

[But right now he's just startled because wow where did you come from? Was he that in to what he was doing?

... probably.]

Thank you!

[bulletofhope]

[ Naegi laughs quietly, nodding back in response as he plops himself down right next to Haruka with a sigh.

It'd be nice if he had something to be good at other than just being more optimistic than most, but... perhaps that would be an asset here considering their circumstances.

Glancing over to Haruka, he's about ready to ask what else he's drawn before he blinks in realization at what he was wearing. ]

... did you just get out of the hospital or something?

[bedheadstyle]

[Come be optimist bros with Haruka, Naegi.]

Huh? Oh... uhm...

[He blushes a bit, putting a hand up with a sheepish expression.]

Promise not to tattle on me?

[bulletofhope]

[ OPTIMIST BROS, FUCK YEAH ]

Well, I'm supposed to be sleeping in my own apartment right now, so it'll be our secret!

[ Naegi can't help but laugh quietly as he nods, sighing and looking up at the moon. ]

... besides, I can't blame you. Hospitals are never fun to stay in, right?

[headphoneactor]

[ Takane was used to sleeping for long periods of time, and since arriving here, she'd been doing it more. Part of the reason why was because she was still recovering from the ordeal on the skyway. The other reason was depression. After hearing about how their world was gone, and she and Haruka were the only ones to survive, she couldn't help but be depressed. Very outwardly so.

And she didn't understand at all how Haruka could continue to be so calm and cheerful about things. Didn't he hear the same words that she had? Didn't this affect him at all? Didn't he feel anything?

It was frustrating. Even in a situation like this, Haruka wouldn't stop smiling. She liked his smile, but ... was now really the time for it?

He'd been busy with his sketchbook that that guy ... Colin? Had brought back for him, so if he was feeling anything at all, at least he had a distraction. Her, on the other hand ... all she seemed to want to do was sleep. When she was awake, she talked with Haruka. Anytime else, she slept.

And that's what she was doing right now.

When she slept, though, she also dreamed. Vivid images filled her mind, images of Ayano and Shintaro, of her Grandmother, of Professor Tateyama ... all of them, being violently ripped away from her. Finally, Takane was alone, with Haruka.

But then, he was taken from her, too.

Desperate not to be alone, she ran after him, as fast as she could. She cried out for him, reached out for him ... but in the end, even he was taken from her.

She was alone now ... alone and in a very, very dark place.

It was then that she woke up, gasping out Haruka's name and breathing heavily. She glanced over to make sure he was still in bed ...

... Only to find that he wasn't.

Her eyes widened, and she trembled all over. ]

H-Haruka ...?

[ She looked around the room. No sign of him. Tears welled up in her eyes, and even though she was still shaky and unsteady on her feet, she moved to get out of bed. ]

Haruka ... H-Haruka!

[ She nearly fell the first time she took a step. She wouldn't allow herself to rest until she found him, though, or found for herself that he was gone from this place.

No ... he had to be somewhere.

Right?

A little voice in her head told her she was alone. All alone. She made her way out of the hospital, calling for Haruka as she made her way through the Bastion, frantic.

Your not!girlfriend's kinda in a bad place right now, Haruka. ]

[bedheadstyle]

[Uhoh.

Busted.

... sort of.

He heard his name being called, thinking at first she was going to come storming over to him and tear him a new one over being out of bed, but it only took a second to realize...

that wasn't anger in her voice, it was fear.

Oh no.

He dropped his stuff in the grass and quickly got to his feet, trying to figure out where her voice was coming from.]

Takane... ?!

[headphoneactor]

[ She heard his voice and some relief came to her, but not enough to get that fear out of her voice. ]

Haruka!

[ She'll tear you a new one for being out of bed once she's calmed down. ]

[bedheadstyle]

[You're out of bed, too, Takane.]

Takane! Over here!

[Flailflail]

[headphoneactor]

[ Only because she couldn't find you ya dumbshit!!

She sees his flailing, though, and she makes her way over to him.

Good. Good, he's ... still with her. They're both still here. He didn't leave her.

But now that she's here, and she's still calming down, she's not sure what to say. Or do. What can she say? "Oh, good, you're here and I'm not alone at the end of the world after all"? ]

[wayofvoice]

[Something might distract Haruka from his drawing- the sound of heavy wings going through the air and a shadow momentarily blocking the moonlight. Looking up will earn him to a strange sight- a massive dragon circling Dragonfield before slowing its speed as it comes closer to the land before pulling itself up sharply by the lakeside as well. The large clawed feet land first, but it's only when Paarthurnax falls forward with his wings propping up up does the earth shake and the water ripples across the lake.]

[He hasn't seemed to notice Haruka yet- or maybe he's just not paying him any mind. He seems more interested in stretching out his long serpentine neck and dipping his head into the water to drink.]

[bedheadstyle]

[Holy crap that was a dragon.

Holy crap that was a DRAGON.

The wind from the wings blows the pages back in the sketch book, and the pencil falls away from Haruka's hand as he just.

Stares.

He's seeing an honest to God dragon and he has no idea what to do or say.]

[wayofvoice]

[It's cool, Haruka. Just let him do his thing. After swallowing what is likely a fuckton of lake water, Paarthurnax finally pulls his head back and shakes it a bit. It's only then does he turn his head to look at the tiny human besides him. There's a polite bow of his head.]

Drem yol lok. I apologize if I disturbed you. The fields are often clear when night falls.

[bedheadstyle]

[Yeah okay sure let the giant dragon who could probably devour him in one gulp just 'do his thing'.

He barely swallows a yelp when Paar speaks to him, some how managing to return the bow while sitting without looking like a total loser.]

I-I... I couldn't sleep... !

[wayofvoice]

[Yooooo, he doesn't eat humans anymore, besides haven't you heard there's mammoths around, Haruka?]

[There's just an understanding nod at the explanation given.]

Greh, I can understand such a thing. It is a good night to wish to be awake.

[chosenbylife]

[ The night certainly was beautiful. Calem decides that yes, this was most definitely the best day possible to visit that lake he'd been told about. He wanted to give Lapras a chance to really stretch her fins. She's a big pokemon and the little pond by the daycare isn't really spacious enough for her to get a really satisfying swim in.

It's a good night for skating too, and it doesn't take Calem very long before the beautiful mirrored surface of the water. He waves to the kid sitting and drawing as he zips by and skids to a halt closer to the water's edge.

The lake is breathtakingly beautiful and Calem just smiles because he knows Lapras is going to have a good time here. He tosses her ball and releases her into the water. ]

Swim as long as you like.

[ Lapras makes a happy sounding noise an glides gracefully away to do just that. Calem meanwhile flips the wheels clipped onto his boots up and walks back up towards the guy he flew past earlier. ]

Finding some good inspiration around here?

[bedheadstyle]

[Haruka wasn't expecting anyone else to be out this late, so having Calem go by was surprising, but not as surprising as seeing that creature pop out of a ball and land in the water happy as anything.

Calem can talk all he wants to Haruka but, sorry, Lapras has his attention far more than anything the other teen is saying.

He's stopped drawing, and is just staring with an open mouth and wide brown eyes.]

[chosenbylife]

[ A mysterious hobo's voice echoes through Calem's mind; Not everyone here comes from a wold with pokemon in it.

Oops. ]

Ah don't worry! She's perfectly harmless!

[ He's so worried he might have accidentally broken this poor guy's mind that for once he doesn't even notice his clothes right off the bat. ]

...Are you okay?

[bedheadstyle]

[Oh and it's a she, even more wonderful.

Haruka continues to stare before finally turning to Calem and very excitedly declaring:]

She's beautiful! What is she?! Can... can I draw her?!

[chosenbylife]

That's Lapras, she's one of my pokemon.

[ Normally he'd ask the other party if they wanted to see the REST of his team but in this case... he doesn't want to blow the poor guy's mind. ]

And of course you can! Does that mean you're an artist?

[notduchess]

[ Sure it is. Might be a bit cold, though. Those hospital tunics are breezy.

Which is why Duke comes over after cleaning up the training hall. ]

Are you enjoying a breeze?

[ "Or are you not supposed to be out here". Honestly, its one option or the other. ]

[bedheadstyle]

[At least this set has a pair of pants, but they're short pants, and regardless hospital tunics in general aren't the warmest of things.

But he seems to be fine, and he looks up with a big grin.]

I am. It's very pretty out here!

[notduchess]

[ Sure, he seems to be fine. But he's in the hospital clothing for a reason. ]

At least it is that.

[ And more blank staring. ]

Although I am fairly sure, if you're wearing those, you ought to be enjoying the view from a window?

[bedheadstyle]

[Yup! No injuries! Not even really a scar where his incision was.

But you'd also be right on that "in hospital clothing for a reason" thing, too.]

Oh... I'm feeling much better now thanks to Okumura-sensei and Colin-san!

[Haruka that is not an answer.]

[notduchess]

Much better?

[ Usually, the way you say that is "fine". Much better implies you can get better yet.

Calling you on it. ]