athenashand | prismatica ● inbox

hey
i wanted to see how you were doing since
well its the big day i guess

Hello, Yukari-san. Thank you for the message.

Truthfully, I feel very nervous. I know there is no logical reason for anything to happen on this planet, but I can't calm down.

How are you feeling?

aigis you really dont have to thank me
we're friends
friends check on each other

...im feeling the same
theres no dark hour here and theres no nyx but
idk. its hard not to feel stressed

[ not to mention her self-imposed exile from the house or minako, but just thinking about either of those topics make yukari want to yeet herself out of a window so she's just gonna not. ]

Even though it something expected of friends, I am still grateful.

[It has been...strange, not having Yukari in a nearby living space. She's so used to the dorms, even if her last few days there were spent in a fog. So...even if it's not necessary to state her gratitude, she still feels like she should? Like maybe it will bridge that gap. Or something.]

It is very strange not to experience the Dark Hour every night. Even though I have tried to adjust my clocks, I always find myself awake at midnight. I suppose we are all accustomed to a certain routine and a certain level of danger.

I imagine it is more difficult for you and the others. [On account of not having literal clocks they can adjust. Among other things.]

[ yukari has steeled herself for the possibility of aigis rebuffing her attempts to reach out all day. seeing her still use "friends" to describe their relationship helps a lot more than she'll ever let on. ]

climbing an evil tower during a hidden part of the day really shouldnt have been a part of our routine
but our lives have always been pretty weird so cant be surprised

sometimes
okay a lot of the time
i stay awake until midnight too. or ill jerk out of sleep bc my bodys ready for the dark hour
its been years since then but
ha you know what they say
old habits die hard.
guess none of us can stay asleep during midnight anymore

[Aigis considers this for a moment, this idea of "shouldn't." It's difficult to wrap her mind around for reasons it takes a moment to identify.]

It couldn't have been different for me. That is what I was built for.
But I know it is not normal for humans. It is unfair that you and the others had to take on that burden.

[It's unfair that Minako was in that car on Moonlight Bridge that day. That Yukari and Mitsuru were born into families researching the Dark Hour. So many things that Aigis has struggled to find meaning in since—]

It does seem that terrible events often affect people deeply, even years later. [Which seems unfair, too. If Yukari is still struggling so much even after years, what does that mean for Aigis? She can't even begin to imagine years into her future.]

I do not know at what point our habits may change. But I am always happy to keep you company at midnight until then, Yukari-san.

huh...yeah
that does make sense that the dark hour would be normal for you

[ unfair or unlucky? maybe when you're playthings of gods who don't calculate for collateral damage in their plans, there isn't really a difference. all yukari knows is that they were chosen--takaya, in his warped way, would use the word "blessed"--by something. far removed from iwatodai and the constant reminders of the past, they finally have time to pick up the pieces.

and she's done with letting time slip through her fingers. ]

but thats our shared normal now since we all went through it together.
and thats...okay
it means we dont have to go through anything else alone again

so if you stay up with me until midnight then ill keep you company too.

[Is it okay? It doesn't feel okay. So little has felt okay since Graduation Day. Seeing Minako again, being able to touch her again, has done nothing to alleviate that grief. It's simply suspended it. Put away in some compartment to deal with later, because she doesn't know what else to do with it and it's not relevant to her mission now.

We don't have to go through anything else alone again, Yukari says. But she left. So isn't that exactly what she's doing right now, with this? Or is a text-based conversation sufficient companionship for her?

She doesn't understand. There's still so much that Aigis doesn't understand. Things that seemed to make sense don't anymore—even less today, the date that she only just learned the horrific consequences of.]

You're right. Thank you.
I would like it if we could talk until it's over tonight.

[...

A pause.

The typing ellipsis bounces.]

I think I'm scared.

heyyyy aigis! 💖💖💖
so yukari and i were thinking we could do a movie night soon? just the three of us

would you want to pick out the movies?

[ minako thinks it could be a good idea. something to help aigis determine her likes and dislikes more, make decisions in her own right, shit like that. ]

That would be nice! :)

I am not sure what I would pick, though. Maybe a ninja movie?

[minako-ninja......]

oh! like when we went to the film festival... id like that!! ╰(*°▽°*)╯ i bet amegahara has made some rly cool ones

what do you think you might wanna see in a movie tho?? romance? action? drama??

aigis have you secretly been into comedies this whole time

[Hm. This is something she hasn't really considered, more often content to follow the lead of her human friends when it comes to leisure activities. She—

Well, actually, she can just say it:] I would enjoy any movie if I watched it with you.

[Because it's true. She cherishes the time with her friends more than the activity.

But still, Minako seems to really want an answer to this question, so she thinks about it.]

I liked the factual aspects of the ninja movie. It was inspiring to see the kinds of things that humans are capable of, and I had many opportunities to analyze their tactics. So I think I would like other movies with similar content.

aigis thats so sweet!!! omg (❤´艸｀❤)

[ god. she loves this girl so much, it's unreal. ]

there are probably a bunch on prismaflix!!! lets take a look together when i get home ok

Is it sweet? It's just the truth.

[She'd be blushing if she could blush.]

I will await your return, then. Should I prepare anything else before you get home?

[At one point Aigis would get one (1) message that came from 'Ryoji'. Guess who it is and the first two don't count.]

Aigis-saaaaaan! I was told by Minako-san that you were around so I wanted to say hello!

[This is a voice that grates somewhat. Though she came to better understand Ryoji's feelings and resolved to leave behind her dislike of him, her feelings have been...complicated. Made conflicted and heavy with the reality of Minako's death.

She's found the answer to life's greatest question.

She isn't sure if this is a conversation she's ready to have. But it's an inevitable one.]

...Ryoji-san. [Her voice is halting. A little tentative.] ...I didn't think we would see you again.

[Time is after all an illusion in this world. He of course, had no idea what 'time' she came from and to his credit he seems a little more calm after his initial outburst.

Maybe he can try to crack a joke? (Hopefully Aigis won't kill him. Well figuratively. Because of the bad joke. And not anything else. Ha ha ha--).]

It's hard to put me down. [An attempt was made. He briefly looks around and then presses a few of his fingers together.] Truth be told, I didn't think I'd be here either...or find out I'd been here before as well.

[She realizes, with his response, how ridiculous her statement was. She didn't think she'd see Minako again either. She didn't think there was a boy out there with Minako's story, but that's a fact too. This isn't that shocking. She just...didn't really want to acknowledge the possibility.

Her face turns down slightly, away from Ryoji's expression on the screen. It's hard to put me down, he says. Yeah, she knows that better than most people.] Do you remember the final battle, then?

[It sounds like he might, but his statements are ambiguous enough that she can't be certain.]

[Well she's not shooting at the screen. Perhaps it's just that part of him that feels a little relieved. At her question, his expression softens. Sometimes they were pale imitations of the real thing, like when he felt anger or annoyance. This time he knew a little more about everything. Technically, it should be possible for him to even be here at all in this form.]

I wouldn't call it a final battle. Not anymore.

[It could be seen as another 'joke' but it's not. To call it a final battle would mean just that.]

It's the same for you, isn't it?

prismatica ● inbox

1/31

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

4/5

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Sometime in Timey Whimy Land

time is FAKE

no subject

no subject

no subject