Red Sea Yonaka post, open. (General warnings for Mogeko Castle-type stuff.)

[chasescenes]

[She'd fought against the red sea.

Why had she fought? It was painful - oh, agonizingly painful, all the empty parts in her body and her mind filled with the sea - but if she'd known how much better it would make her, why would she have resisted?

Because she is better, now. She's stronger - she doesn't need anyone to protect her, doesn't need to run and hide anymore. She's strong enough to be the one her victims run from, if she chooses.

She was so afraid, before, afraid of more than Mogekos - but now she's in control of herself. She doesn't need to fear anything, she can do anything to anyone without memories of a long-departed castle making her wilt.

It's alright now. Even though it was painful, and even though she screamed that she didn't want it, it was fine in the end. She's grateful.

She had been broken. And now the sea has fixed her.

It doesn't matter to her where in the castle she is. She wanders aimlessly, for now. Maybe she'll see people she knew before. Maybe she'll teach them how much better everything could be...]

Comments

[scarfphiliac]

Not at...

[He trails off, not even bothering to finish his supposed lie. No, no. She can't, she couldn't have...!]

...Yonaka.

[His hands immediately reach out to grab at her shoulders as his voice drops to a low murmur.]

What the hell happened?

[chasescenes]

[She doesn't resist being grabbed at all - less because she's confident that she could defend herself and more because the part of her that is still Yonaka is confident that Ivlis wouldn't hurt her.

Why would he have a reason to?]

It's a long story, but to make it short... Akoumi helped me - I told her what had happened to me before and she fixed me. ...I guess you didn't hear all the screaming. [She chuckles at that.] Probably better that you didn't, you might've come if you heard me calling for you.

[scarfphiliac]

How could I?! It's...it's not my fault!

[Despite those words, they were laced with a bitter tone. Of course he couldn't get there in time, there were bound to be some locations that he could and probably would never know of, he knew that much.

...yet, why couldn't he completely convince himself that he wasn't to blame at this moment?]

That...that goddamn wretch...I knew she was abhorrent, but to have dragged you into this as well...

[As he speaks, his hair starts to flare up. And once the red streaks were glowing brightly-]

IT'S UNFORGIVABLE! [With his hands still on Yonaka's shoulders, there was an unconscious slight pressure to his grip.] I'LL KILL HER! NO, MORE THAN THAT- I'LL SKEWER THAT WITCH AND ROAST HER ALIVE!! HOW DARE SHE TAKE AWAY YOUR FREEDOM!!

['How dare she take you away from me!!']

[chasescenes]

I don't understand.

[In contrast to Ivlis's shouting, Yonaka's voice was even, if clearly confused.]

Why are you upset? I'm stronger like this - you won't need to protect me any longer. I'm not afraid of anything anymore... I'm happy now.

You're my dearest friend... Why aren't you happy for me?

[scarfphiliac]

Stronger? Happy?? That's total bullshit! It doesn't mean anything if you've lost your soul to those stupid, disgusting fools!

[He can't smack her. Not just yet, so he opts to shake her instead.]

Dammit, dammit...snap out of it, Yonaka! You're supposed to be- no, you are better then this!

[chasescenes]

[He's shaking her and she still doesn't get it.

'Better than this'? But she's better now than she was before, why wouldn't she take the option to become stronger?

'Lost your soul'? ...Did she have such a thing to lose?

Either way, one of her most important people is in distress and she doesn't know how to fix it - and she can't have that, no. She wouldn't be happy like that.

Since she doesn't know what's wrong, she resorts to the cure-all.

With a strong grip that would have surprised anyone who knew how weak she was before, she grabs onto Ivlis's shoulders and tries to pull him downward into kissing range so she can do just that.

That will fix whatever's wrong with him, right? Or at least, it'll make him happy.]

[scarfphiliac]

The hell-

[In an instant, he shoves her away.]

What was that for?!

[chasescenes]

[Yonaka recovers from the shove quickly. She doesn't come closer again just yet.]

I don't have a clue what you're going on about, but you're upset and I don't want you to be. Especially if I'm upsetting you - I want to make you happy again.

[She undoes the bow of her uniform.]

[scarfphiliac]

[He's a little confused for a moment as he stares, but once he realizes, he snarls and reaches out to grab at her hands this time.]

Why would you think I'd ever want that?! You're an idiot if you think spending a night or two would make me happy!!

[chasescenes]

[She looks between her grabbed hands and his face.]

...It wouldn't?

[But she's an attractive girl and he's a man. That's how it works.]

[scarfphiliac]

Of course it wouldn't! All I want is for you to come back!

[His grip tightens whilst not breaking his gaze away from hers.]

Fight it, Yonaka. You're still in there somewhere, aren't you? You can't be gone, you just can't!

[chasescenes]

I don't want to go back to the way I was before. So weak and afraid - no, I can't go back to being that broken person. Not ever.

[That smile returns to her face.] It's alright. You just need to get used to it, and you'll be happier now than you were before.