fifth feather [Video] backdated to the 16th

[charcoalfeather]

[The video opens on the carpeted floor of an inn room in Ecruteak, swerving in definitely shaky hands. The person holding the camera is unmistakably Rakka, even before the Pokegear is facing her fretful visage.]

O-okay I know this is happening all over, and it's all people who were... gone. And I guess I thought it wouldn't happen to a Haibane. B-but then it did, and now she just follows me everywhere and...

[Breathe. Okay. Trying to control herself now. Over what? Well to the point, Rakka finally positions the camera until it's focused on her bed, where a young woman is sitting. The simple (and admittedly old-looking) clothing is one thing, but the adage of angel wings and a halo may definitely raise alarm. She's definitely not a threat... but that's not stopping Rakka from shaking.]

I-It should be fine. If I talk to her, I mean, right? I know her. We always talked to each other...

[Which she isn't right now. Silence permeates the air. It's fine.]

Can you say something? Anything? We're... we're friends!

[......]

So, just... tell me what want, I'll... I can...

[As quiet as the visitor is, Rakka's pleading does not fall on deaf ears as it would first appear to. The ghost tilted her head, and finally lifts herself from the bed, stepping towards the screen.

Rakka bolts. The video remains a blurred and jolted mess until, miraculously, she switches it off.]

Comments

[Action] Animorphs spoilers yooooo.

[wing_attack]

[Tobias heads into Rakka's room, trailed by a girl about his age. He closes the door behind him (them?) and sighs.]

You too, huh?

yoooo

[charcoalfeather]

[Finding Rakka isn't going to be much of a trial, the inn rooms are hardly that big, so when Rakka bolted from her attempted connection with the spirit that haunts here, there was only one place to go.

The closet.

The ghost is still in the room, and waves to Tobias and his companion as they enter. Ah, new people! Come to say hello?]

...Mm... [Rakka's sound of unease reached out from behind a few hung up dresses and a coat.] I didn't...

[wing_attack]

[He sits down at the edge of the bed, nodding to the ghost, and watches as Rachel crosses her arms.]

Do you need to talk? I... um. Well. I think I've shown you a picture of her, but it's different with her standing right there...

... I could use someone to talk to, too. Since she's... not saying anything.

[charcoalfeather]

[That's true. He did show Rakka a picture of her, once upon a time, did he not? In fact, Rakka can't help but notice the ghost standing there, and how familiar she seems...]

...Rachel?

[She's not getting an answer, but she really should be listening to Tobias anyways. He's here, on her bed. Kuu doesn't seem to mind, scooting a bit to give him room, and Rakka too, if she's up for it.]

...Kuu isn't saying anything either. [That's her name, Kuu. Might sound a bit familiar.]

[wing_attack]

Yeah.

[Rachel doesn't answer, just crosses her arms and watches the little group.]

... Well. Hello, Kuu.

[He goes quiet for a few moments, before sighing.]

Do you want to come out of the closet? It might be more comfortable out here. You can sit next to me if you want.

[Tobias does glance up at Rachel, but she doesn't say anything about that. She doesn't frown, but she doesn't smile, either.]

[charcoalfeather]

[Unlike Rachel, Kuu smiles. It's just about one of the only things she does do now, much to Rakka's distress. Besides following Rakka, that is.]

...

[There comes no answer, at least in words. Becayuse after a minute of consideration, Rakka pulls herself out of the closet - knocking some coat hangers and stuff lose, don't worry about it - and she'll take a seat on the bed beside Tobias. Particularly, with him between her and Kuu.]

[wing_attack]

[He doesn't move, just lets her move in her own time. He doesn't say anything, either - but he he doesn't mind that she's got him between her and Kuu. Carefully, he puts a hand on her hand, smiling - and he catches Rachel's frown out of the corner of his eye.]

[He takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly as he turns to face her more fully.]

You're... you're dead. Okay? And I... I don't think I can ever love anyone the way I loved you. That's impossible. The things we went through... no one will go through those things again. Not on our planet, at least.

[He squeezes Rakka's hand gently, trying to draw courage from his friend. It's not like they're romantically involved, but... friends are important.]

... I love you, Rachel. I always will. I don't think I'm ready to love anyone else. Not yet. I don't know if I will in the future... but I love you. And I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you. If I had known that he was sending you to die... I would have at least gone with you. Maybe I could have done something. Maybe I just would have gotten killed. But you wouldn't have been alone. ... And I'm sorry that I couldn't... I couldn't... that you were alone when you died.

[His breath comes in gasps as tears start to stream down his face, his voice somewhat strangled.]

I'm sorry. I love you, Rachel. I miss you.

[There's a light from the ghost, and Tobias blinks in surprise.]

Wh... what?

[The ghost disappears, leaving a Yamask in its place. It floats there, and Tobias scrubs his face, trying to see more clearly.]

You... oh. Oh.

[He turns to look at Rakka, and then at Kuu.]

... Maybe they want to help you say goodbye.

Yaa...

[That might be a yes.]

video;

[shiro2hero]

[Oh, he remembers this voice.]

Are you all right? She didn't hurt you, did she?

video;

[charcoalfeather]

[It should be a familiar voice, and now it's attached to a face! Granted, one partly obscured by a lack of light reaching the pokegear. But it's her, Rakka, and she's not having a good time by the looks of it.]

N-no, she--! [She stops herself. Shouting could only make it worse so Rakka's voice lowers to above a whisper.]

...She wouldn't hurt me. We're friends. We... we were friends.

video;

[shiro2hero]

[Everyone is having such a bad time...]

Okay. That's good... can I ask why you ran away from her?

[Just keep calm and be as reassuring as humanly possible.]

video;

[charcoalfeather]

[And it all got better before it got worse.]

...I [Something about it just causes her attempts to speak just tank. Her face is slowly dipping out of screen, like she doesn't want to look at it straight on. Like she doesn't deserve that.]

I didn't know what else to do. I mean, at the moment...

[At the moment it made sense.]

video;

[shiro2hero]

Just... breathe for a bit, okay? Sometimes it helps clear your head.

[He'll just. Keep trying to talk to her. Because yes, breathing helps, but also sometimes, so does hearing someone's voice.]

[At least, if you're him, it does.]

Would it be easier if I put this on audio feed only?

video; apologies for lateness

[charcoalfeather]

[On Rakka's side of things, it's quiet. Very much so, coupled with the lack of good lighting. Still, if Shiro looks, he can hear and see Rakka doing what he asked: breathing. It's an easy instruction to follow, she's done it before.]

...Maybe. Yes. [Is it alright to not want to be seen right now? At least by people she doesn't know all that well?]

Voice

[meowbel]

Hey, are you okay over there? You're not hurt are you?

[Because she doesn't want more people to get from this, thank you!]

Voice

[charcoalfeather]

No, no I'm... not.

[she sounds fine, if being on the verge of a panic attack is by all accounts "fine". Having the ghost of a friend in your room with you should never be something that's fine.]

Hurt. I-I mean. I'm okay, nothing happened.

[That's the worst part.]

Voice

[meowbel]

[Meanwhile, Mabel here wasn't so sure about that. Instead, she just looked at the gear rather oddly]

Uh...you sure? You sound really scared over there.

[Because ghost or not, there was no way that Rakka didn't sound terrified. And that only made Mabel worry even more.]

Voice

[charcoalfeather]

I-It's the truth! Nothing happened!

[...There really is no way for her to sound fine right now. Rakka wasn't even giving it much of a try.]

Nothing happened... [And she sounds like that's the issue.]

Voice

[meowbel]

[The more that Rakka tried to express herself, the more worried Mabel got. She didn't know what happened but one thing is for sure]

...You know, it's not a bad thing to say that you're scared though. I mean, with all these bizarro ghost stuff going on, no one is going to blame you for that!

I know I sure am!

Voice

[charcoalfeather]

[.....]

Afraid? Mm... [Her voice is quiet, but she's at least making the attempt to be heard.] Now that I tried, I guess there's no trying to argue with that. I... I'm afraid.

Video

[in4apounding]

Rakka! Are you okay?!

[None of the other ghosts have attacked, but- that looked bad, even if the ghost wasn't doing anything.]

Where are you, are you in Ecruteak? Do you need help?

Video

[charcoalfeather]

[Oh, it's Penny. Yet another friend to the rescue that just got to witness her losing all shreds of composure.

No...]

P-penny? [After that certain audio conversation, she finds that she can look at Penny a bit more then others. It helps.]

I... [slowly, she manages a nod.] I'm in the inn, in my room. I... don't know if I need help. I really don't.

[Which may be a 'yes']

Re: Video

[in4apounding]

...Do you want me to come over? In case you do. I'm at the inn, too.

Video

[charcoalfeather]

...y-yeah. You can come over. Things, uh.

[Sniffle.]

A lot is happening. So, i-if you want to help...

Re: Video

[in4apounding]

[Friend in distress. Must help.]

I'm on my way. What room are you in?

Video

[charcoalfeather]

[Friend is indeed very distressed.


And of course here's the point where Rakka gives Penny her room address. This part right here. Because a certain mun has no idea what it would be so let's just get that out of the way.]