006 ~*~ In which loyalties are tested

[notsogreatwall]

[ Phone : Open ]
I had to go to work today. People are killing each other left and right and it was like nothing was different at school. [ Meiling's characteristic carefree nature is absent from her tone. The past few days have been hard on her, even in isolation, as she cannot escape the emotional aftermath of all this senseless bloodshed

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[wizardoftheweek]

-Patchy had come for her second letter. What she had found was Meiling continuing to be defiant. Her anger was palpable.-

Step aside, gatekeeper.

[notsogreatwall]

[ --but it doesn't work. Even her Sky Dragon Kick doesn't move fast enough, and a tighter barrage sends her crashing to the ground. If she gets closer at all, it's only because of the way she rolls. ]

1/3

[there_were_none]

[School was done for the day; it had been for awhile. Meiling had usually come to get her by now.

But she hadn't.

Normally a patient creature, Flandre had started to wander; out of boredom, some sense of unease that had permeated this dream-space. A lot of people were hiding.

At first she didn't go far; just around the schoolyard...then across this street, then another, then towards those bright lights in the distance. Sometimes they looked like rainbows.

It was in this fashion she stumbled upon the scene; at first, unbearably bright--so much that she couldn't bear looking at it. But when she could again--]

Patchouli?

...Meiling?

[What was happening? What was going on?]

2/3

[there_were_none]

[Meiling was on the ground, Patchouli was over there, okay--but why was there light?

...why wasn't Meiling getting up?]

Meiling?

[Flandre starts walking towards them, taking only a very distant notice of the signs of battle; cracked concrete, burnt stones and earth and green things and why wasn't Meiling getting up.]

Meiling, Meiling!

3/3

[there_were_none]

Meiling! Meiling!

[Flandre's running now; calling her guardian's name over and over and over. She seems to have forgotten Patchouli was there at all. Running, sprinting, scrambling over the fence instead of the gate, backpack and all.]

Meiling!

[wizardoftheweek]

-Patchouli stood, panting, only thinking of her victory before Flandre appeared on the scene. At first, it was difficult to even notice she as there. There was none of the familiar jingling of the crystals on her "wings". No, the reality of the situation hadn't set in until...

That distressed voice. Calling out. It was... disturbingly familiar. The images of Westport flashed in her mind. Of slowly suffocating to death while Flandre cried. She had sworn that day to make certain she never had to cry like that again.

What had she done? The fight ran from her, and she found herself collapsing to her hands and knees. Was this all really worth it? What would Shiki and Alice say to her, seeing her like this? What would Remi have said? Or even Marisa?

Disgusting... she was disgusting.-

[notsogreatwall]

[ For a while, there was nothing but darkness, and the smell of burned flesh and cloth and earth. She couldn't move a muscle. She couldn't even open her eyes. Meiling wanted nothing more than to take hold of the ground, to push herself upright, to get back into the fight.

Was the fight over? Did she lose? Is that... it?

Who is that calling?
I'm here!
I'm right here!!
Hello!?

No sounds made it into the air, and the flexing of her fingers became a desperate fight to just do something. Anything. Move! ]

--dre? [ It's Flandre. That can only be Flandre calling her like that. But what's with that tone? ]

[ No. No no no NO. She should not be here. She should be at school! She should be safe and waiting for her and not here where this was happening. Come on, Meiling. GET. UP.

She coughed. ] --n.

[there_were_none]

[Flandre reached the gatekeeper's side, fretting and worrying all the more when she didn't move. Flandre started to shake Meiling's shoulder, as if trying to wake her from sleep.]

Meiling, Meiling! Get up, Meiling!

[...she heard a little something. A little bit of her guardian's voice. The little vampire grabbed one of Meiling's arms and tried to lift her up, but she was very, very small. And weak. At most she barely managed to lift one of her shoulders off the scorched ground.

But Flandre kept trying; too distressed to stop.]

[wizardoftheweek]

-Very slowly, Patchouli crawled over to the other two. She could... She could still do this, at least...-

Sun and Wood Sign: "Photosynthesis"...

-The gentle light washed over Meiling, hopefully restoring at least a little bit of the damage Patchouli had done in her selfish rage...-

[notsogreatwall]

[ Meiling took in a loud, pained breath. Her shoulder was most certainly dislocated from the way she hit the ground, and though the smaller girl was trying to help, it was not working as she hoped. ] --n't, aah!

[ But that was motion. Her own muscles responded, to try and tug the arm away. As the healing energy washed over her, she cracked open first one eye, then the other.

She rolled over onto her back, and squinted up at the faces she saw. Blond and ... purple? Her face was turned toward the wizard, no matter if she had to crane her neck uncomfortably to do so. ] ....why?

[there_were_none]

[Flandre paused when she heard Meiling cry out--then froze up, even though her instinct was to hang on when the gatekeeper tried to pull away. The magic startled her, though--and she dropped Meiling's arm as if it burned.

Then she backed away, hands folded awkwardly behind her (there was still a backpack in the way). She had messed up again.

The vampire made a whining, keening noise; partly apologetic, mostly worried.]

[wizardoftheweek]

It's alright, Flandre... Meiling and I just had a small fight. It's all better now...

-She began to tear up.-

I can't ask you to forgive me...

[notsogreatwall]

That's-- [ Deep breaths, Meiling. Talking was still kind of hard. ] That's right, Flandre... I'll be okay.

[ Then she turns her attention to her friend, and reaches up with the arm she can actually move, to put her hand on the wizard's cheek. There is such relief to be found in the woman's remorse, and Meiling manages a smile. ] You don't have to ask. I knew you'd be back.

[there_were_none]

[Another whine. That didn't...seem to explain everything. Or most things.

And why was Patchouli crying?]

...will Meiling get up?

[wizardoftheweek]

-A hand joins the one on Patchouli's cheek, tears running down her face.-

She should lay down for a bit longer while the magic works, Flandre.

[notsogreatwall]

[ At that, her smile turns sheepish. ] Can I... sleep a bit? [ Meiling takes a deep breath, and lets it out in a wistful sigh. ] I'd like it, if you won't get upset with me.

[ ...no matter the situation, some things just don't change. ]