so_shik | Forty-Second Spool of Thread - [Voice/Action for Housemates]

[Currently, Shiki is sitting in her bedroom at House 10 with Mr. Mew. She's got her cell phone in her hand, and even though she doesn't have reception in Luceti she's got a battery. It makes her cringe and it makes her want to throw the phone out the window, but she's currently watching a video she recorded of two people she knows in a rather...compromising position.

What? It's not every day you get to watch your boyfriend make out with another girly boy. Besides, in light of recent events, Shiki's not really feeling up to going out to the shop anyway.]

...what makes us attracted to things that are bad for us? You know, like why do we pay money to watch people fight, or why do we continue watching things we know shouldn't be watched? Does that make any sense? Probably not.

And anyway...this weather sucks. It's making me depressed or something, I swear.

...Minato, are you busy? Can we talk?

[Minato's the only reason she'd go outside right now, but her housemates are free to barge in and see her while she replies to anyone who speaks to her over the journal.]

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[He settles on the ground so he doesn't have to keep stooping to look at her.]

I keep bumping into things. I'm still sorting out how to get the wings to work properly, but I've had it with the bloody trees.

[She's going to approach slowly, patting his side curiously.]

Then I suggest staying out of the forest. [She stops in front of his head to look him in the eye, no matter how unnerving it is.] There isn't a way to change back?

[His skin twitches since he's not used to being touched, but he's otherwise calms.]

I've been trying to stick to paths. [He blinks at her.] Not that I've figured out.

It's a pattern. Usually when they turn us into something else, there's a way to change back. I don't think anybody's figured out what triggers it though.

I wonder if anyone's been keeping track of that aside from the Malnosso.

We'd have to ask around...there's got to be somebody. Think of how many people live here.

I suppose it's worth looking into. I've got a fair amount on my mind at the moment.

Don't we all. ...anything I can help with?

I dunno. It's a problem I didn't expect to get so bad. Do you think that it's possible to find a way out of here?

There has to be. Whenever there's a way in, there's always a way out. Why?

The subject's come up a lot at home lately. It makes sense that there would be a way out but I'm not exactly in a rush to find it, you know?

I've never really been rushed to find it either...Neku used to get kind of mad at me for it, but it's not so bad here.

It has it's moments, but I must be a nutter to feel that way. I get the impression that I should be doing whatever it takes to be the next person from our world to go back home.

Well I mean...you're kind of the hero where you're from, right? People from your world probably see you as a figurehead, even if it isn't exactly fair.

They do, and I suppose they're right to. I should be throwing everything I have into going back, but that's not exactly worked for anyone else.

...how badly do you actually want to go back? Truthfully.

I don't know. The peace I have here isn't worth all the lives that will be lost if I never go back. I wouldn't mind staying a while, but it can't be a forever thing.

Does that mean you're giving yourself a time limit?

Maybe? I've never really thought that staying here permanently was a viable option for me. I go when I go but I've no idea when that will actually be.

I wouldn't dwell on it either way. It's kind of...ominous. [Shiki's not sure if she's actually using that word correctly, but she's trying.] Enjoy the time you've got.

It really is. [There is sort of an impending doom feeling to all of it.] That's how I want to go about it. But even that seems to be an indulgence. I should be allowed to enjoy myself.

So what's stopping you?

... The people I want to enjoy my time with. Ron... well, he was never fond of this place to behind with, and Hermione leaving has only made that worse.