[OPEN] Lost in paradise

[bowtography]

WHO: March 7th and anyone who wants to witness this
WHAT: Post-upgrade Problems...
WHERE: Around the base, around Japan
WHEN: April 12th and up to a week after that
WARNINGS: None so far!



A. Post-Surgery

[ Choices were made. March may or may not regret them a little, but upon remembering things like how badly injured so many of the Outsiders had been and Ishmael gritting her teeth while struggling to walk, she'd ultimately decided it was worth it.

Maybe not right now, though, not when she's kind of staggering around the base, looking very much Still In Pain and sheet-white. Of course, that's one thing. The other thing is that she looks completely disoriented and depending on where you find her, it's pretty obvious that it's not where she was trying to go. Maybe it's a non-Redemption wing. Maybe it's the cafeteria.

Maybe it's the rec room?? Maybe she's actually heading outside when she clearly shouldn't be??

If you're still not entirely sure what she's up to, she can be heard quietly muttering to herself in a shaky voice, definitely rattled-- ]

W-why is it so hard to find my room??

B. Compass Required

[ It's a day or so later! And she is.

... Not doing any better. Though at the very least, she's had some time to get the style upgrade implemented and is comfortably clothed in her much more familiar (to her) outfit from home.

But she hasn't actually been seen on the base all day, which probably isn't terribly strange, since March likes to go out and experience life, but at this point it's dark and if you're out at night, you might spot her. Talking to a few people who seem either amused or flummoxed by her current level of vexation. ]

No, sorry, I've definitely been to Shinjuku, and I know where it is on a map, I just--

I'm not drunk! Look, just tell me "this way" or "that way" and I'll figure it out from there!!

[ ... She has apparently been dealing with something similar for hours, given that she really does sound like she's on the verge of frustrated tears. ]

C. Bah Hummingbird

[ At this point, March has given up leaving the base on her own, so you can spot her in the greenhouse (though it's arguable whether she meant to be there or not), a cute little hummingbird perched on her shoulder. She's taking pictures of the plants, though she pauses to glance up when she realizes she's got company, offering a smile that is definitely a lot steadier than the mess she's been over the past few days. ]

These little guys are pretty cute, aren't they? I'm more of a dog person, but I gotta admit, they've got a lot of appeal!

[ OOC: Also fine with doing custom starters if nothing catches your interest! ]

Comments

B

[keihatsu]

[ Then a hand lays on her shoulder. But it was the back of Shizuka's hand, heavy enough that it feels like she's pressing down on March. ]

I'll take it from here.

[ Shizuka says to the patient locals who've been trying to help March. Shizuka's police uniform made them bow out in respect while Shizuka waits for them to leave before that anvil of a hand lifts from March. ]

What are you doing outside when you can't even navigate around the base?

[bowtography]

[ Heavy hands don't feel the most ideal when she's still recovering and March barely suppresses a wince, turning towards Shizuka carefully as the locals vacate. ]

A girl's still gotta work, you know?

[ Don't ask her how long ago that actually was. She doesn't want to talk about it. ]

A

[the_fourteenth]

[Raidou's coming home from work, about to head into the base, when March opens the door. He stops before running into her, blinking at her question. Goodness, she looks awful.]

Are you-- this is an exit. Do you need help...?

[She clearly needs help.]

[bowtography]

[ She definitely needs help.

It takes her a few seconds to peer at him, closing her eyes briefly to reorient herself. ]

Kuzu...noha, right?

[ Whew. ]

Um, this might sound... a little weird, but I think I'm lost.

[ Understatement. ]

C

[eyescar]

[ What March might hear is a small shout of pain, and then a hiss, and then the flapping of little robotic wings as Yuji ducks into the greenhouse, lifting his hands to cover his face. Behind him, his own drone - a light green colour with murder in its eyes - is following, swooping down sometimes to try and peck him in the back of the head. ]

Alright, I'm sorry I asked! I get it!

[ But - oh - well.

March.

Flapping his hand to try and get the bird to stop, he tries to smile at her. ]

Oh, you got on too? Is yours a bully, March-chan?

[bowtography]

A bully? I don't think so, it's just been really clingy...

[ Thankfully not with its beak. March watches this all transpire, carefully and slowly tilting her head with an air of confused amusement. ]

Why's yours so mad at you?

A

[crisantemo]

[ It's just outside the cafeteria Lapis finds her, having inhaled something for lunch and was just heading back to her room. But seeing March look so... lost and clearly in pain is a little bit concerning, so she doesn't hesitate to approach the other girl. ]

Hey, are you alright?

[bowtography]

[ She is not.

She pauses for about two seconds to consider whether she should say otherwise, but no, that would be stupid of her, so she just sort of gingerly shakes her head. ]

Um, I... I was just trying to get back to my room, actually.

[ This is the cafeteria. Girl. ]

B for BIG BRO IS HERE

[icyspicy]

[ Winter is on his own way back from the bar where he works, so it’s quite late indeed when he stumbles across poor March apparently having a hell of a time. He only watches the scene for a moment before approaching. ]

If it’s directions you need, then I’m happy to help.

[ He has so many questions, but for now he’ll wait until the locals depart. ]

(nanako voice) BIG BRO

[bowtography]

[ Oh, there he is. The hot, tall man who likes her well enough not to feed her to his eldritch abomination homies.

What a sight for implant-enhanced eyes! And the look of relief is so evident that the locals glance among each other then nod, moving away once it's apparent that March is in this new pair of hands. ]

... Winteeeeer...

[ She at least manages to wait until they're out of earshot to sound so pitiful. ]

B —

[hitokiller]

( it's from the fading dark of a tight alleyway that he emerges, a rough hand catching the shoulder of one of the badgering locals from behind almost as if this were a horror movie. )

What, are your ears clogged? She'll said she'll figure it out.

( flashes of neon from signs in the busy street highlight his irritated features, an izou who was on his way back to headquarters from a cancelled shift at his not-so-noteworthy part-time gig, a form-fitting apron and name-tag still clipped to his chest.

but the voice he'd heard on the way back was unmistakable, though the lilt of it had him thinking awfully loud up those steps. it was rare to hear her in such distress, or at least, the memory of the one time thus far had a feeling of dread quickly bubble up and settle in his stomach.

after the locals disperse, izou regards march and her fretting with a gruff concern and a hand that's still thinking of whether it wants to reach out. yes, men ain't shit... don't look at me. )

Not like you to be out here this late.

[bowtography]

[ This really is like a horror movie, some guy melting menacingly out of the shadows, and these poor locals who are just trying to help this girl who is clearly not in the right state of mind are quick to scatter. Said girl's fate, being left to this guy in an apron? Oh, well! ]

Izou...

[ A part of her wants to sigh about how she's not a kid, she doesn't have to be safely tucked away inside once night falls, but she knows he's aware of that and it's an expression of concern.

And also she's been dealing with this for far longer than she probably should have and he's the one familiar thing she's seen for hours at this point and she can't help but feel an encroaching tightness in her throat.

Which leads to an accompanying sting of tears in her eyes that she's trying desperately to blink back. ]

I... t-there was a procedure I got, and since then, I-- no matter where I try to go, I can't find it...

[ She has more to explain, probably, but her voice fractures slightly so she promptly shuts up. Nope. If holding his hand spooks him, her bursting into tears is not going to end well. ]

C bah hummingbird

[cranekin]

(The mechanical twittering of another bird can be heard which gives away his arrival. He's dressed in casual clothes-- a pair of dark-blue-almost-black jeans and a white sweater. In his arms, he carries a cloth bag loosely. From the opening, something bright yellow and red peaks out.

Close by, four white hummingbirds help carry identical looking bags. Despite their small size, they're able to carry something that a grown man would opt to carry with both arms. )

Aren't they? (The birds flutter in the air and he directs them over to an empty spot on a bench. ) I've always been a bird person.

Are you taking pictures up here?

[bowtography]

Yeah. I haven't gotten shots of all the different plants yet, and I thought having a bird with me might make the colors pop even more.

[ And an additional dynamic subject to the shot, for that matter, so March smiles up at this stranger and his... posse. ]

Are these all yours?

A now that i've finally made up my mind... choices...

[penaltypoints]

[ March's state in the aftermath of the recent mission was concerning, but the sight of her now, simply near the stairs leading up to the library and the greenhouse, is troubling in new ways. A flicker of just that crosses Yesod's features, something alarmed that darkens into a frown as he catches March's muttered words. She seems to be in severe pain, even more so than after the Yamadenki and the explosion, hardly in any condition to wander around the base as she is.

She did have time to recover from her injury and the vertigo, didn't she? ]

March—

[ Intercepting her, Yesod blocks the way to the stairs. He notes her expression alongside the pallor of her skin. ]

What happened? Shouldn't you seek treatment first?

[bowtography]

[ Sorry that she always ends up being a mess lately--

But March hesitates when Yesod suddenly moves in front of her, staring up at him with an air of confusion before she closes her eyes briefly. ]

It's just... a procedure... effect, I think. But I can't find my room...

[ A little faintly, as though she is actually trying not to process her own statement. For her own state of mind. ]

a for adding to the h/c pile

[memors]

March-san?

[ It's at the door to the greenhouse where Ryoji encounters March, after tending to and speaking with some of the plants. It's a regular activity that often calms his thoughts, but as soon as he crosses paths with her in such a state, he is immediately switching gears, his attention wholly focused on her, leaning near and offering her a shoulder, reaching for her arm to tug it around his neck to support her weight. ]

I've got you. Will you let me carry you?

[ There's something angry and white-hot that percolates at the back of his mind. Who did this to her? ]

[bowtography]

[ She did this to her, technically. Maybe not to the extent as it wound up, but you know.

Still, the pain is a little too much for March to even pretend to be okay or laugh off an earnest attempt to help; the instant Ryoji takes her arm and she's aware he's Right There, she slumps against him. ]

Y-yeah... thanks.

[ No protesting today! ]

WILDCARD

[immortalpoet]

[Hey so....hey March.]

[Here comes a text out of the blue the next day after that drunken mishap.]

how do you get someone to forget the content of drunken texts

[bowtography]

Get a god-thing to seal your memories for your own good
apparently

[ Wait. No. Stop. ]

Are we coffee-ing about this?

uses urs bc im tracking two anyway

[ignoreher]

[ it is... indeed... in a few days that malkuth turns up at march's door, literally just two days after they spoke about their to be continued, with a box of promised macarons of various colors and flavors.

let her get settled and look at her chipping nails. she needs them repainted anyway, from red to... something else... ]

You'll literally never guess what happened to me this week, Marmar.

[ she is letting herself be in a vulnerable position while she's getting march to remove the nail paint this is so fucking trusting. ]

[bowtography]

I can probably guess one thing.

[ As she welcomes Malkuth and gets her settled in with a few pillows while she grabs some cotton balls and the polish remover. ]

... How many things are you about to tell me, Mally?

C

[newphew]

[ flapjack is out and about today! with hunter, perched on his shoulder. he chirps hello at both march and the hummingbird! hunter's eyes soften a little bit when he catches sight of the hummingbird, even if it is a drone ]

Not as cute as Flapjack.

[ he sounds very sure of himself!! ] But they are pretty endearing. Did you name yours yet?

[bowtography]

Not yet, but I was gonna coordinate with my friend...

[ The hummingbird rises up to zip around her, then Hunter and Flapjack and March waves to both of them. ]

It's true, though, Flapjack's really cute!

wildcard

[frostfist]

[ Given that they are Friends™, it doesn't take long for Wriothesley to hear about March's misdirectional adventures. And because they are Friends™, it doesn't take long after the announcement of the post-mission party for Wriothesley to fire off a quick message to March asking if she needs a hand to get there. (Turns out, she does.)

From there, it's a matter of strolling down to the Redemption Wing and knocking on her door and waiting patiently for it to open. ]

Ready to go?

[ And look, here he is, with his literal hand being offered out to her in case she wants to take it. (But she doesn't have to.) ]

[bowtography]

[ You think March is going to pass up this chance?

Absolutely not, she's taking Wriothesley's hand immediately once she steps out of her room. If she's getting an escort offered to her, she's doing it in style. ]

All set! Thanks for the help--we'll make a gentleman out of you yet.

[ As though Wriothesley is probably not one of the most gentlemanly guys here, compared to [REDACTED] and [ALSO REDACTED]. ]

Izou.

[bowtography]

[ She can tell before she even goes anywhere, that her sense of direction has stabilized. That she knows where to go and that her feet or any other part of her won't disorient her in the process and March swallows back a huge surge of relief and sends Izou a text.

Because she's been thinking about it and what better way to celebrate her regained ability to not get lost that easily with an outing to see the sakura before the seasons changed? It doesn't take much convincing (which she'd expected, given he'd been the one to say it in the first place) and she sends him the coordinates in a bit to have him meet her there.

The chaos has died down at least a little, with most of the civilians having had their chance and then some to pick choice spots and enjoy a day beneath the blossoms well before now, but March is also more prepared this time. She's laid out a soft blue blanket in a choice spot, far enough away from those who are still also out doing this, and used her civilian job to procure a couple of bento boxes (and a singular bottle of sake, because she's not that mean to put Izou through this entirely dry) with the promise to review the food on her blog.

Today, she's also opted for the outfit Wanderer had gifted her for her... technical birthday, and as soon as she sees Izou making his way towards the set-up, she goes for her typical enthusiastic wave.

A far cry from the shaky girl close to tears the last time he'd approached her, so off to a way better start. ]

You're stuck with me for at least a few hours before I'm gonna feel satisfied that we made the most of it, so I hope you're prepared!

[hitokiller]

( true, it doesn't take much convincing, what with him being the one who suggested they have a retry of this particular event in the first place.

that doesn't stop him from gawking briefly once he arrives, the way she waves and smiles towards him so fervently and so openly still a sight so new to him after a month or so that the roots of her goodwill wrap tight around his thoughts. but he came here of his own accord and promise, so izou swallows any leftover nervousness and steps into the park and over to the blanket she prepared.

ah, shit. maybe he should've checked for dirt on his sneakers, but... okay. too late now. there's a dusty, see-through tote gripped tight in his hand, and it's easy to see a couple of plastic cups and something indiscriminately wrapped in a cloth inside as he sets it down. )

Alright with me, long as we've got drink to help pass the time.

( he's not planning to go overboard or anything, but a party under the blossoms just wouldn't be right without it. izou rubs his neck as he takes a seat, unable to resist giving her current get-up a full lookover before he can look her properly in the eye. )

You're... sure dressed up just to spend a couple of hours watchin' flowers.

shyly infiltrates your log

[yuwon]

[ continuing off their messages, he collects the needed materials, and heads right over to her room. although this isn't necessarily the first time they've encountered one another in person, he feels a bit awkward as he stands outside of her door. this is definitely social enough where it's a bit removed from his norm. that said, he did think he should get better at finding other activities to do in leisure. ... does this technically count as one?

regardless, she did complete a portion of a mission together and so it's true he holds her in decent regard. that sentiment remains in tact as he sends her a quick text through the occular. ] I'm outside, should I just let myself in? [ who knows how futuristic security is like...

🧍‍♂️ ]

opens my arms non-shyly

[bowtography]

[ There's a short pause, and then the door slides open, revealing March in all of her blithely smiling glory. ]

Yuwon, hi! In-person! [ Since it's not like they weren't just talking a short while ago. She steps aside to allow him entrance into her room, which is basically as decorated as she could make it in a short time since arrival. New purple and pink bedspread, an assorted collection of cute things on her desk, a photo wall, little lights strung along the walls.

She's done her best, apparently. ]

a late A

[enkefailin]

[it's odd to see her like this, when she's been so energetic before-- especially when he's intimately familiar with the signs of pain. he can clock that easily after seeing as much of it as he has.

... well, but this is just the same as usual, isn't it? there's nothing that netzach can do about that. if he had his department's tech, maybe, but he doesn't. all he's got is him, for all the good that does.]

What, did it get up and run away from you...

[he does know where the room is. there's that.]

[bowtography]

Probably not...

[ She's looking increasingly distressed about it, though, pausing to slump against a wall. ]

I know where it is... but I can't seem to get there. [ It's a surreal experience right now. She's not about it, actually. ]