Destiny... ? [intro|open]
Ringo had dashed through the forest practically blinded by terror, not seeing or caring about the scenery she rushed by, and she’d regarded the person she’d come across in much the same way. It didn’t matter what they looked like or who they were, so long as they could give her the answers she wanted. Even if they couldn’t, they might be able to comfort her while she had a nice cry. But the second she stopped to actually look, she dropped her bag in shock.
“Sh- Shouma-kun?”
The first thing she felt was overjoyed. After finding herself in a strange fantasy world, she’d been lucky enough to find a familiar face. And of all faces- Shouma! Shouma who had put up with all her abuse, who had been so helpful, who had been willing to do anything to help someone in need. Even if he had only stuck with her as a means of obtaining her diary, it still spoke to his character. She’d been awful to him, most of the time on purpose, and he’d taken it. To help his sister. And what was Ringo now, if not in need? Even if she hadn’t been entirely sweet and lovely to him in the past, surely he’d still be willing to help!
But before she could act on this happiness, it was blocked out, overpowered. Overpowered by something that felt more like blind rage.
Shouma Takakura? Out here, so close to where she’d woken up? That wasn’t suspicious in the slightest. Who else had been following her all over, no matter what she’d done to him to ward him off? She didn’t have to think for even a second to remember all the terrible things she’d put him through. All that, and he’d still been so determined to get her diary. He’d do anything to get it. Now, she hadn’t thought that this sort of thing had been in his or his brother’s power, but they did have that crazy penguin hat. Ringo’s anger only grew when she remembered how that thing had spoken to her.
But above all else, she felt betrayed. For all she’d treated Shouma badly, it wasn’t out of any sort of dislike. Distrust, yes. If someone told you they were willing to go to any lengths to get your diary, you’d be suspicious, wouldn’t you? He didn’t even seem to know entirely why he’d wanted it. But no matter how much she’d wanted to, she couldn’t bring herself to hate the Takakuras, Shouma least of all. She loved Himari dearly, she wasn’t sure how to feel about Kanba, and Shouma… Well, aside from being the best human punching bag of all time, she’d thought he was something like a friend. Diary or no diary.
And then he turns around and does something like this!
“Takakura!” she all but screamed, lunging at him. “What did you do?!”
It had to be his fault! Who else could it be?! No one else would want to bring her to this place, much less have a way to bring her here. Who knew how far the powers of that hat went? If it had the power to extend life, it was absolutely possible that it would be able to take her and drop her in a mysterious forest. It all made perfect sense.
Well, maybe. Ringo wasn’t one to think things through very logically.
Her delayed reaction made panic set into his bones. She must've been as shocked as he was to see the other here-- though, him moreso scared than shocked. Of course, while their escapades had brought them together in the most odd of ways, their friendship was still shaky. They hadn't met under normal circumstances, and they still both had numerous doubts about each other. This hindered their relationship. And after they'd found each other in the same, mysterious place, those doubts were bound to escalate in number. They'd both assume that the other was at fault. They'd use any excuse to prove it, too.
Shouma didn't know how to interpret the expression he saw on Ringo's face. It seemed considerably blank for a moment, then.. well, she looked like she was almost happy. Almost.
Ah-- there it was. The same old Ringo he remembered back home - and her expected furious response to his sudden appearance in Arcadios along with her. Amongst his thoughts, he'd barely managed to register that Ringo was still there; now diving at him in a way that made it seem like she wanted to rip out his throat. With the way that Shouma saw Ringo, it wouldn't have been very surprising if her fury led her to do so.
He winced, having not braced himself for her sudden attack, but he managed to hold up. She seemed to overpower him more often than not, however, he could still find the means to keep her from assaulting him to the point of unconsciousness-- and maybe death, if he wasn't all too lucky.
But it's best not to think about that. Back to the dilemma at hand.
"E-EEEEEEH--?!" He eyed her incredulously. She was seriously pointing fingers at him already?! "What makes you think this was my fault?!"
Mind you, he held the same suspicions she did-- he couldn't speak much for blindly accusing others for his sudden appearance.
"If you'd just-" here, he made an attempt to push her away and keep enough distance to make it safe to stand anywhere near her, "- calm down for five seconds, Oginome-san-" he tried again, "- I can explain what I know!"
He remembered that meeting with that odd boy the other day; he'd mentioned something odd about goddesses and 'being saved'-- whatever that meant. While he found the story to be little more than a joke, maybe he could pass that story off as a plausible excuse before he (along with her) really discovered the cause behind their sudden removal from home. He'd be able to clear his name with that, too.
He'd probably laugh (even despite his situation at the moment) if he'd been told Ringo throught he was conspiring with that brainwashing alien. He'd never do that - and he'd never attempt to drag her along with him in such a dangerous place, either! Although he could swear on his own life that he was being honest, he already knew it would take much more than that to persuade Ringo into believing that he was innocent-- and he was, too!
But was she really all that oblivious to reality?
