03 - One of these nights...

[oursomalink]

Who: Shing Meteoryte and YOU.
Where: Still the hospital. Yep.
When: Forward-dated to anytime between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
Style: Action
Status: Open

[There was a quiet groan from Shing as he came to all at once; wincing, it takes him for a while to remember just what had happened. They were... ambushed, right? That... that thing, Vanitas? So many of those creatures... Rin...

And then the flash of pain as a sword was driven into him, lingering just long enough to see Kohaku die before he eventually succumbed.

Yeah, he died.

...

... he doesn't want to look or even talk to anyone right now. Shing groans again, placing a hand on his forehead as he stares up at the ceiling. Oddly enough, it wasn't actually dying that bothered him, but watching Kohaku and Rin suffer as he passed, not being able to do anything but watch... he felt like a failure. Well, he was one, for lack of a better term.

One hand moved to feel around for any scars, but he couldn't feel anything. He wasn't sure if that was a blessing or not yet. It didn't really change the fact that he'd died on everyone, failed protecting Kohaku... just failed everything in general.

Did they hate him for it? Of course, they probably did. He wouldn't have been surprised if that were the case... collapsing back onto the bed, he sighed. Why was he never strong enough when these kinds of things happened...?

Sitting up again and attempting to get out of bed, he winced as his body refused to listen, his head swimming from dizziness. The last thing he wanted was to face either of them right now... how was he going to apologize to them for letting them down so badly?]

Comments

[needsmoregreen]

[It wasn't too long ago that Bianca woke up from her sleep coma to hear that one of her friends was killed. She has seen people die before, one as a joke but the other...

She thought they got hurt and recovered. She didn't know that but that's what she wants to think. So to hear that someone had died once more, Bianca wasn't too sure what to think. It would only be a matter of time before another one of her friends was going to die and perhaps, even herself.

She shook her head as she decided to enter into the hospital. She had heard that would be where Shing was and well...it would be rude to not go visit. So with a knock on the door...]

S-Shing? Are you there? [Because she does not want to see a corpse]

[oursomalink]

B-Bianca...?

[Yeah... that was her name, right? His head was still swimming but at least Shing's memories were coming back to him. Eventually, when he does stop feeling so sick he forces himself to sit up, sighing and trying to put on a smile for her.]

Yeah... you can come in...

[needsmoregreen]

Mhmm, that's right.

[As she does, Bianca was mumbling a bit. Was it really okay to visit him this early? Well, it's too late now as she walks closer to him. Her tone of voice lacks the energy that it had once she sat on the chair.

Now what? She didn't want to bring up the topic of what happened but she wasn't too sure what to talk about either. Hm...]

You know, I've been training a lot lately. My pokemon have been getting stronger so there might a chance that I'll show them to you again.

[oursomalink]

Really? I'm glad that they're doing well!

[Shing appreciates the visit in any case, even if he doesn't really show it just yet. Between everything that's happened, he's still not quite himself yet...

Still, he notices that she's not nearly as chipper as she normally is.]

... what about you, though?

[protectingwishes]

[Can you hear that Shing? Those are the sounds of heavy footfalls echoing in the hall outside.

Asbel had heard about the incident involving Shing and his friends. Despite his initial shock, Asbel had managed to keep the information from Sophie. People had assured him that Shing would come back in a week because of the city's mysterious coral. He'd decided to put off telling her until he knew for sure.

Today would have been a week since that day and Asbel had made sure to come to the hospital at the earliest opportunity hoping that he would find something.]

Shing! Shing are you here?

[Shing may see a white blur moving past the door as Asbel comes barreling down the hallway.]

[needsmoregreen]

I've been fine, my friend, Cheren, is here and I still have my pokemon with me! And I've been learning how to cook on my own so...I'm learning a lot!

[Don't mind Bianca avoiding said topic....]

[oursomalink]

[...omigod, Asbel, don't hurt yourself getting into the hospital, jeez.

Shing's... initially not sure what to think. On the one hand he was kind of relieved that Asbel was doing okay... that was him, right? On the other hand, he's not quite ready to suddenly be overloaded with sudden activity.

Still... he appreciated the thought nonetheless.]

Over here, Asbel... you just passed my door...

[oursomalink]

[He notices that, you know. Shing's kind of glad that she's not prying into it too much, but they're gonna have to confront it eventually, aren't they...?]

Cheren, huh...? You'll have to introduce me to him when you're able to! And that sounds lovely...

[A pause as he tries not to crack over here.]

... I have a friend, Rin, who's good at cooking. Maybe... I can ask him if he can give you some pointers?

[needsmoregreen]

Mhmm, don't worry, I will! I'll introduce him to all my friends here when I get the chance!

Oh, I know him! [He was the one who said you were killed....] That would be great if you could! I've been learning from Italy so I want to learn as much as I can.

[oursomalink]

All right... I'm looking forward to it!

[He pauses, smiling a little before that smile disappears completely. It's replaced with a wearied, saddened expression.]

... how's he been doing?

[protectingwishes]

[Asbel skid to a halt quite audibly. He backed up until he reached Shing's door. He immediately relaxed when he saw Shing there and suddenly all that running caught up with him. He leaned forward, clasping his hips while trying to catch his breath.]

Shing...you're... you're okay.

[oursomalink]

Y-yeah... I am now...

[Shing sighs, falling back into the bed with an audible thump as he glanced at Asbel from his position on the bed. He can't help but laugh a little wryly at how exhausted Asbel looked.]

I should be asking if you're okay, though...

[needsmoregreen]

[There was a long pause before Bianca could say anything. Rin was his friend too but she didn't want to bring up what happened. She didn't want to make him sad and remember he was killed.

...]

He feels really guilty, Shing. He...killed Vanitas and calls himself a monster.

[oursomalink]

... he's not a monster. I never thought of him as a monster.

[Said with all seriousness. He truly believes that, and he wishes he could just tell Rin that, but... he still feels like crap for dying so brutally and being unable to prevent it.]

If anything, it's my fault... I should've been strong enough to protect them...

[protectingwishes]

[Asbel managed a tired smile and tried to straighten up.]

...Me? No... I'm fine... I... I just took... A wrong turn on the... way here...

[Which meant he had to run all the way back in the other direction to get here.]

That's all...

[oursomalink]

Ah... don't get injured? I doubt they need more injured people in this place, really...

[Shing offers a weak smile at Asbel before he ends up looking at his own hands again, stewing in guilt over his inability to protect those he loves...]

okay seriously

[rainbowarch]

[Shortly after Shing wakes up, there's a knock at the door and it opens. Cielo enters the room and makes his way over to the bed. It was a surprise to hear that Shing was here, that was for sure. And look who got assigned to his room?]

Hey, how are you?

[He knows the answer is somewhere in the vicinity of "miserable," but he figured he should ask anyway.]

Want me to get you anything?

[protectingwishes]

[He recognises that look, he had it for a year after he left home and even for a little while after he'd returned.

A moment passes before he stepped into the room and made his way to Shing's bedside. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.]

Shing, what happened wasn't your fault.

XDDDDD! that was beautiful and you should be proud of yourself

[oursomalink]

[Shing blinks a few times as he stares at Cielo for a bit, his expression being more surprised as it hits him.]

C-Cielo! Hey... I didn't know you worked here.

[There's a quiet pause as he sighs, avoiding the other's gaze.]

... feeling like crap right now, to be honest.

[And then another pause.]

Something to drink would be good, maybe...?

[oursomalink]

Yes, it was... if only I was stronger, then Kohaku... she wouldn't have died...

[He knows. If he were the only one who died, then that was just his own fault. But seeing her die with him...]

Why wasn't I strong enough...?

[protectingwishes]

[Asbel shut his eyes before speaking again.]

Why was I so weak? Why couldn't I save her? Why did she have to die? Why couldn't I stop it? I put her in danger. It's my fault.

[The words were edged with genuine sadness.]

I told myself that every night for seven years. That's how you feel, right?

[oursomalink]

...

[Shing can't say anything. Asbel hit it dead-on; all of those and more had been on his mind, bothering him, whispering themselves into his mind over and over again... it stung.

It was a wonder he hadn't been broken more than he should've been right now.]

[needsmoregreen]

No it isn't Shing! It's Vanitas's fault, not yours or anyone's!

[Suddenly, Bianca was having flashbacks to when she found out she wasn't strong enough either. However, this time, it was much worse]

You...You shouldn't blame yourself at all!

[protectingwishes]

[Asbel looked at Shing. He didn't know whether any of this was helping. Coping with grief wasn't his strongest skill.

He knelt, coming down to level with Shing.]

Shing listen. When Sophie died... When Sophie died I blamed myself for it. I couldn't protect her and she died trying to protect me. I was too weak and all my friends were hurt as a result.

But I made a decision to get stronger. So that as long as I was alive I would never let anyone I cared about die ever again.

[He intentionally left how he'd failed to save his father or help Richard out.]

You're back now Shing. Kohaku will be too. So you need to decide whether you're going to get stronger so that you don't ever have to let her go through this again.

[keepsthefire]

You shouldn't get outta bed yet.

[You don't want to face them right now? Oops. Too bad. There's a Rin, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. The dimness of the room keeps his face shadowed, messy air hiding the bags under his eyes. He's been sleeping finally, but it comes in spurts - dead to the world for a few hours, awake again for a day, rinse wash repeat. Even having Maka around isn't helping completely.

But he wanted to be there when Shing woke up, even if it hurt just to remember that day. He had a feeling... some inkling in the pit of his stomach that of the two of them, he would be taking it the hardest.

Probably because Rin himself had the same goddamn feeling when it all happened.

So he just stands there, not looking in the room, just aware enough to know that Shing is trying to get out of bed.]