vatheon | (no subject)

Who: Rinoa and you!
What: Visits while she's recovering in the medical clinic
Where: Clinic
When: The 7th and 8th of this month
Style: I'll match you!
Status: Open to all!

[Although the monitors and wires and needles still scared Rinoa, the care she has been receiving counter-balanced the uneasiness the place made her feel. And really, the doctors and nurses had been doing a good job of taking care of her, to the point where she was likely ready to go home in another day or two.

All in all, she was lucky. She wasn't as drugged as the other victims (although it was going to make for some bad nightmares for awhile). The needlemarks on her arms were covered with band-aids, and the tears in her back were stitched and bandaged. The only other visible injury was her eye. The swelling had gone down, leaving a nice black and blue bruise in its wake. That would heal on its own.

But until she was clear to leave, she was stuck in there, with only her SFC and a small television to keep her occupied. Now that the drugs had been flushed out of her system, she was coherent. And she could really use some company.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I didn't even know it recorded until after I was brought here and looked. I'm sorry you had to see that.

[She gestures to the visitor's chair.]

You can sit in the visitor's chair, Miss - oh, sorry, Mister! I never caught your name.

[This person sounded female on the communicator, but maybe she was wrong. Clearly they looked and sounded like a guy now.]

It was most likely an accident. It could not have been helped. It is not your fault ma'am.

[She slowly moves over to the visitor's chair. She nearly freezes when she hears the word "miss" but keeps her composure. She slowly sits down.]

I have not given you my name yet. I am known as Naoto Shirogane. I first arrived here after the first kidnapping.

[Her eyes gaze at the floor.]

I am... Sorry that I was not able to do anything to stop him before he got to you.

So you're kind of new here. That really bites you came at a time like this.

[Rinoa frowns in worry. Too many people beating themselves up over this. It's another ache in her heart.]

Don't be. It's no one's fault. He's stopped now, and that's what matters.

I've been in situations like this, ma'am. Before I arrived here, I had been a part of a case where people had been murdered and kidnapped. The circumstances of the kidnappings and murders turned out to be different than originally believed.

[Of course she would remember the case. How would she ever forget it.]

I, myself, became a victim soon after they removed me from the case. I, however, continued to do my own investigations as a detective would. I came upon a group in the same situation, and because of certain circumstances, I was able to join them.

[Of course she wouldn't reveal the circumstances just yet. However she knew that she was rambling.]

Being a detective as I am, I wanted to assist in any way that I could when I was informed by Kiske-san. I wanted to get to the culprit before he hurt anyone else.

When others got hurt, I knew I was running out of time. I knew I had frozen. The plan was gone and I wasn't able to enact it. Once Kiske-san got hurt, I was alone.

But as you said... It's over now. It should not matter now that he's in custody.

[To realize she's experienced this before, and had to go through it herself... It's even more heartbreaking, really. And she obviously tried really hard to prevent it.]

I can't imagine... But I know a lot of people are beating themselves up over this, for not stopping him. This guy just knew how to hide and cover his tracks. And it could have been worse, right?

After I was taken, there was one more kidnapping. A relative of one of the officers and one of the group.

[And here comes the story. She knew it was going to come out. She still blamed herself even though it was far in the past and everyone had moved on. She remembers even crying for hours after not being able...]

We had found out who the next victim was going to be. I had been on my way to go get her before she was taken. However it was two late. She had already been taken from her home. We were lucky to get her back, but it was at a price. The officer had gotten hurt in the chase and she had gone into a sort of coma. For a while she actually had been dead before being revived near miraculously.

[Well... not miraculously per say. But again, it was complicated to explain.]

Many people will blame themselves for this. I know I have been as well. But it is not simply just because they feel they could have caught him. It is because they feel they have let down those that they could have saved, that they let down themselves. That they let this place down.

The memory of this event will cause them to want to become stronger. To try to train better. It will cause them to want to protect more. They will feel down for a while, but it will be the drive that brings them back.

[Rinoa tries to formulate a reply to that, but to be honest, it's all still too near and fresh to her. Swallowing, she nods, hoping that Naoto understands that she sympathizes.]

But they didn't. We all knew the risks, that we could be the victims. A few of us just got really unlucky.

[They'll pull through. So will she, in time.]

That's one way to look at it, yeah. Something good from this. I'm afraid of the backlash it's going to create, though.

[Naoto nods. She understands. She completely understands. No words needing to have been said.]

The backlash will be rough to deal with. Early on it will be rough, however it will get easier and this will soon become nothing more than a memory for most.

[Yes, all that is needed is time.]

[It'll be very, very rough, if the replies to his post are any indication.]

I wish things could go back to the way they were during Johnny's masquerade ball. Everyone was laughing and smiling then. No one was hurt.

[But she knows it's pointless to wish for the past. It's important to focus on the here and now.]

Everyone makes that wish. Wishes for what could have been, what might have been. But it's best to move on. Learn from the experience, then learn how to make sure it will not occur again. Prepare, but also make sure that you're mind does not focus solely on the past. Live each day for the day.

[That's what she believes needs to happen to get any sort of normalcy again.

She speaks softly, dangerously close to her actual voice, yet still maintaining the male voice.]

How are you doing though? Is it difficult to function?

I know. Guess being in here has made me a little... nostalgic.

[It's easier to hang onto happier memories right now than the fresh new ones she's gotten. She'll have to deal with them enough in the days to come.]

I'm all right, I think. As much as I can be. [A little shrug. Sleep has been hard to come by, though.]