exsilium | duel two (video.)

[The screen flickers on to show Utena sitting on the foot of her bed. Said bed is unusually rumpled, and she looks bleary-eyed and tired. Her hair is disheveled too, but when she turns to the camera, she manages a sleepy grin. It's only a little forced.]

Uh, hi, to everyone who's been here, and all the new people. I think this is around the time new people show up, is that right? For everyone who doesn't know me, I'm Utena Tenjou. I'm fifteen years old...I think. [She rubs the back of her neck, and sheepishly adds:] My birthday's gone by since I got here, but I'm not sure if that counts. It's good to meet you all.

[Her voice sobers some, and she slows down.]

Ah, I wanted to thank everyone who helped me and Himemiya out a few weeks ago. It means a lot. I wasn't really myself then, so...sorry for any trouble. [It almost looks as if she'll stop the message there, but she continues after an overlong pause:]

Say, I was wondering, well, when I was, ah...well anyway. I noticed there's a lot of buildings around here that are run-down. That big greenhouse in the city looks pretty bad, and I thought maybe a bunch of us could get together and help clean it up a little. Y'know, get all the glass fixed, and plant flowers. Where I'm from, there's gardens everywhere, so I miss it a little.

[Her gaze drops. She looks off to the side, and then starts a little, as if suddenly remembering something:] Oh! And to everyone I asked about sports the last time, there's a way we can play without finding a field. I asked around, and that VR machine'll make any kind of field or court we want. That's great, huh? I wanna host a game soon. Maybe we can have something like that once a week. It gets dull around here.

Mm, that's all. [She rests her hand against her mouth, looks and sounds thoughtful. Mumbled:] If anyone's interested in a game or in helping with the greenhouse, you can find me around anywhere, but I stay in room 705.

I had one last question. Does anyone know how to cook? I wanna learn. There's not a lot of instant stuff to eat here, and I'm not so good at cooking from scratch yet...

[After a while:] Hey, Nanami-kun. Are you still here?

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( The happiest and friendliest person is over here, yep. No doubt. )

What kinda sports? Like, netball? Soccer? Rugby?

( So verbose today. )

[netball...let her think on what that is] That's sorta like basketball, right? The other two I know about...I was thinking, a new game every week! So everyone could get a chance to play their favorite sport.

Yeah, kinda. You can't run with the ball or dribble, anything like that. It's fun.

( Despite herself - she actually feels a bit guilty for it - she sits up a bit, has a bit of a grin. ) That sounds good, actually. I'd be into that.

Great! [she looks genuinely pleased, if still a little tired] I'm glad to hear it. Say, what's your name?

Oh, uh.

Ellie. Ellie Linton. ( This person is so cheery, though Ellie is familiar with tiredness. Seeing someone tired and in good spirits is oddly... uncomfortable, in a way. It reminds her of good people that she misses. A good humour that she's lost. )

What's yours?

It's Utena Tenjou. Good to meetcha, Ellie.

[Her customary greeting for everyone, but it's no less genuine than it had been the first time. And honorifics, what's that.] Have you been here a while? I don't think I've ever seen you before...

Utena Tenjou. ( That's a way to commit names to memory, she's heard. ) Likewise.

( Ellie just makes an "oh" shape with her mouth, shaking her head at herself. Sometimes, just occasionally, she feels like forgetting her manners is a bad thing. ) Oh! Yeah, sorry. I'm pretty new, I just got here at the beginning of last month. I kind of keep to myself.

( how is talking to people why ) What about you? Have you been here a while?

It's okay. This place, it's a lot to get used to. I like talking to people, but... [a rueful grin.] I've been keeping to myself too. I've been here since, ah...how long now? The end of October, I think...the weather doesn't change much, so it's hard to tell.

( Just a scoffed little laugh. ) All of us lot keeping to ourselves could form a club. I bet it'd be a real party.

( For all her dryness, she's not actually being a jerk. For once. )

A while, huh? Do you reckon it gets any easier?

Easier?

[The easy smile dims, by a fraction.] I dunno. I guess it's more like you get used to it.

Darwin's theory of evolution, huh? We adapt and survive, or things don't go so well.

( That's not at all morbid, Ellie. )

Hey. You ever play softball?

Ah, yeah...right.

[Yeah it's super optimistic of her.] And yeah, I've played it before. It's pretty fun. Are you good at it?

It's been a few years. I was on the Under Tens team, but, uh... I quit when my best mate got kicked off the team. ( Solidarity, and that. ) It was fun, though. I liked it a lot. I might be rusty, but I think I could get myself up to a decent standard, again.

Maybe we can practice, sometime. Get ourself up to scratch, hey?

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permavid

yes good

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