mailbox - soulgemmed

[loveedition]

This is Ryoko Asakura. I can't answer right now, please leave a message. Thank you!

[ action ; mailbox ; phone ]

Comments

email to her phone?

[psionichax0r]

hey. what do you think is the key to happiness?

[loveedition]

[ .....what an odd question. But... ]

Stability. Having a steady routine, with friends and family sticking with you. Why are you asking?

[psionichax0r]

[Yes, the first usable answer he's gotten. Ryoko you rock.]

im trying to do something.

[That's the only answer he offers.]

august 11th

[preparade]

[ She didn't want to remember.

But Taiga remembered it all in vivid detail, the sensation of Chara's knife plunging into her body again and again, their eerily vacant stare, her vision slowly fading away as she...

N-no, she had other things to think about. Anything but that. Like the deluge of texts she found on her phone from Ryoko, begging for any sort of response. Daily, almost hourly, they had come in, growing more and more desperate with each passing day.

Aisaka-san... please...

Ryoko will receive a text mid-afternoon. ]

im fine. sorry for worrying you.

[loveedition]

[ She'd given up, shortly after the last text was sent.

It was clear that Taiga was dead. She... wanted to believe otherwise, she wanted to hope that she was okay and she'd just lost her phone and didn't want to leave her house, but in her heart of hearts, she started to believe it once the others started coming back. Sollux. Kakyoin. Yozora. There were bloodthirsty magi outside, and radio silence could only mean the worst.

Ryoko's heart felt heavy. She hated thinking about it. Hated thinking that there could've been something she could have done, if she would have tailed Taiga home after all. Maybe she'd be dead, and Taiga would've made it home. After all of this...

She'd started on preparing dinner for everyone staying at Madoka's house. It was a weak distraction, keeping her busy and keeping her from looking any harder than she had. She didn't have to think about the game, the absurd notion that anyone was gaining any joy out of it, or anything. Just focus on those who were there.

When her phone vibrated, it startled her.

When she saw who it was, she dropped her knife onto the ground. ]

Where are you?

[ Please, please don't be outside still... ]

[preparade]

home.

[ It was almost too much effort for Taiga to respond, but she felt like she had no choice. Scrolling back through all the texts Ryoko had sent... there were so many of them. Ryoko must've been worrying herself sick the entire time.

All because she insisted that she would be fine, that no one would take a silly text seriously. All because she couldn't take care of herself and make it home safely. All because she was destined to mess everything up no matter how much luck she had on her side.

Taiga curls up under the covers of her bed, trying her best to keep from crying. ]

[psionichax0r]

are you 2tiill aliive?

[loveedition]

[ She got confused for a second, until she remembered-- ah, right. This is how he types. ]

Yeah. I'm at a friend's house. I'm fine.

[psionichax0r]

k. ju2t makiing 2ure. ii2 your friiend alriight two?

[psionichax0r]

hey.


2orry.

[loveedition]

[ Oh.

He's... back to normal. Finally. ]

It's okay. You don't have to apologize.

[psionichax0r]

yeah

ii do.

iif ii had been more careful that wouldn't have happened.

phone; text; backdated to immediately after the short exchange about the website.

[airfriends]

[ Yozora's gotten Ryoko's number off the mirror network when she shared it with Pokey, but... She decided to use this information, even if it was rude to do so.

Or even get the other's number in such a way. ]

Asakura-san...

[loveedition]

[ ...?

Who's number was this? And for that matter... how many people actually call her that? She can think of one person, but that seemed to be a one time thing? Otherwise... ]

Who is this?

[airfriends]

[ ... Right. That's exactly where they should start with. ]

Mikazuki.

Listen, about the website... I was just putting it up for people to know that there was a hidden message.

[ And not that she shared the person's views or anything. She just... Didn't know what to make of that... hurt look that Ryoko gave when she went off the network. ]

e-mail

[psionichax0r]

RK.

Are you still here?

[loveedition]

[ Give her a few seconds... ]

Yeah, I'm here. What's up?

[psionichax0r]

hey. ii need your help wiith 2omethiing.

[loveedition]

Oh? What is it?

dated to before the Christmas plot

[cyclicalconcept]

[There is a box on Ryoko's doorstep. When Ryoko opens it, there is a cookbook it, along with a little bag of candy.

The tag says To: Ryoko From: Madoka :).]

23rd

[crosslaced]

[You've got a present!

Wrapped in a crisp dark blue paper, it's a book. Some of the pages are lightly charred; the cover has been replaced by a plain paperback binding. This book appears to be a fantasy storybook, telling a tale of a peasant girl who rises above her lot and defeats her kingdom's oppressive ruler.

Additionally, there's a free pass for two to the dog cafe tucked within the pages.

The note attached reads: Have a safe winter. There is no sender.]

[incubatormented]

[An unknown number sends Ryoko a picture out of the blue. It's difficult at first to make out what the picture is of, but closer examination will reveal it to be a distant picture of Ryoko and Arabella's meeting. Texts come rapidly afterwards, one after another.]

lol i kno u think ur ho+ shit (￣ー￣；
but stay @w@y from Kami
or do u want two die wwwww
i could help!!! （＾ω＾）
lemme kno ryooks k?

[loveedition]

[ Ryoko's concerned for a moment, seeing the picture. This level of bullying is extremely harsh, and she doesn't even know what to do or who to say anything to? Instead, she steels herself. Seeing if she can get a response. ]

Who is this?
What do you mean by "Kami"?

May 15th, text

[preparade]

[ She's mad.

Sure, Ryoko had been acting weird, when they were together. Maybe a bit more protective than usual, more on edge, but Taiga figured it was from the mess that was Solveig. To say the least, it had been a traumatic experience for them all, and Ryoko had significant physical injuries to deal with on top of that.

The one who harassed Ryoko about Arabella.

It was infuriating, to know that Ryoko had been hiding this from her. It doesn't even cross her mind that there were very good reasons to hide something like that, but it wouldn't make a difference if it had. They were friends, and friends had to support each other and keep each other safe. ]

youre going to tell me about this person who harassed you.

[ Harsher than it probably needed to be... ]

[loveedition]

[ There may be an alarming delay to her response. Not out of her dodging the question, but because really... she was taking a nap. She'd been so busy lately that today she decided it was just time to sleep a little...

Luckily, she had heard the vibration close to her, and she shifted a little. Whoever it was could wait just a little, she wanted to sleep another thirty minutes...

The issue was as soon as she woke up, she wasn't exactly... sure what this meant. The person who harassed her? ]

What person what do you mean

[ Give her a little bit to. Wake up. ]