( OPEN ) softly stop my evil dreams

[girlybruiser]

WHO: HARU and YOU
WHERE: Heropa and Nonah, but can be found elsewhere.
WHEN: The month of September.
WHAT: Haru is back and has to play catch-up with school, life and other things while dealing with Akira's port out. If you would like to plot something, please PM me on this journal or at kitties! New CR always welcome! ♥
WARNINGS: None for now.

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♛ BACK TO SCHOOL | nonah university district ( local coffee shops, mall food court )

[ Upon her porting back in and seeing the date, Haru had flown in a bit of a panic as she scrambled to gather all her supplies and paperwork as her university classes had begun and she was a week behind already. Her first couple of days back she spends most of the daylight out in Nonah, running back and forth between classes, the admin office, her professors' offices and then trying to get the remainder of the supplies she needed that she hadn't been able to pick up before she was ported out.

It takes her about the full week to settle into her new semester, but boy is she exhausted from all the stress. Luckily, coffee has long become her best friend and caffeine keeps her going throughout her long mornings.

In the late afternoons she can be easily spotted at her usua hot spots: the coffee shop just a block down from the university building, or the mall food court, her pink, wool coat slung around seat neatly while she eats some food she ordered from a nearby Thai restaurant. On a couple of days she's buried in her textbooks, but when she's caught up on her assignments she's diligently working through what looks to be a DMV handbook. ]

♛ RESIDENCE #001 | heropa ( for housemates & visitors )

[ In spite of Haru having been back for the week, it doesn't feel quite like it until Friday rolls in and she's only got half a day of classes that she can head back home to Heropa, back into the comfort of what's become familiar to her.

At the same time, it's been difficult for her to remain too long at home knowing Akira has been ported out and as each day passes, the growing uncertainty of his return is looking bleaker. Sometimes she knocks on his door, but there's no response and even the somber mood between her other housemates makes it evident their friend and leader hasn't reappeared yet.

Once again, Haru finds herself bereft of words for the situation, but particularly for Goro whom she might be purposely avoiding again. She knows well that she needs to say something to him, given who Akira is to him and what he means, but the longer she puts it off the more difficult it is to say anything at all. It's still so confusing, everything between them.

Rather than deliberate for too long and give herself a tension headache over it, she plops down on the living room floor with Marcel, the poor cat giving her some attitude for her disappearance. If not busy having him chase a laser pointer, she's out in the back tending to her garden, harvesting some tomatoes and beets. ]

♛ STRESS RELIEF | heropa/nonah

[ Initially, Haru had been only taking a part in axe throwing on the rare occasion. It's fun, it's a good challenge, good for your muscles, but mostly there's something deeply satisfying about throwing a small, but deadly weapon into a bullseye and hearing the heavy, sharp metal dig into the wood.

She's been heading between two locations in Heropa and Nonah a bit more frequently, sometimes after school or sometimes because she needs to get out and working on flowers, as calming as it can be, doesn't do the trick. She wants to feel the adrenaline, but also the people also partaking in the axe throwing are lovely people, some of whom she's familiarized herself with.

On her way to the building, Haru might be moving with a little more energy than she realizes, accidentally bumping someone with a heavy bag of schoolwork when she's walking past them. But she quickly stops, her expression red and apologetic. ]

I'm sorry! Did I hit you too hard?

♛ RESIDENCE #004 | maurtia falls ( for martin darkov )

[ For all her worrying about Akira, Haru almost forgets that while she was away others might have been worried about her. Particularly, she hopes Martin hasn't been down in the dumps about it if he noticed at all. It was only a week, but... she prefers to check in on him sooner rather than later.

She rings the doorbell of the house, then steps back from the door, huddling inside her coat as a cool September breeze hits her. ]

♛ WILDCARD | wherever!

[ If you have a specific prompt in mind or want one, feel free to PM me! We can work out the details. Other locations Haru can be found are: Ted Kord Memorial Centre, local pet stores in Heropa and gardening/home supplies shops. ]

Comments

wildcard \ heropa #001

[queenofseers]

[ Cassandra is fucking tired, for someone who's been living rather quietly. People getting shot, people getting killed- it seems the people she's chosen to be close to have decided to give her near heart attacks all the time as of late. And although it would never have been Haru's fault, she couldn't help but have a little residual anger at Haru, too, for porting out. Martin didn't deserve that sadness.

But she's trying to keep that in check. She's let Haru know she's coming over, as it's only fair; it was Haru who came to Maurtia Falls when Cassandra ported back in, after all. It'll be good to see her, she thinks, knocking on the door.

...If she keeps her cool. She's exhausted. And maybe she is a little mad, still, irrationally. ]

[girlybruiser]

[ Haru's sitting in the living room, watching a gardening program with the cat curled up on her lap when she hears someone rapping at the door. Marcel is the first to rise, his tail down and ears up as he sneaks over to the front curiously, Haru tailing after him, just as curious to see who it is. She isn't expecting anyone, but the door could be for Futaba or Goro.

Or even Akira, if his other friends aren't aware he's gone.

Maybe Yusuke has come to visit?

She opens the door, surprised to see it's Cassandra instead. ]

Hello, Cassandra.

[queenofseers]

[ Her shoulders slacken a little, just at the sight of Haru. She hadn't realized it'd be such a relief to see her, and furthermore, how much her anger would lessen when that happened.

She's still a bit frustrated, sure- but, god, it could be way worse, huh. ]

Hey. Can I come in?

[girlybruiser]

Of course! Excuse me...

[ She steps out of the way to allow Cassandra in, who will promptly be greeted by three different cats. Jesus, that's a lot of cats. ]

Were we supposed to hang out? I'm sorry, I might have forgotten about that if that's the case.

[ Did she send a message to Cassandra? It's a little bit hard to remember amid all the catching up she's had to do. ]

coffee shop

[fursleuth]

[As soon as she enters the coffee shop, she's greeted with the sight of a particular Pokemon sitting in a booster seat with no less than seven upturned cups of coffee on the table while he works on his eighth. How on earth is he even still alive??]

Better order quick. I'm working through their entire stock. It's been one hell of a month already.

[girlybruiser]

[ She should be alarmed by the amount of coffee this little fellow has consumed, but Haru is distracted by his presence in the cafe... and of course, his general cuteness levels. Seeing him in person has got to be the greatest thing that's happened to her all week. ]

Oh, hello there! How are you doing?

[ Oh, wait. Now she's noticing the coffee. Yikes, she wants to snag a cup before she's stuck waiting. ]

May I join you?

[fursleuth]

Not great, actually. The dead soldiers can attest to that. [He turns his eighth cup over and makes pleading eyes at the barista, who seems to be having a moral dilemma about this.] But, by all means, join me. Drinking alone is just pathetic, even when it's just coffee.

[darkov]

[when Haru's name had disappeared from the small list of contacts Martin had on his phone, he knew what it meant. he didn't bother anyone to confirm it, didn't go out of his way to announce it or what it meant to him, and instead kept the sad understanding to himself alone. for all the good and comfort that surrounds him in this world, he's still a boy who can't bring himself to be more of a bother in such a way. not so soon.

he does what he always does, following routine best he can so his efficiency can keep questions at bay. swinging back into nocturnal patterns meant he could avoid much talk by sleeping through the day and skulking about at night, and talk in those hours was always meant to be sullen -- it wasn't out of place there.

it's why the doorbell at that daytime hour has to pull him out of a groggy nap downstairs, and it's why it's a bit of a wait for him to drag himself over to the door, not thinking about how he's not supposed to be waiting for anyone today, and it's why he blinks blearily and stares dimly at her shape when the door opens.]

...Mruh...?

[girlybruiser]

[ It's impossible to tell what mood her friends will be in when she initiates contact again. She really wishes she had done it even sooner, but missing a week of classes had her highly stressed out and had managed to throw off Haru's own sleep cycle. She's unused to staying up too late, always an early to bed and early to rise kind of person.

When the door opens to reveal Martin, the groggy look has her wondering if he isn't feeling too well, so her smile falters as a direct response to that.

Still, she tries to greet him as jovial as she can: ]

Martin! I'm glad it was you that answered. I was coming over to see you.

[darkov]

Haru...

[he's not fully awake and it shows, because even saying her name doesn't seem to make him realize the gravity of her even being here after her name had been absent for as many days. as someone who barely understands the calendar, it should mean more.

it should mean more, he realizes slowly, rubbing sleep out of his eye and growing more and more aware.

then, the lightbulb flickers on at last:] You--but you were...weren't you gone?

stress relief!

[monster_san]

[Fuu isn't there to throw axes, but rather practice her archery. She's usually pretty good at avoiding getting bumped into, but she's preoccupied herself with Hikaru's absence, counting each day since she disappeared from the house.

Getting bonked with a sack of books is certainly enough to bring her out of her reverie.]

No no, I should have been paying better attention--[she readjusts her glasses as she recovers from her stumble.]--oh, Haru-san! It's been a while.

[girlybruiser]

Fuu-chan!

[ Not that Haru wouldn't have felt bad for accidentally banging her bag of books into someone, but she's feeling particularly embarrassed that it's someone she's familiar with, the blood rising to her cheeks quickly. ]

Uh oh... I hope I didn't hurt you? These books are pretty heavy...

[monster_san]

[Fuu giggles, raising a hand to reassure her.]

It's quite all right. I don't think I've suffered permanent injury. [She glances up at the building.] It seems like you're looking forward to practicing on the range today.

[restingstitchface]

[For the first time in weeks, he actually has time to kill. One cup of black tea, a sandwich with a handful of chocolates with it and a novel in his face, and he has what he needs: peaceful respite.

He doesn't acknowledge most of the students who walk past his table by the door, but he does lower his book when Haru steps in.]

Ms. Okumura.

[girlybruiser]

[ There's a brief moment that Haru doesn't fully recognize the figure hidden behind the book, so she's moving swiftly and with purpose into the office until Crane pulls his book down to reveal himself. She stops shortly after entering through the doorway, mostly to be polite. It would be rather imprudent of her to casually acknowledge or outright ignore him and keep going through. ]

Good afternoon, Dr. Crane.

[ She had known he was still a part of faculty; the students had been talking in hushed voices earlier in the week about him still being around. Haru just didn't expect to run into him already. ]

Did you have a good summer vacation?

[restingstitchface]

I had a lovely time, thank you.

[He tries not to sound too bored, look too eager. He creates a mental map of the imports among the local students instead, and how many of them are around. Not that many, he knows. His tone contains a slight measure of concern to it.]

It's a new term. Have you been making friends?

heropa #001

[lesterzeppelin]

[ The second Apollo hears that Haru had been ported back in, he drops by with a box of chocolate and a couple of tins of high-quality black tea. He doesn't know proper etiquette for welcoming someone back; after all, porting in is disorienting.

Your memories of this world come back in full-force; you don't quite realize how much you miss until you check a calendar; and you're constantly reminded of how much time you miss. He wouldn't wish this on his worst enemy, much less a good friend.

He texted her beforehand, just to make sure she was home and not preoccupied, before ringing the door. Maybe - hopefully - this was a good idea, rather than further reminding her of how much time's passed. ]

[girlybruiser]

[ It's a welcome surprise to hear from Apollo and Haru is more than eager to see her other friends again once she's somewhat settled back in. It's staggering, the difference a week can make when one is ported out. Incredibly bewildering, with memories flooding back of this world while there aren't new memories of home to bring back.

It's one black void, where time disappeared into and spat her back out in the blink of an eye. It's beyond strange. ]

Apollo! It's good to see you.

[ Be that as it may, Haru tries to look to the brighter side: she's back somewhere, she can see her friends again, even if now she's lost one in the process and didn't have a chance to say goodbye. ]

[lesterzeppelin]

Haru! It's good to see you too.

[ He slumps with relief the moment he sees her. They may not be best friends or even close confidantes yet, but someone being busy for a week is very, very different from someone being ported out that same length of time.

Apollo doesn't want to broach the subject of her disappearance, or what she may remember back home. Those, in his experience, are too painful. His dog-tag bracelet (one that reads 'Jason') is an everyday reminder of such memories.

Instead, he grins, holding up the box of chocolates, ] I got you something. Mostly cause uh, I don't think I've been here before.

RESIDENCE #001

[cognitivism]

[ He never claimed to be the best gardener, but he wasn't going to let the garden die while Haru was gone. He knew that she had put her heart and soul into this, so most of the work was done -- but despite this, he still went to the library.

He's crouched down, inspecting a few of the leaves to make sure they were (mostly) free of bugs, book open to a page about natural remedies to keep pests out. How does Haru keep the aphids out? At least he hasn't killed anything.

Wouldn't that just be his luck? Haru and Akira are gone and he manages to kill the garden. It'd be poetic justice, wouldn't it? He lives here, in a surreal limbo left with memories and hope he couldn't quite keep. Who would leave next? Futaba? Lucina?

What would he be left with if everyone disappeared? ]

[girlybruiser]

[ What a long day it's been.

Haru can feel every inch of her body aching for her couch at home, or even the plushness of her bed to sink into, but as she re-enters her home and takes off her shoes she decides to look into the garden first.

She does call out for her friends and is met with no response, just Marcel screaming at her (he's been screaming since earlier today when she popped in to grab her supplies) to which she scoops him up and heads toward the garden out back.

The door's left ajar, which immediately captures her attention. Did she leave it unlocked somehow? Panic sets in for a split-second, worried the other cats might have gotten out so she hurries outside only to spot someone milling about her garden very cautiously. ]

Goro-kun?

[cognitivism]

[ He practically leaps out of his skin hearing his name. Of all the things he wasn't expecting was for Haru to find him in the garden. He takes a deep breath, wiping his hands on his jeans before it really hits him.

Haru was the one who said his name. Haru was here. ]

Haru? [ He turns around to face her, hoping that this isn't a trick. Seeing her? It's like the weight on his shoulders was being slowly lifted. She wasn't gone after all, she was still here. He smiles, holding back wanting to hug her tight. ]

You're back! Welcome home.

Residence

[codeoracle]

[One of the hardest things about consistency in a place like this, was when you were the point of consistency. Between Akira coming and going and Haru's recent exit, not to mention all the disappearances in-between, Futaba was feeling frazzled and raw. She had sequestered herself away for some space, but even she could not do that for too long anymore.

The excuse to pull herself out of the covers and schlep into the kitchen at this present moment was hunger. Of course, the treck brought her past the living room where Haru was currently trying to entertain a cat via laser.]

Oh...um, hey. [A shy squeak, and a moment of being frozen in place halfway to the kitchen.]

[girlybruiser]

[ Haru didn't think anyone was home. It had seemed so quiet... too quiet even. It was unnerving to step back in, unsure if anyone was still around though it had only been a week.

But it's frightening how quickly things can change.

She gets right to her feet, relief washing over her features immediately upon spotting Futaba. ]

Futaba-chan! You were home this whole time?

[codeoracle]

I was in my room...

[It's said with a bit of a shrug and a guilty shuffle of her feet. She should have at least made an attempt to come out before now.]

I was going to grab some food from the kitchen. You want anything?