first

[reversing]

action; island

[ it's the cries of the skylarks that get her the most. noise unsettles her, any sort of it - it puts her on edge, and even though it's hard to tell, homura is ready for just about anything to strike. from atop the tower sits the princess, a damsel in distress, unaware of the dangers below and -

just jokin'.

when homura realizes that an unconscious madoka isn't in her arms and she doesn't know where she is, there's only one thing she can focus on. she doesn't waste time in transforming, because she has no reason to. there's a flash of purple light from the tower, and then a loud sort thumping, as if several metal things have just been spat upon the ground.

but if you investigate, you'll find her. a girl in a cream colored school uniform, tiny and pale, with long dark hair. she looks like she's searching for something, among the skies, the barest hint of frustration etched into her features. she's on the ground, away from the tower, because she has no business there. not anymore.

several feet away, in the grass, you might notice something of her's that's been dropped. maybe it's a dark headband, or maybe it's a ring, or maybe it's a packet of 9mm ammunition. either way, it's probably her's. maybe. ]

locked to dave; time freeze shenanigans

[ time stops.

there's really no denying that time isn't moving at all, that it's frozen by someone's will. furthermore, it's easy to tell something, at the very least, has happened, because the world is suddenly devoid of color. it still into a monochrome mess accented with the telltale ticking of a clock, a distant sound, as if coming from a specific clock. noise is easy to follow. a clock can be found if you know where to look.

above the water, on the island, inside a tower, you'd expect a princess. you'd expect someone who looks frail and afraid, a girl with a sweet but elegant air that she was taught to carry. instead, there's homura, standing in front of a massive dump of weapons. it's large enough to climb on top of and tower over... everything, arguably. maybe if you jump down and look, you can see the very top of it. it's not out of the question that he'd recognizes a few weapons; there's guns, bombs, rocket launchers: a plethora of items that look alarmingly dangerous.

and the supposed princess is slipping a pistol behind a shield. it's metal, and a pair of red ruby eyes are staring back in it.

the ticking is loudest here, but it's hard to pin down where it's coming from - but one thing is for certain, she probably shouldn't be moving if time is stopped. ]

text;

It's October... That's new to me.

When I think about October, I remember there's a holiday centered around ghosts and things of that nature. I don't celebrate it, but I have seen it in foreign movies. :) Sometimes they sell candy and cakes themed after Halloween, I think it's called. Am I right? :?

I have a question. Something synonymous with things of that nature... it'd be a witch, wouldn't it?

What do you think of when you think of a witch? I'd like to hear your thoughts. :)

action; mural

[ homura is almost fascinated by the concept of a mural for those missing. presumed dead, perhaps, until further notice. it's alien, and surely a bit uncomfortable, but she's here for a specific name. it's hard to read her expression; you would be forgiven if you thought it rather void of emotion, in fact. she doesn't show any of her frantic thoughts as she peers into the mural, though her fists are balled at her side.

eventually, homura speaks up. it's soft, airy - almost so lightly spoken that it gives the impression she's ill, or doesn't speak much at all. there's a demanding tone to her voice. she's small, but her back is straight and her head is held high. ]

Madoka Kaname.

[ she peers up, still searching. maybe it's only a trick of the light, but there's something in her eyes that reflect pain, a hesitant sort of gaze as she looks away. ] Is that... a name you can see?

Comments

[alienates]

[ karkat would comment on how mushy and gross "you must not lose sight of the value in that" is, because he likes to pretend that he is still a mean heartless soul to strangers until they realize he is the kind of guy who goes on picnics and raises robot crab children with his besties. he is ridiculous.

except then homura keeps talking, and she mentions. white rats?? most white animals that karkat knows of are the lusii, which he is pretty certain she is not talking about. okay so maybe she just has a thing about rats. ]

Is there a specific reason for this or am I just supposed to nod my head and say okay?

[ can the white rat like actually talk back or is he not allowed to monologue at these creatures or something ]

[reversing]

[ homura doesn't respond at first, because she has to size up karkat. that sounds ridiculous, and it is, but she has to consider what karkat might do if kyubey suddenly appeared before him. ultimately, she supposes, neither of them will know until the thing happens. ]

Conversation with it is unnecessary. [ which... confirms the white rat can talk... ] Don't be absurd. Contact me and I will handle the situation.

[ that's ominous??? homura ]

[alienates]

[ the worst part is that karkat is used to people saying cryptic bullshit at him and giving zero explanation whatsoever. like, it is his daily life? all he can really think is, "ah. fucking great. another one." except with more capslock because all of his internal monologue is with capslock. ]

I don't really care, so sure. I'll let you handle the white rat who talks apparently. That sounds like something I would prefer not to deal with so it's all yours.

[reversing]

[ she's literally just aradia, karkat. buckle in for a long ride. it's going to be terrible and full of shaft head tilts. ]

Then we will have no problems, Karkat Vantas. [ there weren't going to be problems to begin with, homura. he has literally done nothing but help you.

this is her way of saying she appreciates that you are doing this for her. ]

[alienates]

[ why does she keep saying his full name? is this how everyone feels whenever he either full names them or adds their species in front of their name, like a douchebag? it probably is. he'll still continue to do it though. ]

Okay then, Homura Akemi. [ SEE HE CAN DO IT TOO!!! she probably does not care. ]

Do you have any other questions about the base? I feel like I need to just write a welcome pamphlet and start handing them out. Holy shit, that would save so much more time?

[reversing]

[ if this bothers homura, she sure doesn't show it. the thing is, she doesn't use full names to pick at people or assert some kind of dominance - it's to keep distance between the two of them. so she's just being an asshole, karkat. ]

Hm.

[ she pauses to think, it appears, because she closes her eyes, turning back to the mural. opening her eyes to look at it, homura remains silent. there's a moment where she looks for madoka's name once more, and by the fifth name that comes up, she imagines it's a dead end. ]

No. That will be all.

[ and with a flip of her hair: ] Thank you.

[ she's turning to leave now, but the dramatic hair flip will probably remain in his mind for eternity. it will be seared into karkat's brain and possibly be the last thing he recalls when he dies. ]