Room 202, Tuesday afternoon

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo had been in Alluka's room before, so it wasn't like it was wholly unfamiliar. But after a mostly-sleepless night with little to do but worriedly look over at where Nanika sat on the floor and stare around the room, Ringo was coming to know every sparkly sticker on the walls as if she'd put them up herself.

The more time she had to dwell on what had happened yesterday, the more panicked she was getting. She didn't know enough about Nanika to be sure she was being at all helpful, but at the same time she didn't feel like she could leave the room. Nanika didn't seem like she could take care of herself, so Ringo didn't want to leave her alone. Unfortunately, being in the room only made it more and more clear that Ringo wasn't actually doing anything particularly useful.

"Do you want something to eat?" she asked hopefully. Except that Nanika didn't seem to be listening. Or if she was, she didn't think Ringo's question deserved a response.

What in the world was Ringo going to do about this?

[ooc: Door cracked open. Room and Alluka/Nanika modded with permission. Open for anyone who wants to wander by.]

Comments

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

Shiemi didn't usually bother her neighbor, even when she heard Ringo-sempai visiting. But this time when she'd heard Sempai's voice coming from the room next door, it hadn't sounded, well... it hadn't been very Ringo-sempai-sounding. Was there something wrong?

She tapped lightly on the door. "Excuse me? Hello?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo looked, and sounded, distracted as she glanced over her shoulder. "Shiemi?" Huh?

"Uh, what are you doing here?" Other than living on this floor, you mean, Ringo?

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"I heard your voice," Shiemi smiled at her. "I live next door. You never noticed?"

She looked at the other person in the room and gave a slight nodding bow. "I'm sorry for interrupting."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Oh, I think I knew that?" She was just, you know, distracted.

"Um, and you're not interrupting?" Exactly?

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

Shiemi turned back to Sempai. "It's okay! I just thought I would look in while you were here."

Uhm uhm... she fidgeted slightly, not sure how to ask if something was wrong when there was a stranger in the room.

"Would you or... guest-san, like something to drink? I have some fresh tea?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo smiled, relaxing slightly. "Actually, some tea would be lovely."

It was nice to talk to someone who could hold a conversation.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

Shiemi beamed at the acceptance and bowed quickly. "Be right back then!"

And she retreated back to her room, taking only a few minutes to gather the teapot and things and then she was back. She poked her head in her neighbor's door again, shifting it open a little with her hip as she stepped in. "Excuse me, again," she called softly.

"It's just a gentle blend," she apologized. "But if you prefer, I brought along some honey." And a fourth cup, even! In case neighbor-san came home!

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo laughed. "I'm sure it'll be just fine," she said, glancing over at Nanika who was still just kind of sitting there staring at nothing.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"Well, I like it. And don't worry; it's not medicinal," she teased. Shiemi set the things down and poured. "Uhm. And how would Guest-san like their tea?" She asked, and handed Ringo-sempai the first cup.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Well, if it helps me relax a little bit, it's probably fine," Ringo allowed as she took the cup and sipped lightly at it.

Then she glanced over at Nanika. "Would you like some tea?"

Nanika didn't even look over, and Ringo sighed. "I think she's okay for the moment."

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"Uhm. If... If you're sure." Shiemi watched the other person a moment and then poured a cup for herself. "Is... Is everything okay? Why would you need to relax?" Wasn't that what Sempai's ATs were for?

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo chuckled. "Yes, normally. But for the moment, I need to stay here with Nanika. I'm not sure how well she can look after herself."

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"Ah. Did she just move in? Is that why we haven't met?" Shiemi smiled at the girl and gave a bow. "Nice to meet you, Nanika-san. My name is Shiemi; I live next door. If you need anything, please come by and ask."

[soniaroadsqueen]

That brought a smile to Ringo's face. "Not, um, exactly."

"Have you met Alluka before?" Ringo asked. Given how much time Alluka spent in her room, Ringo wouldn't be surprised if Shiemi hadn't.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

Shiemi tapped her chin and considered. "Is that Neighbor-san's name?" She gave a general description of Alluka, explaining that she'd seen her in the halls and at school a few times. "I think she also came into the flower shop once but the thread got dropped I didn't get to help her."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"This is Alluka's room, yeah," Ringo agreed. "And Nanika is, um, sort of her sister?"

Maybe it was okay to describe things that way?

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"And she's here for a visit." Shiemi clapped excitedly. "Ah! So that's why you're worried. If Neigh... uhm, Alluka-san isn't here, then of course you have to look after her sister."

"I'm glad." Shiemi visibly relaxed and took a sip of her tea. "So it isn't a problem Sempai has, just a difficulty."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo blinked. Then laughed softly.

Sure, if you skipped over the part where Alluka couldn't come back while Nanika was around, and that Nanika couldn't (or at least wouldn't) leave until she'd granted the wish she'd been asked for, and that Ringo was the one who'd kicked it all off, well, if you skipped all that it was just a difficulty.

"That's an interesting way to put it," she decided sort of impressed and approving at the same time.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

Well when you explain a thing simply, you have to expect people to assume the thing is simple.

Shiemi drank her tea with a smile as Ringo laughed. "My grandmother once told me that. She said something difficult can always be made easy with help, but a problem is a problem until it's solved."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Yeah? I bet your grandmother has tons of wise old sayings like that."

Ringo didn't really have parents or grandparents herself, but TV had told her that that's what they were like.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"Not really. Grandmother had lots of stories but most of them were about flowers and plants and gardening," Shiemi confessed with a smiling shrug. "Or about girls who didn't eat all of their vegetables and ended up being chased to the moon by sad carrots."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo blinked. "Sad carrots?" She snorted. That sounded pretty ridiculous.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

Shiemi nodded, shaking a finger at Ringo-sempai. "They really want to be eaten, you see. It's their goal in life. Their whole job is to grow big and full of vitamins Then one day, if they're good enough and work hard, they may be picked and cooked into a delicious meal. When you don't eat them, you make them sad, disrespect all their hard work, and leave them unfulfilled as a vegetable."

[soniaroadsqueen]

It was hard not to snicker at that, but Ringo somehow managed to keep a mostly straight face. "That," she tried to sound solemn, "is a very sad story."

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"Well, I don't feel bad about eating carrots now?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Anything else she convinced you to eat with stories like that?"

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

Shiemi laughed. "Why? Are you a picky eater, Sempai?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo laughed. "Me? I'll eat just about anything, you know."

She grinned. "I mean, I'm sure there's some stuff I won't eat, but nothing major?"

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"So you just want to hear more stories about me so you can tease me, then?" She made a sad face. "Really, Sempai? That's just mean."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Oh no!" Ringo exclaimed, far too innocently to really be believed. "I mean, I just want to know more about my kohai!"

Uh huh.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"Oh no you don't," tsked Shiemi, catching that tone. "No more funny embarrassing stories from my past. Anyway you'll have enough embarrassing stories to tell when you start teaching me to skate."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Awwww." Ringo put on an exaggerated pout.

"A good kohai would give me plenty of ammunition for teasing."

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"There's not really a lot. I was too shy to do much more than stay at home and help in the garden." Shiemi laughed. "When you finish building my skates, I will tell you about the time I replanted the crabapples trying to grow them larger."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Ooooh, that one sounds fun." Ringo didn't really know anything about plants, so she could imagine all sorts of ways that could be fun.

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"You'll have to wait and see."

She looked back over at Nanika-san. "Do you skate, Nanika-san? Ringo-semapi is going to teach me."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Nanika didn't even look at Shiemi. Instead she turned to stare at Ringo. "Kathy," she demanded.

Ringo sighed. "Nanika doesn't, but Alluka's been learning. She's getting pretty good!"

[greenexorcist.livejournal.com]

"Oh. That's great. I'll have to ask her to help me too."

Shiemi hated to be rude but... She shifted a little closer to Ringo and lowered her voice. "Uhm. Is everything all right with Nanika-san? Should I make some medicine?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Well, I don't know Nanika that well," Ringo admitted. "But I think this is normal for her?"

She shook her head. "And you should definitely ask Alluka for some tips when you get a chance. I bet she'd love to help."