[ INBOX ] (Holly Heights Edition)

[queenofminiskirts]

((This is an IC inbox for Holly Heights. If you're looking for the inbox for Cerealia it's here.))

Holly Heights

House #: 1436

Name
Akashi Kaoru
Canon
Zettai Karen Children

Game: hollyheightsJournal:queenofminiskirts

Family
Father: Name ([Unknown site tag])
Father: Name ([Unknown site tag])
Sibling: Name ([Unknown site tag])

Comments

[queenofminiskirts]

[The warning came a bit too late and Kaoru was watching the first gory scene first without more sleepy confusion than anything until it really sets in that even though she doesn't know that first man, she had seen his name in passing when browsing her contacts list.

She sucked in a breath as she realized with sinking horror that this might be real and her hands balled into fists beside her.

Kaoru was no stranger to death and murder, or at least she thought so with the amount of criminals they dealt with and all those murder cases Shiho helped with. She was wrong clearly, because she'd never seen anything like this and it made her feel sick.

It wasn't so much a matter of not wanting to look away so much as being unable to at this point. ]

Wh-what is...who would--?

[rosescape]

[ No matter how many things she's seen before, nothing prepares her for Yozora's. Anna inhales sharply, then bites her lip as she keeps her head straight.

Watch, she tells herself, don't look away. Her hands fall and clutch the fabric of her dress, fingers curling into fists. She remains quiet, even as the name of the victims flash onscreen and there's another familiar name--

Balfour. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

[Kaoru was frozen for a moment after she read the name. She must have read it wrong, right? That can't possibly...this had to be some kind of joke!

If Anna hadn't been hear, Kaoru probably would have yelled. Or maybe thrown up. She's not entirely sure which. But she's always been good at being strong for someone else and she's supposed to be the big sister here. She took a steadying breath.]

...I'll find him. He's...it's not for certain. [She squares her shoulder and turns to Anna, feeling more steady as she talked, more sure.] There's probably still time to find him.

[rosescape]

[ She turns away from the television to look at Kaoru. Not saying anything, she simply shakes her head. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

[She purses her lips.]

Anna-cahn, I'll definitely find him! I promise. [She was supposed to be the strongest esper alive (nevermind that she technically had no powers here) what good was that if she couldn't protect anyone?

She's also about five seconds away from just leaving the house in her sleep clothes to go search for Balfour.]

[rosescape]

[ There's something about Kaoru's willingness to take action even in the face of despair that moves Anna. She stops shaking her head and blinks, looking at Kaoru. It's now or never. ]

...I, can find him.

[ And then she turns, running back into their shared room. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

...you can?

[That...she hadn't expected, but Kaoru follows after Anna anyway.]

How?

[rosescape]

[ She doesn't answer as she heads straight for the table where her marbles -- two broken -- are. Anna picks one up and holds it to her eye, focusing into it.

Only to suddenly let go of the marble ten seconds later, a surprise expression flitting over her face. She blinks, wide-eyed, watching the marble roll on the ground. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

[And even though Kaoru wants to ask again she doesn't. Whatever Ann was doing, she seemed to be concentrating so she'll just...let her concentrate, while trying not to feel too restless.

Then the marble fell.]

Anna-chan? What is it?

[rosescape]

[ After a few seconds, she shakes her head, bending down to pick up the fallen marble. ]

I can't... [ There's just the slightest trace of emotions in her voice now. ]

Sorry this is so late.

[queenofminiskirts]

Anna-chan...

[She walks over to put a hand on Anna's shoulder.]

What's wrong?

I'm even later?!

[rosescape]

[ Head lowered, eyes focused on nothing on the ground, fingers grasping onto the hems of her own skirt and in a voice barely a whisper: ]

I can't find them.

We can be late buddies. /fistbump?

[queenofminiskirts]

[Kaoru wasn't the brightest, she knew this for a fact, but she wasn't stupid. The fact that she came from a world where psychic powers existed helped, in this case.

Her eyes flickered briefly to the marbles and, even though she wanted to find Balfour right now she didn't want to just leave Anna like this.]

Should you have been able to find them? [Pause.] Is that...do you have a power like that?

/fistbumps!!

[rosescape]

[ Anna remains silent for a few more seconds, before she nods, eyes drawn to the floor. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

[She doesn't ask what it means if Anna can't find them. In the context it wasn't hard to guess.

For a moment, even though the two are nothing alike (except in hair colour), Kaoru is reminded of Shiho and of when their previous supervisor showed her colours.

It felt like she'd failed even if she hadn't known. (Because she should have.)

But even if Anna didn't remind her of Shiho, she would still have reached out to pull the younger girl into a hug. Because she was supposed to tbe the older sister here...and probably because this was how she's always been.]

They'll be back.

[After all, that's what happened here, right?]

[rosescape]

[ She lets herself be drawn into that hug. Fingers, trembling, rise to grip at Kaoru's clothes. Anna doesn't cry. She won't let herself cry. Back home, after so much trying, she'd found Tatara's murderer. Maybe here, with her abilities back, she could do the same.

Closing her eyes, Anna rests her head against Kaoru and nods. ]

[queenofminiskirts]

[Her arms tighten.
Being a Level 7 esper meant that Kaoru couldn't be read by fellows espers (when she had her powers anyway), but when that wasn't the case, Kaoru's thoughts tended to be loud and easy to be read by accident.

Right now, one thought burned in her mind, bright and clear:

I'll protect you.]