Taking a slow breath, the redhead looked at herself in the mirror, soft hazel eyes looking back at her from behind a curtain of thick, dark lashes. She now wore a pair of simple jeans, socks, underwear, a plain white bra to match, and a plain gray T-shirt over that; Mualani was right-their sizes seemed to be almost identical. The pants rode low on her waist and that didn't seem to be the intent, and the shirt was just slightly baggy, but aside from that...
"Mh..." After thinking for a moment, she slowly rolled the bullets into her pocket,deciding to consider them later, yawning as she opened the door and limped out- still, her right foot ached, but that seemed to be the only thing that ailed her aside from a bone-deep fatigue.
"Alive AND gorgeous, I was right!! I hope you enjoyed your shower- do you like coffee?? I heard you yawning a lot, so I just finished prepping some coffee!!" Mualani hummed, proudly holding out a mug full of coffee,its color like that of a burnt caramel. "I added french vanilla cream, I know it's basic but that means it's the safest bet for stranger !! Want it?? If not I'll drink it, I won't be super sad or anything," She added, sounding half serious but with a pout in her voice. Raising an eyebrow, the ginger reached out and gingerly, no pun intended, took the mug.
"Thank you,Mualani." She spoke quietly, throat raw, and slowly, as the much tanner girl gestured for her to, sat on the couch, her host sitting beside her. "So..."
"So?? Did you remember something??" Mualani asked, tying her long, white hair up into a messy bun with haste, using a navy scrunch.
"No, I meant, so,um..." She trailed off again, though, unsure what she was trying to say- the silence just felt awkward, horribly so.
"So, we need to call you by something, right? But I was thinking that your name should be special, don't you? Rather than just throwing something at the wall... in the meantime, can I just call you red? I don't think you'll end up happy if we just make up some crappy name without any meaning !!" Mualani grinned, and she, the ginger, thought about it.
"I'll... I'll be Red for now, then, but, yeah, I want to think of a real name... Don't remember, anything, and I can't stay here, so..." Slowly, she raised the mug to her lips and sipped, eyes instinctively drifting closed, just a bit. Mualani watched, quiet, her own eyes narrowing, seeming to simply observe the way she, Red, drank. The taste was divine; warm, light, flavorful and yet bitter at once. "Mnf... you know how to make coffee..."
"Well, my roommate helps to run a local cat cafe and bar- you learn a thing or two when you live with a stand-in barista. So, who says you can't stay here, girly-pop?? I didn't say I was about to kick you out- and did you not see that we had an extra room?"
"I'll be honest Mualani- your roommate is right to an extent. You don't know me- or what- or who- I am. Having me around is a risk. Besides, the last thing I deserve is a place to rest my head at night." Sipping the coffee again, she sighed, straightening her back just a bit.
"Eh?" The tanned girl raised an eyebrow, angling her head, expression incredulous. "How in the hell do you say something like that so casually? Don't deserve a place to rest your head at night- are you sure you don't remember anything?" She leaned forward, and Red balked, shifting away, eyes wide. Seeing this, Mualani backed off, raising her hands in surrender. Didn't matter, Red had dropped the coffee on the ground, halfway stood up, her bare foot uncomfortably burning in the liquid, chest rising and falling rapidly. "H-Hey-Hey I'm sorry, I don't wanna hurt you, okay? I'm sorry if it looked like I was gonna hit you-"
"Sorry I dropped the coffee I have to go, I – don't have shoes do I- sorry I have to go I have to-"
"Red!! Snap out of it for a second, I'm not trying to hurt you, and I'm not mad about the mess !! I dunno what you've been through, but I don't wanna see you run out of here in a state like that, so will you please just wait?" She spoke warmly, but kept her hands in the air, a trace of desperation in her eyes, her voice. Nauseous, Red felt her stomach twisting in knots, guilt eating at her.
"You've got your hands up like I'm holding a gun in your own home- it's no good to have me here-"
"Breathe, Red,please," Mualani spoke again, keeping her hands up and smiling nervously- but that nervousness, it ate at her, wrenched her chest forward and back and around. "I don't wanna hurt you, I mean that. Will you pretty please just listen to me?" She angled her head tithe side slightly and down, as if to make herself seem even more small and harmless, and Red was stayed for a moment, taking a slow breath. Mualani continued, slow, voice gentle.
"You were badly hurt, and maybe your body remembers something that your mind doesn't- but I do not want to hurt you. If I did, I could have turned QiQi away. Or thrown you out while you were unconscious- or killed you in your sleep-" Shuddering as she said it, seemingly disgusted by the words. "I mean if I wanted to hurt you I have had EVERY chance- you even took medicine I gave you, though it was left by QiQi. You're being irrational, so please, take a deep breath, and trust me?" She smiled, albeit nervously, but even Red, in her terrified state,couldn't help but to notice that there was genuine hope, there.
"I'm, sorry,"Red began,
"No, it's okay, Swear it's okay, just breathe," Mualani continued, nodding softly."It's not hard to clean up the mess either, I'm gonna grab the cup," She hummed, and slowly took the mug up. Waving her hand, the coffee lifted itself off the floor, and from the carpet, every drop finding its way back into the cup as if the mess had never existed."I'm a vision holder, this is no big deal at all."
"Vision..."They were a stone, a sign that one of the elemental gods looked on you with favor, sharing with you a portion of their power. They'd become less common, now, as technology riddled the world with slovenly folk, but nonetheless, gods didn't grow old and die.
"Yeah- so, you're near a sort of prestigious college- I attend, I'm a second year. It's had a lot of really famous people graduate, so it also attracts a lot of vision holders; in fact, you'd think based on this town that just about everybody has one. Not everybody does, but at least half the people around here do. You know what they are obviously, right? There was one in your bed too, after all, so unless you stole it, which I doubt.."
"A vision, in the bed...?" Red asked as Mualani stood, walking to the kitchen and dumping out the coffee.
"Yeah- Red, would you like another cup of coffee? I brought the vision too, to hand to you, here," She added, putting something down on the counter."Please, just don't run off, I definitely don't want to let you go anywhere when you're in such a state. You're not trapped here, but I really, really just wanna be there for you, y'know? I have the power too, let me love you a little, new bestie."
"More coffee...?Yes please, I promise not to drop it again, I'm sorry,"
"No sorry's allowed friend," Mualani spoke more calmly now, levelly. "I understand what it's like to need help- well, I suppose I don't, but I helped another friend to recover from an accident that nearly killed them, once, and I know what it can do to your emotions. So even if I don't understand what you're feeling, I understand that it's not as simple as just telling you things are okay. I promise though, as long as I can control it at all, you're safe here, okay? We can talk about getting you a part time job to pay rent or something, if you don't have anywhere else to go. It's your choice."
"Mn..." Red walked forward and slowly picked the gem up, off of the counter,looking down at it. The gem was encased in some sort of burnished bronze, a small design like a dragon's claws hanging onto the gem itself, which gleamed in the light, a brilliant emerald color with a pattern etched into it, some sort of heart with thorns wrapped around it. When she picked it up, the thing shone brighter with a light that didn't exist, the gem seeming to belch up a candlelight from within, illuminating the shape of it warmly, clearly. "I don't remember if... I've always owned this, or if it's new,"
"Well, it could be new, because of whatever just happened to you, but it could easily be from years ago," Mualani replied lightly, smiling and starting to work the coffee machine, winking back at Red. "Before you say it by the way, my parents own this apartment, so Diona doesn't get a say in your having the third room or not, ESPECIALLY if you decide tostay and pay rent. I could even show you around the campus, who knows, maybe you'll wanna enroll! Getting in isn't too hard, it's only prestigious because of the graduates~ but, don't stress about it right now, okay?"
"Don't stress about it right now...?" Red angled her head, thinking- or rather,not thinking, but trying to. Her head felt foggy, that damned exhaustion returning.
"If you'd like to," Mualani hummed, beginning to stir creamer and something else into the coffee. "I'd like to sit down and watch a movie with you,or something. Surely it's okay to relax for just a day, and save any decision making for tomorrow, right?"
"We should, figure out,"
"Shhhhh, c'mere, Red, take this coffee, and let's watch a movie, okay? It's important to figure things out," Mualani agreed and smiled, very, very slowly handing over the mug. "-but let's be honest, you're in no state for decision making, and I think I wanna watch a movie with my new friend~"
"O-Okay," Red whispered, tears stinging at the backs of her eyes, and slowly turned on the balls of her feet, walking toward the couch.
"There there~ you got any idea what kinda movies you like?" Mualani smiled and sat down carefully at one end of the couch, and Red hesitated, then slowly sat at the other end, holding her coffee in one hand and the shiny emerald gem in the other, looking down, rubbing her thumb over it, looking at that thorny heart.
"I wonder if this is mine, really... I mean it has to be, but- eh, movies, sorry, Have no idea, I'm good with anything-"
"Physical injury can make it harder for you to focus enough to use powers- and I don't really want you to try in my apartment anyway," Mualani grinned lazily, turning on the TV. "Come on, for just a little while, rest your mind, won't you~? Let's watch some stupid funny movie and get some rest- I had a long day at work anyway. You haven't seen her yet,but Diona watched you this morning while I was there- and I am beat."
"So the roommate is an... assistant at a bar and cafe... what are you?" Red asked quietly, tucking her legs under her ass as she got more comfortable."For it to be exhausting-"
"I work as a sort of resource officer for the school as a part time job- basically they pay me to answer any and all questions for freshman during my time off, but I get paid like a few hundred dollars a month- it's not bad considering it means being pulled away to give tours and the like at odd hours," She added, laughing quietly and stretching, closing her eyes for a long moment. Red sipped her coffee, nodding quietly, and looked up as Mualani flipped on a movie, a random one, which opened on a scene involving an office building, a very short black man and a very tall, very jacked man who may have been Hawaiian?
"I didn't wanna make you choose a movie, so this is a really stupid one I like about a really confusing special agent, the beefy guy, who likes unicorns and cute things- and a civilian friend of his who peaked in high school and really doesn't want in one special agent drama," Mualani grinned, more naturally now, relaxing. "I know it's hard, but let's try and relax together, just for a while~ tonight, you can eat with us and sleep here. In the morning, I promise, we can start forming a plan for what to do with you, okay? For me, would you please?" When Red opened her mouth to reply, Mualani suddenly cut her off. "Heh,what I meant was- since I helped you recover, you owe me a favor. Cashing it in now!! Watch the movie with me, have dinner with me, and let's figure out a plan in the morning~"
"Fine fine, you devious woman," Red sighed, allowing herself to relax a bit, a wave of exhaustion crashing over her like the tide coming in- it was, after all, such an odd feeling. She tried to think of something to say, but came up short- not like she'd have had the easiest time talking about herself, huh? No questions came to mind, either... but seeing Mualani's easy quiet, it became apparent that nothing needed to be said, forth, and she slowly fell quiet, turning eyes up to the movie.
---
A couple of hours later and the movie ended, Mualani stood, stretching and yawning loudly, before grinning down at Red who sat there with her empty coffee mug still clutched in both hands carefully. "So, what did you think?"
"I think it was funny," Red mumbled, looking away awkwardly, shrugging.
"Feeling tired? Or maybe you're just not the movie kind of girl?" She asked gently, raising an eyebrow, but before Red could think of an answer, a knock came at the door, and Mualani spun off, walking to the entryway, and out of sight. "Who is it??" and then, a moment later, "-Hold on, I'll be right there!!"
"Psst, Red," Mualani whispered loudly, comically so, as she poked her head around the corner. "It's QiQi, she's come back with a new round of meds and to check up on you. You can trust her, she's the one who brought you here and she's also studying medical on the side of her normal lessons. She wants to keep the police out of this to avoid over complicating things for you while you're recovering, but that also means keeping you out of hospitals for now since they're required to report this sort of thing."
"Gotcha- thanks for the warning-" Red began, but Mualani was already gone, and a moment later she returned, smiling, with the girl who must have been QiQi. The new girl was pale as a ghost, with round, bright pink eyes and lilac-colored hair that spilled down her back in long waves, past her butt. Dressed modestly, she was demure and petite, the very picture of innocence in most regards- it was hard for Red to feel defensive, that being the case.
"Would you... um, my name is QiQi... would you like to, do this in bed, or on the couch...?" QiQi asked, then blinked rapidly as Mualani tousled her hair.
"Wording QiQi. But I'll head to bed for the night, I'm not hungry- Red you can help yourself to anything in the cabinets when you start to feel the need!! Enjoy the couch, guest room was the second door on the left down this hall, good nighttttt!!" She hummed, rapidly headed down the hall and throwing a wave over her shoulder. Once she had gone, there was a long moment of awkward silence, and then QiQi turned meek eyes to the redheaded woman.
"Do you have any wounds that need looked after...? I mostly came to check on you... and give you a few days worth of painkillers..." She stepped forward, gently proffering a pill bottle, which Red reached out and gently took, nodding.
"Thank you- I'm bruised up, but nothing broken, I think. I just feel so lethargic, it's like trying to swim through mud, being awake.."
"That makes, sense..." QiQi nodded, slowly sitting down beside Red on the couch. Her, Red's, eyes narrowed as she noticed the medical student sleeve ride up- her wrist was disconnected- jointed- ball- it was a ball joint?! "Oh..." QiQi looked down, at the joint and nodded. "I am not, a person, really... not like you, or Mualani..."
"Then-" Red swallowed. "I don't mean to be insensitive but what the hell are you...?"
"I suppose there is such a thing as over, sharing... but, if you want to know...?" QiQi angled her head, and Red nodded, trying to focus around the dull, throbbing headache in her temple. She'd taken painkillers three hours ago, she should wait a bit longer...
"Yeah, what are you? Sorry, if that's rude, but..."
"Not rude... the truth is, that I died, a long time ago... about thirty years..." QiQi sighed, looking down and away, a touch of something dark glimmering in the back of her mind. "Gods... can get drunk, too, y'know... and two of them were visiting the academy for some sort, of event... got very, drunk... I was a freshman, at the time, walking around the grounds... and a stray bullet hit me... in the head... gods can't be killed... the goal was pain... but I bled out in the grass..." QiQi shrugged.
"If you wanna stop," Red began, but was interrupted.
"I do not mind, so, only... stop me if you get uncomfortable... my body was damaged, bleeding, and unable to be saved... but I didn't want to die... I always wanted, to be a doctor... to save lives, and families... so go figure... I'd be one of the... girls I wanted to save, and die young..." Slowly, QiQi reached down and gripped the hem of her shirt, guiding it upward- Red politely averted her eyes as the girl stripped her torso, then glanced back with widening eyes as QiQi left herself fully topless. Thankfully, she wore a bra- she seemed so almost human- skin, flesh, but... her torso was disjointed and the center of it was only a ball joint, big enough for her to bend forward or back if needed, maybe even to form a corner out of her body, it was impossible to say.
"So, what happened...?" Red asked carefully, raising an eyebrow.
"Well... gods don't like hurting their reputations, so they... brought me back to life, as best they could..." QiQi sighed, slowly. "By transferring my conscious into an inanimate, body... and making sure... that this, doll... will repair itself, should it take any damage..." Sighing, she slowly began to pull her shirt over her head and on, again. "I'm trapped... but it's, okay... this way, I can save others the pain... I felt... so when I found you... half dead in the ice... I remembered, for a minute..." She trailed off, looking out the window, but, Red wasn't sure that she understood.
"Remembered what, QiQi...? Unless you don't wanna finish..."
"Isn't it obvious...? I remembered, the night that I died... even if it wasn't, the ice, it was so, so very cold..." QiQi whispered, looking down and slowly beginning to guide her shirt on again, down, covering herself. "That's why... I was so determined to save you, doesn't that make perfect sense...? I mean... it does to me..."
"Mn, you're such a doll," Red grinned, then covered her mouth, shaking her head. "My bad, my bad-"
"No. It was... funny, I think," QiQi hummed quietly, slowly rising to her feet. "I get it- I am, a doll... and you are calling me cute... I am glad that you have no pressing wounds... I will leave you to rest, then... unless there is anything else you need..."
"I mean, unless you can think of a better name for me than Red," the ginger snorted softly, shaking her head and stretching. QiQi paused, though, and seeing her thoughtful expression, Red faltered, angling her head, waiting a moment to see what the doll might say.
"Where I am from... there is an old tradition... I forgot it... but then I found it in books..." QiQi hummed softly, swallowing. "It says, that you have two names... your name at birth... and then the one that those close... to your heart, give you... It's not my... place to name you, but... maybe, Mualani...? Later... She seems to have... warmed up, to you... I wish, I was capable of, warmth..." QiQi looked down, quietly, and headed for the door, slowly. "Good night, nameless..."
"E-Eh- good night, QiQi, and thanks for, checking on me..." Red sighed, quietly, looking down.