voice; un: spiderlily

[higanbana]

WHO: Ris and whoever would like to take pity offer help!
WHERE: Blue Fish Park and the hospital
WHEN: Morning, February 4
WHAT: Ris has woken up feeling a bit... under the weather.
WARNINGS: Health scares specifically related to eyesight, vaguely-gaslighting-adjacent questioning of sanity


U-um. Is this thing on? ...I think it's working. Ah... hello, everyone!

[The voice coming through the speaker is... cheerful, but in a way that sounds fake. Like it's trying too hard, like the edges are just clipped enough to sound wrong.]

So, um, I... have a bit of a predicament, I guess. I woke up today with... with something weird going on, but Dad's acting like I'm crazy? S-so, um, he wants me to come see him at the hospital so he can check me for a concussion.

[There's a little catch in the way she pauses for breath.]

N-not that I couldn't get an Uber or something! But... um... if anyone's free... if anyone... you know, just happens to be near Blue Fish Park...

Would someone be willing to come with me? I'd really... really appreciate it.

[She pauses again, before ending the transmission with one last thought. This time, there's no attempt to hide her vulnerability; her voice is shaking and small and desperate.]

...I really don't want to be alone right now.

Comments

[higanbana]

[...This guy is way too nice. Still, she's grateful.

She swallows, and while she's given up trying to sound as chirpy as she was, she's definitely trying to make herself sound... you know, less like someone who's been crying.]

Okay. I'll be at the entrance of the park closest to [street name here]. Long blonde hair, pink sweater.

Thank you so much.

[kokaiwanai]

Okay, I'll see you soon. Do you want me to keep talking while I'm on my way there?

[higanbana]

No, it's okay... I need to actually get ready to head out still. Just knowing someone's going to be there is a big help.

[...All right, maybe it's also that she's stubborn and feels strange even asking for this much help. Asking for him to stay on the line would be too much, she thinks.]

I'll see you soon.

[She'll drop the call, then, taking a deep breath before convincing herself to move off of her frozen bed and put on real pants to tackle the outside world.

True to her word, she'll be at the gate when Kakyoin shows up.]

[kokaiwanai]

Okay, if you're sure.

[And with that, he shuts up and continues on to the park. He lifts a hand in greeting when he spots Ris.]

Hey.

[higanbana]

[Ris definitely looks distracted when Kakyoin shows up, but jolts to attention when she notices him, raising a hand in greeting as well.]

Hi there.

[Since he hasn't seen her in person before, he might note that she's... actually kind of tiny. She doesn't even break five feet, and looks like a strong breeze might topple her. Given how she talks on the app, it would maybe even be kind of funny noting the difference if not for... well... the context of why he's here.

As for that, nothing really looks immediately wrong on the outset... aside from her eyes. The left one is a blood red, definitely not a color that eyes should ever be coming in, and the right one is so clouded over it may as well be white.]

Thank you for coming. Really. I don't know what I would have done if I had to make it over there by myself...

[It's faint, but she's definitely shaking a little.]

[kokaiwanai]

Hey there.

[Once he gets close enough to see her eyes, he frowns faintly, but doesn't comment on it.]

You're welcome. Nothing like a little company to make a rough time a little easier, right? [He pauses before tentatively setting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently--it's meant to be a little reassurance, but... it's a little awkward on his part, especially since they've only talked on the app up until this point...] ... Tenmei Kakyoin, by the way. Since I never actually introduced myself.

[higanbana]

[It's awkward for sure, but honestly mostly because Ris looks... completely baffled by the gesture. It doesn't seem like it's because it's weird of him to do after such little interaction... it's more like she's just never experienced anything like that before.

So while she was already out of it due to everything else that's happening to her, she's definitely a little flustered on top of it, now. Good job, Kakyoin!(?)]

Y-yes. You're certainly right about that. [...Ahem.] Ris Bancroft. A pleasure... or it would be, in better circumstances.

[She continues, a bit awkwardly:] Would you mind leading the way? I can explain what's going on as we walk, if you like, but my depth perception is... a bit off at the moment.

[Which was in fact not why she asked for help, but is doubling down that asking for help was in fact the right move.]

[kokaiwanai]

[Whoops! He clears his throat a bit awkwardly, then he nods.]

I wouldn't mind, at all. Let's get going, then. [He pauses, then adds--] I won't ask you to explain more than you're comfortable with sharing.

[higanbana]

[Ris nods, and waits for him to start moving before following, keeping close pace with him. ...As close as she can, anyway. She is short with short legs, and Kakyoin is a JoJo, so this is going to prove at least a LITTLE bit of a struggle for her. At any rate, she starts talking.]

No, it's okay.

Basically... you know how your hair turned red? Well, I woke up this morning and my eyes turned red.

[Which Kakyoin may recognize as a problem, as one of her eyes is distinctly not red.]

Which would be weird enough on its own, right? It's not like this color is the easiest to match, you know that. But... the problem is that I can't see anything out of my right eye.

[Closer inspection of said eye will reveal that it's not a different color, per se, it's just... clouded over.]

[kokaiwanai]

[Oh, right, he should-- he should slow down a bit so she can keep up a bit better.

And... yeah, the fact that one of Ris's eyes isn't red--or doesn't look it, at least--stands out.]

Definitely weird enough on its own... So besides the color change, you developed a cataract in one eye overnight.

[higanbana]

[Thank you, Kakyoin. It is much appreciated.]

Yeah. So, naturally, I immediately flip out, and I didn't know what else to do so I called my dad. He's a surgeon in the hospital, and while he doesn't specialize in eyes or anything, I figured he'd at least know where I need to go for help, right?

...Except he says I've always had this cataract. That I was born with it, and that operating isn't going to help.

[kokaiwanai]

What the hell...? But that definitely couldn't have been the case before.

[Kakyoin swallows, frowning.]

It's one thing for other people to just not apparently notice a change in hair or eye color, [Tugging at his own hair for emphasis] but this is... disturbing.

[Reality isn't supposed to be able to retcon itself.]

[higanbana]

Yeah. That's how I felt, too. [She gives a weak little laugh.] Kind of wondered if maybe I was the one going crazy, like he acted like I was. But if you remember, too, then that's at least a point in my favor.

[kokaiwanai]

You're definitely not going crazy. There's no way.

[... But this sets an alarming precedent.]

... But jeez, something like this on top of suddenly having that cataract... that's awful.