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[competition]

DIALING...

You have reached RED.
Please leave a message after the tone.

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[competition]

... Huh? [ He doesn't mind talking it over on the bracelet, really. Though it's more that he doesn't get what she's insinuating. ]

[corona]

[ ok how does she put this UH ]

Well it was sort of a hard time for everyone. If this was difficult experience for you, it wouldn't be very thoughtful of me to talk to you about it all the way from here! [ COME ON RED YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE EXPERIENCED ONE ]

[competition]

[ Wow, he doesn't get anything you're saying, Rapunzel. He's being serious here!! He is experienced, but not on an emotional level. It's sad. ]

I don't think it was that bad...[ MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE IT'S OVER. ] But if you say so.

[ Okay, uh. ] Did you want to visit?

[glistens]

Yes please.

[competition]

Thor--paid, 103. [ He would go wherever she is, but he's having difficulties as of this moment. ]

[corona]

Ah... your... address? [ knowing him it could be anything ]

[competition]

[ Rapunzel, no. ] What else would it be...?

[glistens]

Never mind. Con...sider me there ten minutes ago!

[ Even if, in reality, it's something like twenty minutes before she arrives with her trademark satchel and basket of crap. ]

[competition]

All right. I'll wait for you in the front! [ Though it's more like he'll stumble and collapse his way to get the door if she were to ever knock or ring the bell...

A lot of trouble and sounds like he got caught in something. ]

[corona]

[ Yeah even if the delay weren't startling on its own that sound does its job of alarming her completely. ]

Red? [ She knocks again - hard, but gives up on the endeavor before she's even finished, working at the door instead. ] Red, can you answer me? Are you all right?

[competition]

I'm fine. [ HE'S GETTING THE DOOR. Too bad the way she's working at it is the opposite of how he's turning the knob thing... So now they're just awkwardly making each other's lives difficult trying to open the stupid thing.

Eventually, he lets it slide and it should open however she wants. ]

[corona]

[ Unfortunately the way she wants sends her stumbling forward through the entry with a high-pitched ] WAAH!

[competition]

[ All he really does is watch because he was waiting on the side here. Pikachu looks alert and startled from the loud arrival and jumped back a bit before noticing who this is. ]

Are you okay...? [ He'll close the door behind her now--if she notices, the pathway to other rooms seems like a mess. Mostly with fabric strips and things or the like. ]

[corona]

H-Huh? Am I— Red, no! No, forget that! [ Indeed, she's back on her feet and in his face after literally one second, hands fluttering about without ever truly landing anywhere. She doesn't want to touch him in case he's hurt and she doesn't want to seem unconcerned as though he isn't

After another unhelpful moment of this, she forces herself back to the same calm baseline she's nurtured all through the attack with a deep breath. ]

Mm. Okay. Tell me first what's— What... was that sound?

[competition]

... What sound? [ He tilts his head a bit and doesn't back away despite how she's invading his personal space to enthusiastically. Blinking a couple of times, he thinks that she needs something. ]

Let me get you some water. [ You know, there's bits of painkillers in water. That should totally help-- ]

[corona]

[ And when all else fails, to go completely still, straighten up, raise your head, and break out the Utterly Serious voice.

Which she does with impeccable grace and control despite the jarring suddenness. ]

Red, stop.

[competition]

...? [ He stops where he is like they were playing freeze tag or something while looking over to her from the kitchen counter. Now he merely waits for something else to be added... The silence is kind of unnerving only because he actually understands something important is about to be brought up.

DID SHE NOT WANT WATER?! ]

[corona]

[ YOU IN TROUBLE BOI ]

What. Happened.

[ Because clearly something did. Red's a bit blunt around the edges socially, but so is she, and he doesn't, she suspect, have a sour bone in his body. All this absurdity is more than a little eerie... ]

[competition]

[ Wow, he's a bit surprised as how different this is. In a way, it's a little out of place... The way she's approaching him about this--there's something about being worried, but something seemed off.

He didn't know if this was a gut feeling or if he was only imagining it, but he'll answer he question in mid-pour into the cup in his hand. ]

We were chased by a Taken. [ Yeah, that's basically it. ]

[glistens]

Taken? [ Rapunzel knows what he means but her nose wrinkles anyway, breaking the front in half for the moment that it takes her to work it out properly. ] Is that what they're calling them? [ She looks away and around then, tugging on her hair, putting the mask back on, searching for somewhere to sit... ]

I've never been here before. Who's "we"?

[competition]

[ There are some beanbag chairs and a couch you can lounge on. Either one you want... One of the beanbags are giant and are in the color of a Snorlax. Red only takes a drink and tries to remember where he heard it from... Was it a feed?

Was it just a given term...? He just remembered hearing it somewhere. ]

Yeah, I think so. [ A tentative nod, he might as rename them as shadows or something. ] Me, Lucas, and Pikachu.

[corona]

[ It's the disarray that's held her attention, really. Coming in here had been like wading through her closet after the flood.

Other than turning back to Red she doesn't move ]

Go on.

[competition]

It chased us and Darkrai came to our rescue. [ It's much more complicated with more stuff in it, but that's what happened! Red only gestures for her to take a seat on... The beanbag chair since the couch is also attacked by random fabric and stuff. He hasn't told anyone else that lived here about the project he was working on that caused this mess.

He'll toddle his way over with his mug of water too. ]

1/2

[corona]

But - what happened to you? [ Hesitation only keeps her about four seconds; she's never had the pleasure of sitting on a beanbag chair and it strikes her as very helpful to relieve stress.

So: she sits and plays with her hair and she watches. ]

[corona]

What's wrong Red? Something is. You're— I don't know maybe I'm just imagining things but—

... I'm - worried. And I've never been worried about you before. You're special.