CICONIA: WHEN THEY CRY

[insinning]

It's a holy night. Silent night.

All is calm.

Everything is b r i g h t.

Comments

[insinning]

[Sinclair wasn't sure he was expecting this. Especially since Oria looks surprised too]

Um...is it meant to look like this?

[Sinclair isn't the tidiest person ever, but he does try to make sure things have their place and out of the way (he doesn't have much to begin with). But this is...]

[dissimulative]

No...? I don't think so? Damn, it looks like a hurricane ripped through the room.

[ Oria steps inside. Clothes are flung everywhere to the point that the floor is impossible to see, miscellaneous things stacked on the computer desk chair, the shelves with a lot of things knocked over inside them... it's a lot as if a burglar came.

Well, at least the bed is pristine and well made. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair automatically picks up the clothes along the way]

Someone must have been looking for something here.

[dissimulative]

To the point they flung all my clothes out of the closet? What an inefficient burglar...

[ However, Oria is curious. There doesn't seem to be dust, which means his mother hired servants to do their job, but they just left it like this? Aria's room was much better and it was supposed to have been untouched. He's not dead, so his room should have been actively cleaned.

He frowns and looks up to see Sinclair picking up the clothes. ]

Emil, you don't need to do that...

[insinning]

Huh? Oh. Sorry.

[Instincts from countless cleaning punishments had kicked in. He sets the clothes aside carefully but there's so much...]

It really is weird though.

[dissimulative]

... Yeah.

[ Unfortunately, Oria can't think of a reason why it would be like this. ]

It's not much otherwise, but welcome to my room in this house, I guess.

[ It's just a mess. Nothing in particular stands out otherwise. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair frowns a tiny bit. It was strange seeing this mess here. Like... no one actually used this room, not even once. He takes Oria's hand]

Thanks for showing me. [ but now he has more questions] Is there really nothing you want to take back with you?

[dissimulative]

[ Well... Oria did use it when he was forced to live here. It can't be a guest room, but it doesn't feel like the room belongs to anyone either. ]

No, I already took everything I wanted a long time ago. If there's something you wanna say, just say it.

[ He can tell that Sinclair is brimming with curiosity. ]

[insinning]

It's just weird, what's happened to your room.

[An anomaly, glitch in the system etc]

It's like someone was searching for something...or was planning a big spring clean.

[dissimulative]

Weird to try looking in a room whose owner left years ago. What important thing would I have left behind? Nothing.

[ He's a little offended that they think he's that stupid. ]

Anyway, let's—

[ The sound of the door opens.

"Oria?"

Oria stays still. That sure is his mother. ]

[insinning]

[Ah. Sinclair squeezes Oria's hand. He hadn't even noticed any footsteps approaching]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria's hand doesn't respond right away to Sinclair's squeeze, but does like a delayed reaction time. He can hear footsteps coming up the stairs. ]

There's only one set of stairs... I guess we can't escape without getting noticed.

[ tch. ]

[insinning]

[ He glances out the window. Too bad they don't have gauntlets]

...um. Should I be in front?

[What is this family relationship]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria follows Sinclair's glance towards the window. They don't have gauntlets but they have Oria, which might be good enough. ]

No. I'll catch you, so I'll go ahead first.

[ Is this the world where Oria still does in-line skate parkour? Kinda. Either way, he puts his foot on the windowsill, ready to jump from the high second floor— ]

[insinning]

...!

[Sinclair reaches over to try and pull Oria back]

Oria! There's no way you can break my fall--

[parkour king or not, no???]

1/2

[dissimulative]

[ Oria looks at Sinclair, a little exasperated. ]

Emil, I probably weigh more than you do.

[ lol. lmao. ]

[dissimulative]

I can catch you. Don't worry... so, let go.

[ let it go

let it gooooooo ]

[insinning]

If... you're sure you can make that jump.

[ mentally screaming. common sense vs faith in Oria at war]

[dissimulative]

I am!

[ The only reason why he hasn't left yet is because Sinclair has a hold on him. He wouldn't be surprised if his mother heard them through the door. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair lets go and glances over his shoulder. Go Oria, go!]

...okay. I really don't want to see you in the hospital again.

[dissimulative]

Yeah, I don't wanna see anyone in the hospital again either.

[ Anyway, he holds onto the windowsill and dangles for a moment, then kicking off the wall to land properly. Ta-da.

Oria's mother, Kaleria, opens the door to Oria's room, seeing Oria jump out and Sinclair standing there. Her shoulder length and slightly wavy white hair and her outfit makes her look like a regal noblewoman—absolutely elegant. However, her gold eye with the other being covered by a medical gauze eyepatch looks quite sharp when she looks at Sinclair. She doesn't say anything, but she sure is staring Sinclair down despite being shorter. This is the woman who gives off a silent yet deadly pressure and the person Oria doesn't quite like. The vibes are pretty suffocating.

"Have you spoken to her yet?"

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓

Static interrupts Sinclair's senses for a moment. ]

Jump!

[ Meanwhile, Oria is at the bottom, waiting to catch Sinclair. ]

[insinning]

...her?

[ Sinclair flinches as static overwhelms him and he steps back towards the window. He knows Oria is telling him to jump, but his head his pounding. A familiar sinister laugh rattles in his head.

Projection K...]

Who are you? What are you talking about?

[dissimulative]

[ "I'm Kaleria Ostrovsky-Severine, though I am aware that you may know me as Oria's overbearing mother."

She's self-aware, but continues to do her thing, unfortunately. There's a small smile on her face, but none of the positive words fit it despite looking like such.

"I'm sure you know the answer to that question, Emil Sinclair." ]

Emil?! Hurry!

[insinning]

...I don't.

[OS... Sinclair has a feeling he knows what that stands for. But he can't accept it. Because it implies so many things. He takes another step back, anxiety warring with bitter frustrations]

I don't have a good memory, you see.

[Fractured like a broken mirror, pieces almost impossible to put together again. He turns to face Oria, meets his gaze for a short moment and jumps,because he understands now why Oria wanted to just run.]

[dissimulative]

[ Kaleria watches Sinclair jump and walks over to the window. Meanwhile, Oria catches Sinclair and miraculously doesn't fall over, because he readied a position to do so, putting his foot to the back for balance.

He wants to run. He sees his mother at the window, but he still wants to run despite knowing how she won't chase them. He puts Sinclair down on his feet, holds his hand, and runs away. Don't look back. Don't look back— ]