2024-02-05: Tricks of Memory

• Log: 2024-02-05: Tricks of Memory
• Cast: Redi Hayworth, Yulie Ahtreide
• Where:
• Date: February 05, 2024
• Summary: <Summarize!>

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<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

It's been a day since Redi returned to Hilton, with her friends.

And after the reunion with her mother and her friend Clara, they got some rooms in one of the hotels. Redi spent that day, for the most part, sleeping. When she was up, she didn't say much. She has been on autopilot, by and large; she would get up to eat, mostly.

But now...

It's mid-morning. One of the rooms is a suite -- one common area, with a sofa, a desk, and some chairs. It made for a common gathering point. It is also a good place to sit down and relax. Then the door to the bedroom opens.

Redi steps out of the room. She is dressed down -- just a button-up white shirt and pants, no hat and no shoes -- and looks around, for a moment. Her expression is tired and withdrawn. She is quiet for a second, looking at Yulie.

"...Hi," she says, wih some effort.

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

A day has passed. Yulie hasn't strayed too far from the hotel - not without making sure there was someone to take her place. She's made a point of staying close by, though making sure to give Redi her space, too. Right now, she wants to make sure that someone's there for Redi.

That morning, Yulie is seated in the common area, nestled into the sofa with a book. It's quickly set aside, though, as she hears the bedroom door open and looks that way.

Redi's current state doesn't surprise her. It's... understandable, after everything that happened. But as Redi greets her, Yulie manages a small smile.

"Good morning." Yulie greets back. "...How are you feeling? Would you like something to eat? Or drink?"

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

Redi tries to smile back. It's an attempt, which is the most that can be said for it. The smile falters, flickers, and fades in short order. "Something to eat and drink would be good," she says, quietly.

She stretches her right arm out, and then she walks over a little closer -- and Redi hesitates for a second more.

"I'm... I'm not great." She laughs, a little. But it's more nervous and tired, than anything else. "...is it okay if I sit down? You... um... you stayed here?"

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Redi makes... an attempt. It's a little hard to watch.

"Okay." Yulie replies. Redi stretches and approaches - then hesitates. Yulie nods quietly as she says she's not great, her expression downcast for a moment. But when she asks her if she can sit down...

"Of course." Yulie assures her - then nods again. "Yes, I did. I didn't want to go too far..."

With that, Yulie stands up.

"Be right back!" Yulie says. She slips out the door and then, after a few minutes, returns with a glass of juice and a plate. Yulie made breakfast, earlier, and set some aside for Redi just in case she woke up hungry - bacon, eggs, and some pancakes.

She sets the plate and drink aside for her before returning to her seat.

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

"...thanks," Redi says, quietly. She seems taken aback -- she is taken aback, but in a good way. In the aftermath of everything, it was hard to not feel alone. Her mother's words ring in her ears if she as much as considers it.

But here was someone, waiting for her, to the point she didn't wander too far.

Redi nods, then she takes a seat. Some of her brown hair is hanging in front of her eyes, still, and it's messier than it usually is. She leans back and waits, while Yulie goes into the kitchen.

When she comes back, Redi's eyes widen. She underestimated how hungry she was. Redi eats a forkful of eggs, then takes a drink of her orange juice.

"This is really good," she says. It's quiet, but sincere. "I'm... I'm glad you stayed. I-I mean, not that I thought you wouldn't, but... still."

Then it's back to her pancakes.

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Redi thanks her, and Yulie replies with a nod. She looks taken aback... but, Yulie can't be too surprised. After everything... She's been through so much in such a short time. Too much.

Yulie returns and settles in, beaming as Redi quietly, but sincerely, compliments the food.

"I'm glad." She replies. She's glad she stayed... Yulie nods. "It's okay. I know what you mean."

She's quiet for a moment.

"...You're my friend. That hasn't changed. I care about you." Yulie says. That must be obvious by this point, given everything... but some things need to be said aloud.

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

Redi looks sideways at Yulie -- and she smiles after just a moment, and without forcing it like before. It is brief; but hearing that she is cared about, that nothing changed, means a lot right now.

"I'm lucky to have a friend like you," she says, with a smile.

She gets back to her food -- and she eats quickly. As it happens, she hadn't eat much before then. Redi was hungry and hungrier than she thought.

Once she finishes eating, she puts her fork down.

She is quiet for a second. She takes a second to gather her thoughts. "I... I keep thinking about what she said." Redi looks down again, breaking eye contact. "That... that maybe I'm not--not who I thought I was."

Her voice gets quiet. "It makes sense. I didn't remember some stuff right. Dates didn't add up right, in a weird way, sometimes. I-I couldn't remember anything about the attack, after--I never could..." She holds a hand up, a little ball of fire appearing.

"And I couldn't explain how I got to Aquvy," Redi says. "I thought I blacked out. But... but I think I--I must have absorbed her memories, a-after I--"

She puts a hand over her mouth again.

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Redi smiles - genuinely, now, and as brief as it is, Yulie's glad to see her smile again. She smiles back, as Redi remarks how lucky she is to have a friend like her. She's fine sitting in silence, letting her finish eating. And then...

Yulie looks toward Redi as her gaze falls - as she thinks back. ...She nods. In the end, she thinks she must have absorbed her memories, after...

"...It's okay. You don't have to say it." Yulie speaks up quickly. They both already know what it means - giving word, voice, to that feeling, now... it might only hurt an already strained heart.

She looks down at the floor.

"...It... didn't seem like they were lying, no." She admits. It would take an expert to fake that level of horror and fear.

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

Redi's hand lowers from her mouth and she nods. She doesn't have the heart to say it aloud. Even if she can't help but think it.

"They didn't," Redi says, her voice quiet.

"I'm..." She looks at Yulie. "...Is anything about me real, Yulie? Do I have any right to--to call myself Redi, to remember things from before? To--to bring people mail? I keep asking myself that."

She looks back down at her lap again. Her fingers curl, balling fists nervously.

"I liked that life," she says. "And without it, I'm..."

She can't finish that either.

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

They didn't. Yulie nods back - and then, she goes quiet. Redi is wrestling with... a lot of difficult questions. How much of her is real...? Does she have a right to call herself Redi? To her old life?

"...I don't know. I don't think... that's something I can say." Yulie admits quietly. She hesitates for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. "But, I think..."

Another beat.

"...You're the only 'Redi' I've known. You're alive, right now. You have friends. ...That has to mean something, I think." She says.

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

"I know," Redi says, when Yulie says she doesn't know -- that she can't say. "It's... it's not fair of me to ask you."

But, there's more that Yulie says, and Redi looks up -- her eyes widening a little bit. Then, she nods.

"It--it does," she says. Quieter at first. Then, she says it a little louder, "It does! I... I'm still all torn up inside. Knowing that I'm... wh-what I did."

Her voice almost breaks, there, and she takes a shaky breath before she starts crying again.

"I'm gonna be for awhile," she admits. "But... but I know you and everyone else came with me. You... you spoke up for me, when I couldn't. And--and, I--"

Redi looks at Yulie, then down at her hand. Redi's fingers uncurl, and she puts her own hand at her side, instead of digging her fingernails into her palm. "When I was feeling lost, you were the one who took my hand, Yulie."

Redi is quiet for just a moment. "It means a lot."

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

"...It's okay." Yulie assures with a shake of her head. She can hardly blame for for feeling lost and looking for answers - right now, especially.

But her words... they seem to get Redi's attention.

"I think... that's natural." Yulie as says, as Redi says she's torn up inside and will be for a while. But everyone came with her, and spoke up for her.

...And when she was feeling lost, Yulie took her hand.

"I'd do it again, even now. I don't regret it." Yulie replies. "And again... as many times as you need."

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

"Probably so," Redi admits, with a brief smile. Most people would probably feel lost -- and worse -- if they were in this sitation.

She smiles more, though, when Yulie says she would take her hand. Again. As much as she needs. Redi hesitates for a second, before she reaches out with her hand, taking Yulie's.

"Yulie... thanks," she says, with a smile. "I... I probably will need it."

She smiles a little more, then looks down. "...I think I'll need a few days," she admits. "I'm still... yeah. But... but when it's time to leave, I want to go with you and Hicalu. If... if that's okay."

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Redi reaches out and Yulie accepts it, grasping with a gentle squeeze to reassure that she's there.

"You're welcome." She replies, with a smile of her own... and then, a nod.

"Take all the time you need." She assures - and then, nods. "Of course! That's more than okay."

She pauses and laughs, just a little, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, I guess I shouldn't speak for Hicalu... but I'm sure he'd say the same thing. He must've been worried sick about you, too..." She says.

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

Redi squeezes her hand back. It's comforting, and right now, she could use that comfort. Besides, if someone is willing to hold her hand...

It makes her feel like a person. That felt in question.

"Thanks," she says. It might be the dozenth time she has, but she feels grateful.

She smiles back at Yulie, then. "Y-Yeah," she says. "I know... I'll need to go talk to him, too. When... when I feel a bit more like..." She was about to say 'me.' She looks distant for a momet, then says, "One thing at a time."

She falls quiet, for a moment, then -- and Redi tilts her head. "I worried you, too, didn't I?"

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Redi thanks her, and Yulie nods. She doesn't mind if it's one dozen, or one thousand. She smiles when Redi says she'll need to talk to Hicalu too.

"One thing at a time. You shouldn't rush yourself." She agrees.

Redi asks if she worried her... Yulie hesitates for a second, and then nods.

"...You did." She admits. "I was... really scared for you."

<Pose Tracker> Redi Hayworth has posed.

"Yeah... yeah, I know," Redi says, keeping her voice quiet.

She falls quiet, though, for a second when Yulie admits she was scared. There's a moment where Redi's breath catches. Then, she rests her other hand atop Yulie's.

"I'm..."

'Sorry' isn't right.

"I don't want to say I'll be okay," she says. "I'm not sure yet. But... I'm not going anywhere, either. You won't lose me."

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Redi rests her other hand atop her own. She starts, but stops herself, then continues.

Yulie nods. Yes... it'd be hard to be okay, after everything. But... she says she's not going anywhere. She won't lose her.

Yulie smiles.

"I'm... really glad to hear that."