Chara had rushed into the library with undignified speed, as she soared into the comfort of books, fireplaces, sofas and gigantic armchairs. It brought back nostalgic memories of being at home with mom, almost a decade ago, back to the fore of her mind, and it was a convenient way to re-center herself.
The roving bands of reporters also gave her nostalgia of a different sort, however, and as she saw that there was still some press buzzing around like fleas around crap, she took a shortcut onto the top of one of the bookshelves, put her feet up against the shelf, and pulled out a book. She had a bit more time before the competition began to restructure and prepare for the fracas. The thought of them kicking her out for sitting up at the top of the shelves briefly crossed her mind but…
what were they gonna do about it? Kill her? She was already a few days away from a very necessary respawn.
She opened the book with a blank expression, ‘theory of quantum entanglement on a macroversal scale’.
She wasn’t looking for any information in particular - It was something she’d read a long time ago, the theory explaining the basis that eventually developed into how she’d taken a shortcut to the top of the bookshelf, stepping out of space and time. No, it was the familiarity she was looking for, the passages speaking of how things connected, how the world changes and shifts depending on observational stimuli. The information was mathematic, devoid of emotion, and had a strict set of order and rules. It gave her a mental foothold to grasp onto while she quietly processed things, along her mind to wander onto
Idly, she wondered if she couldn’t get herself some change of clothes for the tournament. She’d take some syntech branding if she could get a decent enough wardrobe, and she had no interest in wandering around with the same blood-stained clothes day in and day out if she could help it. She’d definitely need to try to get some food in her, given it was a survival island, and she had already resolved that she was ordering the most expensive food possible while she was stuck here.
A thought crossed her mind, that she was fairly certain a DA competitor was generally going to be considered ‘old enough to drink’, even at just nineteen, and she allowed herself a small grin at the notion. For the next little while, Chara Dreemurr could sit back, relax, enjoy some creature comforts, take naps on the bookshelves, and ogle some of the attractive contestants that tended to come through Dante’s Abyss every single year.
And then, Chara Dreemurr would die, slowly and violently most likely, and that was just how life was going to go.
A slight tap on wood broke her out of the line of thought, and she looked down to see a very well-dressed reporter with a very cute cameragirl behind her.
Chara looked down to the two with her usual smile.
“Sorry, This bookshelf is occupied. I am afraid you will have to find your own, ma’am.”
The reporter crossed her arms, a hand glossing through her blonde hair as she stared up at her.
“I’m afraid I’m not here for a bookshelf, miss Chara Dreemurr. I’m here to talk to you. We’d like to ask you a few questions…”
“Well, unfortunately, I’m only really here for bookshelf-related queries. For Chara Dreemurr related queries, you’ll have to check with Gerry at-wait, are you guys live?”
“Of course. DA news travels fast, and we are here to give the people exactly what they want, which, right now, is to know what you want, Miss-”
Chara hopped down without a trace of grace, a bright smile across her features as she looked to the reporter. “So everyone can see this at home?”
“Sure thing. If you’d like to wave to the-” The reporter started to say, but Chara had already snatched the mic from her hands.
“I mostly want to leave, but that’s it’s own thing.” Chara replies to the reporter in a casual tone, before turning directly to the camera.
“Rei, it is going to be okay.” she immediately answered, putting up a hand to the reporter as she tried to talk over her, leaving her to gasp in a mixture of outrage and shock. Fresh meat to this grind, she’d guess. People that came to DA usually sucked to interview, so the surprise was likely genuine.
“I didn’t come here because I wanted to, but I will be alive afterwards. I can’t tell you how or why right now, but I will come find you. You need to go bunk at the hero college for now, alright?”
The Microphone wasn’t ripped from her hands, but the reporter did tilt it back towards her. “This is Grace Coultier, with Chara Dreemurr, excuse me, but what do you think your chances are in your first DA, especially with some seasoned vets rejoining-”
“Probably terrible.” Chara just clipped over in a loud voice, cutting her off as she took the microphone back. “You’ll need to pack up your clothes. Your underwear is still in the Dryer, The pie key is hidden underneath the chex at the top of the fridge, but I’m still expecting you to not eat them all at once, if the college won’t do it, go find Riza in Cevanti, she’s probably got somewhere safe, let her know-”
“Hey, give back the microphone!” Grace spat, her pink suit looking a little the worse for wear as she tried to grab the implement back, but Chara had spent a lot of time dodging bullets with just her wits and her legs, and the reporter was a lot slower than that, so she just continued on with a grin, dodging, weaving, and eventually watching the reporter get tangled up in her own legs and fall in a fairly embarrassing fashion.
“-that if she doesn’t help you, I’ll make it my mission after DA to make sure she never has a clock that accurately tells the time again, and she’ll never be on time to a single meeting ever again. Do not mess around and find out, miss Hawkeye.” Chara would offer with a grin, remembering the harsh woman from Cevanti with a chuckle. She really didn’t need to offer the threat, but it felt good to finally use it. Her mom had talked about the military a little, and Hawkeye was simply too good a soldier for tales of her not to spread. Reputations like that were hazardous to one’s peace of mind, at least with a girl like Chara reading up after a tense alliance during the siege.
“Okay, fine, I guess my interview’s ruined!” the reporter snapped, trying and failing to get to her feet. “Someone has to do this job even if you don’t like it, ya know!”
Chara took the opportunity to lean down, grabbing the woman by the waist as she effortlessly pulled the woman back on her feet, and handed her a handkerchief that came out of a hidden pocket in her sleeve. “And a sister has her own jobs as well.” she’d add, her tone changing as she looked the woman in the eye. “I apologize for teasing you, miss Coultier. It was rude of me.” she added, “I would love to make it up to you with a follow-up interview… perhaps after the Abyss has passed? I Have precious little time to work with.”
“Well… that is…” Grace stammered, clearly realizing this interview had gone completely of the rails.
“Then perhaps you would do me the honor of a date, before the domes close? A quiet evening with an enchanting woman to give me something to hold onto, before my time in the crossroads finally ends. Would you be willing to make my last day here something I can cherish, Miss Courtier?” Chara asks with a smoothness going through her tone.
“I… mean I’m on a schedule and I can’t, really…” Grace mumbles, and as her face softens, and a smile creeps past, not the plastic reporter, but of someone a little more... vulnerable, and at a glance, Chara can suddenly see this woman isn’t much older than she is. She wasn't being pushy just to be a jerk - this might have been her first big job, talking to people like this. She'd figured this was the best personality to arm herself with, and she'd went with it. And that meant Chara had absolutely gone after someone with no defense whatsoever with her teasing this time… which meant the least she could do was to pursue it earnestly.
“Well, if things work out in our favor, you’ll know where to find me, but if the answer is no… I guess now I’ll just have to survive the abyss.” Chara replies with a smile, before walking away with a grin. “Alright, catch me in a couple hours. I’ve got some things to work out before death comes. I’ll give you a real interview. Ciao for now!”
And like that, Chara was gone, slipping around the shelves before seemingly disappearing from existence, leaving Grace and her cameragirl alone.
Grace Courtier took a second, before patting off her sleeves, Giving a grunt before looking to the camera, taking a couple seconds before saying “...Err, that would be very unprofessional. I have no plans on dating a DA contestant at this time. Or… any other time.” The reporter quickly corrected. “Well, this has been an interview with Grace Courtier. We will be having an upcoming review following up on several burning questions for our newest DA contestant with a follow-up interview.”[/i]