[X] Items
-[X] Your father's compass.
-[X]Family photo.
-[X]Turtle plushie.
-[X]Cut-out newspaper image of Anastasia.
-[X]Some of our favorite books.
-[X]Desk Clock
-[X]"Light" Dumbbells
[X] Knock and ask to enter.
Added a couple items. Punctuality, and since we already chose to be athletic, I thought it'd be funny to double down and make sure we're the swolest magical girl mech pilot in the base.
Only size. You had a medium-sized bag, (large briefcase or small roller, around that area) so anything you think could be fit in there along with the clothes, and would be taken with.
[X] Items
-[X] Your father's compass.
-[X] Family photo
-[X] Turtle plushie
-[X] Pin-up catalogue
-[X] Some sort of Anastasia-related memorabilia
[X] Knock and ask to enter.
[X] Items
-[X] Your father's compass.
-[X] Family photo
-[X] Turtle plushie
-[X] Pin-up catalogue
-[X]Some of our favorite books.
-[X] Some sort of Anastasia-related memorabilia
[X] Knock and ask to enter.
[X] Items
-[X] Your father's compass.
-[X] Family photo
-[X] Turtle plushie
-[X] Pin-up catalogue
-[X]Some of our favorite books.
-[X] Some sort of Anastasia-related memorabilia
[X] Knock and ask to enter.
Let's not enter without knocking. It'd be rather rude.
[X] Items
-[X] Family photo
-[X] Your favorite novel
-[X] Your second most precious stuffed animal (the most precious being arguably too large to take to what you assumed would be your quarters)
-[X] A very tasteful poster of Anastasia
[X]Knock and ask to enter
[X] Items
-[X] Your father's compass.
-[X] Family photo
-[X] Turtle plushie
-[X] Pin-up catalogue
-[X]Some of our favorite books.
-[X] Some sort of Anastasia-related memorabilia
[X] Knock and ask to enter.
So here's what we got for items, compiled from the various votes:
1 Father's Compass
1 Family Photo
1 Tutle Plushie (second favorite, most favorite was too big to fit)
1 Tasteful poster of Anastasia
1 Newspaper clipping of Anastasia
? Some favorite books (including Olivia)
1 Desk Clock
2 "Light" Dumbbells
1 Pin-up catalogue
Maybe I'll actually get an update out on subsequent days; first time that's happened in a while. Of course, as per the norm I won't lock voting just yet, as it'll be a bit yet before I can start writing things up, and there may be a last-second vote or two in the meantime.
Hesitantly, you knock on the door, figuring she should at least be awake by now. "Can I come in?"
At first there's no response, silence dragging on long enough that you're about to knock louder, when finally you hear a quiet "Yeah, sure."
Inside, you find that not only is Hatice awake, but she appears to have been for a while now. Her bed is neatly made, she's dressed in leggings and a white button-up shirt, her hair is combed to perfection, and the faint scent of shampoo lingers in the air. You also suspect you've discovered why her bags were so heavy - while you brought along a few favorite novels, she seems to have jammed a small library into the space, filling up the shelves two rows deep, and then stacking even more on top of the dresser. She's holding another thick tome open in her lap, which somehow looks even bigger than she is; if she looked small even with her big coat on, she seems downright fragile without it. Her gaze is wary as you enter and take all of this in.
"Ah, sorry, looks like I didn't need to check in on you after all. I thought you might still be getting up or something." You admit sheepishly, and then instantly wish you hadn't opened your mouth.
Hatice just shrugs, looking back down at her book. "Even though I hate all of this, I'll still try to make the best of it. No need to make a scene."
"Hate all of this? What do you mean?"
She sighs, looking up at the ceiling light and brushing a stray lock behind her ear. "This whole stupid thing. The barrier. The invasion. The fighting. All of it. I don't want to be here, Alexandra; I want to be home with my family. Maybe that's asking too much."
"I see." You're not sure you do, but you feel like there's something valid in her words. "Were... you forced to join?"
She grins humorlessly. "That's the worst part; I chose to enlist."
After that, she returns to reading, lifting the book up over her face to make it clear the conversation's over. You slip out as quietly as you can, unsure of what to make of the encounter. Well, at least she seems to be ready...
You stop by your room again to make sure you aren't forgetting anything important, and to toss yesterday's dirty clothes into a heap in the corner. (You'll have to ask about laundering later, you note.) On the bed is Mr. Shell, your second-favorite stuffed turtle, (Ms. Shell, your favorite, was too big to fit into your bag) while on top of the dresser you've put an alarm clock, your father's sailing compass, a newspaper clipping, and a framed photo of you and your parents. Over on the far end of the bed, you've got a half-dozen books, which suddenly seems embarassingly lonely compared to Hatice's trove. Still, among them are Olivia, which you've been working through slowly but already find strangely compelling, and War Of The Worlds, which is quite unlike anything you've read before, yet seems strangely fitting somehow. Your father also loaned you an old atlas from before the barrier, detailing distant lands you wonder if you'd ever get to see, as well as All Quiet On The Western Front, which you have yet to read; he made a cryptic comment about it giving you something to think about.
Finally, in slimmer paperbacks at the end of the row, you have the first three installments of the Symphonic Gears series, a more recent pulp publication from Barasson, about three singers using ancient technology to fight against hordes of horrifying creatures called the Noise. They're not subtle about being an allusion to the real-life conflict, but enjoyable regardless. A fourth one came out fairly recently, but by that point your efforts were mainly focused on the steps of enlisting, so you never got the chance to purchase it. You find yourself wondering if Hatice would like them, but... probably not, now that you think of it. Oh, well.
Hidden underneath all the books is a slim pin-up catalogue, that makes you blush whenever you're reminded of its existence. When you'd bought the first Symphonic Gears book, the elderly bookstore owner had mistaken you for a boy, and slipped it to you for free with a wink and a crooked smile. Looking at the women within always makes your heart race a bit, but you just put that down to being envious of their good looks. That's all, right?
And finally, up against the wall, you've put a recruitment poster you... appropriated... a couple years back. It was part of a series of five, three of the others depicting outlines of Victoria, and who you'd assumed to be Nasira (now confirmed) and Beatrice, while the last had a map of the valley, with the front marked out in red and a declaration to avenge Cauterets. The one you'd chosen, though, of course focused on Anastasia, your savior and inspiration.
Sitting down on the cot and staring at it, it suddenly sinks in how close you are to meeting her again. Grabbing the newspaper clipping off the nightstand, you hold it up to the poster, comparing the two. This was the only photograph you'd been able to find, taken from a newspaper released just after the turning point, before everyone (aside from Victoria, of course,) started seeking anonymity. Anastasia here looked so... vulnerable, in contrast to the heroic silhouette in red.
Your stomach growls, reminding you of the time, and you set the picture back down. Time to eat.
The mess hall is busier this time, dozens of unfamiliar women all coming to eat, and you unconsciously seek out familiar faces. Even Hatice surprisingly comes to sit with the rest of you, albeit with shoulders hunched as she focuses on her food. Yelena is seated across from you, while you find yourself once again acting as a buffer between Lynx and Elaine. Despite the overall din, an uncomfortable silence once again envelops your group.
While you're debating with yourself on how to break the ice, or even if you should, Hatice abruptly speaks up. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I was... I had other things on my mind, and was a bit rude to you all."
She once again leaves it at that, not even looking up from her tray, but the sentiment seems genuine. Yelena gives her a grin, Elaine nods, and Lynx looks to be restraining herself from leaping on the girl. You also smile in aknowledgement. "Well, hopefully we can get along from here."
After that, the silence seems a bit more comfortable. You focus on eating (The bacon is a bit overcooked) and occasionally glance up around you, and the many strangers around. You spot Devora nearby, looking a lot more cheerful than yesterday, and closer by, there's a couple of younger-looking women watching your group with clear interest.
Hmmm
> Talk to Devora. Yesterday was a tad awkward; maybe you can get on a better foot now. > Talk to the new girls. May take a bit, but at least you'll get to know a few more people. > Just finish eating. Don't want to miss that meeting, after all.
A proper graphic design person would probably be able to tell me in detail everything wrong with that poster, but I tried my best. ^_^;
