[closed] [insert "three's company" theme]

[bloomcycle]

Date & Time: Backdated to Jan 3-4(?), after transport arrivals.
Location: UNIT #705
Characters: Utena Tenjou, Kanaya Maryam, Anthy Himemiya
Summary: Directly after Anthy shows up in Exsilium, Utena takes her to her assigned housing unit, where they will inevitably meet up with her present roommates.
Warnings: I don't see any need for warnings developing, but if anything less than standard goes down I'll update this.

[The whole way there, up to and including their arrival at Utena's apartment, Anthy shows no signs of being either surprised or impressed by her new surroundings. She's responsive to casual conversation, but is carefully keeping her demeanor in check. They're both a little drenched by the time they make it there, with the rain keeping its steady pace and Anthy sensing that her Rose Bride garment is inappropriate for this setting more and more with each step. Utena has given up her jacket, too, and must be feeling chilly by now for it.

They'll both need to change out of wet clothes, but all she's got in the suitcase Utena's carrying for her is her old uniform. As bad as the dress is, the uniform might be worse.]

What are your roommates like, Utena-sama? [Anthy sounds chipper when she asks this just as they close in on the front entrance.]

Comments

[revolutionized]

[Utena's unpleasantly cold by now. Her sweater is drenched through, her hair is listless and damp, making her bangs fall in front of her eyes, and when she removes her shoes before they step inside, her socks are even damp. She takes those off too, and then her cap, repressing the reflex to shiver. She doesn't want Anthy to feel bad about it, after all — she'd given her the jacket for a reason.

She can't quite stop herself from sneezing though, and gives Anthy a sheepish grin. The tips of her ears are about as pink as her hair.] Mm, there are two of them. One is a boy, I think...I haven't seen him much at all. And the other is Kanaya. She's er, she's nice!

[How to even start...] She gives pretty good advice...oh, I danced with her once when we went to France. Gee, Himemiya. You should've seen it. It was really nice there.

[A pause. Now to get to the root of the conversation.] But there's something about Kanaya you should know before you meet her. [Her voice has lowered by now, and she's moved a little closer to Anthy.]

[speakveryclearly]

[The current waifu of the apartment has gone out and come back some time earlier today. She's been compulsively straightening out some things around the apartment after coming back from meeting a friend of her own. Sigh. With the rain it has been yet another day for her standard outfit. Will it ever stop raining long enough for her to wear other dresses again? She's dried off by now, at least.

When she hears Utena at the door, breaking the dull silence that's begun to fall over the apartment with Kanaya alone there, she takes the opportunity to rush to the door. Perks of being an alien vampire in the tradition of Twilight: Besides drinking blood, she's FAST - able to zap around in almost a blur, though she's not going quite that fast right now. Talking as she approaches.]

Utena, are you back? Did you go out to see the new arrivals? I actually got a new worldmate today--

[And then she opens the door and oh, that looks suspiciously like a small dark and cute bishoujo with a bindi... Oh!! Kanaya literally brightens up as she makes the connection, and with one hand still on the doorknob she extends the other for shaking.] You must be Himemiya! I'm Kanaya, Utena's roommate. It's so wonderful you're here with us.

[bloomcycle]

[Anthy returns that sheepish grin with an apologetic smile, removing her shoes the same as Utena. It occurs to her that she'll have to remember to lift her dress up before stepping inside or else drag mud everywhere. The Rose Bride gown is a staple of dueling for a reason; she can't wait to be rid of it for a little while.

Silently she takes the information in: one is a boy, but isn't around often, and the other one's name is Kanaya and they danced in France once. She doesn't show it, but being new to this world is throwing her off a little bit. When Utena leans in like that Anthy's eyes widen as she leans in a little closer too, curious about just what it is she should know.

But just at that moment a very pale (extremely pale) young woman with horns opens the door and talks a blue streak, forcing Anthy to turn the trajectory of her gaze to the sight of her and blink twice, slowly. She doesn't want to show it, but this world is definitely throwing her off a little bit and now she's staring.

It's somewhat rude, but soon she rights her posture and extends her hand back to Kanaya. The hand-shaking that follows is only tentative to the extent that she's trying to adjust back into the flow of things as quickly as possible. They did mention something like this when they brought her in, about the possibilities of different worlds and thus different kinds of people (?), but it's the first time in her life she's seen someone who looks like Kanaya.]

Yes, that's me. I suppose Utena-sama has mentioned me before? [Politely smiling.] It's nice to meet you. I hope it won't be a burden for me to stay here.

[revolutionized]

[Utena is quietly grateful that Anthy is much politer than she is, that she so easily picks up the thread of Kanaya's conversation and runs with it after her initial shock. It makes things a little easier...but she feels a little bad, that she was not able to explain to Anthy properly beforehand. When there's an opening in the conversation, she takes the opportunity to jump in.]

-Ah, yeah! This is Himemiya, er, Anthy Himemiya. She just showed up today. I hope it's okay if she stays here for a little while, Kanaya.

[She rubs the back of her neck.] I'm sorry it's kinda sudden, but...

[speakveryclearly]

No, no, that's perfectly fine with me. If I had as good a friend as Himemiya is to you, I'd want them to cohabitate too - Utena has told me all about you. [She's walking backwards now so they can get through the free doorway, nattering all the while. Gosh, Utena's best friend! How fortunate for her!] Come on in, of course I'd like you to get settled as soon as possible. [She knows it's difficult - she feels lucky Anthy took her appearance so gracefully. Not everyone does.] With that boy not really creating much of a presence there's virtually a free room already anyway. [...though if she had as good a friend as Anthy she's not sure she would want a different room for them anyway.]

[Well out of the way now ready for all three of them to be indoors, she falls quiet for a bit - providing an opportunity for some edgewise words between the other two girls, maybe, she really doesn't want to get between them - before tilting her head and looking at Utena.] Oh, just one thing - I thought your last name was Tenjou?

[bloomcycle]

[A friend as good as Himemiya is to you -- it's incredibly minor, but Anthy flinches. She forces herself to move on, gathering her dripping dress up to step inside, but doesn't go too far once she's on the other side of the door. With her talent for making herself unseen, she all but disappears against the nearest wall in order to allow Utena to walk through after her.

It's obvious she doesn't want to make a mess with her impractical and now filthy Rose Bride gown. All the while she tries to keep one eye on Kanaya, not really able to resist looking at her a little more closely whenever she thinks she can chance it.

She throws Utena an amused glance when the alien-girl asks about her surname. Anthy peels off the jacket she's wearing and holds it out to its original owner. So far, she's proved that at least she'll be a quiet roommate.]

Utena-sama's last name is Tenjou, yes. [How helpful.]

[revolutionized]

[Utena heads in after Anthy, taking the offered coat with a faintly unamused look. She had not expected to have to answer questions about honorifics, and she looks even more disgruntled at Anthy's answer. She hadn't expected this to come up, and she definitely hadn't expected to explain to someone who wasn't Japanese. It had been a good long while since she'd been in a position to be embarrassed about the title Anthy insisted on giving her, and so her cheeks color slightly; she rubs the back of her neck in a self-conscious sort of way.]

My last name is Tenjou. What Himemiya is using is er, an honorific. It's kinda like a title...y'know, like Miss and Mr. in English. There's more to it than that, but that's the best way I know how to explain. Uh,sama...it roughly translates...

[Her voice has settled all the way down into an embarrassed mutter at this point.] It's like saying "lord" or "lady." It's a high title, and old fashioned, so most people don't use it unless they're joking nowadays. But Himemiya always calls me that.

[speakveryclearly]

[Kanaya spends some time silently thinking about this. Her main experience is the deutero-canonical memory of translating sempai as--wait, no, never mind, that was due to become a meme on the troll equivalent of Tumblr two whole years after Alternia's destruction. But... asymmetrical terms of reference are something she can understand influencing a close relationship (human heteronormativity cardionormativity is such a buzzkill) like Anthy and Utena have.]

I see, [She says diplomatically after at least seven entire silent seconds. Almost cosmopolitan, though in her experience the proper word is more like galactopolitan. With Utena's explanation, Kanaya doesn't want to trouble the girls about this topic anymore - she'll leave them be. Now that she's established that she does in fact see, she'll grope for a subject change.]

So what weapon are you using here, Himemiya.

[bloomcycle]

[Utena's disgruntled face and embarrassed explanation is nothing except entertaining to Anthy, who folds her hands at her lap in a reserved manner and smiles politely the whole way through. After the ball is dropped and lobbied, she shifts her eyes over to Kanaya to see how this information will be received.

Just what exactly is Kanaya? Well, there will be plenty of time to figure that out. She can't tell if the horned girl is confused or uncomfortable, but either way the ensuing subject change is decidedly more uncomfortable for Anthy. She blinks slowly, not moving from her spot against the wall.

A drop of water from her bangs splashes against the floor with a light plink.]

I'm not using one. [She gives Utena a side-glance, unsure about how much Kanaya knows about their life back in Ohtori.] Did Utena-sama explain anything about the duels to you? My role here is the same.

[revolutionized]

[Utena shakes her head and gives Anthy a puzzled look. She has a dim memory of being asked not to tell Akio about the duels, recalls Touga's warning not to bring them up to the general populace, and so Anthy's candidness surprises her, for a moment.

But then the moment of oddness passes, just as it had before, when she had wondered at Anthy's lack of glasses, the fact that her hair was no longer pinned up. It was just this place, she assumes. Anthy could afford to mention the duels and the Duelists because these were people they had never met, and would likely not see again upon their return to Ohtori.]

No, Himemiya. I figured...well, you told me not to mention it to Akio-san, and the Student Council's so secretive about it. It just never crossed my mind to mention it.

[A pause as she takes in Anthy's drenched clothing. She gives Kanaya an apologetic smile and moves past her, further into the apartment.] Ah, sorry. I've gotta find some dry towels for me and Himemiya. And oi, clean clothes...I'll let you two get to know each other!

[speakveryclearly]

I didn't find out too much about what it was like at your school, no... [She looks at Anthy intent now with Utena fully drawing her attention (and bright, bright yellow eyes - like her skin they glow in their own right) back to her, giving only a brief parting remark to Utena.] Okay! You'd know what she'd want better than I do of course.

[Himemiya Himemiya Himemiya... curiouser and curiouser. Kanaya folds her hands in her lap.] If there's anything much you need do let me know. I do most of the shopping here except for the food... Hmm. Oh, and - if you see a clown of my species wandering around at any time, don't be too worried - that's just Gamzee, think of him as my brother.

[She's trying to think of more things.] So you do want to tell me about these duels?

[bloomcycle]

[Utena still believes that Akio has nothing to do with the End of the World. Her memories of their time together are from an earlier point than Anthy would've expected and it's almost physically painful to listen to her talk about it so casually, though she does her very best to keep her face blank.

But her eyes follow Utena's figure disappearing off to fetch towels. It's bubbling up inside her again, the grief mixed with relief mixed with guilt, one too many emotions at a time for the Rose Bride to handle. She doesn't snap out of it until Kanaya addresses her again, turning her polite smile on like a light switch when her gaze finds the strange looking roommate once again.]

Ah, of course -- my apologies, I got caught up thinking about something -- it was a secret back at Ohtori, but I think it's alright to talk about here. [A pause as she tries to think of how, though. She'd never imagined herself being in this situation, and still being fresh to Exsilium and the weight of all that came with finding Utena here, she's a little off her game. She trails off for a second too long, the ensuing silence becoming awkward.]

...I'm sorry. Do you mind if I clean up first? This is all still such a shock.