monika

[magichammer]

just monika

Comments

w1, friday

[magichammer]

[ wow, uh, that was, a lot? of triage??? Ulrika is just going to flop into a musty chair and stare at the ceiling ]

... Do you think that is going to keep happening every week too?

wow imagine if i actually hit post comment..........

[rerouter]

[That sure was a lot of triage! Monika joins her on another musty piece of furniture, sighing.]

... I guess so. I don't know if I'm happy everyone's so quick to get organized, or upset it's necessary at all.

gently pats kyuu....

[magichammer]

Sometimes you gotta risk it all to get ahead! I just hope it was worth it.

[rerouter]

[she furrows her brows.]

You think it could really be worth it, somehow?

[magichammer]

[ Albin whines and lays his hyena face down on his paws. yeah, he doesn't really seem to thrilled about this ]

I mean... maybe? We still don't really know what all of this is about, right? Or why it's happening?

w2, monday

[magichammer]

Hey Monika!

[ Ulrika is hanging out in the kitchen, pot bubbling away as she stirs whatever's in it. there's a small bowl of glass shards on the side counter too... ]

We definitely got lucky this week, huh?

[rerouter]

Hey, Ulrika.

[Smiling! She sniffs the air curiously, like, hello? What's cooking?]

I know, right? It's not a five star hotel, but this is so much nicer. I'm, like, totally shocked.

[magichammer]

[ it smells like

boiling water ]

I'm glad to finally have dried goods again. I had no idea how much I'd miss rice.

[rerouter]

... I guess that's true.

[She sighs, biting her lip. Pygmalion nudges her leg with his head, currently in the form of a fox.]

Do you have any theories? I keep thinking its related to the competition, but— is that way too simple?

[rerouter]

[H2O... Delicious.

Curiously, Monika will join her by the counter.]

Is that what you're making? Rice?

[magichammer]

Nope! It's pasta! I've had a craving for it since last week.

[ :sparkles: ]

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do for a sauce though... Have you seen the stuff growing here? They're kinda... different than what I'm used to.

[rerouter]

Oh! Even better, then.

[Maybe. She hums, nodding.]

Yeah... To be honest, they're a little different from what I know, too. [Alien veggies...] There aren't, like, any canned tomatoes or something?

[magichammer]

Ummm... I don't think I've seen any, lemme go che- whoops!

[ when she turns to to rummage through the cabinets again, she manages to whack the bowl of shards and triggers a memory ]

[rerouter]

[Uh. Well. That sure is a memory!]

... Oh, my gosh. What was his problem?

[magichammer]

Oh yeaaaaaaaah, I almost forgot how much of a jerk Raze was when he was going crazy.

[ the jerkiest of jerktowns ]

[rerouter]

You forgot? Is he not normally like that...?

[magichammer]

Yeah, he almost went totally nuts, but then he got better.

[rerouter]

Man... you sound so relaxed about it.

[magichammer]

Because it turned out fine! And it felt kinda silly to keep holding it over his head when... uh...

[ oh yeah ]

It was... kinda... me and Uyru's fault he was going crazy in the first place...?

[rerouter]

[... raises her eyebrows???]

What do you mean? What did you do?

[magichammer]

We didn't do anything on purpose!

[ that makes it all okay ]

But, uh, Uryu's a baby, so he doesn't always know how to control his powers...?

[rerouter]

Oh. So he didn't mean to... But what's Uryu, anyway? I haven't seen a creature like that before.

tuesday, week four.

[rerouter]

[... Well. Here's Monika, staring in vague horror as she walks right into a dead end while trying to avoid their ghostly friends. Unfortunate! Sure would be a shame if someone were to corner her here, wowie.]

[magichammer]

[ my, it sure would be! sure would be a tragedy if her only warning was the faint tapping of shoes against the stone floor, before suddenly, something traced its way up her spine. how terrible for poor Monika. ]

[rerouter]

[



yeah she's startling like a weak binch in a horror movie, letting out a squeak. hello??? she instantly turns around, wide eyed???]

[magichammer]

[ there's just a solid ghost cloaked in wine red, her masked face tilting at Monika's reaction. hm.

she steps forward aggressively, crowding into Monika's space, as she jabs a finger right into Monika's chest. ]

[rerouter]

[Oh.

Well.

This is happening!

She takes a single step back, as if on reflex — and that's it. Her expression smooths out as she takes a deep breath, and she lets this mystery ghost crowd her space and jab their finger into her chest as much as they want.

...

After a pause:]

Hi, Ulrika. It's you, isn't it?

[magichammer]

[ there's something about Monika's reaction that scratches at something in her brain, but she doesn't know what. out of lack of other options, she channels that irritation into the pool of hostility she already feels for the other girl, and, leaning back on one foot, rolls her eyes with her whole body.

yes, Monika. bravo. who else could it be? ]

[rerouter]

I see.

[If she's bothered by this reaction, she doesn't show it. Instead, she closes her eyes and nods to herself, humming.]

... Well, you caught me. What do you want to do now?

[magichammer]

[ Ulrika looks at Monika for a long moment, before leaning in to shove the other girl, hoping to elicit... some sort of reaction from her. if Monika opens her eyes, she'll fling her arms wide, angry and confused.

what now? one of them is alive, and the other is a ghost. Monika, what is there? ]

[rerouter]

[Monika is easily pushed, stumbling back a couple of steps as she opens her eyes. She watches her for a moment, as if waiting for something... but it apparently never comes, because now she's furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.]

... You're tangible, you know. You could punch me, or try to get even. I bet you could find a way to make my life hell if you wanted, too... I mean, I kind of assume you want reparations? You sent all those letters.

[magichammer]

[ ... she curls her hand into fist (or the closest approximation of one, given furry week) and

thumps herself in the chest, over her heart. she points at Monika, rubs her thumb and forefinger together, and spreads her hands again.

killing her. why, Monika? was it worth it? ]

[rerouter]

[...]

My friends are trapped in hell. A world that exposes innocent minds to a horrific reality and drives them insane. I couldn't save myself from that world. And I can't save them with my own strength, either.

[She shrugs, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. Her tail swishes behind her.]

... Does that justify what I did to you? Ahaha, not really! I won't ask for your forgiveness either because, isn't that just the height of arrogance...? Deliberately hurting someone and saying you're sorry after the fact? [So... was it worth it? She doesn't have a good answer.] By the way, everyone says— gosh, just say no! Like it's that easy. What if you just have to stay put and listen? The next thing you know, your choice is made.

[magichammer]

[ Ulrika crosses her arms, fist clenched, and leans forward, lips parting





and promptly explodes into Dust. ]

[rerouter]

[Hm.

Ma'am, did you try to say something you shouldn't? Monika looks at the cloud of dust in vague alarm.]

[magichammer]

[ #justghostthings

Ulrika reforms in a silent implosion, Dust merging together and reforming her, still gussied up and everything. how nice! though Ulrika seems unappreciative, given the way she looks down for a moment, before looking at Monika and angrily gesturing at herself.

this is what she's stuck as, now. Thanks, Monika. ]

[rerouter]

[Unfortunate!]

Ah... So that's how you all stuck around. You're dust.

[Oof... She watches her gesticulate, frowning.]

Ulrika, you can vent as much as you want. I can't and won't take that away from you. But what do you expect to get out of this conversation? Is there anything that would satisfy you...?

wanders back in a billion years late

[magichammer]

Uryu's a Mana! A baby Mana I hatched myself!

idk if Monika's dying tonight but if she is, i want her to know what's waiting for her in the gy

[magichammer]

[ funny enough, Monika's comment just riles Ulrika up even more. she gestures sharply, wildly - there's no point trying to decipher her movements.

and then she stops, visibly takes a deep breath, and slowly exhales. after a moment, Ulrika holds up her right hand, fingers splayed, and slowly curls it into a fist. she raises her left hand, palm open, and smacks it with her right. twice. ]

w7, friday

[magichammer]

[ you know, in a different world, a meeting under a flowering tree would surely be a sign of something deep and wonderful. but this tree is still a small sapling, and it flowers with strips of paper tied on its branches - unlucky fortunes offered up in hopes their owners might change their chances. so perhaps it's only fitting Ulrika's meeting with Monika here would also eschew the fables. ]

... How come you didn't answer my letter?

[rerouter]

... Huh?

[This is truly not the way she wanted to meet someone under a flowering tree, but here they are. Monika seems surprised at first, before the confusion sets in.]

But I'm sure I sent a reply. You didn't get it?

[magichammer]

Oh.

[ sometimes mail gets lost in the great Audience shuffle ]

Maybe Shamsiel dropped it...?

[ that completely took the wind out of her sails. this is awkward now... ]