One very slow, cold, careful trek across the ice later, Atsuko and those she awoke with found themselves among a larger group of people. 14 total, it seemed. And as they approached, Atsuko squinted just to make sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her… And when they had finally joined the others, her suspicions were confirmed.
Sure, there was a robot. Whatever. That wasn’t important.
Everyone else in the other groups were wearing jackets. Huge… warm… jackets.
Atsuko clasped one hand tight around her scarf, and the other around the strap of her bag. Yes, Atsuko was dressed for the cold. She was dressed for the Hokkaido cold. Not the vast nightmarish icy hellscape they were in. She had to bite back a scream of frustration at the sight, wondering if they got them from somewhere or if they all just knew they would be about to freeze to death, so they better have dressed appropriately.
And so she did not speak up for quite some time, as she simmered in her anger. That would make her warmer, surely. And she allowed the others to figure out how to open the door that would lead to her warmth. Those that wanted to break the ice and freeze to death could do that, she would stay where she was and figure out how she was actually supposed to do this. And the rugged one running at mach speed into the door earned a groan for her. It’s like these people were trying to get them all to fall in.
One of the shortest says something she should have realized, but the comment about the paranormal gave her pause. She was so caught up in her anger and fear that she hadn’t questioned a thing other than how to escape. If this was truly the paranormal…
Fenna Van Daalen “Y’see, this nice young man over here–He asked me fer my name, and the ice grew! I saw it myself! …Pretty sure. So maybe…
“My name is Fenna Van Daalen– most everybody calls me Ms. Fenna– owner of the hip but luxurious Sunflower Lounge, south side a Chicahgo. Yous come by if yer ever in town! Gatta be over 21 though– did it work?”
“…So you’re s-saying… coming together… Physically, o-or otherwise… Might make the d-door appear…” Sounded stupid. But it was better than nothing, especially since there were supposedly no rules with this ‘paranormal’ stuff, anyhow. Matsu and Haruka with might also have noticed that Atsuko’s tone was significantly less biting now than it had been when they first awoke.
“…Atsuko… Samukura. O-Owner of the… Hearth of Hokkaido Inn.” A brief pause. “…in Hokkaido.” That much should have been obvious, but Fenna’s introduction made it clear they were not all from Japan, as she had suspected up to that point.
With that done and out of the way, she turned her blank, yet expectant, eyes toward the ghostly image of the door. Hurry up and appear.
