sunshine and lollipops

Hanako was having just one of those days, you know? At some point she must have fallen asleep or passed out, then gotten back onto her paws and kept on walking on autopilot cause by the time she mostly came to her senses she was far from Auster. Far from that awful glowing beach but not quite far enough from him. Just the thought of his gaze made her stomach churn and head throb...though maybe that was just her natural state of being now. Roughed up and ravaged, a sorry mess on four paws. She slugged along, stinking in more ways that one, as she made her way to the riverside and had a well needed drink. Eyes closed, in fear of seeing her own-no doubt hideous- reflection. The water was cool against her tongue, a reminder that winter was well on its way.

Hanako already missed the sunshine and warmth, the feeling of home. But when she thought of that the Armada no longer sprung to mind; it had all the things she liked but but the concepts had been twisted and deformed. But that was a bridge she'd cross when she got there, for now she needed to-

She stepped as though to turn, only for her paw to slip on the muddy, unstable bank. Had she been at her best she would have easily had the mind and reflexes to dart into action, to leap back up onto firm land, but as things stood even as time seemed to slow to a crawl she just sort of stood there. Let it happen. Not even a peep passed her lips as she landed head first into the murky waters. She twisted beneath the surface, water rushing into her nostrils, as she felt the current tug her away, further disorienting her as she struggled to tell which way was up or down.