Detrimental Descent

Only barely.

Winter barely made it in time.

She gave all she got in her race towards where her target was going to fall to her doom. Even when she almost tripped on the way or felt her legs giving in, she kept running without ceasing even for a little bit. She did everything she could to get to her on time -

And fortunately, Winter was able to grasp a hold on Violet on time.

However, she already fell from the balcony by then, and she was merely hanging there. She is the only one who is keeping her from having her detrimental descent at that point.

"You...! What the hell are you thinking?!" Winter hollered exasperatedly and tightened her grip around her wrist - a grip that served as the only reason why she had not fallen down yet.

"H-H-Huh...?! W-W-Who...?! W-Who a-are you?!" Violet stammered out loud, caught off guard by her sudden arrival.

"Don't ask! Just climb! I will not be able to last long!"

"N-N-No... D-Don't... Y-You're only going to fall too-"

"Shut up! If you wanna die, come back here and I will kill you myself!"

Winter is livid.

It was only then did it register in her head - that Violet was really going for suicide.

She may not know her problems or circumstances, but she knows that something like this can never solve them. As someone who already died once, she strongly upheld that. Even if she gets to experience something as horrible as her past again, she will never think of ending her life.

So, to hell with being a busybody or whatnot - she is not going to let her do this.

"H-Hey..." Winter called out once more, already wearing out her remaining strength.

"If you've been working out, you've got my gratitude."

Violet is surprisingly light, much to her relief.

Now that she's taking a closer look at her, she seems to have gotten a lot thinner than the last time she's seen her. It helps her a lot, considering that she can still bear her weight like this, though she does feel that her muscle is going to get stiff and numb later on.

"I'll drag you up. Give in some effort..." Winter said with a demanding look and stern tone, stunning Violet even more.

"Don't you dare slip on purpose."

With that, she began to pull her back up. Despite that, she did not so much make an effort to lift herself up as well. She is like a hanging corpse - a literal deadweight to her. Because of her lack of participation, helping her out might cost her an arm in the end.

"L-Listen, Ms. Miller..." Winter tried to talk Violet out of it, unable to bear her silence and indifference to her situation.

"If you've got a problem, death is neither a solution nor an escape. It's just you accepting defeat. You're the only one who's going to lose at this rate."

"What does a stranger like you know, anyway? You're only a child-"

"Who cares what I know?! I'm talking about you! Not me! I may be a child to you, but between us, I can act more like an adult!"

At that moment, Winter is already beginning to bend over the handrails of the balcony, giving her a clear view of what is going on below - and only when Violet sees how much she pales and shudders at the sight does she snap out of her delirium at last.