week 1; thursday ( stephanie )

[axilium]

[why is everyone like this.

anyway, steph is definitely near the top of the list of people belph's worried about, but he doesn't want to seem too desperate to see her—they aren't supposed to be anything more than acquaintances. casual friends at best, really. at the very least, she shouldn't take priority over his own partner.

and thus he waits. but now, he thinks he's waited long enough, so.]

I cannot believe this...

[ :/ ]

Comments

[vigilantics]

Oh. Well, I hope they work that out!

[ it seems kind of useless otherwise! ]

What is it?

[axilium]

Shirasu's going to try and get it from him. We'll see how that works out.

[...]

The explanation was the same poetic cra—I mean, it was similar to the mirror writing. In this case, from what it sounds like, it saves someone whose partner has been killed.

[vigilantics]

Oh, that's useful. Although that probably has one use too, right?

[ hm. she's still not entirely sure what is it that saved the partners last trial, whether it was a role or them solving the trial correctly. ]

Veronica and Varian should have found something then.

[axilium]

Probably. They're going to be trickier to deal with, though. I'm not exactly close with either of them.

[and just our luck that they probably got the one most relevant to us sweats]

[vigilantics]

I'll see if I can get anything out of them. They might be more willing to talk to me if it means trading information.

[ she should... potentially not mention that the mirror broke right away though. just in case. ]

[axilium]

[please don't mention that right away.]

Then I'll be counting on you. Work hard, all right?

[vigilantics]

Aye, aye, captain.

[ steph salutes, and then immediately regrets it. why must she move so much at all times. ]

So, are you going to pamper me now?

[axilium]

I won't steal Hikage's job from him.

... But actually, you've just reminded me—I had an interesting chat with Akechi yesterday.

[vigilantics]

[ there is a long pause. ]

Were you pampering Akechi?

[axilium]

[wow.]

On the contrary, it seems as though someone else has. [...] His scars and injuries from the wishing well are gone now.

[vigilantics]

[ HOW ELSE WAS SHE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT TRANSITION ]

... someone's a healer?

[axilium]

... According to him, someone has that ability, thanks to their title. In fact, it was done on their own initiative.

Interesting, considering his presence makes their existence clear to everyone else—and that he was singled out for healing, while people like my partner, who was worse off, are neglected.

[vigilantics]

So it wasn't an act of altruism.

[ she had seen akechi after he got injured. it looked like it probably hurt, but the bruising would have healed and the scars weren't too terrible. ]

The really obvious choice would be Eichi. We could guess Monika, maybe? No one would suspect she would be the one. Or it could just be someone else entirely who just really likes him.

[axilium]

Yeah, I was thinking Eichi or Monika. Let's keep an eye out to see if anyone else shows up miraculously healed.

[vigilantics]

I can think of a few candidates who are in need of healing here.

[ she's right here you fucks. ]

You haven't seen me walking yet, but it's like awkward penguin waddling. [ ... ] Do you know what penguin waddling looks like.

[axilium]

Exactly. You'll be the test subjects.

[#healingforsteph2018]

Nope. Wanna demonstrate and enrich my knowledge base?

[vigilantics]

[ she just

looks at him

before slowly getting out of her bed. look, she stomped her foot in a thread with varian to prove that she's fine, she'll get out of bed and waddle for belph.

it's. what you'd expect. very awkward shuffling where she kind of wobbles as she tries to not fall over or wince. ]

[axilium]

[he laughs.

i'm sorry.]

[vigilantics]

Come over here, let me hit you.

[ she doesn't want to go over to him, leave her alone!! ]

[axilium]

I have a healthy sense of self-preservation, thanks.

[vigilantics]

Self-preservation, what's that?

[ she judges the distance to him, then the distance to the bed, and ultimately decides to just start lowering herself to the ground. ]

[axilium]

[he raises an eyebrow, because steph, what are you doing.]

Something you evidently lack.

[vigilantics]

[ this is her new home. ]

Eh. I came back.

[axilium]

That's... a low standard?

[vigilantics]

I can still walk!

[ ... barely! ]