flameguard | mygod | pc catchall

Sometimes. Yes.

But it was lonelier outside of the manor, anyway.

Are there other shadows there, too?

[ curious... ]

Yes. About 50 of us in the children's wing. I'm not sure how many adults.

[ WHOA ]

-- Fifty! That's so many!! [ WAY MORE THAN EXPECTED ] Do you get along with them all okay? Are they all around your age, then...?

Many are my age, yes. I suppose we do get along... the older girls in my group, Maryrose and Sara, were very kind and taught me many things.

Good! That's good, I'm glad.

[ he's just very relieved and glad kate isn't alone in a manor all by herself tbh she deserves to have friends ] I don't know what I was expecting when you said manor, but it definitely wasn't that, hehe. I grew up in kind of a similar place, but... I don't think there was a ever a time we had fifty people living there.

Are they your family?

[ ... she shakes her head. ]

[ oh... the smile immediately dims. ]

Miss Kate...

You don't need to look at me that way.

... Have you had a look at this book yourself, yet? Are there any entries that interest you?

[ he'll let it go with a frown, though... it's affection week, so he reaches out and gives her hand a little squeeze before he moves on. ]

...Mmm. Well... there was my monster. I... haven't shared it yet. And then some of the others - there are ones in here I've never even heard of! And some that were kind of similar to home.

[ he flips through to a page about like. idk a vampire or something. ]

I've never heard of anything like this before. We have bats, but...somehow that feels a lot different...

Oh, I think I've read a story about this before. I thought it was going to be a scary story, but it turned out kind of romantic?

[ help me ]

....Romantic....?

Oh, yes.

[ thinks about elaborating on the plot. thinks better of it. ]

... Well, some people are into that kind of "dark romance" type story, anyway... I don't read a lot of romance to begin with.

Me either... before I left home, Cordelia was really starting to like those kinds of books. If I see them when I'm out on the road, I try to buy them to mail home to her sometimes.

[ cordelia would be a big twilight fan. big team edward stan. ]

I guess I kind of get it... people like things that are dangerous, sometimes...

Cordelia?

My little sister.

[ IMMEDIATE smile. ]

She's - not that much older than you, actually. Only a year or two! I feel like you two would really get along.

A sister... That must be nice. It must be hard, being so far away from her like this.

Mmm... it is, but... it's nothing I'm not used to. I haven't been able to see her in a long time.

[ there's a little sadness there, though it's more bittersweet than anything. ]

I miss her letters, though. I've been writing her letters here on Miss Aerith's suggestion - it helps me feel a little closer to her, even though she's far away.

That's a wonderful idea. Maybe we can find some really rare books for her, too.

Oh, that'd be amazing!! Heh, now you're really thinking, Miss Kate.

[ a care package from the depths of nightmarish cult village world. ]

Now that we've found this place, maybe we really will get to find a library in our time here.

I really hope so.

[ looking back at the book... ]

You mentioned that you haven't told anyone about your monster. Does that mean you don't intend to look for your match?

Well... I put some thought into it. And...I don't know if I like the idea of putting someone in danger just because there's something I wish I could change. I can defend myself well enough, but with last week's situation, everything feels out of our control.

[ rondo's pure heart is one of the reasons why he's a successful flameguard, but... if boothill could be possessed like that, it seems like anyone could be. the response is more levelheaded and realistic than you might expect, and the idea of wishes and desires just churns in his stomach - the entire mess feels bad.

he's quiet for a moment, looking down at the pages too. ]

... If I do become taken by a monster, I don't want to live anymore. I couldn't live with myself if I harmed someone innocent. And the last thing I would want is to drag someone else down with me, too. If that's the only thing I can do to protect others, then, that's what I'll do.

I... see.

[ it does sound like he's thought it through. even though the possibilities are horrifying either way. ]

That does make sense. It's admirable of you, to place so much importance on the lives of others.

[ yeah if he thinks about the existential dread of it all for more than five minutes he will simply collapse so we are Not Thinking About It

he puts a hand to his heart, though. ]

I don't know if it's admirable, but... it is my duty to protect people. No matter what the personal cost is. [ there's a beat. ] Are you going to try to find yours, Miss Kate...?

... Yes.

I'm aware of the risks, of course. But should my match reciprocate in revealing themself to me, I assume they will also be prepared for those risks.

I can't afford to remain powerless in a place like this.

mygod | pc catchall | kate

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