flameguard | mygod | pc catchall

[ hm. she will stop to fuss over some of the more difficult parts of his hair. ]

... Yes, you should be. I would have been very upset if that had been the last I saw of you.

[ i promise you this is not a I'M A SECRET MURDERER hint his hair just sucks

there's a soft laugh. ]

I hope I can make it up to you. I just... this week has been very strange. And... I wanted to solve it.

I'm sure you will.

[ pats his head before continuing. ]

I understand. Marina must have been someone precious to you.

[ maybe not necessarily "get married and (redacted)" precious, but precious all the same. ]

[ whoever gave me that dream had apollos ball of prophecy actually. not for marriage but for murder

there's a pause, and... ] ...she was, yes. We'd gotten quite close.

[ obviously so. he looks down at his lap, hands curled there. ]

I... I may ask your help for one other favor, tomorrow, though I've hardly done much to pay back this first yet. But... I think you'll like it.

Hm? What kind of favor?

Marina told me that... if she ever made it out of Prehevil, that she wanted to run away and build a bookstore. We talked about it, and... we came to the decision that we'd try to build a library in the village, with the books we can get from here. So... when we leave, next week, and end up somewhere else, people can still enjoy a little escape.

[ somewhere in there, he gets a little choked up, but, swallows it back. ]

...Even though she's gone now, I want... I want to follow through on her wishes. I think... I think it'd be good for everyone. Would you help me gather some books, tomorrow?

[ oh... ]

Yes, of course. I'd love to.

[ a little lighter, like she's just recovered some of the energy that was drained by the day's events. ]

I'm sorry that I can't carry very much, but I'll do everything I can to help.

That's okay.

[ he tilts his head back to look at her, and offers her a smile - warm, more genuine, no matter how tired he is. ]

Just...choose a few things that you'd really like to read, okay? Anything.

... I can do that.

[ she ties his hair neatly with the ribbon, then comes over to sit next to him. ]

I realize this may be a strange question, but... have you given any more thought to the matter of finding your match? Now that we know there's a way to avoid death, should one lose their partner...

[ mmm. he folds his hands in his lap and gives her a little smile, though it settles into something thoughtful. ]

... I have thought about it. And... I have spoken with some of the others about what their wishes would be, and...I know what mine would be. But... I still don't know.

... Is it something very important to you? Enough to stake your life on?

.... It's not my life that I'm worried about staking, really.

[ it's someone else's. ]

But.. I don't know how I feel about using a wish to undo what Sir Sazantos did, nor would... nor would I even know how to begin to wish to fix it, short of going back in time. Many lives would be saved, but... what is to guarantee that it wouldn't just happen again?

I see. It's not an easy decision. I don't know what would be best for you or your world, either...

[ but she has given a lot of thought to her own situation. ]

... As things continue here, I realize the chances of dying are greater than ever. But if I could have one wish granted... it would be to free the other children from the tyranny of the Shadows House. All 98 of them.

[ KAAAATE

he can't say that's - surprising, after seeing her memories, but his eyes widen anyway, and something warm swells in his heart with it, something deeply fond. ]

...It is discussions like these that make me reconsider. There are so many among us who seek this wish for such important causes. Their own lives, the lives of others... there is much to weigh.

Have you... had any luck, yet? Do you know of many other monsters?

I've asked around and learned about many other monsters, but I've yet to find my partner.

I also received guidance from the overseers, which allowed me to narrow things down further. From the information I have, I'm looking for someone "highly inquisitive" and to whom "duty is important."

[ i can't believe kate's partner is temenos ]

Highly inquisitive, and to whom duty is important.... Hmm.

[ yeah! where is he! ]

For various reasons, I've narrowed it down to just a few people... about four or so. I count you as one of them.

[ ...oh. ]

...I see.

[ rondo's quiet, for a long moment, looking down. considering the weight of the request, and... ]

I... can't share mine again, this week.

... Do you want to share it?

[ ....

he bites his lip, looking down. ]

... I... if you truly think that it is me, then... I will.

... Then we may revisit the topic next week. But I won't blame you if you reconsider again. It's a heavy burden to ask someone to bear.

[ immediately, all compassion and effusive worry: ]

-- I just couldn't bear it if something happened to you because of me.

[ his track record with people he's very fond of dying in this game is extremely bad ]

[ shaking her head firmly. ]

That won't happen. I can promise that.

mygod | pc catchall | kate

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