Welt? Can we talk?
Privately somewhere?
Oh before you worry, I'm completely okay!
Privately somewhere?
Oh before you worry, I'm completely okay!
The new park that just opened up!
Not too far in.
Not too far in.
[ As promised, Tsuruno is fine! Hale and hearty, all limbs attached, lighting up with genuine happiness to see him even though the look on his face tells her she absolutely failed in assuaging his concerns.
Whoops. ]
No, nothing happened! There's just been something on my mind that I've been meaning to tell you about. I just... didn't want to worry you, so I've kept it to myself.
[ And then Robby went off on her for doing everything on her own and you know, she's trying to be better! ]
Whoops. ]
No, nothing happened! There's just been something on my mind that I've been meaning to tell you about. I just... didn't want to worry you, so I've kept it to myself.
[ And then Robby went off on her for doing everything on her own and you know, she's trying to be better! ]
... Well...
[ Well.
Tsuruno closes her eyes briefly. ]
I have something like that core you mentioned. It's a gem, actually. And if it's ever crushed or taken away, I don't just lose my ability to use any kind of power, I... I die.
[ Well.
Tsuruno closes her eyes briefly. ]
I have something like that core you mentioned. It's a gem, actually. And if it's ever crushed or taken away, I don't just lose my ability to use any kind of power, I... I die.
[ Well, that all sounds very messy! Despite Midnight's appearance, his personal habits are surprisingly fastidious. All that blood from an attack would definitely be way too hard to clean.
That's neither here nor there, though. Midnight licks his teeth, snags two cartons of juice from the table, and offers both flavors — orange and apple — before taking the remainder for himself, holding it in his hand. He'd... like a sip, if only to rinse his teeth off, but he's still antsy about the endeavor. (Sipping a sippy straw is an endeavor now. Incredible.) ]
Mm. Much better. [ Midnight leans back in his seat, tapping on his carton and watching Welt go about patching himself up. This is the same response as last time, and the time before, but this one seems more thoughtful than before. ]
Don't like the idea of squeezing you dry, though. I... want this to be the last time, at least for a little while.
That's neither here nor there, though. Midnight licks his teeth, snags two cartons of juice from the table, and offers both flavors — orange and apple — before taking the remainder for himself, holding it in his hand. He'd... like a sip, if only to rinse his teeth off, but he's still antsy about the endeavor. (Sipping a sippy straw is an endeavor now. Incredible.) ]
Mm. Much better. [ Midnight leans back in his seat, tapping on his carton and watching Welt go about patching himself up. This is the same response as last time, and the time before, but this one seems more thoughtful than before. ]
Don't like the idea of squeezing you dry, though. I... want this to be the last time, at least for a little while.
Yeah.
[ And she holds out her left hand, where there's a silver ring on her middle finger, bearing a reddish-orange gem. ]
It can take a few different forms, but technically, it's always accessible. And I have to stay close to it.
[ And she holds out her left hand, where there's a silver ring on her middle finger, bearing a reddish-orange gem. ]
It can take a few different forms, but technically, it's always accessible. And I have to stay close to it.
Well, yes, but I'd like for you to walk around without a bandage for a bit, all the same.
[ Welt is far from clumsy, and he's the sort of person who tends to attract other good, sensible people who will eventually notice upward of six puncture marks on his arm. Really, even without Welt's personal comfort in mind, a change in plans is far overdue.
Does Midnight actually have a plan? Well... a few... multiple, because he hasn't thought any of them through enough to figure out if one is more likely to succeed than the other.
He sighs, punctures his orange juice, and takes a beat to stare at Welt's progress with his box before taking a cautious sip of his own. That's right. Baby steps. ]
It's... more than that, yeah.
[ He fiddles with his straw for a bit. ]
Bit of a belated question, I realize, but was there a particular reason why you decided to help me? I never did give you much in the way of an explanation outside of telling you that I needed blood for a bit. I was a bit surprised by your alacrity.
[ This isn't actually him avoiding the topic... It's more of a tangent he's aiming to loop back to the point. ]
[ Welt is far from clumsy, and he's the sort of person who tends to attract other good, sensible people who will eventually notice upward of six puncture marks on his arm. Really, even without Welt's personal comfort in mind, a change in plans is far overdue.
Does Midnight actually have a plan? Well... a few... multiple, because he hasn't thought any of them through enough to figure out if one is more likely to succeed than the other.
He sighs, punctures his orange juice, and takes a beat to stare at Welt's progress with his box before taking a cautious sip of his own. That's right. Baby steps. ]
It's... more than that, yeah.
[ He fiddles with his straw for a bit. ]
Bit of a belated question, I realize, but was there a particular reason why you decided to help me? I never did give you much in the way of an explanation outside of telling you that I needed blood for a bit. I was a bit surprised by your alacrity.
[ This isn't actually him avoiding the topic... It's more of a tangent he's aiming to loop back to the point. ]
... It's bad if it gets more than one hundred meters from me.
[ well, there you go. ]
[ well, there you go. ]
[ At some point in the conversation, Midnight picks up a leg and pulls his ankle to himself in a lazy half-crisscross, sipping quietly at his juicebox. Someone who, over the course of a life of hardships, relied on the kindness of others to pull through to the other side, someone now in a position to help others in kind. He knows kindness isn't especially rare... But it's not that common, either. ]
Then I have those people to thank as well, don't I? For caring for you so well, so kindly, that you now sit next to me, treating me with the same generosity.
[ Midnight sits for a moment, tapping his juicebox with a finger. ]
I suppose... I don't have quite the same relationship with others. I asked you somewhat out of convenience, seeing as how we live so close, but even if we'd been living quite a ways from each other, I think you still would have been high on a very, very short list. I'm... uncertain as to who else to ask, honestly speaking. Which is none of your concern, I realize. It's just.
[ Midnight gestures with his juicebox. ]
It's either this, or, ah, finding my appetite for the city's food again, and I can't tell which would be an easier endeavor.
Then I have those people to thank as well, don't I? For caring for you so well, so kindly, that you now sit next to me, treating me with the same generosity.
[ Midnight sits for a moment, tapping his juicebox with a finger. ]
I suppose... I don't have quite the same relationship with others. I asked you somewhat out of convenience, seeing as how we live so close, but even if we'd been living quite a ways from each other, I think you still would have been high on a very, very short list. I'm... uncertain as to who else to ask, honestly speaking. Which is none of your concern, I realize. It's just.
[ Midnight gestures with his juicebox. ]
It's either this, or, ah, finding my appetite for the city's food again, and I can't tell which would be an easier endeavor.
It's like I said. Take it too far away and I die. And maybe that's temporary, if it's brought back in time, but either way, it's...
[ She swallows, hard. ]
It's called a Soul Gem for a reason--it's literally my soul.
[ She swallows, hard. ]
It's called a Soul Gem for a reason--it's literally my soul.
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