hotel: shinobu

[shaft]

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week 7, tuesday

[shaft]

[ finds shinobu... you have company. ]

Ah, Shinobu. Are you feeling alright?

[wisterin]

[ it is very easy to find shinobu at the courtyard by the wisteria trees with tea. ]

Welcome back again, Claude-san. Things are better this week than last week so far.

[shaft]

[ he nods at her ]

I'm glad to hear that. You gave us all a fright when you returned Thursday evening looking... Well.

Not great.

[wisterin]

[ .... ah. she has the mind to look a little sheepish. ]

You had to see that, didn't you. I wash hoping that was a moment the dead weren't looking.

[ that's just wishful thinking. ]

The physical injuries were nothing compared to the emotional ones.

[ she thinks that's fine to say since she broke down in public. it'd be silly to pretend otherwise. ]

[shaft]

They can both be pretty terrible. I've seen old soldiers turn violent because of the constant ache of their injuries.

[ hm, that's kind of a bummer. ]

But I hope you're letting yourself be cared for, Shinobu.

[wisterin]

I have a few years before I become old, and fortunately, magical healing takes care of most of those kinds of aches.

[ she isn't downplaying her physical injuries. yjh and lup truly had worse luck than she did when it came to keeping safe. ]

In some ways, I feel like I have been cared for to a great degree. The last time I cried that much was.... years ago.

[shaft]

[ ok he will trust her.

tilting his head curiously. ]

Was it cathartic?

[wisterin]

[ .... ]

No, I wouldn't say so. The reason I was crying... not much could heal that.

[shaft]

... I'm sorry to hear that.

Do you... want to talk about it?

[wisterin]

[ she's silent for a moment. ]

... Not now. I'm sorry. You can call it one of the things I would never willingly choose to do.

[shaft]

[ he doesn't seem too surprised ]

It's alright. Sometimes discussing it isn't what's best. I just hope your pain eases.

[wisterin]

That's sweet of you, Claude-san.

[ she smiles. ]

It's just a little hard to bring it up to the surface again. With time, it'll get better.

[shaft]

[ he smiles back, taking a seat

... sort of. he floats in a sitting position. ]

Maybe one day these won't be a concern at all.

[wisterin]

[ she looks at his floating. ]

That would be a dream come true. Do you have to eat or sleep, if you're incorporeal like that?

[shaft]

I don't. It's very disorienting, frankly. But I can't complain.

[wisterin]

We'll still need to find a way to get you completely back, but it is good to see you again, even if it's in this form. At least this way you can't be bullied too much.

[shaft]

Not for lack of trying...

[ duck to the face ]

I hate to be a pessimist, but it does feel a little melancholy being here. With the rest of them so far away.

[wisterin]

Perhaps you deserve some of it.

[ she's a little mean. ]

I know where you're coming from, but... I'd like to have a little hope. The distance has to close eventually.