[She considers how much time she's already spent away from Gustave. Too much? Enough to make her feel guilty, but she knows him well enough to know he'd be happy she was spending time with Sciel, too.]
Maelle, Ororo and I will be away for the day. We're heading to a place called 'Japan' but will be back later tonight. It looks interesting; maybe you and I can take another trip there later, together.
I'll be in touch through the day. See you tonight, okay?
[It's one thing when it's her going out for the day, but clearly another when it's Gustave given some of the ugly feelings that bubble up. Up, but not over.
Maelle loves texting, the frown on her face private.]
Okay. I'll stay out of trouble.
Have fun.
[She truly hopes he does. He's missed out on so much.]
[She's so happy to get a text from Verso. Happy he asks about her, and what she's been up to. She's missed having him around.]
Hi. I'm okay. I was lucky to end up with a nice "mother" for this mission. I've done a lot of shopping. I hope our Pictos let us bring everything back with us.
Are you doing okay? Did you get a fake partner, too?
(Welcome to Nyx, Maelle. It's not horribly difficult to find, the grafitti and the whole 'all welcome' vibe, although some of the drawings might not make much sense to people not from her universe.
Upon opening the door, Sophie can be seen with a stack of documents that she is taking up to her office. Having sensed Maelle coming though, she just speaks without even looking back.)
Hey, a second there, hi, I'm Sophie, let me just drop these.
[Truthfully, it all happened so fast Maelle isn't really sure how she got voluntold to offer some rapier lessons, but here she is, arriving to check out Nyx. Sophie is... intense. Maelle isn't sure what to expect, but with Gustave in tow, at least she feels more confident.]
... and I guess that's Sophie.
[She says to Gustave. At least she's blonde.]
Hi. I brought Gustave with me.
[... obviously. And with Gustave beside her, it's obvious that Maelle is on the younger side when it comes to residents.]
After Fio went to fetch some extra crayons and a clean sheet of paper to draw on, she drew a second drawing of Maelle as promised. Different from the chalk drawing (though in a similar style), she included a drawing of herself as well. It was drawn rather quickly with extremely simple details, but she hoped Maelle would find it as charming as the first one. The two are depicted waving at each other.
Hello! Bye-bye.
Though she didn't see herself growing up into a famous artist, thinking she would rather become a ballerina, she took Maelle's advice to sign her name on the piece. ]
(For some privacy, Sophie is choosing to text. If Maelle wants to talk to her in her brain, then that's fine, but Sophie wants to give her a choice, too.)
kiddo, your brain was, uh, exploding the telepathic airways. so. i'm here. if you need me. if you wanna hide here, doors are open, if you want to talk, anything, okay? just think my name or text me and i'll pick it up.
[The response comes some time after Sophie sends hers. Maelle first starts a text, but doesn't know how to begin, so brains it is. Easier to ramble, that way.]
Hi, Soph. I'm okay. It was just... a bad scare. Everyone is okay now.
[Sciel wakes late the next morning, still in Lune’s bed, the half of it she’s not in made up around her. It’s so funny to her that she smiles into the pillow for a moment before she decides she can’t tarry around in bed much longer, and then she’s up, meandering around the apartment in little pajama shorts and an oversized shirt. She pokes her head around the living room and kitchen and then the bedrooms; no Gustave, no Lune either, but when she peers through the crack of Maelle’s door, she can see a sliver of red hair over the mound of blankets.
[Maelle feels like she's been through a fight. No broken noses here, but the emotional exhaustion seeps into her muscles and makes her feel sore. She's dozed. She thinks. Maybe. She remembers Gustave leaving at some point.
/Hey. Can we talk for a moment? I totally get if you don't want to talk to me again and all, but you know, I just thought I should try anyway. No pressure, though./
When the beast finally slumps, dead, into the loamy turf, Sciel is well-caked in mud. Up to the knees where she'd momentarily dropped to them, up her back where she'd been knocked by a frisking tail, splattered all over from every time the beast had retreated, splashing, into the brown pond it had emerged from. Now still, Sciel feels like she's really seeing it for the first time: massive, as long as a sailboat, shaggy oyster-coloured fur with scaly, reptilian limbs. It must be what, ten thousand, twenty thousand pounds? How many razor sharp teeth fit in a jaw that long, that strong?
Seeing it slumped in the mud, where it will remain until this world explodes or burns up or whatever calamity happens happens, Sciel pauses. It's a shame to have brought it down, but there was no safely getting around it, let alone bringing it back alive. Samples will have to do, extracted from fur and teeth and cut flesh. It won't get to live on past the death of this world, but whatever creature they –– the mysterious, always-ambiguous they –– bring back to life from its parts will carry on for them. Sciel knows she shouldn't waste any breath on being sad about this, but she feels it anyway, a quick pang in her heart.
Then it's gone.
"Beautiful finish, Maelle!" Sciel calls, voice a little breathless from all the running around. She joins the girl with a few quick strides, stepping in close to touch a hand to Maelle's back. She smiles and then turns her gaze back to the fallen beast. "I wonder what it is."
Better mud than blood, either their own or the creature's. It’s been a minute since Maelle was covered in filth, and she whips the gore and muck off her rapier before letting it return to her pictos space. She looks at Sciel and grins at the sight of her, as if she's not just as in need of a bath.
"It's a big pain, is what it is," she says, and with the beast fallen, Maelle takes a proper look at it. It's big and heavy and, when she goes closer to touch the still-warm corpse, it makes a satisfying sound when she smacks it with the flat of her palm. Hmm.
"Or was, I guess. It was so determined to gobble us both up. Nice try."
She puts her hands on her knees as she peers at that mouth, rows of teeth within. Straightening up, she tips her head towards Sciel.
[ When Maelle wakes up, it'll be to a large bouquet on her bedside table, a bright and cheerful bouquet of pink and yellow and green, along with a bag of sour candies tied up in a clear cellophane bag. Interspersed with the gummies are conversation hearts, which Gustave thought were cute and funny. One is laid out on its own, on top of a folded note: it says MY GIRL in sugary block letters.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
un: ScielCandide | text
When am I stealing you away from Gustave for an afternoon? I can come collect you as soon as I know.
À bientôt!
Sciel
un: stendhal
Tomorrow?
What are we doing?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
un: GustaveEiffel | text
I'll be in touch through the day. See you tonight, okay?
no subject
Maelle loves texting, the frown on her face private.]
Okay. I'll stay out of trouble.
Have fun.
[She truly hopes he does. He's missed out on so much.]
un: verleso | text
How are you? I hope you are finding some fun to be had in this odd, strange world. It feels much bigger than the Continent and yet smaller, too.
Still, I hope you are making some good memories here even while we are on a mission.
no subject
Hi. I'm okay. I was lucky to end up with a nice "mother" for this mission. I've done a lot of shopping. I hope our Pictos let us bring everything back with us.
Are you doing okay? Did you get a fake partner, too?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/3
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
un: GustaveEiffel | text
no subject
Do I get a hint, or are you purposely leaving me in suspense?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Un: ScielCandide | Text
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
also if you want to invite gustave's player i'm down!
Upon opening the door, Sophie can be seen with a stack of documents that she is taking up to her office. Having sensed Maelle coming though, she just speaks without even looking back.)
Hey, a second there, hi, I'm Sophie, let me just drop these.
gustave incoming 💖
... and I guess that's Sophie.
[She says to Gustave. At least she's blonde.]
Hi. I brought Gustave with me.
[... obviously. And with Gustave beside her, it's obvious that Maelle is on the younger side when it comes to residents.]
hello!
hey guys!! also gustave player pls tell me your boundaries on telepathy lmao
no thoughts head empty
go right ahead! he will simply be like "????"
amazing
Re: amazing
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
gift | backdated to the earth mission
After Fio went to fetch some extra crayons and a clean sheet of paper to draw on, she drew a second drawing of Maelle as promised. Different from the chalk drawing (though in a similar style), she included a drawing of herself as well. It was drawn rather quickly with extremely simple details, but she hoped Maelle would find it as charming as the first one. The two are depicted waving at each other.
Hello! Bye-bye.
Though she didn't see herself growing up into a famous artist, thinking she would rather become a ballerina, she took Maelle's advice to sign her name on the piece. ]
telepathic phone straight into ur brain
Like father like daughter
[WHAT wait oh. Telepath. Right.]
What's your range?
Re: Like father like daughter
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
no subject
No one is going to be grumpy about a human crashing the party, yeah?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
no subject
Sorry you got dragged into all of that and probably still don't really know what's going on.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
post fog
no subject
I'm okay. Are you?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
after the showdown
kiddo, your brain was, uh, exploding the telepathic airways. so. i'm here. if you need me. if you wanna hide here, doors are open, if you want to talk, anything, okay? just think my name or text me and i'll pick it up.
no subject
Hi, Soph. I'm okay. It was just... a bad scare. Everyone is okay now.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
fucking dramatic
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
After… that awful night :(
Sciel knocks on the frame.]
Do you want your breakfast in bed?
Re: After… that awful night :(
Sciel's voice isn't much of a surpsise.]
I don't feel very hungry, Sciel. But thanks.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
teeth theft
When the beast finally slumps, dead, into the loamy turf, Sciel is well-caked in mud. Up to the knees where she'd momentarily dropped to them, up her back where she'd been knocked by a frisking tail, splattered all over from every time the beast had retreated, splashing, into the brown pond it had emerged from. Now still, Sciel feels like she's really seeing it for the first time: massive, as long as a sailboat, shaggy oyster-coloured fur with scaly, reptilian limbs. It must be what, ten thousand, twenty thousand pounds? How many razor sharp teeth fit in a jaw that long, that strong?
Seeing it slumped in the mud, where it will remain until this world explodes or burns up or whatever calamity happens happens, Sciel pauses. It's a shame to have brought it down, but there was no safely getting around it, let alone bringing it back alive. Samples will have to do, extracted from fur and teeth and cut flesh. It won't get to live on past the death of this world, but whatever creature they –– the mysterious, always-ambiguous they –– bring back to life from its parts will carry on for them. Sciel knows she shouldn't waste any breath on being sad about this, but she feels it anyway, a quick pang in her heart.
Then it's gone.
"Beautiful finish, Maelle!" Sciel calls, voice a little breathless from all the running around. She joins the girl with a few quick strides, stepping in close to touch a hand to Maelle's back. She smiles and then turns her gaze back to the fallen beast. "I wonder what it is."
no subject
"It's a big pain, is what it is," she says, and with the beast fallen, Maelle takes a proper look at it. It's big and heavy and, when she goes closer to touch the still-warm corpse, it makes a satisfying sound when she smacks it with the flat of her palm. Hmm.
"Or was, I guess. It was so determined to gobble us both up. Nice try."
She puts her hands on her knees as she peers at that mouth, rows of teeth within. Straightening up, she tips her head towards Sciel.
"So, are you carrying it back?"
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
no subject
The note itself is short but fond: ]
Have a good day, sleepyhead. Je t'aime, Maelle.
– Gustave
un; shades
hey maelle, busy today? wondering if you wanted to hang out at all.
no subject
I'm going out to dinner with Sciel later, but I'm free until then. What are we doing?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)