ETRAYA - inbox

[maellum]

Comments

[sophielicious]

See? Another advice, I'm always right aside from the times I'm not, but we don't talk about those. So, he'll be fine. I said so? So, yeah.

(Half joking, but when Maelle finishes that thought? That feels good. Like she did actually help, so that's... Wow, crazy, and that's nice?)

Exactly. Now, wanna go get ice cream and watch movies?

[maellum]

I'll be sure to tell him you said that.

[He'd probably find it funny. That's a thought that makes Maelle smile, and it's all the more easy to perk up at the mention of ice cream.]

Depends on the ice cream and the movie. Don't steer me wrong.

[sophielicious]

Vanilla, and you're watching classic girl movies from Earth. Legally Blonde, for starters. Barbie girl gets dumped by asshole boyfriend and he's like, I'm going to this expensive and very difficult school, you wouldn't get it, so she gets it. And she rubs on everyone's face you can be smart and girly and pretty and fuck whoever tells you otherwise. God, my damn idol.

[maellum]

[Vanilla. Maelle makes a face, because that's an okay flavor, but beggars can't be choosers.]

I was going to say, were you describing yourself?

[sophielicious]

Aw! No, I've only dated one person and I dumped him, so, hooray me, I just do all that for sport and hobby. And vanilla is wonderful, okay? The amount of stuff we can mix.

[maellum]

I guess you'll just have to show me.

[The mixing, not the rest. Maelle gets to her feet. She feels heavy, but she's at least dodged crying in front of Sophie. Phew.]

[sophielicious]

(Hehe. Okay, that works.

She's on her feet too, walking slowly so that Maelle has a chance to just look at the mansion while they walk towards the kitchen. Sophie didn't attend this one, actually, but it's... Xavier's, still.)

So, I'm not allowed near the stove due to an incident, but the microwave is fair game. We also have a pool and a baseball field, so we have that going on for us.

[maellum]

[The good news is that it only vaguely reminds her of the manor on the Continent. They bad news is that some part of her misses it--and she can't tell if that "it" is the manor or the Continent itself.]

Oh, what happened? Did you almost burn the place down?

[sophielicious]

Well, kinda. I did disfigure a pan, though? I buried it in the backyard. Don't worry about it.

(Okay, the ice cream is out. Sprinkles, chips, cookies, marshmallows, syrups, all are coming out of the pantry surrounded by her pink signature, placed gently on the counter.)

[maellum]

Unmarked grave... cold. After fire. You know.

[There's a joke in there somewhere, but she's thoroughly distracted by all this extra ice cream shit! How did she not know this was a thing.]

Are we using all of this?

[sophielicious]

No body, no culprit. Prove I did anything.

(That's not a lesson you want to pass along, Sophie!! But, hey, she's right and she should say it.)

As much or as little as you want. Oh, and also? I'm super into strawberries, so I'm adding that.

[maellum]

[Sophie, are you a bad good influence or a good bad influence!!]

Can I have strawberries too, then? And a little of everything, I guess. Gustave would like this.

[He might make a face when she gives him sour candy, but this can be tame.

She hopes he's okay.]

[sophielicious]

(She doesn't know!! That's the whole point of anxiety!!)

Yeah, for sure. Put your bowl together, I'll get the strawberries and the chocolate.

(Favorite dessert. It's what she eats when she's in long gaming streaks, so she gets them out of the fridge like a habit, adding some of the chips onto a bowl so she can microwave them.

Two bowls are set on the counter before her eyes glow white for a second there.)

... Three bowls. Hold up.

[maellum]

[Maelle pauses. She was just about to taste test some sprinkles.]

Three?

[sophielicious]

Sciel is coming too. Get her a bowl, okay?

(Time to slice. She's keeping track of Sciel's steps.)

[cache_coeur]

[Sciel is there a little over an hour later, having taken the trolley a bit further than necessary so she could avoid crossing a river on foot. By time she arrives at the gate, she feels tired to her bones in a way she hasn’t felt in long months. Still, she plucks herself up, slipping inside and to the front door, letting herself into the lobby.

She’s been here before, but only to Sophie’s room, so she just wanders, figuring her presence will be noted eventually.]

[maellum]

Oh. Okay.

[Maelle is suddenly full of nerves, tense, but takes a breath and gets Sciel a bowl. She ends up filling her own and polishing it off, and by the time she's asked Sophie way too many questions about different ice cream flavors and toppings and things that really don't matter, she's about ready for a second serving.]

Think she got lost?

[sophielicious]

No? I'm tracking her. She's coming.

(Not that, you know, that's something to mention outloud, but Etraya is tiny. Sophie could pinpoint just about anyone if she paid attention, it's not hard.

But when Sciel does come, Sophie brings to her sight an arrow to guide her towards the kitchen. She knows this school is a maze to first-timers. She's sitting on the counter by the time Sciel arrives, her little bowl of ice-cream with strawberries, melted chocolate, and some sprinkles in hand.)

[cache_coeur]

[Count on Sophie to make things simple on a day that’s been so hard. She follows the arrow the moment it appears, like a fish hooked on a line, and pops into the kitchen doorway in short order.

She looks… disquieted. Far from her usual serene, sunny self, but at least she’s calm. She smiles very politely.]

Hello. Ice cream, is it? That’s a nice treat.

[maellum]

[Oh. Maelle tenses at the sight of Sciel. Not so much sunshine, now. She can only imagine why.

But Maelle, after a moment, musters up a polite smile of her own.

This is really stupid when the third person can read their faces, not to mention their minds.]

There's a bowl for you.

[sophielicious]

(Yeah, this whole trying to pretend to some extent shit's right isn't sitting with her, but aside from a small eye roll, she isn't going to poke it this time. Correct, Maelle, it is really stupid?

Sciel said she'll talk. That's enough, if only so Sophie knows how to navigate this from her outsider standpoint. Her not looking it up was appreciated, so she feels a little warm inside.)

There's ice cream, a ridiculous amount of toppings, strawberries because you know me, and there are several educational movies I need Maelle to watch. You know, character building. Very important for a young lady.

(Her wink reminds her of Legally Blonde, hopefully.)

[cache_coeur]

Thank you.

[She’s unsurprised that Maelle is so standoffish, but it stings a little in that expected way: you know a person has a right to be angry with you and with other things, but it still feels a little sour anyway. Sciel takes up her bowl, helping herself to some strawberries.

She meets Sophie’s attention with a little bit more ease.]

Oh, really? What are they about?

[maellum]

[She's not sure if she feels more hurt or worried or some strange third thing. Worry, in retrospect. Surely there's a word for it.

Still, she nudges the sprinkles Sciel's way.

With a third person, it's easier to get away with being silent.]

[sophielicious]

(All psychic communication is going to Sciel. Sophie has enough experience with her to know she can keep her shit and move on like normal when Sophie is talking to her, so.)

/This kid is basically spinning half the feelings wheel. Do you want to talk to her in private, or should I just pretend I don't see all this and move on?/

Oh, you know. Girl power, mostly. Earthly education for girls her age, and nostalgic entertainment for me.

[cache_coeur]

[She knows she’s intruding. There’s little she can do about it now; she told Gustave she’d go check on Maelle, and so she has, even if she now feels she should have just let it be. But it’s nice, at least, to focus on someone else’s emotional turbulence.]

/Poor thing. I’ll take her out to talk after she’s eaten and gotten a bit of a break./

“Girl power”? [As opposed to what? She takes the sprinkles and glances sidelong at Maelle.] Sounds interesting, though. I wonder how it compares to what we teach our young women.