wants_the_phd | Court inbox

Why not ask him later? He will be able to tell you more than I can, and it might help to see that he's not mad at you.

...Yeah. You're right.

Some of what I saw was so confusing I'm not sure if it actually happened or if I dreamed it.

[She draws her knees up and rests her folded arms on them, looking out at the willow branches brushing the surface of the water.]

So you specialize in fire?

I hadn’t meant to bring your mood down again. You do have my apologies.

[ once again he is resisting the urge to per - but he does offer her his hand if SHE wants to take it ]

But that’s the short of it. I can control my flames and manipulate them into taking different shapes. I can control their warmth and whether they burn at all, and I can heal some injuries with them.

Edited 2025-06-08 03:51 (UTC)

Wow.

[She's putting a pin in follow-up questions momentarily so she can reassure him,]

You didn't bring my mood down. I already feel a lot better.

[...but she has no earthly clue why he's holding out his hand. It doesn't even occur to her she's being invited to touch it. She thinks he's showing her something. Is there going to be fire in his palm? She doesn't see it.]

What am I looking at?

Since you're not yet used to casual touch, I figured if you did want some physical comfort you could just grab my hand if you wanted to.

[ he looks so proud of having thought that up too ]

But I'm glad to hear I didn't ruin your mood.

[Oh, right. Humans find touch comforting for some reason. She doesn't get it, but she appreciates the spirit in which it's offered. She shall show her appreciation by touching him. She reaches out and takes one (1) of his fingers between her finger and thumb the way one might hold the stem of a flower. There. Nailed it.]

Thanks.

So you can heal people by setting them on fire?

[ That's very cute and he seems to be happy with her making that effort, though he suspects now it's more her trying to comfort him by taking it, than the opposite. And he appreciates it. He'll also laugh at that question ]

That's not quite how it works. But whenever people are fighting by my side, being close to my flames seems to have that effect. Perhaps it's simply has to do with my performance? I do put on quite the show!

I don't doubt it! And I can see why a whole crew has accepted you as their leader.

Does everyone in your operation have a Forte?

Hah! I keep telling them I'm the best Captain in the whole world. Now I'll have someone else supporting my statement.

Roccia and I are the only Resonators in the Troupe - though we do have our Honorary Captain joining us from time to time, and some other allies. Even without a Forte, though, our Troupe got our share of good fighters.

I imagine it would have to, given what you're fighting.

How long have you all been doing it?

It's been fifteen years for me. Everyone else has joined later, at different points in time. The Troupe is made up of some of the people we've rescued over the years — Roccia included, so for everyone else, the amount of time they've spent with the Troupe is different.

Though our newest member is someone I've met here, and personally invited.

Yeah? Who?

[ look at the brightest smile ever ]

Lyle.

[Laughs]

Ah! That makes sense. You seem like exactly his type. No surprise at all he'd love you.

[This is going to provide more context when Lyle calls him "my captain" later.]

Well! Congratulations on your newest recruit...!

[ he will actually blush a little at her saying HE'D LOVE YOU. but it is true, isn't it ]

He cares for you, so I'm not surprised you'd know his type. But that should also give you a good idea of exactly why he told me what happened.

I think he cares for me the way he'd care about anyone. Some people [she looks at Brant pointedly] simply cannot seem to abide the thought of someone in distress, no matter who they are. Even if they're a stranger or an enemy.

[ a little laugh because, well. SOME PEOPLE do be like that]

No surprise at all that I'd love him.

[That's right. Linnea is always right about everything.]

Yes, you're made for each other...!

When are you shipping out?

If you mean to ask when we'll be sailing, that will have to wait whenever we are done in this place. We do still have our goals here.

What is your goal?

I'd like to secure a safe haven for the Troupe. The Elysium is a good home, but it is still inside a cave, and the Tacet Discords still pose a danger. As good as we are, not everyone is a fighter.

I believe in building things with my own hands. But for something like this, I won't mind a shortcut.

Right? Especially If you're able to achieve it by doing fun things you would have enjoyed doing anyway.

That's a sweet goal. I hope you get it someday.

[ he smiles at her, and shifts so his hand is fully holding her finger, squeezing it a little ]

What about you my friend? Here just for the thrill of exploration?

[She decides right away that she doesn't find any joy in having her finger held, so she wriggles her finger out of his grip and fully takes his hand instead, like a normal person, like he intended in the first place.]

I came here to meet interesting people, hear stories, access new libraries, learn new things... In hub worlds like this where there are people from all over, you get to see a tiny cross section of their world through the life they've lived in it. New fields of research, new breakthroughs in technology, exotic assortments of species... It helps me decide where I'll go next.

I don't think I'll actually stay here long enough to get the wish, especially with the current competition.

But if I did get a wish... I'd like to live a bit longer.

[ that first part is nice - but it's the last one that gets his attention ]

—is your lifespan short?

Re: Sometime morning of day 30

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