[ text / posted to Conquest's "seeking" forum two hours after Flynn's announcement ]

[stoppedhiding]

I require a Player who will grant me permission to leave the school grounds.

Comments

[herplaceinthesun]

You have to ask?

I mean, I thought you had a player, I'll do it if you want.

[stoppedhiding]

I do not. Thank you. After I've finished what I need to do, you may discard me if you have no further use for my weapon.

[herplaceinthesun]

Oh come on, Aisha's not like that. Besides, I could have plenty of use for your weapon! What is it?

[stoppedhiding]

A longsword with a light-element upgrade.

[herplaceinthesun]

Well, I've got one sword, so that'd do just fine!

Sneaking off to do something fun?

[stoppedhiding]

That's good.

Not quite. There's something I need to do in town.

[herplaceinthesun]

Yeah, it's good to be versatile.

Don't get in too much trouble, okay? [Leave that to her. :(]

[stoppedhiding]

[ Aisha don't get in trouble :| ] Of course. Thank you for your assistance.

[herplaceinthesun]

[She's been doing a terrible job of that so far, sob.]

Look, we're in this together. Just ask, it's not problem at all.

[stoppedhiding]

I will. [ He won't. She has a point, but he's not going to admit it. Imposing on other people is something he'd rather keep to a minimum. ] I believe we must meet in person in order for the vow to take effect. Where are you right now?

[herplaceinthesun]

In the dorms. Aisha's . . . thinking about something. Come on home for a bit and I'll vow to you and all that, okay?

[He's not imposing. Taking care of others is how she copes.]

[stoppedhiding]

All right. I'll be there shortly.

[herplaceinthesun]

Okay Golbie! I'll be waiting!

[ACTION]

[mrdickery]

[Check out who's loitering around the shop? A strange man wearing a Fortitude outfit with the prefect's beret perched atop his crown. He scans the street looking content... but his appearance there is pretty suspicious as it is.]

[stoppedhiding]

[ Golbez had left campus immediately after vowing with Aisha and headed straight for Rakette. He probably wouldn't have noticed the strange man standing there -- other people are allowed to use the store -- if not for the prefect's beret. Another one? He stops and stares for a moment. ]

[mrdickery]

[There's something about Golbez's appearance that stands out. Hurried, in a rush and determinedly heading for the shop. Also? The Conquest uniform. Straightening, Yuri gives Golbez a casual smile.]

You look like you're in a hurry.

[stoppedhiding]

That's right. Is there something you wanted?

[mrdickery]

[For a moment longer Yuri just looks at Golbez, giving him this searching stare before he shrugs.]

Just making a comment. [And he casually pulls away from the wall and starts walking towards Golbez with obvious intent to brush past him.]

[stoppedhiding]

[ He stares for a moment, then just shrugs and starts walking again, toward the store. He's going to try to avoid bumping into Yuri, but, well... ]

[mrdickery]

[Just as they pass each other, at the last second Yuri's footing seems to go and he bangs into Golbez. Wincing, the swordsman draws back and puts his hand to the hat on his head, as if adjusting it while obscuring his face.]

Oops, sorry. Guess I slipped. [He says in tones that are OBVIOUSLY NOT UP TO ANYTHING AT ALL. And, without another word, he just... keeps on walking, never once looking back at Golbez.]

[stoppedhiding]

[ Wow. SUBTLE. Golbez is about to say something when he notices the sudden extra weight in his pocket. When he reaches in and pulls out what he finds there... Ah. Well, that's certainly preferable to what he'd been planning, but.

He takes off in the opposite direction -- Trying to give the money back would just be awkward for everyone involved. He'll find some other way to repay the debt. ]

Rolled back to the third hour after he goes negative

[merde]

[Flying along through the school, above head level for the humans, carrying a human-size stack of papers in a folder with a strap around it to keep everything together. And then she gets hit with the pain and she drops like a stone, screaming.]

y u do dis

[stoppedhiding]

[ He's walking down the hallway in the opposite direction, not paying much attention to his surroundings as he tries to figure out how to fix this, when the tiny teacher falls to the floor screaming.

Damn it. He drops down to one knee beside her in concern. But there's not much he can do besides watch. ]

Re: y u do dis

[merde]

[She stops screaming but she remains tightly curled in a ball, and obviously in extreme pain. Her wings aren't as neatly folded behind her as they usually are, and her typically tightly controlled demeanor is gone.

But after the five minutes is up, and with there being some more whimpering and twitching, her eyes open, and she breathes a bit more close to normal.]... Golbez... [She blinks up at him, like she only now noticed he was there.]

[stoppedhiding]

[ When she looks up, his head is bowed and there's an uncharacteristic, pained look of guilt on his face. She's done nothing to deserve this. It should have been him.

He responds, just barely keeping his voice neutral. ] Tear. You should go see the doctor.

[merde]

I... I'm okay. [She pushes herself up to a sitting position, and tucks her wings behind her. She has no idea why he looks so guilty.] Could you take me to the teachers' office? I think I need to rest a while, and I don't have the energy to fly.

[stoppedhiding]

[ He nods; it's the least he can do. This will be awkward, though. How is he supposed to carry her? She could probably... sit in his hand, maybe? He holds his hand out toward her. ]

Ah, your paperwork. Let me get that, too. [ It went flying everywhere when she fell. Auuugh ]

[merde]

[She moves over and climbs into his hand. After taking a moment to inspect her wings, she just kind of settles in, resting her back against his fingers, and letting her legs hang down his wrist.] Thank you, Golbez. I think someone might have stepped on me if you weren't here.

[stoppedhiding]

[ He doesn't quite know how to respond to that, so he doesn't. He holds her close to his chest, and with his free hand starts gathering the papers and folder. Once he's got those, he gets to his feet and starts toward the teachers' office, still silent. ]

[merde]

[When they get there, Tear's desk is obvious, it's the one with the fairy-size desk on top. Working for the school's store is convenient sometimes. The human-size stuff is filed neatly on one side of the desk, and her own fairy-size supplies are mostly contained on her desk top.]

[stoppedhiding]

[ He sets her down on top of it, and the papers on the other side of the desk. ]

...you're sure you're all right?

[merde]

Yes, I don't know what that was, though. Suddenly I was in so much pain... It was like those warning penalties, but I don't recall having done anything to receive one...

[stoppedhiding]

... [ He sighs, turning away and covering his face with one hand. ] You did nothing. The warning penalty is being applied at random, punishing everyone for one person's disobedience.

[merde]

That's awful. What did that person do?

[stoppedhiding]

[ When she asks it like that, it becomes clear just how stupid it was. He'd been so adamant about doing his own thing, thinking he'd be the only one punished for it. What an idiot. ]

Deliberately provoked the staff. [ Because when it comes down to it, that's really what he was doing. ]

[merde]

That's unfortunate... [She stretches a bit, and reaches back to fix her hair.] Might I ask another favor of you?

[stoppedhiding]

Yes, what is it?

[merde]

There's a glass on my desktop, would you be so kind as to fill it with water for me?

[stoppedhiding]

[ He nods, and looks for the glass... oh. Why is it so tiny. How is he going to do this. Well... he carries it over to the sink, somehow fills it, and brings it back. ]

Here.

I... should go.

[merde]

[She takes it and drinks some.] Thank you for all of your help. Don't let me hold you up. [And you get a smile out of her]

[stoppedhiding]

[ He sighs and nods, turning away to leave. He has to end this somehow. He's getting an idea, but he can't break any further rules... He'll have to find a Player.

Before he's out of the room, he hesitates for a moment. ] I'm sorry. [ And then he's gone. ]

[merde]

[She's caught off guard by the apology, but she definitely finally gets why.] ...Oh dear...