Izumo Catch-All;

[misstrust]

Comments

[misstrust]

...

[ Dorothy did not need this headache but it's here now, so sure. ]

I... imagine that did not make him feel very agreeable.

[sacredchants]

[ SHE'S SORRY BUT...look........ ]

Not at all. [ i mean. why would he??? take it well??? ] But this whole game hasn't been something he has been taking well.

[misstrust]

I can't say I blame him. It's quite a lot to put on anyone's shoulders.

But Izumo, you're someone he greatly cares for, and he likely finds a great deal of support in your presence. For you to volunteer yourself to die... I can see why it would upset him even further.

[sacredchants]

I...

[ see? she realizes this but also the fact of the matter of how the best way it is to play the game. it's...a bit much but— ]

It hasn't been settled; they still all have to decide whether or not that they want to go with me or if they're fine with the list that they have themselves.

...I just wanted to make it easy on those who are remaining.

[misstrust]

Taking a life is never going to be easy, even if the victim themselves willingly offers to forge evidence and displays their throat.

[ Dorothy says this quietly. ]

... Truthfully, I'm also against them using you as a victim, but that's out of my hands.

[sacredchants]

But surely by now we all know that the trials are half for show, right? They're an obligation and not a real necessity for what we're really needing to do.

[ ...after a moment. ]

From what I know of that team, they might not. I only offered myself as a target so I could have a little more of a peace of mind of what I could expect next week.

[misstrust]

Regardless, I'm sure the act of coming together to try and solve the mystery of a murder also promotes nova gathering in some form.

[ Dorothy shrugs, carefully. ]

... I'll talk to Alphinaud today, though. I'd wanted to check on him after the execution anyway.

[sacredchants]

[ she both glad and not that dorothy is offering to speak to alphinaud because. well. ]

Doesn't that make me unreliable then? If he does not feel comfortable speaking to me about these things...

[ then what good is she? ]

Never mind. Forget that.

[misstrust]

It does not.

[ Firmly. ]

I'm going to talk to Alphinaud because I was concerned about him this week, not because I think he'll share his thoughts with me about you. Knowing him, he'll likely wish to keep that between the two of you, and rightfully so.

[sacredchants]

N, no, I doubt that he would share that as well but—

[ she definitely does not think that he would go about blabbing and honestly izumo might have said too much herself...but??? ]

...it's more than I feel as though he won't always tell me what troubles him. No matter how much I ask it of him. It's not until—I don't want him forcing himself as much anyone else, especially around me.

[ pot and kettle but that's not the point here. ]

[misstrust]

... Open up to him, when you're ready. I think that might help.

Because he does tend to bottle things up and that's the last thing anyone ought to be doing right now.

And please, stay near him. For as long as you're able.

[sacredchants]

What makes you think that I don't open myself to him?

[ even if it might or might not be true! she wants to know... ]

And I will. Unless I absolutely have to, I don't want to leave him, which I know sounds ridiculous because of what I've said and done.

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy just... smiles and balances on her crutches to rest a hand on Izumo's head, briefly. ]

Call it a woman's intuition. You strike me as the sort to want to appear strong and capable but you'd rather not burden people with what you view as your own problems.

Then again, I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong, actually.

[sacredchants]

[ uwah. head pat. ]

My problems are my own.

....but people here make it nearly impossible for them to stay my own. I've come to understand that people just won't let you be left alone here.

[ which she doesn't sound all that upset about. ]

[misstrust]

Yes, I'm afraid you'd have to make a great deal of effort to avoid it.

[ Like Rufus. ]

[sacredchants]

I've learned its pretty pointless to avoid it at this point.

[misstrust]

Then you're wiser than most.

[sacredchants]

I think the ones I'm wiser than are pretty close to the bottom in regards to this.

[ rufus is a good boy but at the same time..? ]

[misstrust]

Rufus has improved. [ Yeah they both know who she's talking about. ]

I didn't expect him to show up last night to fuss, but he must have been more concerned about everyone than I expected.

[ Surely Rufus hit up everyone to make sure they drank water, that sounds like a Rufus thing to do. ]

[sacredchants]

He is surprisingly like that.

I hadn't realized he was being so helpful with me in regards to figuring out what's been going because we're in an information exchange with one another.

[ clearly dorothy has a different experience with him, but it's interesting for her. ]

[misstrust]

He does take it incredibly seriously.

... Actually, would that particular information exchange be why he knew a Faction was unable to kill this week, despite their intentions to?

[sacredchants]

It would be, of course I didn't name any names because I'm not that foolish, but I wanted to know who was left as soon as I could.

[ which they both know by now...so?? success...?? ]

[misstrust]

[ The headache is real. ]

Well, that explains quite a bit. Thank you, Izumo.

[sacredchants]

Sorry if I caused any trouble.

[ because....maybe she had? ]

[misstrust]

No, it's fine. I had a feeling this was going to be a difficult week for me, even without Rufus knowing.

[ She flaps a hand. ]

If I'm convicted next week, I won't be terribly surprised. That's really the only trouble with having to wait this long to act.