muse grumbling at the mun. other news the sky is blue.

[ensorcelling]

Aw! So I still have to wear the mask around people? That's not fair. How am I supposed to make friends if I got this stupid thing strapped to my face? You've seen it yourself! It would make puppies and babies cry! I tried to make it look nicer by painting on it but it seems I made it worse.

Please please please please let me take it off? Just for a while. I'm not in the school anymore and there's no one here! It's not like the Headmistress will find out that I'm not following the rules.

... I think the Headmistress won't find out she seems to know everything that happens even when she's not around. [Ariel sighs, conceding over this one matter. She doesn't want to get in trouble. She's already in hot water for somehow sneaking out of the school thanks to her Mun.] Fine. I'll wear the mask for now. For now. Can we do something fun at least? You promised something neat will happen if you let me out!

Huh? What's 'survival horror'? Is that important?

Comments

[takeoutthetrash]

Well, uh, if it's any consolation, I don't really think your mask is that bad. I mean, I think it actually looks kinda nice.

[Then again, look who's talking here.]

[ensorcelling]

[Oh man another person is here! So fast as well. Deep breaths. Act cool, Ariel. Act cool.]

Oh wowthankyou! [Her voice gets squeaky all of the sudden when trying to rush out her wounds. It sounds like she had inhaled helium for a moment. Goshdarnit. There goes her first impression.

Quick! Save face by complimenting them back.] Ummm... Huuuh... Your costume! It's pretty rad too! I never thought costumes could look that good outside of catalogs.

[takeoutthetrash]

'Scuse me?

[It takes him a second to actually process that. This girl's goin' a mile a minute.]

Oh! This, uh, this isn't a costume. Don't really see why anybody'd wanna go around looking the way I do, y'know?

[ensorcelling]

[!!!

She tries to peer closer at him but ugh! The stupid mask kind of makes things hard to see. Who thought of this dumb idea anyway? At least she can make out that hey he's right that isn't a costume.]

Whoa! That's neat. And why wouldn't someone not want to look like you? I mean! You look really cool and stuff! Honest, mister.

[takeoutthetrash]

[Aww man, got him right in the issues. Don't mind him just defensively backing away a little.]

Well, all I'm saying is there's some folks like me that're a little more, uh, appealing. Y'know, physically.

[Quick, quick, change the subject!]

But that's- that's enough about me. So, uh, what's the mask all about? You an actor or something?

[ensorcelling]

[Did she say something wrong? Ariel doesn't dwell a lot on the idea when the subject is changed and the question makes her giggle a bit.]

Nope! I'm a student from Angela Cunningham's Talented Thaumaturgy. [She knocks on the mask for emphasis.] We have to wear masks if we go out somewhere that isn't the school. Like the town that's kind of near but not really or we're traveling back home for the holidays. If the Headmistress thinks we deserve to leave the school, that is.

It's, um, part of the rules. The dumb rules. [A beat.] Please don't tell the Headmistress or Mr. Oak I said that. Please!

[takeoutthetrash]

[Honestly the distance between them is doing Gershel some good, since he's just a little bit more comfortable now and she doesn't have as much time to focus on how much he smells like hot eggs and vomit. And hey, look, he's even smiling a little!]

Hey, don't worry about a thing. My lips're sealed. I mean, they would be. If I had lips. Which I... I don't. [A little awkward chuckle there.]

What's thouma... thag.. that word mean, anyhow?

[ensorcelling]

I trust you then! Thanks!

[Huh. She never thought of the question herself. It just was there all her life.]

Thaumaturgy is this ability some people where I'm from have. They can can control elements but only one element only. It's really taxing and dangerous to use, especially if you're Fire-Type, so that's why Thaumaturgy Institutes were made. To teach us how to do it so we won't hurt others or ourselves before we go do work or have a family if we're allowed.

I'm one of them of course! A Water-Type! [She sounds very proud when saying this.]

[duncansdontsing]

It's not that scary.

[Then again, this boy's got a much higher definition of "scary" than most people these days. Blame that asshole McClean]

Good luck with the survival horror thing, though.

[ensorcelling]

You really think so? I always get told off by Mr. Oak for having it on when we have guests at the school because it 'upsets' the kids they sometimes bring which isn't my fault because how was I supposed to know little kids don't like-- Wait wait wait!

[The second thing he said finally registers in her head and causes her one-sided conversation to crash into a halt. She takes a deep breath and that isn't enough. Ariel fumbles with the latch on her mask to open the 'mouth' of her mask so she can get more air. Thaaat's better.] Good luck? I-Is there a reason I need 'luck' for that? Is the Mun-lady planning something bad? She promised we'll have fun!

[duncansdontsing]

Yeah, preeeetty sure when they say that, they just mean they'll have fun. You will probably hate it.

Or you'll just get used to it. Not really my problem either way, sweetheart.

[ensorcelling]

But that means she was lying earlier! How could she do that? [And hey, mister, that's pretty mean to say.

She puffs her cheeks out. Not that it would be seen.] So what are you doing? Are you used to it now or are you angry at your Mun-Lady. Mun-Mister. Mun-Person. How long do they usually do this? Their plans don't hurt you, do they? I-I can't hurt. That'll get me in trouble!