abnormalizes | Seasons: IC Contact/Continuations

Did they hurt you before? -I guess you can't answer. I'll ask them later about if they've given you any reason to dislike them before. It would be like them to just forget to mention an important detail like that.

[She's fond, if a bit exasperated.]

Sorry about them.

[For a moment, it seems to sink into her arms - and the bundled robes - even more as she speaks... but at least its ears perk up when she apologizes in Purple's stead.

And eventually... Purple finally returns!! With a bit bigger of a bag than one might expect for someone who's just buying lettuce.
Because they obviously bought more than just lettuce, considering how many colors can be seen through the somewhat-opaque plastic of a grocery bag.]

My apologies for taking so long. I asked a clerk for assistance, and they suggested many things to go along with the lettuce as treats.
And I was incapable of telling myself not to buy a few of them, at the very least.

[Again the rabbit hunkers, turning away from Evangeline purely so it can keep its gaze on the Mage. ... But the mention of treats does get it to perk a little bit.
Just a little.]

Don't worry, clerks are just like that. Give it here! I'll feed it while you tell me about your history with this star.

[She doesn't say 'and why they're so scared of you' but that is very much the thought. She can prompt them further if they don't initially say anything revealing.]

[The bag and all of its contents are floated to her gently, and inside she'll find not just the lettuce, but several red apples, a packet of basil, and even some roses.
Dethorned, of course.]

My history...? I have no personal history with the sun.
Aside from cursing its heat while traveling the desert alongside Gold Pig, perhaps.

[The question marks above their head may as well be real instead of metaphorical, here.
They haven't done anything to the sun directly, what sort of history would they have???

(So sorry, Evangeline.)]

[Evangeline tears off a small piece of lettuce and offers it to the bunny-sun.]

Okay. Can you explain why it's scared of you, then? Because it's not scared of me.

[The sun-bunny sniffs at it gently, pauses for a moment like that, but does actually start to nibble at it.
While still keeping its eye on Purple, of course.]

- Oh. As I mentioned, it was fought and killed before.
It was the method we used to finally destroy Everhood altogether, and cast everyone into the Abyss.

Perhaps it can sense my spirit from that time...? I did not make a pleasant spirit to look at, I can assure you.

...So, to be clear. You helped kill it, or at least encouraged somebody to kill it, and you have no idea why that might make it scared of you?

[PURPLE.]

I did assist, yes. But we had no other choice -
Surely it did not want to remain the only living thing in all of Everhood.

[The scowl that would be on their face if they could do that can be heard plainly in their voice.
As if they really don't get why this is a big deal.]

[Oooohhhh my god. Evangeline inhales deeply. Exhales.]

Being killed is terrifying even if you understand the reason for it - which you cannot guarantee that it does understand, because it is an animal in addition to being a star.

[How smart are stars? It kind of varies??]

If you want to keep it, the first thing you need to do is apologize.

[- Purple actually pulls back at that, as if they're surprised they're being told to apologize.
Which they kind of are. Her logic behind it is sound, they understand, but they can't help but feel a sting of offense at being told to do so.]

... If it does not understand the reason for its death, why would it understand my apology for having a hand in it?

[The rabbit pauses in its munching. Just for a moment.]

'Immortality becomes harmful after long enough and a life completely alone is not worth living' is a complicated concept. 'Being killed is scary and painful' is a simple concept that any animal can grasp.

[Purple is a good friend to her, but they are also capable of untold amounts of denseness.]

[Not just denseness! They unfortunately struggle a bit with self-importance, too.
Sorry, Evangeline.]

If its thoughts are so simple, what effect would "I am sorry" have on such a creature? Would it not see me as a predator animal despite my attempts?
What difference would it make?

It isn't as though I plan to harm it if it hates me.

One: it would make it feel better.

Two: if you don't apologize, I'm going to take it home with me where it won't be scared all the time.

...

You plan to bar me from the very sun I lived beneath for over three million years?
Surely, you're joking.

The sun is alive and scared of you, so yes, I do plan to.

[She cuddles the rabbit sun-to her chest while maintaining eye contact with Purple.]

... Perhaps I ought to have asked someone else.

[The eye contact is mutually returned. Meanwhile, the rabbit holding the last little bit of unnibbled lettuce in its mouth, blinking at the Mage across from her.]

I have already reassured it many times that I have no plans to harm it. If it did not care for that, then I have no reason to believe it will care for my apologies.
And so, I'm going to have to ask you to return it to me. Along with my robes, please.

Yeah, maybe you should have asked someone that wouldn't care about the sun's happiness and well-being.

[This is important!]

You haven't even tried apologizing. Of course it can't trust your promises when you won't even do that much.

[...but they are entitled to their robes, so she will unwrap it the rest of the way and hold out the robes to them.]

Because I have no need to. I am not the one who killed it. Why should I apologize for a death that was not at my hands?

[Those robes of theirs are, of course, magically taken from her rather than physically.
They're quick to drape them back over their shoulders, too.]

Even if it hates me, that does not mean it will have no happiness, here. The others in Everhood enjoyed their lives, even when Gold Pig sent me out to be a part of them.
I will provide and care for it to the best of my abilities, no matter what it holds in its heart toward me.

If I told someone to kill you, would you not be even a little upset at me about it?

[Genuinely, why is this so hard for them...]

I did not tell Red to kill the sun. It was the decision of the Court of Lost Spirits.
I merely helped in giving Red the power to do so.

[Because they're a Mage... frankly, she's lucky they haven't just yanked the rabbit out of her arms with magic.
Probably because they promised not to hurt it.]

Again, I ask. Please return the rabbit to me.
If it doesn't yet understand that its happiness here is guaranteed, it will grow to understand this eventually. No matter what words I say.

You helped. You were part of it. You need to apologize.

[She holds the bunnysun closer to her chest.]

I don't understand why this is so unreasonable for you.

[Again, they're visibly taken aback by her words. She's just surprising them all over today!!
Not in any good ways. But still.]

I do not want to apologize for a necessary death that was not at my hands!
There is enough in the world I regret, already - I do not need the feelings of a rabbit to be another tally upon that list!

If you don't want to consider their feelings, then you don't need to keep them as a pet, either. That's a necessary part of caring for an animal.

[Maybe Purple just shouldn't have pets. Especially this one.]

... A pet?

[For some reason, they're once again stopped in surprise.]

Is that what it would be considered?

-Yes? You brought an animal here meaning to take care of it and keep it in your house, right? That's a pet.

[Did. Did they not know that.]

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i cannot BELIEVE its a rabbit that's actually causing them to argue

>|!!!

... i didnt realize the hard part of this would be choosing icons tho,

f.

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