abnormalizes | Seasons: IC Contact/Continuations

I'd love to visit more. You don't have to cook for me to bribe me to come over, you know.

Then let's definitely have more visits! I bet Mary-chan'd be really happy to see you more, too. You're really good with kids.

[She pets Mecchan and Hina, who nod in agreement between bites.]

Oh, you think so? I do like working with them, but I wasn't sure if I was very good with them or not...

I think so! You're really patient and you can always tell what someone wants. At least better than I can.

Experience with working with entities that can't use human language helps a lot with that.

[Mecchan makes happy noises and finally takes a bite of his food.]

These two agree! They really like you. I think you were one of the first people Mecchan stopped being scared of.

I still don't really understand that. I'm pretty scary compared to a lot of people?

No way, you're not scary at all!

[Mecchan shakes his head, and Hina squeaks between bites of food.]

The place you're from is scary, but that doesn't mean you are. You're always really nice and trying to help.

[She appreciates the sentiment, but...]

You remember that time I freaked out really badly because I attacked Porty's mind, right?

Yeah.

[It's hard to forget, even if she'd like to.]

So... because of that kind of thing, you're scary to yourself?

Yeah. I can hurt people without realizing that what I'm doing is bad.

[She's tried to accept that she couldn't have known better, that everybody hurts people sometimes... But not everybody can attack people's minds.]

[Rinku leans against Evangeline supportively, snuggling on her. Her ears shift, ossicones sprout from her head, and a tail grows through a slit she seems to have cut into the back of her shorts at some point.]

I think I do too. Not the same way, but because I don't understand people, so sometimes they get mad and I don't know what I did or anything. But you... I think you were doing your best, and you know what happened hurt now, so it's okay.

[Evangeline automatically goes to scritch, it's just reflexive at this point.]

You think so? I'm a lot more dangerous than you are, just objectively.

[Happy nuzzle. Pettable Mode always makes things better.]

I guess... kind of. I mean, you probably could use a XROSS∞BEAT to hurt people, technically it is a hypnotic wave, but I dunno. We've only ever used it to make people happy, and to help give Pumina-chan a heart to make her not destroy the world.

[Oh, Rinku can apparently hypnotize people. Has that always been a thing?

-It's probably fine.]

I can't picture you hurting people with it and thinking it was helping, though.

[Leaaaaaaaans.]

I don't wanna, but I might hurt someone. And you were doing your best. ...We love you, Neechan. I wanna make sure you get to be happy.

[Mecchan warbles in agreement. Hina finishes inhaling her food and flies to perch on Evangeline's shoulder.]

[Snuuuuug.]

I am happy? I mean, I'm usually happy. I just worry sometimes.

[Snuggle clump!]

I'm gonna be here to help if you're worried. We all are. Like I said, you guys are my family. The best family in this whole world.

[Hina and Mecchan also snuggle on Evangeline.]

And we're here to have fun today! I'm gonna make sure of it!

Thank you. -All of you, thanks.

[Hina and Mecchan are also doing their best to help and should be recognized.]

I am having fun! So we don't have to talk about depressing things.

[Nuzz.] Okay! Hmm... What else fun is there about camping? It's too late to hike and we already have the fire. We could tell stories? People do that all the time!

Don't they usually tell scary stories? I don't want to traumatize you with the kind of stories I think are scary...

Huh, that's true... and I don't think I'd be able to scare you either.

[Mecchan babbles and gestures with his fork.]

I guess if he told scary stories, it'd be about the time someone came to the door trying to sell stuff or something. Huh, Mecchan?

[Little nod. Strangers are scary!]

But maybe we can just talk about other things instead.

Sure, talking about other stuff sounds good. Like, I guess future plans?

Sure! Like quests and stuff?

[Rinku looks up, where the sun is setting through the trees.]

I guess... hmm. I do have some plans. Like working on more roads with the guild so we can get around easier.

Oh, yeah, that's one of those permanent quests, right? I should pay more attention to those.

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