abnormalizes | Seasons: IC Contact/Continuations

It's a weapon from work.

You know how my scythe damages the body, and the little floating orb I have damages the mind? There are also weapons that damage the soul.

Why is everything from your world scarier than the last thing?

I feel like this is less scary than some of the other things I've told you already, actually? But I guess it depends on your perspective.

Hm... I guess so. I just don't want anyone's soul to get messed up again. [She bites her lip and hums.] And there's some nice things! Like you. And your parents seem nice, and I don't know One Sin and Hundreds of Good Deeds-san really well, but I know they work hard at their job. And Fragment of the Universe-chan was nice! Their song was cute! I kinda wondered why you didn't bring them back.

Fragment of the Universe is nice and means well, but they also drive people who listen to them insane if they don't have your immunity to mental damage.

Ehhh?

[Rinku stares and blinks a couple times.]

No way! Did that happen to anyone else when they were here during that thing at the Mecha Hangar? I didn't hear about that, but I guess I don't hear about a lot of things...

It might have? Nobody told me if it did, though.

That's good. [sigh] I don't want anyone to get hurt. They were really nice, too. Most of the monsters that came in back then were just like the other monsters here. ...And also there were mosquitoes?

Just, like, normal mosquitoes? Not even giant ones?

Yeah! I know mosquitoes are scary if you're someplace with malaria and stuff, but they're not gonna break your soul or anything.

That's weird! I don't really know how to respond to that.

Not everyone's world has monsters, maybe it was just improvising?

I guess so? Disease can be pretty scary if you don't have the resources to get it treated.

[nod nod] Especially if you're far from a hospital or something. At least we have those here.

Yeah, so it's not a big deal here.

...I would like to see someone try to fight a mosquito with a sword or something.

I would do that if I took one of those small potions! Or shrink again some other way.

[Rinku points to the tattoo-and-piercing parlour, a thin building with a sky whale on the sign. Majestic animal, I guess.]

There it is!

[She grabs Evangeline's hand tightly before going to go in.]

[Squeezes her hand! She's mostly here for moral support, she'll let Rinku take the lead on asking for a piercing and stuff.]

[Rinku takes a breath and walks up, asking for the appointment. The receptionist says it won't be a long wait, and they can wait in the front waiting room. Rinku lets out a breath when the receptionist turns away to do some desk work.]

I shouldn't be scared, you're right, but it's still kinda...

What are you scared will happen? Maybe we can talk it out so you don't have to worry as much.

Hm... I dunno if I'm scared of something specific, just that it's kinda a scary thing. Though when I think about that, maybe that means it shouldn't be scary.

If you can't think of anything bad that will happen, then there's nothing to be scared of, I think? It'll hurt for a second and then you'll be fine.

Thanks, Neechan. It's kinda dumb to be scared, now that I think about it, but...

It's okay! I'm scared of lots of things that are probably harmless, too. Like the Pokemon vending machine.

[Rinku nods.] I remember that. The machine is pretty good, I wouldn't trade Mecchan for anything, but it's okay to be scared of things.

I'm glad I was able to meet Misu without having to deal with it.

[She knows intellectually that nothing in there is going to hurt her, and yet.]

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