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[alphacraft]

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[jouvente]

[ Post mansion reunion shenanigans, here for some one on one time! But Isabeau is here to knock on Odile's door. ]

[alphacraft]

[ It doesn't take long for her to answer. She's been taking advantage of the quiet to add more notes to her notebook. ]

Yes?

[jouvente]

Hey M'dame, doing good? Holding up okay?

[ Predictably, Isabeau is (in part) here for the good 'ole expected Check-in. ]

[alphacraft]

[ It's extremely expected, and a little comical considering how much Isabeau went through to save her and Siffrin. She cocks an eyebrow. ]

I'm doing well, thank you. And what about you? How are you holding up, after everything?

[jouvente]

[ Isabeau puffs out his chest, a fist lightly tapping against it. ]

You know me! I bounce back quickly! [ Which is Isabeau's way of making light of it. Very convincing with his reassuring smile and confidence, right? ] But you know, if you're in ever need of another huuug~ I'm riiight here.

[alphacraft]

How generous of you.

[ She most assuredly doesn't need a hug. Isabeau might, but that's firmly outside of her comfort zone. ]

I don't need a hug, thank you. But if you feel like getting a drink, I suppose I could join you.

[ Things are weird. She wouldn't mind a bit of non-hug bonding. ]

[jouvente]

[ That's alright, he knows the limits when it comes to Odile, and other ways they can adapt to some of that bonding. Which she so conveniently brings up and ]

Crab yes! It feels like it's been forever since we've managed to sit down and have a drink together! Let's do it!

[alphacraft]

[ She smiles, just a little. Alcohol is definitely the answer to the question of the haunted mansion. ]

I'm told these things only happen once a month or so, so we should relax while he have the chance. You'll have to catch me up on what I've missed while I've been gone.

[jouvente]

[ Absolutely the answer to escape the horrors. And honestly, it's one way to wind down. ]

At least that means we'll have some breathing room... [ A nod. Yeah, the catch-up he was expecting, especially sooner rather than later. ] Right, yeah. There's a lot to fill in, which I can do on the way, while we're still capable of perfectly good conversation!

[ A joke. But also Isabeau well known for being a big drinker. So when she's ready, he's happy to fill everything that's gone down in her "absence" - minus the important detail about Loop's identity, no he leaves that important part completely out, as they make their way to the Watchtower Bar. He's... obviously going to downplay a lot of the intensity and more harsher results of what happened, because it's Isabeau. Doesn't want to cause conflict. Doesn't want to cause trouble. Doesn't want to make it seem as bad as it obviously was. ]

..In the end, even when I realized the two of you guys were fakes, I couldn't really..

[ Do anything about it. A coward as he is. Couldn't raise a hand to harm them. ]

So I'm sorry, M'dame.

february, expect ISAT spoilers within

[theuniverseleads]

[With the brand still spreading outside, the inn was decidedly the safest place to hole up. Loop doesn't love the idea of just waiting, but there were already others working on the problem, and it would be embarrassing if the Researcher had to pull them out of it again... or worse, if she saw another memory of theirs. They shudder to think about what else might've been shared while they were under.

They're not thinking about it, though, so it's fine! Just like how they're not thinking about how they can't even sense stardust's presence anymore, or that neither he nor the Fighter have answered any of their Calls, or if the calls are even reaching them at all. Nope! Not thinking about any of those things! Not even a little!!

They need something to distract themselves, so they busy their hands folding little paper cranes, trying to make them tinier and tinier until their fingers hurt trying to get all the folds right.]

[alphacraft]

[ It's been an uncomfortable couple of weeks for Odile. Their house was just starting to get comfortable again, and now it's not just unsafe but misplaced half of its residents. She didn't have to look long to see that the brand was beyond her abilities to stop safely, so she couldn't even look for her missing friends. She could only hope that wherever Siffrin and Isabeau were, they were together.

She's not exactly chipper when she runs into Loop, but she is glad to see them still here, still safe. ]

Folding cranes? Do you plan to fold 1,000 of them?

[theuniverseleads]

[Loop freezes in place when addressed, as if they'd somehow be in trouble for quietly folding paper in the corner. They find it in them to relax after a moment, though, putting down their latest crane alongside the others. They meet her gaze with a curious hesitation.

... one thousand cranes. Something about the number nags at the back of their mind, but only enough to tell them they shouldn't think too hard about that, either. Classic.]

Hmm... No, I'd better not. [they really gotta stop accidentally starting Wish Craft rituals like this] Are you familiar with the practice, Researcher?

[alphacraft]

Didn't you know? It's a Ka Buan tradition.

[ Knowing what she knows now, she wouldn't be surprised if they had simply forgotten.

... ]

Do you mean to keep calling me that, even now?

[theuniverseleads]

Is it, now! [clapping their hands together like they're totally not bitter about yet another thing they can't remember about themselves] How quaint! I guess that's where I picked it up!

[aaaaand this is already off to a terrible start, wow! They really know how to make a conversation blinding awkward! And they were doing so well before, they weren't flinching at her gaze anymore, they were really starting to believe they might be able to fit into their little family... and now, here they are, being told to draw the line again.

They know they won't be able to stomach the easy out, so they just laugh it off like it's a joke.]

Is Madame better? I can try changing it up, if you'd like.

[alphacraft]

Hmm.

[ She'd thought they were adjusting well, getting more comfortable, but it's hardly the first time she's been wrong. If they won't call her by her name, then she doubts they'd be comfortable being called by their own. She won't ask, then. ]

No, back to the drawing board I think. I'm sure you can come up with something better than 'Old Lady'.

[ She takes a seat next to them and eyes their origami work. It's impressive how small they managed to get. ]

[theuniverseleads]

Ooh? How about... Refined Old Lady?

[Kidding!!! She'd kill them if they tried to use that seriously.

That said, coming up with a new nickname won't be easy. She's been the Researcher for so long it's hard to think of her as anything else. It suits her, just as it suited Odile.

They hum, staring off into empty space.]

... you don't like Researcher?

[alphacraft]

Hah.

[ That gets a small smile, because it's so very Loop. And whatever he might think, she liked Loop plenty before starting to suspect they used to be Siffrin.

She looks over at them, considering the question and why they're asking. ]

I don't mind it. It's just a bit... impersonal.

[ She's always thought that was the point, so she was kind of hoping there was no need for it anymore. ]

🥚

[nitrotempered]

I HAVE EGGS! [ In comes this rowdy boy, loud, with two plates of eggs for this poor person. ] SIT YOUR ASS DOWN AND EAT IT RIGHT NOW! YOU NEED TO PICK WHICH ONE IS THE BEST.

[alphacraft]

[ She flinches at the sudden shouting, stares at the plate, then squints at the boy as if perhaps there's a problem with her vision making things nonsensical. Unfortunately, the problem with her vision is that there's a very loud child in the middle of it.

She sighs. ]

...What is this about.

[nitrotempered]

Competition: I need to prove to the old man that my cooking is better. [ The one egg dish made by Wolfwood; Sunnyside up with a soft yolk - it tastes like eggs should taste. Then, the other made by Bakugo was scrambled with a light garnish and presented neatly. It tastes okay. Normal. They both taste like eggs should taste. ] So chose.

[alphacraft]

[ She raises an eyebrow, but picks up the scrambled eggs. This might be entertaining. ]

Which old man would that be?

[ To a teenager, the minimum for 'old' may be around 20. She watches his face, trying to figure out which dish is his. ]

[nitrotempered]

The hell should I know? He looks gruff with an ugly face and a tail. Has a burn scar over his right eye and a ton of other scars, too.. Why does it matter - just eat it. [ Listen if shes got ~ PERCEPTION ~ she can tell Bakugo's is the plate with scrambled eggs because there is some left over granish that he put on the scrambled eggs, somewhere on his clothes. Otherwise, surprisingly, he actually holds both plates with respect and care. ]

[alphacraft]

[ That isn't very descriptive at all, but it doesn't sound like any of the people she would consider taking sides with. She's got plenty of points in Perception, and more than a few in Poker Face. She tastes both plates and makes a show of consider each one. ]

Hmm. I think I prefer the scrambled eggs.

[nitrotempered]

HEH. [ Bakugo exhales, clearly getting cocky with it now. ] That's what I thought; now finish the eggs. It's wasteful not to eat food.

[alphacraft]

[ She manages to look down her nose at him despite being seated. ]

Don't get ahead of yourself, Young One. I have no intention of wasting a perfectly good meal.

[ It's not like it's bad enough to throw away. ]