[ch. 3] wednesday, w/ varian

[asswipe]

[HEY, VARIAN. Here's to hoping he isn't too busy, because Veronica isn't bothering with pleasantries when she spots him sometime during Wednesday. She grabs him by the shoulders and (gently) starts steering him in direction of the western tower.]

You. Me. Owlery. There's something new we have to talk about.

Comments

[alchemenace]

[ oh. he blinks and like. reconsiders his entire life view. ]

Okay. So we are at least not looking at a full one third of objectives on that scale. That's... Good?

[ a long pause ]

Big bad wolf? [ he doesn't know fairy tales enough to guess this shit smdh ]

[asswipe]

Good-ish. If I got something harmless, that means at least one of the heroes have something more... uh. Stabby.

[Like burning. God.]

Snow Queen, actually. [of the non idina menzel type] And you're a villain, so... Gingerbread Witch?

[alchemenace]

... Maybe. So we might still be looking af a high numbed of. Bad objectives.

[ great. ]

Oh, that makes more sense. [ he got stuck on three... And he throws his arm up (it would be both but the bandaged one stays mostly still) when she says the title ] Why would they even give me that one? I don't know how many times I have to explain that I don't work with magic! It was bearable back in Corona, but that's, that's just insulting.

[asswipe]

I think it's exactly because of that. Because you hate it, and you find it insulting. I think titles are meant to reflect our weaknesses and not our strengths.

[Veronica's a bad friend, Varian hates being told he works with magic, etc.]

... By the way, have you told anyone else about your objective? Anyone else at all?

[alchemenace]

That... makes sense.

[ he considers the other titles he knows and. hums. ]

I told Fane. [ since they're partners ] He wanted to know details of how it worked, since he's... a skeleton. If simply setting him on fire would work, he wouldn't get hurt from it. The temperature needed to affect bones is way too high for me to produce here. Unfortunately, when I asked, I was told it would have to, at minimum, um, severely disfigure a person.

So no. I was not planning to share that with anyone.

[asswipe]

[It makes sense that he told his partner, but it doesn't stop her from cursing under her breath.]

There's... a very real chance that we might find someone burnt to death one day. Do you think Fane would bring it up if that ever happens? In— In the trial, I mean.

1/2

[alchemenace]

Fane wants to live.

[ it's deadpan and immediate ]

[alchemenace]

[ but he deflates and shakes his head ]

So I highly doubt it. He wouldn't risk himself on a possibility.

[ also he adopted Varian and genuinely likes him but Varian is for some reason reluctant to count that? Haha weird ]

[asswipe]

And we've had a startling lack of partnerless deaths so far. There's bound to be at least one overconfident idiot amongst us.

[......... save varian from that bracket text, though. what the fuck.]

What I'm getting at, though... Is that you can use my objective if anyone ever pressures you. You're the first person I've told, so no one would contradict you like Cardia did.

[alchemenace]

[ it's fine :)

He looks genuinely shocked at that tho. And maybe a little touched? ]

... You, you'd really be okay with that?

[asswipe]

Of course I'm okay with that. I meant it when I said you're my friend.

[Embrace the friendship. Embrace being adopted by all the wrong people??]

[alchemenace]

... Thanks, V.

[ tho. he's gotta ruin it, and his soft smile turns into a smirk ]

Hey, at least, at least that means you only have two friends down to go now, right?

[asswipe]

[LIGHTLY punches him in the arm that isn't fucked up.]

Jerk. What if I already completed my objective?

[Haha, she wishes. It doesn't sound like she's too upset about him ruining ~the moment~, though, and she hums thoughtfully for a moment.]

... You know, I just remembered something. Wasn't Natsuo asking Tiger about a note he received the week Dave died?

[alchemenace]

Ow. [ it's a fake ow, but still: ow. ] Have you?

[ genuinely curious. but then she brings that up and. hm. ]

... Do you think he got something like this? Is that why he wanted to help Miss Bunch with hers so much?

[asswipe]

[a beat

and she sighs.]

... No. I haven't.

[IT SUCKS. But anyway—]

I don't know if it has to do with Rebecca's objective, but... It's something worth looking into. He did ask why Dave didn't get a note, too.

[the magic of backtags is that this now becomes hilarious considering > shield role]

[alchemenace]

[ yeah wow i wonder what he talked about re: the note!!! mystery. fuck u backtags ]

Alright, so we should talk to Natsuo, at the very least. [ or not because the magic of backtags. he thinks for a few seconds ] Was there anyone else you noticed?

[asswipe]

[backtags are fine maybe

she shakes her head.]

Nothing that sticks out. I'll let you know if I remember anything else.

[alchemenace]

Alright. Me too. And we should both try to keep an eye out for whoever got Beast's letter.