WEEK 2 MINGLE - ARTEMISIA

[foundationmods]

Things had changed so rapidly in the past few days.

The loss of two of them hung over like a shroud, made even worse by the fact that an innocent person had been executed.

Was this....how the rest of the game was going to go...?🗈

....Even if it was, there wasn't much they could do now. Yuuko herself hasn't shown up in public since the trial, and while some have talked to her, she's been...subdued.

Did the trial hurt her just as much as them?

Regardless, the island is still beautiful, if deadly. Summer continues, beaming down on all of them, the waves of the sea warm and inviting.

But even if things look bleak...

They have something in their hands that will soon lead to the Truth, and the heart of this matter.

And in the air...lies a heavy sense that everything is about to change.

MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

CALENDAR | LOCATIONS | PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS | YUUKO PC POST | BIRDWITCH PC POST

Comments

[cryosurgeon]

[... well, that derails the train of thought immediately.

Erhard stares at Watanuki, then Syaoran, then repeats the cycle a few more times. He's trying to process this. When he finally finds his voice again:]

But you don't look anything alike.

[foundfate]

...you know, we really don't, do we? I never really thought about it before, but we probably should look identical-

[And Watanuki promptly passes the fuck out and falls face-first onto the ground.]

[excavated]

Watanuki! [ not again, goddamn it ]

[foundfate]

[We're sorry, but the noodle you have tried to reach is disconnected. Please try again later.]

[keydomhearts]

Maybe we should attach a pillow to the back of his head?

[excavated]

Maybe...

[keydomhearts]

[ Maybe they can ask the witch for a thing ]

Do you know all the...forbidden words?

[excavated]

Yeah.

His past from when he was young, his parents, his true name and... why our appearances are different.

[keydomhearts]

Does this have to do with you two being related?

[cryosurgeon]

Scheisse!

[Erhard instantly goes into crisis management mode, dropping to his knees and pressing his fingers to Watanuki's wrist to check his pulse. Then he carefully rolls the teen onto his back, listens to his breathing, and raises his legs above the level of his heart to drive the blood back to his brain.]

[foundfate]

[If it's any consolation, Watanuki is 100% healthy and fine. He's just unconscious. Because magic mental blocks don't get power-blocked here.]

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard knows jack shit about magic. He's focused on doing his doctor thing, because syncope is something he does know.]

If he's not awake in the next minute or two....

[excavated]

Don't worry. He'll be fine.

[ Syaoran pipes in, a little sullen. ]

[cryosurgeon]

What happened? Is this common for him? He didn't even complain of feeling faint, it's like he just... switched off.

[excavated]

He's not allowed to talk about that subject. That's all.

[cryosurgeon]

Not....

[This is worse than breaking a social taboo. This is something out of Erhard's realm of understanding. Even in his months with the Foundation, he knows he still has much to learn about things considered to be mere fiction in his world.

(Even if his world is only fiction itself)

He shakes off the stray thought, compartmentalizes it for later. Much later.]

I'm sorry. I didn't know it would do this to him. I understand if you're both angry with me.

[excavated]

[ He shakes his head in a rather understanding manner, wearing a rather thin, melancholic smile. ]

I'm not mad. And I doubt that Watanuki would be angry at you, either. You didn't know. . . so it's fine.

[cryosurgeon]

Still, I'll watch over him until he regains consciousness. I doubt he wants to spent his birthday passed out on the floor.

[excavated]

Thank you.

I'll stay with him as well until he wakes up.

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard nods, falling silent for a bit as he monitors Watanuki for any signs of consciousness. Small talk is awkward, but it's how people socialize, right? Ann wants him to socialize more. He's not sure why she cares or how it will help him to be a better doctor.]

Is there... something you would normally do for your birthday? A tradition?

[excavated]

I didn't actually have any special traditions. . . just that I'd spend it with the person most important to me.

[cryosurgeon]

[For an instant, a strange thought flickers into Erhard's head. It's as ephemeral as a frostflower, as a sigh in a storm. He's not even sure if it's his own, it's so incongruous with the customary inner workings of his mind.

What's it like... having a most important person?

He actually shakes his head slightly, as if to dislodge the traces of the thought.]

But that person isn't here. Just us. Is that alright?

[excavated]

It's fine.

[ He smiles a little bit as his gaze flickers towards Watanuki. ]

Sakura isn't here, but... I wanted to celebrate with Watanuki. So it's fine.