[pt] siffrin

[physalia]

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w0 post "exe"

[physalia]

[Cantarella has given the wishing well quite a wide berth since their arrival, save for her midweek visit to see the source of Lobelia's haunting song. Truly that puppet is no Lorelei.

In the wake of the past three days' events, she doesn't know if there are any answers here, but somehow, perhaps out of a desire not to walk through the stairwell she just found strewn with blood, she ends up here.]

It's you, [she greets gently,] the traveler. Will you take some company? Now's not the time to be alone.

[How is Siffin looking?]

[siriuspuns]

[ Siffrin had simply been staring down at the well, staring at his own reflection as if it were a stranger.

but it's Cantarella's voice that snaps them out of their daze, as they whip their head up to face her with a smile. ]

Hey! You can join if you want. I'm not doing much.

[physalia]

[Horrifying, thanks, and not really the kind of sight that's particularly reassuring to see when walking up to the ominous hole of water in the earth.]

Have you been able to rest at all?

[She starts with that, the rather angled maneuvering of someone who already knows that trying to ask "are you okay?" is going to be met with a flippant dismissal. She hasn't forgotten that Siffrin was one of the people who walked out here and made a series of grizzly discoveries.]

[siriuspuns]

Yes? Though honestly, I'm kind of a night owl in the first place, so I'm always falling asleep late.

[ he's nodding very quickly! ]

Oh, but how are you? It was, uh... a lot that happened today, huh?

[physalia]

I'm rather resilient, so there's no need to worry about me. [Physically, she's fine, though there's a twinge of concern on her face.]

I don't like to see so much death or for it to feel so pointless.

[They don't even know, and never will, the full story of what happened between Beryl and Giyuu, and Giyuu was...erased. Taken by something and clearly overcome by whatever caused him to cough.]

Our position feels much more tenuous than it did before.

[siriuspuns]

[ it's hard not to worry about her. about everyone else. especially when something like that happened... how can one assure the safety of anyone else? ]

I don't understand why something like that would happen. Was it because he killed Beryl?

[ would killing him have been a mercy? ]

[physalia]

If that's the case, do you think it's a punishment he endured because we didn't repay him in kind?

[Cantarella's expression doesn't seem convinced, if only because...the timing seems so strange.]

It was only for a moment, but he began coughing blood before the darkness overtook him, and yet I can't remember him seeming unwell at all before that moment. Before we can understand why I'd like to know...what could even manifest so quickly?

wk 1 post body announcement

[siriuspuns]

[ Even a while after the announcements, Siffrin finds themselves wandering through the area aimlessly.

Eventually their wandering brings them to the pool. It’s empty.

…

He takes off his hat, cloak, boots, socks, gloves, eyepatch, and empties his pockets of anything that’s inside.

They look around to make sure that no one is watching… and they run off the edge and into the pool. They take in the sensation of the impact and the rush of the water fill their senses as they sink to the bottom. Once they’re at the floor of the pool, they open their good eye to stare at the surface until his lungs start complaining about the lack of oxygen.

When they push themselves up, however, they realize that maybe they weren’t as alone as they thought. ]

Oh, uh, hi?

[physalia]

[Please, for your viewing pleasure, imagine Cantarella man-standing at the other side of the pool edge, staring down into the water with her frills half-out.]

Siffrin. Hello. Here to enjoy the calming embrace of the water?

[siriuspuns]

[ Siffrin floats in the water, looking up at her. His ears flicker in interest. ]

Oh… I guess, yeah.

[physalia]

[It's a big change from a cat not really swimming.

Their positions have reversed now from what they were earlier this week. Cantarella has a seat by the edge of the pool.]

I thought I noticed you taking your leave from the library, but I wasn't able to follow. Such a harsh awakening was painful to endure.

[siriuspuns]

[ Oh…

They swim towards the edge near where she is, leaning against the edge of the pool with their elbows. ]

I’m sorry… I should have helped you, but…

[ They failed there too. ]

[physalia]

There's no need to be sorry for that. It was shocking news, and my breathing was only strained for a moment.

[It's sweet concern, but she gently takes it and places it aside.]

Are you all right? Did you know them well?

w2, monday, late morning or early afternoon?

[physalia]

[Returning to the library at the beginning of this chilly week, clad in a longer skirt and new sweater (probably like this?), Cantarella is passing by the seating area when she spies a familiar figure indulging in the entertainment on screen.

Rather than sit down next to them, Cantarella appears over the back of the couch nearby (but not too close...by now she's careful about touching anyone), leaning over her gently draped arms.]

What's the play this time?

[siriuspuns]

[ Siffrin's doing their best to pay attention to the TV over the bizarre ghost touches and the eyes that are constantly on them. It's difficult, but once again they find themselves watching another musical.

They're curled up on the couch, and while the group might no longer have their animal appendages, It's difficult to say that Siffrin doesn't look like a black and white cat, especially as they turn towards the familiar voice. ]

Oh, it's um... [ They look at the DVD case, and then offer it to her. ] called Chicago? It's pretty good. The songs are nice, too.

[physalia]

Are they all musical shows like this? They certainly found a way to create a memorable performance. Looks like you've unlocked the rich secret of keeping warm...

[Cantarella takes great care when she reaches for the case, doing her best to make sure their hands don't brush at any point, though whether she's successful is another story.]

[siriuspuns]

[ Too bad. Their fingers do brush, but lucky for Cantarella, Siffrin is not truly Siffrin without their gloves. Which means that while the spark of pain is present, it's not as bad as it could have been.

Not that they stay for long. Siffrin retracts his hand quickly, sitting up in alarm. ]

Sorry! Did I hurt you? I, uh, stars, I'm sorry.

[physalia]

[Her response to the muted pain is in her eyebrows pinching and the low grunt in he throat that crests into a near-chuckle. Humorless but also seamless in its transition. Her hand reflexively tightens, which catches the film fox from falling from it no matter how the nerves twinge otherwise.]

Ah... No need to fret; I hardly felt it. With your gloves on, it was hardly even a shock.

[siriuspuns]

Right.

[ No need to fret, but Siffrin can't help but feel like fretting anyways. But they'll hold back. ]

If you want to watch, I can go on one end and you on the other. That way you don't have to touch me.

w4 thursday

[physalia]

[She ends up at the pool somehow.

It's not that this is where she meant to go, specifically, but maybe even with her wandering, there was something specifically calling to her here. The comfort it once offered a few weeks ago is still latent in the submerged lights and the gently dancing colors. The water is still a home she cannot fully detach herself from.

Cantarella leans against the wall, her eyes closed. She cannot sink the way she wants to.]

Ah. There you are.

[siriuspuns]

[ It’s a repeat of what happened a few weeks prior. The world is too painful, so Siffrin tries to shut it all out by sinking to the bottom.

At least in this case, the weightlessness of not being able to feel your own body or anything around it is expected.

But when they pull themselves up to see Cantarella, their expression softens. ]

Yeah. It was really hectic over there, haha.

[ Ha… ]

[physalia]

It was. You helped.

[They missed the worst of it, she's pretty sure, and though they can't remain blind and deaf to it forever, it's for the best right now.]

How's the water?

[siriuspuns]

I ran away.

[ And they can’t feel anything about the water. Is it warm? Is it cold? They don’t know. ]

The water’s fine, yep. Can you still not join?

[physalia]

[She sighs softly, letting that first statement float for a moment. Now that she knows what she does about the work Siffrin's been doing, Cantarella can hazard a guess at the feeling of uselessness.

It was how she felt the first time they met like this, too.]

I can join. [Unlike that first time, she's at the water's edge fairly quickly, slipping her legs into it first.] At least here I'm not risking getting lost.

[siriuspuns]

That’s good.

[ Were you expecting a joke, Cantarella? Not today, unfortunately.

They don’t pull themselves away from the edge of the pool yet, just watching Cantarella. ]