AUDIENCE: SORA

[retellers]

Comments

[retellers]

It's fine. We should have been clearer in advising everyone against it to begin with, after all.

[reconnective]

Did you know something like this would happen though? Seems kinda hard to advise against it without knowing about it.

[retellers]

That breaking the rules had consequences? Yes. We did warn people from the start that doing it carelessly would destabilize the Realm.

[reconnective]

I meant the kind of consequences, Fox. I dunno...maybe people really just didn't know what destabilize meant, or how it'd effect you guys.

[retellers]

I thought it was self-explanatory enough. No one asked for clarification on that front, at least.

In any case, what's done is done. All we can do is try and not to repeat that.

[reconnective]

You'd think a lot of things were self-explanatory, but...[people are proving themselves to be difficult, he thinks.]

I hope people take it seriously this time. [...] Because of what happened...you got some of your memories back too, didn't you?

[retellers]

From the sound of it, quite a few of us got memories back last weekend.

[reconnective]

Are you okay with yours? [...yeah. that's half of what he wants to know is if fox is okay with remembering what they remember now.]

[retellers]

Haha, I think I've had a much more ordinary life than most people here, so don't worry. I'm fine.

[reconnective]

[foooox.]

...even if it's ordinary, can I hear a little about it? I don't know if you can tell me since I'm not on your team, but it's been a while since I've had an ordinary life, too.

[so hearing about something more normal would be interesting.]

[retellers]

Hm... do you know what a helpline is?

[reconnective]

Hm...[let him think. phones are, like, an incredibly new concept to him but he can sort of figure things out from context clues.] Like a line people can call for help with problems they have?

[retellers]

[ they nod. ]

That's it. People call anonymously, and the person on the other end lends a listening ear and offers advice. I remember that I worked for one for about a year.

[reconnective]

[there's something that seems like understanding in his face then.]

No wonder you know how to deal with us. [haha.] You must've been good at it. Do you think you liked working there?

[retellers]

[ a light smile ]

I like helping people, and seeing them overcome the obstacles in their life. The reason I changed jobs was to transfer to another department in the same company.

[reconnective]

A different kind of helpline? Or was it something else? [even if this is super-normal he seems very pleased to be hearing this. maybe it's because fox likes helping people, or maybe it's just that fox is opening up a tiny bit. he'll take it.]

I think it's great...being able to help people like that. Especially when sometimes all they need is a really good listener.

[retellers]

Something else. A lot of it is confidential, so I'm afraid I can't give you the details... but think of the job as being assigned to someone as their full-time support for a period of time.

[ ... ]

You're right. It's often difficult, trying to figure out what to say, but it's fulfilling.

[reconnective]

Like a knight? Or a bodyguard? [no. not quite.] ...it sort of sounds like being somebody's friend for as long as they need you. I don't think that's so bad either.

[it's a nice thought, anyway. but it does raise another question.] If you're busy being someone's support, and you're helping all of us, who's your support?

[retellers]

[ that's an excellent question, sora! and one that fox pauses in response to. ]

Well, amnesia does make things inconvenient, unfortunately.

[reconnective]

Kinda thought so. [he tilts his head a bit as he thinks.]

I know you can take care of yourself, and I know you have a team to watch your back, but I want to support you, too. Didn't you just agree that sometimes people just need someone to listen? I think that also applies to you guys.

So even if it's not me...will you let some of us listen?

[retellers]

[ He smiles. ]

Thank you. You're really a good kid, you know that?

[reconnective]

[he never quite knows how to handle things like that, so he laughs slightly and rubs the back of his head.]

If you say so. [listen he just wants to do his best.] But I mean it! So consider it even a little.

[there's a pause, like he's not sure he wants to ask because he's scared of backsliding or scaring fox off or upsetting them, but he chooses his words carefully.] ...you really do just want to help, don't you? That's why you asked the things that you asked.

[he's. heard by now that shima was aligned with fox, but he doesn't seem too fussed about it.]

[retellers]

[ ...

well. fox just stays quiet about that. their expression is blank, but can sora sense how much they hate talking about the shima thing. ]

[reconnective]

[noooooooo.]

...sorry. You don't have to answer that, I didn't mean to...[he just kind of sighs.] I didn't ask to see you just to ask those kinds of questions.

[retellers]

[ calmly, ]

It's fine. I understand it's a popular topic.