AUDIENCE: "KASUMI"

[retellers]

Comments

[retellers]

[ going by their voice? they are also tearing up ]

What? Why are you sorry, I'm sorry! I couldn't protect you and now you're...

[siblingless]

[Guess they're both going to be weepy messes together, then. Team Swan solidarity.]

What? [Pulling back a little so she can shake her head furiously.] It's not your fault! You couldn't have predicted that my nova would splinter this week. Please, don't apologize for that.

[Was she allowed to tell Swan death deets? Oh, well.]

[retellers]

[ they shake their head ]

But I couldn't even feel it! Maybe if I had, I could've stopped it or slowed it down, or... I didn't even think that was real. Did you feel it?

[ when did it start how does it work why didn't they KNOW ]

[siblingless]

I mean it! You don't owe me any apologies.

[Sniffling! Smad sniffling. Nooooo blaming yourself, Swan.]

I... I felt it on Thursday, after I regained consciousness. My mind felt fuzzy, and I had trouble remembering certain things. I thought it was because of my injuries, but... [She trails off, and pauses.] Wait, will someone be punished if I tell you everything that happened? I don't want you or anyone to get in trouble.

[retellers]

Yeah well I want to apologize so I say I do. [ in a petulant cry voice. ]

It's fine. [ immediately without thinking about it, because they don't care, but. ] To be honest, I probably won't remember most of it when I go back. The trip between isn't stable, so our memories of details we hear here are kind of... bleh.

[siblingless]

That's not how it works at all! [Petulantly smad voice. Terrible.

She leans a little further back, eyes wide. Oh, no. It's anxiety time.]

R-Really? Is it safe for you to be here? Your nova won't be affected by this, will it?

[retellers]

What? No, I'm fine! We've all been here before. It's just remembering the details of it that's... harder.

[ pouts ]

[siblingless]

... If you're sure. But, please, tell me if it becomes dangerous at any point.

[You can never know with the Realm. Please love yourself, Swan. Sumire doesn't look entirely happy about this revelation, but she carries on, sniffling every now and then.]

You said you didn't think the splintering was real, right? But the other leaders must have known something was wrong because, um... Some participants have been ordered to take care of the others like me. One of them must have realized my nova was splintering, and sent a member of their team to stop me before I became a danger to everyone else.

[retellers]

[ swan hugs themselves a little, frowning at the ground ]

...Then why wouldn't they share any of that? That's what I don't like about all this.

[siblingless]

[... Reaches for Swan's hand, frowning.]

Is it possible the Realm won't allow it?

[retellers]

[ they'll hold sumi's hand back, squeezing ! ]

I don't know. It seems counter-productive to do all this if... there was a real reason behind it.

[siblingless]

[Squeezing back! Please accept this emotional support ghost, Swan.]

Honestly, there are a lot of things the Realm has made us do that seem, ah... counterproductive. I don't know why the other leaders would keep this to themselves, if it's truly not because they are forced to.

[retellers]

[ they will accept it and they will hold hands with yoshizawa forever thank you ]

To be honest, I think we're having trouble trusting one another, ever since Virid... Or maybe we never did in the first place.

[ they seem pensive, pursing their lips together ]

But this isn't hurting us, it's hurting all of you.

[siblingless]

[She will never let go of this hand...! Or, at least, she won't until Swan has to go back to the realm of the living to do living people things. Unfortunate.]

... I'm sorry. You seemed to get along well enough, I didn't realize you were having trouble trusting one another. [Bad! She speaks slowly at first, sympathetic. And then, when she continues, she sounds a little offended on Swan's behalf?] And... I suppose your rules aren't making this easier either. You said you weren't allowed to show your faces around each other. I don't understand why that's necessary at all.

[Can the Realm maybe chill.]

[retellers]

It's like you guys, isn't it? You trust some people more than others. [ and that's fine swan is more than ok with forever handholding. ] And I don't know. It's like... from the start, I had this feeling that I shouldn't take it off. But I've done it now. With Sora. [ they rub their thumb over Yoshizawa's hand ] Would you... I want to show you, too, Yoshizawa. If you're interested?

[siblingless]

... Really? [Shook? She's shook.] Of course I am! I want you to feel as comfortable as possible, but— You won't get in trouble for it?

[There is one anxiety binch in this team and it is she.]

1/2

[retellers]

I didn't get in trouble with Sora. And... I know some of the others have been doing it, too. So it'll be fine!

[ they do not wait for further permission to take off their hood and mask with the hand not holding onto Yoshizawa's; ]

[retellers]

[ and there she goes. ] And I don't want to hide from you guys, anyway.

STARES DIRECTLY INTO ZIA'S SOUL AND WHISPERS I FUCKING HATE THIS

[siblingless]

[













DRAMATICALLY GASPING.]

Swan-san, you're so pretty!

:)

[retellers]

[ she looks taken aback for a second and then laughs, squeezing sumire's hand ] Thanks! I think you're pretty too, Yoshizawa. [ beaming ]

🔪🔪🔪

[siblingless]

[Laughing a little, too. Can't believe she's now going to spend the rest of this audience being dazzled by Glimmer.]

Hehe, thank you! [Beaming! Until she thinks of something, and her smile dies a little bit.] Um... I don't suppose you remember much about yourself already, do you?

[retellers]

[ as she should be. but swan just strikes a pose with the one hand that is not holding yoshizawa's ] Not a lot, but... I know I'm the Queen of a place called Brightmoon!

[siblingless]

[... If she was shook before, that doesn't compare to how she feels now! Which is to say, she is absolutely gobsmacked and making no move to conceal it.]

H-Huh? [WHAT???] You're a queen?!

[retellers]

[ laughs, again ] Yep! So that's not a bad place to get a Leader from, right?

[siblingless]

R-Right! No wonder you're so amazing, Swan-san. Though... This means we have all the more reason to find a way to end this, and return you home!