ic contact

[squanderlust]

This is Severa. If you have need of me, write me a message here. I'll respond when I can.

Comments

[justbloodlust]

[ It's been some time since they met that first day, and perhaps sending a message now is awkward. But she's really got to do it. ]

Severa? Tachibana needs to apologize to you for something, and ask you something too.

[squanderlust]

It's good to hear from you, Tachibana! I don't think you've done anything you have to apologize for, but feel free. I hope everything is going well.

[justbloodlust]

Tachibana is good! Helping with the aquaduct project!

But Tachibana let you believe something that wasn't true, and may continue letting other people believe it, at least until it's no longer possible. So maybe it's part apology and part request.

Can you keep a secret for me?

[squanderlust]

Okay, ask away. Or apologize away, whatever it is. Anything you say is safe with me, Tachibana.

[justbloodlust]

Thank you!

It's just that Tachibana is a girl. But Tachibana was letting people believe she was a boy at home too, for other reasons, and here with some people talking about girls in certain ways, Tachibana isn't sure yet about letting everyone know.

But what you said before, about not doing that kind of thing with men, I thought maybe even though someone else helped Tachibana once, we could help each other sometime too?

[squanderlust]

I see. That actually explains a lot. In that case, I definitely wouldn't have a problem helping you survive. I could get used to having you around the fortress, Tachibana. ;)

I guess you want me to still call you a man with other people?

[justbloodlust]

Would it be okay to do that for just a little while?

Tachibana isn't stupid. It can't stay a secret forever with the nature of this place, but Tachibana wants to get comfortable first. There were several things said that were kind of scary, about women and how few were here, and how valuable that made them. And Tachibana doesn't want to be some kind of commodity, especially with also being inexperienced.

[squanderlust]

That's fine. Your secret is safe with me. Who's treating us like commodities?

[justbloodlust]

There was a boy named Alec, who came the same time I did, I think. He was asking for someone to pay for sex, and mentioned women as being worth more.

But there are others I have met who made it seem that way just in how they talked about men and women? And a man who called me

fresh meat

even while thinking I was a boy.

[squanderlust]

This man who called you fresh meat. Was he tall, muscular, blond? Entirely full of himself? It scarcely matters if he was or wasn't, because we are not things to be bought and sold for sex. But I may already have some recourse for this if it's who I think it was.

[justbloodlust]

The boy who wants to buy and sell was new, so Tachibana is hoping that he's just confused himself as to what to do. I spoke to him firmly at the time, but would like to give him another chance.

The other man, that is him. But he also walked around with Tachibana and gave a tour of the town, so judging him harshly for words would feel strange. Please don't feel a need to do anything on Tachibana's account.

[squanderlust]

The first one may be worth a second chance, but Dio has burned through enough. Listen to me, Tachibana. Dio is dangerous. He is deadly, with strength and abilities to match a god, and he does not die. I wish I could say I only have his words to judge him on, but he has done unforgivable things.

If you want to keep talking with him, I can't stop you. But be careful.

[justbloodlust]

[ That catches her off guard, and it takes a moment to respond. She's kind of grateful it's text. The fact that not everyone here is human is something that she's learned by now, but hearing someone referring to as matching a god and unable to die is something else. More importantly, someone who is evil and matches that description. ]

Tachibana has no desire to be involved with those who do evil, unless Tachibana can do something to protect others from them, or stop them. Don't worry. Thank you for the warning.

Tachibana will do her best to stay safe, for now.

[squanderlust]

Tachibana is a good person. I don't want to see her get hurt if it can be avoided.

And that I actually care about people like this is kind of a secret of my own, so there we go. Now we're even.

[justbloodlust]

Don't worry, Tachibana won't tell anyone. We're going to be friends, after all! It's a relief to know someone is looking out for me.

[squanderlust]

Yeah, well. You remind me of some people I used to know, I guess. And maybe I miss them a little.

[justbloodlust]

It's hard, isn't it? But Tachibana doesn't mind if that's why we're friends.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

[squanderlust]

That's not the only reason we're friends. That's just one of them. I'm just not good at talking about that stuff.

[justbloodlust]

As Tachibana said, everyone has to start somewhere!

Tachibana thinks you're doing fine.

[squanderlust]

That means a lot, Tachibana. Thanks.

[she feels like she should say something more, but nothing is really coming. making friends is difficult.]

[justbloodlust]

[ Despite her eagerness, she's not sure what else to say either, so all she sends in the end is... ]


＼（＾▽＾）／

[squanderlust]

What is that.

[justbloodlust]

It's a happy person with their arms up! It's supposed to show you Tachibana is happy without words. Sometimes words are hard, and sometimes they seem kind of cold in text, without the tone behind them.

It makes some things easier, like Tachibana admitting to lying. But it also makes some things harder.

[squanderlust]

I see.

I've just been drawing in smiling faces.

[justbloodlust]

You have a book, like that lord does, right? But Tachibana has a phone, so you can't just draw the same way. You have to use the characters available to make things.

It's strange to think Tachibana's phone is talking to Severa's book.