Eighth: Swaying (Video; un: Fashiondiva)

[corpsewarblade]

(TW: panic-attacks, blood.)

Hey everyone! How's the summer heat treating you?

[Her smile seems even more forced than even her usual act- like she hoped that over-saturated grin would allow her to push her way past whatever it was bothering her.]

So July kinda... okay like, majorly ran away with me, so- So I'm gonna be hosting the Summer Fashion show on the 15th August, at the beach- we'll be doing... so, like, the morning theme will be summer styles, with swimwear in the afternoon. I'll put on a BBQ too!

I hope you guys are as- as excited as I am! It's gonna be, like, a total blast.

Any volunteers who want to help out would be super duper appreciated, so just... lemme know, 'kay?


[The camera seems to be trembling. Mukuro takes a deep breath, before her expression turns more troubled.]

S-so, uh- like I don't have any issues with the Traders normally, they've always given me good stuff but- just a heads up that after the Celliwig thing they're in a bit of a- let's just say weird-ass mood?? Or- or maybe it's just me, I dunno... Anyone else have any problems with them this month?

Like, I just turned up- I mean, yeah, okay I usually go earlier in the day but I didn't think they'd close up shop too early, you know? Anyway I just turned up and was taking my time making up my mind and-

And they were totally all 'Oh hey! We brought you some stuff we thought you might like because you're, totally like, a loyal customer and all that'. Not in those words but-

[Another pause, swallowing back the anxious tears pricking up in her eyes as she tried to work out what to say.]

Okay no but seriously- seriously what the flying fuck are they on?!

[And with that, she carefully lifted up something in one, shaky hand- a spear of such a dark grey metal that it almost looked black. It tapered into a sharp point, and had small grooves near the blunt side that were almost reminiscent of ballistic markings.

Most noticeably, the tip and centre showed hints of dried blood.]

I- I dunno what they expect someone like me to do with this kinda thing- you know?

[And with that faltering, she'll fumble with her phone- attempting and failing to flick to a private setting.]

...Hey, Darin, can you like, make it into a sword or- or anything? Um- crap meant to private that part- sorry-

Comments

[corpsewarblade]

Jean- um- the park in town-

[rustyhonesty]

Got it. I'll be there real soon, so don't go anywhere.

[corpsewarblade]

[A small nod. The reassurance was definitely appreciated.]

...Stay on the call?

[rustyhonesty]

Yeah, sure.

[If it helps her, then he doesn't mind. There just happens to be moving and such that come with the whole deal.]

Sadly I'm not that great of a blacksmith yet, but I hope Darin can help you out. I lost my Alchemy abilities too.

[corpsewarblade]

Huh- your magic stopped working?

[Awkward smalltalk was a good distraction- her eyes couldn't quite leave the spear lying on the bench beside her.]

[rustyhonesty]

Oh, no, apparently it changed? I still have animal magic, so just my secondary changed to healing... just when I was getting a hand of alchemy too.

[He says with a shrug.] I'm sure I'll find more use for healing though.

[corpsewarblade]

That's...that's weird...

Healing's useful, though.

[rustyhonesty]

Someone else talked about it on the network before. Changing magics.

[He didn't reply back then, because it wasn't really relevant.]

Hey. Look at me. Keep your eyes focused this way.

[corpsewarblade]

Huh-

[She didn't even realise she'd been zoning out, and took a deep breath, shutting her eyes tight a moment before focusing on the video again.]

Sorry- yeah. I'm here.

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean smiles lightly at her. Before looking up from the camera.]

I can see you now.

[corpsewarblade]

[Mukuro looked up quickly at that comment, giving a small, relieved smile as she spotted him. At this point, she was just sat in a daze on the park bench with the stained, metal spear resting at her side.

She hung up, put the phone aside, and went back to awkwardly fiddling with the crystal amulet she wore- another 'gift' from the Traders. The heart-shaped crystal itself the distinctive creamy-white colour of Peromei's essence, set in a silver wing type design.

...That probably raised even more questions of its own.]

Hey...um. Thanks. For coming out like this-

Seriously didn't think the Traders would just- just do that. What the fuck even-

[rustyhonesty]

Of course. You sounded like you needed some company.

[Jean pockets his phone as he finally approaches Mukuro. His eyes fall on the spear for a moment, feeling a shiver go down his spine. Then he looks properly at Mukuro and the amulet that... looked very familiar.

Deciding to take the route of distraction to get her mind off things first so she could calm down, he takes the eagle wing amulet that has a golden yellow crystal that both fits the color of his eyes and Thras.]

You received the same kind of amulet I have?

[corpsewarblade]

[Oh- that was a good distraction, and she found herself staring at the eagle-wing amulet when he brought it out. It suited him. And whilst her words were all sort of falling out at once, at least it was taking her mind off the immediate trauma.]

...They had this there too, yeah, and they gave it to me and I kinda thought it suited me so you know I took it, but- wait, you know what it is??

[She'd been so distracted by the Spear that after putting the amulet on, she'd not really given it much more thought. It wasn't something she recognised, but she felt a pull to it all the same. One she couldn't quite explain.]

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean nods with a sort of a nostalgic smile.]

It's an amulet from the world I was in previously. Verens, or Empatheias as a whole. It was ruled over by different Arethei, god-like beings. It was also where I first found out about magic, since all emotions manifested as different kind of magical effects.

[corpsewarblade]

Empatheias, huh...

[It didn't seem familiar. Another world like this one, with magic that manifested from emotions? A world Jean was in before this?

Slowly, she shook her head.]

...Why did I end up with something like this? It doesn't make sense.

[rustyhonesty]

Maybe you forgot you have been there? It might be possible.

[Considering what kind of entrace they have when they arrive to Avalon, it shouln't be completely out of the question at least.]

[corpsewarblade]

Guess it's possible? I mean, it- the Traders insisted it suited me and that I take it, so maybe they knew something I didn't.

...Or they're just dicking around.

[A small glance to the spear. That option wouldn't have surprised her at all.]

[rustyhonesty]

If they thought it suited you, it's likely because you own it. The crystals back there were very personal and important. Enough to be connected to your life.

[Which was always a bit of a yikes for him.]

We should cover that up with something.

[corpsewarblade]

Connected to my life...the fuck?

[For the time being, she quickly tucked it into her top. At least that would conceal it from view.]

...I wonder why yours is a different colour to mine, do you think it means something?