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You really don't have to apologize, seriously! I'm just happy he's back.

He's on his comm sometimes, if you wanted to say hello to him yourself. He can't move around much but he's fine with reading and talking, when he's not asleep.

I'll send him a text soon. Thanks for telling me. I've been so out of it, I've probably missed a lot.

Do you need me to stop by?

I took up the Shepherd's pact again. Lailah and I might be able to heal you up much more quickly. Or Dezel, if she's busy.

Edited 2016-09-30 16:54 (UTC)

That would actually be really nice. Thank you. I've been trying to heal myself, but I'm still a pretty shit healer, and I don't want to experiment with my new magic until I'm out of here.

Right...you've got to tell me more about that. I'll be there in just a few.

[He'd offered up their help before asking, but that's not anything new. And although he'd considered Dezel as well, the truth is that armatization still scares him. Dezel can break the pact wherever he wants, which is comforting, but Sorey is still wary and wants to talk to Dezel before they try again, for many reasons.

So, really, he's lucky that Lailah agrees to come with him.] Sorry for offering without asking you first...I just feel so badly that she's still so hurt.

Should we armatize before we go in? Since it can be kind of showy. [Y'know, to people who can see it.]

[Lailah shakes her head with a smile.]

It's quite alright, Sorey. She's a friend of mine as well.

[Considering Nightingale helped her out when she first arrived and all. The fire seraph taps her chin at the question, thinking.]

Since Nightingale can see me, she might be more alarmed to see you enter like that. However, I'll leave it to your judgment since you likely have known her longer. I don't mind either way.

It'll be okay, she's already seen Mikleo and I armatized. Plus, I- [Rubs the back of his neck.] If I get nervous, I don't want her to see it. She's got enough worries on her plate without getting into mine.

[Lailah nods.]

Very well, then. [Her smile is gentle.] Whenever you're ready.

[It's not as nerve-wracking as the first time, at least; Lailah's spirit settles into his the same way it always has, like he was born to work alongside her. Their core becomes lava, their fingers become embers, and Sorey takes a moment to make sure they're not heating the air around them (more because of him being unused to the armatization after eight months without rather than because of Lailah) before he pokes their head in the door to check if Nightingale's awake.]

Nightingale, hey. [Heads on over, don't mind all their clinking belts and gold bits of jewelry and accessories. Well, most people won't, anyway.]

[Huh. Sorey's armatized? It looks a little different, but... Maybe that's just her imagination? It doesn't look different enough to be anything else.]

Oh, hey, Sorey. And... Mikleo? You're out and about already?

[Clearly this is the only answer.]

[Lailah can't help her amusement. Luckily, she's not Edna or Nightingale might not get off so lightly.]

I'm flattered, but my relationship with Sorey is not quite so...close.

[She's trying so hard not to giggle.]

It's nice to see you again, Nightingale, though I'm sorry you've still been cooped up in here.

Oh- Lailah? Oh, the colors...

[She tilts her head, thinking.]

Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to imply... Wait, you can do the fusion thing without it being that close? I'm glad to see you, too- Though I guess I can't really see you yourself right now...

[She's babbling and a bit nervous- She's been expecting Mikleo's water, which she's still scared of.]

[Well, he did tell her that it wasn't like that, but Nightingale seemed pretty hung up on it being similar to her own world. Something-something about marriage, and while it's not the case he can't deny the intimacy of it.

Sorey sits them both down, hands in his lap and ankles automatically crossing like how Lailah sits. He's subconsciously giving her the most presentation because, despite all her reassurances, he's still nervous. At least they can do this without fighting, he doesn't want to think what the adrenaline would do.]

Lailah's got control just as much as I do, so you're technically seeing her. [Pauses thoughtfully.] I think? Even if I passed out, you could still keep us moving. It's like two people holding the reigns for a horsecart.

Edited 2016-10-03 00:46 (UTC)

[At least the nervousness will fade with time. Lailah will just do her best to soothe it as it comes up.]

That's true, but it's a little creepy. I try not to do that unless there's need.

[Buuuut this isn't the point.]

If you're ready, Nightingale, all we need is to hold your hand.

Not the creepiest thing I've ever seen, honestly.

[... Creepier was Sorey without a face, but fortunately, her life is so bizarre she has a billion other creepy examples.

She holds her hand out to them, with a slight wince.]

Be gentle with it until the healing is done, please. It's still a bit sore.

[the fucking bones were cracked, nightingale, 'a bit sore' doesn't quite cover it.]

Don't worry, it won't hurt. [Not like being shot with a giant fuck-you magic water arrow does, for example.

They gently take her hand, little more than lifting their palm so that her own rests atop theirs. Sorey feels the echo of Lailah's voice in his when he murmurs,] Rhapsody, [feels the surge of their combined might swell up, burning comfortingly before descending upon Nightingale like a campfire after a snowstorm, like the sunlight after a frigid night.

She might notice her max HP count increasing by 20% with a temporary buff, and while it doesn't heal all of her wounds any broken bones, torn muscles and otherwise debilitating injuries are completely healed. A few lingering bruises and scrapes are the only evidence that she was wounded at all.]

There. [That... felt good. Like it usually did. Sorey lets his heart fill up with relief and gratitude for Lailah to see and share.] Feeling okay?

[Honestly, as she heals, she gives a small, wistful sigh of comfort. It doesn't feel the same as Yura's healing magic, but it's still just close enough to be nostalgic.

But the rest of that is something amazing. A comforting fire healing her wounds and buffing her HP? Thoughts of nostalgia are buried quickly, held back to think about later so she can focus more on what just happened. She can reminisce over Yura forever, but a buff like this has to have a time limit, and that's some of the coolest magic she's ever seen.

She opens and closes her hand, flexing it a few times, and rolls her shoulders to check everything's in order.]

That's- That was amazing. What spell was that? You called it "Rhapsody", right? It's a heal and HP buff? Is that something you can teach?

[.... rip you two, honestly, she's practically got stars in her eyes now from this.]

[Lailah meets those feelings of relief and gratitude with affection and pride of his accomplishment. Sorey's a good Shepherd.

Then...because he's relinquished some hold of his body to the fire seraph, her body language shows through accidentally. Unconsciously, she makes him look like her current icon. Whoops!]

Unfortunately, seraphic artes aren't something we can teach humans. For...very specific reasons that you're better off not knowing. Just trust me when I say it's not worth it.

[Unless she wants to become a shambling, reanimated corpse with no will of her own.]

Edited 2016-10-04 19:45 (UTC)

[... she has to make a will save to avoid pulling out her camera to take a picture of Sorey doing that pose, honestly. Opal would have found it hilarious.]

Can you at least tell me why I'm better off not knowing?

[This feels like another one of those things Lailah can't talk about; Sorey leans forward and rests a hand on their knee, steeling himself in a way he hasn't quite been able to do before everything happened.

Nightingale is so eager, and always wants to learn more...he hates to do it, but he's afraid she might still try to manufacture the effects on her own and Sorey's not sure if that would count or not.]

You'd become a hellion like I was, but worse. I was at least alive somewhere in there. Humans attempting seraphic artes is like trying to bend your finger the wrong way; all it'll do is break you.

[It's a dark spot in history, void of any documentation. So much of their world's past has been destroyed, looted or burned by constant wars, or erased purposefully by those in power to hide their wrongdoings. The only thing Sorey knows about it is the revulsion the older seraphim had felt whenever they ran across the undead casters and wraiths; even Edna, deadpan as ever, had recoiled at the very idea of it.]

[She nods, listening attentively.]

... I see... That's unfortunate. It must be due to the way mana circulates through human bodies versus seraph ones, maybe...

Ah, but when you're fused, it becomes possible for you? Or is it just Lailah doing it from inside of you?

[She seems incredibly disappointed, but obedient, at least. She's giving up immediately when told to.]

[It's less that she can't talk about it and more that she hates talking about it. The fate of those humans is tragic and horrifying, and definitely doesn't make for a pleasant conversation.

This question, at least, Lailah's more inclined to answer.]

It's a bit of both, truthfully. You could even say that a human attempting seraphic artes lose their soul completely, so fusing with a seraph acts as protection. For that reason, learning them is a taboo and a sin if you're human.

[Honestly, it's not worth it. At least, from her perspective it doesn't seem worth it.]

[She winces, shuddering lightly.]

Okay, yeah, as someone with maybe half a soul right now, I can see why that's a bad idea. I want to keep the bit I've managed to regain, thanks...

[At the time, she was too messed up to feel anything, but as she is now, the idea of going back to that state without memories scares her.]

Still, that is some amazing magic...

Isn't it? [gonna brag about friend while being fused with her nbd this shouldn't embarrass anybody] I've spent my life researching Shepherd legends but Lailah's shown all of us so much more. She really knows her stuff. It's been a dream having her with me; I mean, I didn't even intend to be a Shepherd until I met her but she was really incredible, and she's still incredible, obviously.

[Is it time for Lailah's body language to show through Sorey again?! You bet it is!]

Stop, you're making me blush!

[jfdslka She's feeling embarrassed, but also grateful for the compliment. It's a really nice thing to say, after all!]

My flames aren't very powerful, but I try.

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