adlantisag | IC CONTACT

Thank you for your honesty.

[Now it's time for her to see if Masamune will afford her the same. "For once"- or so it feels to her.]

Sieglinde.

Do not forget: you are not alone.

[ She's here, no matter what Masamune says or does. Whenever Sieglinde is ready. ]

I shall try and remember.

[ She gives the girl space for a few hours after the message; she knows what it's like to need it, at least, to sort through terrible emotions. But Sieglinde is, to her, just a child--bones still delicate, mind still alarmingly unpredictable. She can't help but worry.

She sends Ninat, for fear of seeming too overwhelming; the big cat shark will do quick work of tracking Sieglinde down. As for Kida herself, she sends only a brief note: ]

I am steps away, you need only ask if you need me.

[It's not hard to track her when she's in her quarters, at her desk in a mess of papers and notes, staring at blank space in the clutter that represented to her what had been stolen.

It had taken her some time to guess what formulas were missing, the memory of that day were somewhat blurred, but. Why did he not apologize? Why did he not understand- ?]

I cannot. I am sorry.

[ Cannot ask, or cannot need? Kida paces, fretting.

Ninat bumps her head against the door gently, asking to be let in. ]

Eventually, Sieglinde caves and opens the door, but only a crack, only enough to try and shoo the shark cat away lamely.]

Go away, Ninat- go back to Kidagakash-

[ Ninat can sense the girl's upset just by the erratic flow of electricity from her brain to the rest of her body. She wedges a massive paw in the door, using her bulk to muscle her way inside and rub her huge head against Sieglinde's front.

Her mistress isn't far behind. In truth, Kida wasn't about to let the girl just wallow in her own misery for very long--she appreciates the need for space, but her own need to see Sieglinde happy forces her to act.

She's standing not far behind Ninat, the light from the doorway framing her. She looks solemn, but also a bit sheepish. ]

--little one. Will you let me in, as well?

[ Gentle, this time. She has no intention of forcing a locked door. ]

Nngh- Stop, Ninat-

[Only a noise of frustration escaped at first as she tried to push the large creature's paw away, push it physically out the door... But that was about as effective as trying to push a brick wall when you were Sieglinde's size, and in order to avoid being knocked over, unable to dig her feet in and brace properly, she had to cling to Ninat's head.

Sieglinde has already finished her crying, leaving her drained and sallow, looking up slowly when Kida speaks and then looking away just as evenly, fingers curling against Ninat's peculiar skin.]

... There is nothing to discuss.

[What was there to say? Masamune had betrayed her trust- and largely given her only excuses. Accused her of things in turn, when he had been the one to do wrong.

What could be said about that?]

And I am very busy.

[With the notes in a pile near the hearth, half of their bulk already gone to the flames.]

[ She peers down at this girl, tiny and so precious to her. She wants nothing more than to sweep her up. She thinks of where they started, awkward and frantic, to now, here, this.

Kida comes forward, kneels. ]

I did not come here to discuss.

[ She opens her arms a bit, inviting. ]

I came here to help you.

[Even if a part of her wanted to go to what she was offered, take comfort in the arms that had held her and given her the same in the past... Masamune's words still stung, the ones that implied she was the one at fault, that she was the one reacting strangely, being immature. A child.

So she held herself back from the comforts children wanted, instead her grip tightening on Ninat in a way she hoped could pass for just something she needed to do for balance.]

If you desire to help, perhaps you can help me sweep out the ashes.

[They... were kind of piling up in the hearth at this point.]

[ There's a moment's pause, before Kida exhales softly. Might as well be true to her word. ]

Very well.

[ She gets up, moves past Sieglinde into the room, taking the broom as she goes. The dusting is quick work, at least. ]

You are burning your notes?

[... There. Sieglinde obviously isn't happy with this turn of events, but she knows the other woman's force of will... And harbors no ill towards her. Only anger and hurt towards the one they know, and that... She can tolerate Kida for a short time, before she returns to the aching solitude that reminded her of her village.]

Yes.

[She used Ninat to help her find her feet again, giving the creature a sad pat on the head before she moved over to where she had been sitting on the floor before, moving to pick up the next sheaf of papers waiting for treatment- memorization before death by fire.]

I cannot risk any of the rest of these getting out into the world.

[Something she'd never worried about until Masamune's betrayal.]

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