[WEEK 2, THURSDAY EVENING: Lief]

[spinatalltale]

[it's still fairly early in the evening, not too long after the visions and hallucinations being. should Lief be hanging around the hut area, he'll find. . . well]

[one (1) Magilou, sitting in front of the Magilou-Lucina hut, her legs drawn up to her torso and her head pressed against her knees]

[huh]

[INVESTIGATE, Y/N?]

Comments

[spinatalltale]

You've experienced them too, haven't you?

[reidentify]

I have, but I do not think you would have mentioned them if you were truly so aversive to talking about them at all.

[spinatalltale]

[stop it!!!]

[. . .]

It was nothing. Just an annoying little bug that was squashed ages ago.

[reidentify]

... If it is nothing, then there should be no issue with speaking about it, should there?

[spinatalltale]

[she doesn't-- she just doesn't get it. why is he like this? why are they like this? Lief and Akira and Nino and Laphicet, all insisting that there's more to her than meets the eye, insisting she's a good person, insisting she tell them about her innermost thoughts and feelings]

[it's irritating]

[(it's warm)]

I knew a guy whose specialty was illusion magic, that's all.

[let's see how much Lief gets from her]

[reidentify]

... And you were affected by it—whether at one point or at several.

[spinatalltale]

[. . . those whispers. she hears them again, tickling her ear. my greatest failure]

[she stopped caring about his approval and disapproval a long time ago. so it's a bit irritating that these hallucinations are focusing so much on that aspect of things]

Long, boring story! But to cut it short, there was a point where I found myself protecting a certain entrance so illusion guy wouldn't close it and trap my traveling companions inside.

[that's. vague. but she can't succinctly explain the earthpulse to Lief and the importance of keeping the entrance to same open, sooo]

He tried to grind my heart to dust with the power of illusions to get me to relent.

[reidentify]

[He pauses.]

Do you even know what kind of face you made when I approached you?

[spinatalltale]

Hmph. I have a guess, but I get the feeling you're just going to tell me.

[she knows]

[reidentify]

It was the sort of look that said whatever experiences you have with illusions, they were not "boring" to you.

[spinatalltale]

[uuuugh]

No. They're pretty boring. There's only so many times a girl can deal with the same old trick before she gets suuuper tired of it.

[reidentify]

You make a different sort of expression when you are merely exasperated with something, Magilou.

[spinatalltale]

Do I? I haven't noticed! Maybe you can demonstrate for me?

[reidentify]

You are deflecting.

[spinatalltale]

Yeah, and I'm pretty good at it, huh?

[no]

[reidentify]

[no]

What kinds of illusions did you see?

[spinatalltale]

[ugh he isn't going to give up, is he?]

. . .

Nnngh. . .

[she lifts a hand to her head, palm pressed against her temple, as flashes of illusory pain sears through her skin. my greatest failure.]

[she closes her eyes, mouth quirking upward, but the smile is wry this time]

An old "friend."

[reidentify]

... Who hurt you.

[spinatalltale]

[lllightly, but her words are slightly slurred as the pain slowly intensifies]

I suppose I was in his way. . .

[reidentify]

[Firmly,]

That is never an excuse for cruelty.

[spinatalltale]

. . . does it count as cruelty, if you're trying to rid yourself of an enemy?

[she asks, tone even. emotionless]

[reidentify]

Yes. You did not deserve that, Magilou.

[spinatalltale]

You don't even. . . know. . .

[uuugh her head is starting to pound again. she grimmaces, leaning forward to press her face in both hands, shoulders slumped]

[reidentify]

—Magilou!?

[He steps forward, reaching out towards her, before he stops himself—the gesture might not be appreciated, especially depending on her mental state at the moment.]

[spinatalltale]

[it's good he stopped himself-- any contact might've resulted in her swatting his hands away, or jerking back to avoid him]

Shhhhhut uuuuuup. . .

[if it was just a headache, it wouldn't be so bad. but it isn't. it's a headache, and an old man-- an old mentor, an old father-- standing over her, reminding her that she was and always will be a disappointment]

I don't caaaare anymore, why does this place think I neeeeed a lecture from an old, dead ghooooost. . .

[she drawls out each word slowly, but at least she sounds more annoyed than panicked]