PC: Lavi

[sootprints]

Comments

[sootprints]

[ a gasp. ]

I knew it!!

[bookpapers]

[he's still feeling the Sadness, but there's a blip of amusement at her reaction]

So much for throwing you off the scent.

[sootprints]

You very nearly did. But I was aware that my partner was a "clown."

... Famine's words.

[bookpapers]

[he tilts his head back and laughs]

Surprised he didn't call me a liar. But maybe that would've been too big of a hint.

[sootprints]

[ she laughs, too. it's a quiet, delicate sound.

somewhere in that pit of misery is a little glimmer of warmth. ]

[bookpapers]

[at that there's a complicated tangle of sadness and guilt and regret, and also something soft.]

...How's the memory?

[sootprints]

... It's better.

I can remember them. John, and Shaun, and Louise, and Lou. Patrick, Ricky, Barbara, Oliver... Emilico.

[ a swelling of longing and fondness. ]

All 98 of them.

[bookpapers]

Can you tell me the rest of their names?

So I can remember too.

[imagine i made u write all 98 of their names pazu WE CAN HANDWAVE THAT PART]

[sootprints]

Would you remember 98 names of people you've never seen before?

[bookpapers]

[at that he grins,]

98, 100, 1000...! I'm good with names, and numbers -- just about everything. My memory's the best part about me.

[sootprints]

Impressive.

[ another little bit of warmth at that. ]

... Oliver and Ollie lead the Research Team, along with Anna, Nancy, Jeremiah, Jeremy, Lydia, and Liddy. Barbara and Barbie led the children's wing before stepping down recently. Oh, and the new debutantes...

[ she goes on, fondly, about all of them. he'll probably notice that almost all of these names are in obvious matching pairs. though none of the names seem to match "kate." ]

[bookpapers]

[Lavi listens closely, and commits them to memory like he promised, though once she finishes, he looks at her, curious]

All 98... and with you, that makes 99. [...

there's some hesitance here, but he continues]

...Was there another person?

[sootprints]

... Ah. Well, there are the twins... Isabelle and Mirabelle, their partners were both named Belle. One of them passed away recently.

[ hence the uneven number. ]

As for me... my partner is Emilico. [ since she can guess that that's the other thing missing here. ] I chose not to follow the custom when it comes to naming one's servant.

[bookpapers]

[servant... the emotion here is curiosity, not of surprise -- because this seems to be something Kate would do, but he still wants to know the answer --]

Why?

[sootprints]

The rules of the Shadows House tells us that the name of one's servant doesn't matter, so the custom is to simply give them a diminutive form of one's own name.

... I didn't want a servant who would be a mere reflection of me. I wanted her to be herself.

[bookpapers]

...What's she like? Emilico.

[sootprints]

... Honestly, she's the opposite of me in nearly every way.

She's a very bright and cheerful girl who draws others in with her sincerity and warmth. And she's very strong and athletically gifted. She puts her all into everything she does, no matter how mundane the task. She brings out the best in the people around her by readily showing trust and encouragement. Oh, and she has a beautiful smile.

[ she's very fond. ]

[bookpapers]

I bet you guys make a pretty good team.

[the downgrade from emilico to lavi the succubus partner]

How did she end up at the Shadow House?

[sootprints]

[ tbh she just traded one clown for another so this works ]

The Lord Grandfather's influence extends to the surrounding villages. There, the villagers willingly offer their children to the manor, believing they will have good lives there.

... It was strange, though. Emilico isn't from the area. She came with a traveling circus... but somehow ended up among the children sent to the manor.

[bookpapers]

[TWO CLOWNS]

Do you think she was taken then? [why her specifically though...] What did she say happened?

[sootprints]

I think she sneaked in with the children who were selected. In hope of a better life.

[bookpapers]

[there's a pulse of sadness at that,]

Maybe she can still have that.

...Have you made your wish yet?

[sootprints]

... Yes, I have.

[ a glimmer of hope. ]

Do you know what you will use yours for?

[bookpapers]

[a pulse of relief, then he shakes his head]

Not yet.

[he's been pretty serious the whole time, but now he's focused, looking at Kate]

I saw the lock on your door. Is that what you're gonna do this week?

[sootprints]

[ there's a bit of a pause. ]

The lock was to keep all of you from seeing the rest of the set-up.

But it didn't work last week. So I don't know what to do.