TAMAMO;

[crashout]

Comments

[foxweddings]

[...]

What, is it such a surprise to see me again so soon?

[Belting out a laugh that she hides in her sleeve] Neh neh, I thought to myself "Tamamo-chaaaaan, Master might be lonely tonight with a murderer on the loose, it's your duty to see him to sleep before you return to your room!" and before I knew it, my feet had taken me back to your side~ ♥

[Nodding manically the entire time she talks, it's like she's dialed herself up to 20 instead of the usual 10]

-- O-of course there stood a chance that you were previously asleep and my knocking instead disturbed you, but seeing as we're both willing to gloss over that detail--

[OBVIOUSLY]

You may praise me for my dedication to your circadian rhythm instead!

[crashout]

[He tilts his head, listening to her for a moment and trying to understand. Tamamo is usually doing her own thing and getting into situations on her own, he thinks, but now she's here. And while he appreciates seeing her, he can't help but nod along and decide it's still a little weird.]

Even though I have two roommates? [There's a hum, especially given the two roommates aren't even here.] I don't think I could sleep at this point anyway. But your dedication does continue to astound me.

[foxweddings]

[Oh it's weird, even a little sloppy from her.

She grins so hard she grimaces, avoiding his glance.

And then it slides off like an ill-fitted mask. Her gaze remains elsewhere, but her features are static]

... I've come with a word of advice -- no, instruction -- for you.

Under no circumstance are you to provoke Dimitri-sama, unless I am present.

[crashout]

[...ah.]

Okay. Why do you say that? Did something happen?

[foxweddings]

He attacked me unprompted.

[Simple as that, straight to the point]

And meant to kill me in his madness, I'm certain. If I had not spent time earning his good favor before, one of us would be dead.

[crashout]

[Tamamo: Don't provoke Dimitri
Junpei: immediately gonna go confront Dimitri.

But he doesn't look happy in the slightest.]

With a dagger? [Just to confirm here.] Why would he try to kill you specifically?

[foxweddings]

Yes, a dagger.

[Rubbing at her neck, which is scarless, if nothing else. The interaction with Dimitri didn't result in blood, so. Hey! Let's focus on the positives]

And he threatened to kill everyone here; I was just the first victim by happenstance.

[She speaks clinically the entire time, but feels a chill start to creep back up her arms. Through willpower, she suppresses the urge to shiver]

[crashout]

[...it's the way she's speaking that's getting to him. He looks at her, unsure of what to say at first, before he reaches forward to take her hand and pull her forward to have a seat on the couch probably.]

I see. And for what reason? He didn't say?

[foxweddings]

[Under normal circumstances, Tamamo would make a joke at his boldness -- him grasping her hand and leading her to the couch. Instead she stares at him, expression unreadable, before simply allowing him to do as he pleases.

She sits down, and it's likely clear that her thoughts are... elsewhere. Her gaze doesn't quite reach his]

Trauma, I assume. He wanted us dead before someone could kill him like the others. We have a very unstable man amongst our ranks... had he ran into another, I can guarantee he would have slit their throat before they had a chance to speak.

[crashout]

[It's fine, he lets go of her hand once they sit and he leans on his knees, thinking this over as he listens to her talk.]

Striking first eliminates your chances of being struck down. Yeah, I get that. [...] I might ask Wei Wuxian to take the daggers from him if he sees him again. Take away his tools, he can't do much.

[foxweddings]

[...]

Removing weapons from him would help, yes, but--

[She is still, and then suddenly her hands grip into fists, an unbidden gesture that she quickly hides in the furs of her tails]

Given his madness, Dimitri-sama would be dangerous regardless. You did not see him -- had he lacked a knife, he would have instead twisted my head from my shoulders, if I had provoked him.

[crashout]

But you didn't. [...] Did he scare you? [How unhinged is this kid, basically.]

[foxweddings]

[Something in her expression twists.

It's ugly and furious, as if Junpei has offended her, but it is too directionless an emotion to fall on his shoulders. Instead the look slides away into a feral smile, Tamamo laughing under her breath.]

Scare me?

Had he tested my patience, I would have dissected that pathetic man.

[That does not answer his question.

she doesn't rightly care]

[crashout]

Good to know. [He doesn't seem perturbed by her expression either, doing nothing to call her out on it and shrugging instead.] I like to know you can take care of yourself when I can't be there.

[foxweddings]

But of course. This warning is for your benefit, Master, that you do not provoke Dimitri-sama without care. He is young, but he is strong and unfettered by guilt when he believes he must survive at all costs.

[...]

He also insisted the voices of his deceased parents were encouraging him to kill, so...

[Yeah, he's off his fuckin rocker]

[crashout]

[Hearing voices. Bad.]

...what about if I just went to talk to him? Think he'd be provoked?

[foxweddings]

[...]

It depends on the topic of conversation. I pulled him out of his insanity, so he should be stable for now.

[She says this, and still manages to look disapproving all the same.]

[crashout]

It'd be to check in, mostly. I might not right away. But...it's something I was going to do anyway because of some things Wei Wuxian said.

[foxweddings]

And what exactly did Wei Wuxian say?

[crashout]

He told me about their mission from Wednesday and the game they played. And that Dimitri has the dagger they won, plus another dagger of his own.

[foxweddings]

[Ah.]

... I've seen the dagger that he carries on his person -- or at least the one he tried to hide in his room from me.

[Two weapons, then? A pause.]

Give me time; I will attempt to convince him to hand one of them over to me.

[crashout]

[...well she's the heroic spirit here and he's mostly normal so he just. Nods.]

Okay. If you can, then...that would be helpful to keeping us safe and also giving us something to use when we need to.

[foxweddings]

[Indeed. Junpei is the human between them, no matter that she has been stripped of her power. It matters not. Her duty is still to keep him safe as long as she is under contract.

She's failed many things in her lives. She doesn't want to fail here.]

Of course, Master.

[...]

Dimitri-sama is fond of me. And he feels tremendous guilt for what he almost did. For now, I consider it an advantageous position -- I will ask very little of him, and in turn, he will bend himself to my will, in order to keep my good favor.

[Using a boy's trauma to her benefit? Yes. Yes she would.]

[crashout]

[There's a thoughtful sort of look.]

...just remind him of his place whenever you see him again. [He apparently has no problem with this.] If we can keep his trauma under control and get him to work with our goals, that...might be helpful.

[It'll probably keep them alive, at least.]

[foxweddings]

[... For the first time that night, Tamamo feels her expression lift into a smile. Her tails give a little twitch, as if beginning to wag]

Indeed. Worry not, Master~ I will fold in him into our efforts.

[or simply kill him should he be a nuisance in the end]