seasonality ✦ alphinaud

[commandertoolbelt]

Comments

week 1, tuesday

[commandertoolbelt]

[ hello, alphi! your favorite(?) demigod is here with one of those pop-up ghost decorations under his arm! hope that’s not a problem because he sure is waving and heading right over. pay no attention to the writing on his wrist that says something about burning. it's fine. ]

Hey, man! Trick or treat?!

[ he’s not even wearing a costume ]

w2; monday (ignore my shame above...)

[arcsplainist]

[ It's cafeteria time! ... Outside of serving hours, that is, because sometimes you get so caught up in other things that you show up and forgot the time. Whoops. ]

Sandwiches again, it seems...

[commandertoolbelt]

[ shhhhhh you're fine, it's fine. and alphi has company, because leo is here pulling out some pots and pans

he turns to point one at alphi ]

Sandwiches? I say nay!

[ he doesn't even know it's alphi yet ]

[arcsplainist]

[ oh hey ]

Nay? ... What have you got going on here?

[commandertoolbelt]

Nothing yet, but I was just about to start! Got any cravings? Any hard nos?

[ he executes a bow with a little flourish of the pan ]

I live to serve!

[arcsplainist]

... I see—you fancy yourself a cook, then? Though you say such, I feel as if I have interrupted.

[commandertoolbelt]

I don't fancy it, I am one.

[ and now that he's straightened up again, he twirls the pot in his hand. ]

I cook for my friends all the time. It's no big deal if I cook for you, too.

[arcsplainist]

... If you are certain, then far be it from me to turn you down. I would be most obliged.

[commandertoolbelt]

Don't even worry about, my guy! What do you like and what do you hate? We'll go from there.

week 2, saturday.

[commandertoolbelt]

[ leo is wandering the campus restlessly after the trial, thoughts racing a mile a minute. when he comes across alphinaud, though, he'll pause with a frown on his face. there's an awkward moment of hesitation before he speaks up. ]

...You know there's a good chance he was being controlled, right?

[arcsplainist]

[ Leo will find Alphinaud sitting alone on a bench somewhere around campus; in his lap sits a grimoire, one he seems to be deeply focused on...

Until Leo ventures into the silence. ]

Have you come to chastise me further?

[commandertoolbelt]

I - I don't want to, okay?

[ he remains standing, fiddling with something in his hands. ]

But it does matter if he did it out of his own free will or not. You have to know that, right?

[arcsplainist]

[ Hm.

He can't deny it would change matters, but... ]

... You are not the first to claim such, but can you be certain about that?

[commandertoolbelt]

You were with Kon, so you should know it's already possible.

Besides that... During that first expulsion, Kaoruko and Otome were both being controlled to some extent. You saw that, didn't you?

[arcsplainist]

Of course I had.

[ Sounds like Kon has told Leo some things, though, and suddenly he finds himself worrying over how much. ]

But that—it does not mean...

[ In the end, he cuts himself short. He should know, better than anyone, how far these compulsions can go. ]

... No—ignore me. Full well do I know I have made a fool of myself.

[commandertoolbelt]

Hey, I'm not - I don't want to make you feel bad, okay? Or worse. Besides, I'm the last person who can guilt any of you for what happened then.

[ whatever that means ]

Anyway, I'm not talking about just that. There's other evidence besides the applications and map pieces you guys found that points to us... maybe just being forced into playing roles here. There are too many coincidences to ignore it, so... It could be that that's what's happening. We don't know enough yet to say for sure, but... I believe that theory.

[arcsplainist]

[ sometimes you're upsetti spaghetti and you say things you regret...... it's fine

But Alphinaud does glance up—as if something has caught his attention. ]

There was mention made of these "roles" during trial. What do you mean?

w4; tuesday

[arcsplainist]

[ With warmer weather fast approaching, I've decided today is the day Alphinaud discovers what a milkshake is. So here he is, just outside the cafeteria, one in hand; after giving it a try, he looks pleasantly surprised! ]

[commandertoolbelt]

Ah, yes, the life-changing experience known as: the milkshake. I hear it brings all the boys to the yard. What do you think?

[arcsplainist]

[ leo what ]

—Oh. Um... Unexpectedly sweet, I must admit, but I think I quite like it! 'Tis of little wonder why ice cream appears to be popular.

[commandertoolbelt]

[ you get used to him being this way probably. ]

You got that right. I've heard even the geese like it? Which has to be, like, the best review you could get.

[arcsplainist]

The geese? I thought they were more fond of bread.

[commandertoolbelt]

Maybe it's both. There's only one way to find out.

[arcsplainist]

I cannot imagine that would be a combination worth having, but who can say when it comes to birds, I suppose...

[commandertoolbelt]

I mean, if you want to make this a real experiment, you'd give them all three. A little bread, a little milkshake, a little milkshake bread. Let them decide.