puppycrush2 | week two

A happy medium, huh...

[ Yeah, it's hard to imagine that. ]

I don't know about "never", but it does seem rare. I wonder how you'd even get into that position in the first place.

Be born into a lot of money. Never have to work a day in your life.

[Someone who works hard every day to just live and pay the bills will still never get to do half the things they want to. It's simply impossible.]

When I finally had money the first thing I did was buy a bed. And the first thing I want to do with my wish is to go... anywhere else. But neither of these things wouldn't have happened if I wasn't lucky. Lucky with my fame and luck with this... If my circumstances had remained as they were I'd have never been able to do anything.

I can't pretend I know what you go through on the daily or how hectic it is but... you have a very envious career.

...

[ Ritsuka is quiet for a moment. ]

I'm only in my position because I messed up and then a lot of things went horribly wrong. So in a sense, I was also lucky, but in the worst way.

But I think if that's what you want to use your wish for, to go somewhere else entirely... that's not a bad idea. I kind of feel like... you feel there's nothing else back there for you. All the same, though, luck maybe gets you the opportunities, but the rest is you and what you do, isn't it?

[How do you get such an impressive position by messing up terribly? Oh, that's a dumb question. Look at his father. Still, she's got him curious. He's tempted to pry but...]

Maybe... [There's nothing back home for him. So that is what he's going to use his wish for. A new life and all that.] What are you going to use yours for? To undo this big mistake of yours?

No... at this point, so much has happened that I'm not sure what the butterfly effect would look like if I did. I'll just keep going.

So I'm not really sure yet--maybe use it for extra funding?

[ Or an additional energy source. ]

[Sounds complicated. And she's been purposely vague about what she does. History restoration but no details further than that. And he's not one to pry despite how interesting her work is.]

Extra funding for more work? No one can say you're not dedicated to your job.

A lot of it is life-or-death.

[ A little wearily. ]

[Okay. There's no clearer flag that she's not just doing history restoration.]

So... what is it that you really do?

... How likely are you to believe me?

[ So many normies here... ]

[Hmmm.]

I... used to have supernatural powers. So I have seen a thing or two in the past couple of years. I can believe more than you think.

...

[ A sigh. ]

History restoration...

... Of humanity.

[He's silent for a moment trying to figure out what that might mean exactly. History restoration, you'd assume, making sure historical pieces and culture were being preserved. But of humanity?

Protecting important historical people is the conclusion you'd draw from wording. But...

He squints a little trying to make sense of it in his head.]

So... what...? You're trying to protect or I guess restore someone like Oda Nobunaga or Toyotomi Hideyoshi?

[That sounds genuinely ridiculous but he's rolling with it. Or at least trying to understand it.]

Nobunaga's one of the spirits I work with, actually. [ Whew. ] And Nobukatsu, for that matter.

But no, where I'm from... the earth's been bleached white. Humanity and all of its history is just--gone. And I've been trying for a year now to undo it.

[Huh? Interesting... And strange. And stranger than a few of these people coming from fantasy lands.]

That's... [What can he even say to a revelation?] Well, what are they like? Nobunaga and Noukatsu?

Nobunaga's really pompous and confident, but a really strong leader, usually gets into fights with Okita... Nobukatsu's a bit of an obsessed younger brother.

[ "A bit." ]

[Huh.]

Nobunaga isn't a surprise... [He could, honestly, talk about this and ask questions for hours. It's just weird and fascinating. And, weirdly, he doesn't think she's lying.] So... who has your favorite person in history been?

Akechi-kun...

[ She looks a little petrified. ]

You can't ask me that. They're probably watching this and I don't need to deal with Kiyohime losing it or Mozart and Sanson getting into another fight...

[He lets out a snort of amusement.]

I suppose that would be problematic. All those egos... How does one even try to appease them all?

You don't.

[ bluntly. Wearily. ]

You just try to hope the mission at hand keeps 'em busy and otherwise, you learn to recognize the signs and run really fast if you think you're about to be caught up in mediating.

[Her life sounds very interesting but she wears the weariness of it pretty clearly. Honestly? He can't even imagine as fun as it sounds it must be more stressful than anything. Imagine having to hang around pompous European royalty? She did mention Mozart though... And possible philosophers too are probably there.]

Herding seems to be in your nature. You're trying to keep things in order here.

[He's noticed.]

Old habits. [ With a sheepish little grimace. ]

And maybe "trying" is the key word there. We've got a bunch of different personalities here and I'm used to that, but the dynamic's totally different. I haven't really earned that kind of trust here--which makes sense, we all haven't known each other for that long.

[That makes sense. A week or so isn't enough time to trust anyone. Four weeks isn't even enough time.]

Trust is certainly too strong a word. But I do have faith in our alliance.

[Ritsuka is absolutely a busy body but also knows when it keep her distance. He can respect that.]

[ Ritsuka blinks at him--and then smiles, even though dick attempt #3 looks more like modern art now. ]

Glad you don't regret it! Same here.

[He offers a small but wry smile and gets back to his work.]

Before you leave you should still tell me who your favorite is. Without the cameras and everything. I have to know who the most tolerable person in history is.

Without the cameras... okay.

... Does this include mythology or just history?

[ She has to ask. ]

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