lostlegacy | Appointments post!

[After Masaomi delivered the news of Norma's death, Fenimore didn't go inside immediately, even though it was around the time she'd told Sophie's babysitter ~~whoever it is since I didn't ask around~~ that she'd get back from volunteering at the clinic. Instead, she sits out back, staring out across the garden. Ques comes down from his tree and tries to bother her, but she waves off his questing beak.

After several minutes, she stands, brushing the grass off her dress, and comes inside. With her feelings under control, she's able to fake a smile pretty much perfectly. Once she's thanked and seen off the babysitter, she turns to Sophie.]

Hey, Sophie. How was your morning?

Good.

[It's sure been an interesting week. Kind of boring without school and not getting to see a lot of her friends, but not bad, either.

Now what should she do next?]

Good. I'm glad to hear it.

[Sometimes, she might have asked more about it, but she'll save that for the moment.]

I ran into Masaomi on the way back today. I don't know if you've met him before, but he's a friend of me and Norma. He had a message from Norma for us.

[Now that perks her up, and she stops looking about for the next activity to keep her busy.]

Yeah?

[It's been really boring without Norma around. It's about time she's getting back.]

[Fenimore nods.]

Yeah. It's going to be a while before she gets back. She signed up on a mission while she was away.

[INSTANT FROWN.]

Why?

[Yeah, this much was expected. However, she's guessing Sophie's directing her frowning towards disliking the lie rather than disbelieving the lie, so that's fine. She takes a deep breath (though she tries to be quiet about doing so) before starting into the lie she'd prepared.]

They found some messages that some bad guys were sending each other, but they can't understand what they say. So they need someone as clever and good with new languages as Norma to figure them out. She wanted to come right back, but no one else could do it. She told them she wouldn't go for longer than a week and a half [to build in a little failsafe in case something goes wrong] though, because she wanted to come back to see you again.

[Okay, that last part mollifies her a little, but not all the way.]

But I wanted to see her.

I know. But it's an important thing for her to do, and she'll be back as soon as she can. And at least Walter came back today!

[She tries to make the last part sound like that makes up for it, even if it's probably the equivalent "don't worry, kids, ice cream has been delayed but right now we have sandwiches!" They're both food but one is a lot less fun.]

[She sighs heavily. Wally is kind of cool, she guesses, but he's not Norma.]

Yeah....

Why couldn't someone else do it?

Because they needed someone who is really good with languages, and Norma is the best. I'm sure you know that with the way she helps you with Relares, right?

[Fenimore doesn't actually think Norma is the best with languages around, even though it might be almost true for at least the people in Luceti, but she'll pretend she thinks so for the sake of the lie.]

Yeah....

[Norma is really, really smart....]

Just a week?

[Is it always exactly a week? Fenimore hasn't known enough people who died to know for certain. She hedges her bet.]

A few days more than a week at most. I promise. She doesn't want to be gone any longer than she has to.

Okay....

[As long as Fenimore promises, she guesses that's all right.]

And then she's gonna stay.

[Right?]

[Fenimore knows she can't promise it for sure, but with how long it's been since the last draft and how it's not especially common for people to go on consecutive drafts, she thinks she can bet on it.]

And then she's going to stay. She'll want a nice, long rest after that much work.

[And even though she knows that Sophie isn't a big fan of it, she reaches down to ruffle her hair, because little kids sometimes don't get a proper say in what is done to them.]

[Sophie grimaces and bats at Feminore's hand. Why you gotta be this way Fen.

And then, sounding as though she thinks she's being very subtle:] Blowing bubbles doesn't make you really tired, right?

[Fenimore's pretty sure she knows where this is going.]

She's not just blowing bubbles. Her mission is going to make her pretty tired -- like if you had to do homework all day.

[Ugh, gross. Why would Norma actually want to do this?]

But she can blow bubbles when she comes home.

Appointments post!

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th] Whooooooops I thought I posted this answer before I left.

[Action, May 26th] Oh whoops.

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th]

[Action, May 26th] Guess who finally picked up a couple of extra spoons for backtags!