[video]

[undefines]

[Nue appears to be sitting somewhere high up, because the only thing that can be seen in the background is sky. Behind her back, her six red and blue limbs swish back and forth, the movement uncertain and a little agitated.]

Um... I guess I should apologize for the way I acted when our bodies were mixed up. [She sounds a little awkward as she says it, like she isn't used apologizing and definitely not for something like being a little cranky. For whatever reason, though, she doesn't want her behavior to reflect badly on Kariya, so this seems like the thing to do. She scratches her cheek a little.] I was the one in Kariya's body. So if I was cranky or snapped at you, you should be mad at me and not her, okay?

[...That's all she has to say, she guesses, but she doesn't wave the Vine away just yet. Instead, she mulls something over for a few seconds longer, and then she speaks again.]

...Er. Kariya! Are you feeling well, by the way? If you see this, I mean.

Comments

sorry for slooow

[tosaveyou]

Hello, Nue. [Kariya gives a little wave. It's slightly awkward, talking to someone who's been in your body, especially--considering.]

I'm fine. Well, I'm myself again. I'm glad you're back to yourself, too. I tried to take good care of your body.

[She pauses.]

It's all right if you were angry. I can understand. [It's not as if she's never angry, because she is.]

np! :3

[undefines]

...It's fine. I mean, it's not like I'm made of glass or anything. Us youkai are pretty durable, you know. Anyway, how are you feeling?

[Nue doesn't want to come right out and say that she's worried about Kariya being in pain, but, yeah, she's asking about the pain.]

[tosaveyou]

I know, but it's still your body. It's not right to have someone else in it.

[Kariya understands what Nue's asking. She pauses again.]

I'm the same as I was. But that's good. [In a way...] It hasn't gotten worse yet.

[undefines]

Even if it hasn't gotten worse, that doesn't make it good. When we were mixed up, you definitely got the better end of the deal.

[So she miiight be feeling a little guilty about leaving Kariya back in it now.]

[tosaveyou]

No, it isn't good. [She won't say she's used to it, because it's not something someone can get used to.] I enjoyed having no pain, for a little while. Not that I remembered the pain, then. But looking back, it's nice to remember.

[There's no sense denying the obvious. She says it softly. She knew what would happen, from the beginning.]

I'm dying. I already know that. But it doesn't matter here. People come back to life here, don't they?

[undefines]

Then... Then you should just hurry up and die so you don't have to be in pain anymore!

[She tenses up as she says that — half-shouts it, really — but then her shoulders slump. Behind her, her wings do the same, flaring out and then going limp. When they resume their movements, they're more agitated than they were before, even if her voice is quieter.]

You shouldn't have to die. And— And I feel bad about leaving you with the pain, even if you said it's still nice to think about what it was like being in my body.

[tosaveyou]

[Kariya tenses herself at the emotion in Nue's voice. The worms stir when she does, and she winces.]

I don't want to die. Even if I don't stay that way, I don't--want to. But I don't know if the worms will come back to life with me. I need them. [She hates to say that, but it's true.] To fight. To win. The pain is part of it.

[Not that it's a small thing.] There's nothing for you to feel bad about. You did nothing wrong.

[undefines]

[She immediately feels guilty at that wince, and she cringes as well.]

I don't want you to, either, but apparently— [She starts to say that she doesn't have much choice in the matter, but she stops herself and shakes her head.] Even if I didn't do anything wrong, I still feel like... It's not fair, making you go back to that.

[tosaveyou]

It was my decision, to do this. You shouldn't feel bad for me. I knew what would happen to me.

[Not that she'd wanted to, but she hadn't seen any choice in the matter.]

I don't know what else I can do.

[undefines]

It was your decision, but you don't know what else you can do? Come on.

[She sighs, the noise discontent. Her extra limbs swish restlessly behind her.]

My... My girlfriend said she wants to talk to you. So she can thank you for taking care of my body, I guess.

[tosaveyou]

I chose this, because it was the only way I could help. Now that it's started, it can't be stopped. So what can I do?

[Kariya shakes her head. She herself is hardly content, but she's distracted by what Nue says next.]

Your girlfriend? Oh. [She's never had a girlfriend, herself, but it's a nice idea.] Yes. If she wants to, I'd like that.

[undefines]

[She puffs up a little. Don't say oh like that, she's shy enough about this as it is!]

O... Okay. Okay, good! So, I guess... We'll stop by where you live at some point?

[Maybe, she guesses? Maybe she should just ask Sanae...]

[tosaveyou]

[She can't help it, it's nice!]

Yes, you can come by the Pagoda. I'm usually there these days.

[Her health is continually worsening, if much more slowly than it had been while she was fighting in the War.]

What's your girlfriend like?

[undefines]

Well, she's... She's one of the shrine maidens from Gensokyo. [A youkai being involved with a shrine maiden like that is probably weird, so she does her best to barrel past it without giving Kariya much time to think or comment about it.] She's really friendly, and kind of silly, but I guess that's... I guess that's cute? She was from the outside world before she came to Gensokyo, so you might actually know more about the kinds of things she likes than I do. "Manga" and things like that.