GLoG 93: Something something something babies

[Morty]

[Sophie's Office]

"Forgetting things I know are true is the opposite of what I've practiced for the last ten years," Sophie points out. "Whether as a therapist or a monster-hunter, my job has always been to seek the truth and not turn away from it, no matter what it is. But... we all act, in some way, every day. We choose how to present ourselves to others. Or we choose to act a particular way to change ourselves. I will not tell you how to act. I think you and your sister have been shaped by people who tried to mold you to their purposes for most of your lives. You need to decide how you want others to see you."

[Recaiden]

"Aren't you here to torture me for my misdeeds?"
The ghost immediately regrets bringing that up, what if Sekhmet wouldn't have otherwise but now she has to?

The golem's crystal lens shatters, and all its lights go out, cooked through.
But its propulsion keeps going for a few moments, sending it rocketing out of the chains and towards Sekhmet.

[Purple Eagle]

[Sophie's Office]

Zara retains the overly-cheerful persona as she stares as Sophie while the latter explains her thoughts in-depth, then looks up and to the side in thought. "Zara and D-37 don't feel things like normal people, but Zara wants to make everyone comfortable. She and D-37 do genuinely like children, but with other people they get creeped out. In a way, Zara likes that she doesn't feel things like normal people: she sees how others can act illogically when overcome by their feelings."

But then she bursts into a cry of joy! "Miss Sophie didn't say she was a monster-hunter! It's hard, finding someone who'll let you kill people at our age, so we join monster-hunter trainees on their hunts! Big sister is so good at killing that they take us out on hunts without the trainees. Even now, big sister is looking at you with new eyes!" Sophie might get the sense that both are studying her with renewed interest. "Or maybe you're more like Karasu's brother, who only does it when there's no other choice, because he's an unwilling sadist..." She ponders, sucking her thumb and making it look like an unconscious gesture.

"We've decided we'd like to hunt with you sometime!" She finally says, after some more deliberation.

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

"What!? Noaaaaugh!" Distracted by the ghost, Sekhmet is hit dead on by the out of control golem. How badly she's injured depends mostly on how massive it is, and how fast it was going, but it at minimum bowls her over and hurts a lot.

[Morty]

[Sophie's Office]

Sophie sighs, unable to restrain the emotion and maintain her professionalism for a brief moment.

"I'm afraid I wasn't the same kind of monster-hunter you're familiar with. I was a civilian with no proper combat training. I lived in a world where most people were ignorant of the supernatural beings in their midst. And once I found out, I had to act. But where many of my compatriots chose to shoot first and ask questions later, I wanted to help people in both worlds. And that life is behind be regardless." She composes herself a little. "As for people acting illogically, let me point out that logic is overrated, as they say. People aren't logical and we're not meant to be. We need to feel to live, not operate on logic."

[Gullara]

[Workshop]

Lucy listing into him costs Tuskfang the rest of his sense of balance and he topples to the ground much like Jillian did. He peers intently at the map piece from the ground.

"We can find a ladder. Or a stool. Brinika and Cheasadh must've used one too." He scrambles back to the ground. "I get grass on my clothes all the time!"

[Workshop]

Lucy gasps as though Jillian's just contracted some deadly disease. "Oh no." Lucy looks at Tuskfang with wide eyes. "Now Aunt Cessie is gonna make Jillian sew a new dress one thread at a time!"

[Workshop]

Jillian pouts indignantly. "It's not funny! This is a nice dress." She holds up the stain to fuss over it.

[Recaiden]

"What!? Noaaaaugh!" Distracted by the ghost, Sekhmet is hit dead on by the out of control golem. How badly she's injured depends mostly on how massive it is, and how fast it was going, but it at minimum bowls her over and hurts a lot.

It's not huge, but it is made out of very dense materials and was going at a fair speed.
Wouldn't be surprising if it broke bones.

After bowling Sekhmet over, the golem crashes to the floor, trails of smoke rising from the front of it.

"So then what-"
"Oh! Are, are you okay?"
The ghostly smith steps a little closer, peering down at her.

The other ghost, the one that's barely visible, is still reliving the past, unaware of intruding half-demons, crashing machines, or any such goings-on in the present day. He's saying something about the golem falling out of the sky, excited to figure it out.

[Morty]

[Workshop]

"Really?" Tuskfang gasps. That's really harsh. But then Jillian's reaction makes him not sure if Lucy is joking. "Um... I'm sure it'll wash off."

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

Owwwwww.
It hurts to breathe. Sekhmet just lies there, trying not to whimper in pain. She's sure she broke something. She heard an awful crack when that golem crashed into her. But it seems dead now, so that's good. "Ohhhhhhh." Sekhmet clutches at her ribs. "Aaaaaah!" That hurts! "Ow ow ow ow ow!" She doesn't seem ready to have a conversation with the ghost yet.

[Recaiden]

"Hold on! I'll-"
The ghost looks around, seeing the run down nature of the smithy as if for the first time.

No, he's not going to be much help after all, is he?

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

Sekhmet is in pain, but she doesn't seem to worried. She's survived worse. The Hive already knows what just happened, and if it is serious, they'd already have someone on the way. Right? Right?
Maybe she is a little worried.

[Murkus]

[Workshop]

Lucy waits... waits... and breaks out in a crisp giggle as Tuskfang seems to fall for her silliness. "No silly. It's just something I thought would be funny to say. Yeah, don't worry Jillian! Can't your mom just magic it out?" That works on everything right?

[Recaiden]

"Sorry, I-"
The ghost is trying to do something with the broken golem, but of course his hands go right through it.

Sekhmet is right. Before too long, Ellier has come to the top of the chimney to keep watch over the place. And Sekhmet herself, she's been through much worse.
Just needs a little time to recover.

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

It takes a while, but Sekhmet begins to regenerate, her broken ribs knitting back together. "Ow, oh... Who are you?" She finally asks the ghost. "What, uh, happened here?"

[Recaiden]

"I'm Rynalf, the, uh, the apprentice smith. I don't...remember how it got this way." the ghost mutters "Who are you?"

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

Sekhmet slowly sits up, rubbing her aching side. "I'm Sekhmet. I'm, uh, also an apprentice smith. I was, uh, exploring, and I found this place buried in the forest." She begins dusting off her skirts and trying painfully to stand. "I'm sorry about, uh..." How do you say that you feel sorry for the fact that someone died and their life fell to ruins while they were gone?

[Purple Eagle]

[Sophie's Office]

Sophie sighs, unable to restrain the emotion and maintain her professionalism for a brief moment.

"I'm afraid I wasn't the same kind of monster-hunter you're familiar with. I was a civilian with no proper combat training. I lived in a world where most people were ignorant of the supernatural beings in their midst. And once I found out, I had to act. But where many of my compatriots chose to shoot first and ask questions later, I wanted to help people in both worlds. And that life is behind be regardless." She composes herself a little. "As for people acting illogically, let me point out that logic is overrated, as they say. People aren't logical and we're not meant to be. We need to feel to live, not operate on logic."

[Sophie's Office]

Zara listens to Sophie's words, picking up on her burst of emotion, then nods, acting like she empathizes as best she can, in order to put Sophie more at ease. "Miss Sophie is noble." She finally says, as she waits for the woman to compose herself a little.

Not missing a beat, she quickly responds to Sophie's advice on the importance of feelings. "Then Miss Sophie and Zara will have to agree to disagree." She pauses as she sucks on her thumb and thinks for a bit. The gesture isn't fake, or meant to make her look cute, however. "Zara wants Miss Sophie to keep Zara's true self, to herself. Zara brings cheerfulness to any situation to make everyone feel better, and she has a reputation to maintain. People might not like Zara anymore if they knew Zara was merely pretending to feel."

[Morty]

[Sophie's Office]

"Everything you say here is entirely confidential," Sophie assures Zara. "I will not mention it to anyone. And as I said, it's your choice how you present yourself to people. It's not an easy situation and you're doing your best to navigate it. That said... before, when I judged your trainers, you grew upset with me. Wouldn't you say that was emotion?"

[Recaiden]

Well, looks like it's hard to tell people that at all.

"Buried? Then, how long, err, what year is it?"
Rynalf offers her a hand getting up. It is of course, insubstantial and useless.

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

"I, uh, think it's 1865," Sekhmet answers, "But there are a lot of different calendars around here, and none of them agree with each other." Sekhmet attempts to take the ghostly hand and of course stumbles when it isn't actually there, but she manages to get to her feet without it.

[Recaiden]

"Eight-teen..." the ghost says, shocked.
"And you were exploring? For what?"

[Gullara]

[Workshop]

"Really?" Tuskfang gasps. That's really harsh. But then Jillian's reaction makes him not sure if Lucy is joking. "Um... I'm sure it'll wash off."

[Workshop]

Lucy waits... waits... and breaks out in a crisp giggle as Tuskfang seems to fall for her silliness. "No silly. It's just something I thought would be funny to say. Yeah, don't worry Jillian! Can't your mom just magic it out?" That works on everything right?

[Workshop]

"That's not how it works, Lucy!" Jillian protests. Her pout is dangerous now. Lucy will recognize this as a very bad mood. She can be stubborn about being upset when she gets stuck into it. "She's going to have to send it away to get cleaned right."

[Morty]

[Workshop]

Tuskfang seems to shrink back a little from Jillian's indignation. He's not sure what to say and if he should remind them about finding something to stand on and get the map piece.

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

"I was just, uh, looking around. I live nearby. I was out, uh, wandering in the woods when I found your chimney." Sekhmet looks a bit awkward. She isn't explaining everything about why she's out here, and it shows.

[Recaiden]

"But you're a demon. What do you mean you just, 'live nearby'?"

The other ghost manages something almost coherent.
"Rynalf, 's that a customer? Stop asking foolish questions and show 'em in!"

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

"Hey! I'm a person too! I need somewhere to live as much as, uh, anyone else!" Sekhmet looks annoyed. She didn't come here for people to judge her because of her species.

[Recaiden]

"Are-are you saying our forge is in hell?" the ghost asks nervously.
He seems to have some trouble with the idea that Sekhmet is just a normal person. Maybe he would be more understanding if he knew she has only half-fiendish...but probably not.

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

"Huh? No." Sekhmet shakes her head. "No, I stay out of Hell if I can help it." She only ever returns when the need is dire. It's too dangerous otherwise. "No, you're in the woods, uh, not far from the Good League of Good. That's, uh, where I live."

[Recaiden]

Rynalf mutters something skeptical.
"So why did you come in here and break that contraption we found, exactly?"

[bc56]

Out in the Woods

"It, uh, belongs to an enemy of a friend." Sekhmet isn't really sure of anything beyond that. What would it have done again? she thinks to the Hive, hoping she didn't just smash something harmless.