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[pedagogies]

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[pedagogies]

I remember.

What seems to be on your mind?

[girlybruiser]

[ ... she's not expecting him to be seemingly nice about this.

Maybe he'll scold her afterwards? ]

It's been a while and I have to apologize for not saying something sooner.
I wanted to talk to you about that... if that's alright? Do you have a moment?

[pedagogies]

Of course.

Though I'm not sure what you have to apologize for.

1/2

[girlybruiser]

[ Perceptive... ]

How did you know what I was going to say?

2/2

[girlybruiser]

No, I need to apologize properly.
My behaviour wasn't appropriate. I shouldn't have been so curt with you.
Please accept my apologies.

[pedagogies]

You were upset and you felt as though I was telling you how to feel.

Under those circumstances, there is no shame in a little curtness. In any case, I do not take it personally. Put your mind at ease.

[girlybruiser]

Yes, that's true. It felt like something I had long left behind and I guess... it was upsetting in that moment.
Are you sure? You're too understanding about all this...

[pedagogies]

It matters to be gracious to ourselves and our feelings. After all, they're still a part of us, are they not?

[girlybruiser]

You're right. To bottle up those feelings... it probably won't lead to anything good either.
I've had some time to sit on this. I do apologize for the delay. I've been quite busy with personal and professional matters!

[pedagogies]

Oh?

Something good I hope!

[girlybruiser]

It is! I've opened my own cafe here.
It's in Stellari! And actually... please feel free to stop by anytime! We serve coffee, tea and various pastries and even some other foods!
It would be nice to chat in person, I'm sure.

[pedagogies]

Congratulations!

I'll be sure to stop by sometime.

[girlybruiser]

Thank you!
If I'm not in, please be assured Minato-kun and Akira-kun would serve you well! Akira-kun especially knows his way around cafes and is quite knowledgeable with coffee blends!

[pedagogies]

That's just as well! I can't say I know much about coffee myself. Having an expert is handy.

[girlybruiser]

I hope you enjoy it when you do try it. We put a lot of work into it... so I hope everyone gets to enjoy something from it, even if it's not the coffee they've come for.

[ Even at the launch, watching people pick through specific favourites, it didn't bother her. Everyone found something they liked, or simply enjoyed the ambience of the cafe. It was enough for her.

Which reminds her, given who else had shown up, she has been wanting to ask Qifrey something... ]

That aside Qifrey-san, I had a question for you, if you don't mind.

[pedagogies]

[ hm. he wonders. ]

Yes, of course. What is it?

[girlybruiser]

What you said to me back during Sleepr...

[ But you haven't won either.

It gnaws at her, like a relentless dog at her ankle. ]

Why did you say I haven't won?

[pedagogies]

You may not like the answer.

Are you sure?

[girlybruiser]

[ It's in the way that her heart skips a beat that—

Haru doesn't know.

But knowing the truth is probably far more important than her feelings.

... she tells herself, but swallows anxiously as she slowly presses each key. ]

Yes.

[pedagogies]

[ qifrey is an excellent teacher. well-versed in magic, skill, ability.

but his greatest power lies in this: he knows the scorch of revenge. ]

Even if you win a battle with Akechi, that is not a victory. Because it has not ended. He still exists in your thoughts, in your mind. He has a space there, one you have yet to resolve.

And . . . I do not believe you got Akechi to yield. If you had, perhaps then you would be more at peace.

cw: violence + blood mention

[girlybruiser]

[ Ah, this is another reason she had been afraid to message him.

Qifrey seems to know how to rattle her in a way not many others can.

Not that many have tried in this world. ]

No, I'm sure he yielded. If anything, he hasn't tried to come for me since.

[ In her head, she is the one who walked out of that room the real victor; Akechi, who had poked and prodded her that whole time, who couldn't help himself but stir unwanted conversations, had finally been silenced around her.

Was that not a victory of its own?

Did she not see that acknowledgement in the frenzy of his gaze, that she wasn't some delicate puppet for him to play with anymore? When she had pinned him to the floor, his own blade to his throat, the spatter of deep red on his clothes, her own, the knife itself coated and dotting his neck— ]

It's not so simple anyway.

[pedagogies]

I would never say it is.

But he doesn't need to. Because he's still right here. Your thoughts on him are not silenced. Because I believe you know that too. You know it's not done.

[girlybruiser]

What would that ending look like?

[ It's already done back home anyway.

It doesn't linger in the way it does here. That's all that should matter... right? ]

[pedagogies]

That I do not know. What sort of ending it takes is up to you.

But I do not think it would linger so strongly if it was resolved.

[girlybruiser]

I'm not sure there is a resolution for the kind of pain someone inflicts on you, even if there were other forces at play.
A resolution that involves forgiveness is not on the table.