bubblywishes | Appointment Post

[Since regaining her memories, Grune has been avoiding House 34 as much as she can. With Norma and Fenimore as upset as they are by the change in her demeanor, she believes it to be for the best.

However, she cannot stay away entirely--she is the only one who knows how to care for her indoor garden, and so from time to time, she returns just long enough to ensure the continuing health of her plants.

She enters the house quietly, to avoid disturbing its residents and to avoid calling attention to herself.]

[It's perhaps when Grune enters the house that Norma tries to exit the premises. She has her bag crammed full with clothes and other items she needs for daily use slung over her shoulder, and a few books and notepads tucked under her arm. She doesn't plan on staying too long, really, but...well, she kinda has a lot to think about.

It's only because she thought the others weren't home that the sound of footsteps startles her a little, and Norma nearly jumps and drops her things when she looks up to see Grune. Oh...o-oh man. This is going to get real awkward real quick, isn't it? Oh how Norma hates herself for the unease she's already feeling, and beats herself over the head for it mentally. Can't...can't she just get along with this Grune? Is it really that hard? She's still Grune!

But not G-Girl...

But still the same person!

But.

But.

That word's the worst sometimes. Seriously. What an awful word 'but' can be.]

[Norma may hear a soft intake of breath from Grune; for a moment, she looks genuinely surprised. But then, she brings her expression back to calm...almost. Even with all her new self-control, she cannot help but look just the slightest bit upset at what she is seeing.]

...Norma. Where are you going?

[Her body tenses, and Norma inhales sharply herself, only hers is much quieter, if not completely silent. It's...it's like she's being caught running away. Ironic, really. Ironic and terrifying and her face kind of pales a little as old, tired memories are dragged out into the light, where they sear and burn and--

She has to look away. Grune's not that kind of person. She won't...mind. And Norma's not running away. She just needs a...a-a vacation. Just for a while - to get her head straight, and think about things. A lotta things.]

...To my friends' apartment. Close by. Just...j-just for a little bit.

[Every aspect of that reaction is a blow to her heart; keeping the evidence from her expression is the greatest of challenges.

Somehow, she is able to keep her voice steady when she asks:] Is it truly this necessary to leave?

[Is my presence now this unbearable?]

[This is hard. This is really, really hard. Norma just wanted to get her things and go - without incident, without getting caught, without having to explain. She left a note, a vague one, for that reason. Talking is painful and difficult, and she just does not want to go into details about the reasons behind her running away. ...From home. Again. Haha, that's supposed to be funny somehow, isn't it?]

...Just for a little bit. [She repeats, her shoulders sagging.] I'll come back once my head's not so foggy. I promise I'll be back.

[I'm sorry.]

[...It seems there is nothing she can do. As her friend, there is no option but letting her go--and hoping that she will find the strength to return soon.

Her gaze lowers for a moment, then lifts.]

Very well.

[She has a place to stay and seems to need no help moving. ...There truly is nothing she can do for her.]

...Then I should not detain you any further.

[Oh, Grune...she's so sorry. It's not you, it's not. If she was stronger, if she was better at being able to handle all these sudden changes and unexpected things, if she was just a little more mature, then maybe this wouldn't have had to happen. If she felt like she belonged, if she didn't always get into fights with Walter, if Shirley knew her better, if she wasn't the only Orerines in that house--

If, if, if.

Norma sighs, and nods quietly. Her feet feel heavy as she walks toward the door, and she wants to say something to ease Grune's mind, but Norma's throat is tight, constricted. It's almost hard to breathe with how bad she feels for going away. Just for a few days, and she will return, but....it's heavy.]

[It hurts that Norma seems prepared to leave without even a goodbye. Is this what has become of their friendship?

...Were it not for what she can now contribute to the efforts to escape, she would selfishly think it would have been better if she had never recovered her memories at all.

When she speaks, her voice is quiet but steady.]

Goodbye, Norma. I will see you again soon.

[From here.

She pouts slightly at Norma's admonishments. In her mind, they've been through this! There's no need to lecture her on gun safety!]

Of course I keep it locked away! And with the safety on, besides. I think I know how to look after a kid after this long.

I just keep it with me when I'm out in case in case something happens. It's not like I can use any of that weird magic stuff the rest of you have. If not being from some kind of medieval fantasy makes me screwy, then I am screwy!

[She's pretty sure that Norma means that she's different when she says screwy, but she kind of ended up sidetracking herself in the heat of the moment with an argument she's probably either made or wanted to make for a while.]

[Norma is going to end up shaking someone by the end of the day, isn't she? She bristles after being taken aback by Fenimore's sudden burst of...whatever it was. Excuse me? Medieval fantasy? Weird magic stuff? Who the hell does FenFen think she is saying all those demeaning things right to Norma's face like that?! Taking a bold step forward, Norma's eyebrows knit together, and she frowns.]

And just who has been house healer for however long I've been in this place, huh?! I'm not exactly obliged to make sure you or anyone else doesn't bleed out at the first opportunity the Malno-nos get to stab us in the back you know! And don't think me or any other crystal eren wouldn't be pretty darn useful in a fight, you--! [She snorts, then backs off to cross her arms and sneer.]

Jeez, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't change at all, FenFen. Maybe a few new gadgets, but you've still got the same attitude you've always had.

Attitude? Says the person who calls me "screwy" out of the blue. From what I can see, you're the one who talked about people being weird first!

[Okay, so she might have overreacted a bit. But she's getting awfully sick of people talking about how odd it is for her to be acting the way she thinks she always has. Okay, take a deep breath and be reasonable.]

Look, I didn't mean anything bad by it. I just meant that having this thing [tapping the edge of the gun with one hand] isn't any different than anyone who isn't from a normal, modern world having their ways to defend themselves.

[...Okay, so "normal" mightn't be the best choice of word, but it came out without her thinking about it.]

[Oh, Norma caught onto that word choice, and she narrows her eyes and tilts her head up a bit. So, that kind of thing is normal, then? And the kinds of things Norma does - healing and magic - are abnormal? Huh, well then. She'll be sure to remember that.]

Uh huh...right. Well, whatever, so long as you're not about to shoot yourself in the foot or anything. I mean, if you do, I hope one of your normal, modern world friends can help you out. Wouldn't wanna hinder anyone or anything with my healing spells or anything! Oh, goodness, we wouldn't want that now would we?!

[Um, that's not what she intended to bark out. ...Ahem.] Listen, you can do whatever you want, so long as no one gets hurt, okay? Just keep that thing under lock and key so can breathe a bit easier.

That's not what I meant and you know it! But if you want to twist my words like that, fine.

[Okay, maybe she doesn't know and maybe it's not deliberate, but Fenimore feels like this is the case. The wonders of having two people with tempers encounter each other under somewhat stressful situations.]

Don't worry, no one's going to get hurt. I promise.

[The wonders indeed. Norma is staring Fenimore down with an icy look, but she's not going to pursue an actual fight when FenFen's got a...pretty much miniature canon strapped to her leg like that. And who knows how well they know each other. Or how well Fenimore thinks they know each other. Norma's not stupid enough to take that kind of risk.

So, she merely holds up her hands in a very lazy and bored shrug, her face making the same expression to match.]

Whatever--good. So long as that's the case, I'm happy.

((Tobi likes to watch the hubbub of Luceti. It was all he really HAD to do. The quest for domination of the world had been put on hold--but who was to say he couldn't one day dominate this world?

Oh wait, no. Let's not talk about that.

Tobi, wearing his FAVOURITE green scarf, stands dumbly at a street corner, looking at everything like it was the coolest thing in the world. OOOHHHH. Ahhh. Oh my~! Then he stops, and his concealed eye coming across a familiar face.

A pause.

A long... long pause.))

NORMA NORMA NORMA.. NOoOORRRMMMAAAAA-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN~!!!

[Oh dear god, there go her eardrums.

Norma balks, almost swallowing her bubble straw - she was blowing bubbles while walking from the library - and turns her head left and right to see who's hailing her in such a manner. Who in the world could have a voice so high and excitab--...

Ah, Pumpkin.]

HEEHEE! Harroooo!!! ((His waves with such enthusiam, then bounds up to her, practically wiggling with joy.))

I found it, I found it! Is Norma-san busy??

[Norma's icy look is met by Fenimore's fiery gaze ~~resulting in sublimation where the gazes meet~~. She's actually kind of itching to fight about this at the moment, but...probably not a good idea. Though if she realized that Norma thought that she might shoot her, she probably wouldn't be able to restrain that.]

Good. Not that it really matters since you don't live with us anymore.

[...Er, so that thing about restraining herself from letting her temper get the best of her? She's not very good at it.]

[Oh, jeez...if Tobi keeps wiggling like that, he might start an earthquake or something. Norma snickers and waves back to him, with much less gusto, though it's still friendly.]

Huh? Uh, no, I'm not doing too much. What'd you find, anyway? [Is it expensive?]

Daang-gos~!! Norma-san said she didn't know them and Tobi wants to show her.

Oh, right, those...things. [Man, she kinda completely forgot about those things, ahaha. Whoops? But at least she gets to check them out now. Maybe, if they're good, she can learn to make them.] Where'd you find them, anyway? I never heard of them around the bakery and the market.

Ahh, that's because Tobi is magical. Woooo. ((He wiggles his fingers about, pretending to be magical.)) But! We still have to buy them.

[Pfft--oh, Pumpkin, you really have a talent for putting a smile on Norma's face, no matter what.] Right. Then lead the way, o' magical one!

Right-o!!!

--How is Norma-san, then?

Appointment Post

[Action, March 21]

[Action, March 22] - is it okay if I move the date here? Norma slept over on the 21st.

[Action, March 22] Oh, yes, of course; that'd work much better.

[Action, March 22] Thank you! \o/ <3

[Action, March 22] Not a problem. <3

[Action, March 22] <33

[Action, March 22] <333

[Action, March 22] <333

[Action, March 22] <333

[Action, April 3]

[Action, April 3]

[Action, April 3]

[Action, April 3]

[Action, April 3]

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(Action) May 15th

(Action) May 15th

Re: (Action) May 15th

[Action, April 3]

(Action) May 15th

Re: (Action) May 15th

(Action) May 15th

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(Action) May 15th

Re: (Action) May 15th