(no subject)

[shanghaiworld]

Characters: Alice, Shinki, Yumeko.
Date: Some...time after September 19th.
Summary: Family reunion.
Warnings: There should be none, but will update if something happens.

Alice was usually a bit more composed then she is right now. However, having such a sudden meeting with her mother, Shinki, who she hasn't seen in several years by now, managed to rattle her a bit. Although the conversation seemed to go well, and everything didn't go badly, Alice just couldn't help herself from feeling anxious. There was also a certain maid around, who has been for some time, and Alice felt bad for completely missing her. Now she has to deal with the very real possibility that one of them, or both, would likely be at her door, just not knowing when.

As such, Alice became a little frantic in making sure her house was suitable. She blocked off access to Marisa's old room, with a simple sign making it seem like it was just a storage room containing valuable, and possibly dangerous, material. Cleaning up was a given, and she had given some time to ponder if she should do something with her dolls. There was also the fact she had a Chinese gatekeeper staying in her house, but there wasn't exactly much she could do about that without coming off as too much of a jerk.

Really, the hardest thing about all this is the fact she doesn't know when this will happen. The fact they will come is expected but who knows when. Which leaves Alice sitting at a table, just waiting for a knock.

Comments

[shanghaiworld]

Alice didn't react with surprise this time. But that was because she was a little confused to begin with.

"... Why are you so proud that I can control one like that? That's really nothing much." A doll moving like a normal person, EH, SIMPLE STUFF.

[majin_fukushou]

"Oh would you listen to this girl, Yumeko? So modest~" Shinki laughed, patting Alice's shoulders. "The ability to do what you do is quite rare, Alice, even if you think it simple."

[swordthrowing]

"Hm. Maybe she just thinks it's embarrassing to hear her mother say those kinds of things?" Oh no. Now she sounded like she was...teasing! This reunion really must have made her happy if she was loosening up so much. "In any case, it's certainly more versatile a skill than what I and a lot of other people can do. That alone makes it impressive."

Not that Yumeko was a magician herself, but still. Sword generation was fairly limited in scope.

[shanghaiworld]

This was actually a bit annoying, not that she would admit it. She wasn't being modest, or embarrassed here. She was being perfectly honest when she said that this was simple. And to prove that point, after a few moments a swarm of around fifty dolls should all fly in, and all speaking with the same cute voice.

"Actually, controlling one doll is rather simple."

[majin_fukushou]

"Goodness gracious..." Actually that was more than a bit creepy.

[swordthrowing]

"Ah! There's so many..."

[shanghaiworld]

"Tell me, if controlling one deserves the praise that you gave, what does this warrant?" Did Alice have an air of being smug? Possibly.

[majin_fukushou]

"My word... My daughter must be one of the greatest magicians in the world today, ha ha!" Boastful because it's her kid or sincere? Hard to tell. Either way, Shinki's discomfort turned to impression fairly quickly as she looked about at all the dolls.

[swordthrowing]

"...Very impressive?" She laughs a little, sounding vaguely sheepish. "Did you make all of these yourself, Alice? Ah, they're so cute..."

[shanghaiworld]

"Now, now... I still have lots I want to do. I can't go calling myself the greatest if that's the case." Gotta make a giant doll that doesn't self-destruct first.

And Yumeko has a good eye, it seems! "Yes, I did make them all. Ah, but be careful, don't heat them up or we might explode." THANKS GUNPOWDER.

[majin_fukushou]

"Ex... plode?" What a worrying thing to say so casually.

[swordthrowing]

Indeed. Yumeko's expression was quick to fall again.

"...Alice, why do you have something at risk of exploding in your home?"

[shanghaiworld]

She waits for the day when someone will truly understand her.

"It's for purposes in battle. I basically throw bombs, only they are dolls." Really now, it's rather trivial.

[majin_fukushou]

"Can't you disarm them when at peace, though? It seems extremely dangerous to keep them in that state..."

paid time ran out, doop doop

[swordthrowing]

"Well... I guess it wouldn't really be an issue as long as they aren't heated up... You do keep them away from windows in the summer, don't you?"

[shanghaiworld]

"It would be a bit hard to disarm them, considering the method I use is having them filled with gunpowder." This should answer the questions asked by both of them.

[majin_fukushou]

"Goodness, Alice, that's exceptionally dangerous... !" Seriously, you're going to give dear old mum a heart attack here.

[swordthrowing]

"Indeed. And taking the time to make them only to blow them up later seems like an awful lot of wasted work."

PRIORITIES.

[shanghaiworld]

"Okay, then how about this fact? If I let them be for overly long periods of time, I run the risk having them be possessed by wandering spirits. It is better if they are destroyed to prevent that, and why not have them be ammunition for a fight?" This all makes perfect sense to her.

[majin_fukushou]

"Are there wandering spirits here, though?" It seemed like a valid question.

[swordthrowing]

"And is destroying them really the only way to keep that from happening?"

[shanghaiworld]

"I would not expect less of this place, and it's the most convenient. Really, I don't see what the big deal is." It's not like Alice deals with things in rather strange ways!

[majin_fukushou]

"The big deal, young lady, is that you're willfully destroying such beautiful craftsmanship over what are seemingly petty reasons."

[swordthrowing]

Yumeko didn't say anything, but she did back Shinki up with an emphatic nod.

[shanghaiworld]

"I-Do you know how many of them I make? Even if I were to just place them somewhere else or give them away, there would be so many that people would be drowning in dolls!"