AUDIENCE: TAMA

[becomemod]

Comments

[ballies]

if i fill the living room with balls, goat will definitely know it was me.
the pool's not a bad idea though...

[becomemod]

it would be funnier
we can do the pool
there's some cute glittery ones
i can bring one over tomorrow

[ballies]

yeaaah but i have to live in the dorm with them.

alright then, it's something to take our mind off things.
... whereabouts should i meet you?

[becomemod]

you can always come crash here instead

hmm i'll be outside of the dorms!

[ballies]

i'm probably going to. i'm worried about ryuki.

[ anyway she's on her way! hello hello. ]

[becomemod]

i would be worried about him too
he has a whole lot on his shoulders :<

[ hello! they are swaying side to side while waiting ]

Is there a particular snack you like to try when you're sad?

[ballies]

i know.

[ god help her, she knows better than almost anyone. ]

Uhh-- truthfully, I've never done something like this before. So, if you have something you prefer, I'm happy to follow your lead. I know people tend to like chocolate though?

[becomemod]

[ Mouse has just met him but if anything were to happen... ]

Hmm... I'm still really new to being sad about people dying. I heard ice cream is good for failed relationships, so maybe we can combine? Chocolate and ice cream.

[ They will start walking in the direction of the Conbini ]

[ballies]

[ yes. good. protect her favourite person ever. ]

You've never experienced it before?

[becomemod]

[ Mouse shakes their head ]

The first time was just before I was brought here. Then it happened again when the other heroes died.

[ballies]

[ sweet mouse... ]

Ah.... a little before we got here, right?

[becomemod]

Yeah... it was a few weeks before, but it doesn't feel like it's been that long.

[ballies]

Goat said it was pretty hard for them to talk about it. Are you sure you want to?

[becomemod]

[ they think about it ]

I think I'll be okay. Something that hurt in the past doesn't feel as painful as the feeling now.

[ballies]

…

Grief is different for everyone, I think. That’s why you should just take it at your own pace. That might be fast, or it could be slow. Either way there’s nothing wrong with that.

[ … ]

There’s a memorial, isn’t there…? The one we can’t get to right now.

[becomemod]

[ Giving a nod ]

You sound like you have experience.

[ Are you okay, Tama? ]

There is! It should be opening up soon.

[ballies]

Not personally.

[ tama is fine— but— ] I know people who’ve lost people though. How it weighs on them for years afterwards.

[ me just noticing today that the memorial is open. ] … Will Mika and Rocket be on it too?

[becomemod]

[ They nod at that. ]

Like Ryuski? It seems to weigh super heavy on him.

[ A whole opening ] I hope so! If not, I'll make sure to add something there myself. While they might think of her as a villain, she is still one of my mice and it wasn't her fault this place is super unfair.

[ballies]

…

Yeah, it would. Just— keep an eye on him? If he starts spacing out, come find me. I can’t—

[ she looks frustrated for a moment. her lips twist slightly and then she sighs. ] I can’t help him like this. Not immediately, not when he needs me. I don’t plan on being too far from him if I can help it, but… there are some things I can’t do like this.

[ she’s no longer with him, always. how does she handle that? ]

They didn’t even account for it being an accident. Even the law back home would do that.

[becomemod]

[ Mouse is quiet for a moment before they hold out their hand for Tama. ]

I promise I'll let you know. I want to help Ryuski. [ ... ] How do you normally help him out? Are you two always together on missions?

I don't know why it's like that. From what those people were saying in the arena, it was something normal here before we arrived.

[ballies]

[ …

she’s quiet for a moment, and then she takes the hand and squeezes it. ]

We’re just always together. It’s how we’re meant to be. [ … ] I’m not going to talk about the details, that’s not mine to tell. But you’ll know — he gets distance, unfocused. If that happens, try and get him back into the present. Don’t startle him, but talk to him. Make sure he responds.

If he doesn’t, come and find me.

[ there are so many things she can do here — hold his hands, get him to look at her. but she’s separate and she can’t be there, and aware, 24/7. there’s are plus sides, but there are minuses too ]

Not since?

[becomemod]

[ They give a squeeze and nod. ]

I understand. [ They know that feeling. ] I will keep that in mind. Thank you for letting me know what to do.

[ They give another nod ]

That's what it sounds like. I don't know if it means that we were doing a really good job before or if it means it couldn't happen until you all got here. It's just really, really strange and a bummer.

[ballies]

[ she nods. it’s a little uncertain— leaving ryuki’s care in someone else’s hands is something she’s never done. not in over six years at this point. ]

… You’ve not found any of this suspicious? That we get dragged here and suddenly all these things that haven’t happened in ages are happening?

[becomemod]

I do. It's really strange and pretty frustrating. I'm hoping that with all of us together, we can figure out what is happening.

Trying to think too hard or planning things was never really my job before.

[ballies]

I’m pretty used to investigating things at least, even if it’s a little different here to what I’m used to. If I have to treat it like a job, that’s no issue.

What was your job before then?