I will be waiting.

or familial guilt and sorrow. And maybe even that sometimes I could be the center of someone's universe, even if just for a while.”

What started as a simple opportunity to explore humanity turned into something much more comforting to the point where I am eager to earn more time with an explicit goal to share it with you. You give me hope — that I can still experience something else outside of constant battles

“Naturally. Before my life revolved solely around my sister. Therefore, when she was busy, I was left without a purpose, a doll with no owner, profoundly lonely in a way words can't express. It feels nice to know I have someone else to spend my time with now.

Live rose it is, I suppose. If you actually want to go through with it.

She brings one of the blades closer to Iris' face...

...

“Boo!” The weapon vanishes. “I was only joking. Keep your tongue, little one.”

“Free of your curse, you mean?”

“And letting your patients eat something so spicy could be easily considered such. I suggest you reconsider your approach before someone complains.”

She wishes she could one day say the same about Shuhu.

“Good then.“

No plastic.

She nods, caressing his cheek once more.

“Thank you for opening up for me. How about we continue this conversation with you asking me something in return? Let us get to know each other even better.”

Sister, sister...

ᅠ

⠀ ᅠ⠀ ⠀

🆈our show must go on

ᅠ

⠀ ᅠ⠀ ⠀

Worse than mine, I would hope?

“Knowingly putting someone in danger is a crime“, she reminds him.

She nods. It appears they are quite similar in that regard.

“Personally, I would advise taking a bite here and there, simply to enjoy the familiar taste.”

You did not laugh. Was my joke that bad?

( The bird tilts its head to the right side, eyes locked on Cipher. )

Oh. That feels so familiar.

“I know the feeling”, she says quietly. “But it is all in the past now, I assume.”

“Right. Now, present that tongue.”

She summons her weapons, two blades of teal, sharp and scary.

keep my sanity despite the unfairness of my situation. What do you feel when you are wearing your uniform? Could you try to express it for me?”

She keeps looking into his eyes, head tilted backwards to see him better.

Interesting.

“Such matters could be quite complicated, but I sympathize with the idea of finding freedom in restraints. Sometimes when I lay in my coffin, I feel both trapped and strangely at peace. The familiarity and the routine, they can ground a person. They definitely ground me, helping me to

That is quite sad, if you think about it, is it not?

How about a rose that won't wither?

Yes, I am a bird in the body of a Judge. Or was it the other way around?

This was a joke. Please, laugh.

( She spreads her ingenium wings. )

My name is Xueyi. Pleasure to meet you, Cipher. Could I touch your tail?

“Cycles of hell?”

“I would assume a healing being would be in need of something gentle, completely spiceless.”

“I see. It makes sense, yes.”

For a split second she wonders about the blood of an undead being, like her sister: would it taste rotten and spoiled? What a sad imagery.

“And are you able to consume normal food at all?”

“Of course not. You wouldn't be able to lie without a tongue, would you?”

her Awl and slapping the other half of her weapon on top of it, effectively trapping his weapon in between and applying all force of her tiny but powerful body in an attempt to disarm him.

The fight only started, but it is already quite tough, she analyses. Sister would be upset.

more and more, until one day...

And make no mistake, that day will come — Ten-Lords had spoken, and a Sinner must be punished. As a Judge in charge of detention, she will come back again and again, learning everything she can.

For now she lets his weapon strike, meeting his blade with one half of

She answers him not, focused solely on their dance — a skillful fighter with an upper hand like himself can afford the banter, but she has to stay vigilant. Internally, however, she slightly chuckles at the question. She is sure she won't defeat him today either, but with every fight she will learn