freezerburned | IC Contact for Asgard

...

I didn't have to draw it. All the people who fell inside... none of them were trying to hurt me.

Did you know what it was going to do?

[He has a hard time believing that she did.]

[She hesitates before nodding. When she speaks, her voice is timid and halting.]

My... My Master told me what it does. And also...

...I've... seen it used before. My Master drew it when I was in danger, and when someone fell in, I... I stepped in with him. I thought I could pull him out, but--

...

If you do that... You just see what the victim is seeing, too.

...oh.

[There's a definite pause at that, but Isaac doesn't look angry- just introspective for a moment. He can hear the question in her tone, but-]

You're just a kid. Kids shouldn't see stuff like that.

...Even if I'm a kid... A lot of kids in my world have suffered a lot. That's why, when my Master used that spell at home, Ahito-kun's fears were...

...

[After a moment, she simply shuts her mouth, shaking her head. It's not really her place to say.]

I don't know if there's anything I can do to help, but... If there's anything I can do for you, Isaac-san...

I'll do my best.

[Because it was painful and scary, and those sorts of things aren't easy to leave behind no matter how many years may pass.]

[There's a long pause, and Isaac finally just lets out a little shrug, his eyes lowered away from the video.]

My father is dead now. What I am- nobody can do that to me again. So there's nothing to worry about.

[She winces when she hears that. There's... something sad about hearing stories like this.]

...M-maybe, but... It still hurts, doesn't it?

[Isaac shrugs.]

If he hadn't done what he did, I wouldn't have gotten the chance to become a werewolf. I'm not thankful for it or anything and I don't really buy into that whole 'survivor' crap, but it pushed me to take the risk and be stronger for it.

[Really though, all this just feels like he's giving her a load of bullshit and Isaac sighs, frowning a little.]

I mean, what do you want me to say? I still have nightmares about being locked in a freezer? I just- [a deep breath, and he's clearly frustrated with how he's explaining this] -I don't want sympathy, I guess.

[It occurs to her that she's really done it this time. This was meant to be a cheerful call, but instead she's just been hurting him by bringing these things up.]

I... I'm sorry. I suppose I just- It seems like a lot of people in my world went through something similar, so I thought that maybe--

[...Maybe she could help. But she just shakes her head.]

...I'll stop talking about it. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry or...

You're not. It's fine.

[He takes a short breath, refocusing for a moment, shoving his feelings aside for a few moments. Then, finally, he asks-]

What were your parents like? [It's a soft question, hollow, but the distraction helps with the calm.]

[...Oh. That brings her to silence for a good moment. It takes her a while to come up with something to say.]

I... don't live with my parents anymore.

...right. Shouldn't have asked.

[He knows better than most. But still.]

Friends?

[She shakes her head.]

You didn't know or anything, so...

Actually, I live at the Kamisaid Academy of Magic. Since I work there as a teacher, I get a free room to live in, so I'm allowed to be there with my Master and Shii-chan.

[And then, just to make sure he knows:]

It's hard sometimes, but I like it there...!

[So it's okay. He doesn't need to worry about her.]

You're a teacher?

[Surprising! But it's good to know that she's taken care of.]

I'm glad you're in a good place.

It... started as a misunderstanding, but...

As long as I do all of my work correctly, they won't kick me out. And since I have to take care of Shii-chan, it's really important for me to stay.

But... I do like it there, even if it's difficult. And I've learned a lot, too! [Wait, but wasn't she supposed to be the teacher?]

Who's Shii-chan?

[Genuinely curious!]

It sounds pretty entertaining.

She's a homunculus my Master helped me make! They're supposed to be living weapons made of magic in my world, but she looks just like a little girl. She sort of acts like one, too... Getting her to eat her vegetables is tough.

I'm the one in charge of taking care of her, though. She's... [What's a good comparison...]

I guess you could say she's like a little sister to me!

You... you made a person?

[Hang on a second, he still can't quite get past that part.]

Um... Sort of? My Master's the one who made the spell work, though.

[Which was probably worth a lot more than her measly contributions of mixing everything together, honestly.]

What... how- what kind of person is that?

You mean Shii-chan? [She assumes as much, anyway.] She's a lot like a normal kid, I guess... I mean, she gets a little violent at times, but she's very sweet!

[Deep, deep down inside.]

[He's not quite sure how to deal with that, but Isaac spares her the moral questioning- he doesn't really even know if he can parse what makes him uncomfortable with it anyway.]

I'm glad. It must be interesting, to live as she does.

I think she probably gets bored a lot. I have work, so she usually stays at home all day.

I wish there was something I could do besides just buying books or toys for her, but...

[Probably not what Isaac meant, but it's always been a major concern for her.]

[He shrugs.]

I meant that she doesn't have any parents or heritage or anything.

Oh! Mm... I wonder about that...

[She gains a thoughtful expression.]

I actually tried to give her to a mother, once... The reason I helped make her was because there was a magician who tried really hard to make a homunculus child of her own, since she lost her daughter during the war. But Shii-chan insisted on staying with me instead, and Yukko-san didn't mind it either.

As for her heritage... I think just being a homunculus is a little like having one. She chose her name herself! I think it was after the "greatest homunculus warrior," Lord Shiiraasan. Even though there's no war anymore, she always talks about how a homunculus should act and things like that.

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