vigilantics | shinobu

[ it's some time after trial, and steph has exited the isolation (chamber) cabin to let evan have some time to himself. she's mostly just... wandering around? limping slightly. but

she is out there, and she pauses when she sees shinobu. ]

[ Shinobu can guess that Stephanie would want some time with the people she knows and cares more first, but she is actively searching for her. She's carrying a tray with cups on it, and her brows furrow when she notices that limp. ]

I am sorry about Hansen-kun.

It's-- [ well, she can't say it's okay.

she just shakes her head. ]

We'll fix it.

[ Yeah, she wouldn't have believed it if Steph said it was okay. ]

We will.

[ Shinobu says that with firm resolve. ]

I won't stop until we do. I made some tea, if you would like some. And to... sit, if you could spare some time.

... that's fine with me, yeah.

[ that'll be a good way to waste time, she thinks, until she goes back to evan. ]

And to answer an earlier question, I voted for myself.

Thank you. You wanted to hide the results from someone, didn't you?

[ That's her guess. ]

I didn't ask with the intention to scold you. I voted for myself, too, back on the island.

Was there a punishment?

[ ... ]

But yeah. There are a few people from home here, but they weren't at the castle with me.

No. I wasn't harmed in any way either time I voted for myself.

[ Which is why she hates the rule here? ]

I feel as if it's obvious you learned from that time. You were quick to warn against it.

[ god she wishes that were her. ]

I promised I would try to be less reckless here.

[ Shinobu wishes those circumstances could still apply, too. ]

That's a very kind promise.

Yeah. And the jokes kind of get old.

[ people won't let her live it down. ]

[ Her eyebrows furrow, and she looks over at Stephanie with a frown. ]

Why would they joke over an injury like that?

[ Fingers or whole arms or more missing... over putting in a vote because the voting system is fucked. ]

They probably just want to shame me into not doing it again.

[ which... actually, now that she put it like that, it makes her frown a little. ]

But I'll be fine.

[ ...

Shinobu doesn't know the extent of Stephanie's relationships with other people, but she doesn't know if she likes the sound of that. Speaking of, though— ]

Hikage-san seemed very protective of you.