OFFICE HOURS

[didntgetdadslooks]

Got something you want to say to your good friend The Professor's Assistant? Come on in, don't be shy! Her official hours are daylight hours - girl has to sleep? after all, probably - but if you knock on the door at night she'll generally answer. Please just make sure to leave the in-game date and time in the header of your toplevel!

All comments are screened for confidentiality during the course of the experiment.

Comments

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ There's a lot of words on there, and they're not written with great care towards being legible. But she might notice that on a page or two there's drawings of a few of the different religious symbols from the chapel, especially the one Nira brought up. ]

No, just... brainstorming.

[philoxenia]

[ Huh.

Her gaze definitely lingers on that for a moment or two, but she looks back at Angel with a nod. ]

I can sympathize. All the more reason to enjoy some tea and cookies, right?

[didntgetdadslooks]

Yeah, I saw you guys doing some of your own earlier, so... figured I should do some too, but uh. Things you can't see and all that.

[ It sounds like that might not be the whole truth, but. What whole truth has Angel given yet, really? ]

[philoxenia]

Of course. Don't worry, I won't prod. I... don't want you to get in trouble or anything, so I'll understand if you can't answer something.

[ A pause, before she pulls out her notepad. She's copied down the same strange symbol Nira shared. ]

But... This symbol--do you know what it is?

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ She looks at it and frowns. ]

It's... the one that switch was rigged to in the chapel, right? I... it feels like I should, but I have no idea.

[philoxenia]

I believe so.

[ She frowns as well--that's... that's pretty concerning, and it's written all over her expression. ]

It should be familiar, but you're not sure why?

[didntgetdadslooks]

I...

[ She takes a deep breath, shifting into the expression a few of you have come to recognize as "calculating exactly how much I can tell you." ]

You aren't the only one who thinks you have some memory problems.

[philoxenia]

[ ..... oof. ]

That's--

[ ... Well, that confirms that Angel isn't the one who tampered with them, she thinks.

Also, it makes her pretty mad that Angel is being messed with, too. Verdict: The Professor is absolutely The Worst. ]

I'm sorry. That... must make this whole thing even more difficult.

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ It's fine, everything is fine. ]

It's... Thanks.

[ She takes out a blank sheet of paper to sort of... idly doodle on it as she takes a slightly shaky sip of tea. ]

Sorry, just... a little shaken. Really not the kind of thing you like to suddenly be thinking about this hard.

[philoxenia]

[ i'm gonna kick your ass ]

No-- no, Angel, you don't have to apologize at all. It's-- it would shake anyone up, I think. But... you aren't alone, even if things get really rough. I'm here, after all.

[ ... ]

That's what friends are for, right?

[didntgetdadslooks]

I...

[ She smiles a little. ]

I guess so. I just wish I could give you more.

[philoxenia]

[ She's quick to shake her head. ]

Honestly, this-- this is more than enough. [ .... ] You know a lot about us... right?

[didntgetdadslooks]

[ She nods. ]

I... try not to use it too much, but yeah, I do.

[philoxenia]

[ She nods, and-- she appreciates that. She gives Angel a little smile. ]

Then... you probably know how much it means to me to have a friend. I'm not used to just... this, talking with someone who's not my brother or his fiance. [ She pauses. ] It might not be a situation anyone wants to be in, but--

There are parts of this that I wouldn't trade for anything, as odd as that might sound.

[didntgetdadslooks]

Right.

[ She sighs, picking up something small and fiddling with it in her hand instead of the doodling for a moment. ]

The only people I really had for company before this were The Professor and his scientist, so... different but similar, I guess. Some weird positives to this whole thing, huh?

[philoxenia]

Mm, exactly.

[ She takes a sip of her tea, mulling something over. ]

I guess there are always silver linings, aren't there? Even if it might be hard to find them.

[didntgetdadslooks]

I guess so.

[ She nibbles on a cookie a little. ]

That's kind of how I've been operating since The Professor... since I met him.

[philoxenia]

Mm.

[ She does the same, fidgeting a little in her seat. ]

... It's strange, isn't it? And so is having so many people to talk to.

[didntgetdadslooks]

... Yeah. Yeah, it is.

[ She sets down the cookie, as well as the small wooden owl she'd been fiddling with in her off-hand. ]

This is definitely an increase over what I've ever had, too.