Revenge, it lives!

Resident moral support of The Officer's Academy

[sublimeflowoftime]

Girl on the Throne

Closed RP account for Sothis. Affiliated with The Officers Academy. Pinned Post serving as an FAQ. Last updated: 7/1

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How does Sothis work?

In the past I went full in on the “Sothis is a ghost” thing, which I believe made it a little difficult for others to interact with her. To combat this, Sothis is now a mostly physical person with limits. She can touch things, she can be touched, however it uses far more of her power to do so on top of the power she already uses to keep herself visible, and it makes her very sleepy if she does it too much or for too long. This shouldn’t really effect anything IC beyond a bit of internal flavor on my end and is mostly just me giving it a downside to justify the canon diversion to myself, so you can interact with Sothis as if she is a normal person! Just don’t question why she can fly shush it’s fine totally normal.

Can my muse see her?

Yes. She is visible to everyone now! She is not quite used to this yet either don't worry it's just as weird to her as it is to you.

Three Houses/Hopes Spoilers below: [Tagged: #{Careful now. — Spoilers}]

What does Sothis know right now?

She knows she is bound to Byleth, though she does not know why or how, and that is all she knows. Nothing more.

[sublimeflowoftime]

Wanted Plots [ July ]

FINALLY managed to finish all my thread drafts after the disaster time that unexpectedly ate up 90% of my June and I’m still in a bit of a flow state, so I would like to yoink up just a few new threads as a treat :) as with last month Sothis is still unaffiliated, so feel free to grab her for whatever!

Sothis (is Unaffiliated!):

Any Skill +1: from last month but I realized I was thinking too small before hear me out: I offer to you Large Sothis. I’d kiiiinda lean towards small Sothis brain forced into big Sothis body somehow just because I’m worried about accidentally breaking canon too much with Fortune’s Weave on the horizon, but I also would very much not turn down an opportunity to write big Sothis with big Sothis brain I think it could be neat. She has so many thoughts about the body she’s in I want to squish her

Hand holding: this is basically just her entire existence pre-toa with Byleth. I think it would be really funny to force her to relive it again with someone else as the “problem” student/faculty. She would also probably be really easy to talk into crime, the Byleth comparison in her head would give her a massive soft spot for however she gets bound to for the rest of time basically 

Selkie (@selkitsune):

Reason +1: she doesn’t really think she needs it (she’s already super strong and fast, plus she doesn’t even show up to class why would she care about her grade? she doesn’t even know what a grade is) but she DOES think that it sounds really fun and she wants in. GIVE HER THE CRIME JUICE Taken by: Shigure

Hand holding: Whew boy where does she even begin with her list of crimes. She is NOT happy about this turn of events let GO BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK Taken by: Corrin (M)

As always feel free to DM or @ me in the plotting channel on Discord (deadmemesinhumanform) if interested in these or anything else!! Ty!!! :DD

[classybrawler]

Our cooking is fire! Oh, no, wait, our cooking is ON fire.

mission board: aphotic || sword +1

[classybrawler]

Sothis seems to be enjoying cooking quite a lot so far, on top of being a good kitchen assistant, which makes Panette quite glad! Especially since this is one of the few dishes she’s truly good at…

That is a deliberation for another time, however! Right now her dutiful assistant has asked her a very important question!

“As long as we are not making one enormous meatball, it should be fine! I like to make them quite sizable, myself.” She smiles, scooping out a big handful of her mixture, and beginning to roll it in the flour. It is a good thing Sothis has taken off her ribbons; she herself had learned that it is easy to dirty her clothing up the hard way, back in the somniel.

So lost in thought she becomes that she barely realizes her meatball has been more than thoroughly covered in flour, all the red completely smothered by white. Ah, that is fine, the more the merrier, as they say.

“If at any point you need more flour, feel free to pour more out! We should be fine, but one never knows!” Worst case scenario, they use a bit too much flour and the church will have to pay for it; Panette really could not give less of a damn.

Going back into the swing of things, she decides to roll a smaller meatball this time; a bit of variety shall spice the meal up quite well!

“After this, we shall get to use an open flame to truly make a mouthwatering meal!” Panette says excitedly. It may not be as instantaneous as she might have hoped when she took cooking lessons back then, but watching meat sear is still quite a fun way to pass the time!

[sublimeflowoftime]

What an interesting recipe this is! They’ve only just started, and yet already have so many colors been involved. From red, to green, to brown, to white… why, it’s a veritable rainbow of change! A very ugly rainbow all things considered should they all be laid out together, but that is not important.

“Ah, I see! Then ‘sizable’ they shall be!” Sothis gives a swift nod, portioning out her own mixture into generous handfuls onto the counter before her — careful to make sure they all come out relatively the same size, of course. For fairness sake. Then into the flour they go!

…Or so it was. The first roll went fine, flour covering the ball in about half-opacity, but nowhere near the opaque surface of Panette’s example it was clearly meant to have. Why else would it have been the example she gave? Yet the second roll hardly sticks any further, and neither does the third or fourth… She does, eventually, manage the snowball-like appearance, but it took so long(re: like thirty seconds), and it was so much effort, and so very boring….

“It is quite a bit difficult to get it to stick after the first few moments, isn’t it?” Sothis frowns, only on the third meatball, yet already is she sick of the process. She has respect for the art form of cooking, truly, but surely there must be an easier way, right? There certainly was when it came to desk assembly when she was with Byleth, and she has yet to hear about any ill befalling the users of their glue-chairs. Nor does she see them in classroom rotation, but it’s not as though she looks. “What if I…”

Reaching over to a bag of flour, Sothis hoists the thing with both hands, tilting it carefully over the collection of meatballs she’s accumulated until…

An avalanche of flour falls from the bag over her creations entirely, coating them all in a perfect mountain of white all at once! And also most of their counter and the wall in front of them, but the rest of the splash back is thankfully absorbed by the bag itself rather than the both of them. “Ah, there we are! Much better!”A flawless execution, if she does say so herself! Even if most of her arms up to her elbows end up coated in white as well as she reaches in to fish them out.

It wouldn’t do if she just waited around now, though. She may not know the recipe itself, but knows at least how to turn the heat on by watching Byleth in the past. She may as well set to doing that while their head chef finishes her own coating. “I do not know how ‘open’ it will truly be, seeing as we are inside, but the flame itself is simple enough. I believe all that must be done is…” Three quiet clicks follow the turning of the dial as the ‘stove’s built-in fire spell activates, quickly summoning forth a mid-sized flame to match the mid-positioning on the dial on its axis. “Aha! Is this sufficient?”

[sublimeflowoftime]

sorry I didn’t push your oomf off the carousel

[grxstnnefealltoir]

A matter of luck. He hardly disagrees with that notion. It was luck that he was against them. It was luck too that he was distracted. The mistake in most people's thinking regarding the concept of luck was that it was unable to be controlled.

"You speak wisely, it's hardly a detriment in most cases. Perhaps learning how to predict better should be my next focus as well. There is a reasons strategists are as coveted as they are." Darios watches her expression and... he wonders, does she have someone in mind as she says that.

He finds himself chuckling alongside her now. "...I completely understand." Somehow, his gaze follows hers and a particularly sunny spot makes him squint his eyes. "We've both got this I believe. People won't ever be entirely predictable, but... let us to what we can with those around us, yes?"

[sublimeflowoftime]

“Yes, that is the spirit!” Sothis smiles as she nods along with his words. The laughter he gives is a vast improvement to the dourness of his initial words, and she can’t help feel just a tad bit proud of herself to see such a change. Though of course, most of the accolades of the moment should go to him. She hopes he truly believes that, too.

“Time is ever-flowing. Even if you were to go back through infinity, fix every mistake you ever made to perfection, eventually, you would still need to move forward. The past must serve as a blueprint for the future, not a chain for the present.” 

The girl lets out a soft chuckle of her own this time as she rises to part. The battle appears to be reaching its end now, after all, and they really have spoken for far longer than she had anticipated. She should be overseeing the reception of newcomers to the infirmary area to make sure no student goes overlooked on accident. “I do hope the future you build from this battle will be one in which I get to see the results of this ‘focus on prediction’ you set for yourself. Ideally on a battlefield in which we remain on the same side, of course, but I can’t say I would mind too terribly the opportunity to see it from the other perspective, either.”

It’s strange… no matter how much her body longs for rest, there is still no quiet in that unfamiliar part of her mind that wishes to return to battle. Perhaps, she has to wonder, is what those two had felt back then when they threatened each other? How very interesting.

Perhaps she really should sign up again next year.

[sublimeflowoftime]

mirror mirror of my tears

[landsbluod]

In truth, Lachesis had not ever considered that the panacea was a falsehood, entirely rooted in the simple fact of the injustice it boiled down to - to not only exploit a child for one’s gain, but to then renege on the promise made that it would benefit another, that was a sequence so disgusting that she found she hadn’t the stomach to imagine it.

Lachesis’ jaw tightened, but allowed the girl to continue. She was a strange one, to be out in such a crowd, bits and bobs a-jangle, and barefoot to boot, but there was something else about her that she could not entirely put her finger on. The sunlight caught her hair and flashed vibrant green, and Lachesis forced her gaze to meet the girl’s.

“I…where I am from, I am considered a skilled healer - although not best of my generation, there are others who work far greater wonders than I ever could, but…”

The crowd surged around them, the line pushing forward like a current of whitewater, the shuffle of feet seeming to push the two of them farther and farther back to the fringes.

Sighing, Lachesis shook her head, and her eyes softened. It was, of course, worth considering that the cure-all was itself a farce, but the more pressing of issues, to her, was something the girl had yet to mention.

“I believe that we agree that this is a travesty, but…” Her voice was kind, though its pitch sad. “If there is a girl at the end of this line, and she is of the last of her kind, then I do not believe that she is here of her will.”

[sublimeflowoftime]

“Exactly!” Sothis declares loudly with a point of her finger at the other, a mix of a sigh and laugh both escaping her at once as the prior tension fades from her shoulders at last. “Ah, what a relief it is to hear you see the same! I had started to fear I was perhaps losing my mind!”She or the rest of the world, really. Honestly she would be more inclined to believe the latter.

She is quick to steel herself and clear her throat, however. Considering the subject matter, it is in poor taste to laugh, regardless if it is one of relief rather than amusement. Not to mention speaking so loudly would surely turn a few heads, even being in the back of the crowd as they are.

“You understand what must be done, yes?” Her voice drops to a low murmur as she leans in closer to her new (hopefully) ally, gaze flicking back towards the scoundrels at the front of the line. She certainly hopes it is all she needs to understand her plan, anyway. The girl was smart enough to piece together the same starting theory as she was, at least. It stands to reason she can find the end on her own, too.

After all, in matters of conspiracy, every word less that remains to be spoken can be crucial.

“I have already said too much on my own. They know my stance, and as such know my face. Should they see me approach again, I doubt there is much further information that they would be willing to let slip with their guards so high… But you on the other hand may be quite a different story…” Sothis glances back at the stranger. Healers are typically the kind most inclined to help those in need, so she doubts she would be too against it if she is considered as ‘skilled’ as she claims… but to presume that blindly could be to lose a crucial ally far too early, should she lean towards the more ‘cowardly’ trope. 

Best she give her an out for her own comfort, just in case. One trapped healer is already one too many for the situation. “Should you be willing, that is. If you would rather avoid direct confrontation instead, I am certain there is another way that could be found.”

[sublimeflowoftime]

how do you do fellow moms

[soulsaligned]

   The further this misunderstanding is allowed to linger, Chrom finds it more difficult to tell Sothis outright that this was not what he had in mind for an icebreaker. In fact, how could he? The children were fast asleep. Even if it wasn’t intentional, this was the best case scenario. 

   He sighs, “no, no you are correct. I suppose this is the common outcome for an icebreaker…” if one were to take it as literally as Sothis had, at least. However, in taking it as literally as she had, Chrom begins to realize that there was sudden expectation in him knowing how to handle the aftermath. Such dire presumptions are all but confirmed when he chooses to meet Sothis’ gaze, expectant eyes awaiting an answer in how to handle the mess. 

   At least her question was simple, but Chrom still curses himself in the back of his mind for not being clearer in what he meant by ‘ice-breaker’. “We store it in boxes packed with straw to stop the melting. Of course… I’ve never seen this much ice in one sitting,” which wasn’t a lie, because he truly hadn’t, “so it may take us some time and elbow grease… however I believe we can do it!”

   Chrom was ever hopeful, though he tried his best to not allow nerves to creep on his face. Perhaps the little beads of sweat that spawned on his forehead could be chalked up to stress in cleaning up the mess quickly, and the way he played with his thumbs attributed to unease in handling the extraneous nature of this cleaning process. 

   Whatever the case may have been, Chrom was hopeful that Sothis wouldn’t pick up on it. Even if he didn’t have the heart to explain the misunderstanding, Chrom still hated lying. Innocent or otherwise. “Shall we get started? We must hurry before their caretaker returns…”

[sublimeflowoftime]

‘Elbow grease’…. Eugh. The saying itself is enough to make her skin crawl. Why ever did the humans of the past have to choose the most disgusting words for the most common of actions as exerting the smallest modicum of effort? And why did it have to catch on???

Sothis sighs, but nods in resignation all the same. It is not as though she knows a better way. “Disappointing we cannot use the downtime as such ourselves. But if it is as you say, I suppose it is best we get started. The sooner we begin, the sooner we can end, naturally.”

…Hm. But even with a solution still clearly offered, she can still see traces of stress upon his features… perhaps he is worried about the ice continuing to melt while they work and ruining the floor? Or perhaps is it that he does not know where to go about acquiring straw? It isn’t too difficult to believe such a thing could be the case — straw is a relatively uncommon resource to need sourcing in a life such as theirs, and a kind person like the type he seems to be are typically the type to concern themselves with thoughts of being a ‘burden’ when they have no need…

An easy enough fix then, at least. The girl turns on her heel to begin her walk towards the door, giving a wave over her shoulder for Chrom to follow. “Come. I know where the monastery keeps the surplus hay stores. For our purposes they may not be the same, but they are rather interchangeable in other contexts — I have no doubt they keep emergency supplies in similar stock for the event the hay itself ever runs out before its time.”

And just in case it’s the former of her two theorized concerns —

Sothis closes her eyes in focus, willing into being another ring of sigils to form around the once-great ice block from the smallest amount of power she can give to the freezing of time. It’s far smaller in size, this time, and lasts for a far smaller amount of time to match; but the job it needs to do is similarly smaller than the one before, so it should be plenty sufficient. She… thinks, at least. She hopes. It would be rather embarrassing if it didn’t.

But he doesn’t need to know her uncertainty. As long as she speaks with enough confidence, it’ll be fine. “And do not worry too deeply about leaving the mess unattended. The ice should not melt any further until we return.”

[greiilock]

Lazy afternoon

[classybrawler]

Our cooking is fire! Oh, no, wait, our cooking is ON fire.

mission board: aphotic || sword +1

[classybrawler]

“I am well glad you asked, Assistant Chef Sothis!” Panette claps her hands together enthusiastically; her excitement for cooking the meal doubled with how willing Sothis is.

“Firstly, we need to create the actual balls of meat! You may think it is as simple as taking meat and making it round; I most certainly had thought so back in the day.” She shakes her head with a smile.

“A proper meatball is one filled to the brim with flavour!” She says, putting two large bowls in front of them. “The shape needs to be a vessel for the delectable taste sensation.” Panette says; truthfully she’s just pulling words out of her ass, trying to imitate other chefs she knows. She stifles a chuckle at the thought of Bunet watching this display; would he egg her on even further?

Ah, speaking of eggs! “We ought to begin by mixing the meat with other ingredients, chief among them eggs.” She takes a large amount of minced meat and puts it in her bowl, before cracking in two eggs.

“Those two are the staples, the foundation upon which the rest of the meatball will be built upon.” She gives a sage nod towards Sothis.

“I shall jump ahead a bit, as it shall make our lives quite a lot easier.” She says, as she empties an excessive amount of flour onto a cooking board.

“After we have mixed things enough, we shall make the balls by dipping the mixture in flour and then rolling it into a lovely sphere.” She smiles, before once again clapping her hands together with excessive gusto, sending the slight bits of flour that got on her hands flying into the air.

“Now it is time for the fun part! Meat, egg, that is the basics, but now feel free to add any sort of spices, herbs, finely chopped vegetables, whatever you so desire to add flavour to the mixture.” She happily states as she begins to concoct her own meatballs; adding in a hearty sprinkling of herbs, several clashing spices, her own spices that seem to make the mixture become quite a lot more red. Finally, whilst preparing to chop a fair amount of garlic, mushrooms and peppers, she looks over to her assistant, to see how she is keeping on with her own bowl.

[sublimeflowoftime]

To say she knew what she was talking about would be an understatement — she was practically overflowing with knowledge on the subject, judging based on words alone! Which is not always the best way to judge knowledge, sure, but who would she be to doubt such sheer confidence? What luck is was indeed for them to be paired together! 

Sothis listens with rapt attention, not daring to speak up until the explanation seemed to be at its well and true conclusion, lest she miss something important once she brings her hands together in a loud clap! “Is that all? I see… then let the flavoring commence!”

…Or, perhaps she should have said ‘let the flavoring commence momentarily’ as the clap brings her attention to the swinging ribbons tied around her wrists. Then to those braided through her hair by association, then the volume of her hair, itself. Ah. If they are to be working so closely with their hands, it is likely best all those things are out of the way… She has never… tried to remove them, before, but surely it will not hurt? 

The knot is easy enough to find, at least, and one swift tug is all it takes to bring the whole thing undone. The other hand is even easier, somehow. Such a minor change, and yet it feels… wrong? Their presence was something she hardly ever noticed before, but now the lack of it is all she can seem to focus on now. Strange. But convenient, at least, that together they are long enough to tie all her hair behind her without more reconstruction of her attire.

Now for the cooking. Sothis hums in thought as she takes in the wide array of ingredients before her. Meat and egg are a necessary, as she says, meaning the rest are optional for ‘flavor’… but flavor is a good thing, is it not? That would mean the more flavor, the better it is! So in it all goes!

“You were right, this is most fun!” If a little gross to be touching raw meat and eggs with her bare hands, but that’s neither here nor there. Her own concoction is less meat and more ‘other things’ at this point, anyway. The hints of red are hardly even visible through all the green and browns of vegetables, herbs, and spices that overtake her bowl. “The next step is… flour you said, yes? Does it matter what size we make the meatballs before they go in?”

[ashenprofessor]

Blue and Yellow is making me see Red

[ashenprofessor]

Byleth did sometimes despair over the posture of some their students, hoping they knew a good physio. "As long as students aren't slumped over their desks asleep, I must be doing something right"

As Sothis set about creating chairs, the professor went over to the pile of lumber to find suitable pieces to make more desks. Now they'd created one, making more was a doddle. Soon they had made enough to match the chairs crafted by the goddess. Some of them had mismatched legs but the professor had tried to ensure that the two diagonals were the same length. Beside, a wobble here or there didn't prevent people writing and arguably more similar to field conditions than a safe, warm classroom.

Finishing the final item, Byleth turned to see Sothis watching them. "I'm almost done, no need to start tapping your feet" they joked, referencing things they'd seen others do to make the point that someone is being slow. Casting their eye over the array of chairs, they noticed a few... variations on what a chair was but they all stood up.

"Glue is superior to nails and screws. They should use it more often. Should we wait for it to dry? Or just set the classroom up and call it a day?"

[sublimeflowoftime]

Well they certainly did work faster than anticipated to have almost finished at the same time that she had. Enough so it begs to question if it was truly necessary for them to have called her here for assistance… but no matter. The job is done for the student’s sake, and that is the important thing. She can allow that bit of laziness to pass for now.

“Indeed. That it is, and that they should.” The girl nods in agreement as she glides around their side to poke at their handiwork. There is a cluttering of imperfections here and there, and she can see such is the case for most others… but again, hers are much the same, and so she cannot judge. Truly, their luck knows no end for today. 

If nothing else, at least their creations match in that way. Aesthetics are irrelevant to education anyway.

“I see no point in waiting. Whether or not we are here to see it, the glue shall dry all the same — all that would come of our witness would be little more than boredom and wasted time.“ Not that she necessarily has anything better to be doing at the moment, but that is beside the point. Point being she does not want to. Being forced to watch them fish was bad enough, and there was a spectacle that came with the end of that — she is not about to let them rope her into watching glue dry. “But, if you are so concerned…”

Sothis raises her hand with a long-suffering sigh, manifesting a familiar golden clock surrounding her hand. What she is capable of now is far more limited than what it once was even inside their head, but while it may no longer be enough to change the fates of lives, it should be more than fine enough for glue. She doesn’t need to change the fabric of reality itself anyway, just… give times hands a little nudge.

It doesn’t look like much on the surface beyond the spinning golden light before her hand (how could it? Again, it is glue) — but the suffocating exhaustion that crashes over is plenty enough proof it at least did something. The level to which that something was effective hardly matters.

“There.” Light dissipates into a shimmering dust as the girl drops her hand from the circle, bringing it instead to cover her mouth just a second before a loud yawn manages to escape from it. “It is done. Test them if you like, move them if you wish — I do not care. Now… if you’ll excuse me,” Another yawn interrupts her words, just in time to accompany her turn towards the door behind them. “I believe it is now time for… another nap…”

[sublimeflowoftime]

Activity Check [June]

Total Skill Points: (20) —> (21)

Skill Up: Axe (E) —> (E+)

Claims: N/A

Threads

Waiting for response: (Take your time!)

sorry I didn't push your oomf off the carousel — w/ Darios

steal from the rich and give to the me — w/ Sanaki

EVERYONE IS HERE! (against our will) — w/ Nyx

In drafts:

Blue and Yellow is making me see Red — w/ Byleth

Our cooking is fire! Oh no wait our cooking is ON fire. — w/ Panette

mirror mirror of my tears — w/ Lachesis

how do you do fellow moms — w/ Chrom

BALL — Joachim

If you don’t see your thread here, please DM me. It may have gotten lost in my records.

[sublimeflowoftime]

steal from the rich and give to the me

[sanakialtina]

Wait a moment. “What do you mean you can make no guarantees...?” Sanaki complains under her breath. Her bright gaze flits about the shop—oh, looking alright—doing her absolute best to be certain that they truly are alone. “I’m not so impatient for answers as to press, but… Sothis, I regret to inform you that you are quite conspicuous when seen.” A wave of a hand at the three whole feet of air between the girl’s, well, feet, and the floorboards of the boutique. “What am we meant to do if the shopkeeper returns?” Sanaki teases. “Pass you off as some oversized balloon animal?”

Still, the empress lets herself be mannequined without complaint, more than accustomed to such prodding from her own tailors. Though it’s been some time since she’s been asked what she would like to wear without consideration for what she should. “Most of my wardrobe is ornate, heavily ornamented brocade in jewel tones, as befitting of ceremonial regalia,” she admits, eyeing the proffered violet gown warily, “but I… I would prefer a more understated set of mage robes. Easy to move around in, well constructed, mildly tolerant of scrapes and stains..."

( After all, this is why she had taken to the Academy uniform so easily, despite her disposition for luxury. And also why, goddess bless Sothis, but Sanaki would not be caught dead wearing what she's wearing! )

Trailing off quietly, Sanaki raises a finger to her chin in thought, before turning to step back to the display window. “Something like this cape,” she decides, fingers trailing over the waves of pleated, navy fabric. “It is likely too long for me as is, but perhaps they carry something similar in my size?"

A playful smile as she meets the other girl's gaze. "We can stock up on frilly ribbons, too, if that's more your style."

[sublimeflowoftime]

‘Balloon animal’?? “Wha— NO! Of course not! Of all the asinine, insultingideas…” Sothis gapes, momentarily unsure whether to be insulted or amused by the suggestion, though very quickly leaning towards insulted because how could she not be???? “Never mind the discrepancy of size, I look nothing like a balloon! Are you saying that I am squeaky?!?!” She had best not be if she wishes to continue receiving her oh-so-generous aid, at least.

…Regrettably, though rudely her point may have been made, she does have one. Flying is convenient, but it is not entirely… ‘inconspicuous’. It is in fact extremely conspicuous. Not exactly what an escaped almost-convict would want to be, nor is it something that can easily be covered regardless of how good the disguise they find may be. 

“Hmph. Very well. If it bothers you so, I shall remain upon the ground for our time here ‘just in case’. You are lucky I am so experienced in dealing with fools.” With a great sigh just to emphasize how horrible an inconvenience this is (because if she is going to make her do this then the least she can do is feel bad about it), the girl lowers herself until her feet are firmly placed on the floor. And the clothing racks are now firmly just barely out of her reach. Great.

Her wish is a rather good one at least, all things considered. Understated attire is all the easier to fly under the radar in, especially when surrounded by types who see people of lower status as little more than fleas. No one has ever accused a flea of robbery, after all.

“Perhaps,” The girl hums (partially to distract from the way she has to lift herself on the tips of her toes now to reach now) as she shift through the racks, nose scrunching as she finds little else but excessive trim after excessive inlay. It’s almost blinding how much gold they can fit on some of these sleeves alone. “Though I do fear at a glance the majority of the stock does seem to lean towards the particulars of the more maximalist.” A fact that does make sense given the neighborhood, but still…

Returning herself to Sanaki’s side, she lifts the edge of the navy cape in both hands for a closer inspection. “A kind offer, but I have no need.” Not to mention the addition of cutesy ribbons to her wardrobe would only worsen the already nightmarish child accusations she’s attacked with on the near daily. “However… We could use them to tie up the ends to your length, in theory. It appears more than a decently alterable fabric. Assuming you don’t mind the flair, that is.”

[sublimeflowoftime]

[ LEICESTER ] - An expressive, rhythmic dance that is only well-known in its homeland. Sweeping, dramatic movements and making noise with clapping and foot-stomping are required for this passionate style.

With the night winding down near its end, she really should be getting back to her station… But the energetic ones really are the most fun of all dances, and it would just be cruel of her to deny a student such a simple wish! Just one more moment couldn’t hurt. For the student’s sake, of course. 

“Festivities are all well and good, but do try not to get carried away with the stomping, hm? I am at the disadvantage of lacking shoes, after all.” Sothis makes a point of gesturing down at her own feet as the pair makes their way further into the crowd of dancers. It’s a bit of an odd choice to forgo shoes in a setting like this, yes, but she forgoes them in all settings. Changing clothes already feels strange enough, to change now even that would just be a step too far from ‘fun new’ into ‘uncomfortably new’. 

Besides, it’s not as though her dance partner has much room to judge. Respectful of the new trend though she may be, wearing rabbit ears and tail to a ball are equally strange from an objective standpoint. To insult her choices would be simply hypocritical. Even if one carries more risk of pain than the other in this exact situation.

“I am certain you are more than graceful to avoid such mistakes, but nevertheless. It bears saying, you understand.”

[sublimeflowoftime]

EVERYONE IS HERE! (against our will)

amiibo scanned! good luck.

[sublimeflowoftime]

The morning after the Ethereal Ball, a message via messenger owl finds you. It comes unmarked, no indicator of who the sender might possibly be, and when you open the letter, it reads: “I have a compromising video of what you did last night. Meet me at the Amiibo Gazebo after the sun sets today or else.” Do you dare?

It really is such an odd letter to receive so early in the morning. Especially considering she can’t recall doing anything quite so strange at all! Nothing video-worthy, anyway, ill-intended or otherwise. The worst she had done had been to leave her post at the first aid stall she created to have a dance or two with friends and arrange some flowers with acquaintances, and the post was self-imposed! Surely there is no one dumb enough to believe they can get her in trouble for not doing a job she made up, is there?

But if not… then, she can’t help but worry that perhaps she… is not exactly the intended participant. After all, she found it on the floor outside her door, and she does share that door with another. Another she had, for once, not kept tabs on during the ball in question. Who knows what they could have gotten up to in her absence?? Certainly not she!

Honestly, she steps away for one second and they’re already ending up in situations like this…

Sothis sighs as she rounds the last corner standing between her and the only gazebo she knows of, already mentally bracing herself for every possible nonsense accusation she can possibly imagine, but also knowing far too well whatever it is is no doubt going to find a way to be even more ridiculous than even her wildest of guesses. Such is the way things are when it comes to matters of her life’s companion, much as she may wish they weren’t. After all, who else would be so unlucky as to be blackmailed by a…

…Child…???

She pauses midstep, squinting at the other girl standing near the very same gazebo the letter instructed her to find — and the very familiar-looking paper in her hand. To be where she is must surely mean she too is involved, but why would the culprit carry around the evidence of their own crime? Does that make her instead another victim, perhaps?

Oh, absolutely not. She can excuse the inconvenience to Byleth, but blackmailing a student as well?? That is multiple bridges endlessly too far.

“Pardon my interruption; but you have received one of these letters as well, yes?” Sothis calls out to the stranger, holding her own match to the other’s possession in the air as she resumes her approach to join their side. “Such a thing must be terribly stressful for you. I am sorry you must face such an experience — and so soon to follow after what was meant to be a moment of joy, no less. Would you happen to know wh—“

The question dies before it can finish leaving her the moment her foot steps upon the gazebo’s inner circle as the strange orb in its center starts to glow a blinding white engulfing the world surrounding them both (a reaction to the presence of the letters, or to the presence of herself? It happens far too quickly to tell for certain), only to recede into a… far different world, from that which they left. Inhabited by far different beings to the students that were once wandering about in their place; and worse still, far less than friendly beings, judging by their stances. Not to mention the booming voice from the sky above seemingly… counting down??? 

“I… suppose the discussion will have to wait.” Green eyes flicker away from the enemies only for a moment to check on the student at her side. She feels… different than what little she recalls of their brief meeting before, but appears to be well overall. Good. At least there is that.

“As much as I wish for us to find a way out of here, I do not believe our opponents will be so lenient in our doing so for the time being. If you do not wish to fight, then I suggest you find somewhere to hide. I will do what I can to hold them off in the meanwhile.”

@nyxanthemums

[sublimeflowoftime]

Activity Check [May]

Total Skill Points: (19) —> (20)

Skill Up: Sword (B) —> (B+)

Claims: Dancer, Playbill of a Farce

Threads

Waiting for response: (Take your time!)

how do you do fellow moms — w/ Chrom

mirror mirror of my tears — w/ Lachesis

sorry I didn't push your oomf off the carousel — w/ Darios

In drafts:

Blue and Yellow is making me see Red — w/ Byleth

steal from the rich and give to the me — w/ Sanaki

Our cooking is fire! Oh no wait our cooking is ON fire. — w/ Panette

If you don’t see your thread here, please DM me. It may have gotten lost in my records.

💐 !! BONUS — Post-Ball intentions !!

I had to be a bit last minute to a lot of the ball stuff due to Major Life Events (yippee!), so while I did lock in insano-style on the last day I didn’t get 100% everything I had in my inbox or just wanted to tack something on. The following is what I still have in my inbox that I plan to respond to along with answers to my asks I plan on responding to, but feel free to let me know if you’re on here and would rather I didn’t!! Considering the ball is over, I do not anticipate any responses in return, however I would be absolutely delighted to still continue these and any other interactions if interested either!!! My rule is always I am always happy to continue anything for however long it takes :)

Ask — Siegbert

Ask — Estel

Reply — Joachim

[sublimeflowoftime]

[ PHOTO-ARTIFEX ] - The ever-popular photo-artifex makes its annual return, allowing users to capture pictures in as little as a flash of light and a moment. Take home something to remember the event by!

Such a strange device, the photo-artifex is… in a good way, but perhaps too good to be true. Perhaps that is why she has largely avoided it in the years prior.

For one with a memory as terrible as hers, a guaranteed token of memory should feel like a blessing! Yet that little voice in the back of her mind keeps demanding otherwise. For what if, there is some sort of catch? What if the way it captures images is that it steals their very souls! Locking them in a cycle of torment for eternity all so that their smiling faces may be forever preserved for the future!

Of course, she doesn’t really believe that (certainly the church would never allow such a thing in the presence of children. Though honestly, who knows with them at this point), who would? It is silly at best, and laughable at worse. Perhaps this is how Byleth feels for her interjections.

But…

…What if she doesn’t show up at all? What if, in this moment meant to be so very joyous… it is how she discovers that still, even now, she is not truly… real?

Sothis shakes her head vigorously, forcing off the unpleasant thoughts. No, she cannot be thinking as such in the presence of one she knows. They are both here so that they can make a pleasant memory, and so pleasant memory they shall make!

“Do you have a particular pose in mind? I believe that is what we are meant to do, yes?” Sothis questions as she ‘scoots further in’ towards Darios as directed by the waving hands of the photo-taker. Despite all her observations of others using the box, to pick a pose herself is… a bit more of a struggle than she had anticipated, suffice to say.

The children tend to enjoy that one with two fingers in the air, she thinks? She’s not entirely sure what the symbol itself means, but… surely it is nothing offensive if it is so very popular! It is, in the end, the ‘cool thing’ to do regardless. And she, of course, is quite cool. It is only natural she should follow suit.

“Ah! Hold a moment! I had almost forgotten a detail most important!” The girl drops her hand with a gasp right before the artifex was to be triggered, pausing the moment to retrieve an orchid from her own bouquet to carefully add to his. “If this photo serves to prove evidence of our joy… I would like it to serve as evidence of our friendship as well. Friends like to match, do they not? It is far too late for us to be changing our clothes, but I believe this should suffice instead.”

[sublimeflowoftime]

[ GOSSIP ] - For those who don't want to be the center of attention, sitting on the sidelines and observing those who do is a time-honored tradition. Exchanging thoughts with another while doing so is a rite of passage for a student—it is a slightly worse look for the staff to take part.

“Do you believe this may be the year we are at last lucky enough to witness a spirit in our midst?” Sothis giggles quietly as she turns her gaze from the familiar friend to the view beyond the window beside them — distinctly storm-less out there (and distinctly cave-less inside), this time, though that is for the best. Inconvenient for spooky-atmosphere-building as it may be.

“I do not believe I have heard tale of anyone dying upon the dance floor… but who is to say? Perhaps there is more that lies beneath our feet than dirt and tiles, hehe… just in case,” The green-haired girl turns to the bouquet of orchids in her arms, plucking one from its center to rehome amongst the petals of Panette’s own.

“There. It may not be as effective as a turtle or anchor charm may have been… but consider it a ward of similar protection all the same. We wouldn’t want you to be whisked away to a realm beyond by the spirit of dance, would we?“

[sublimeflowoftime]

[ SWEET BUN TRIO ] - Three delicious, bite-sized buns from Faerghus. The first bun is filled with sweet cream and topped with icing and a candied cherry. The second is a sweet roll filled with almonds, pecans, and dried cranberries and glazed with honey. The third is a bun sliced in half, filled with almond paste and whipped cream, dusted with powdered sugar on top.

What the hell is this sugar bomb on Ike's plate? He looks at it like it's an insult. He doesn't want to waste it, but he doesn't really want it, either. When he sees that familiar woman (girl? He cannot tell), he wonders if she'd like it.

Wait, no. No one would want his leftovers. Or maybe she'd be just as angry at the food waste as he would be?

He bows politely. "Hello, Miss." It's more polite to call a woman Miss than Ma'am, right? Makes them feel younger, and they value that. He thinks. He hopes. He's thinking way too hard about this. "Have you tried these bun things?" Please take them away from him. Please.

Ah, the polite one returns! And as well he comes bearing gifts, no less! It has been a short while now since they last crossed paths, but it appears as though his manners haven’t waned with time in the slightest. That is good. There is still yet hope for this world.

“Hm… They do ring a bell of sorts, yes. Though I cannot quite recall if I have had any, myself…” Sothis sighs, leaning her cheek into a palm over crossed arms with a small frown. Such is the unfortunate consequence of seeing so much over so long, and yet doing so little for even longer. To be alive in the physical sense is much more a memorable experience than the rest, to be sure, but… differentiating what has been tried in truth or tried in dream can be much a struggle.

Still, new or not, Sothis cannot help but chuckle at the look on his face as he speaks of them. “Why, are they not to your liking as you had hoped?” She smiles, feigning a look of empathic concern to mask her amusement at least a little, to hopefully non-offensive levels that wouldn’t be misconstrued as mocking. But honestly, who wouldn’t be a little amused by the sight? Such a large, intimidating figure — yet so terribly uncertain, almost nervous — and over such small little pastries? It’s adorable, really.

Or… perhaps it is simply the prospect of speaking to her again that worries him so? She couldn’t necessarily blame him for feeling as such, should that be the case, but… Sothis’s expression softens ever further, just barely as she reaches her arms out to receive the plate, all the same.

“Do not fret so — I am more than willing to take them of your hands, should you so wish. Even if they do not end up to my own liking, I’m certain there are many others about the ballroom who would be more than willing to… ah, relieve you of this burden, that I could speak to on the matter in your stead.”