video; kazoo 18

[happyends]

[ Guess what, train. If you happen to look at the ICPs, you're greeted by not one, but two cute kid faces. Both of which are smiling. ]

Um.. hi, everyone! [ Okay, maybe smiling slightly shyly, in Madoka's case. It's a lot to realise the whole train can hear you talk.. ]

I know some things have.. um.. maybe been a bit rough lately. But that's why we wanted to do something fun that anyone could join in on! Near the end of the month, on the 27th, we're planning on holding a fun art day! You don't have to bring anything, since we already took care of everything..

[Romeo's grin is a lot more confident though he thinks Madoka is doing great talking to everyone like this!] Yeah we bought lotsa art stuff already, we got paper and pens and paint and glitter and even paint with glitter in it already!!!

[Isn't that the most exciting thing?]

We can do whatever type of art you like, painting, drawing, even paper folding because that's fun too. Everyone is welcome! [Big grin before he remembers something.] Oh yes! It will be in the garden carriage!

[ Madoka nods once Romeo is done talking. ]

Y-Y-Yes, it's going to be a lot of fun, so please make sure to be there that day if you'd like to join in! And, um, I guess if someone still has questions, they can ask us now..

(ooc: expect responses from both madoka and romeo!)

Comments

[myblueskies]

A pin?

[Here's Romeo who is a bit confused, but peering through the camera as well as eager as Madoka to see what this man has made already!]

[controlsthedie]

I can't do that. You'll have to ask Zagreus to show you; he's a passenger on the train.

[ He had given it to him as a gift... well, twice. Once back home and a second time purchasing it and giving it to him again. ]

[happyends]

Zagreus? [ Madoka tries her best to repeat that name - it's kind of unfamiliar to her, those sounds put together to form a name - and then glances over at Romeo. Is that someone they know and can go harass about this?

But after giving him that look, she turns back to the screen again. ]

Why does that person have your pin, sir?

[myblueskies]

[It's not a name he knows, but he bets he can find out! They can look on the passenger roster and find him together!

But for now he listens, for the answer to the question Madoka asked.]

[controlsthedie]

I gave it to him. It helps in battle.

[ That's something friends do, right? Gods, he's going to be second-guessing himself so much, isn't her? ]

[happyends]

Oh.. that's so sweet of you, sir!

[ There's no hesitation in saying that. After all, Madoka thinks that's just an objective fact. ]

It's true that battles can be really dangerous, huh..? So it's great that you're helping protect him!

[myblueskies]

Wow I never heard of a pin that helps in battle before! It must be really special! And he must be a really special friend!

[controlsthedie]

He already had it from home. I just bought it, so he could have its power here.

[ Okay, Persephone is one person, but if two relative strangers are thinking... oh gods, what does this mean? ]

I-I think we're straying from the topic of conversation.

[happyends]

[ It's too late, Thanatos.

The kids are now aware of your special friend. ]

Aw, don't worry, sir! [ Madoka smiles. Maybe he's just worried they only want to talk about art? Time to take that worry away! ] We'll gladly talk about you and your friends! It's so good to see people being so close here on the train.

[myblueskies]

Yes having good friends is really special! Especially if you knew him already from home, it's good that you can still be together here!

[controlsthedie]

[ Thanatos pulls on the edge of his hood more to hide the slight golden blush on his cheeks from the ichor rising there. Does he really interact with or speak of Zagreus such that multiple people assume their relationship has a label other than friends? Or is he looking too much into their assumptions? ]

I suppose it is nice to have someone who knows what our world is like.

[ Or at least the Underworld portion of it. ]

[happyends]

[ He's definitely reading a little too much in what they're saying here.

But Madoka doesn't realise that, especially since he is hiding quite a bit of the golden blush there. So she just continues with a smile. ]

Do you two spend a lot of time together here?

[myblueskies]

It must be nice because then you don't got to explain things to people all of the time! [It's always easier, when people already know what you are talking about!]

[controlsthedie]

[ If there is one thing Thanatos is good at, it's thinking way too much in his head. ]

I still have to explain things for him when we're together. Just... not about home.

[happyends]

Really..?

[ Madoka pauses, trying to think of what sort of things Thanatos may have to explain, even though the two of them come from the same place.. ]

.. do you happen to know a lot of things he doesn't, sir?

[myblueskies]

[It makes a lot of sense to Romeo. After all he comes from the same heavens as mister Zetta, as Elfnein and Joss and miss Hibiki and all of them know so much more than he does about everything!

It's just a good job this mysterious special friend has someone to explain things!]

[controlsthedie]

Well, I was here before him, and he explains some things to me too.

[ Some. There's a lot Thanatos thinks Zagreus isn't telling him. Being from the future and all. ]

No one but the Fates could possibly know everything, and even that could be up for debate.

[happyends]

[ .. Fates.

This person is saying that like it's a name or something, rather than a concept.. ]

The.. fates? Do you know them? Are they people?

[ She looks over at Romeo. ]

Have you ever heard of them before?

[myblueskies]

Are they like gods?

[Fates... Fates... Oh!]

No I did hear about it before! It's when two people have a string on their finger and it connects their hearts and that means they are meant to be together!

[Right? It has to be that! He and his special friend were connected just like that!]

[controlsthedie]

The Three Fates are my older sisters--

[ Thanatos was going to explain more about his sisters, and then Romeo completely sidetracks him. ]

What? The Threads of Fate aren't connected to peoples fingers. They're woven by the Fates and are connected to the soul. That's why I cut them.

[happyends]

[ Thankfully Madoka is here to kind of solve this misunderstanding - or at least to understand where it's going wrong. ]

Oh, no, Romeo, those aren't literal strings! It's, um.. just something people say, like a metaphorical thing! [ Does Romeo know what metaphorical means.

It's too late to take back now, anyway. ]

It means two people are just that perfect for each other. Um, maybe a little like the nice mister and his special friend here!

[ .. though there's something about what Thanatos is saying.. ]

But.. maybe they're a little bit more literal in his world..? [ How else could he actually cut them? ]

[myblueskies]

What does metaphorical mean?

[But how were the strings connected to this mans sisters? This was all very confusing.] Your sisters make the strings? The not real strings? Why do you cut them? Isn't that mean if your sisters made them?

[Not a good brotherly thing to do!]

[controlsthedie]

[ Thanatos is being bullied by small, well-meaning children! ]

It's my job and by design. They're the ones deciding how long the threads are. I just cut them when it's time. And I only cut those who die peaceful deaths.

[happyends]

[ Oh gosh.

Is this appropriate conversation material around Romeo?! Madoka isn't so sure of it, so she's quick to answer her friend first. Maybe he'll get distracted by it enough that he doesn't think too hard about this whole cutting strings and death business.. ]

Um, metaphorical is like.. like a saying! Like when you say 'a watched pot never boils'-- eventually it'll boil, of course, so it's not literal!

[ Did that work.

Please let that have worked to distract him. ]

[myblueskies]

[So much information all at once! He listened to both of them, nodding at Madoka. Metaphorical was like a saying, so it was a saying that people were connected by strings but there were real strings as well made by this man's sisters and he cut them when people died peaceful deaths.

Why did he cut them?] Are dead people not allowed to have strings that connect them to other people?