NEW AND IMPROVED STEPH CATCHALL

[psychedelica]

Comments

[psychedelica]

[ he's a BABY ]

That's irresponsible.

[vigilantics]

You seem to have the very wrong impression that I have any control over him.

[ the are times where she and damian can and will get along, but they are far fewer than the ones where they do not. ]

[psychedelica]

You can't control a grade schooler?

[ unimpressed - then, after a moment, he clicks his tongue, resting a hand on his hip. ]

... No, that makes sense when I think about it. [ mean ] Even so, you're the last person I'd expect to be okay with something like that.

[vigilantics]

[ her expression sours, like she's actually, genuinely annoyed by his comment. but steph takes a deep breath, and lets the moment pass before speaking again. ]

The situation is more complicated than that, Hikage.

[ but with damian here, it's not really her place to go into detail. ]

[psychedelica]

Yeah. I can figure that much.

[ Kids shouldn't be trying to fight crime at that age; it's got to be complicated by definition. He can see she's getting annoyed, so he shifts his tack, although, stubborn as ever, he doesn't seem to have any intention of apologizing for his thoughts. ]

He's better than the other two. I'll keep an eye on him.

[vigilantics]

Just try not to fight with him too much. He's very quick to write people off, and it'll be easier if he didn't do that to you or Belph.

[ steph dreams of her allies from home getting along with her allies from the castle, but she knows that is easier said than done. ]

[psychedelica]

I don't fight with kids, [ he says, and then: ] We'll see.

[ he knows he's generally unlikable, and Damian's personality seems difficult to boot. But he'll do his best if it's for Steph. Hikage sighs. ]

None of this would matter if they just put us together again.

[vigilantics]

That's probably why they didn't. They seem to want us all to get along, so putting you with people you're already close to won't help.

[psychedelica]

[ he clicks his tongue. ]

This obsession with making us all get along is creepy.

[ twice in a row... ]

[vigilantics]

[ hikage that's called having healthy relationships with people

she does not say this out loud. ]

It might be a hint, so we should work with it.

[psychedelica]

[ sounds STUPID!! ]

Easy for you to say. You make friends with everybody. [ Hikage shakes his head. ] Considering we'll probably be killing each other in a few days, it seems like a waste of time.

[vigilantics]

... you know, having allies in a place like this isn't a bad thing.

[ hikage PLEASE have more friends ]

[psychedelica]

I've got you.

[ this is enough for him. ]

[vigilantics]

We are going to work on that.

[ PLEASE get more friends. ]

We won't be able to stay together every minute here. You need to have a safety net.

[psychedelica]

Belph is here, too.

[ now he's being stubborn ]

[vigilantics]

You know what I mean.

[ no emotional support twink ]

[psychedelica]

[ sigh! ]

I don't need you to babysit me.

[vigilantics]

Well, you're my friend, so I am concerned about you.

[psychedelica]

... I know that.

[ ugh!! he wonders when it's going to stop feeling weird when someone says something like that to him and he's actually capable of believing it. His eyes flick away.

but still ]

You've seen me at my worst so many times that it's embarrassing, so you probably won't believe me, but I won't fall apart so easily. I made it this far.

[vigilantics]

... I know.

[ she knows that he has made a lot of progress since they first showed up in the castle, and she can't really describe how proud she is. ]

But I would be worried regardless, you know? Even if you were the most well put together person the planet, I'd still want to make sure you're okay.

[psychedelica]

[ a rare little smile. ]

Just try to stay in one piece this time, and I'll be fine.

[ that makes his blood pressure go up ]

Have you talked to Belph?

[vigilantics]

[ she nods her head. ]

I needed to see if he was also making friends.

[ stephanie obnoxiously shoving two boys to people ]

[psychedelica]

You have your work cut out for you.

[ she's cute so he can't hold her babysitting against her... ]

... He'll be all right. He's not so hard to talk to, somehow.

[vigilantics]

I know. But sometimes people actually take him at face value.

[ she just wants people! to appreciate!! some boys!!! ]

[psychedelica]

[ a sigh... ] He's not hard to talk to, but doesn't mean he's not an ass. He got under my skin at first, too.

[ and, like, still, but that's beside the point ]

When I think about it, I don't know why I ended up chatting with him as much as I did.