/jp/ - Otaku Culture

"You've been acting different lately, you know." Patchouli looked up from her book. A grimoire that she'd found hidden deep in the library, one that she was certain would instantly kill any human who looked at it. Fortunately, that wasn't much of a problem for her. "You're all...Tense. Like your nerves are stretched to the limit." Reaching out and lifting her teacup between two slender fingers, Patchouli took a sip and regarded her luncheon companion. "It's a little worrying, Patchy."

"I'm perfectly fine, Remi." Patchouli murmured, placing the teacup back down. Remilia Scarlet watched her with two calculating eyes. She was concerned, yes. A slight twitch of her fingers to activate her favourite diagnostic spells was enough to confirm that. A vague indication of panic lurked at the back of her consciousness, too, along with some deep-seated unease that had settled into her psyche. Something she'd been feeling for a long time. "You're worrying unnecessarily." She flipped to the next page of her grimoire and regarded the diagram contained within. Human sacrifice. No, that was rather inelegant and finding elegant and simple solutions for her problems was Patchouli Knowledge's favourite thing to do. "Perhaps-"

"Don't pull that diagnostic stuff on me, Patchy. I can always tell. I'm your friend, am I not?" Remi leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands. She was doing her own form of analysis, though it took a less clinical approach than Patchouli's did. "Tell me what ails you. I have precious little else to distract me these days." Patchouli wondered. Did Remi know? That Flandre Scarlet's presence had disappeared from the mansion on more than one occasion? That the world they inhabited seemed to be swirling toward a great confrontation that could only be rivalled by those in the greatest biblical paintings in Europe? That it all revolved around that vile building sitting in the village of humanity? The one that was throwing her spells off and her mood even further? Did she even know that there was a man trapped inside that she'd once shared several friendly conversations with?

"You're doing it again." Remi suddenly said, a smile starting to grow on her face. "You're analysing. Thinking. You can't hide it from me, Patchy. You might have everyone else wrapped around your finger in a given conversation, but not me."

"I'm doing no such thing." Patchouli insisted, taking another sip of her tea to cover her own slight smile up. "You're the one who's overanalysing, Remi." Next page of the grimoire...No, that involved celestial bodies. Those spells were out of her repertoire until this HSE business was resolved. Sighing, she shut the book and put it to the side. "Why must you push me so?"

"Because, as I just said, I am your friend. It concerns me. You've always looked like you have chronic insomnia, but it's even worse as of late." Remi spread her wings to aid her balance so she could lean in even closer. "When's the last time you slept for more than three hours in a night? Don't lie to me, now." There would be no sweet talking her way out of this, it seemed. Patchouli tutted and cast her mind back. A second stretched into two, and then three and four. "...You weren't supposed to need so long to think about that. Honestly, how am I supposed to entrust my library to you if you can't even take care of yourself?" Remi reached across the table and plucked Patchouli's teacup from her before she could stop the vampire. "No drinking this until you talk to me." She sharply spoke. "Until you tell me the truth."

"You're diabolical, Remi."

"I'm devilish, wouldn't you say?" Remi's smile grew wider still, and Patchouli sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose. "Come on, come on. I've heard so little about the world outside our mansion in recent years, and then you up and left to go exploring. I was overjoyed to hear you were getting out and about, but then you refused to even explain what happened! Well, no longer. Explain, Patchy, or I shall grow upset."

"Well, I'd hardly like to invite your ire, Remi." Patchouli murmured with a thin smile. "Fine. I shall explain." She'd debated this in her mind several times prior to today. Whether or not to tell Remi. If she should explain everything or not. If she should tell her just what went on in that sordid building. But there was one thing she'd been hesitant about most of all...

"Overthinking, Patchy! Am I your friend or not!?" Remi spoke slightly louder and Patchouli suddenly made her mind up. Yes, Remi was her friend. Her oldest and closest friend, and she deserved her trust.

"I've been dreaming." Patchouli whispered, tilting her head slightly to look at Remi. "Dreaming of things that do not reside in the Dream World."