corrinesbell | 116. Made [action/written]

I'm going to the store today. Is there anything I should bring anyone?

[It's a ~~beautiful day in the neighborhood~~ cold day in Luceti.

Sheena got up this morning - no longer small, or even remembering that she had been small - and did all of her usual tasks in the house. And now she's out and about, ready to do all the other houses she usually does.

So if you live (permanently or temporarily) in houses 6, 8, 12, 19, 23, 42, 44, 49, or 56, Sheena is coming to clean as she does every other day, and has done since offering her services to each of you. Others may find her at the grocery store, or on the street, carrying a bucket of supplies and a broom but wearing no coat]

[[ooc: The AU that didn't live during the event itself - Sheena has been Zelos' personal maid at home for many years. She believes he gave her permission to work for other people here too as long as she was home on time to make dinner; she's not much of her usual self in terms of outward personality either, being all subservient and polite ~~to most people~~ now.

And she's always in that maid outfit.]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Raine nods at Albert in thanks before taking a seat, waiting for the others to seat themselves while debating the next thing to ask.] At the risk of this being a strange question, Sheena... how long, exactly, have you been in Zelos's service?

[already nervous as she sits and slowly starts in on her plate]

I was...probably eight or nine when I became Master Wilder's personal servant.

Around the same age as him, then? Not an uncommon practice. [It allowed the noble to become comfortable with ordering around people their own age. He begins eating with all of the proper signs of etiquette.]

[Her thought bubble is just reflecting a younger Sheena now. The little girl she just spent a few days caring for. Because at that age...] You've been with him for quite a while, then.

Yes, I have, ma'am.

[She risks a glance up from the plate and...why is Raine thinking about her as a child? The person in that bubble is unmistakable. How could she possibly know...anything about Sheena's childhood?]

[Albert eyes Raine's thought bubble and Sheena's own reaction to it silently. He wonders what other questions Raine is willing to breach.]

[She's quiet for a moment, frowning faintly in thought, and tasting some of the food before speaking again.]

You've kept our home well tended since arriving here, as well. [The image of the child Sheena slowly fades, replaced by the '?' once more, and then an image of an adult Sheena, but dressed in her usual clothing. A Sheena that was part of a group, not ... apart from it.]

[Those clothes. They must somehow know more than she's ever told them...maybe it was Zelos. And if it was, there's nothing she can do about them knowing, aside from put on her blank mask and go back to looking at the plate.]

Thank you.

In any case, aside from the dishes after our meal, I believe we do not have much else for you today. I apologize that you have come out so far today, in this snow.

Is there anything you can think of, Raine?

No, not at all. You keep our house so well tended it hardly has a chance to get dirty, anyway. With the weather especially getting colder, I think you're long over due a break, anyway.

That's very kind of you both, but Master Wilder wouldn't approve. And there's the living room.

[Albert was apparently building sandcastles in the fireplace ashes, or something.]

The living room? ...Ah. [He shakes his head, wondering how it had appeared to an onlooker.] There is only some ash at the foot of the fireplace, Sheena. I do not believe the entire room needs cleaning.

I will take it up with Zelos myself if need be, and I'm certain Yuri and Yuan would also be in agreement. So don't worry on that account, either.

[Sheena looks up very suddenly]

Please...if I may ask, but please...don't tell Master Wilder.

[He glances at Raine before speaking.] There is no reason to tell him; this was our own decision. [Besides, he would not be surprised if Sheena told him herself.]

... All right, I won't speak to him. But please take this break for yourself.

[Even if she did speak to Zelos, there wouldn't be much to get out of him. He's been acting all weird today too. So surprised. Maybe the experiment was affecting him.]

Thank you.

[With a slight nod, Albert returns to finishing his meal. It's nice having a meal that he hasn't prepared--and, well, one he doesn't really know how to prepare.]

[Not to mention one that he can eat without choking.

Raine sighs a little softly, but it's not like there's much she can do about the Shift; she can't force Sheena to be someone she's not, after all. Her thoughts can't hide that as well as she'd like them to, though. The images are vague, but she's thinking of Mizuho. But also floating around up there is appreciation of the meal.

She does occasionally glance up to make sure the other woman is eating her share properly, though.]

[oh, she is. She's eating kind of slowly - this whole day has been one big confusing, off-putting mess - but she is eating.]

[Good, good. Nothing they can do about things being an off-putting mess, but... Well, they can eat her food and try not to embarrass her.]

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