[video]

[keeperfromtheflame]

People would tell me how much they hated this place.  Why they thought it was awful.

I used to think that it wasn't so bad, really.

[Hazel's expression is stone-faced and her tone calm, but there was a noticeable tightness to her shoulders.  She was sitting on her bed with a borderline defeated aura, closet door behind her partially open and a...bow in hand.]

[Those who had known him may or may not recognize it as Frank's bow.]

[Her fingers gripped it so tightly, it was a wonder the wood hadn't broken in half yet.]

Now?  I finally get it.

Comments

[keeperfromtheflame]

[At the mention of the Titans, Hazel sat up a little straighter. One of the few things she was able to focus on...a side-affect of her genetically-inherited brand of DNA...was battle. And anything related to battle.]

Weird how?

[She hadn't noticed anything. Besides the closets acting up, but that wasn't affecting her sleeping.]

[In fact, Wonderland was one of the few places where she could sleep better than usual. Fewer demigod nightmares.]

[heirtotheshield]

[ He's not going to lie to her, but he's also not going to admit that he's scared of sleeping. ]

I've spent most of my time down in the clinic with Armin. He lost his leg because of me.

[keeperfromtheflame]

[Her expression twisted into a small frown. Far too experienced with battle injuries (and even death) to be overly-horrified at the news, but that didn't mean she was so hardened that she couldn't still feel saddened by it.]

I hadn't heard about that. [Her own involvement had been more from the sidelines.] what happened?

[heirtotheshield]

[ James fidgets uncomfortably for a moment. ]

I was running cannonshot on the roof. My foot slipped and a titan grabbed me. Armin stopped it, but it caught him and bit off his leg.

[ Matter-of-fact and blank. But it really bothers him. ]

[keeperfromtheflame]

[She winced, sympathetic to poor Armin. He had been the one to warn her of the Titans preferred means of "attack", so it seemed almost ironic that he end up the one getting bitten.]

It wasn't your fault, James.

We all knew the risks. Him, better than anyone. And if nobody tried to stop them, we could've all been killed.

[heirtotheshield]

[ It's obvious he doesn't believe that. ]

Can we talk about something else? I'd... I'd just rather talk about something else.

[keeperfromtheflame]

[Pretty obvious, yes.]

Is talking about something else going to help?

[heirtotheshield]

[ Nothing will help. ]

I think so.

[keeperfromtheflame]

[There was a strong chance he was lying.]

[...but she couldn't be sure. She didn't know him well enough yet to determine that, and pressing the issue wasn't going to help.]

Alright. What did you want to talk about, then?

[heirtotheshield]

You work with a sword right?

[ Because maybe that'll help her too. ]

[keeperfromtheflame]

[That was slightly unexpected, but not unwelcome.]

I do.

I've been training with one for over a year. But my sword didn't come to Wonderland with me.