2394/Problems Back Home

Problems Back Home
Date of Scene:	24 January 2017
Location:	The Tamashige Residence
Synopsis:	Something has been eating at Ariel. And it's not just the state of the waking world. Things back home are getting tense too, and she finally fesses up about it to Seishi.
Cast of Characters:	Ariel Theodore, Seishi Tamashige

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Ariel Theodore has posed:
    A lot has been going on recently right? It sure feels that way- at least for Ariel. Though she's clueless to much of the bigger picture going around lately about Witches and Wraiths, and the explosion and frantic texts flinging all over the place have rendered her a little agitated. But there's been something that looks like it had been nagging her for just a bit longer.
    After school, she came straight home, instead of attending any of her clubs, quietly informing everyone involved there that eh was not feeling well, and promptly returned to the Tamashige residence.
    It is, technically, not a lie. And while it's not out of the ordinary to catch her napping at odd intervals and random points of the day-- she never seems to have a problem falling asleep- she is looking a bit fitful on the couch for a few moments. Before slowly easing herself to sit up, groggily rubbing an eye.

Seishi Tamashige has posed:
Studying has occupied a lot of Seishi's spare time lately, at leeast up until exams finished. She didn't have entrance exams to worry about, of course, but as a scholarship student it's nevertheless vital to perform well.

Now exams are done with for the time being and she feels a bit like she's coming up for air. It's a time for taking notice of things that aren't in front of her on the pages of a notebook.

"Hey," Seishi says as Ariel sits up - she'd been on her way across the room for something or other, stepping lightly to keep from disturbing her napping houseguest, but now she stops and turns toward the unicorn girl with a look of concern just beginning to crease her forehead. "Feeling okay?"

Ariel Theodore has posed:
    Exams must have rough. Ariel mostly steered clear of Seishi's way to not interrupt her studying, having heard how important it was. Thankfully whatever issues she's been having haven't been stewing hotly until seemingly recently. And it takes her a moment longer of rubbing the sleep from that eye before she's coherent enough to respond.
    It starts with a smile. The 'I'm not as okay as I say I am' kind of smile as she sits up. But she doesn't actually try to pull that with Seishi. Ariel has never had any need to lie to her. Ariel has, honestly, never had any reason to lie at all. "Well. I'm okay but."
    There it is. The but. "There's been a lot going on... It's a little too much for me I guess." She begins, sitting up and folding hands together on her lap, puffing her cheeks out. "And I'm kind of worried about things back home."

Seishi Tamashige has posed:
...Ah. A moment of hesitation, and then Seishi moves carefully to seat herself on the couch next to Ariel. "Of course you'd be worried," she says, sympathetic and a little guilty. Important as exams were, if she's been neglecting her other responsibilities...

"If things are too much for you," she says slowly, "you don't have to take them on by yourself. If you want to tell me about it, I might be able to help." A moment's pause to let that settle, and then Seishi adds, "We can go back and check on things with your mom, too, if you want to do that."

Ariel Theodore has posed:
    No sooner than Seishi is on the couch, Ariel shifts. A slight squirm at first before she settles on her course of initial action. And that is to slip herself onto the older girl's lap. It may seem like a casual act, but it is fare more of a quiet sign of trust, for her to just go right ahead and do so. She weigh almost all of nothing, as it is, anyway.
    However Ariel does not quite get comfortable. She doesn't dwell on how busy Seishi was, she had left the older girl to handle what she needed to do and see to her future. There is no grudge there for anything. "It kind of is a bit much." She freely admits, folding her hands together. "I've been going back. The forest is still really scary though. Mom's held it back at the beach but."
    Again, there's the but as she turns her head to glance over her shoulder. "Mom has always been really proud. And she'd never admit it, for my sake, even though we both already know it. She's getting weaker."

Seishi Tamashige has posed:
It's a bit of a surprise for Seishi when Ariel climbs into her lap, but she doesn't protest it, just blinks and then smiles a little, reaching up to gently muss her hair.

She doesn't say anything right away. She listens silently as Ariel speaks, expression growing serious again at what she hears.

"Then," she says at last, quiet but decisive, "we need to do something. The longer we wait, the harder it will be on her, won't it? And on you."

Ariel Theodore has posed:
    By now Seishi should know the disastrous results of mussing Ariel's hair. Silky and soft like dandelion fluff-- but also full of glitter.
    "I'll clean that up." Ariel says matter of factly in regards to the tiny, colorful, mess.
    But back on track. Topaz eyes close as she leans back and the girl puffs her cheeks out. "Yes. ... Mn. She might get a little indignant, but I don't think there's much of a choice anymore now."
    Alas, Ariel's mother will have to live with it, then. "Soon." That's decided now. But her lips purse. "How did your exams, go?"
    It's not a non-sequiter change of topic, it's a genuine wonder.

Seishi Tamashige has posed:
Seishi laughs in spite of herself, a soft little hitch of sound. "It's okay," she assures, to the promise to clean up. "It was my fault so I'll clean it."

Her father still doesn't know quite what to make of the fact that he keeps finding traces of glitter between the couch cushions lately.

As to the subject at hand - Seishi nods her calm agreement with that 'Soon.' "If she's upset we'll apologize. That's better than not doing anything."

The change of subject has her blinking again, but only momentarily. "They were tough," she admits, smiling lopsidedly, "but I got through it fine. I'm sorry that I've been so distracted lately."

Ariel Theodore has posed:
    The glitter has become more frequent than getting lucky and finding a 500 yen coin. Nevertheless, Ariel peeks up- albeit upside down thanks to her position on Seishi's lap. "Better to do something and ask forgiveness, right?" She muses, before scrunching her nose. "She's proud but... Well she'll understand. Especially with my other mom... Gone right now." That said, though she shakes her head. "Mm, mm, no it's okay, you don't need to be sorry. I was going to wait to ask for your help when it was out of the way." Or likely when something turned disatrous but that hasn't happened YET. "You needed to handle them so I tried to be a big girl on my own~."
    Aside from horribly stressing herself, she's managed that much. "Good grades~?"

Seishi Tamashige has posed:
"Well," Seishi allows, "'better to beg forgiveness than ask permission' doesn't always work. But in cases like this, definitely."

A beat, then she's grinning brightly. "Good grades!" she confirms, flashing a quick thumbs-up as she says it. "And now exams are over for a while, so that's one less thing to worry about. But," Seishi adds, a more serious cast returning to her expression, "even during exams, if there's something you need help with, you don't need to keep quiet. I'll manage one way or the other."

Ariel Theodore has posed:
    Good grades! With that answer, Ariel is back to positively beaming. And exams are no long an issue for the time being then. With that, Ariel finally allows herself to get a little more comfortable, leaning back against Seishi, head propping on the older girl's shoulder. "Alright. I'll ask quicker, next time." It's as easy as that. But for now, she heaves a small sigh of relief.
    She has every reason to be relieved, knowing Akashimaru is at her back.

Seishi Tamashige has posed:
"Good!" And that easily, Seishi is satisfied. In a little while, she'll need to get up - if only to clean up the sparkles on the couch before her father eventually gets home from work - but she's not in any hurry to dislodge Ariel just at the moment.

It doesn't do to disturb a unicorn when one has chosen to rest her head on your shoulder, after all. She curls a companionable arm around Ariel and lets them both have a little while to relax.