— white blight ,

"Well that was a bit of an adventure even for me. Never had being chased by a snack on my schedule here ever..." Probably good to consider even somewhat now..

"At the very least I have to admit this is pretty enjoyable. Minus the part where we I felt we were going to be chased forever. But thankfully I think they're finally behind us." Or they just just gave up. Either would be a very good ending to this whole ordeal.

「 I agree. It was fun in some instances. 」 she could do without being targeted by the ire of the marshmallows herself, but... 「 I'm glad you were there to help, too. Sorry for redirecting them at you that one time. 」 it was the least she could say, given she had managed to rile them up a little more than normal.

She nodded in understanding of the girl's judgment — paradise might have been a foolish word to use, swept up in the majesty of their environment. On many a day, there were peace across the isle, but discord festered and danger crept out the shadows on occasion, sometimes it rained down from the sky itself. they were under a one-sided sky disguising a prison, as lovely as it were. To linger on that fact was to twist any heart into poisonous anger and resentment, but to turn a blind eye outright was delusional.

"I hope one day we can see one another". She had many a question to ask them; many thanks to issue and many complaints to file. But to know of who took them and why, she yearned to understand.

「 I haven't heard of those. I learned of instruments but nothing specific, so I look forward to get to using them. 」 truly, something that she can't help but let her expression reflect that very feeling. reaching over, she takes a small snack for herself, munching on the sweet as she nods. 「 Then I'll do my best to back you up with that noise. It'll be fun! Should we go later today? Or would you want to do any of the other things you mentioned first? 」they may as well figure out some kind of schedule.

besides that, there are also the people that go about their daily lives, another thing she takes great interest in observing. not all would see it as a normal activity someone would choose, which is why the harbinger keeps that to herself unless she were trusting of the person she decides to tell, and there aren't many who fall under that category. Arlecchino's trust is something that must be earned through effort and hard work.

well, not that the older woman needs to know that particular part.

while not miniscule, it can rest comfortably aloft in her palm. beneath the layers of paper and tissue, within nestles a wooden carving of a small bird-like creature, only its plumage seems to resemble the petals of a lily, down to the crest of feathers rolling off its head reminiscent of an anther.

" it's a palisman! well, your palisman, i-i mean--- if you wanted it to be. " a nervous chuckle bleeds into his voice, " even though palismen don't... exist here, i-i just thought "hey! what would lily's palisman look like? m-maybe a bird? or a flower? wh-what about both?" "

he pauses, then slaps a hand to his head, confidence withering.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀a palisman 一 her palisman!

nothing can stop from the tinge of a smile growing into something more, flourishing itself like another flower beneath sunlit skies. a finger moves to pet its little head, imagining it being alive. maybe one day it could be, given how the island works, but for now, she would be happy at that thought alone.

putting a hand to her mouth, she motions the actions of a laugh, soon after moving to wrap her arms around hunter in a hug after writing something down.

"Alright sorry to cut into our fun but I have to leave! Maybe we'll play again some other time. Or never! That's a bit more enjoyable for us." And without another thought she ran over to Lily and reached out her hand.

and just as a little added insurance, perhaps a third hand may come into play, the manifestation of a particular witch making itself known before long. hopefully the other girl wouldn't find herself too alarmed, especially at the way some of those marshmallows come to a screeching halt, panic evident in how they flit about in whatever it was that blockades their way.

" oh. h-hey, i, uh--- i made you something. " his heart feels full--- does it ever get lighter? he doesn't mind it so much anyway.

We are not struggling against the world's environment to fend for resources — it was much closer that we are living in paradise fully-furnished and at liberty to entertain our hearts". As a squire, she could have never imagined a break if her spirits were to grow weary —Radiale Island was a window in the present day without the expectations of any society tagging along as a caveat. At times, her thoughts became consumed with wonder as to the purpose of this place — they had received so much in exchange for what was taken, steadily returned to its proper place, but in general, they were simply living without responsibilities.

only there was still a sensation for those with business left untended, wishing for them to resolve it all before casting it aside. and though she had heard that time is at a standstill from when they are pulled into this city, it was hard to tell if that was the truth...

「 Yes. I'm grateful for a lot. The people I've had the chance to meet and a life I wouldn't have been able to live if I was in Land's End. 」 being the only person who lived and breathed, surrounded by only ailing souls and, in turn, the ones she had managed to take on the blight for. but here, there were people, alive and flourishing 一 lily, mika, hunter... so many names she'd come to learn for who they were, not for the horrors they left behind. 「 But I don't think this is a paradise either. With the way our holders treat us sometimes... 」 it's far too much, she thinks, seeing the pain that linger in the eyes of so many after one of their ploys fall into motion.

"Alright get ready..." And with that she wandered back on out, looking towards the mallows and calling out to them without any hesitation this time around.

and before long, they took the bait beautifully一

Sure they got off on the wrong foot but it was all water under the bridge in the present moment. At least until they could deal with the "new threat" of confectionery sweets and reach some freedom.

shifting in place, she writes down a few more passages. 「 Okay. When you do, my barrier should be big enough for both of us. That way it'll give us some more time, too. 」 they weren't exactly that different in build and height, meaning it should work, granting them a buffer were any sneaky mallows to get through. preparing for the plan, she's easily ready to execute it the best that she can.

... maybe he's just an idiot.

wrinkling his nose, hunter recoils from the silence and looks away. despite only a few minutes passing, it feels like hours, festering in the wake of his earnest feelings. whatever confidence he had is starting to dwindle, falling away like the fragile castle of sand he built it up to be. screwing his eyes shut, he pleads wordlessly.

say something. anything.

he opens them again to the sound of pages rustling, and a pencil hastily etching something into their surface. his eyes snap across towards her, finding the book held open before him.

「 i think i might've wanted to holds yours for a while now. 」

although his lips part, his mouth hangs open uselessly, his voice dying in his throat. before he can muster the words, a hand reaches out, beckoning his own. it's right there, palm open, inviting him... he only needs to take it.

a tear runs down his cheek.

but they were still something warm, some reminder that she was no longer alone in some cold, harsh world. not with others here to breathe life into such a vast world; not when hunter was somewhere to be found, too.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀that tear runs down his cheek一

pages rustle, gently tossed away, the pencil falling to its wayside as arms reach out. i'm sorry, she wants to say, the desire to verbalize it with her own voice strong but, no matter what, impossible. so, she settles on this, allowing her arms to pull him into a hug in hopes it might convey everything far better than what nerve-wracked words might. do

she'd always been patient with him. no, passive 一 merely a white flower adorned to the wall during his tribulations. regardless of his trials, she'd never once reached out like this to console him, leaving him to lick his wounds until he was ready to carry on again. her eyes close, offering a silent prayer that it was alright to let him know it was alright. to be scared was normal, but here, in the silence, there was nothing to fear at all.