Okay, you're going to have to tell me what that actually means, because I don't get it.
[Dishonest woman? How's lying worse when it's a woman instead of a man?]
Anyway, be there in a few.
[He's suiting action to words, heading right for the front doors and rapping with his knuckles to give her a warning before he pushes them open and wanders in.]
[Axel's still sputtering at his phone when she speaks, and he fumbles and nearly drops it on the floor.]
Don't just drop something like that on a guy! Geez. No, I haven't been doing anything like that!
I, uh. Got into a couple of scrapes with ayakashi on the Near Shore, and, you know. Wound up having to work with a couple other gods. That's all. I figure, you should know.
[Okay, so there was the bit where he couldn't get into her temple, but that's not her fault. She's not even the only one it's happened to anymore. He crosses his arms a little defensively.]
Look, it's not like I'm not still your shinki. As far as I'm concerned, you've got first dibs.
[ ... Wow. He keeps reminding her of Gemma, more and more. ]
Well, that is very kind of you to say so. [ She might look pretty pleased about the fact that he's given her a compliment.... in his own way, she supposes. ] Though, I am curious. Pray tell, how many gods are you serving now?
[And... she doesn't seem mad! That's great. That's a better outcome to this than he was imagining, and he's brightening right back with obvious relief.]
Uh, how about...
[He pulls out his phone, scrolling quickly through.]
[hint hint that was kind of a jerk thing to say, Pippa.
He'll live, though! He's raising one hand in a casual half-wave: he's got a shift this afternoon, after all. And since this conversation went way better than he was afraid it was going to, he's even got time to grab lunch somewhere first.]
Pippa raises her hand in a wave as well. She's actually genuinely looking forward to the ice cream, which is why she leaves him with a smile before going back into her temple. ]
[Pippa will receive a message. It's up to her if she wants to read it, or even reply to it. Roxas knows by now that she definitely was a victim, and he feels so awful about it.]
Hey Pippa,
It's Roxas.
I'm so sorry about Axel. He somehow got it into his head that he needed to know about his past no matter what. I tried to talk him out of it, but he kept pressing me. The thing is, the Axel I know, or knew, wasn't like this. I don't think it was his idea. Even after I hit him he kept pushing me for info. It hurt to even think about telling him. Axel just kept going. I eventually lost my temper and shared some things about his past with him.
I didn't know. I didn't know that it would instantly turn him into an ayakashi. No one warned us. If they had, I would have fought harder not to tell him. They haven't told us anything about what we can't and can't do with shinki.
Still, it's my fault. I'm sorry. I don't blame you for hating me, and I'll stay away. Axel was my best friend, and he was your shinki, but my doing this almost killed you and my friends.
text, April 10
I've had a thing or two come up lately, and, you know. Thought I should run them by you.
text
text;
Not exactly.
It's complicated. Where are you?
text;
I'm inside the temple, of course.
text;
[Dishonest woman? How's lying worse when it's a woman instead of a man?]
Anyway, be there in a few.
[He's suiting action to words, heading right for the front doors and rapping with his knuckles to give her a warning before he pushes them open and wanders in.]
text > action
[ That's the last text he gets before she goes to answer the door. ]
Good evening.
action
Don't just drop something like that on a guy! Geez. No, I haven't been doing anything like that!
I, uh. Got into a couple of scrapes with ayakashi on the Near Shore, and, you know. Wound up having to work with a couple other gods. That's all. I figure, you should know.
action
You're rather calm about this.
[ ... Meanwhile, she's trying to figure out how she feels about this. ]
I suppose I've been a poor goddess.
action
[Okay, so there was the bit where he couldn't get into her temple, but that's not her fault. She's not even the only one it's happened to anymore. He crosses his arms a little defensively.]
Look, it's not like I'm not still your shinki. As far as I'm concerned, you've got first dibs.
action
Well, that is very kind of you to say so. [ She might look pretty pleased about the fact that he's given her a compliment.... in his own way, she supposes. ] Though, I am curious. Pray tell, how many gods are you serving now?
action
You, Yumi, Sora and Deku.
[It's just four! That's not... that many... right?
It sounds like kind of a lot even to him. He winces.]
action
You've certainly managed to get around, I see!
action
[Don't judge! And he's been spending a lot of time there, which, come to think of it -- he clears his throat.]
Hey, speaking of the Near Shore, I picked up this ice-cream shop job. It's not so bad! The pay's okay, and I get a discount.
You should come check it out sometime. I can show you where it is.
action
[ He really has been busy! Pippa seems to brighten at that. ]
I'd be delighted, Axel. When are you free?
action
Uh, how about...
[He pulls out his phone, scrolling quickly through.]
Tomorrow afternoon? Three?
action
I shall expect you to meet me at that time and proceed from there.
action
action
[ ... Pippa Cross, master of backhanded compliments. I'm so sorry, Axel. ]
action
[hint hint that was kind of a jerk thing to say, Pippa.
He'll live, though! He's raising one hand in a casual half-wave: he's got a shift this afternoon, after all. And since this conversation went way better than he was afraid it was going to, he's even got time to grab lunch somewhere first.]
action
Pippa raises her hand in a wave as well. She's actually genuinely looking forward to the ice cream, which is why she leaves him with a smile before going back into her temple. ]
April 29th, after his talk with Katniss
Hey Pippa,
It's Roxas.
I'm so sorry about Axel. He somehow got it into his head that he needed to know about his past no matter what. I tried to talk him out of it, but he kept pressing me. The thing is, the Axel I know, or knew, wasn't like this. I don't think it was his idea. Even after I hit him he kept pushing me for info. It hurt to even think about telling him. Axel just kept going. I eventually lost my temper and shared some things about his past with him.
I didn't know. I didn't know that it would instantly turn him into an ayakashi. No one warned us. If they had, I would have fought harder not to tell him. They haven't told us anything about what we can't and can't do with shinki.
Still, it's my fault. I'm sorry. I don't blame you for hating me, and I'll stay away. Axel was my best friend, and he was your shinki, but my doing this almost killed you and my friends.
I'm so sorry. I should have fought him more.