526/Resting and Recovering

Resting and Recovering
Date of Scene:	29 September 2023
Location:	Mitakihara General Hospital
Synopsis:	Following her disastrous clash with Sunbreaker, Rashmi is laid up in the hospital, burned in body and spirit. Will Molly and Chrono be able to help her find the strength to pick herself back up and continue moving forward?
Cast of Characters:	Rashmi Terios, Molly Skyline, Chrono Harlaown

---

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When you're a newbie mahou...

You run a risk, every time you henshin. Fights are inevitable, injury is common. There's always the chance that one day, you might get hurt in a way that doesn't heal quickly enough to minimize, or explain away.

You could get hurt like Rashmi did, becoming the target of the kind of fury you don't *see* in the normal world, the kind accompanied by fireballs that corrode your very soul. She told her parents it was a freak accident, a gas canister exploded. The kind of one-in-a-million accident that nobody could prepare for, but everyone worries about, deep inside. Her parents, familiar enough with the kinds of accidents that involve high temperatures, just seemed relieved that it didn't end up worse than it was, and promised to visit as often as possible.

But owner-operators of a restaurant can't be there all the time, and there are and *will* be long stretches where Rashmi only has her thoughts and the terrible hospital TV to occupy her. Fortunately, enough of her fingers aren't bound up in burn-treatment bandaging, allowing her enough freedom to tap out text messages to friends on her list, and shamelessly beg for homework, reading material, and snacks if they feel particularly kind.

Why didn't she just have Nicomachea handle all this for her? Because her Device was damaged, badly enough it put itself into emergency self-repair shutdown mode. The deeply-cracked starburst charm is quiet, dormant enough it'd be tempting to believe it was never anything more than a bit of kitch in the first place.

Let's face it; having to occupy a hospital bed for *any* reason purely sucks.

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly has experience with hospital beds. Growing up rambunctious in the British countryside can result in injuries. (Ask her about the time she twisted her ankle real bad halfway up Crib Goch sometime.) She's never had an experience like what Rashmi is going through right now, everything she's tried has been a serious understatement by comparison.

That said she at least knows what a hospital bed is like.

The purple-haired girl has spent the entire day doing what the Brits call 'Playing Hooky' -- which is to say, skipping school without permission. She's not going to get in trouble with her Moms though, 'cause they were totally in on it.

So now, she's here at the hospital, with a rectangularish object wrapped up in blue wrapping paper with pink ribbons. "Hey, Rashmi," she murmurs, as she peeks in. "Are you awake? The nurse said it was okay to visit."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
The moment the door opens, Rashmi's eyes open, and her head turns toward the sound. This reveals bandaging across her cheek, and a pad over the ear on that side; burns are no joke, and the doctors are taking absolutely no chances. The only real miracle about her wounding, is that her hair seems more or less untouched.

Medical tape crinkles as Rashmi smiles. "Hey... C'mon in, Molly-chan, it's *so good to see you.* Are *you* all right?"

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly isn't short on bandages herself. She basically bound her excuse up with Rashmi's, that she was there when the gas cannister exploded, just that she and Rashmi hadn't been standing side by side at the time and she didn't get it nearly as bad. Which, well, is mostly true when you think about it. She did get burnt (from... her own barrets, which is at least embarassing given that they were supposed to be homing in on the Youma) and she definitely got electrocuted.

"Yeah I'm okay," she answers. "Hurts a bit but not enough for me to get time off school, except by skipping class. How are *you*? You're the one in a hospital bed, stop worrying about me."

She comes in, pulling a chair a few inches across the floor so she can grab a seat beside Rashmi. "Brought you something," she adds, offering up the present. "Want me to open it for you, or can you manage?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I mean... could be better?" Rashmi says, to the question of 'how are you.' It's one that she can't help but be amused by, because the *intent* of the question has absolutely nothing at all to do with how badly hurt she is. But that's always where the brain goes first, hence the honest, if unhelpful, answer. "Too much time to think about things I *really don't want* to think about, honestly. I'll be happy when I've got homework and Mami brings my laptop over tonight."

Yes, even before being stuck in the hospital, homework was a thing Rashmi actually enjoyed. Now, it's practically a mental liferaft.

Her eyes light up when Molly shows off the present, and she reaches out -- hesitantly of course, because pulling at burns even a little hurts like mad -- and takes it. "Oh no I got it, thanks! I... You really didn't have to, you know, but I *super appreciate it.*"

And as she clumsily tears at the wrapping, Molly can see tears standing out in her eyes, hear the momentary thickness of her voice at the end of the sentence.

Even before she knows what's inside it, it's extremely likely Rashmi will treasure this present forever, simply because of what it means.

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly hands over the present; it's got a bit of weight to it, not really much unless, perhaps, if you've recently received a severe injury. Rashmi can probably work out that it's a book -- in hardcover -- before she opens it. And there, on the cover. "The Lord of the Rings". All three books in one volume, in English.

"Took all day hitting used bookstores to find it," Molly explains once the wrapping paper is off. "I love having Moms who understand when the best thing you can possibly do as a teenager is skip school. And I couldn't bear the thought of you being stuck in here with nothing to do but watch the standard hospital issue crappy TV with like four channels that are nothing but soap operas and game shows."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...You need to watch Japanese game shows more often," Rashmi murmurs, eyes widening as she hefts the gigantic tome. "If I didn't ask what pain meds I've been getting and why, I'd assume I got the really hard stuff just watching one of them. Oh, Molly-chan..."

Hugging the book to her chest, she looks up with wide, watery eyes. "Thank you *so much.*"

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly has to admit that she's never seen a Japanese game show. She has seen anime though, and some of that has been... an experience. Still, she doesn't imagine you're going to get any of that on a hospital TV.

As Rashmi opens the present, she gets misty-eyed herself, and has to brush her fingertips under each eye.

"You're welcome," she replies, cracking a grin. "If I'd got here and you couldn't read it, I was totally going to read it to you, too. Even if I gotta skip school for a week. I don't care how much detention I rack up."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Oh c'mon it'd take *way* longer than a week to read through all of this," Rashmi says, laughing quietly. "...Ow... But I mean, if you really want to now and again, I'd like that. Just... Y'know, if I end up falling asleep I don't want you to think it'd be your fault. But before we get into that... Seriously, *could* you make sure I get all my homework? I let the Debate Club know I'm gonna be out for a bit, but I don't want to fall behind in school too."

What isn't spoken, but written all over her face; 'Like everything else.'

Molly Skyline has posed:
"I will make sure you get your homework, Rashmi-chan," replies the purple-haired girl, pushing her spectacles up the bridge of her nose for emphasis. (Her jacket must've protected them, because they made it through the battle just fine. Starcrash must recognize that losing your distance vision necessarily results in a decrease in DPS.) "And I'll help you get your homework done, too. Honestly, right now you can just consider my to be entirely at your disposal as needed, okay?"

Molly might normally take someone's hand at this point, but she knows that to be a really poor plan with a burn victim, so she just sits nearby, trying her best to look happy and soothing instead of deeply concerned. "I think my Moms phoned your parents. Pretty sure they're bringing you stuff? But I'll... Well I mean I'm sure I'm gonna get slapped with everything I missed today, so I'll make sure you get the full list of homework, not to worry there."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...Thank you, Molly-chan," Rashmi says after a long moment of silence, responses chosen and discarded the moment any amount of thought is put into them. "You keep your stuff up too though, okay? If I don't want *my* life put on hold because I'm in a hospital bed, I'd be seriously upset if you put *yours* on hold for me. And... give your moms hugs from me? That's really sweet of them."

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly shrugs her shoulders, "Eh, let's be real, you're the smart one between the two of us. I'll probably need your help with some of my homework anyway." Translation: I'm manufacturing a reason to come do homework with you while you're in hospital and I'm not even slightly ashamed of it.

"And I will. Give me Moms a hug, I mean, not that I need any particular excuse to do that, they're both wonderful."

She pauses, "Oh, you have my number, right? Just text me if you need anything." She bites her bottom lip. "How's... Nicomachea? I asked Starcrash to lend memory or resources, but I uhh... don't know if it works that way honestly."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I do," Rashmi says, picking up her phone and doing a bit of clumsy fiddling, to show Molly's name on her contacts list. But when the Brit asks after Nicomachea, her face falls. "I guess... there's an emergency self-repair thing, they can do? But it takes a long time, and he has to be shut down for it. I don't... think I'm going to know when he's ready for action, until he wakes up and tells me."

Sighing, she looks down at the book in her arms, and gives it another hug. "...I'm not sure if *I* will be, to be honest..."

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Luckily," Molly replies, holding up one hand, "You're not Spiderman. ...Which I know sounds weird, because Spiderman is awesome and who doesn't want to be Spiderman -- or Spiderwoman -- but thing is, he's almost always alone, and you're not. You've got friends. Take *all* the time you and Nicomachea need to heal up, 'cause the city isn't going to get overrun by monsters and evil sorceresses while you're out of action."

Molly smiles. "Take your time, read the book, do your homework. You're a hero I absolutely look up to, but while you're out? Don't worry. Things will be taken care of." Including one Sunbreaker, if Molly can get her hands on her, but she doesn't say that part.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Molly-chan..." Rashmi closes her eyes tight for a moment, shivering in bed. "Fights are fine. If I just got hurt from a fight? I'd be okay. I trust you, I trust *everyone* to have it handled. But Sunbreaker-san..."

There's a quiet shudder from her throat, as she drags in a terrified breath. "...She *hated me,* and she *wasn't going to stop.* You didn't see the look in her eyes, Molly-chan... I... I really think that if she wanted to, she'd've killed me, and it wouldn't matter to her."

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly sits up straight; and for a long moment, she lets those words rattle around in her brain. Sometimes, when you're talking to someone you really care about, someone who's in pain, it can feel really hard to know what to say next, and it feels like every word you choose is critical because there's nothing more important, right then, than making that person feel better.

"I don't think anyone matters to her," she says at last. "And that's why in the end, she'll lose. The people like her always lose, because they're alone and will always be alone. And, y'know why she hated you? Because she knows you're better than her. And she's right. You are."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Smiling around a sigh, Rashmi lets her head relax against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. "But I don't *want* to be better than her, Molly-chan. I want to not be *scared* of her. ...And maybe it's just because it's right now, but... Every time I think of that... all the fire, all the pain, and her *eyes*... I... think I'm gonna be scared of her for a long, long time."

Molly Skyline has posed:
This is another one of those moments, where you gotta figure out the right thing to say. 'Imagine how scared of you she is, to have to do what she did to you' floats across her mind, but she immediately knows just how little that'd help in this moment if she were the one in the bed.

"I know," she murmurs. "I wish I could fix it for you, but I can't. But I *can* be here for you." She nods towards Rashmi's phone, "If you get scared, just... phone me, alright? I'll always talk. Even if I gotta pretend I need to go to the bathroom to get out of class or keep it quiet so my Moms don't hear me at three in the morning."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...Okay," Rashmi says after a moment. "I will. I *promise,* Molly-chan. If I scare myself too much, I'll let you know. And... well.. I'm sorry in advance, because it's probably going to be when you're asleep most of the time."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
There was a light chuckle from outside the room and then a knock on the door. "Miss Terios? I believe your little cousin is here to see you." It wouldn't take long to figure out who the 'little cousin' was. Because only one boy could be that small, yet that serious. "Terios-san," he said once he was in the room. Then leaning back against it for a moment. "I..." And then trailed off. His eyes moved to Molly. Huh. Didn't... she looked familiar. He then glanced back to Rashmi. "I..." Struggling to think of the right words.

What could he say? 'I freaked out, left for a while, came back and BAM, you were borderline crippled'? "I... brought you something." He walked towards her and held it out. A small, tiny... cube. It looked like an unmoving rubix cube. Minus the colors. A storage device? "I transferred some of my personally favorite digital books and entertainment to it. As well as some things from... other members of the crew," he said. With... actually some tact and subtlety. Not much. But some. "How are you feeling?"

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly Skyline opens her mouth to say something about magic and whatnot, but then in walks Chrono, and Molly absolutely clamps down; she... doesn't she recognize him? From somewhere? Well, except she's not *sure*, so she just kind of holds back for a moment.

"...Call me any time you need to," she murmurs to Rashmi, "Middle of the night is totally cool."

"Hey, I'm Molly Skyline," she adds, nodding to Chrono. "Have we met before,? I think we've met before. I'm sure I've seen you before." She looks back to Rashmi, hoping that this is an opportunity for all parties -- Rashmi especially -- to get to be a little more cheerful, at least for a moment. "Have he and I met before?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Whatever else may be going on in Chrono's head, Rashmi very much hopes that it helps that the first thing he sees is her smiling, genuinely happy to see him. And upn presentation of the Storage Device, her eyes grow watery behind her glasses, as she hugs the big book in her arms a little harder. "Heh... One sec."

There is an *interminable* wait, as she gropes for the bed's controls, and then gradually raises the back to something like a seated position, legs raised at the knees. "Sorry," she says as her angle of recline ever-so-slowly adjusts. "Hurts a little less when something else does the moving for me..."

Once she's raised up enough that she can rest the Lord of the Rings omnibus on her legs, she takes hold of the little cube, turning it over in her hands with a wondering smile. "Y'know... You'd think after everything I've seen, everything I've done, something like this would feel normal. But, nope... magic space box, and it can probably show me videos in my head, right? That's *so incredible.*"

'How are you feeling?' Poor Chrono, if he'd've walked in a bit earlier, he might have already heard. But now, her chin starts to wibble, and tears fall down her cheeks. "...I messed up really bad, Chrono-kun... I really, really screwed up..."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown glanced to Molly, then back to Rashmi. She didn't... seem to mind mentioning the space around her. So probably in the know. "Time space administrative Bureau Enforcer, Chrono Harlaown," he told Molly. Yup. That'd be it. If she'd been in a skirmish with him, she'd likely remember that. Who else flashes their ID in the middle of a fight?

"Don't... you don't need to..." he tried, but well... he sighed and gave her the softest, gentlest smile. "It's okay," he said, before reaching out and, gently, taking her hand. "It's okay. If you need to cry, or talk, or... anything. It's okay. And... it's okay to not be alright. Tell me... everything you want to tell me," he said in a soft, soothing tone. The tone of someone who had been there, who understood... and more importantly, knew what needed to be done. If he did was anyone's guess. But he SOUNDED like he knew what he was doing and saying. And that mattered.

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Ahh." Molly looks Chrono up and down once more, "Yeah, we were in a fight together... Uhh... Bookstore, I think? Yeah! Anyway, Molly Skyline, uhm... space sorceress I guess." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Never really thought about a title or anything."

She looks back down to Rashmi, very carefully taking her other hand. "You didn't screw up anything," she murmurs. "Someone else's hatred and cruelty is not your fault."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Both hands are rather bandaged, with perhaps four fingers not wrapped in ointment-treated gauze between them. And there's a moment, where Rashmi seems in danger of tipping over into incoherent blubbering, but... Somehow, she draws in a shaky breath, pushes it down enough to talk, and squeezes her eyes shut. "...Starcrash probably came from the ship he served on, Molly-chan," is the first thing she manages to get out. Then, she looks up at Chrono, searching that gently smiling face... and realizes that he knows what he's doing, because he's been in his share of medical beds.

And so... slowly at first, then with a bit more confidence, she tells the story of the fight. Of Sunbreaker, and her and Molly's last short fight with her. Of homing in on the use of a device that pulled mana from bystanders, to fuel the healing of an injury of *Sunbreaker's.* Of the attentuating dark-energy field, the youma created to get them off her back, and the unholy mess that resulted. Then she describes her strafing tactics to disrupt the attack against Greta, and--

"...Then I hit her hand, I guess? Something like... And Chrono-kun she was *so angry,* like I've never even *seen* before. All that dark fire jst exploded out of her, and she came for me and hit and hit and hit and she *just wouldn't stop,* she wasn't ever going to stop and I thought I was going to die..."

Apologetically, she eases her hand loose from Chrono's, to get a Kleenex from the box at her bedside table. Then a third, and a fourth, and her glasses come off and she's just mopping up a leaking face. "...I don't know what stopped her at the end. Just... Everyone tried to get in her way, even Nico-kun, and he got hurt badly enough his Storage malfunctioned. ...Then she burned up everything that fell out of him, and just... left..."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown gave a small nod. "Ahhhh. Space... Sorceress? But yes, if you have a device, we should likely speak later. Especially if your device is from the Arthra. At the very least, I can grant you some TSAB training," he said before looking to Rashmi. And then he was silent. He just listened, watching her... and when she went to the tissues, he just smiled and even brought the box over. Helped her wipe her face. He stared into her eyes, a mess of tears though they were.

He listened, he was there. And then, finally, eventually, he spoke. "I won't lie to you, Terios-san. These feelings that you're feeling? They're natural. It's... dangerous. What you've chosen to do. The people we fight, the monsters we stop. There is true, genuine danger in it. I... can't even say this won't happen again, should you choose to keep fighting. You're not wrong to be afraid. You're certainly not wrong to cry. And if you decided that this was it, that you never wished to take up a device again? That you wanted out of this war? I wouldn't say that was wrong either," Chrono said slowly.

"I can't even say that... next time, you won't die. Or that someone you know, care about, won't be on the receiving end of that kind of violent, merciless assault. You... could die. You could... watch... helplessly... as someone you know, care about, someone who you trained with... dies. All of that can happen."

Deep, slow breath. "It... doesn't get easier. And worse, it's impossible to know if it will ever change. This... Sunbreaker appeared today. But even if she were gone. Beaten, captured, killed. Someone else could take her place. Someone with darkness and hatred in their heart. Eventually... there will always be someone like that. Out of greed. Out of hatred. Out of anger. Out of grief. Someone takes that path. Someone will choose the path of violence and harm."

"In this situation, the only thing that changes is you. If you will be one of the one's fighting them or not. Stopping them. There is nothing wrong with you stepping away from that path. It doesn't make you a coward to know your own limits, just as stepping in to fight when you cannot doesn't make you brave. The only one who can make that choice for you, is you. No matter what choice you make, I will support you in it."

He picked up another tissue and reached up and gently wiped away some of her tears. "You are suffering now, Terios-san. But you are more than just your suffering. You are brave. You are strong. You are noble. You are kind. You are gentle. You are a mage worthy of the TSAB. This? Changes none of that."

"And all of us feel the pain of our suffering. That... merely makes you human. Take as long as you require to decide how you will face this suffering. For now... do... you have Nico-kun?"

Molly Skyline has posed:
This is definitely Chrono's turn to offer Rashmi some consolation, so for this moment, Molly keeps her mouth shut; though she does take Rashmi's glasses and set them on the bedside table, so they'll be safe while the tissure are being overworked. She gently takes the Lord of the Rings book too, and rearranges things so it's also on the table, with Rashmi's glasses on top, and the little cube beside them.

So Starcrash is probably from Chrono's ship? Well, that's intereting, and two days ago if Molly had been offered training she'd probably have turned it down, but after the fight with Sunbreaker, she's of a different mindset on the matter.

But none of that matters right now. While Chrono is doing the talking, Molly rests a hand on... Well, on Rashmi's bedside, so she can be supportive without the risk of plopping her palm down on a burn.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...He's a really good teacher, Molly-chan, you should *definitely* take him up on that," are the first words out of Rashmi's mouth. Then, she relaxez, closing her eyes and truly, honestly letting Chrono's words soak in.

It could happen again. It could happen to her, or to someone else. It's very, very likely that this level of violence, of rage, will be met in the future, or even exceeded. The very thought threatens to steal the breath from Rashmi's lungs. She may have to watch someone suffer, and her best efforts won't make a difference.

That thought alone is almost enough to make her want to walk away from this forever.

Almost.

The two of them can see it in her face, the moment she resolves that if her best wasn't good enough to keep her safe, then she'll just have to be better. Know more. Work harder.

Chrono says that she'd make a wonderful TSAB mage, but there was always that uncertainty in the far corner of her heart; was she *really?* She always felt so far behind, able to get behind others and push, but not stand at their side.

If her best wasn't good enough this time, then next time her best will just have to be better.

When she draws in another breath through her nose, and opens her eyes, the smile she turns on the two of them is tired, but very genuine. "...Yeah," she answers Chrono, nodding to Nicomachea's badly-cracked standby form, next to the tissues. "He's right there... self-repair, was the last thing he said before he shut down."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown smiled just a little more when he sees that look in her face. He... wished he could sugar coat it. Could protect her. Could tell her it would all be okay. That everything worked out in the end. But... he wouldn't lie to her. Not about this. But when he saw her resolve... he knew.

"I learned long ago, Terios-san. Things don't always work out. People you love die. Comrades you depend on let you down. There will be times where you fail yourself. That is reality. Sometimes we'll even fail more than we succeed and it will feel hopeless."

Chrono's hand rested on hers. "To say 'I have to fight so others don't have to' is meaningless if we don't allow ourselves the chance to stop. All you will do is eventually shatter."

The softest, most gentle of squeezes. "But... this time you fell. Next time you may fall. But if every time you fall, you decide to pick yourself up, to not give up, to keep trying, to face this pain head on? You *will* make a difference. And I will, every step of the way, help you to grow stronger. And do everything I can to help you get ready for what may come."

Then, slowly, his hand pulled from hers and he walked to Niomachea... And... he picked it up, a grim look on his face. He pulled out his own device and scanned it. Oh...

The damage was... extensive. It... was going to need more than... Slow, deep breath. He'd find a way. He had the tools. Even if this planet didn't have a meister... He'd... Somehow.

Molly Skyline has posed:
Chrono's words aren't just sinking in for Rashmi either; this doesn't merely apply to her. Molly has already had the experience of watching something terrible happen to someone she deeply cares about, and not be able to do anything about it. She was drained, barely able to get to her feet after getting absolutely levelled by Sunbreaker's magic (and her own barrets, but we don't talk about that).

Still, the point isn't lost on her. She could be the next one to be laid up in a hospital bed. Or she could end up dead. Or worse, someone she cares about could end up dead.

But all of that could happen anyway. She could get hit by a car tomorrow, and probably the driver would feel bad about it, but it wouldn't make it hurt any less. Just the same, maybe next time someone faces Sunbreaker, she won't stop like she did with Rashmi.

But, Molly decides, at least if she's there she might be able to do something about it.

"Yeah, I'll take you up on it," she murmurs, nodding to Chrono. "I'll take some training. Maybe I'll manage to be as good as you and Rashmi."

Molly said that deliberately. And she's not just saying it; that much is clear in her voice. Someone considers Rashmi to be a hero.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Yeah," Rashmi says in response to Chrono. "...Y'know... we have a saying, in Japan. Papi used to use it a lot to me, and it really stuck. 'Fall down seven times, stand up eight.' Just... no matter what goes wrong, how many times you fall down... the only thing that matters is that you got back up and kept going."

The bandages itch, the *memory* of that weaponized despair, set on fire and eating at her skin, would probably give her nightmares for weeks, and sitting up like this is starting to hurt. But with her dearest friends by her side, in this moment? It doesn't really seem so bad.

"Careful what you say, Molly-chan... When it comes to training? Chrono-kun has *no chill.* Trust me... But just saying you want his help, means you're already as good as I am, because... well I mean, I wouldn't be where I am without it."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown was staring down at the damaged device. "Terios-san, I'm going to need to take Nico-kun for a while. I need to run some tests and might need to replace some parts. In the mean time, the device I gave you has a communication program in it, should have no issue contacting me with it."

He then smilled to Molly and nodded. "Well then, Skyline-san, was it?" he said. "I'll treat you to the true midchildian training experience. Just remember, please. This line of work is incredibly dangerous. Every time you step out on the battlefield, your life is in danger. I treat my training sessions with that awareness to ensure no matter what threat you face, you will always be prepared."

... Was... that lightning in the background?

"I'll send a time and directions to your device where we can train without the risk of causing much destruction."

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Sounds like a good reason to get some training," Molly replies, shrugging her shoulders lightly. Seriously, could a girl manage to be any more nonchallant? Still, the tone of her voice indicates that she understands the seriousness of it all well enough. That, and the way she looks at Rashmi; the affection, and the pain and concern at seeing her in the state she's in.

"Maybe next time I'll be more ready," she murmurs. "I... I could've done better too, Rashmi-chan, and maybe if I had..." she trails off, leaving the rest of that thought unsaid.

Now is not the time for self pity. It feels disingenuous anyway, when you're not the one in the hospital bed.

"Get better," she murmurs, lifting a hand to brush at the bottom of her eye. "And *call*. Whenever you need to, doesn't matter, I'll answer."

She looks up, and nods to Chrono. "Tell me when you want to teach, and I'll be ready to learn, I promise."