Erin makes a soft sound of agreement. "That was a thought that had occurred to me, along with like...whether or not you'd even want to see, even to try it. I know I'm personally bitter about being blind but like...my relationship to it isn't yours. Y'know?"
"I've had nearly all my life to be accustomed to it. Your time is so small, measured against your entire life - you have so much taken up by memories, by a certain way of being, that now that it's changed, I'd be surprised if you weren't bitter."
Here she chuckles, drawing up her legs.
"According to my father, I was a terror until somehow I understood that it wasn't going to change back. Frustrated, irritable, and without any understanding of why. He said if he could have given me his eyes to spare me that, he would have, without question."
"...I'm trying to imagine you being even smaller but I can't seem to reduce your height in my mind's eye." Little light bullying from the giant sword lady, it's Fine(tm). "He sounds like a hell of a dad. And like...for reference there's other options available with that power. If you've ever wondered about having giant spider legs or being able to shock things like an electric eel or, I dunno, doing a bat's echolocation trick, 's on the table. It's just that you only really get one thing per doll."
In spite of herself, a little grin crosses her face. It's almost been a relief that everyone was too caught up in the who and what of the trial and the resurrected dead to pay too much attention to how the damning clue was found.
"If anything, they and I may understand each other."
"They are! In my time we call them sky puppies and they are known now to be fucking adorable." Erin sighs fondly; bats are so good. "...Being honest I've only used that trick for myself once so far, so Cass could show me an artbook of her home. I'm...worried that if I keep spending power to walk around with eyes I won't have that power when I need it. If the ship was less dangerous..."
But it isn't. And while it's not the same concern as Helena's, it does attend the same family reunions as that concern.
Their hands held, it feels more like an official promise.
"Keep the power for yourself right now, so that you have it in time of need. And when we are somewhere beautiful, somewhere we can see a clear sunrise or a lovely field or something like that, and there's no danger to be found for that piece of time, I'll take you up on that offer. How does that sound for a promise?"
"Sounds good," Erin agrees heartily. "But keep other opportunities in mind, yeah? There's a lot of beauty right here on the ship, and people to show it to you."
Returning to her bed, Helena tucks herself back under the blankets to keep her feet warm.
"I've started pursuing self-defense, actually. Mr. Maximum offered to teach me, and suffice it to say, I think the exact form of what he's offering will work well. How to resist someone faster, stronger, bigger than you...I don't think I'll ever be a warrior, but new survival skills would be foolish to decline."
"Love that for you, and it's always a nice boost of confidence to be able to handle yourself too. Lemme know if you want any lessons on my end, I know some joint locks that sweet ol' grannies can use. They don't care how strong anyone is."
"I'll be sure to let you know. I want to get some basics down first, but he's been a good teacher. And Darcy's helping me with building my strength in general. It'll be nice to feel a little more capable with things."
Enough to vault quicker, to run a little faster - survival, but a tangible goal.
"She's admirably determined when she's made up her mind. I'm sorry I didn't try and get to know her better sooner - it shouldn't take a tragedy to do so. But there's plenty of things to speak of beyond that one incident."
That Darcy knew about her bringing tea for the Captain, she keeps to herself - Erin's opinion of the Captain is still not quite known, and she doesn't want to raise a tempest where it isn't needed.
Thankfully this is pre-significant conversations, so she doesn't give off any signs at someone special.
"It was for the Captain, actually. A sort of joke, since I spoke to him at the wedding about there being no proper cake due to the lack of kitchens. And then we had the kitchen, and so making him the cake felt like the right sort of gesture. We dropped it off for him afterwards."
Which is why she knew what room the Captain and Skulduggery were in for the trial.
"Hhhhuh. Hope he liked it, always sucks when you put all that love into cooking something and it doesn't work out." There's a thoughtful hum for a bit (it lasts long enough to be recognizable as The Farmer In The Dell, and then Erin decides to just go for it. "What's your impression of the man himself, since he's come up?"
"...Truthfully, I don't know. I don't trust him, but I can't write him off as some tyrant and call that the end of it. There's enough bits and pieces floating about that make it not so - but I think what really cinched it was the trial itself. Why he had to do that, but that he could do it at all. Rules are powerful, and I know some will think it's cowardly he did it that way, but I have to wonder."
Her hands tap on each other, thoughtful. "Rituals are very specific things...anyway, I've made a choice that I am going to get to know him before I decide what kind of person he is. Impressions will be distorted any other way. And I will not let someone pass themselves off as the Captain to me again."
"...Yeah. The trial really brought some things into sharp relief. On my end...I can't help but see myself in him. I don't think I need to explain why."
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Here she chuckles, drawing up her legs.
"According to my father, I was a terror until somehow I understood that it wasn't going to change back. Frustrated, irritable, and without any understanding of why. He said if he could have given me his eyes to spare me that, he would have, without question."
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In spite of herself, a little grin crosses her face. It's almost been a relief that everyone was too caught up in the who and what of the trial and the resurrected dead to pay too much attention to how the damning clue was found.
"If anything, they and I may understand each other."
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Listen, Erin is vulnerable to cute mental images, it's gonna be a minute.
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Just to make Erin's mental image better.
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But it isn't. And while it's not the same concern as Helena's, it does attend the same family reunions as that concern.
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If Erin's bed isn't close enough to reach, she'll hop out of hers and hold out her hand.
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"Keep the power for yourself right now, so that you have it in time of need. And when we are somewhere beautiful, somewhere we can see a clear sunrise or a lovely field or something like that, and there's no danger to be found for that piece of time, I'll take you up on that offer. How does that sound for a promise?"
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"I've started pursuing self-defense, actually. Mr. Maximum offered to teach me, and suffice it to say, I think the exact form of what he's offering will work well. How to resist someone faster, stronger, bigger than you...I don't think I'll ever be a warrior, but new survival skills would be foolish to decline."
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Enough to vault quicker, to run a little faster - survival, but a tangible goal.
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Erin makes a mental note to check on Darcy soon.
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That Darcy knew about her bringing tea for the Captain, she keeps to herself - Erin's opinion of the Captain is still not quite known, and she doesn't want to raise a tempest where it isn't needed.
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Maybe Helena can get Darcy to eat right.
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A cake that had actually come surprisingly in handy.
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Give her the gossip Helena.
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"It was for the Captain, actually. A sort of joke, since I spoke to him at the wedding about there being no proper cake due to the lack of kitchens. And then we had the kitchen, and so making him the cake felt like the right sort of gesture. We dropped it off for him afterwards."
Which is why she knew what room the Captain and Skulduggery were in for the trial.
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Her hands tap on each other, thoughtful. "Rituals are very specific things...anyway, I've made a choice that I am going to get to know him before I decide what kind of person he is. Impressions will be distorted any other way. And I will not let someone pass themselves off as the Captain to me again."
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