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[takethat]

Question!


Would anybody out there be interested in a sort of "artist's circle?" Or, is there anything like that going on in the castle already that I just don't know about? I've been painting more, lately since there aren't exactly a ton of murders happening all over the place here and I was thinking all the artists of the castle--regardless of skill level--should get together and be artsy sometimes.

Any thoughts?


[And then, added some time later]


[Geoff filter]

...I think I need to take you up on that "listening" you keep offering to do.

[/Geoff filter]

Comments

[takethat]

Oh, I could show you, but I'm not really good or anything...

[He laughs nervously.]

I used to study art before I got into law. But that was a few years ago!

[starhipped]

Oh, I bet you're really good then! What made you switch from art to law?

[Phoenix YOU ARE THE MOST INTERESTING.]

[takethat]

[But Esther you are the cutest]

W-well... a woman I used to know--a lawyer--helped me out once, and she reminded me of how I was inspired to be a lawyer way back when I was a kid.

[starhipped]

[You are the most talented :|]

She must be a pretty special person to you. [Complete sincerity here.] And you've been happy as a lawyer? You don't wonder what might have happened if you'd been an artist?

[takethat]

She was special.

[A pause]

Sometimes I wonder what life as an artist would've been like, but I think being a lawyer was really what was meant for me. After all, it was my dream when I was little!

[starhipped]

Mm! I guess it's good that you got to do what you wanted to do as a child. I always dreamed of joining the church, so when I was old enough, I was dedicated! After that, I never thought I would go to Rome and work in the Vatican.. but that was where life took me!

[Not strictly a lie - her quest for answers took her there. Her love and care for the people around her kept her in Rome.]

A-Ah, if you don't mind me asking .. did something happen to her? Are you two still friends?

[takethat]

Wow, you really worked in the Vatican? That's... intense!

--ah, we'd still be friends if Mia was still living. She died, a few years ago.

[starhipped]

Yes, I do! I'm not very important .. but it's fulfilling work.

[She'd said the wrong thing. Oops.]

I'm .. so sorry. I know what it's like to lose people close to you. I didn't mean to bring up painful memories.

[takethat]

No no, it's okay! Don't worry about it. I miss her, but it gets easier with time... you know?

[Still, it's... not exactly something he enjoys talking about when he's unprepared for it.]

What kinds of things do you do working at the Vatican?

[starhipped]

I understand.

[And she lets the subject drop.]

A-Ah, well, I'm sort of .. part of a group of ambassadors?

[Among .. other things.. Lately she's been the ambassador, touring Londinium as the Lady Saint, Sister Esther Blanchett, Savior of Istvan. Which is too awkward for her to share! She's just normal Sister Esther!]

Mostly I go with high ranking people to places as their companion! Sometimes I protect them..

[takethat]

What! That sounds incredibly dangerous!

[And now Esther has a lawyer worrying about her.]

I mean the "protecting high-ranking people" part... not the "ambassador" part...

[starhipped]

Oh, n-no! Usually, I'm .. well, usually, I'm safe!

[Except for, you know, the multiple times she's been injured or almost died. Which she will never tell you about.]

It's rarely just me by myself!

[takethat]

But sometimes it is?? That's not okay...! Who decides that kind of stuff, anyway?

[starhipped]

A-Ah, well, I'm not really in the position to refuse... and really, I like going on missions and meeting the interesting people! Besides, I'm very safe!

My superior is actually here - the Duchess of Milan?

[takethat]

Duchess! I haven't ever met a Duchess... are there other people from your world here, too?

[starhipped]

Yes. Technically, she's the Duchess of Milan, Cardinal Caterina S'forza, sister of His Holiness, the Pope. And both Her Eminence and Father Tres are here with me.

[takethat]

That name is a mouthful and a half, huh? ...nice to have people you know here with you though, isn't it?

[starhipped]

Mm! She usually doesn't use all of - just Her Eminence.

[And Esther obviously hesitates.]

It .. is comforting.. I don't spend a lot of time with them... A-Ah, not that that is a bad thing! Her Eminence is a very busy woman and I am not the type of person who is very importance and ..

[takethat]

That's surprising--I can't imagine anyone not wanting to spend time with you. You're such a nice person!

[Phoenix what are you doing]

...then again, ah... I don't see a lot of my friends from home, either, come to think of it.

[starhipped]

T-Thank you!

[She and Caterina have some .. things .. to not talk about.]

Are there people here with you from home?

[takethat]

Oh, yeah! Maya Fey--do you know her? Everybody seems to. And then this guy named Larry, and another guy, Edgeworth. They're all from back home.

[starhipped]

Ah, no, I haven't met any of them, I don't think. Maybe I'll keep my eyes out for them! Are you all friends?

[takethat]

We sure are!

[Then he considers that claim.]

Well... I can't really remember Larry that well from before. I think that's my loss.

[starhipped]

Your loss..

[She'd heard of this, but she had yet to really, fully discover hers. She had her suspicions.]

That must be difficult, not being able to remember...

[takethat]

I think it's harder on him than it is on me. Supposedly he and I were best friends once, but I feel completely neutral toward him... and I think that hurts his feelings.

[It makes Phoenix incredibly uncomfortable to feel like he's causing so much emotional trouble for someone he supposedly likes, too.]