[Rina]

"......I think we're both on the same page."

"I've known Arle and Rulue for as long as I can remember. We've traveled together, fought together...but I didn't feel any closer than I have compared to my first encounter. But those two? They seem so closely knit together that it feels as if I'm permanently locked out. Until I stepped over a boundary and learned what I did wrong, I had no desire to connect with them. But now...?"

Schezo turned down his head, eyes toward the ground.

"...I feel some cruel god is twisting the knife and making me pay for my wrongs. I want to connect with them, but I feel my attempts are falling on deaf ears. I want to better myself by being a better friend, but I think I've already burned the bridges. I don't feel deserving of calling them friends. Even despite Arle telling me it's okay to call her that, I don't feel qualified. I've done too many wrongs to her to be entitled."

"I can't describe it in a single word, but..."

Schezo begins to tremble subtly...

"I think we're on the other side of a burned bridge."

He doesn't show it, but from the delivery of his sentences, it's evident how emotionally pained he sounds. No tears, no sobbing...just the voice of a broken, lost boy. Even how unflappable he normally is, even he has his limits. A lot of Raffina's problems are hitting close to home to him, and it's making him lose his composure.

[Mari]

Raffina considered Schezo's words carefully, quietly absorbing the reality of what he was saying. She wasn't the most observant girl around, so hearing him explain things to her really helped her grasp where thy stood. And then... she laughed. Not a laugh of contempt or one of her controlled noblewoman's laughs, but something more genuine and unrestrained. An embarrassed little giggle as she looked back over how afraid she'd been of alienated Schezo. And then? She stepped forward with intent in her movement and an amiable expression on hr face, closing what little distance remained between them and reaching up to wrap her arms around Schezo's shoulders, pulling him in for a rather affectionate hug. "They say that with enough people on your side of the river, you can build your own bridges~" Raffina would softly reply. She still felt rather strongly anxious about her relationship with her classmates, but... having someone who understood how she felt was a pleasant change of pace. She wasn't alone, like she'd thought, and she never would be at this rate. It wasn't perhaps clear what she meant by her comment. It could have been interpreted as an offer to help Schezo reconnect with Arle and Rulue, but that was on lofty promise. Alternatively, it could have been interpreted as an offer not to worry about them because they had each other. Either way, it seemed like Raffina was a lot more content with the way things were right now. Maybe if Schezo and Amitwo could accept her, other important people could too! ...She just had to build up the courage to ask.

[Rina]

"Hm? What's so- whoa!"

Schezo seemed puzzled as to why she giggled at his rather blunt honesty. Did he say something funny...? He never was too good with his words. He, however, eventually got his answer when Raffina tiptoed up to him for an affectionate embrace, which actually surprised him. Affection? Directed to him? Practically unheard of! All this time, Schezo would get spat on, Still...It wasn't bad. It felt nice. It left him speechless for a moment, and frozen in place to process what just happened and what he was told.

"............I needed to hear that. Thank you."

Just hearing that gave Schezo a bit of a hope spot on trying to be a better friend towards Arle and Rulue. Though, how could he try and be a better friend to two girls that treat him like garbage? Schezo has never really done anything wrong to screw them over, other than being rude or his pursuits in Arle's power that he is trying to abandon. He doesn't feel entitled to call them his friends. How could he establish himself as a new self towards his long-time companions...?

[Mari]

Schezo would find a hand reaching out to take his own, the newly rekindled pinkette's spirit making her quite amiable for once. "You're welcome, ...Mr. Schezo~? Let's go find Ms. Amitwo. Maybe we can catch the mirage during a transition period." she offered, moving to lead Schezo off in search of the Magical Girl's Lodge. With any luck Arle wouldn't be there to question Schezo's presence and she could just draw Amitwo out without bothering anyone. For now, though, there was research to be done.

(End Thread)