[hr][center][h3][u][b][Stoneworks - Interior][/b][/u][/h3][/center]
[center][A Chaotix14 / XianaEvermor Collaboration][/center][hr]

[color=#0050ff][b]"You know that was never my intention. I hadn't thought about what would be visible from the awakened perspective, especially one time dilated and synergizing with items... And now that I think about it, that was real stupid of me."[/b][/color] He looked at the cards on the table then back at Yue. [color=#0050ff][b]"I'm... Sorry for having you experience that due to my lapse in judgement."[/b][/color] he said slowly really thinking about his choice of words and his actions.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"It's... that was a thing... that happened,"[/color][/b] Yue muttered, sipping at her coffee while trying to parse what exactly she just experienced.


[color=#018c3b][b]"That being said, it's also quite an accomplishment to make her keep playing a game that is absolutely unwinnable."[/b][/color] Zolya piped up towards Archer. Which prompted an almost immediate response from Raudd. [color=#0050ff][b]"No it's not. Because I know this one..."[/b][/color] He said reaching towards the table and bringing down his fist on an empty area far away from the cards, causing them to jump up in the air slightly. [color=#0050ff][b]"...Is a seven."[/b][/color] He finished grabbing one of the cards in the moment they were airborne and revealing it to be in fact, 7 - The Archer. [color=#0050ff][b]"I could see you switch this one up while she was grabbing for it."[/b][/color]

[b][color=#c45302]"There's actually four ways to win, and only one of them involves collecting all the cards,"[/color][/b] grinned Archer.  [b][color=#c45302]"The other three are: exposing my method of cheating (which has its own set of rules), learning the lesson the game is meant to teach, and outlasting my patience which... we've been at this for nearly eight years now, and its in my nature to be competitive, so..."[/color][/b]

[color=#018c3b][b]"So what you are saying realistically there is only one way to win this game for Yue. Exposing your method of cheating. Her not having learned the lesson after nearly eight years shows that it's too subtle for someone who has no context for what is happening."[/b][/color] She said as she traced part of the array on the table with her finger. [color=#018c3b][b]"Collecting all the cards is practically impossible without figuring out the cheats you use and outlasting your patience isn't going to happen within this lifetime with that attitude of yours."[/b][/color]

[color=#0050ff][b]"Anyways, we're getting a little off topic here."[/b][/color] Raudd said to interrupt his sisters rant about the games generally poor ability to do what it's supposed to do. [color=#0050ff][b]"And I do think it's a bit of a tall ask to just accept that all this magic bullshit is real."[/b][/color] 

[b][color=#c45302]"It's not a band-aid that you can just [i]rip off[/i], Freyja.  Fang has been through a lot, and not just today.  Undoing the damage caused by a careless diagnosis and irresponsible prescriptions takes time,"[/color][/b] he huffed, Zolya's response having clearly struck a nerve.  [b][color=#c45302]"My methods may seem obtuse-"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Wait...,"[/color][/b] Yue cut him off, his words seeming to snap her back to reality.  [b][color=#CE2B95]"What do you know about my diagnosis?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#c45302]"Honey, please.  I'm the Director's Executive Assistant, I have access to all of HR's records.  We've [i]all[/i] been fighting behind the scenes to get you proper care because we all have [i]EYES[/i] and can see you getting worse under that hack.  Even [i]Arcanist[/i] has your back, and he doesn't stick his neck out for anyone but [i]himself[/i].  The situation's delicate though,"[/color][/b] he explained, folding his legs and balancing the leaf-rimmed card by its corner on one finger.  [b][color=#c45302]"Someone in the upper echelon has been working against specifically you, and until we find out who, we have to play by the rules.  Those rules just happen to involve miles of red tape.  I can speak candidly about it [i]here[/i] because there's no risk of this conversation making it back to them."[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"What...?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#c45302]"You're [i]NOT[/i] sick,"[/color][/b] Archer stated, bluntly.  [b][color=#c45302]"You never were; I just couldn’t ever come out and [i]say[/i] that to you because I'm under constant scrutiny,"[/color][/b] Archer huffed.  Yue flinched at having her inner voice echoed back to her, and couldn't hold back the stinging behind her eyes.

It too Raudd a little bit of effort when despite what Archer had just claimed, he just pulled off the band-aid. Using the momentary silence that followed from Archer’s statement Raudd spoke up. [color=#0050ff][b]"Now, I know you're bound by all sorts of rules top-side, but that doesn't mean we can't scheme like the fey from down here."[/b][/color] He said with an almost devious smile, this was more his element than the straight magic bullshit. [color=#0050ff][b]"First things first, make sure you never take any of those crap medications you don't need."[/b][/color] He said to Yue making a concerted effort to mellow out his smile.

[color=#0050ff][b]"I'm betting they won't allow her to skip her medication, so I have a few suggestions of how to deal with that. If you could bring the pills she has to take down here, I'm betting Zafira can make sugar pills that look exactly like the prescription drugs. Otherwise we could employ one of the sylphs hanging around here as a guardian spirit for Yue, they'll be able to cast illusions on some harmless c vitamins to make them look like those prescription drugs to the human eye and those fancy camera's you guys have in the tower."[/b][/color] He said nearly rattling off the thoughts as they moved through his head.

[color=#018c3b][b]"Ehm, it wouldn't be a good idea to stick with the sylph plan for longer than a week though. They are quite reliant on the abundance of nature around them or they will grow weaker by the day and any air pollution is like poison to them."[/b][/color] Zolya quickly mentioned to make clear that the sylph idea wasn't a long term solution.

Yue listened uncomfortably, and Archer's gaze flicked between her and the siblings.  He sighed, deflating a little,

[b][color=#c45302]"Listen, before you go and make [i]too[/i] many plans... Fang,"[/color][/b] he addressed, turning to Yue.  [b][color=#c45302]"I wouldn't necessarily call them [i]friends[/i]... but these people can be trusted.  Their views have a tendency to clash with my station, but I don't disagree with them, and they're well-meaning in spite of how heavy handed they're being.  [i]You[/i] have to want this though, nobody can force you.  If you decide you don't want to be here, I will take you away from this place,"[/color][/b] he stated, flicking his gaze towards the siblings for a moment.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"I... need a minute to think,"[/color][/b] muttered Yue, as she withdrew into her seat.  She cradled her coffee gingerly as her shoulders relaxed.  She took a soft breath through her nose, and tuned out the world, letting it stop around her as she sipped from her cup.