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*There is a dull thud, and then the feed flickers on - it seems somebody has thrown the book onto the ground in disgust. That somebody is a petite-looking blonde girl in the standard New Feather sundress, though her hair is tied up in tails by two black ribbons that some might say make her look like she has rabbit ears.

And she is absolutely livid; all but steaming as she speaks sharply out loud.* --the meaning of this?

Is this some pathetic joke? Have you any idea of with whom you're dealing? To take someone like me and affix these... appendages - not to mention to forcibly change my clothing? How disgusting. I feel as though I shall never be again, thanks to the hands of you perverted, mouth-breathing imbeciles.

Nago, Gii, where are you? Come here at once! Every time I imagine you cannot possibly become more useless, you prove me wrong.

Whatever feeble-minded idiot has summoned me to this place, I demand to be returned this very instant! If you are hasty, I might even deign to show you mercy - the longer you drag your heels, the more excruciating my retribution will become.

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*Okay, Rachel did not expect something like that from meek little Noel.* What are you--?! *But unfortunately, given that her immediate reaction was to yank away from Noel's outstretched hands, and given that she certainly isn't used to having these things yet...

...the combination of Rachel's pulling away and Noel's grip means that all that happens is that a feathery black wing is roughly wrenched to the side. And boy, does that hurt. Rachel might even let out a little gasp of surprise - not pain.*

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[Hear that? It's the sound of Noel's heart stopping. The gasp, whether she sounded in pain or not, is enough to get her to let go and back away in fear of fucking up something else instead.]

I... I'm so sorry! Are you okay!?

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*From the way that she's holding the wing, it seems that she's in quite a bit of pain, as her clenched teeth would further indicate. Rachel honestly can't recall the last time something has hurt this badly. What in the name of Hippocrates is going on?*

I... am fine. *She's not fine. But that doesn't mean she can't be indignant* Have-- have your meager little senses abandoned you entirely, girl? What do you possibly think you were doing?

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Y-You can't remove the wings! [You can't fool her on this one, Rachel. She knows it must have hurt.] They're extremely sensitive. I don't understand why, but removing them means you'll die here.

So... I was just trying to stop you before... [you accidentally killed yourself.]

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*Rachel's very proud and arrogant, but she's no idiot. From the way that had hurt - that it still hurts - she can guess that there's a very real possibility that what Noel is saying is the truth.

If she'd removed the wings, she would have died. The thought alone...* ...a lethal ball and chain, then. How nauseating.

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[Even though she made it slightly worse, Noel's now kind of glad she actually looked for Rachel.

And. Well... now Noel just feels really bad for her; for getting stuck in this predicament with them.] I'm sorry about this.

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*All of this sounds so intolerable to Rachel. They're stranded in a world that she cannot spatially transfer herself out of, her servants are nowhere to be found, and she is now marked as some scientist's experiment with a code - barely an identity - and these useless little appendages that will kill her if she tries to remove the evidence of her imprisonment.

It makes her seethe inwardly, no matter how composed she tries to act.* The ones that should be apologizing are the brainless leeches in control; I will make them grovel at my feet before I leave this place.

...and as for you, you should be grateful indeed that I do not punish you where you stand for laying a hand on my person.

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[While she still can, Noel should probably make use of this moment and ask...]

Um... Rachel?

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*...another flat Look.*

Yes? Out with it.

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Back in our world... is... everyone alright? [Besides the obvious group of people. B| Yes, she's assuming you might know what happened after that whole fiasco with you-know-who. BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T KNOW.]

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You've returned to your senses after your little dalliance with Terumi, if that's what you've mean.

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[...Anger.] Th-That's not...

[...]

I mean... what happened after that?

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Wounds were licked, and the slower among you finally began to grasp the magnitude of the potential challenges ahead.

But if you were praying for some world-shaking event to have transpired in the mere days since then, I'm afraid you shall be rather disappointed.

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[Cryptic as always, but from what she picked up... nothing bad happened after that.

Siiigh.] That's good to hear.

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In that we have averted a catastrophe? Yes, it is.

But I trust you realize that your freedom from your scheming little puppetmaster came at a very high price.

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[Oh boy. There shouldn't be any doubt that she wouldn't realize that; not with the look she's giving the moment she realizes just what Rachel means. And it didn't take long. Almost out of shame, Noel averts her eyes away from Rachel.]

I know. I-I know it did. [But why? Why did he go so far? She hesitates a little, and then adds:]

He... shouldn't have done that for me.

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*If Rachel feels any sympathy for the girl, her expression certainly doesn't show it.* No, he shouldn't. But what has transpired has transpired, and no amount of tears on your part will change it.

You should count yourself fortunate that he chose not to kill you instead.

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[Honestly, if all this came at such a cost, then Noel would have preferred to have just...

...no. She thinks that now, but when it comes down to it the thought of dying scares her. With the way the world is, and what she's learned... she's extremely lucky to still even be alive at this point. She's already lucky enough to be herself again. ... For now.] I'm indebted to him for that reason.

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Though your debts run far deeper than just that one man... you certainly are.

*Rachel is quiet for a moment.* Do you know why he chose to sacrifice so much for a meek little girl like you?

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[...] Why?

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Exactly why? I haven't a clue.

But for all of his many, many, many flaws, that man is... determined. His pride will not allow him to accept defeat when most would say he ought to. He fights until he is filthy and broken, and then fights further still, no matter the cost.

It is foolish and short-sighted, but... admirable, in some strange way.

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That's... [Though she didn't know him well back home, here... at least here, Noel got the chance to get to know him better.] That sounds just like him.

[Which brings up another question.] Have you known Ragna for a long time?

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*Of course she has. She's known him for lifetimes and lifetimes. But she can't say the same for how long he's known her... and that isn't something she wants to broadcast.* One might say that. Time passes much more quickly for the actors than the audience, after all.

*She goes silent and then her gaze hardens again* Of course, this is absolutely no business of someone like you.

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[... D: That stare.] I-I was just curious.

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And yet, there is an ancient adage about curiosity and the health of felines, is there not?

I have known Ragna since before he earned the name "Bloodedge." Does that satisfy your silly little curiosity?