video - no melody will soothe this outrage

[digophelia]

[ Here is Alice. Here is Alice trying to tune her lute and after a few strokes, Alice manages to remember a melody. ]

Ah, it surprises me, even now, I remember how to play it. It's been a few months.

[ It does sound a bit better after she's tuned it a few times. Maybe it was that out of tune? ]

And how the piano lessons I had as little girl have never really faded away. String or piano, music notes and scales are hard to forget. It's odd to think how much I used to loathe piano lessons as a little girl.

[ That's fine. Alice treasures them more as an adult, now. Especially this lute. ]

I recall some faces here in Osaka, but others... not so much. I do hope some of you have stayed out of some trouble, yes? I'm certain that some of you are already dreading the inevitable fussing from me.

Tell me, then, if you remember me... what did I miss?

[ That's her strange way of saying she misses some of you. ]

Comments

[perma_banned]

I guess I can take a hit better than most fellas, so there is that. Helps when I'm supporting so many pacifists.

[digophelia]

I'm sure you thoroughly enjoy that.

[ But now she really wonders. ]

What do you recall of Perdition's Rest?

[perma_banned]

Kahaha~.

[More than she knew.]

It was a borin' town for the most paaaaarrt. Lots of bandits and metal workers. [His term for the machines, anyway.]

Aside from the fightin', I didn't really pay much attention. It ain't like I'm the investigative type--I leave that to the smarter fellas.

[digophelia]

[ Alice can play apathetic for a bit more.

No, no, she can't. She just ends up gaping at Ban for a bit. This is more awkward than she likes to admit. She still hasn't forgotten Gintoki pummeling him. ]

You didn't pay much attention...?

[ But he just appeared there. Alice still even has a bit of a scar. ]

I would say that some of your actions are contrary to that, as much as you may loathe to hear those words.

[perma_banned]

Well, it's true.

[Regardless of what he did, Ban assumed Alice was referring to his grunt work. He focused on the most simplistic parts of his own story.]

I didn't do anythin' real complex. I left the real thinking to everybody else.

[digophelia]

I beg to differ on that, Ban.

[perma_banned]

You're givin' me a whole lot more credit than I deserve. I didn't figure out any cures for the parasites or how to fix anythin'.

[digophelia]

I wasn't referring to that.

[ She has to keep herself from snapping at him. ]

You say you didn't do anything complex, then why did you pull me aside back there?

[perma_banned]

[There was the case that he was drunk as well as the fact that he had been gone for months.

Ban had also saved people he hated none the less people he did actually like, Alice included. It didn't make an impression on him to do anything like that.]

I think you're tryin' to take me for some sorta mystery. What're you talkin' about?

[digophelia]

I could have bled to death; gunshots are certainly painful, but not as terrible as being burned. You don't recall that?

[ A pause and Alice also adds- ]

And I hope I never have to drink blood ever again.

[perma_banned]

[Ban's chin jutted out just a touch at that. That's what she was referring to? It was probably going to be difficult for him later on if she remembered that much.]

More so, I imagine you'd much rather you didn't get shot, again.

[He looked aside, somewhat irritable.]

Still not a major errand. I'm not supposed to idly watch my allies die, am I?

[digophelia]

No, I would definitely not. Though it wasn't painful as I thought it would be.

[ Wait, what? ]

When you put it that way, you make it sound like a chore. You consider me an ally?

[perma_banned]

We got forced into the same lil' army, didn't we~?

[Ban offered Alice a shrug and sneer that went hand in hand.]

Whether or not we wanted in, it's too late to deny a fact like that.

[digophelia]

Indeed, we are. I would agree, but there is more than that. I expected you to loathe me.

[ A pause. ]

You said that you liked me.

[perma_banned]

Now, that's a stretch. [Without missing a beat, Ban smiled humorlessly.]

You hear strange things when you're really low on blood, huh?