Thais

[Shaping some clay over in a grassy corner of Sharlayan. That's a lot of clay.]

[Oh! They're full-sized now...? Thais is standing about in the typical sinister Ascian robes, thanks to Lahabrea...]

...

[Inspecting themself...]

...I stand out too much...

!!

[Oh--!? They inspected themself, having had their clothing changed before they had a chance to react...]

...d-doesn't this look a bit...sinister...?

((PUNCHING WALLS i love them))

"...such a thing..."

With some hesitation, nonetheless, they took the brush, the palette, and gazed at the canvas.

"I think...I might be nervous to um...do so while watched..."

Yes...

[...was that a smile? It wasn't here anymore, but for just a second... a trick of the light or otherwise... it was unsettling.]

M-my apologies...I'll be on my way...

[They trotted away, leaving him alone.]

...n-new ones? These are not okay...?

[They inspected themself while perched in his palm.]

M-maybe, um...I could seek acceptable clothing if you were able to help me with the issue of my size...?

S-"someone" is a bit vague... the um... "sundered" are unpredictable and frightening, and...Emet Selch said I should come to hate them.

He is also...likely to squish me if I try to follow him around, I think.

...!!! A compliment-- oh! No! S-snatch...! Stealing...? Such a thing happens here? O-oh dear...

...wh...what should I do? I do not want such a thing...

I...I see...that's good.

[Scary....they were both so scary....even more so now.]

He said I could walk around freely...

--!!

[PANIC.]

...yes. I, ah...we met...and spoke...

[Thais nervously adjusted themself in his hand, trying not to lose their balance.]

Are you two, um...not in agreement anymore...?

Th-th...that I do not know....! Um...! I am...not from this time...or so I think...ah...

[Wriggle...]

...j-just a few weeks ago I was speaking to you in Pandaemonium, but now...

E-eeeep...! ...y-yes. I am here...somehow...

[Still mammet-sized. Fidget. Fidget.]

...a-are you going to try to put me somewhere again?

Y-yes. It is a bit difficult to follow that convocation members have such different agendas now, but...I understand.

I'll...I'll do my best to be useful, and...to despise this world, as you said...

...oh...okay. I see... I am free to wander about until such a time...? That is quite generous...

Eh...ah--

[They flinched, expecting everything to go dark...but it did not. They were still thinking, perceiving...]

...wh...what did you do...exactly? I feel...quite the same...

[trapped under a bookshelf........but making noise would be a disturbance..............so they quietly accept their fate......................]

...

Y...yes. Thank you for your kind words...

[Thais didn't believe them, but to keep refusing would be rude, and so, they merely timidly agreed.]

I apologize...I did not play the game properly and even made you worry...

Eep-!

[He could feel a light tremor. They certainly weren't used to being looked at so directly...and especially not being touched, no matter how mildly.]

...th-that's why...I...
...I shouldn't...

It was...Azem's idea, not his, really...

[Thais continued to fumble awkwardly, averting their gaze, even with their cracked mask and crooked bangs hiding their eyes.]

...I...I can imagine him being...indifferent. That does not feel good either, so...

....!!

N...no. I...would not want to burden him with such...unnecessary things...

[They lowered their head, fidgeting awkwardly.]

He already does so much, and...

...I do not think he likes me very much.

O-oh! How kind...um...

...maybe...marry Hermes...? He wouldn't or shouldn't settle for someone like, me, but...

...oh! But then the other two options should happen before marriage, I think...! ...u-unless, then I would be ruined for marriage...?

...this is a very stressful game. I surrender.

C...can the kill be replaced with another option...perhaps...??

ALIVE--?

Eeep...

E-eeek--?! For.. for being a problematic existence...???

...

[As before, so long ago, they simply lowered their head.]

O...okay. I apologize... if it is better to seal me, then...that is fine.

[Agreeable to a fault. He could use them however he pleased, and they'd never object. Certainly more convenient than his other pawns, but...]

I apologize...

I...I-I am sorry, Emet Selch, but...it is difficult to decide when you say it like that.

I only want to be useful...but, I am a little worried that maybe if I have a larger body, my...condition might get more dangerous...

...again...

You, um...said you were 'empty', so I thought...

...you'd feel better full?

...is it...unwelcome, maybe...?