Dragonmail: Reilanin

[transfer_student]

Reilanin:

I think Alex is feeling terrible about the world right now. Could you try to cheer him up if you can?

Comments

[winterwhite]

Is that how berserkers train?...

Mm... there's a lot going on... I don't think I'm very good at it, though...

[transfer_student]

It's difficult. I don't know any special techniques.

[winterwhite]

For berserker fighting or for Alexander?

[transfer_student]

For Alex. For cheering people up at all, really.

Except cookies, but when people are genuinely upset they seem to find cookies offensive.

[winterwhite]

Mm...

He seems to have been all right, but... [ well, it's difficult to say... he told her she was enough when she asked, but she gets the feeling sometimes that she's not... and she doesn't actually want to confirm that... so she's never asked...

but... ]

I'll just ask.

[transfer_student]

Thank you, Reilanin!

[winterwhite]

...why won't you talk with him, though?

[transfer_student]

Because we're angry with one another right now.

[winterwhite]

When will you not be angry?

[transfer_student]

I'm planning on being angry for maybe three or four days.

Alex hasn't filled me in on his plans.

[and if he did he'd probably RANDOMLY CHANGE THEM]

[winterwhite]

He didn't seem angry... he went to take a bath...

Are you sure he was angry?

[transfer_student]

I'm sure. It mostly wasn't really at me, though. I think.

That's why I'm planning to get over it.

[winterwhite]

Mm...

How angry?

[transfer_student]

Yelling about 'not fucking caring.' That sort of thing.

[winterwhite]

I don't understand?

[transfer_student]

I'm not sure how to rate someone's level of anger out of context.

[winterwhite]

[ alex isn't usually angry around her, so she can't really say, either... does that mean, even right now, at this very moment, he's angry, and she can't tell?

but why would he hide it from her? ]

Mm, well, thank you for telling me.

Maybe you should be angry with him in fewer days.

[transfer_student]

I think I picked just the right amount of days!

[winterwhite]

How do you decide...?

[transfer_student]

[wait. how DID he decide?]

I thought about how angry I was and then I subtracted a day because he has his own problems.

[that's a lie

he made the number up because it sounded good]

[winterwhite]

... how angry would a day's worth be?

[transfer_student]

One day's worth is when it clouds your thinking, but it isn't about something that really matters, so it's sure to be gone after you've slept on it.

[suddenly an expert]

[winterwhite]

Oh...

What about... three days?

[transfer_student]

Ah...

Three days is if what was said does matter and goes on mattering after the fight, but you're going to forgive it because the friendship is important too. Four days is the same, just with a different balance of values.

Here.

[he draws her an EQUATION ABOUT FEELINGS involving values such as "mean things said" "how much they mattered" "strength of friendship" and "nights of sleep"

Nova what is this equation no one uses this you made it up on the spot

He doesn't even realize he's trolling; this all seems totally plausible while he's puzzling it out]

[winterwhite]

[ she reads it in all seriousness, though even to her it doesn't make any sense. ]

What if you forget to be angry and talk to them sooner?