[ words cannot describe how furious she is that Henry allowed her to become in any form attached to these creatures. why should its recklessness incite such dread? why should her stomach knot, why should she worry at all? it could be the most prudent method of proving to Henry what a gamble a deck like this is, and yet— ]
[The mushroom gives her the biggest 🥺 expression known to mankind.
Whaaaa? Why?
Henry steps forward and around, scooping the little guy up in his arms. He faces Sprezzatura.]
Because she doesn't want anyone to get hurt. Right?
[Hm. He thinks to himself that they'll not be testing this unless under dire emergency, then... A shame, but if the risk is that great, no one will allow anyone else to be the test subject, it seems.]
You are not understanding! Neither of you. This is, almost certainly, what we call "deck of hazards". I... [ she bites her thumb, the free hand; her other still clutching the deck so tightly the edges of the cards cut in ] It cannot even be stated with full understanding all of what these may do. This is incredible gift, Henry, and I cannot begin to understand how you could so easily lay claim to it.
[The mushroom continues its woeful expression but seems to get the idea that it can't argue the point when Sprezzatura is very stern on the matter. So it just lowers its arms and shuffles from foot to foot, pouting a little.]
Maybe the people who gave it to me didn't know what they were parting with. Or... [His cynicism comes into play-] They were hoping to stir up a little trouble.
Either way, we don't have to decide what to do with them now. [He steps forward, offering to take them away from her.] I didn't mean to give you something that'd just stress you out.
[The little mushroom she touches looks up at her with that same pleading face, though it softens somewhat with contentment at the attention, and eventually turns into a tiny grin.]
Not yet. I thought I’d ask you for suggestions, if you had any.
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They're cards, Sprezzatura.
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[ and the longer these cards are in their home, the keener the temptation she will feel. ]
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We can just put them away for now. We don't have any real reason to use them just yet [yet], do we?
[One mushroom goes to the edge of the desk and reaches out to tug at Sprezzatura's shirt, trying to get her attention...]
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Spwezzatula, let me pick a cawd! I’m stwong! It won’t huwt me.]
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Under no circumstances.
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Whaaaa? Why?
Henry steps forward and around, scooping the little guy up in his arms. He faces Sprezzatura.]
Because she doesn't want anyone to get hurt. Right?
[Hm. He thinks to himself that they'll not be testing this unless under dire emergency, then... A shame, but if the risk is that great, no one will allow anyone else to be the test subject, it seems.]
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Maybe the people who gave it to me didn't know what they were parting with. Or... [His cynicism comes into play-] They were hoping to stir up a little trouble.
Either way, we don't have to decide what to do with them now. [He steps forward, offering to take them away from her.] I didn't mean to give you something that'd just stress you out.
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It is as you said. How could you know?
[ "hoping to stir up trouble"...
ah, it's sickening how her entire stomach clenches at the thought. is it them? ]
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I could’ve been more curious about it. Asked more questions.
Where’d you send it?
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Somewhere curious mushrooms and men cannot reach.
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I wouldn’t risk the safety of either you or our mushrooms.
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she's denied him his fun and now his gift. it turns her more irritable. ]
They are yours, not ours.
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And you’d be upset if something did happen to them, all the same.
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[Ha. Despite her skrunkly attitude, that seems to please him.]
In which case, “ours” works just as well.
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Do you have names yet?
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Not yet. I thought I’d ask you for suggestions, if you had any.
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Hmph. Well, I am needing time to consider, then.
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