The Causeway [Late Thursday morning]

[sorella_vecchia]

Triela was standing at the Causeway when Hilshire arrived to pick her up. She was feeling okay, but the headache was slowly building again. Her back was straight, her posture solid. No trembles today, at least

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[glacial_witch]

Karla had finally caught up on radio, and had spent half the afternoon looking for Triela. "Triela!" she yelled, dashing for the Causeway. "Wait! Hold on!"

[sorella_vecchia]

Triela paused in her quick stride and turned. Hilshire paused and turned a second or so later.

"Hey, Karla." Triela mustered a smile. Hilshire settled for a nod.

[glacial_witch]

Hilshire got an absent nod back, Triela got an assessing look with Craft. "I--you--why didn't you call?" Karla said, debating whether she should just pull Triela in for a big hug. "I wasn't so busy with maenads and sacrifices that I wouldn't have--"

She clamped her mouth shut. This wasn't about her and making about her was just immature and selfish. "Have you figured out what's wrong?" she asked instead.

[sie_bruder]

"Not yet," Hilshire answered. "We're going back to Rome to run some tests."

As for the why Triela didn't call bit... Well, she just shrugged. It was almost an apologetic gesture, but... not quite. This was Triela.

[glacial_witch]

"You were just afraid I'd steal your boots, is that it?" Karla teased, understanding that was as close to an apology as she'd get.

A horrible thought occurred to her. "Do you think--might I have done this? By Healing you? I Healed the other-Triela, but she had mostly kicked off the Conditioning. Did I--?"

She turned off the impulse to guilt and apologize. Neither of those would be helpful right now. Instead, she had to put forward the possibility, so that Hilshire and Triela could have every bit of information necessary to speed up Triela's healing.

"What I mean is, I used Craft to Heal you in Bulgaria. Could what I did have put something off-balance. Is that something you need to be concerned about?" she asked, her eyes darting between the two.

[sie_bruder]

Hilshire's eyebrow rose slowly and he glanced over at Triela.

She smiled just a bit. "You said that last year, in that other Fandom, you healed me. And that there weren't any problems. So I don't think you messed anything up."

[glacial_witch]

"She wasn't quite you," Karla reminded. "But, as long as you're sure. I just wanted to make sure you thought of everything when you're going to get tested. I want you to get better and come home fast," she said, leaning over to give Triela a gentle hug. "I might miss you when you're gone, or something."

[sorella_vecchia]

"I'll hurry back," Triela promised, hugging back a bit gingerly. Then, dropping her voice, she whispered into Karla's ear. "I've got a backup pistol under my mattress if you need it for... anything." Someone kept a mental calendar.

[glacial_witch]

Karla nodded. "I'll keep that in mind," she promised. "I'll also try to behave myself when you're away. Including not trying to contact your cobbler while you're out of commission."

[sorella_vecchia]

"I'll be in Rome," Triela reminded Karla with a small grin. "And most of my guns are there."

Hilshire just stood there with a ghost of a smile on his lips. Something might have been amusing him.

[glacial_witch]

"You'll be busy getting fussed over and tested," Karla said. "Not even thinking about your cobbler."

[sorella_vecchia]

"I can ask one of the other girls to keep an eye on him," Triela pointed out. "Rico's a better sniper than I am."

[glacial_witch]

"Meanie," Karla sighed, as if she hadn't just promised she'd behave anyway. "You'll let me know when you can? I'll worry."

Maybe she could learn how to bake bread while Triela was away! Then surprise her with some!

[sie_bruder]

"We'll take care of her," Hilshire promised firmly. They had a lot invested in the girl, after all.

[glacial_witch]

Yes, well Karla's feelings ran deeper than 'investment,' but fair enough.

"I don't doubt it," she said, giving Triela one more squeeze before stepping away. "Do you think you'll be able to find out anything about those girls while you're there? Even just how they're doing?"

[sie_bruder]

So did Hilshire's. Not that he'd ever voice that feeling.

At Karla's question, Triela turned to look curiously up at him. He nodded slightly. "I can ask Lara, if you'd like."