♚ fifth step ♔

[polarisation]

[ When Sefton appears on the Plane, it's a little anticlimactic. In one hand, he's holding his tarot card-the Lovers-while his other hand is up at his mouth, wiping something off. He looks around, uncertain (and maybe a tiny bit guilty) for some reason. ]

Card's still here... Did it work? How'm I supposed to tell...?

[ Standard Sefton disclaimer

Comments

[polarisation]

[ Absolutely nothing because whatever he did was in self-interest. Totally in self-interest. Sort of.

Sefton tilts the card toward himself when he notices Kyouya, not entirely certain he wants to share what card he received. ]

Did y'get a card?

[polarisation]

[ And there he goes, looking pretty darn relieved at the revelation. ] They have? [ Wait- ] How d'you know if you didn't get one?

[charmandsmiles]

[Nine is also curious, and wanders over to Sefton] Did what work?

[polarisation]

[ Looks at him, slightly wary. ]

It... Do you have a card?

[charmandsmiles]

[nods, digging it out of his pocket] I do, yep. Three of swords. You?

[polarisation]

... the Lovers. [ Shakes his head. ] Has anything... changed?

[oliverplus]

[curiously] Did what work?

[polarisation]

[ Small hesitation. ] Uh... [ something of a mumble ] Did you ever get a card?

[oliverplus]

[leans in at the mumble] No, but I heard about those. You mean you stopped them?

[polarisation]

[ Small shrug, and he is totally leaning out at Oliver's leaning in. ] Hope so.

[formervanguard]

[Marta hasn't spotted Sefton yet, but she's come to the plane with a wilted flower in one hand and a fresh one in the other. She's nervously tapping their stems together as she walks, lost in her own thoughts]

[polarisation]

[ Sefton notices her after a moment, seeing the movement in his peripheral vision, but he keeps from trying to catch her attention for now. She has a card, and an ability that's probably easier to activate than his. But... after last time, approaching her now to ask about it would probably just send all the wrong signals and maybe set him back to square one, anyway.

He sighs to himself. Why do people have to be so complicated? ]

[formervanguard]

[You want complication, Sefton? Look in a mirror.

Marta still takes no notice of Sefton. When she's busy thinking, she's busy thinking, and that has all of her attention. She stops her walking and pacing, instead taking a seat on the "floor" of the Plane and looking at both flowers - or more accurately, looking past them into whatever world her mind is currently wrapped up in.]

[polarisation]

[ ... well, how complicated could it be to just ask if her power is working or not? Keep thinking that, boyo. ]

S' it not working anymore?

[silenteden]

[Of course Kuhn is around.]

Did what work?

[polarisation]

[ You, sir, do not have a card. So Sefton just rolls his eyes a bit. ]

Nothing. Doesn't matter.

[silenteden]

You don't act like it doesn't matter, you know.

[polarisation]

'n you're an expert on how I act?