<div align="center"><a name="user_fuschsiafox"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The Fuchsia Fox and an Artifact Absent</strong></span></a></div><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/3f/cb/51/3fcb513183b094b643a10c74bed38b1e.jpg)</div><strong>NAME:</strong>Date Toshiro<br/><strong>DAY:</strong>December 26th, 2018 | 1:30 PM<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong>SOPHE, Second Floor Balcony<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>Nerissa | Mentions: Albion, Rinessa<br/><strong>EXTRA:</strong><br/><strong>WEARING:</strong>An overly large gray hoodie with a Polkadot Stingray emblem (https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.746250090.2683/ssrco,lightweight_hoodie,mens,grey_lightweight_hoodie,front,square_product,x600-bg,f8f8f8.2u3.jpg), black jeans, and his worn running shoes.<br/><hr/><br/>With the soft press of Nerissa's lips against his cheek and the gentle way she wiped away his tears Toshiro almost felt as if it were not for the small hands that held his gaze in place with a strength his worn body couldn't seem to overcome, that he would have turned his gaze from those enormous golden eyes that looked at him with such undue or cruelly fabricated tenderness in shame for his accusations. It was undeniably tiring to foster distrust against someone who seemed to radiate such a selfless persona, whose every action and word spoke to a charitable heart that couldn't possibly have done wrong against him. However in spite of her gentle touch, her kind words, her almost maternal presence, it did not compare against the similar traits held by the one who had shattered him, and so even still the seed of doubt remained.<br/><br/>As Nerissa told him how deserving he was of love, Toshiro couldn't help but close his eyes to not have to continue meeting her gaze. Her words were kind, they were eloquent, and he wanted more than anything to believe them because they spoke to the hope he held every day for someone to share himself with. Unfortunately above everything else, her words were wrong. He couldn't tell her that he hadn't always been alone, he couldn't tell her that there had been someone who had known and appreciated who he truly was, and he couldn't tell Nerissa that the price of his happiness had been the well being of those Nerissa claimed that Toshiro cared for more than himself.<br/><br/>Slowly opening his eyes to once again regard Nerissa's tender features and demeanor, he managed with a voice barely above a whisper for the lack of conviction for which his words were spoken, “Thank you, I... I hope you're right.” If Nerissa was who she claimed to be rather than the creature who had attacked him, her kindness made her utterly deserving of believing what she had said. For the potential of her being as benevolent a demoness as she seemed, Toshiro could carry the weight of another lie for her sake. The decision felt all the more vindicated with the gentle press of her delicate lips against his forehead.<br/><br/>Tired eyes widening in near disbelief, the scales between trust and otherwise in Toshiro's mind would have tipped heavily against Nerissa and her largely unlikely story were it not for the unmitigated charity she had been showing him. “You have an evil twin sister.” Toshiro repeated this both incorrect assessment and gross simplification more for the bleak humor in the situation rather than to call her words into question, a short sudden laugh proving itself regrettable as his body winced in pain at the sharp exhalation. Beyond the warmth of Nerissa's personality however, there were a few concepts she mentioned regarding this Rinessa that made a few odd events the night before seem more understandable in light of this new information. “He dragged mud into the Lounge, Albion wouldn't have done that even if he was having a hard night, he wouldn't have done that to Tulip, she's been too good to both of us. He... she didn't...”<br/><br/>Again Toshiro had to laugh, one hand now running through his hair in disbelief as the other gripped at his ribs, “She didn't say my name once, not Toshiro, not Toshi, nothing. She called us a 'sad pair' and that's it. I just thought he was being casual, but she didn't even know my name.” Biting his lip in admonishment for his continued idiocy, he continued as he sheepishly added, “I didn't want to assume things between you and Albion but... I mean you two seem close, you'd at least know about the scars even if you hadn't seen them. But last night, his chest was so smooth as I... her chest...” Again Toshiro couldn't help but feel a sudden sense of sickening revulsion at the thought that he'd had such an intimate moment based entirely around deception and malevolent intent.<br/><br/>Nerissa's point regarding the delicate nature of her illusions meant fairly little to Toshiro as if she were lying, her powers as an illusionist might make it fairly easy to fake the projection's fragility. Still, he couldn't dismiss the chance that she was telling the truth, and it would be irresponsible for Toshiro to not remember her potential weakness.<br/><br/>Part of Toshiro immediately missed the presence of Nerissa's body against his as she stood up, but he was far too stunned by what followed to dwell on it. No sooner had Nerissa pushed her head to the ground than had Toshiro quickly made his way to her side, his body crying against the sudden movement, his pants soaking through with the recently fallen snow as he sat down next to her. Placing his hands on her cheeks as she had done to him, he tried to lift her face to regard him with the strength he could muster before firmly saying with eyes locked onto hers, “Nerissa, if you're telling the truth, you have... you have nothing to apologize for, and you don't owe me anything. If this wasn't you, then this wasn't your fault. You're not responsible. Sisters shouldn't take the blame for what their siblings have done, no matter how terrible, how monstrous.” While his voice was thoroughly reassuring, there was a look in his eyes that bore a burning anger, however the gentle weight of his hands made it apparent that this was not aimed towards Nerissa.<br/><br/>“Punishing you wouldn't fix what was done Nerissa, but getting the statue back would go a long ways towards making things better.” He avoided saying that the situation would be resolved, because there was only one way to make things square, but Nerissa's kindness had earned her ignorance in what Toshiro saw as justice in this matter. If Rinessa had done this horrible thing, if she was capable of doing it again, if she had no remorse and no desire to atone for what she had done, there was only one answer to the situation. However at the moment the pressing issue was the retrieval of the statue, and freeing Nerissa of her ill perceived burden, Toshiro's vendetta could and would be pursued later.