bakerstreet | It's what I deserve

Say it again, but this time with conviction, Bubblegum. It's true.

Ahah, I s...

[ Actually the nickname throws her off for a second - she's never been called that before! ]

Bubblegum?

You're sweet and pink and for all I know, derived from tree resin. It's not the kind of thing you ask someone until you know them better.

[ Okay sweet and pink she gets but tree resin? It was so strange a thought she can't help but giggle - though she caught herself, realizing that maybe wherever he was from people WERE derived from tree resin?? She didn't want to judge -- but it was still in the back of her head as being odd. ]

O-oh, I see. Well, I can tell you for certain that I'm not, if that helps..!

[ Bill adds, carelessly, though he's not disguising a mild curiosity that she's giggled at it - he made someone laugh, and not nervously. Neat. ] I don't use given names much. Sometimes, though. Didn't get the name on your birth certificate yet, or give you mine, either. Whoops! Still learning.

I'm Bill Cipher!

Hey, do you always try to distract people from the fact that you're not sure you should be happy, or was that a coincidence?

Oh! You're right, I'm sorry about that! My name is Agnes Claudel - you can call me Agnes.

[ No need for formality! She had more than enough of that. Though as for the second question? Yes. Yes 100% ]

...Eheh, it wasn't intentional..! [ That time. ] But you're right, I guess I do sometimes change the subject on that. It's a bad habit of mine.

Wow, that's a great name. I might break my nickname policy and use that. [ He tips his hat delightedly at the open offer to call her Agnes. ] Just Bill's fine here then.

Hey, listen, you really helped me out before and I'm capable of being grateful for that, so let me tell you something. A person feels how they feel and they really can't control that much. So if you're thinking it's too early to be happy after your friend - [ He thinks hard to figure out how to try to gentle 'died suddenly', guessing that bluntness won't be welcome. ] Uh... isn't around now, I think I get why. But you said he was a nice guy, so I don't think he'd want you to go around forcing grief on yourself 24/7. It seems like he really cared about you!

[ So Bill was listening. Remarkably well, in fact. ] And you've been there for your friend too, so maybe you can celebrate the minor victories sometime.

Really? You like it that much? [ She was pleased, she liked her name too, obviously. But most she's encountered like to use nicknames. ]

Okay, Bill then. [ She's quiet, thinking about that - to be fair she felt like her other friends were much closer to the man who died than she was, but she appreciated Bill's attempt at reassurance. Her gaze shifted away, and she gave a small nod. ]

You're right, he wouldn't want any of us to feel guilty and be sad after his death still - and I feel that my other friends who were closer to him probably feel even more so than me. I should really be trying to help them more than grieving over his loss, and that of everyone who died in that disaster. But you have a good point - I should put more energy into celebrating his life and helping the ones who were even more deeply affected.

Yeah! 'Agnes' has fantastic cadence, and it's old-timey but in the 'it's a classic' way, not the 'it's kinda motheaten and tired' way. Nothing wrong with that either, but this one feels like it suits you. Aggie, Agate, A-Gate... Even Ace and Nessie, at a push, and I'm always down for wordplay. What does it mean, anyway?

I get that one from the money. [ So it's not his original name, but he likes it a lot. Bill watched her look away, trying to parse what that means and coming up with a few possibilities. She's obviously conflicted, anyway. ]

Trying to help - Hahaha! [ Ironic. ] You're turning this into a fine art. Does helping other people really feel as good as you make it seem? Or are you doing it because you think it's your duty?

[ Boy she's glad he didn't say it was old timey in the 'kinda motheaten and tired' way. Though at mention of Agate, she looked thoughtful. ]

Actually, I think Agate is the name of one of the Bracers back home. I think I remember my friend Renne telling me about him. [ Well, mostly about her best friend's crush on him, which Agnes could certainly relate to, with the guy being a few years older. ]

But my name means 'pure' or 'holy'. [ It fit, not just for her personality (though she was no saint), but some of her personal skills did relate to healing and protective barriers. ~~And bashing people on the head from behind with a giant squeaky mallet~~ ]

So it's safe to assume you like money a lot? [ Most people do, actually. Especially those who don't have it. She did brighten a lot at the question though. ]

Oh no, I truly enjoy helping other people. When I see someone in trouble or suffering, I can't help but want to ease their burden or help them in some way. [ How to describe.. ]

I get a warm sensation when I see someone smile after they've been helped, knowing that I had a small part in putting a smile on their face, or helping them through a troubling situation. Especially if they have no one else to turn to - that's sort of what I do when I'm helping out with my part time job. But even outside of work, I would still help people who need it, like my friends and fellow classmates at the academy.

Fun naming conventions in your dimension all around. [ And no weirder than calling a kid Beryl, to be fair. ] Pure or holy, huh? Talk about expectations.

Huh? Oh. Yeah, I guess so. If it's backed by gold it's probably alright. Mostly it was about getting an image of myself out there in the world so I could see through it, and learn more about people. I can look through things that look like me.

That's sweet! You're a good egg. You remind me of Shooting Star, except older, obviously. So your power fantasy is helping people. It does kinda make sense. What happens if you run across someone who's really selfish?

Things that look like you? So if someone were to take a picture of you, you could see whatever was around it through that photo? That's amazing! [ Some talent! Though she wondered how specific that was - was it an actual thing that looked like him just any ol' triangle? ]

Oh? Who's Shooting Star? [ Ah, well, she's run across a few people who were selfish in a way already, so.. ]

Well, that depends on how they're selfish really. I wouldn't be able to use the same response for everyone. Do you have an example?

It's what I deserve

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Lol that nickname

Bill is incorrigible

Lol

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