Welcome to Gaia! ::

Angeles moved back up the stairs, having a sort of pleasant conversation with her fellow hunter, but it was cut short by Gren's reappearance. She shut the door behind her and walked over to the already wilting bouquet that Emily had brought her and sighed.

D watched her leave up the stairs before looking back at Gren and Emily but remained silent in his seat.

"I don't think it is worry that you are angry with her," said D glancing at Gren with a sense of serenity around him, "it's her own guilt that makes her flee."

D shrugged slightly, "I don't think it matters. Though I believe she still plans on being killed by that man."

"You, herself, anyone who may try to take advantage of her present weakness," D tilted his head down slightly and ran his fingers against the unfinished carving of the three foxes on the table, "I've been hired indefinitely until she can defend herself again, and she realizes what she has done was stupid. And won't think of doing it again."

"Weakness that is self-inflicted," Sosol commented out of nowhere, his brows furrowed. "I've been thinking a lot about it...I have never seen those stones inactive, and none of us would keep them constantly draining her like that..."

Azana blinked, trying to think back...she hadn't been paying much attention to Angeles, in full honesty, but she hadn't seen them off, either. They were made to go either way...was she really punishing herself that much, or just keeping herself open to another attack?

"I think she was counting on no one noticing," he replied, playing with the melting ice in his glass. "I haven't said anything to her about it..."

"It likely wouldn't change anything if you did," Azana muttered, her arms folded. "I suppose it's a bit better than one of us simply being sadistic...but maybe something good can come of this."

"I swear I didn't spike your drink..."

"I mean it...sometimes, being taken down a peg or two can provide new perspective. Maybe that's just what she needs...even if she thinks she's just waiting for another opportunity to set herself up."

"That could be a reason in and of itself...activate them herself so she retains control of it." Azana reasoned with a shrug, never really understanding Angeles' thought pattern. "But yeah...Chris is the only one who can remove it, and Angeles can only turn it off herself...unless, of course, Stella and I override both protocols."

"You can do that?"

"Well, yes, as its creators...but we'd have to effectively disassemble the enchantment to do so. The choker would be useless at that point, and we'd have to do the whole ritual over again to get it working."