[She gives him a cool look when he brings up Serpenphare. She likes her snake; it's one of her earlier creations, along with Sprong, and one of her favourites.
As he continues to speak, she only grows colder. Maelle doesn't want anything to do with her, outside of working together to escape Faerie. She's made that clear, and the words are still seared into Clea's mind: it'd be better if you think of your sister as gone, too. Renoir's doppelganger is, and always has been, an enemy. Verso's doppelganger is speaking as though he might not even want to work with her to escape. With every passing day, she feels more alone, still surrounded by the ghosts of her family but if she were to reach out to any of them for support, for comfort, for anything, none would reach back...
He'd wrapped his arms around her just like Verso would have...]
This place may feel like something out of a fairytale, but it's a prison, [she snaps.] Stay yourself, if that's what you prefer. You're right that I don't care. But Maelle can't know what she really wants until she remembers the full truth. She deserves that much.
[Verso doesn't care how much she likes that snake, it's not as fun when you're on the inside of it.
He expected her to take that badly, so he's hardly surprised when he can practically feel the air grow chill around them. If they'd been in the Canvas, it might've been literal. But, blessedly, they are not.]
I'm well aware it's a cage, [He shoots back with a half-glare] But so's the Canvas. Can you blame anyone for choosing the cozier one?
[Ugh. He exhales through his teeth, trying to gesture vaguely as if that'll diffuse things.]
I've hurt Maelle more than enough. The least I can do is follow her wishes in this world. [The Canvas is... another matter.] Once she remembers, if she wants to leave, then I'll help you both. You have my word.
[Honestly, he'll help Clea leave regardless. But he can't force Maelle into that fate, after everything.]
...Just leave Alicia out of it, won't you? She deserves this second chance more than any of us. And it's not like she's going to interfere with your plans.
She's agreed to help me find a way out. That's good enough for now, isn't it? Besides, I don't know that her memories will ever come back in this world. Once we're back in ours, I can fix everything, but here...
[Clea doesn't understand how chroma works here. Something else she hates about this place.
As for the painted Alicia... Clea doubts the girl is any sort of threat herself; in fact, when she's interacted with her here, the girl's been nothing but kind. Helpful. Uncomfortably so. But she's the one potential bargaining chip Clea has to deal with the painted Renoir. The only possible way to threaten him.]
Fine, [she says after a moment.] I won't harm her. But don't ask me to promise the same for your father.
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As he continues to speak, she only grows colder. Maelle doesn't want anything to do with her, outside of working together to escape Faerie. She's made that clear, and the words are still seared into Clea's mind: it'd be better if you think of your sister as gone, too. Renoir's doppelganger is, and always has been, an enemy. Verso's doppelganger is speaking as though he might not even want to work with her to escape. With every passing day, she feels more alone, still surrounded by the ghosts of her family but if she were to reach out to any of them for support, for comfort, for anything, none would reach back...
He'd wrapped his arms around her just like Verso would have...]
This place may feel like something out of a fairytale, but it's a prison, [she snaps.] Stay yourself, if that's what you prefer. You're right that I don't care. But Maelle can't know what she really wants until she remembers the full truth. She deserves that much.
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He expected her to take that badly, so he's hardly surprised when he can practically feel the air grow chill around them. If they'd been in the Canvas, it might've been literal. But, blessedly, they are not.]
I'm well aware it's a cage, [He shoots back with a half-glare] But so's the Canvas. Can you blame anyone for choosing the cozier one?
[Ugh. He exhales through his teeth, trying to gesture vaguely as if that'll diffuse things.]
I've hurt Maelle more than enough. The least I can do is follow her wishes in this world. [The Canvas is... another matter.] Once she remembers, if she wants to leave, then I'll help you both. You have my word.
[Honestly, he'll help Clea leave regardless. But he can't force Maelle into that fate, after everything.]
...Just leave Alicia out of it, won't you? She deserves this second chance more than any of us. And it's not like she's going to interfere with your plans.
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[Clea doesn't understand how chroma works here. Something else she hates about this place.
As for the painted Alicia... Clea doubts the girl is any sort of threat herself; in fact, when she's interacted with her here, the girl's been nothing but kind. Helpful. Uncomfortably so. But she's the one potential bargaining chip Clea has to deal with the painted Renoir. The only possible way to threaten him.]
Fine, [she says after a moment.] I won't harm her. But don't ask me to promise the same for your father.