Part 3: Behavioral Etiquette

Sotheby: Sotheby's Diary.
Sotheby: April 14th, ☀.
Sotheby: Tomorrow is my seventh birthday.
Sotheby: I love birthdays.
Sotheby: On birthdays, there are big cakes and lots of people, and we can all play together!
Sotheby: Mr. Karson promised me that when I turn seven, I can go out to play!
Sotheby: Wow! Can you imagine it? Going out!
Sotheby: Not the door to my room, but the big door to the house!
Sotheby: I can't wait! I want to go out now!
Sotheby: Anyway, just one more day until I turn seven! I can't wait!
Sotheby: Sotheby's Diary.
Sotheby: April 16th, ☁.
Sotheby: Can you believe it? I actually slept through it!
Sotheby: My birthday, I slept through it! I slept through the whole day!
Sotheby: What happened? I don't remember a thing.
Sotheby: Mr. Karson won't tell me, so I'll just have to guess.
Sotheby: I remember having a dream.
Sotheby: In the dream, there were four-legged beasts screaming. Their feet were covered in mud, and my hands and bottom were covered in mud, too.
Sotheby: And I remember laughter.
Sotheby: Whose laughter is it?
Sotheby: Oh, children! Children my age!
Sotheby: But why are they laughing?
Sotheby: Are they laughing at me?
Sotheby: ...
Sotheby: Why are they laughing at me?
Sotheby: Ah, I understand! They're the young Succaraths! The little ones!
Sotheby: I get it! They must be here, looking for Typhon.
Sotheby: Typhon wants to defeat the evil Jupiter, and the little Succaraths are Jupiter's henchmen, here to help him fight!
Sotheby: Haha, the outside world is indeed dangerous! But it's so interesting!
Sotheby: Oh, but Mr. Karson told me that my parents won't let me go out alone anymore.
Cristallo: So—you don't really have many friends, do you?
Eagle: Mission accomplished. Everything appears to be stable in the suitcase. Everyone is either entertaining themselves or resting.
Before she can finish speaking, a huge explosion erupts from Sotheby's room.
Eagle: Except for one unit.
Thick smoke billows out of the room. The twins come running out of it, laughing.
Eagle: Hey, Lisa, uh, and Louise, do you know what Ms. Sotheby is up to? Sorry, today's my turn to patrol the suitcase.
Twins Sleep: Patrol the suitcase? Lisa's never heard of that, and Louise has never heard of that, either.
Eagle: cough It's just a ... personal mission.
Eagle: The important thing is, is Ms. Sotheby's room safe now? Is there any damage?
Twins Sleep: Ms. Sotheby and Ms. Cristallo are inventing new popcorn! Popcorn!
Eagle: Are they together?
Twins Sleep: Yes! They're together. Good friends should play together.
Eagle: Right.
Eagle: Good friends should play together—there's nothing wrong with that.
The little Scout frowns.
Eagle: But Ms. Cristallo is so fragile, and Ms. Sotheby is the most mischievous child in the camp.
She shakes her head in an attempt to dismiss her worries.
Eagle: I shouldn't think like that! Yes, always look on the bright side. They seem so happy together.
Twins Sleep: Happiness is always a good thing! Happiness is always a good thing!
A distant call cuts through their conversation.
Sotheby: Excuse me! Pardon me! The fiftieth experimental product is ready!
The sound of stumbling feet comes from within the smoke.
Sotheby: I guarantee it, this is the perfect formula!
The green whirlwind of a girl breaks through the smoke, appearing before her friends.
Eagle: Ms. Sotheby, are you still working on that popcorn thing?
Sotheby: Popping Candy Popcorn? Yes! Would you like to try some? I'm sure you'll enjoy it!
Sotheby: Oh! Feel the love! Yes, feel the love! At least Ms. Cristallo would describe it that way.
Eagle takes one from Sotheby.
Twins Sleep: It tastes really good! It has a strong corn flavor!
Eagle: Mmm, it does taste good. But, where are you getting all the corn? There certainly aren't any cornfields in the suitcase.
Sotheby: Oh! Corn? I don't use any corn.
Sotheby: That's the magic of it! It has a strong corn flavor without using corn at all! And it can make people dance, sing, and dream! La-la-la-la!
Lisa and Louise exchange puzzled looks.
Eagle: You mean, you're making popcorn without corn?
Sotheby: Yes! I add corn essence, cinnamon powder, orange peel, toad powder, belladonna—
Eagle: Wait, belladonna? Toad powder?
Sotheby: Yes! Belladonna makes people happy, and toad powder makes them spit colorful bubbles!
Eagle: Aren't they poisonous?
Worry starts to overtake her.
Sotheby: Poisonous? What are you talking about?
Sotheby: I've tested it a hundred times, and I'm totally fine! It couldn't possibly be poisonous.
Sensing that something is off, Sotheby tosses a piece of popcorn into her mouth. She gives a light burp, filling the air with a sweet scent.
Sotheby: Hmm. It tastes good, but it doesn't quite make me want to jump up and down.
Eagle looks at the popcorn in her hand, then at Sotheby. She takes a deep breath.
Eagle: Ahem, Ms. Sotheby.
Sotheby: Yes?
The Lady's Code of Conduct: Revised Edition
Chapter 3: Manners and Etiquette
Eagle: I ... I ...
Eagle: Although I like you very much, and you've helped us all a lot, I still have something I have to tell you.
Eagle: I hope you'll consider keeping some distance from Ms. Cristallo. What you're doing could be harmful to her health.
The air suddenly feels thick.
Sotheby: Wh-What are you talking about?!
Eagle: What I mean to say is—ahem—that your relationship might not be good for Cristallo as a patient.
Sotheby has never been confronted with such doubt.
Sotheby: But, I assure you, the refined and processed essence I use couldn't even harm a day-old Tatzelwurm!
1. Always show calm and kindness towards others.
Eagle: There's no way to be sure.
Eagle: All I know is that the Timekeeper warned us that her health is very fragile and that we shouldn't interfere with her treatment.
Sotheby gives Eagle a wide-eyed stare.
Sotheby: Ms. Eagle. Don't you trust me?
Eagle: Uh!
Eagle scratches her face, shifting her gaze away from Sotheby.
Twins Sleep: Hmph! Lisa doesn't like this. Louise doesn't like this.
The twins pout, tugging at each other's sleeves.
The two girls stand face to face, neither willing to give in to the other.
Ms. Moissan: Did I hear mention of the Timekeeper?
Twins Sleep: Ms. Moissan!
Thank goodness, an adult has arrived.
Ms. Moissan walks over and smiles.
Ms. Moissan: Forgive me for eavesdropping. It sounds like you're having a disagreement, am I right?
Ms. Moissan questions the girls to ensure she fully understands the situation.
After hearing their explanation, she sighs.
Ms. Moissan: Perhaps—Sotheby, perhaps they're right.
Sotheby: Huh?
She looks up at Ms. Moissan in confusion.
Facing this "judgment," she sniffs, trying to pull tears from her eyes to gain the adult's sympathy.
But adults will always try to reason.
Ms. Moissan: I know it's difficult for you to accept right now, but maybe Ms. Cristallo doesn't like being disturbed?
Ms. Moissan: Allowing her more time to rest and interrupting her less often is what's best for her right now.
Sotheby: ...
Ms. Moissan: How about it? Sotheby?
Sotheby's fingers tightly twist up in her skirt. She lowers her head as she tries to control her breathing.
Everyone watches on in silence.
Eagle frowns, still reflecting on their conversation.
Finally, Sotheby moves.
Sotheby: But you don't understand how amazing she is or what she means to me.
Sotheby: She taught me the difference between steak and a cow—even though I always thought they were essentially the same thing.
Sotheby: She also taught me what a baby Dingonek is called. It's a frog ... Frog? Fraw?—Frog!
Sotheby: She's the most knowledgeable person I've ever met! She's incredible—not a unicorn that has to be protected or some lazy blobfish that lies around all day!
Eagle exchanges a look with Lisa and Louise, thinks for a moment, then gently speaks.
Eagle: But steak is just meat from a cow, and frogs are always called frogs. That's just common knowledge, isn't it?
Sotheby: Common?
A hint of confusion flashes across her face.
Eagle: Yeah, they're things we know from birth, right?
Ms. Moissan: Oh, dear!
Sotheby: Know from birth?
Eagle: Yes.
There's an awkward pause.
Sotheby stands stunned.
Eagle: Alright, well, what if we think about it the other way around? What do you mean to her?
Sotheby: Me? I ...
She ponders for a moment.
Sotheby: I-I tell her stories about Typhon. Anyone who hears Typhon's stories is quickly filled with courage!
Eagle: Typhon?
Eagle mutters the name to herself.
A wind blows, ushering in silence once again.
2. In social interactions, one must be mindful, moderate, and behave in a decent manner.
Eagle: And what is Typhon exactly?
...
3. One must have a stable temper and never vent anger on others.
Cristallo: Oh, you're later than usual. Were you having trouble mixing the materials this time?
Sotheby: Huh? Oh! Yes—yes ...
She seems a bit dazed.
Cristallo: Hey, what's wrong? What happened?
Cristallo shakes her IV stand, making a gentle clinking sound.
Sotheby: Ah! Nothing, nothing!
Sotheby: Alright, let's begin! Which batch are we on? The fifty-second! Okay. Let me see, let me see.
Cristallo: Ms. Sotheby?
Sotheby spins around the room, as if looking for something. Her skirt sweeps across the table, knocking the glassware on it.
The glass tips over, the liquid inside spilling onto the floor and making a terrible mess.
Cristallo: Ms. Sotheby!
Sotheby: Sorry! I, I—sorry.
The overhead light starts to flicker.
The two of them look up in alarm.
But it isn't just the light.
Every electrical device in the room starts to flicker—the desk lamp, the radio, the radiation therapy device ...
With the last electrical device dead, the room plunges into darkness.
Cristallo: A-A power cut?
Sotheby: Oh, goodness! Is it my eyes, or has the demon Oritau finally arrived?!
Cristallo: Don't panic, Ms. Sotheby. It's not a demon. It's just a power outage.
Sotheby: A power outage? You mean a thunderbird attack?
Cristallo: No, no, nothing that serious. It's just a circuit malfunction.
Sotheby: Are you sure? It looks just like one!
Sotheby: Oh! Sotheby knows how to deal with thunderbirds! Sotheby knows!
Cristallo: I think you must've spilled that concoction on a plug socket. It probably caused a short circuit.
Cristallo: It's not a big deal. It'll be fixed soon. Don't worry.
Sotheby: Circuit? Short circuit?
Sotheby: Wow. You really know a lot.
Cristallo: It's nothing, just common knowledge.
In the darkness, Sotheby blinks.
Sotheby: Common knowledge, you say?
Cristallo: Yes, that's right.
Sotheby: Like something you've known since birth?
Cristallo: Something like that, yes.
Cristallo gives a soft sigh.
Cristallo: I've spent my whole life surrounded by electronic medical devices, you know. I'm familiar with how they work.
Cristallo: At night, when I'm alone, I can even hear their breathing.
The liquid on the floor quickly solidifies, and as the power slowly returns, one light after another comes back on.
The brief moment of panic is over.
In the faint light, a burnt smell lingers in the air.
Cristallo: See, Ms. Sotheby, everything's fine now.
Cristallo: It's the circuit's self-protection mechanism. It automatically cuts off when there's danger.
Cristallo: Ms. Sotheby?
Sotheby: So ...
Sotheby: So, you probably don't know who Typhon is either.
The filament in the light above continues to make a noisy electric buzz.
Cristallo: ...?
Cristallo: What are you talking about?
Cristallo: Haven't we just been adventuring in Typhon's mythical kingdom together?
Cristallo: How could I forget his heroic deeds?
Sotheby: Hmm, maybe it is true.
Sotheby: Ms. Cristallo doesn't know what Typhon is, either.
Cristallo: Hey, what are you talking about? huff
Cristallo: huff What's wrong? You've been acting strange ever since you came back.
Cristallo: huff, huff
It isn't just Sotheby who feels something is wrong.
A familiar feeling overwhelms Cristallo. A bad feeling.
At first, it's a dull dizziness, then her breathing becomes rapid, and her vision starts to darken.
She can distinctly feel her body weakening as she begins to lose consciousness.
Cristallo: Sotheby, Sotheby ...
Sotheby: Alright, I admit it. I'm feeling a bit sad, but I don't know why.
Cristallo: Sotheby ... can you ... help me ...
Sotheby: I know, I know. I know exactly who Typhon is, but what if others don't?
Sotheby: How do I introduce him to them? How do I tell his story?
Cristallo: So, huff, Sotheby ...
Sotheby: What if Typhon isn't the same to others as he is to me?
Sotheby: What if, what if others see things I can't?
...

Sotheby: Then, how do people become friends?
Sotheby: Hm? Cristallo!!!