[X] Remain there with Ariane, keep her company
Shaking your head for a bit, you offer a smile at Ariane. When you think about it, what else would you really do this afternoon if not keep her company like a proper friend. "I'll stay," you tell her, repeating the words to her. "I'll stay, if you would have me here? I mean, if it's not a bother to you?"
Ariane brings you right back to the bone-crushing, impulsive hug. She doesn't keep at it for long, but the message it pretty clear on that one. "I… wouldn't mind having you over, if it's okay," she says. "I didn't really think to get anything prepared, though, snacks or things to do."
"Eh, that's fine. We'll just figure out something to do!" you exclaim, nodding with steadily growing sense of enthusiasm. "Heck, I haven't been over that many times before, so why not make the most if? I did miss the sleepover as well, so there's that to make up to you as well."
Ariane seems receptive to the idea, expression brightening as you go along. However, that is pulled to a halt as she quickly runs into a problem with another realization. "Wait… isn't your Uncle here with you as well?"
"He is," you confirm. "Why?"
Ariane casts her eyes down again and bites her lips. "I'll… have to talk with him as well," she says quietly. "Yesterday, he was- he was there as well, and worried to death over you because of me."
You don't doubt the description of his reaction, not like you might have a while ago. But you're not sure if you want to cause more grief to Ariane through that. "Are you sure?" you ask her, audible about your immediate unease about the idea. "I mean, you don't have to do it now if it makes you feel worse."
"Maybe… But I want to," she says in turn, sliding off the bed. It seems that she has decided to go through with this, and you'd be doing her a disservice by trying to discourage her from it. You follow after her away from her room and down the hallway of the large house that takes you to the central living room with your Uncle and Ariane's aide there, talking to each other.
Ariane hesitates for a moment before stepping in, and you follow suit. "...Mr. Takeshi? Could you leave for a minute - grab a coffee or something… I need to talk with Mr. Hirohito about something in private."
The redheaded aide's confusion lasts for only a second, before he jumps up and gives a quick bow. "At once, Miss Verrier." He bows out with brisk steps, not quite understanding what it is about without being involved in magic. But you think he has had some kind of briefing that Ariane is to be allowed this.
"...Maa~, you look serious there, miss Ariane?" your Uncle notes as soon as Takeshi has left the room, demeanor oddly expectant. "I assume you have something on your mind."
Ariane bows her head, hesitation creeping into her expression. You try to give her an encouraging smile and set your hand on her shoulder. It seems to comfort her well enough. "I'm… sorry. For everything that happened yesterday, for causing worry and trouble," she stammers out as steadily and bravely as she can.
You're not surprised to see the raised eyebrows on your Uncle's face. You don't think he was quite expecting that, not in this manner at least. But he looks like he's fine with the development, and chuckles a little. "Well, that was a bit out of the left field, but I am happy to hear that you can at least face it so soon. All's well that ends well." He inclines his head slightly as he looks over Ariane. "But I would like to ask you something about that? Was there anything you learned from your mistakes?"
Ariane looks to the side for a moment, before weakly returning the gaze. "That I… I should not recklessly cast magic I don't know how to use when my… friends are close."
"It's a start," your Uncle muses. "Practice makes perfect, and you simply lack experience. To be honest, I was not really expecting any kind of apology. If you and Tamiko have patched things up, that's good enough for me."
"We have!" you quickly confirm while Ariane tries to find words for it. "Also, uh, you don't mind if we were to stay here for the noon, Uncle? I mean, we're not in a rush to go anywhere, right?"
He seems to catch on to your reasons as well, nodding along. "Sure, you girls have fun!" He turns thoughtful for a moment. "Well, if our hostess here is fine with me loaning your kitchen, I could make you something with good old Takeshi to pass time?"
"Permission granted!" Ariane exclaims immediately, all too happy to keep you over for the day. It likely helps that she knows how well your Uncle can cook. She then turns to look at you, a bit embarrassed by her answer. "We don't really have a room prepared like during the weekend, though… I would have wished to show you what we did."
You nod a bit unsurely. Another time, perhaps. "We'll have the chance some other day," you say, looking around. "But, say… if we're going to be here, how about we just watch a movie?" It requires minimal brainpower and preparation on either of your part, and it is the sort of relaxing thing you really need after everything.
Ariane agrees with the suggestion, and you set to picking one you can watch with her. You don't think the comedy is anything particularly noteworthy, but you really need something as light-hearted and simple.
Your Uncle doesn't join you there to watch the movie, though he does bring out the snacks with Takeshi, before returning to their adult things elsewhere in the house. It's probably for the better that they let you have your peace, if you're being honest with yourself. Though he is dear family, some things are meant to be enjoyed with just your friends.
The movie itself is admittedly fun, even if you doubt you're going to remember much of the details in a scant few hours. That is not helped by Ariane asking you something very distracting halfway through the runtime either. "Tamiko? I- What does magic mean to you?"
Ariane sounds a bit hesitant about the question, as if she was not sure if she should have vocalized it in the first place. The cat's out of the bag now, though.
"I… am not sure," you admit, taken aback by the topic. "It's very important to me, I guess? I mean, I wouldn't- I can't imagine what I would be doing without my wish." Except you know full well, and the thought it not one you want to keep dwelling on. "I mean, I could say that magic is something that has… basically made my life or so to speak. The time I've had it has been some of the best of my life."
Ariane nods along to your explanation, understanding where you're coming from, but avoiding looking directly into your eyes while she listens in. You take the chance to follow up with a question of your own. "What about you, Ariane? Why ask something like that?"
The girl frown, biting her cheeks for a moment. "I think it just sort of occurred to me?" she offers weakly, before shaking her head. "Magic has been a life changer for me as well… I wished to make my dreams real, you know. And from not being able to stand the glow of a bright light bulb to basking in the light of the Sun again like I had dreamt of? It's such a change that… it was pretty easy to forget the, well- more serious side of it."
Ariane sighs, grabbing another pastry from the plate. She doesn't eat it yet, but turns it around on her hands, looking at it in her thoughts. "Magic is not all fun and games, is it?" she asks after a moment, sounding dejected. "It can be scary and dangerous… but it's just difficult to wrap my head around the idea of it being like that, even beyond the W-witches." Her feet are lifted on the large couch, and she leans against them. "I-I'm afraid, Tamiko… of all those things, I-I admit it."
You wince at the troubled expression on her face. "I guess it isn't," you admit. Witches don't particularly scare you, to be honest, gruesome and vicious as they sometimes can be. A monster given form is infinitely preferable to the alternative, because the former you can handle with your magic.
You reach slowly to Ariane and bring her to another hug. "...Do you regret your magic despite the trouble?"
"No, I don't," she says while returning the gesture. "But… It's just no longer possible to run from the darker side of it all now."
You suppose that's as good as an answer as any, and you return your attention to the movie playing in front of you. You have missed a good chunk of the plot while you were talking, though, which makes it somewhat difficult to understand just what is going on.
Regardless, you're left in better spirits after finishing, even if the clock tells you it's afternoon already. You've been here for a while already, keeping Ariane company, but others are starting to get home from school now.
What do you do?
[] Hang out with Ariane for the rest of the evening - Mariko should have the housekeys to your home.
-[] Keep it light, focus on simple, relaxing things you can spend an evening doing.
-[] Pursue heavier topics - try to get to the bottom of her issues.
-[] Go out with her to the city.
--[] Hunt a witch.
--[] Take the chance to hang out in cafes and such.
[] It's time to go.
-[] Bring Ariane with you.
-[] Go home to greet Mariko, hang out for the rest of the evening.
-[] Go grab Hana from the school, you're not quite done with her yet.
-[] Visit a friend in their home.
--[] Evelyn.
--[] Kishi.
[] Write-in.