>>5961618We won't be lingering on this part too long.
<span class="mu-s">Anon-kun's votes factored in.</span>
---
There is one thing Peppa needs clarification on immediately. "Are you comfortable with letting others know about this?"
Izumi pulls the sleeves on her new blouse down, and says, "Please don't."
Peppa nods. "Then I won't."
Izumi closes her eyes, and her shoulders slump in relief. "...thank you, Peppa."
In response, Peppa hugs her cousin, and hides her face against her cousin's shirt, "You can let me know, you know. You can tell me anything. I'll, I'll help."
Izumi pats her shuddering cousin on the head. "Hey now. What are you crying for?"
"Cuz I hurt you! ...you, hurt you!" she shouts. "Why are you doing this?"
"It helps me study-"
"Why do you need to study this hard?!"
Izumi draws Peppa away, and hunches down to look her cousin in the eyes. "Peppa, you remember when I turned fifteen? What did we celebrate?"
Peppa snorts in some snot, "Uh, your queencenera?"
Izumi pulls out a hanky for Peppa. "Yep. Though I'm still a princess, that's when I was given responsibility for my kingdom, and to keep being responsible, I have to study. I have to know enough so I don't fail."
"You won't fail-"
Izumi draws a finger along her bandaged arm, and bites down the pain to say, "Every mark is a reminder for a time I made a mistake. I can fail, and yet I can't fail. I can't fail those who will be relying on me."
"Reminders?" Peppa looks aghast. "But that looks like it hurts!"
Izumi shakes her head. "It does, but it's the path I've chosen."
"..."
Izumi ruffles Peppa's hair. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, Yamcha's face got all scarred when he trained to be stronger. Y'know what, yeah! This is training, so don't worry about it!" she says with a grin.
"...training? ...okay."
"Okay!"
But Peppa still doesn't feel good about this, and there is something she wants to do she think can help her cousin. "I want you to do something for me."
"Yeah?"
"Can you book an appointment with Chansu? Y'know, my therapist, and I think she could really help you out!"
Izumi backs off with a scowl. "I don't need help, Peppa."
"I know, I know, but she's great, and she's confidential! I trust her, so if you can let me know, you can let her know!"
Izumi looks at her cousin's pleading eyes, and grits her teeth. Rolling her eyes, "Fine, I'll go see her the once."
"And what if the once is helpful?"
"...I'll go see her twice, then. Happy?"
Peppa is very happy, already dialing Chansu's office on her scouter goggles! "Hey, it's me, Peppa! I wanna book an appointment for someone else. Uh huh, my cousin. Yeah, with Chansu! ...hm?"