Late in the evening. on board the ship, Magilou stops Laphicet, "Hey kid... can we talk?"
...
In Laphicet/Eleanor's room, sitting on the bed, Magilou explains the situation to him.
He says "I think I understand, but how do you know so much about them?" "That's a real mystery isn't it?" Magilou Stands up, sticking her hands behind her head, "Maybe it's because I was wrong and this rag tag group of misfits has more in common than I thought." She takes a few jaunty steps forward before turning abruptly, "Or not!" she sticks out her tongue.
The door opens and Eleanor enters "Magilou? What are you doing in here?" "Uhh about that." she says "I was actually just loaning Laphicet a book he'd been asking about. Here you go! Well I'll be on my way then." and she leaves.
"Well that was odd." Eleanor turns to Laphicet "So what was that book you wanted." "Uhmmm" Laphicet says slowly opening the book then immediately slamming it shut. "Wait what is it!?" Eleanor yells. "Nothing!" he shouts out as his face burns red. "Come on, I want to see it!"
Magilou hears them argue from outside the door as she laughs to herself, "Well I still have to my own fun. Though it did cost me my favorite bookmark. Black with a red V on front, you really have a flair for style, don't you Velvet?"
Later Velvet is boredly leaning against a wall on deck, when Eizen passes her by. He does his signature coin-flip snatching it out of the air without missing a beat.
Velvet rolls her eyes. Though once he's gone she pats her pockets. She realizes she still has Eleanor's hair piece so she takes a quick look around and says "Might as well get some use out of this junk." She flips it up in the air and tries to catch it, but it plinks off her hand and swirls overboard.
Just then it's like time stopped as she watches that thing she didn't care about a moment ago fall from her vision...
She jumps over the railing and catches it while using her legs to hold onto the ship. Dangling off the side she takes a sigh of relief holding the piece to her chest, before flipping back over, where she see's Laphicet; "Oh, I didn't see you there!" she says red in the face, hands behind her back.
Laphicet says "That thing must really mean a lot to you." "Hm? This!?" she says "Don't be foolish, it's worthless to me. They're cheap and disposable, Eleanor said as much herself." "That's not true though!" Laphicet yells peaking Velvet's attention. "Sorry." he says, "A shared hair piece is said to show two's interconnection, that they are of one mind." Velvet looks at him confused. "Not literally." he says.
"Let me guess." Velvet responds "Got that from one of Magilou's books too?" "Of course not." he says with a slight smile as he leaves.
"What did he mean by that?" Velvet wonders to herself... "Wait didn't Eleanor say she gave one to Laphicet? But that was before either of them ever met us. Why would she... And then now with me..." She looks at the hair piece "Ah, I don't know!" she yells, "How am I supposed to understand this!?"
Meanwhile Eleanor is by herself in her room "Like a family." she scorns herself, why would I ever say something so foolish!" She takes off her boots and lays back taking a deep breath "sigh, It's been a long day."
Laphicet enters the room and Eleanor glances his way before going back to herself, content to rest. "Uhm, Eleanor?" he says. "Yes?" she says sitting right up, giving him her full attention. "There's something I want to talk to you about..." he says "It's Velvet."
"What, did something happen!" she exclaims before kneeling down to his level "Did she hurt you? Do something mean?... Play a cruel joke? Just say the words and I'll keep you safe inside me." "No it's nothing like that." he says a little flustered.
"Right" Eleanor stands taking a deep breath "Sorry for panicking like that." she continues "I know how you feel about Velvet... sort of. But I just can't find it within myself to care for a women so filled with hatred."
"Mmm" Laphicet says "When I look at her, I don't see a face filled with hatred. Even if she is a Daemon, I still see her with the same happy smile I've seen you make so many times, I've seen her face light up in excitement when she can share something she knows, or get worried when someone gets hurt..." he pauses
"She's also the one who taught me how to live as myself..."
"But right now I think she's scared." Eleanor says "Eh, you found something that scares even her!?" she pauses "What is it?" "I don't know." he says "But whatever it is, it's hurting her a lot." She looks down "I see..." then nods, "Thank you Laphicet. You made me realize something really important."