[Open] Help, Oh Please Help

[queenofkur]

🧙 WHO: Ereshkigal and ~~YOU~~!
⚔️️ WHAT: Ereshkigal has decided to tackle on the Betting/Auction (TDM) and MediQueens quests. Of course, things go horribly wrong for her and she needs help. A lot of it. Please help her. Also she got a cool new bag and the seller told her it would be a great way to socialize with people, awkward meetings ahead.
🕒 WHEN: Throughout May.
🗺️ WHERE: Underground Casino and Camelot.
⚠️ WARNINGS: N/A.

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[reloves]

[ And so no one heard from that poor quest giver ever again..

But Minako figures that that person has probably got some way to have this covered. And otherwise he might have had to think a little harder about the quest he was setting people out to do. He should've known that you can't have a queen ant without an inevitable army of ants following her!

Which is why she tries to not worry about the quest giver for now, instead turning to look at Ereshkigal as the other bows, smiling as Minako tucks some hair away behind her ear now it got all unruly from the chase. ]

Hey, hey, no need to thank me! If we're all stuck in this weird place together, then we've all got to help each other out too, right? [ Especially since Ereshkigal is actually a nice person, unlike some of the more jerk-y people she's met here. ] Besides, I guess this is kind of to make up for the fact that I haven't had time to give you those lessons about how to be social..

[ She hasn't forgotten!! Minako is just.. an active girl! ]

[queenofkur]

The lessons? [A beat.] Oh, right...!

[ Right right, the sociability lessons... That had completely slipped off her mind. For the better really. After a few disastrous attempts to fight her social anxiety with the bag, even Ereshkigal had reached the one and only possible conclusion: she had been scammed. And the sociability lesson had likely never been a serious offer.

She wasn't sure how to bring that up though. It felt wrong to accuse Minako and demand reparation after she'd just literally saved her life. The weight of her good deed was far superior to that of her misdeed, right? That was how she'd judge things back in the Underworld anyway.

She cleared her throat and straightened herself, trying to look charismatic. .... Unfortunately, she did not. ]

I-I forgive you. Under normal circumstances, I would have to strike you down for having scammed me with the bag and the promotional offer of the lessons. [That pure flow of consciousness was probably something that needed to be addressed, but at least she was honest.] But you saved my life. It more than cancels out your misdeeds, and I am still in your debt.

[reloves]

W-Wait, hold on!

[ Look at her sputter.

It's not even a guilty sputter. Granted, Minako can act when she tries to, but she's not even doing that in this moment. That expression on her face here is 100% genuine. ]

I didn't scam you! I wanted to help you! [ That's what Minako is like, after all. Especially when it comes to matters of love or just anything social-related, she usually already helps out people free of charge in the first place.

Throwing it in with the bag was more just her way of having Ereshkigal accept it without losing her goddess pride. ]

If you want me to help you out, I will, you know? Just say the word, and I'll show up tomorrow at your door tomorrow, early in the morning, ready for social morning training!

[ Please, Minako, who do you think you are. Some sort of motivational movie sports coach?? ]

[queenofkur]

[ So she hadn't scammed her... She wanted to believe her. The girl did sound honest and she had just taken a great personal risk to help her. Without Minako, she'd be dead. Really, she had no reason to mistrust her, asides from her thin connection to Ishtar by being a goddess of love.

Still, she felt the need to point out: ]

I-I have tried using the bag in the manner you described to make socializing easier. [A pause.] Unfortunately, it resulted in making interactions worse.

[ Maybe Minako really hadn't meant to scam her and she'd just misused the bag. But she couldn't help and feel bags really didn't help with socializing. She smiled sheepishly and shook her head. ]

You have done a lot for me already. You need not do more. [She tried to pose dramatically. And failed.] I am the one in your debt now. If-if you ever need assistance, the Goddess of Death shall answer.

[reloves]

[ Oh no, Ereshkigal... Minako can only imagine how that disastrous scenario went down, especially with some of the other girl's.. well, let's say, social habits.

But that's clearly why she's here, right? To help her improve? Ereshkigal might seem a little like she's turning down the help here, but Minako wouldn't be Minako if she wasn't ever persistent. ]

Ah, then I know the way you can pay off that debt!

[ Persistent-- Like right now. ]

You can show up tomorrow, bright and early, for Minako Aino's Special Goddess Socialisation Class! [ Just look at the bravado she says that with. It's like she's introducing the country's most popular game show - despite not doing an attempt at the dramatic posing like the other had only a moment ago. ]

[queenofkur]

[ Goodness, that was so much energy...! How did she do it? Just seeing Minako be that extroverted and social was making Ereshkigal feel exhausted. That reminded her of Ishtar once again... Except unlike Minako, Ishtar was obnoxious and absolutely unbearable when she was like that. ]

W-What...?

[ Special Goddess Socialization Class? SGSC for short? Had she heard that right? It was obvious Minako had made that up on the spot and honestly, the idea of someone teaching her how to be more social was really enticing. ]

I... [Blink blink.] Why would you do that for me?

[ There had to be a catch somewhere, right? ]

[reloves]

I mean.. Why not?

[ Ah, there it is. The two words that Minako tends to live her life by - at least when it comes to less serious and more just fun dramatic things. Why not do anything? What's there to lose when there's no high stakes for once? ]

You need the help, and I'm willing to provide! [ She smiles.

(Don't make yourself sound like a sea witch, Minako.) ]

Shouldn't that be enough reason? Besides, my heart would break to know that an adorable girl like you doesn't have as many friends as she deserves!

[queenofkur]

A-adorable is not a word that describes me in any shape or form...!

[ She's the goddess of death who rules over the underworld! She's supposed to be scary and dangerous. Not adorable! .... Even though in all honestly, she prefers being adorable over being scary. But she's not allowed to show it. ]

Humans are usually led by selfish impulses. [That's as an answer to her "why not."] It is a rarity to find one that is not.

[ Was she like Ritsuka...? If so, she knew rejecting her offer would hurt her rather than help her. And besides, she really could use those lessons. ]

Thank you. I-I will take you up on your offer then.

[reloves]

[ Please, Ereshkigal. Minako is basically a certified cute girl expert! She knows one when she sees one.

But maybe she's already dealt with types who insist they're not cute enough, because she doesn't reply to the other's protest at all. Instead she just takes what she can get - which means smiling widely at the moment the other gives in. ]

Great!

[ Just look at all the excitement in that single word.. There's so much energy being thrown around here. ]

No worries, you can count on me. Before you know it, you'll be surrounded with more friends than you'd know what to do with! [ Don't make it sound so ominous, Minako.

It's just friendship. ]