Not long after Black Tide Over Kyoto, in the waiting room of the Monadnock Adventurer's Guild's infirmary ...

    "This is the most ridiculous thing you've ever done!" says Ezella.

    "I'm afraid I have to agree," says Dr. Goldenhair. "You weren't hurt, but it could have very easily gone incredibly badly!"

    Lex is looking bruised after her encounter with the serpent in Kiyohime's world, but only a bit. "Well, I mean ..." She shifts her position uncomfortably in the waiting room chair.

    "It was actually my idea," says Lightshard 18, hovering next to her.

    "That's no excuse for jumping off a cliff and onto the back of a five-story monster!" snaps Ezella. "Really, without a doubt, this is the most reckless thing either of you have done! Which is rather an accomplishment, Miss Lightshard, considering how young you are!"

    Lex looks awkwardly at the sword; Lightshard 18, in spite of the fact that she's a sword with no face and no moving parts, somehow manages to hover awkwardly.

    Ezella sighs theatrically. "Well," she says, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to reject your resignation."

    "What?" says Lex, Dr. Goldenhair, and Lightshard 18 simultaneously.

    Ezella shakes her head. "I can plainly see that we'd best have you where we can keep an eye on the two of you, if you're going to do that sort of thing in spite of your, ah, injuries."

    "All right, that makes sense," says Dr. Goldenhair.

    Lex exchanges a glance with Lightshard 18. "Uh ... really?"

    Dr. Goldenhair nods curtly. "This is what happened in an incident in which you had minimal oversight," he says. "I can only imagine how badly you might hurt yourself with that sort of recklessness if you had no supervision! It's President Johnson's classic urinary argument."

    "President Who's what argument!?" says Lightshard 18.

    "A justification President Lyndon Johnson made for one of his hires," says Dr. Goldenhair. "It's better to have the two of you inside the tent pissing out than outside pissing in."

    "... I am suddenly very emotionally invested in remaining in your care," says Lightshard 18.

    Lex laughs weakly. "Thanks, Ezella."

    Ezella nods. "And don't tell your parents about this!"

    Lex gulps, and Lightshard 18 twitches in midair. "Right!" both of them say.