[ With an utterly mirthless smile: ] I don't know if doing it like usual will actually work out for us right now.

[ It's certainly not very idol-like, is it? But she gets what he means. Maybe it's the thought of being idol-like that has Ai take his hand in both of hers in perfect handshake session procedure to channel her mana into him. It takes a false start or two - Ai's no real mage, after all - before the connection between them opens and the mystic code channels it into clean, crisp healing magic. ]

... I'm glad I can do it like this, though. It makes me feel like I'm actually helping. ... not that I get why I had to be dressed up for it...