luministi | Day 15 | ~ World's End Umbrella ~

[Like last time, Xion is searching out her friends. Anyone and everyone she talked to, all the people she met here -- She wants to meet with them, talk to them, find out if they're staying or leaving, say good-bye if it's the latter. Unlike last time, though, her spirits are higher. She can stay. She can stay and still be helpful, still search for the answers they've been looking for, stay and live, really live.

She's also searching for one person in particular. She has something to ask him -- to ask of him, to inform him of something, and she... Part of her is hopeful. Part of her is nervous. Another part of her... feels like she can't ask this of him. She shouldn't ask him to stay for her. She knows she's asking for Nathan, but that's what it feels like. She feels like she doesn't have the right to ask that of him. If he has something important to do at home, then she has no right at all. (If he has something important to do at home, and says no, then...) Xion takes a deep breath and lets it out. At the same time, she has to ask. She has to know. She has to find out for herself.

So, Luministi. How about one last conversation with Xion?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Could've fooled me, at least until you mentioned your age.

Perhaps it's different where you're from - where I come from, it's generally not acceptable for someone to make friends outside of their age group, their finanical range, education level - that sort of thing. Those who do are strange, deviant, you know.

You're the third or so person to tell me that I don't seem all that awful. It's unusual. I used to be called all sorts of things - a man-eating demon, a villain, anything you could possibly think of - but everyone here seems to disagree.

[Xion just kind of... smiles at that. It's a little forced, to be entirely honest. A good replica...]

Is there something wrong with being different?

Well... It seems like your world isn't a very nice place. Maybe they said those things because of that.

Yes. I can't say why, exactly, but even the exceptional beauty that I was born with was often seen as undesirable simply due to being out of the ordinary.

Perhaps that's it, though - it's much easier to be seen as a pleasant person when you don't have to constantly step on others to give yourself a bit of a chance to live for another day. By comparison, I've been quite lazy and reasonably kind here, since I haven't even had to trick or backstab any of you.

[His arms finally uncross.]

Things have been so easy in this town, I may have actually gained a bit of weight simply by being able to rest more often and having the chance to eat nearly anything I want.

[He seems pleased with that, and pinches at his belly a bit. It's not terribly noticeable, but there is a little layer of pudge that wasn't there before.]

It's impressive what being thrown onto some bizarre space station in the future can do to a person.

[Xion listens patiently, contemplating what he says.]

Yeah... I think I can see it, when you put it like that. You lived in a bad place, so you had to be bad just to make it by. [She smiles] But you're not really a bad person. Otherwise, you being bad is what you'd want to do. You'd want to hurt people, even when you don't have to. But you don't, and you haven't, so there's a lot of light in your heart. And that's more than enough reason to be friends with someone, I think.

[A slight giggle;]

A child of an entire other species, from an entirely different world, understands me better than cities full of my own people after only a few conversations. [The giggling picks up again, and intensifies;] Isn't it just hilarious how that works!?

[His laughter tapers off, transitioning into sobs as he buries his face in his hands. If she's good at picking out sounds, Xion might be able to catch an extremely muffled and broken "thank you" somewhere in there.]

[Her hearing's not quite that good, but, well... She can still hear it in his voice before he breaks down. Her heart aches to see it happen, but she feels like this is something that had to.

Without any hesitation, she steps forward, reaches out, and hugs him close.]

It's okay... It's okay now. You're not alone any more.

Day 15 | ~ World's End Umbrella ~

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... she's good at this can you tell