o92 ✧ voice

[vesperian]

--I didn't think people were telling the truth. She'd been here about as long as I have. [A dry, humorless laugh.]

Well, I kept my promise. Now what? Some of us never had a dad around to haunt us later.

Comments

[errandry]

... you mean that girl you were talking about before?

[vesperian]

[He laughs.]

That depends- which girl?

[He was kind of a pimp.]

[errandry]

The one you said who'd been here the longest! How many girls do you even talk about?

[vesperian]

Nah, that was Nemu. [...and she loaned me her bras.] I don't know, I guess I don't keep track.

Did you know her, though? Euphie.

[errandry]

Euphemia li Brittania, right? ... we talked a couple times, I guess.

[vesperian]

That'd be her, festooned in ruffles and a lot of pink. [A more genuine laugh.]

She's one of my best friends.

[errandry]

[ opening his mouth.

closing his mouth. ]

... Sorry, man.

[beyourarmy]

Wait. What? What are you talking about? [He hasn't gotten it yet.] What are they not telling...err, or telling the truth about?

[vesperian]

Someone I knew for a long time just left. Euphie -- did you know her?

[beyourarmy]

No, I didn't.

But that's probably always difficult, people leaving here all the time. Does she have a good place to go back to?

[vesperian]

She's dead.

[The best way to deal with something he doesn't want to think about? Be sharp and blunt.]

[beyourarmy]

[It's the best way to deal with Setsuna, period.]

Damn. I'm sorry. That's....

That sucks.

[vesperian]

It does, but I know her. She'll be all right. [She has to be.]

[auguria]

An ordinary day for fatherless children.

[But maybe he sounds a little wistful.]

[vesperian]

Who would have thought not having an old man around would pay off in the end?

[auguria]

Perhaps it does not matter, Mother is the true creator...

[vesperian]

Didn't have one of those either, actually. Did you?

[auguria]

I did. That was a long time ago. The earth-mother is closer to me now.

[vesperian]

As long as you're not gonna wipe out humanity to save the earth, that sounds better than no mom at all.

[Which sounds like a pretty random, extreme thing to say -- but the last nature-driven person he knew tried to do just that.]

[negativegate]

What? Don't tell me she's really...

[vesperian]

For now, anyway. Who knows, maybe she'll come back?

[negativegate]

She'd better! I mean--the curses are a pain, but it's better than being dead!

[vesperian]

[He doesn't even want to think about that.]

You miss her already?

[negativegate]

Don't you?

[She figures he must if he's talking about it. But she doesn't really want to think about it, either.]

[vesperian]

She wouldn't want me to.

[A beat.]

But I do - more than I can say.