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[demonicbeauty]

[She's not Padmé Amidala. Nor is she Jane Foster. It's just Ariadne, sitting on the wooden floor of her home, in front of an enormous, four-poster bed with a canopy of sheer, white fabric. Splashes of color occasionally hit her face and the background, as her homemade mobiles, flitting with broken pieces of colorful glass, catch whatever sunlight there is. Her long, long, long brown hair is hanging loose over her left shoulder, crinkled to show that it's just come undone from its braid.]

I...I've noticed that a lot of important holidays seem to be in the middle of the winter. And I guess it makes sense. The days are short, the nights are long, and everyone is cold and missing fresh fruits and vegetables. It raises the spirit to have something to celebrate and people to celebrate it with.

[There's a small smile. A memory or two from her days in Valeria.]

Back home, the New Year was the most important holiday. There would be parties and feasts and masked balls. Presents. Lots of music...

[And she misses that music. But Ariadne won't let herself stay sentimental for long.]

Last year, I learned about an Earth holiday. The one where the fat man breaks into people homes and leaves them gifts, instead of stealing stuff. Christmas!

[Makes no sense, but it's a lovely sentiment.]

I was hoping to maybe learn about some other holidays from this time of year. What do your cultures celebrate? Maybe we can find a way to all celebrate together. I'm still convinced that togetherness is the only way we're going to survive this place. And I...I know I'm not alone, feeling that way.

[A small shrug.]

So let's talk to each other more. When there isn't an emergency. Talk about some of the happy things, maybe. Tell me about the good stuff.

[Ariadne doesn't really know where to go from here, so she shrugs again.]

Anyway, that's all. Sorry to interrupt anything.

Comments

[subject_013]

[Smirking, he lifts his head slightly as if rolling his eye behind his dark lenses.]

'You aren't wrong. I have an older sister in my world of origin, and while she's more than capable of defending herself, many is the time she let me step in and drive off an especially persistent would-be suitor. Sometimes I merely had to approach the individual to send him fleeing.'

[He smirks dangerously as these words spool from the text-to-speech application.]

[demonicbeauty]

[That look makes her a little wary. But he's been ill. Best not to take it too seriously.]

Well. I suppose it's the duty of a brother to be over-protective.

I had ten, at one point, although they never got the chance to protect me much.

[subject_013]

'Even better when the brother is younger. I already had the prerogative to be a gadfly to her would-be suitors. All of whom she found unwelcome, as she would describe herself as wedded to her work.'

[A pause, a raised eyebrow.]

'Ten brothers. Quite a family. I'd ask as to why you hadn't the luxury of their defense, but I suspect that's a less than pleasant experience?'

[demonicbeauty]

"Less than pleasant."

I guess that's one way to say it.

[She smiles bitterly, but then shrugs. Nothing she can do about it. And she refuses to let herself get weepy.]

[subject_013]

'One can't change the past, you can only change how it shapes the present and the future.' [A pause, and he might roll his eyes again.] 'That sounded like one of those pseudo-deep thoughts one finds on the Omni. I should allow myself some rest.'

"Want me to call out for some soup?" [Cypher asks off-link.]

'I'd appreciate that.'

[demonicbeauty]

No. I think it's a good thought.

[Ariadne gives him a warm smile.]

And I'm glad that Cypher is taking good care of you. But if you need anything he can't provide, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[subject_013]

'If you wish to come by and make sure that I'm still breathing, there's a blue lamp outside my front door, which is also unlocked. The soup shop Cypher is trotting out to always makes plenty and I'd be happy to offer you some.

'My house isn't hard to find: I'm in the northern part of Lumenwood, and it's the tall, broad grey-white house with the red and white wheel in stained glass over the front door. I can send you the coordinates, if you wish?'

[demonicbeauty]

I wouldn't want to interrupt you while you're healing but...

[She offers him a little nod.]

I would like to visit. When you're feeling up for it.

[subject_013]

'Perhaps some time closer to the turning of the New Year?'

[In the background, Cypher trots by, wearing a weasel-sized long black leather jacket and weasel-sized wrap-around mirror shades and heading for the foyer.]

[demonicbeauty]

If you have the strength for it, I would be delighted.

[subject_013]

'I should have the strength by then. Though on that note, I should rest while Cypher is out.'

[He settles in the corner of his chair.]

'We'll speak by then, I assure you.'

[demonicbeauty]

Rest well, Doctor.