[ACCIDENTAL VIDEO]; UN: [USER NAME NOT SET]

[demonicbeauty]

[The feed springs to life without warning, as so many of the share memories have been doing, lately. At first it's mostly a wash of shadow and golden firelight, difficult to pin down to an exact time or place or person.

That changes as a mirror appears. A little girl is standing in front of it. She can't be terribly old. Maybe ten. But she's unmistakably green. It's Ariadne, no question. Skin the color of the underside of a maple leaf. Hair blue as candy floss, pulled into a tight braid over her shoulder. Little girl or adult, she has the same look of wonder in her gray eyes. Like she's completely fascinated with every single thing she encounters.

Right now, that wonder is her reflection.

An older--impossibly beautiful--woman appears at her side. She seems to be Human, with pink skin and black hair. She puts a hand on Ariadne's shoulder. Very, very carefully. Her voice is equally gentle.]

How do you feel?

[Ariadne looks at her in the mirror.]

Tired, mostly.

[The woman nods.]

Yes, that's to be expected. Does it hurt?

[Ariadne frowns.]

A little.

[She turns, looking back over her shoulder to keep her eyes on the mirror. The back of Ariadne's dress is stained with blood. Two long lines of it, running down each of her shoulder blades. She gasps, looking more startled than hurt. The other woman holds her steady.]

There will be scars. But they'll fade. In time. And you'll be able to pass for a Human, once you've healed. We'll survive. Together.

[Uncertainly, Ariadne wraps her arms around the woman's waist, burying her face against her side. The woman strokes her hair lovingly, as the memory fades.]

Comments

[venatoris]

I just thought you had a really sharp nose.

Huh. Imagine that.

[demonicbeauty]

...it wasn't a problem before.

[She gives the camera a very serious look.]

It's not a problem now...is it?

[venatoris]

No, of course not.

[ Not anymore, anyway. Might've been once upon a time, but. No. ]

[demonicbeauty]

Good!

[She breathes a sigh of relief. Not that she ever doubted Dean, of course.]

I'm sorry, I should have been clearer, I guess. Still not used to people losing all of their memories of me.

[venatoris]

Did I know before?

[ No, but he doesn't remember that at all. ]

Is this really a memory of yours? What happened?

[demonicbeauty]

I made a public announcement about it, back in Deerington.

[The fact that he missed it has alluded her. But what can you do?]

And I...yes. It's from when I was ten. I...

That's my aunt, Lysia. She took me in, after my parents were killed.

[Ariadne laughs softly.]

I never had a photograph of her. Never expected to see her face again.

[venatoris]

Oh.

[ shouldn't be too surprising, dean's kind of a dumbass. ]

And what's up with your back?

[demonicbeauty]

I...

[She finds herself choosing her words slowly, carefully.]

My kind--Alastrians, that is--we're born different from Humans and other humanoid species.

We're born with wings.

[venatoris]

Like angels?

[demonicbeauty]

Not like the kind of angels you know. They don't disappear. Or turn invisible.

There's only one way to go about without having them.

[venatoris]

What do you mean?

[demonicbeauty]

They have to be, uh, surgically removed.

[venatoris]

Jesus.

Why would anyone do that?

[ that's the biggest mindfuck here. It seemed voluntary. ]

[demonicbeauty]

To be Human! Or, well, the next best thing.

[She shrugs.]

To be safe.

[venatoris]

Were people hunting you or something?

[demonicbeauty]

...yes.

For thousands of years, Dean.

[venatoris]

Jesus. Why?

[demonicbeauty]

Um...

[He's Dean. She loves him. He's her big brother. There's no reason not to tell him.

Except for one.]

I'm not sure I should say in public.

[venatoris]

Oh, well -- I mean I'm at home if you wanna chat. If not, that's fine.

[demonicbeauty]

No.

I mean, yes. I mean, that would be nice. You know I always value your company. I think.

[venatoris]

...You think?

[ tf does that mean. ]

[demonicbeauty]

I think you know that?

Right now, I'm a little confused about what you do and don't know. Which may be my fault.

[venatoris]

So am I. Confused, I mean. I don't think I know shit at this point.

[ wry. ]

C'mon over, I'll make you some tea or something.

[demonicbeauty]

All right. Yes. Good.

[It's fine. Everything is fine. Besides, she doesn't want to answer questions from anyone else seeing her memory. Not right now.]

I'll be there as soon as I can.

[venatoris]

Sure, no problem. I'll be here.