This is our fight song

[le_mat]

[Akira wanted to collapse after all that. But... this was what Zombina usually did, and he'll do his best to pick up the slack.

Luckily he's not alone, as Roxy and Max lend hands. And he needs those extra hands, since there's a full pot of curry from the diner that needs to be reheated (day two curry is best curry anyways) and bowls brought down. Not to mention making sure certain people at least make it TO the cafeteria. He'll leave the coffee to Bolton. He leaves those tasks to his helpers while he goes and writes the notes, all tucked under doors like last time:]

There's food in the cafeteria. Please, don't do anything reckless.

[You're one to talk, boyo. Still, as it heats up in the kitchen the smells of curry and coffee at least is a small comfort against the cold empty space outside]

Comments

[in4apounding]

[What, no, obviously she's fine. She's just wrapped up in a blanket like it's a big cloak when she answers the door.]

Mister Thomas?

[andjerry]

[no one hiding in their room's fine right now

hell, he's in front of your door and he isn't even fine]

...were you sleeping? [look you can have an out if you want it]

[in4apounding]

...No.

[You know what. fffffduck outs. Zombina didn't get to keep her secret, in the end. Neither does she.]

I don't need to sleep, Mister Thomas.

[andjerry]

[he misunderstands, of course he does at first, it's such a strange way to respond, but she's so sincere about this that he has to ask instead of argue it.]

Right now, or... ever?

[in4apounding]

[She shakes her head.]

Not ever. I'm not r-

[Her voice catches for a second, remembering her conversation with Zombina. With Ruby.]

...I'm not human. My father built me in a lab. I don't need to sleep or eat or anything.

[andjerry]

[even though his first response is to mouth a "what" her answer explains. a lot. why she's so strong, why she's never touched his food, why she's so cheerful and guileless- if you could make the perfect human, wouldn't they be like that too?- and he opens his hands to her, not hiding himself.]

...so that's why you're so resilient.

[in4apounding]

Mhm.

[Well. Zombina and Kaiba were at least right about one thing, apparently no one really cares what she is. Yay?]

I'm not at full strength here- I can't access my Aura, at least- but. Yes. I was built as a weapon to combat the Grimm.

[andjerry]

[he lets her misunderstand if she hadn't caught the real meaning; "resilient" is a weird word to use for someone's body.]

Did you think we'd all be afraid of that?

[in4apounding]

[Maybe, but it's pretty accurate in her case, she can stop a speeding truck barehanded.]

...Yes? There's not- I'm the only one like me, on Remnant. The first. My father and Mister Ironwood said people weren't ready to know, that it might scare them.

[andjerry]

[you don't ask a kid to keep a huge secret like that about who they are. you don't say that people will reject them for it. there's a flare of hot anger up through his heart that stuns him for a moment and he has to take a breath before he can say anything else.]

That's... that has to be really difficult. Thinking you're the only one.

[in4apounding]

It- was. Is. Back home, Ruby was the only one outside the Atlesian military who found out, and- she accepted me right away. But. No one else.

[andjerry]

Your friend, right? She wasn't afraid?

[in4apounding]

Mhm.

[She pulls the blanket a little tighter around herself, but she smiled.]

She told me I was real, that she was sure I had a soul. She didn't hesitate at all. ...she actually took it shockingly well, really.

[andjerry]

...and you've thought all your life people were going to be afraid of you.

Someone like you, Penny- you've got to have a soul.

[in4apounding]

...Thank you Mister Thomas.

[She sounds about ready to weep from joy. And you're getting hugged. She'll even remember that organs are a thing and not do it hard enough to cause damage.]

And I still think you're a good person, even if you've made some- mistakes, in the past.

[andjerry]

[even as gentle as she's trying to be the hug still pushes Thomas back a step or two, and as he regains his balance he isn't sure how to respond. the only times he's had someone reach out to him it's been to calm them down, wiping away Carol's subconscious fear or Anna's subspace crash, and this is quite clearly nothing like this.

he doesn't know if it's feeling too much in one day, grief and horror and exhilaration all at once, or if it's what Penny's just said - the last thing anyone should say to him - but whatever it is knots his throat so he draws in one choking breath before he can speak.]

Penny. You've got a lot to go back to.

[in4apounding]

...do you not?

[Yeah, she doesn't miss that tone, and her question is loaded with sorrow and fear that she already knows the answer.]

[andjerry]

[he'd wanted to tell her something else, tell her not to be afraid of other people knowing what she's made of even if it's disgustingly hypocritical out of him. he wants to help her keep that strong spirit of hers before it gets ground down.

he didn't expect this question, doesn't know how to answer it so she doesn't feel like she has to comfort him. mixing kids up in his problems isn't right.]

Did I say that?

[in4apounding]

...no, I guess not.

[> d o u b t]

But- um. When we get out of here, they never said we had to go back to our own homes. You could. Maybe come back to Remnant, if you wanted?

so the next day he's getting back that video i showed out for his next memory

[andjerry]

...do you really want to explain that? Me coming back with you?

[in4apounding]

Mister Thomas, I was ready to explain my new undead big sister coming back with me.

[andjerry]

[and he just. chuckles at that, even if he's still a little wet-eyed and trying to hide his face. he's never met someone so sincere before, never expected her to be so accepting: he's done things people like her should never have to know exist.]

...that one's more difficult.

[in4apounding]

...it probably would've been, yes.

[She sags a little, thinking of Zombina.]

But- I could just say you were a friend, and I was helping you get away from someone who'd hurt you and wanted you to do something bad that you didn't want to.

[andjerry]

[Penny's read as much from him as he has from her, and as sweet as her offer is he's convinced someone's going to read between the lines and know with how she phrased it.]

I don't- [but he'll accept it]

You're the kindest girl I've ever met.

[in4apounding]

...thank you. And-

[She thinks about how to phrase things for a moment.]

I think you much kinder than you think you are.