The Drawing on the Wall

Pepper Krasniqi

Pepper Krasniqi

Member
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[font color="darkpink"]DATE: 8/07/2023
LOCATION: L-14
ASSETS: ACF-7823-A, “Peppers”; ACF-1003, “The Sleeper”
EQUIPMENT: None
PURPOSE: Conversation[/font]

To say Pepper was nervous would be an understatement. After everything that had happened Tuesday, after everything that had happened Friday, Pepper felt a little like her nerves were shot. Maybe today wasn’t the best day to be visiting Ira, but Pepper had promised herself that she was going to make this work– and that had been before she knew what she knew now. She had to be extra careful with what she said and did with Ira, for her own sake as well as for the girl. Goddess. It was hard to remember that little Ira was actually the terrifying Goddess that Mikulass had been trying to protect her from for the last twenty years.

What would Ira do if she knew who Pepper was, really? What would the girl do if she knew what Pepper was harboring deep inside herself? Would it matter to Ira, or would she brush it off like it was meaningless? There were so many questions, some of which she hoped to know the answer to over time. More interactions with Ira would garner her the solutions she needed. Maybe Pepper could even find out information about the dead God if she played her cards right. But mostly, she wanted to do what she had promised.

Pepper’s tribute for the day was a set of markers. They weren’t just any markers, however. They were glow-in-the-dark makers in deep, rich colors like the ones she had noticed Ira liked to draw with. She wanted to try to get a closer glimpse of the artwork this time around. She hadn’t gotten a good look when she’d been there with Cody before. They could just be a child’s drawings, but knowing Ira, that was unlikely. Surely there was something hidden away in those many pages of art that lined the walls.

Pepper gave a little wave to the security agent as she approached. He gave her a nod in return and waved to the camera. The alarm beeped, and the door slid open. Pepper took in a deep breath before stepping into the room.[font color=darkpink] “Hello, Ira! I’ve brought you tribute!” [/font color]

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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"][div align="center"][font size="4"][font color="ff3838"]PRESENT TIME: 13:00
CURRENT ACTIVITY: BLAST MUSIC[/font][/font][/div]

Ira usually hated change. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She hated fast change. But what constituted 'fast' was very subjective to Ira. Making two friends in as many weeks, that was fast, far too fast. Replacing her broken schedule sign after twenty years, that was too fast too. And the combination of these things might've upset Ira, except Cody had specifically demanded the replacement sign for Ira to have a way for Ira to adjust the schedule as she pleased.

And that brought her so much joy.

The old radio was absolutely blasting another song on repeat for Ira as the child moved from wall to wall, putting up new drawings. A little scotch tape and a lot of effort went a long way to mapping out her world's regions. After so many years searching the underground for the anomaly, she had moved her focus to the surface. Her shovel worms hadn't come up with anything new recently, but they had stumbled upon an abandoned cultist camp. They were always so afraid of her, those dead god worshippers. They didn't need to be. They still paid homage to the Sphere so Ira didn't mind them.

Well, she didn't mind most of them. The ones that went crazy and threw themselves at her in a murderous rage- those she minded. They were wrong. The wrong had to be fixed. But that was a problem for another time. Taping another picture and completing the south wall's map, Ira took a step back to look at the work. Tunnels, worm divots, and the tendril forests all rendered in wonderful crayon and marker. Ira almost smiled, except, she was out of markers and crayons. She'd have to request more later...

Then, the door slid open. Looking over at her guest, she sighed as she recognized the woman's form. Pepper. Cody's 'thing-not-girlfriend.' Whatever that meant. Looking back to her map, she did not greet the woman. Instead, she simply gestured for her to place her tribute over on the table. Ira was 'in the zone' with her work at the moment, if Pepper wanted to interact it would need to be with what Ira was currently absorbed in. It was not becoming of a Goddess to host a guest, the guest must host the Goddess.[/font]
 
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Ira was engaged in something that was pressing enough that the only acknowledgment she got was for her to put her tribute on the table. Pepper did as she was told to, and she placed the red bag with its fluffy sheep design down on the table and took a look at the art project Ira was working on. Pepper wasn’t much of an artist- it had just never been her thing. Sewing was much more her speed, and sewing she was good at. In fact, she was working on something big for Ira for the next visit. So Pepper wasn’t much of an artist, but Ira was, even if it was child’s scribbles. These were all different images than had been up before.

Pepper stayed standing and walked over to the wall that Ira was currently working on. She didn’t say a word, as she knew better than to talk to Ira before Ira was ready. She was quick to catch onto those things. But as her eyes traced over the artwork, she started to waver, Something about these sketches was… incredibly familiar. She couldn’t quite place why, but it tickled something at the edge of her brain.

[font color=darkpink]“May I ask what you’re working on, Goddess?”[/font color] Hopefully that was innocuous enough a question and wouldn’t damage the very fragile relationship she was trying to build with Ira. She threw in a Goddess to make sure Ira knew that she understood where their relationship currently stood. She wouldn’t call her Ira until she was invited to if she ever was. She wasn’t sure if that was how Cody had done it, but it was how she would do it.


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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Pepper asked something and Ira was pretty sure she heard what the woman was asking, but the music was so loud that it wasn't fully clear. Walking over to her radio, she turned the music down before moving back toward the wall. Assuming Pepper had asked about her wall- and Ira was pretty sure she called her 'Goddess' which was a good start- Ira began to describe what she was doing.

[font color="8682eb"]"Something out of place. Missing. Little shard, hiding from me. Will not hide forever. Can not hide forever. Tracking movements. I will find it..."[/font] Looking back to Pepper, examining her up and down, Ira paused for a moment before asking, [font color="8682eb"]"Why do you care? You and Cody, good friends. I am not, ah, extension. Not needed. You can like Cody. Not need like me. My feelings, not hurt."[/font] That felt like a lie, but Ira wasn't sure, [font color="8682eb"]"You want something? From me? I bestow not gifts. Not anymore."[/font]

Walking over to the little gift bag on the table, Ira admired the fluffy animal for a moment before opening it. Seeing the markers, she exclaimed, [font color="8682eb"]"Ah! Perfect!" [/font]Then immediately pulled forth a brown, olive green, and black. Sitting down at her table, she continued mapping out her work. She would not oppose if Pepper approached her right now.[/font][/div][/div][/div]
 
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Pepper froze at Ira’s words, and her heartbeat picked up at a dizzying pace. This was bad. Ira was actively looking for the piece of the Dead God inside Pepper. Now she knew why the drawings looked familiar. They were the Path. Ira was drawing the Path as her place of examination. She remembered, before, when she had taken the Lepidopterists out to the Dark Dimension, how Bay had collapsed from a panic attack. Pepper felt sure that right then she was about to do the same.

No. She couldn’t do that. Not only would Ira question the sudden outburst, but Pepper was stronger than that. Bay had an anxiety condition, she had learned later, and Pepper did not. Which meant she took a deep breath in, held it for six seconds, and let it out. She repeated this twice before she turned around and walked away from the wall. She sat down near Ira’s feet.

[font color=darkpink] “You misunderstand. I’m not here because I view you as an extension of Cody. You’re your own person. I like people, you see, I like them a lot. I want to like you a lot too. Cody says great things about you, you know. He really cares about you. I’d be lying to you if I said that didn’t matter to me, but it’s definitely not the whole reason I want to know you. No, I... I just want to like you for you. Is that acceptable?” [/font color]Pepepr brushed the hair back from her face while she spoke. She had lost the barette she had put in her hair that morning somewhere on her desk and hadn’t bothered to find it again.[font color=darkpink] “Why is such a small shard of concern to a goddess like you? Could it really be that much of a problem?”[/font color]

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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Ira scoffed at 'you misunderstand.' It wasn't that Pepper was wrong, but her phrasing was pretentious at the least. Ira was merciful, however, and decided to let it slide for now. When Pepper mentioned wanting to like Ira for who Ira was, and if it was acceptable, Ira did not respond. It wasn't that she didn't know what to say, no that wasn't it. It was just, well, she didn't know what to say. So she defaulted. She said nothing.

But Pepper's second question, asked with reverence on Ira's proper name, was not an issue. Stopping her drawings, she stood up and walked back over to the wall. Looking for a particularly good example, she stopped over a large drawn divot in her landscape of browns, reds and greens. Pointing to it, she spoke,[font color="8682eb"] "Look. Right here- Footprints. Two pairs. Not my children's. Others."[/font] Then, moving to another section, she stopped at an abandon-looking village. [font color="8682eb"]"And here- look. Many footprints. Some along path, some not. Different sized. All- not mine. The shard. It waits, patient. Amasses power. Amasses followers. Insidious, intelligent, patient. Very patient. It will wait millennia, eons, if necessary. It hates me. Hates my decision."[/font]

Ira stopped here, her voice choked for a second at 'decision.' She looked at the ground and covered her eyes, a flood of unwanted emotions hitting her extremely unexpectedly. She would not cry. She would not let anyone see. Especially not this unworthy, thing, in her room. They were not the tears of sadness or regret, however. They were the product of a white-hot flash of rage. Ira felt nearly overcome with intense hatred, so much so her little body shook. But she could not take this out on Pepper, no one deserved this much hatred. No one except -Him.- After a minute of regaining her composure, she quietly continued, [font color="8682eb"]"I hate him. I hate him, always. Hate what- no, just. Hate. You can not understand."[/font] [/font][/div][/div][/div]
 
[div style="background-color:pink;border-top:pink 4px outset;border-left:pink 4px inset;border-right:pink 4px outset;border-bottom:pink 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:pink 4px inset;border-left:pink 4px outset;border-right:pink 4px inset;border-bottom:pink 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:white;color:black;padding:15px;font-family:courier new;"]
Hearing Ira talk about the Dead God amassing followers was a shock to Pepper’s system. She was talking about the footprints from when she had taken other people through. She was looking at the sites where they had done ground samples, where she had taken the Lepidopterists, and where she and Laine had crossed so many years ago. All of it was crashing down around her while she listened to Ira speak. Then, Ira said that she hated him. That, at least, was some form of an answer to a question that Pepper had always had. But it was one of those answers that made other questions crop up.

Why? What did the Dead God do that made Ira hate Him so? Hatred implies that you used to have positive feelings for something. You only hate something or someone if you once loved them. At least, that’s what Pepper thought. But Pepper had never felt hatred, not a day in her life. Even after she absorbed the spark. If anything, she had been even happier afterward.

[font color=darkpink] “Sounds serious. What would you do if you found the shard? Would you destroy it? Or will you consume it?” [/font color] If she wanted to consume it, maybe there was a way to remove it from Pepper. But if she wanted to destroy it, that might mean certain death for her. Unless she could work something out with the Ira that was here, rather than the Ira that was there. Was there a distinction? Pepper had never seen Ira there during the daytime. But Pepper had also never tried going at night. If Ira could only go back at Night, maybe that meant Pepper was safe to use the Path still?

There was not really a way to tell. All they knew was that she likely moved between selves at night when she went to sleep. And Pepper never used the Path at night. For now, she would have to be on guard for anything trying to come after her.

Maybe she should invest in some armor, just in case.

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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Ira moved back to her table without looking at Pepper. She could not look upon the woman until she had regained full control over her facial expressions. If she looked at Pepper with the hatred meant for someone else, well, that would be very unGoddesslike. Sitting down, she listened as Pepper asked a few more questions and did not answer immediately.

Something was turning in the child's head. She didn't draw, she didn't speak, she just sat there. A few seconds passed, then a minute, then two, then three. After nearly seven minutes of total silence, Ira finally looked up at Pepper and asked, [font color="8682eb"]"You researching me? Or- you here for friends? Talk about the waking world, do not. Talk about something else, anything else. Figure it out. Make conversation. Friends talk, right? What do friends talk? Not this, no not this."[/font]

Looking back to her drawing, Ira began working once more on another section of her map. Quietly, she made demands of her room partner, [font color="8682eb"]"Decree this. Of waking world, speak no more. Of this dream, talk. When free time I have, I draw. I blast music. I play instrument. I scream into voids. When free time, what you do? Scream into void? It is pleasing."[/font] Ira didn't particularly care what they talked about, as long as it wasn't her waking world anymore. It had been the subject of most of her visits lately, and she was getting a little tired of it. She needed a distraction, friends provided that, right?[/font][/div][/div][/div]
 
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[font color=darkpink] “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to research you. I’m trying to see how your mind works. Friends can talk about serious things and still be friends. But, I will talk about anything else you want!”[/font color]

Pepper thought for a minute about what she liked. A lot of it was probably not in Ira’s wheelhouse. She probably didn’t like 80’s music and culture, nor would she take a terribly big interest in sewing. Pepper could sing, actually rather well, but all the songs she knew were new wave, country, or pop. Probably not the music that ira listened to, judging by the song that was playing when she entered the room. Well, there was the one album that Pepper knew. She had listened to it as a teenager when she was angry at everything.

[font color=darkpink] “What do I do? I sew things, like all my clothes, stuffed animals, and menial things that I need. I go roller skating a lot. I don’t play any instruments, but I do sing! It sounds like you like, what’s it called? Grunge music? Do you listen to Radiohead then?”[/font color]

Music was safe. That could be a safe topic for them. They might not have a lot of overlap, but depending on what instrument Ira played, they could have a jam session. Pepper vaguely remembered how to play guitar– she had specifically learned it for “Teardrops on my Guitar”-- And maybe she could play something for ira if Ira didn’t know the band. She was still trying to calm her nerves. Music would help that.

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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Ira listened to Pepper and rolled her eyes. Her first words, the 'serious things' comment, made her sound just like Holtzheim. He had been right, he was almost always right, but it was just as frustrating to hear to from him as it was to now hear it from Pepper. Then, pausing for a moment, Ira allowed a realization to come over her. She had remembered Holtzheim and hadn't felt sadness. She remembered him and felt, something else.

Clutching her shirt over her chest, she breathed hard for a second. This feeling- what was it? It was soft, and warm, and felt as though Isaac was with her yet still. But that wasn't true, he was gone- Ah, there it was. The sadness came back with a twinge of pain. The familiarity of it brought her mind back to the presence. Releasing herself, Ira looked uip at Pepper and attempted to respond to what she had just said. Despite the fact that Ira was pretty sure she had only heard part of it.

[font color="8682eb"]"Oh, uh, yes. Radios and heads are- what? No, no that's wrong. Radiohead, it is band. Yes. I like them. Well- no, no I don't. They are too sad. Too whiny. Music does not reverberate within. It glides and slips around. Like crying rivers and swimming in. Make sense? What you said before- skating? Roller skating? What is that? Is it thing to happen outside? I would like to, uh, go outside, sometime. Maybe soon- maybe later. We could do the skater roller? Together?"[/font]

Ira was rambling and she knew it. However, she knew she needed to keep talking to keep her emotions in check. She hated this feeling, the lack of control over herself. But she didn't hold it against herself. It was a problem with her accursed form on this accursed world. It wasn't like she could control it, not yet at least.[/font][/div][/div][/div]
 
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Something was clearly wrong with ira. Pepper had no idea what she had said or done, but Ira clenched the front of her shirt, and her breathing got labored. For a moment, Pepper tensed and got ready to get to her feet and rush to Ira’s side. Before she could, the girl looked up at her and rattled off a long reply.

That was good. She was okay. Maybe not emotionally, as her eyes seemed to shine with unshed tears, but she was physically okay. No need to call for the security agent outside. No need to rush over and grabbed her small body and carry her to someone who could help- something she would have done in a heartbeat. Pepper hesitated for a moment before letting an easy smile fall across her face. Ira wouldn’t want her to know she was sad, for whatever reason it might be. Pepper didn’t know the inner workings of Ira’s mind, not yet, so she could not even begin to imagine what she had said that had made the girl so upset.

[font color=darkpink] “Roller skating! It’s where you take shoes that have wheels on the bottom and you roll around on them! I would love to take you skating if we can arrange a trip outside. We can get you a pair of white ones. You really seem to like white for your clothes, after all. Though I’ve never seen you wear socks before. Are you okay with putting things on your feet?”[/font color]

It was a rambling reply to a rambling question. But that was the point. Pepper figured if she spoke a lot, maybe it would help Ira pull out of whatever she seemed to be spiraling into. Distraction, redirection. Pepper was good at these things.

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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Ira stood up from her table and moved over to her dresser as Pepper spoke. Rummaging through it, she withdrew a pair of white cotton socks from the very back of the top drawer and tossed them over to her desk after Pepper finished speaking. Looking back over to the woman, Ira felt herself finally able to speak clearly and without rampant emotion, [font color="8682eb"]"Yes, have socks, I do."[/font]

Walking over to the table, she stared at the socks for a solid minute before looking at Pepper and continuing, [font color="8682eb"]"They go on the feet. Why? See you and Cody wear those- what? Know what they are. I know. Uh, foot covers, not called that I know. What-ever. Why wear them? I wear not socks. Unless it is cold. Cold demands coverage. Feel the beating heart, you do not? Emotions come through chest and feet. Chest to others, feet to Sphere. Or- not work here?"[/font] Ira seemed genuinely confused that this world was fundamentally different from her own.

If Ira remembered correctly, everyone she saw when she went on her outing with Hocus Locusts was also wearing shoe coverings. Ira wasn't, she needed to hear the beating of the Sphere beneath her toes as she walked. But, thinking back, she didn't hear it. It was almost akin to walking on the surface of a dead world covered with a thin layer of living tissue, a world on the final legs of its life before it finally breathed its last. That worried her, was this world dying? Did she need to do something to revive this place-

No, no that wasn't right. Ira remembered now. The memories were ancient, but she had them too. This was a world of rocks with living matter laid atop it like a blanket. It was fine, the life here was hardy... At least Ira hoped it was. Throughout all this silent thought, Pepper would most certainly see Ira's face react to each thought as it crossed her mind.[/font][/div][/div][/div]
 
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When Ira fished out the socks, it nearly made Pepper burst out in laughter. Even so, she couldn’t help but smile as the socks thudded onto the table. She listened to the young girl’s questions and found herself answering without thinking. [font color=darkpink] “Our planet doesn’t feel for us here. We don’t have to tend to it the way that you do on yours. We don’t feel the emotions in the air here. We have to take care of it in other ways. We plant things in its soil, we care for its waters, and we take care of its creatures.”[/font color]

She paused and immediately realized that she had fucked up. Her heart skipped a beat. She had said way too much, far too much about what she knew of the Sphere That Hates. Firsthand knowledge about the planet. Ira hadn’t told Pepper any of this information– maybe she had told Cody? The little goddess’s face was currently changing as though deep in thought. Maybe she wasn’t paying that much attention?

[font color=darkpink] “At least, that’s what I think according to what Cody has told me. I’m sorry if I got any of that wrong.”[/font color] A good save. Even if she hadn’t told Cody, Pepper knew about their memory entanglement. Cody could easily have seen it through some of those memories, hopefully. If not, well, there wasn’t much pepper could say that would dig her out of the hole she had just unintentionally dug.

Pepper chose to keep her soft smile on her face. She moved on from the answers she had given and continued to talk about roller skates. Maybe the distraction tactic would help here. [font color=darkpink] “I asked about socks because you’ll need to wear them under the shoes. It keeps the shoes from rubbing your skin off when you wear them. They have to go on pretty tight after all.”[/font color]

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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Ira stopped dead in her tracks when Pepper described, CORRECTLY, the shape of her Sphere's emotions. She turned slowly to look at Pepper with a dark expression before, rapidly, Pepper explained how she knew. The dark expression did not leave Ira's face for some time, however, as she simply stared at Pepper. The cogs and wheels turning in Ira's head were almost visible, then, she abruptly turned around and walked over toward her wall of drawings with something in her hand.

Quietly, she taped another picture on the wall, then she spoke, [font color="8682eb"]"Cody, should have asked. Before he shared. Should have asked... But, it has been done. Now you know. I will- uhg, 'get over it.' I suppose."[/font] Relaxing her shoulders and body, Ira walked back over to Pepper and sat back down at the table. Beginning another drawing with her new marker set, Ira asked, [font color="8682eb"]"Why skate? What purpose is served? Strapping wheels to feet- not dangerous? Humans made with floppies. Floppy fat feet. Efficient for walking. Efficient for endurance running. Not for- rollering?"[/font]

It seemed, at least on the outside, that Ira had accepted Pepper's excuse and had been upset for a minute about something else.[/font]
 
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[font color=darkpink] “Please don’t blame Cody, Ira. It was my fault. I ask Cody questions and he tells me things. It’s part of how our relat– friendship works.”[/font color] Pepper tilted her head to the side and leaned forward, wrapping her hands around her ankles, almost like a child. [font color=darkpink] “If you’re going to be upset at someone, please let it be me. I won’t ask him any more questions about you. I promise.”[/font color]

She flashed a smile at the question about the skates. [font color=darkpink] “Mostly, because it’s fun. It lets us go very fast, and a lot of us like to go very fast. Cody went skating with me just the other day, and he enjoyed it too. He’s a lot faster than I am.”[/font color] She giggled a little at the memory of Cody racing to catch up to her and pulling her along behind him. A slight blush rose to her face as she tried to suppress the rest of the memories from that day. Now wasn’t the time to think about Cody. She needed to provide her undivided attention to Ira.

[font color=darkpink] “So yes, while our feet might be better for endurance running and for walking, skates are better for having fun. I would love to teach you to roller skate if you’d like that.”

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[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]She, Pepper, was trying to put all the blame on herself and take Ira's attention away from Cody. Ira saw through the attempt immediately, but admired that Pepper would put herself at the target of Ira's ire instead of letting Cody take the fall. It was the sort of things friends did for each other. Though, Pepper was more than just 'Cody's friend.'

Then, Pepper talked about Cody more. They had gone skating together recently, which Ira supposed is why they wanted to include Ira. This was still a new concept for the little Goddess, the idea of friends, the idea of wanting to include others in activities considered 'fun.' Perhaps Pepper really didn't have ulterior motives with Ira, perhaps she really did just want to be her friend. Leaning over the table, Ira tapped her drawing pensively and asked, [font color="8682eb"]"You- and Cody. More than friends? I, er, may have been harsh. Before, first meeting. I was harsh. Cody is nice. I want him undamaged. You understand?"[/font]

Ira knew she was beating around the bush. New concepts and new feelings had been cropping up all over Ira's heart lately. She knew it had to be connected to her damnable body, her grossly inadequate form. But she didn't fight it. Whenever She and she talked, She spoke always of the power and value of new experiences. These were new experiences, or experiences so old they had been long forgotten, so they might as well have been brand new. Looking up at Pepper, Ira spoke a little more directly,[font color="8682eb"] "Tell me, about, your feelings. You and Cody. What your thoughts? Your desires? Be truthful. Lie to me not. I will know." [/font][/font]
 
[div style="background-color:pink;border-top:pink 4px outset;border-left:pink 4px inset;border-right:pink 4px outset;border-bottom:pink 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:pink 4px inset;border-left:pink 4px outset;border-right:pink 4px inset;border-bottom:pink 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:white;color:black;padding:15px;font-family:courier new;"]
Pepper’s smile softened from her normal joyous smile into one of soft adoration. She let go of her ankles and shifted to her knees, getting a little closer to Ira in the process. She folded her hands together on the table, interlacing her fingers. She thought for a long moment before looking Ira directly in the eyes. Honest was, of course, the best policy.

[font color=darkpink] “I’ll tell you the truth. I love Cody very much. Do you know what that word means? Do you understand that feeling? I care about him more than I care about anyone else in the whole world. I would never damage him, never hurt him. I don’t want to do that. My intentions with Cody are just that. Love.”[/font color] She paused then and thought for another moment.[font color=darkpink] “I don’t plan to take him away from you either. I know he loves you, but different from how he and I love each other. And I’d like to love you the way Cody loves you. It’s important to me. So please don’t worry about me hurting either of you. It’s not what I want, Ira.”[/font color]

Maybe that was too much. Maybe she should have stopped in the first half. But she wanted Ira to know all of this. It was important, and the girl needed to know it. She had asked after it. That meant she wanted to know. Pepper had a rule about lying, and that was that she never did it, no matter the situation. Withholding the truth was one thing, but the moment she was asked about what she was withholding, she would tell it all.

She wouldn’t lie to Ira. Well, not more than she had already had to.

[/div][/div][/div]
 
[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Ira felt as though she should have been more upset when Pepper asked if the little Goddess had ever known was love was. Of course she had- she had loved many people over many millennia. But, when she tried to access those memories, they were denied to her. A hard wall, one placed by HERSELF at some point and time, prevented her own remembrance. It was annoying, but if SHE did it HERSELF at some point, then it was for her own good.

Ira would not question the wisdom of herHerHER own decisions, after all.

Of course, there was also a softening of her heart on the topic of love. Ira was, to put it mildly, a bitter and petulant child, but she had a soft spot for love. To hear that Cody loved her made her heart sing, and to hear that Pepper wanted to as well gave her an unexpectedly warm feeling. Of course, Pepper and Cody did not love Ira they way they loved each other, but Ira did not want that. She knew the difference. Even imagining Pepper and Cody kissing-

Gross.

Rolling her eyes, Ira nodded after a few minutes of silence within her own head. Looking at Pepper, Ira responded, [font color=“8682eb”]”I understand. Yes, yes. Move on from this. I have questions. Cody wears, the thing, around neck. The amulet. Gives him power, of a sort. What about you? Do you wear similar jewelry? Or- are you strange in, eh, other ways?”[/font]

Ira didn’t want to say weird, but she meant ‘are you weird?’[/font]
 
[div style="background-color:pink;border-top:pink 4px outset;border-left:pink 4px inset;border-right:pink 4px outset;border-bottom:pink 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:pink 4px inset;border-left:pink 4px outset;border-right:pink 4px inset;border-bottom:pink 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:white;color:black;padding:15px;font-family:courier new;"]
Pepper waited patiently for Ira to sort through her statement. After a few minutes, she rolled her eyes and demanded that Pepper move on to a different topic. The woman smiled and nodded along to her question. Now this, this was tricky. She had to be very careful of what she told Ira and what she didn’t. If she mentioned any sort of dark dimension, Ira might get suspicious. She pulled on her memory of being a child, trying to find images of other dimensions.

[font color=darkpink] “I am strange. I’m strange in a very different way than both you and Cody. I go places. I go to other dimensions. I’ve been to quite a few. They’re all way different from our own, and I really enjoy the experience.”[/font color]

That should be fine to tell her. And it was the truth. As a child, Pepper had been to dozens of places. And she did enjoy the experience of traveling through the Dark Dimension. There would be a bird-shaped hole in her heart if for some reason she couldn’t do it anymore. Even with the wall of priest and herald between them, Mikulass had become a very good friend to Pepper over the years.

She realized, then, that the thing that teether her to the Dark Dimension was the godspark. After all, she had been to so many places before finding it. She didn’t remember ever having the Path before either. The godspark had made that for her. It had created the Path, it had bound her to the portal, and it had led to so many other events that had been happening recently. Without it, her life could have been drastically different. That made her pause, a look of interest crossing her face.

[/div][/div][/div]
 
[div style="background-color:deepskyblue;border-top:darkred 4px outset;border-left:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-right:darkred 4px outset;border-bottom:deepskyblue 4px inset;"][div style="border-top:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-left:darkred 4px outset;border-right:deepskyblue 4px inset;border-bottom:darkred 4px outset;"][div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:15px;"][font face="courier new"]Ira perked up at the mention of going to other dimensions. She knew more existed than her own, OBVIOUSLY, she was in a different one already! But Ira was almost entirely tethered to her home dimension, an unfortunate side effect of tearing down and rebuilding reality itself. Her main body, with very, very few exceptions, could not leave her home. But little Ira had always wished she could, to see other worlds and experience new things.

New experiences were the currency of the Gods, after all.

Looking directly at Pepper, she spoke with a hint of excitement,[font color="8682eb"] "Really? Describe some, please? Would greatly enjoy new knowledge. I am, confined, so to speak. Not just here- in this room, but-" [/font]Ira paused, gesturing all around herself, [font color="8682eb"]"Here, in this plane."[/font]

She wasn't sure if Pepper would understand what she was trying to explain, but Ira wasn't really in the mood to elaborate just yet. She wanted to hear stories of Pepper's travels, of adventures and new people met. If Pepper really had been to quite a few as she had said, surely she'd have at least a few fantastical tales for Ira?[/font]
 
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