[thread] Flaws In Your Reality

[soulinflight]

Aligoté sat down on the edge of the empty fountain in the main plaza, having spent the last hour walking around the walled-in city. He had finally come to the conclusion that Sacy was not among the smattering of people present here. This perplexed him, because he'd been positive that

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[quarkonium]

Khrista stood not far away, likewise in deep thought. She didn't like what was going on at all. Merlot was so upset, and even she was losing her cool. For their mother to think she's married to another, and even worse, for their father to not know who they were... it was painful. In more ways than one could ever imagine.

She didn't want to leave Merlot on her own, but she knew she needed to calm herself down, or else she'd risk having an outburst that could be potentially disastrous (and she wasn't sure that Marcus would be of help this time, because the boy was likewise distraught with the developments). So she took a quick walk, to get some air, to hopefully put her feelings to ease, even just a little.

But looks like it wasn't going to be that easy.

She'd considered turning around and walking away when she spotted Aligoté at the distance. But then she shook her head. No. She was going to face this, because it might be the only way for things to turn back to the way they were. Maybe all their parents needed was to be talked out of their delusions.

"Excuse me," she started politely, walking up to her father - who unfortunately didn't remember that small but important detail at the moment. "I..."

[soulinflight]

Aligoté started a little, having not heard Khrista's approach. Immediately recognizing her as one of the people he'd just been thinking about only a moment ago, his expression was traced with hesitance and caution.

He squashed the urge to address her as 'you again' and instead went for, "Hi."

[quarkonium]

Khrista took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy, but the last thing she wanted was to scare Aligoté off. "I just want to apologize for the way my sister acted earlier, sir." She was trying very hard to keep a straight face; in other situations it wouldn't have been a problem for her. "Please understand that she's very close to our father, and for him to..."

She stopped for a second. How was she going to finish that sentence? "... disappear in an instant... she's not taking it well. And you - you remind us of him." She bowed apologetically - for having to lie a little, but hey, this was for their own good. Sort of. "I'm sorry."

[soulinflight]

Aligoté nodded a little. "S'alright," he replied. "I didn't handle it the best either. I was lookin' for my friend an' I still can't find her, an' you kinda... touched on a sore subject for me. Still, I shouldn't have been short with you. I hope everything gets sorted out for you two, you an' your sister seem really close."

An awkward pause, and then he added, "I'm Aligoté, you're...?"

[quarkonium]

"Khrista." And then she added hastily, with the hope that it would ring some bells, "Khrista Traydor."

She averted her gaze, not wanting it to appear like she was anticipating his reaction. "Merlot and I, we were separated for a long time. Our parents lived far away... well it's a long story you probably don't want to hear. But, yes. Now that we've found each other, we promised to look after one another. Especially now that... we don't have anyone else to rely on."

[soulinflight]

Sadly it did not ring any bells. This Aligoté doesn't even remember meeting Maria, let alone being with her and having kids. But he bites his lip pensively at the other sister's name, looking away and off into the distance.

"You've gotta take care of the people close to you," he mutters, more to himself than to her.

[quarkonium]

Khrista looked at him sadly. "Our father... he's been telling us that." She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to keep herself together even just a little longer. "Especially in a place such as this... a world where everything can change in a heartbeat, where the future is uncertain..."

She shook her head. "Sorry. I shouldn't be rambling, especially not to someone I just met."

[soulinflight]

Aligoté didn't know what to do. It was obvious that Khrista was in distress and yet there wasn't anything he could do. He wasn't fooled when she tried to apologize for "mistaking" him as her father -- her pain was too real and tangible for that lie to hold.

But if he allowed himself to believe it, even for an instant, and then it disappeared...

"Hey," he said lowly, putting a hand on her arm. "You're lookin' at this all wrong. I wouldn't make a good father anyway. an' you two... you deserve much better..."

[quarkonium]

Khrista sighed, then sat down beside Aligoté. "I know. It's just... frustrating, you know? For this to happen so suddenly. We've been so happy here. I finally found my family... and now this." She stared down at her feet. "I'd thought we'd be okay, now we're finally all here together. But it looks like the universe just loves to screw everyone up."

[soulinflight]

Well, daughter or not Khrista was succeeding in making Aligoté feel lousy. "Is there... anything I could do to help?"

[quarkonium]

Khrista managed a small smile. "It's okay. I'll manage, I guess. I mean, I'm used to my life being really messed up. This couldn't be that bad."

[soulinflight]

Aligoté wanted to just shake his head. He wasn't making any judgments because he didn't know this young woman, but he could certainly sympathize with one's life being messed up. His would seem to be the very definition of, given all that had happened. Not for the first time he really missed his wings, wanted to just fly and fly until things started making sense again.

Instead he settled for just nodding. "Happens to the best of us, Khrista."

[crescentlocus]

"Khrista, there you are."

The younger girl turned her head to find her mother walking briskly towards them. For a moment she held her breath, waiting for Maria to recognize who Aligoté was... but nothing happened. She was just there, looking at them, but there was no reaction whatsoever.

"Something's going on in the compound, and whatever it is, it's causing a lot of trouble. You need to go inside." Maria glanced at Aligoté. "You can have your friend come along, if you like."

[soulinflight]

Aligoté started to shake his head and decline the offer, he didn't want to impose -- but as he was about to, a shiver worked its way through him, and he felt strange.

"Yeah, guess so..."

[quarkonium]

Khrista stood up. "She's right, you should come along!" she said in a surprisingly enthusiastic manner, taking Aligoté by the hand. Well, maybe she and Merlot couldn't make him remember, but perhaps Maria could, given the time and the opportunity?

Maria looked at them strangely for a moment, but then shook her head. "Well, I'm glad to see you're making friends."

The younger girl paid that comment no mind. "Let's go," she told Aligoté. She was trying not to smile. "If there's anywhere safer in times like these, it's with her." Well she was exaggerating a little. But hey, all she wanted was for it to work.

[soulinflight]

Aligoté have a little "heh" at Maria's comment about making friends, because somehow he got the feeling -- even though it hadn't been explicitly stated here -- that this was the other half of the parental unit he was supposed to have been a part of.

At least in Khrista's imagination, I have good taste, he thought, looking at Maria. Although she seems a little... stern.

"Right," he answered Khrista instead. "No sense in temptin' trouble."