[Having Fun]

[crystal_energy]

[Arika's in a pretty good mood. She's making new friends, she's adopted the start of a new family, and she got to be really cool and beat that giant monster. Granted, she's still a bit weirded out by using a person as a weapon, but... it was cool!]

[Right now, she's stretched out on the deck, just laying there and looking up at the sky]

Comments

[curseu_reflexes]

[Hey there, Arika! It's the girl who got you into manga!]

Long time no see!

[crystal_energy]

Julia! Is there any new manga out?

[curseu_reflexes]

Probably somewhere, but not in Area 11. Not like people living in ghettos have that kind of entertainment on their minds. Which is unfortunate, but I can really understand. But I'm sure we could pick something up the next time we drop by Tatsumiya Island or maybe a colony in space.

[crystal_energy]

[Arika nodded]

I can wait!

[curseu_reflexes]

In the meantime, what's been going on with you? Recovered from your injuries now?

[crystal_energy]

Yup! I'm all better!

[curseu_reflexes]

That's great to know! It's gotta be great that you can recover from injuries faster and not need casts or worry about atrophy.

[She looks back up into the sky.]

So I take it you're just relaxing now?

[crystal_energy]

Mhm! My teachers said that even for someone with nanomachines, I still heal really fast.

[Arika stretches her arms up to the sky]

It's such a nice day out, how could I resist?

[curseu_reflexes]

It really is. The Seattle colony did a good job cycling through the phases of the day, but there's nothing quite like seeing the real thing. No imitation can compare!

[crystal_energy]

What are you doing today, Julia?

[curseu_reflexes]

Today? Well I hadn't really planned for anything special...

What do you have in mind?

[crystal_energy]

Absolutely nothing! You should join me!

[curseu_reflexes]

[And with Arika's blessing, Julia settles down next to her and smiles.]

It's funny, you know? The Irgelion armada's expedition to the Earth Sphere took a really long time, so I don't have any solid memories of what the sky on Irgel's like. I was barely a toddler then, after all...

I can't imagine it looking anywhere near as beautiful as this though.

[crystal_energy]

Grandma always said that the sky is one thing that makes everyone equal. No one can own it, and everyone can share it.

[curseu_reflexes]

It's what holds everyone's dreams.

And in the LS Cluster, the same could be said for space itself. That was really my job more than anything to make people feel hopeful about it and the promises it could hold. Not all aliens are horrible monstrosities... the fact Irgelions have made peace with humanity's proof of that!

[crystal_energy]

Mhm, that's what Otome are for! It's so that everyone can see them and know that they're safe!