.oo5 ☈ tearing sky;

[sting_to_death]

[The writing may be smeared, as well as there may be a few wet spots on the page. Clearly who writes forgot to add who the message is for, as if it's way too obvious.]

We have to talk.

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[felinemystique]

Who do you mean?

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[felinemystique]

Of course. I'll tell you what I can.

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[sting_to_death]

Why were we fighting?

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[felinemystique]

[Bastet raised an eyebrow, looking over at the other woman with a faint quirk to her lips.]

I believe we talked about this already, over the journal.

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[sting_to_death]

Tell me again, in person. Why was I so angry? I was-- [Screaming, and crying, and desperate.]

What were you, to me?

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[felinemystique]

[She sobered, giving a small shake of her head.]

I don't know exactly what I was to you. I haven't remembered that yet. But two of my friends were framed and sentenced for a crime. I broke them out and had to go into exile as a result. No one knew they were framed, and so you thought I'd simply aided two traitors and disappeared.

When I came back many years later...you were still angry with me for having left.

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[sting_to_death]

[Hearing it in person was different. Seeing Bastet's face as she said those things were different. Now, Soi Fong had no doubt it was the truth. She would have been able to tell if she was lying.]

I was still angry...

[The hand on her shoulder slipped to her arm, holding it close to her body.]

How long were you gone?

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[felinemystique]

[Bastet paused; when you could only remember the past year and a half, it was hard to imagine a whole century. She kept her voice and gaze steady, looking Lin in the eyes.]

In my memory of that fight, you said I'd been gone one hundred years.

[It was a long time to stay angry--which is why Bastet figured they must have been close for her leaving to affect Lin so.]

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[sting_to_death]

[A hundred years, she repeated to herself, in her mind. A hundred years and she still had not been able to forgive her. Yes, Bastet had left without saying goodbye, but if Lin was so attached to her, wouldn't she have been happy when she saw her once again? No, apparently she was still angry. Would she have been so angry, had Bastet been just a friend...?

She had a lot of things she needed to think about.]

Will you tell me more about this... Shunko? [And, maybe, Bastet deserved an apology.

...Hadn't she been happy to see her, when she fought her way out of the cocoon? And Lin had treated her--

Well, what was done was done. Lin held the cap a little tighter around her body, and turned around, trying to avoid looking at her reflection. She had had to wear a hat, something she was not used to, and her eyes were still red.]

And, if that is all...

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[felinemystique]

[She could tell Lin was still shaken, struggling to come to terms with what she'd remembered and been told. Bastet would just have to continue to be patient; Lin had quite a bit of pride and anger to work through.]

It's a technique, very advanced, where one forces their own energy into their arms and legs, to shield and enhance them for battle. It can be used for offense or defense.

[She tilted her head when Lin trailed off, giving her a curious glance. Her whole manner was withdrawn, like she was barely holding on to her composure, and Bastet couldn't help but feel faint concern.]

Hmm?

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[sting_to_death]

[Her eyes hidden by her fringe as she looked down, Lin's voice sounded just a bit too shaky, a lot more of a whisper than she had wished. Her hand already on the door, she didn't look back at Bastet.]

If that is all... I'm going. [Because staying would have meant making more mistakes, wouldn't it? Or would it have meant learning more about herself, about the person she was?

And even if she did, did she really want to go back to who she was before? She had yet to see something happy in her past. She had yet to see herself smile at least once. But it seemed that in her life before the Sphere there was only pain.

And why was she waiting Bastet's permission to leave? Why would she have stayed if the woman had asked her to? Was it really only because she was the head of the Guard?]

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[felinemystique]

[Bastet was silent for a moment before responding, her voice gentle.]

All right. But you know where to find me if you have more questions.

[Since she wasn't looking at Bastet, Lin wouldn't see her fond and faintly sad expression. Even now, it was hard for Bastet to believe that her leaving could have affected someone to this extent. But Lin's pain was real enough. And difficult to see.

Because she suspected, even knowing how badly this would hurt Lin...that she still would have made the same choice all those years ago.]

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[sting_to_death]

[Lin was still missing a very important piece of the puzzle- did she forgive Bastet for what she had done? Did Bastet apologize at all? Did Bastet come back, did they start being close again?

Without that one piece she had no idea of what she should have done.

She silently walked out, cold air hitting her face.

What she was going to do from now on... She didn't know.]