‘Lucia. Are you there?’

“I’m here.’

‘Are you alright?’

“How about you, Avner?”

‘I’m fine. You?’

“I’m starting to think that maybe it isn’t a good idea to continue this.”

‘Why? Because I almost died? Randell, go to sleep for 20 minutes.’

“I was naive. That’s all. It’s not right for you to risk your life for a selfish wish of mine.”

‘If that’s how you put it.’

“I’m sorry I got you into this mess. It was wrong of me, Avner.”

‘I got myself into this mess. Not you.’

“I was the one who instigated you to..”

‘I was the one who accepted it. Things turned out alright and that’s all that matters. It’s a shame we didn’t get the information needed. If I was more discerning then maybe things wouldn’t have turned out like this.’

“Thank you for taking responsibility. But the fault still lies with me.”

Their conversation soon came to an end. Only then did Bleu speak her mind.

“See, I told you. He won’t blame you.”

“Still.. I’m to blame for putting him in jeopardy.”

“No. It’s mine fault, really.”

“No. No. It was me who asked for your approval..”

“Do you see these books?” Bleu turned to look at the shelf.

“Yes?”

“All of these were his past records.”

Past records?

“His past life, so to speak.”

The shelves were packed. Lucia recalled how the stories all depicted a person named Shin.

“He’s a hero in all of them. As for myself.. I’ve only caused him trouble. That’s why I need to make it up to him this time around,” Bleu turned to Lucia with a lonely smile. “See. I’m just as guilty as you are.”

Seeing her sorrowful expression, xe was unable to find the words to express hirs sympathy.

“I can’t decide which path you take from this point onwards. If you feel that you should leave him for his sake, then follow that. Else, if you feel you should stay, believing that he’ll be able to do something, it’s alright to stay. Things'll be alright whichever choice you make.”

“Why?”

At times, Lucia felt that her words contained a cryptic message which xe couldn’t comprehend.

Bleu shook her head.

“That’s just how it is. Don’t think too much about it.”

===

Lucia was checking through the items in the sling bag. It was something hirs father had entrusted to hir right before xe was pushed into the pod. There weren’t many items inside other than some perishable food items and consumables that could aid in fighting against the angels.

As things were, Lucia was troubled by the lack of clothes xe had. Hirs luggage was lost in the previous vessel.

Thinking back, Lucia found it regretful.

Most of the more valuable items were lost in the cargo.

“You need clothes? I can prepare them for you if you need?”

“Could you?”

“I’ll go take a look at which ones I can modify.”

Bleu went to check her closet. Inside, almost every dress was made with the exact same white silk. Bleu was troubled to pick one among so many of the same. She wasn’t the kind who fancied fashion.

“Is it alright if we went with this?”

Bleu eventually came to consensus and decided on a few of the simpler, easier to move-in ones. She put them up for display on the couch.

“The chest area is..”

“I’ll fix that up before you take it. I’m asking if you’re okay with this type of dress.”

“I have no problems with these. Though.. are you really alright with letting me use these? Aren’t they your belongings?”

“It’s fine. I normally wear nothing. Most of the clothes in my closet are left untouched.”

“...”

“It’s decided!”

Bleu took the clothes into the bedroom and began to fix up the baggy chest area. Lucia sat in the living room, hirs mind running loops of what Bleu just confessed to hir.

Slapping hirs cheeks to remove the illicit thoughts, Lucia thought through hirs plans.

Later, xe’ll leave Avner’s ship to board Radingo’s. That vessel will take hir to the demon association where xe’ll file a report for hirs missing father.

After that, all xe has to do is wait.

Was that all there was to it? It felt too simple.

What was the point of Avner’s visit to the angels anyways?

Thinking back, Lucia felt even more guilty, realizing how much simpler things could’ve been.

“Sorry to keep you waiting here you go. 3 sets of them should be enough to last you through the trip. As for your undergarments.. “

“Eh?! Uh.. no it’s.. it’s fine, that’s fine..”

“No way. Here, use these.”

“B-But..”

“I’ve never worn this. No perverted thoughts alright?”

Lucia flinched. Blushing, xe turned away.

“Hey, hey. I’m not trying to seduce you into wearing my clothes, you know? These are fresh new pairs,” Bleu dangled them in front of Lucia.

With clothes settled, Bleu also pushed a few cookies from a mysterious cookie jar onto Lucia.

“I wish you the best. I’m sure you’ll find your father.”

“Thank you for your company, and sorry for the intrusion, Bleu.”

“No problems. Oh, Lucia. Next time you meet Shin, could you help me pass a message to him?”

“Next time I meet Avner?”

Bleu handed a folded paper to hir.

“Pass this to him next week, when you meet him. Don't forget yea?”

“Next week?”

“Yup. Don’t give it now.”

“Okay..?”

Though xe wasn’t sure if xe’d ever get the chance to meet Avner again, xe decided to just trust in her words.

…

Her prophecy came true.

===

dotturndot: The gears of fate are turning, plot is accelerating..