Overlap: The Other Side

<11/02/149,566 {Avion 148} - 01:01 | Corral Position, Genosis, Altiri Sector Space>

For the first time in all my life, the few hours I waited, and the few more hours left to reveal, felt longer than most times I spent entire days bored and arrest. I didn't have time until now to appraise how much happened between us two, our lives greatly changed, or so I'd hope.

Like before, I was still an emotional mess, my greatest fears overshadowing everything else. It didn't surprise me that I was visited again by my other sisters, those who could afford to leave their pilots for my sake. Though I never asked for anyone to come here to support what I was going through, the others showed up anyway, wanting to talk about all that happened, some wanting only updates for not being able to track what was all going on.

Even though she had said it before, Junko was the first to lift my spirits where possible, though all she could offer was sympathy. "You can't blame yourself for the way things might go. It's common human nature to be skeptical of our existence, even through such an involved process of a purge."

"I still have to wonder though, just how important this purge is to Reed." Rose spoke up after, revealing her intention to deliberate where I might have gone wrong. "A purge is still a very big deal to a human, and I would have expected more acceptance to our ways then outright denial. Lumina? Was there any specific reason why Reed wouldn't have wanted to be purged?"

"Have you abandoned your memory, Rose?" I knew I shouldn't need to remind her, just how wrong she was. Even the earliest of all purges had such dramatic and unwanted personal effects on the human nodes. "Reed must have gone through similar things, personality changes that he never wanted, or mental confusion from the montrum we forced onto him. Even though he's no different this year than he was last year, the entire experience must have frightened him. He'll sooner think he has gone mad before he actually starts to believe we exist, all perceptions aside."

"This isn't good Lumina. If Reed refuses to call you back after long enough, then all of us will be incarcerated for the crimes we now share."

"Lulu? I don't care about that right now." I knew I was unable to stop my other sisters from worrying about our inevitable punishment, the possibility drawing ever closer. It isn't the reason I purged Reed, nor is it the reason I tried so hard to get him to believe us.

"Well you should!" Hurma spat in her distant reply. "The evidence is already clear that this boy you chose is a heathen, and even if he wasn't, he still wants nothing to do with us. Either way, the queen will have our heads for this... I told you it would have been better to coerce him into our faith."

"I really don't need this right now Hurma." Certain she was going to continue, I intentionally blocked her out, letting Hurma simmer where she was. Even between myself and my sisters, I do have the ability to cease hearing their telepathic chatter at will, and so I left myself to the mercy of those here with me in person.

"It's not over yet. We have to give this a chance everyone!" Talor, as determined and hopeful as ever was the one voice I needed to hear right now, though it did little to have any real impact, the others judging her faith.

Fionne first went after my very own actions. "I still want a recap of everything you did Lumina. Even from where I was earlier, I felt so much within you for so long. I've never seen you so emotionally volatile like this. I don't know what it was all about, but if you cannot keep your own cool while linked to Reed, that in itself might be the problem."

Was it though? All I did was behave as I normally would, even though I've never done this before. Which moment is she referring to exactly? Junko picked up some of my slack before I could chime in.

"There was one moment that nearly got out of hand. You see everyone, it appears that when Reed's parents had split up for divorce, a new figurehead stepped into his life. Both Lumina and Reed simultaneously agree that this person is undoubtingly a heathen. That explains some of the hostile emotions you sensed earlier."

"Even so," I corrected while thinking back, "I don't think Reed felt as angry as I did. He was basically being bullied by the guy, and he just let it sink in. I think I overreacted to it a little. Maybe he ignores it for his own physical safety, but I don't know."

"That doesn't sound correct, at least not entirely." Sherika was next to give her opinion, but I saw Rose nodding in agreement with her. "You were the one who told us that the purge did not fulfill total completion, particularly to the non-vital phase five of information transfer. Even though you literally gave him details of our history today, he probably has not had enough time to process it the same way. It's possible that Reed will not hold the same hatred of heathens that we deserve to. Even if he deems this character to be evil, he hasn't suffered in the same personal loss as we have... And yet you expect someone so new and young to understand this?"

There it was, the grilling I had been waiting for. I felt I had done something wrong today, but I couldn't be all sure what it was. Instead, every single word Reed and I exchanged between each other dominated all I could think about. Even though I was linked with all my sisters, it felt like something bigger was missing already, some huge hole left behind in the silence that never was before now. I couldn't explain why I was so addicted to the sensation of this sacred connection; all I knew is that I needed to have it more.

Rose continued where her co-pilot left off. "As Sherika says, there is a lot of new information given to Reed in this very first purge, complicated further by a partial malfunction in the purge itself. While we are very lucky that the purge did its basic job despite its near failure never happening to most before, I fear, with a lack of personal connection between Reed and our world, he will without a doubt sever this connection and move on. Lumina? I don't think Reed is as attached to you as you feel towards him. If he isn't the curious type, he won't be attached to montrum of our world either. So, I must ask you; what else have you tried doing for him?"

It took me a long time to reply, as there was much said I needed to process. Hearing that I was attached to Reed at all made me rethink my vocal reasons for purging him to begin with. Yeah, there were several reasons why I did it, but now I'm really wondering if all of this was a total mistake. "I..." Once again distracted by the hundred tugs of my heart in all directions, I paused again, addicted to the memories I made anew. "I did try to encourage him a little, to think for himself, to help him realize he isn't as average as he presumes himself to be, and to prove our existence using my own observational skills. However, he didn't buy it."

"This is strange, about Reed's reaction I think." Does Junko really think that?

"It's hard to be sure, but I think he is actually a little depressed already. I was right about his one desire, to make and have as many amazing friends as possible. He has difficulties talking to people in school, even though he had some progress during the purge, progress that somehow went backwards while we weren't around... I wish I could just be there for him, to help him feel better." After I said this, all of my sisters here went mute, staring at me as if I was the new alien, though many had soft smirks I didn't recognize.

Talor broke the silence to paint out what she felt. "You're something else Lumina. All the mess we're in, and all you can think about is still making Reed happier... If I didn't know any better, I'd start to think you fancy him, something deeper than the perceived attachment."

"C— can you really picture me in that situation? Come on Talor." No matter how I sounded though, her mere insinuation made me wince ever so slightly, my heart beating a bit faster at the thought. I was certain I didn't feel that way, but I dared not think on it any longer.

"Careful as you want to be, we might be able to make this work..." Junko spent a few seconds under watch of the others and myself, coming up with some kind of plan I must have missed. "Maybe your approach to this was best after all. You know, if Reed simply wants friendship, don't be afraid to remind him that we are here to support him. You might make more progress trying to help him as you want to, if you focus on helping him learn to talk to humans better."

"I already know this Junko. However, Reed won't listen to a thing I say on the matter if he doesn't believe we even exist."

"And why is that, hm?" As she asked me something obvious, I still didn't understand her. "Believing we exist and taking our advice are two different subject matters. Why would he need to believe in you as a requirement for you to show him how much you care? If the entire reason you purged Reed was really to help him, then you should make this your top priority, above all else."

I was breathless hearing her words, so certain my sister was right. Fionne however went to protest the idea. "But that isn't her top priority, remember? The Queen stated already that if he doesn't wind up in a position where he can prove he is not against The Unity, and is not a heathen, then helping him or not, none of this matters."

"You all let me worry about the queen." My statement bold, my sisters listened without interruption, though some were uneasy about where this was going. "I'm not doing any of this for her. I'm only doing this for myself and Reed. I still think I can prove what we need to this way. I know what kind of trouble we are in already, but we can't forget the very reason we purge people. I don't aim to control him; I only want to help him, and to ensure he never turns into a heathen."

"... If you still think you can pull this off, why were you so upset hours ago?"

"Because Fionne, even I still have doubts... I got overwhelmed by it all, and there is still no certainty that Reed will call me back. I'm still upset by it right now." Crying won't solve this though. I've run out of tears to spill, and the only thing I can do now is hope and wait, even if it hurts me.

"Derria speaking. I think you have all the right intentions Lumina, but you still need to be very careful. Even if he does call you back, you cannot forget that the mental shock to him from news of our existence, whether he believes it or not is incredibly high, and dangerous on its own. Learn patience if you do get a second chance, and please assure your node that he isn't going insane... The last thing we need from this is a repeat of experiment number thirteen."

Derria needed not remind me, but I felt better all the same hearing advice from everyone. I didn't do too much wrong besides overreacting a bit here and there, but no matter what happens now, I need to be patient and cautious, so that I don't overload Reed with too much either. "I will be careful. Thank you, all of you for being here with me."

It's what my good family does, even though some of them don't agree with any of this even now. In a few more hours from now, I'll either hear from my new friend, or I'll never hear from him again. Maybe a few days would go by before he decides to contact me again, but for my own sanity, I'm sure I can't last more than 18 hours.

I have to hear his voice again, to feel all he felt in that strange body, and to feel the hum of his fast mind, exchanging so many words between each other that it was its own eternal sonata. Please Reed; please link with me again.