Overlap: The Other Side

<11/07/149,566 {Avion 148} - 23:25 | Corral Position, Genosis, Altiri Sector Space>

"And so, we shall meet again? Same time tomorrow morning?" It was impossible to hide all of my excitement, my anticipation in hearing from Reed again.

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll call you then, before I get to school."

"Thank you." My gratitude towards Reed was more than certain, and I felt evermore calm compared to the days prior.

"I'll admit," he added, "this is all still very strange, but, for some reason, I feel like I want to trust you more, not as some random Altiri, but as a friend."

His heartwarming promise was the very reason I was in such high spirits now. My plan to try convincing Reed that our existence is real – has failed. I've been so worried lately at the thought he may voluntarily reject our presence into his mind, to shut us out forever, leaving us with never-ending silence. Yet despite his skepticism, Reed has chosen to keep me around officially. It isn't easy to claim why, but I think he wants someone to talk to, someone who is willing to be there for him and help him, a role I have graciously taken on without asking for anything in return. And so, at least for now, this purge is not a failure; our covenant is still absolute.

Even so, just saying good night to him, knowing I would lie in wake for so many hours without his voice brought a new pain inside my heart, and a new fear that I would somehow never hear from him again. Luckily, my sisters were more rational than I in the moment. "As long as you keep calling me Reed, I promise I will be here for you, as a friend or ally. It's honestly what I wanted from this purge."

"So you keep saying..." Reed pondered those words, adamantly suspect of the true cause behind our purge on him. I wasn't sure why he might doubt our cause, though he didn't openly challenge it again either. Ending our Sunday night together, Reed and I told each other good night, before I manually put an end to this specific connection, letting the energizing buzzing of our minds quiet down again. At that point, it was only me and my sisters.

"So?" Junko pondered. "How are things going between you two?"

I smiled in the smaller victory I had in this, and granted my curious sisters the update they've been looking for. "I think Reed is beginning to trust me now, despite his lack in belief of aliens."

"I wouldn't say that is a good or bad outcome," Fionne appraised, "merely a means of extension. Even so, this is better news than the alternate, because now our queen has no choice but to extend our time in earning her approval of Reed."

"I know how you all feel, but you must understand how much I care about the core of our situation too. I want to help him, to be a better person, to be a happier person. Only then will I consider any of our efforts to be a success."

"I suppose things have not tipped over just yet, but do not be fooled by any hidden deception within your new friend." I didn't understand why Junko felt compelled to warn of something I knew I didn't need to be worried about. Still, it hasn't been easy handling my own worries given what I've learned in other failed purge experiments. It hasn't even been one week, so anything can still change.

"So when do you pair with him again next?"

Without certainty as to why Sherika cared about a smaller detail, I gave up our rendezvous time anyway. "Reed normally contacts me at the bus stop before school, so I guess a little after seven hours from now."

"It must suck having to wait so long just to reconnect with him like that, instead of keeping the connection alive all the time."

Talor's reminder highlighted something we Altiri already know, one core difference between ourselves and the Humans. Most living creatures require resting periods to stifle a negative coefficient of energy loss and fatigue, while we who never sleep know not what the sensation is like. I'm always alert and awake, 24 hours of every single day no matter what. Every minute is longer to me, every hour is more time I think of the world around us, pondering its infinite mystery. "It isn't that much fun, but I can be patient."

Very few humans have ever dared to try keeping themselves awake for much longer than 24 hours, due to the experience being uncomfortable and dangerous. However, I find that those who do mediate the experience also become more aware about the world around them, and how time affects us all. People often count their days, because each sleep cycle separates those moments. Though, any insightful person really knows, we remember moments in our lives better than days; we value experiences and changes more than quantity and stagnation.

So I know that any human, even Reed would be curious to know what it feels like to always be awake every waking moment in the day. We have more time than humans, but are also easily bored because of that time. Reed is just a little bit different in how he values his personal time, but it's usually the same. People take what they have for granted, even us. I always have so much more time in each cycle to think, and yet, it doesn't always lead me to happiness. What I'm saying is, I too am one who can think too much for her own good. Seeing the world in this new way is amazing, but it can just as easily be my own curse, if I worry too much, if I think too hard about what-if scenarios that are best ignored.

So, even though Reed claims to hate sleep with a burning passion, I have to wonder if sleep is really a blessing in disguise, or a curse. The answer still eludes me, though this is hardly the only question on my mind.

"Talk to me Lumina. Are you doing alright?"

Junko can see right through me if she's still asking. Might as well bring it up again. "Yeah... I just hope Reed isn't getting too freaked out about knowing that I watched over him for so long. He didn't exactly sound thrilled to know how long I shadowed him for - prior to the purge."

"Yeah, but that's perfectly understandable."

"Is it?"

"I'm amazed you don't yet know this about human sociology. The people on that planet are different Lumina. They happen to have negative cohesion to people who secretly stalk them, and also any friendly gestures from someone with such an age difference as you. There's no way you don't already know that."

I knew it alright, but I didn't expect Reed of all people to be bothered by such details... How repulsed is he by me, simply for being thousands of years older than him? It sickens me to even have to guess. "But he knows I wasn't watching him like a creep, right?"

"The reason doesn't matter," Junko laid out. "As far as he knows, you spied on him with clairvoyance for quite a long time, an invasion of privacy that humans care greatly about. In addition to this, by comparison, you are the adult in this connection, while Reed is just a teenager, fourteen years old to be exact. He may be smart, he may be insightful, but he is no genius. I doubt he would ever understand the perplexities of our world, of our culture, or even of your very own intentions."

"But I did everything I could to explain it to him."

"How many fourteen year olds do we know are capable of understanding all of this with so much ease? He may very well grow to believe in us soon, only to question our existence all over again years later. Do not forget that such has happened before."

"I don't need the reminder." Trying not to pout, I didn't want to face her, ignoring the very thought of possibility that Reed would ever do that to me, even knowing it was a strong possibility. Silent moments passed before I was asked something again, this time by Luna.

"I've noticed something different about you Lumina. It isn't definite right now, but, you seem to be a little more attached to Reed than I thought you were. This confusion from within resonates to me, and it has me wondering if friendship is the only intention you have with this subject."

"You've already brought this up before, but..." I paused, unable to think about anything else. Every hour of the day, Reed has been on my mind, again, and again without end. I used to have definite reason to flood my thoughts of him, but now I'm not even trying to. I don't want to outright believe that Luna is right about my feelings, but it's getting harder to be as certain as before... If I were to say the phrase out loud to Reed, I love you, how would that really feel? Would I love him like a friend, or something more? "Look, it's not like that Luna. I'll admit I am more attached to Reed than I expected to be, but—"

"While that is an understatement, it in itself underlines a potential problem. However, since this is all very complex, it shall go unspoken for now. Lumina, the important thing you need to realize, is that Reed isn't going to be as receptive to you based entirely on your intentions alone, and you would be wise to consider this."

"Why are we even arguing about something like this in the first place? He already agreed to call me back more than once. I'm making progress with him, I swear."

"Are you now?" Hurma stood from her seat, finally with something to say in her usual defiant mood. "Because you should know that this still isn't enough to honor the deal we have with the queen. It isn't enough that Reed eventually swears loyalty to The Unity. He must also prove not to be a heathen. Since he is literally that of the same kind, I doubt he would ever wield our malice as it was meant to. Just try to bring up heathenism again with him and see where it all goes."

I didn't want to even consider taking advice from her, but Hurma has a good point. I have felt some residual hatred for heathens in Reed, but lately that sensation has been absent. The purge makes it so, and the completion of the purge removes all foreign motivation after enough time... Even so, he doesn't have to feel the same way right way, I think. "I will ensure that Reed understands all that is wrong with heathenism influences. I know you haven't been nice about this from the start, but even I will never turn my back on my own... I trust Reed. I trust that everything will eventually go well."

Even as I said this, I was once again relying on pure faith alone, something he and I keep having to do for some reason. Even so, avoiding heathen influences is exactly what Reed needs anyway, the very thing that will help him attain even more friends. So, I won't disappoint. We are only getting started after all.