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Yes, yes, I know.

[Elphelt can get a little extreme in her (failed) attempts at being a prim and proper lady and that includes being excessively polite. Not that she minds being more personal and, you now, normal.]

Then Blake it is. Seeing as we're on the subject, you can call me El, if you'd like. It's what people close to me use, so if you, you know, would like to.

All right. El. [ She nods, trying to look serious, but the careful politeness in El's tone gets to her and she covers her mouth with one hand to stifle a giggle. There might even be a very mild tease in her tone as she says: ]

Shall we, you know? Walk to the cafe? I mean, would you like to?

Oh. Oh, yes!

[The teasing tone is too light to not go right over her head, so Elphelt nods, taking Blake seriously. This is what she came here for, after all. Even if she knows she is going to talk about something serious, she is looking forward to this.

Elphelt spins around and hooks an arm around one of Blake's.]

Please lead the way.

[ She startles a little at the touch -- no one except Mom and Dad and her teammates ever gets that close -- but relaxes into it after a moment. ]

It's just a couple blocks. Umm...how are you?

[ That's what you ask when you're hanging out with friends, right? ]

[Elphelt stifles a giggle. Blake really is shy after all, even in spite of being so forward as to ask for a dance.]

Oh, you know. I'm doing my best. When life gives you lemons and all that.

[She is quiet for a moment. Her life is just about nothing but lemons.]

What about you? Have you been enjoying yourself?

[ Elphelt doesn't seem too happy, but Blake doesn't push. They'll get to the heavy stuff soon enough, anyway. ]

I think so. Being here...it's weird to not feel like the world is falling apart and I have to save it, but it's kind of nice too. [ She smiles a little. ] I've really been enjoying that book you recommended.

Being here is like a vacation. A weird one I had no say in, sure, but it is nice not needing to always think about...well, about the world falling apart.

[ Why is that such a common issue? Is the end of the world just a thing always looming over every world, ready to happen? This world is no different, really. ]

If you're here, may as well enjoy it, right? You'll have plenty of time to read now that you don't need to run around being a hero, so I'm glad you're enjoying the book. I'll find more to share with you.

Edited 2018-01-02 15:43 (UTC)

[ She doesn't know that much about Elphelt's world (she guesses she's going to find out soon) but considering some of the stories she's heard from fellow otherworlders here, it's not difficult to imagine other worlds as troubled as her own. ]

Oh -- thanks. I'll do the same, if I come across anything good. It can be, like...a book club, or something.

[ She's never gotten to be in a book club. She kind of likes the idea.

They turn left at the end of the street, into a crooked alleyway full of little shops with painstakingly hand-painted signs. She's still learning the area, but this is one of her favourite bits already. ]

[For now, Elphelt is going to procrastinate by taking advantage of the walk and small talk to put off the gloomy nonsense she knows she promises to share. It isn't hard for her to do given how easily distracted she is, especially here in a new place she can gawk at, fascinated. That is until Blake's suggestion and she turns her attention back.]

--A book club? Really? Oh, gosh, that'd be fun. I wonder if anyone else would be interested? Although I'm just fine with it being the two of us, even if that's less of a book club and more of a pair of book buddies. That is good with me!

[She clearly looks ecstatic to find someone with a love for the same (crappy) romance novels she does. Elphelt actually bounces in place for a moment and latches even harder onto Blake's arm.Finally, someone who understands her, even if only a little bit. ]

Um, I don't really know people. [ Is that true? She runs through past conversations in her head, but can't recall anyone mentioning reading. ] But if you meet anyone else who likes romance, I guess we could invite them.

[ Despite her best efforts, her list of acquaintances keeps growing. :( ]

Here it is. It's small, but we can go up to the roof.

[ She ducks through some hanging vines from a planter and into the dim interior. It's tiny, a few round tables and metalwork chairs smooshed up against the walls. The waitress greets them cheerfully enough and waves them along to the stairs in the back. ]

[Elphelt will have to take it upon herself to find others sharing their interests to sic on Blake. For now, though, sharing this with one person is enough for her.

She lets Blake continue taking the lead, waving to the waitress with her free hand and taking in the scenery. It's pretty. She may not have many excuses to go out for coffee save for dragging other people out--like so--but she will keep this place in mind for future reference.]

Oooh, the roof? Fancy. This place looks perfect for a date. It's, like, just made for a quiet, private afternoon with someone.

[For someone obsessed with Paris, a cramped little cafe is basically the prototypical dating locale. Not that it matters--when would that ever happen to her?]

Do they have sweets? I want to get something. Like, a pastry or a cake or something.

[ The roof is just as cramped as the room downstairs, but there's a thatched awning that reminds Blake distantly of the houses on Menagerie, and a small fire burning in a brazier to stave off the winter chill. She wouldn't call it fancy, but it's neatly put together in a way that speaks of the owner's love for the business. She finds them a table beside the fire, the legs of her chair scraping against tiled flooring as she sits. ]

I think so? I've only ever tried the tea, though.

[ There's a menu on the table, but she doesn't bother looking at it, having already decided. Blake's a creature of habit, when it comes to food and drink. ]

Edited 2018-01-04 14:59 (UTC)

[It is small and cozy, and with how sheltered she is, it is fascinating and wonderful to Elphelt. She slides out her own chair and plops herself down, immediately opening the menu.]

I'll have that myself, as well, then.

[Tea and...

She frowns as she stares at the menu, eventually closing her eyes and pointing her finger at random.]

And a...chocolate chip muffin. Hooray!

[Better to pick something at random than the alternative of her spending the better part of twenty minutes indecisively trying to decide.]

Remember I said I would be paying, so take this as an opportunity to be wild and try something new, maybe.

Edited 2018-01-06 15:25 (UTC)

Well...

[ She looks uncertain, but then spots a tuna sandwich on the menu, and brightens immediately. It's not exactly wild, but who can begrudge her some tuna? ]

I guess I could go for a snack.

[ The waitress takes their orders cheerfully: muffin, sandwich, pot of tea -- and retreats, leaving them alone. Blake scoots her chair closer to the brazier, sighing at the wave of warmth, and props her elbows on the table. ]

So...what's our depressing topic for today?

[Elphelt's shoulders slump and she pouts. A part of her was hopping Blake would forget and she could pretend to forget herself and they could just eat snacks and have tea. But she sighs and sits back upright.]

...Well. If I hadn't made it clear before, I'm not human, but, um. You could say I'm not a person at all.

[A pause.]

I doubt it would come up, but don't tell Penny I said that. I don't want to put bad thoughts in her head.

I don't really know what you mean by that! I mean, you seem like a person to me. Just like Penny. She's a person too.

[ It's -- a little uncomfortable, hearing Elphelt speak about herself like that. She tries to keep her face neutral, not wanting to make it even more awkward to talk about what's obviously already a difficult topic. ]

She is! I am, too. That's what I want to believe, anyway. Whether or not that's the truth is another thing entirely.

[Elphelt taps a finger on the table as she thinks. Her situation is more difficult to explain than Penny's. It would be so much easier if she could just say she were a robot made to fight monsters.]

...Do you remember that story I told you? About the God of Destruction, how she fought humanity but was defeated?

[ She has to think for a second, but then she recalls the night they met, in the library. ]

Yeah, I think so. The story from your world? The God was defeated, and her daughter fell in love with her enemy. Am I remembering right?

Yup, that's right! Justice, the God of Destruction, was defeated after one hundred years.

[At least knowing Blake hadn't been totally turning her out during their first meeting is a comfort. Maybe she made up for that poor first impression after all.]

That was me. Or...my original? If you artificially make a copy of a god, does it count as reincarnation? Or am I a clone? Or...maybe you could consider her my other mother rather than my original, seeing as she provided the material for me to be born?

[Elphelt slaps her hands against her temples, holding her head as she groans. She has enough identity issues without trying to explain where she came from.]

Do you see now? This is why I don't like thinking about this. It's so complicated! Why couldn't I just be a normal, mortal, squishy girl?

Ummm....I don't know! [ It is complicated. :( ]

I've never...ugh, I feel so unhelpful. I've never heard of anything like this happening, so I don't even know how to begin to think about it.

[ Maybe the Maidens and their power, from what Ozpin's said about them. But that's more a case of...inheritance, not reincarnation or cloning. Empatheias has done a great deal to expand her credulity about what's possible in the world, though. ]

Did you know her? Justice, I mean. [ At least they can start there. ]

[Elphelt shakes her head.]

Goodness, no. Although it feels like I have, if that makes any sense at all. She was destroyed almost a whole ten years ago and I'm not even a year old yet.

[The moment she says that, she frowns. The whole thing with being so young and the inexperience that comes with it is something she kind of wanted to keep to herself for a while longer, but she shrugs it off.]

Which is for the best. I chose to fight for humanity, so I'm automatically her enemy. It's terrible, though. No matter what terrible things some people have done, there is no way killing them is the answer. What good does hurting people do?

[Their order arrives and Elphelt squeaks in surprise, hoping their waitress didn't overhear the, you know, kill all humans thing. She frowns, staring at her muffin.]

[ Blake pours for them both from the teapot, taking a cup between her hands and inhaling the warm curl of scented steam before answering. She hesitates, occasionally, trying to find the right way to phrase her thoughts, but her words emerge with conviction. ]

I feel the same way. I mean, I don't understand a lot of what you're going through. Or any of it, really. But I betrayed a mentor of mine to fight for...for all people, not just humans or people like me, but for everyone, for peace. And it was really hard, but it was a choice. It sounds to me like you made one too. So...all that stuff about programming, or being emotionless...I don't think that's who you are.

[ Though, if Elphelt's only a year old, it's no wonder she's confused. Blake's been thinking about this stuff for, like, pretty much her whole life, and she still has no fucking clue. ]

...Really? It's hard to tell, especially now. But...thank you.

[Elphelt beams. She may be overwhelmed with existential angst, but Blake's encouragement is enough to lift her spirits. If someone else is convinced she is a person then she has to keep her hopes up. She cuts her muffin in half and takes her cup.]

I...um, I may understand what you feel like. Mother created me only because she hates humans so, but I've betrayed her. It's hard to fight someone you love because you believe they're wrong.

[Elphelt takes a sip of her tea...and winces. It is bitter, but that may be because she has the pallet of a child. She refuses to even consider asking for sugar, though.]

Yeah. It's really difficult. [ Her spirits drop a little at the thought of Adam, but this tuna sandwich is delicious, which helps. ]

But the guy I betrayed was someone I grew up around. We knew each other for years. You said you never met your...Mother. So how do you even feel like you know her? I mean, how can you love her, or owe her anything?

[She shakes her head.]

Justice is...Well, Mother is someone else. Mother used Justice’s spirit to make us, so I can understand her, if only a tiny bit. I thinks Justice was afraid of humans, while Mother on the other hand...well, you know that feeling you get when you see a big, gross bug in your kitchen? Humans are the bugs. Yeah. I think that’s how she feels.

[She shakes her head again.]

For Mother, her daughters are tools programmed to love her and carry out her missions without question, which is why I’m having trouble knowing if anything I do is because I want to or because I’m following my programming.

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