Scene #8852: The Price of Understanding

Owner	Pose
Kale Hearthward	Previously, Kale asked about more power, and then nearly immediately changed his tact when Persephone warned him that it'd make him more vulnerable. Things have changed since then. Kale gets on Persephone's calendar, and shows up promptly at the initial meeting point - wherever that happens to be this time - and weathers the trip to the moon with good grace. In addition to his usual gear, he's got a thermos of coffee and a small bag of beans with him - both of which are offered to Persephone once pleasantries are finished with. "I mentioned my private reserve last time, thought I'd bring some along..." he says. It's strong stuff! It is probably the first time Persephone has seen a warning on a food product that doesn't just cover expiration date and allergy information, but also the product's critical mass. "I need," he says, skipping further preamble. "To understand people better." "To know why..." He trails off. His thoughts speak before he can, not consciously broadcast but audible just the same. Meika. And then... home. How they can just take the robotomized citizens like that. "... Why things happen like they do. I guess. Or... to know how I can fix them. I don't... know if I have the capability of that myself. I mean," He looks down at his own coffee. "I can try. But. I don't have the best track record. And there's other people than me that are going to get hurt if I don't get it right, and that raises the stakes."
Persephone Kore	It's still there: that prefab A-frame amid the craters on the moon. Even in my absence, micrometeorites don't seem to have scratches it, and the peaceful field of flowers haven't died and dessicated. Because that'd make me sad! And the world isn't allowed to do that! The trip is familiar, and the soft grass and windless breeze welcome him, and the door opens just as he steps up onto the porch, and there I am- and I wish I'd known you were bringing coffee, ahahaha, but a second cup can't hurt! "You do," Persephone agrees, a little rudely (hey!!). Then she laughs, and rests her elbow on the fireplace-facing couch's arm and her cheek in her hand like the A-frame of the house in miniature, and looks up at him with smiling flame-reflecting eyes. "Ahaha, that's the fourth or fifth time I've heard Meika's name! She's someone really special, isn't she? But you're not here to gossip." Her legs cross, and her eyes shut smiling, and she sighs with the warm familiarity of the conversation. Her hand pats the cushion next to her, and then she takes a sedate swig of the coffee. Let me stoke you up a little: "Are you sure you're strong enough, Kale?" Of course he'll say yes. But I want you to say it! "Staren wasn't. It's what Petra's so afraid of. You've been really brave already, but is this a kind of bravery you're used to?"
Kale Hearthward	> "You do," Yeah, that's a little rude, but not unwarranted. Kale doesn't react much to Persephone agreeing with him. > "She's someone really special, isn't she?" If Persephone goes delving, she can connect the dots - Kale hasn't earned any moon trips recently, but he did get a warning tug - about Meika, after making her cry. There's... a lot to unpack about how things are going with Meika and Kayoko and their entire world. How long has Persephone got, how long is she willing to pull threads and play therapist? She's not Lily-R, after all, she doesn't have all the time in the world. 'Someone really special' is probably a good way to encapsulate it all, and thus best to leave it at that. Petra's afraid of this? is the first thought out of Kale's mind, when Persephone finishes. The thought gets discarded - then a moment later, it gets fished out of the mental trash bin, mentally smoothed out, and mentally placed in a mental inbox to be mentally examined later. Later, but not now. Kale sits next to Persephone. "I need to do this. Does it matter if I'm strong enough?" says Kale. No, that's dodging the question. Don't be a coward. "I am strong enough," he corrects himself. "It's just... knowing people. What's really the worst thing that can happen?"
Persephone Kore	Ahahaha, don't worry about Meika then! I'll meet her someday for sure. And then I'll know and understand everything, so there's no point in getting greedy now. When they're both seated, Persephone's height gap over Kale shrinks- no heels!- but it doesn't remotely disappear. There are so many more potentially-intimidating things about her that it's easy to forget her size is one of them. At 'Does it matter if I'm strong enough?' she just beams and tilts her head, and her earrings sway and make tiny sounds like wind-chimes. She knows he knows that's not a real question. "Well. The worst thing that can happen is you utterly stop being able to live the way you've lived your whole entire life, because you never realized how badly everyone else is hurting all of the time, and after that every selfishness you ever allow yourself will be colored by a bit of guilt!" Her eyes gleam. And then they soften. "... That happened to me, you know. When I was little. Even if I could turn it off I'd never forget. Didn't you talk with a younger me, that time with Lilian that my heart engulfed you? I used to be a lot different." "Maybe it'll be like that for you." She extends an arm-warmer-clad hand, an implicit offer. You know of what! "Maybe it won't. Are you ready to risk it?"
Kale Hearthward	> "Well. The worst thing that can happen is you utterly stop being able to live the way you've lived your whole entire life, because you never realized how badly everyone else is hurting all of the time, and after that every selfishness you ever allow yourself will be colored by a bit of guilt!" "It... can't be that bad, right?" He knows she knows he knows that that's not a real question. "I mean, even if it is that bad, you got through it, right...?" He looks at her hand. I can't... stay like I am right now. I've known that for a long while, ever since I was at my lowest point. Kale's thoughts have been somewhat divided recently, but on this, all parts of him are fully in sync. This isn't just about how people perceive me, though that's part of it.. This is about who I am at my core, and how I need to change that. I need to grow. I don't fully understand it, but I still know it fully well, and that will have to be enough. "Am I ready to risk it," he says, repeating Persephone's words. "I think, I mean, I think I am. But more than that, I'm not ready to risk the alternative." He braces, gripping onto the couch with his other hand as if he's in danger of falling off... and then grasps Persephone's hand.
Persephone Kore	"Ahahaha. I got through it! And now I am nothing, at all, like you. So are you ready to become nothing, at all, like yourself? Haha, that's probably an unfair question. No-one ever is." She studies him for a moment- or maybe, rather, lets his thoughts play out under her gaze- and her smile widens. Her fingers engulf his hand, and squeeze. But you're getting there. I guess we all just take it one step at a time. And again-- It's not as if the world fades away, exactly. Has it ever been so loud you couldn't hear yourself think? Then this is a thought so big you can't hear, or, see, or feel. It's strange that something immaterial could drown out the real- but that's just Persephone. You're still sitting on the couch, probably, but that's so far away. Here is a pleasant void, a pleasant darkness, the far far inside of your own head- or maybe mine, or maybe an orbit-point in between, but still much closer to me. You feel me, don't you? You can't not! Everyone does! The pull of my gravity on your skin, the way it tugs your heart, the realness of what I want. But everyone is real, just a little, in the same way! You only haven't learned to feel it; to see the stars that are their hearts so clearly. Let me pry you open. I'll peel away those defenses your heart has, and hope you really are strong enough. You might feel cold, and exposed, and light, and sensitive: but that's okay. You can 'see' the star inside me, can't you, wonderful and big and warm? Just bask in it, until you're steady again. And inside yourself, too, smaller- but don't think too long about your own thoughts! Ahahaha. Earth might be too far for you, up here. But when I put you down... the city is like a gorgeous constellation. You'll see! In the real world, she's watching warmly for when he comes back to his senses, and sipping her coffee delicately.
Kale Hearthward	Kale Hearthward... ... still exists. There's a sort of mental, emotional, spiritual(?) self-examination. The equivalent of checking to see if you still have the same number of fingers and toes. Stars. And gravity. "I think..." "... I'm okay." He lets go of her hand, and of the couch. (What he doesn't notice is that his fingernails/claws have dug into the arm of Persephone's couch enough to leave marks. She might not notice it either, till after he's left.) "That'll... I mean, I guess the hard part's going to come when it's not just you, and me, up here alone on the moon, right?"
Persephone Kore	That's ri"That's right," I think and she says, in rapid succession. I smiShe smiles, and takeand takes another sip of her coffee. It's really good! She seems to like it. I hopeShe frowns.'ll be okay. Eyes flick to the armrest. Aw. OverSmiles, thenwhelmed? That'sheadtilt.kind of cute. It's sti"It's still you. For now. And it's still me! You're just extra-sensitive," I thishe says. But whe"But when you're around other people, who are (sadder) more hurt than me, and (more scared) less open, it'll be different. And you might (grow) change." I shutShe shuts her eyes, and does nothing in particular and looks at your heart, which is looking at mine, which is looking at yours, like holding eye contact in a new way- and how are you feeling? Do you think you could get used to this? You aren't hiding any distress from me, are you? Maybe he shou"Maybe you should rest for a minute, before I send you back. We could play cards?" AhahaPersephone grins.
Kale Hearthward	Oh. It's starting already. "Maybe... more than a minute," says Kale, clearly overwhelmed. It's doubtful he could hide his distress from Persephone, even if he was inclined to do so right now. "Cards sound nice." How do you play cards if both people can see each others hands? "... More than a minute, and - put me down somewhere that isn't crowded, when you do..." This is going to be different, for certain.