ORIGIN

"Yeah, but if you were alone then you'd have to deal with it alone, too," Serendipity said very matter-of-factly. "We're sisters and sisters gotta get through stuff together." She was still unsure what, exactly, being sisters actually meant-- but this much seemed right in her mind. Being sisters meant not leaving the other alone, especially when they had to deal with their murderous mom.

The rest of the conversation, however, Dip had to take a moment to wrap her mind around. Serendipity wanted to be a CAVE GUARDIAN, PROTECTOR OF THE REALM AND ITS GEMBOUND, but what would they do? Things that were insane and dangerous, she was fairly sure, had to be taken away for everyone else's safety. A part of her didn't like the thought of killing someone, however-- she didn't like the thought that they'd never have fun again, and meet new people, and get a cool sister who can make cool things, and that they can decorate a house with.

But Azure said that Blackberry can't be happy. Blackberry wouldn't ever be able to have fun, and meet new people, and get a cool sister. That was odd. That was something she couldn't really imagine. A part of her wanted to think that Azure was wrong, and that she just needed time. But Azure couldn't be wrong. Azure was the best. The best aren't wrong.

If this was the moral dilemma that CAVE GUARDIANS, PROTECTORS OF THE REALM AND ITS GEMBOUND had to go through all the time, she was unsure if she was cut out for it. Her head hurt.

"I dunno," she eventually concluded. "But it'll be okay, right? And nobody else will get hurt because of her?" This, at least, seemed good. This seemed like what should happen, that even if Blackberry was left alive, she'd be incapable of hurting people. Killing them.

Siren eyed the fruit again. She still didn't feel like eating. "You, uh, want the rest of this?" She asked, offering the half-eaten half-banana out.

"Yeah," Azure agreed, smiling at Dip as best a beaked creature could. "Sisters gotta stick together." Unpleasant memories echoed--Blackberry insisting that family was important, loyalty; but her version had been sick, twisted.

Would she taint everything Azure ever experienced? Fuck her. Dip's my sister, never mind the shit-berries. Even then she felt a faint pang of guilt in dismissing her old family so, and she ruffled her feathers, some, trying to push the thoughts away.

As for nobody else getting hurt-? Damn, she couldn't say. But Dip's earnest expression forced a smile from her. "Yeah. I'm sure they'll keep her there for as long as they need to, Dip. And deal with her however's best. Nobody else'll get hurt." I hope. A more brave or brash Gembound might have been thinking heroic thoughts about being ready to fight Blackberry off, but the misery that washed over her at the thought of all of this had her wanting more to slink off back to their shared Orion home and never think of any of this again.

"Listen, um--you ready to go back, Dip? I don't really wanna stay here much longer. And yeah, sure-... thanks," she added quietly, taking the bit of banana and nibbling politely.

Her own appetite was a little faded, too.

There wasn't much left to say, anyway; they could head back to Orion, and... forget all this, for now.