05 | voice

[oceanthief]

When Homeworld started investigating this system, we checked all the stars near potential colonies for stability. Everyone was really excited about this planet because its sun had a pretty decent lifespan, so we wouldn't have to do any shielding for a while.

[or. something. Lapis never really paid any particular attention to the reports that came in about earth, because why would she? it was just a little mudball in some podunk galaxy.]

Is that not how it works on this earth? I can't really think of why else you'd be trying to ration sunlight, but...it's kind of stupid. Unless you're storing it somewhere to use later it's not going to make any difference, and I really don't think humans have that kind of technology yet.

[at least not on this version of the planet, anyway. she really has no idea what 'daylight savings time' could mean aside from this, and it's got her completely mystified. that at least is a familiar feeling when it comes to humanity, even if it's not all that pleasant.]

You guys don't even have that much time to start with. Do you really need to complicate it this much?

[and if the sun is dying...why bother squabbling between insubstantial nationstates when there was such a big problem looming over them all? it was all so dumb.]

Comments

[sasaeru]

It's a very common thing... or they name things to have the opposite meaning, as in this case.

There seem to be many things in this country that just have unclear meanings.

[oceanthief]

It's the whole planet. I guess that's just what they're really good at or something.

[or maybe they're hoping if they're vague enough they won't have to change it later.]

[sasaeru]

I don't know anything about this Earth outside of the cities here. I will take your word for it.

I know humans have a lot of strange sayings though. I knew someone who quoted idioms and proverbs all the time.

[oceanthief]

[the very idea of someone who only spouted those nonsense sayings at all times is so horrifying the shiver of theoretical fear is clear even on her face. what a nightmare.]

Did he hit his head or something?

[THIS IS THE ONLY EXPLANATION SHE CAN THINK OF]

[sasaeru]

... Occasionally, especially while we were training.

But his quotes are unrelated to that.

[oceanthief]

You might want to check and be sure.

[sasaeru]

That boy was enthusiastic but no less damaged than any of the rest of us. We are fine; we aren't fragile like most humans are.

[oceanthief]

That's not really saying all that much, though, is it? If you breathe too hard on a human they fall apart.

[she's pretty sure, anyway. they definitely look like it.]

[sasaeru]

...

...

... What?

[oceanthief]

They're really not that strong.

[sasaeru]

... You aren't wrong. But probably not entirely right, either. Some of them are more sturdy than you describe them to be.

If they're weak, they come back again and again growing stronger each time. They're stupid like that; they don't give up.

[oceanthief]

That's just here, I think. I'm pretty sure that humans can't regenerate on other versions of earth.

[and here's Lapis, once again taking things way too literally and totally missing the point]

[sasaeru]

Well, the dead do not come back on the Earth I know, either. But humans do not die so easily.

[oceanthief]

...no, it's pretty easy.

[sasaeru]

It would take more than blowing too hard on them, unless you're capable of causing storms.

[oceanthief]

I probably could, if I really wanted to. It's mostly just water, isn't it?

[NOT THE POINT LAPIS]

[sasaeru]

I-- sure.

Do you wish to do something like that?

[oceanthief]

Not really. It seems kind of pointless right now.

['right now', because that doesn't sound terribly ominous at all.]

[sasaeru]

I agree with that. [She tries to hide her sag of relief.]

What is your name?

[oceanthief]

[don't worry, Ulvida, this is completely misrepresenting the fact that Lapis doesn't understand what an overreaction is.]

I'm Lapis Lazuli.

[there's a weight to the introduction, an imperceptible straightening of her shoulders. her name is important, no matter how many times she gives it.]

[sasaeru]

[Real aliens are weird.

But Lapis' strange and potentially dangerous statements aside, Ulvida's response to the name is a widening of her eyes with recognition and wonder. She knows the name; she read about it in books when she was younger, and heard about it from her sisters when they spoke about her blue hair.]

Like the gem. The color of the ocean.

[oceanthief]

[she dips her head in a small bob, the motion somehow elegant despite its brevity. it's not her that people recognize, but she can't help holding herself a little higher when people's reactions are more than blank stares.

there was meaning to her name on Homeworld, once. this is an echo of that time she can never ignore.]

Exactly like that.

[ocean gem, ocean waves. she moved with the water in every aspect of her life.]

[sasaeru]

I think it's beautiful.

[Names were important to Ulvida, even if she doesn't understand the meaning it holds to Lapis. Both "Ulvida" and "Reina" meant something different for her, but they were important just the same. Lapis' has to be to her too.]

Could I call you Lapis?

[oceanthief]

I mean...that's my name.

[she seems a bit confused as to why anyone would even ask something like that, but it's significantly better than people just plowing on through with the wrong name entirely so she figures it's probably fine.

it's strange to hear a compliment like that, though. for something that has become so intensely personal to Lapis, her name was possibly the most generic thing about her. there were hundreds of thousands of Lapis Lazulis serving the Homeworld empire - if not for that attempted eradication at her identity, that title would mean nothing to her now.]

[sasaeru]

Sometimes the names we have aren't the ones we want to be called by.

[She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear, and at the same time she mentally tucks her true name deeper in her mind, too. Sometimes, names are tricky.]

But if Lapis is all right, I think I'll call you that.