Beyond the Sky - Session 35.7

After Valaire and Ginei grab a breakfast, they bring it up to their room, while Valaire wants to talk about something.
Valaire raises a claw to her lips in thought, while observing the small Ginei and Kylisae enjoying their respective breakfasts.
Ginei munches on a roll, looking up at Valaire expectantly.
Valaire: "Kind little Ginei. How do you feel?"
Ginei: "I feel way better than last week, that's for sure!"
"Stronger and happier than I have in months."
Valaire: "It's been several days, hasn't it? Nearly five days, now."
Ginei: "Yeah. Nearly a whole week being with you and Adrian and Miss Mask."
"(Though she isn't very masky anymore...)"
Valaire: "Since then, nobody has tried to put anything inside you, or put you into a cage, or do anything to you without your permission. You've been regularly fed and bathed and clothed."
Ginei: "It's been great! I feel like I'm alive again."
Valaire: "You are, dear, you are."
Ginei: "Though..."
"There's the problem that I'm the only one that got out... and more people like me are feeling just as bad as I did, a week ago..."
"It's... I feel a bit guilty about it."
Valaire: "Sometimes bad things happen to good people. From what we know of the research notes, you are the only survivor of what they did in that gods-forsaken cavern."
"Do not be guilty. Rather, accept the burden of memories and turn it into a strength."
"You are the only one who truly knows what happened. The names, the faces, the voices, the personalities of your friends from within there."
"It may be difficult for you to accept these as having happened, but... I have been trying everything within my power to show that those days are gone, and they won't return just because you think of them again."
Kylisae pats Ginei consolingly on the arm, smiling.
Kylisae: "We're not gonna let bad stuff happen to you anymore, okay?"
Ginei: "Right..."
Valaire: "You don't need to tell me anything. You can keep it all locked inside your heart, if you want."
"But you're the only one left who knows what those other children were like. You likely talked quite a bit to them... their names, their favorite foods, all sorts of things that now only you know."
Ginei: "No, it's okay. I want to talk about them. So everyone can remember them. If I keep it locked away... no one will know what bad stuff they had to take."
Ginei looks down, sniffling.
Valaire moves closer, taking Ginei in her arms and holding the child to her chest.
Valaire: "Kind-hearted Ginei, brave-hearted Ginei. You've gone through suffering people can't even dream of, and come out so strong despite it. I'm so very proud of you."
Ginei: "And you've helped me so much, I don't know what I can do to thank you. You and Ky are really really really good people."
"Even better than moonfish."
Valaire: "Kind, brave, sweet, strong Ginei. Valaire has done so much to make sure you're happy, but now it's time for me to ask something of you."
Ginei: "Oh! What can I do to help?"
Valaire closes her eyes, thinking momentarily on the topic.
Valaire: "As it should be clear, I am an aged woman. Past my prime of youth. And yet, I have no family to speak of--at the time, it simply didn't see important to me."
Ginei: "You don't have anyone? ...Not even a mum or a husband?"
Valaire: "But, since we found you, curled up in the cage and needing of help, it sparked something in me. It caused me to realize what having a family--what being a mother is all about."
"I don't have a mother anymore, and I never had a father or a husband or any siblings or even a child."
"But... seeing you as someone... so adorable, so precious, a living person that needs help to exist... it caused me to realize I want to be that person."
Ginei: "You want to be my stepmum?"
Valaire: "I believe the appropriate term would be adoptive... but yes. If you would allow it."
Ginei: "I... hmm..."
Valaire: "My home is in Verseris City, and we will be beginning the trip there later today."
"I will not break my promises to you, little Ginei. I will stay by you, and when I have to leave, Kylisae will be there while I tend to business. You won't ever be lonely."
Ginei: "I... have a lot of weird feelings."
Valaire: "I understand. This is a big request for me to make, and not something you can decide on a whim."
Ginei: "You've been... really kind to me. I think I'd love you as a mum. But... um..."
"It's hard to make that choice right now."
Valaire: "Of course, little Ginei. Nobody's asking you to make the decision immediately."
"It will be several days on the road to Verseris. There will be time in abundance for you to think about it."
Ginei: "But... even if you're not my mum now... I'm happy with you and Kylisae taking care of me."
Valaire: "Even that is enough for me. Even if you never call me your mum, even if your heart remembers your true mother that fought to protect you against those horrible people... taking care of you is enough for me."
Ginei: "Business... do you mean you're gonna go teach the people who did this to me a lesson?"
Ginei 's voice goes into a whisper.
Ginei: "(I... don't know if it makes me a bad person, but...)"
"(I... want to hurt those people.)"
Valaire: "I have a job, an occupation, back home. I perform tasks, and am given money for them. I can use this money to buy you food and new clothes and anything else you desire."
"But I do need to perform these tasks to get money, though it will never ask you to be without my presence for longer than a day."
"Mister Adrian and Miss Invesse will see to the matter of the ruffians that hurt you and all your friends. I... have faith in them, on this matter."
Ginei: "What about you?"
Valaire: "I'll be taking care of you, little Ginei. As much as it pains me, tears my heart in two, I cannot do both."
Ginei: "Mmmm... "
Valaire: "And with who I am up against... I always run the risk of never returning from fighting these bad people. This would mean leaving you alone, and I couldn't do that to you..."
Ginei: "Valaire... I could wait. Really."
"I... feel like you and Kylisae are the only ones that understand me. Like, really understand me. If I were older... I would come out with you and fight back."
"But I'm still just a kid..."
"...Valaire, I... want you to fight back for me. I don't know how selfish that is, but... there's anger in me. Lots and lots of it."
"I feel like it's boiling inside. I... don't want them to get away with this."
Valaire: "Ginei... Ginei Ginei Ginei..."
Valaire brings the child closer to her chest, tears forming in her eyes.
Ginei hugs Valaire, trying to do it gently.
Valaire: "Anger truly is an unsightly thing for a small child like you to have. Please, don't let the anger consume you."
"If it is what you want, if it is what my adorable little Ginei wants most of all... then please, give me all your anger so I can direct it at the people it's meant for."
"If you truly want it, then I will use all my anger to see the bastards burnt to a crisp."
Ginei: "You're strong, right? You can use magic?"
Valaire: "I will do all this and more, all because I just want to come back to a home where the most incredible child ever is waiting for me to be like a mother to her."
Ginei buries her face in Valaire's chest, hugging tightly.
Ginei: "Mhm. I'll be waiting for you when you return. And you will, you're strong."
Valaire: "You're strong too, brave little Ginei."
Ginei: "Maybe you could even teach me magic, too~"
Valaire: "I would love to. I'm sure we can see how much of an aptitude you have on the way home."
"You really are so very strong, kind little Ginei... I do not know why the gods have seen fit to bless me with a child as wonderful as you, but I never want to see you be hurt."
Ginei: "Mhm. I love you, Valaire."
"I'll always be ready to welcome you home."
Valaire: "I adore you so dearly, brave little Ginei. I know you need time to make a decision, on whether you will accept me or not, but I will ensure you are well taken care of."
"There is a friend I can ask to watch over you. You'll have someone to help you with food and everything, and even a little sister you can play with while I'm gone."
Ginei: "Mhm, that'd be nice. I... really just need company. I can cook stuff!"
"Especially fish."
Valaire: "Well, you can maybe help out around the house with them too. I imagine she will always appreciate the help."
Ginei: "Oooh, do you think there's magic that could help with it?"
Valaire: "Ah, I have a little cantrip for that, too..."
Ginei: "Hmm... Valaire. You're really willing to fight back in place of me, right?"
Valaire lets go of Ginei, giving the child some much-needed space.
Valaire: "As much as I can, little Ginei. As much as you want me to."
"I would change the world if it meant a better place for you to live in."
"Because that's what a mother... or prospective mother... would do."
Ginei: "All that for me? That..."
Ginei moves back to hug Valaire.
Ginei: "I would be really happy for you to be my mum."
Valaire: "I would be overjoyed to have such a brave kind-hearted girl as you as my daughter."
Ginei nuzzles Valaire happily.
Ginei: "Lazarus, Kila... they're um... were my parents. The people you'll be... um, succeeding? Anyway, can you remember them?"
"They were... great people. I'm sure you'll also be as great as them."
Valaire: "I do not want to replace them in your heart. Your memories, of them and of your friends, are precious."
Ginei: "You won't be replacing them. You'll be adding."
Valaire: "I just... want to be in your heart as well. Which is terribly selfish of me, but this is my only request."
Ginei: "Nonsense! It's not selfish. It just means you want to be a really good mum."
"(Eheh... and burn the bad guys.)"
Valaire: "Anything I can do to make it a safer world for the best daughter a mum can ask for."
Ginei: "I-I'll try my best to be a good daughter."
Valaire: "You already are. For Lazarus, for Kila, and for me now, too."
Ginei smiles, holding onto Valaire as the morning goes on, forgetting about breakfast.