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"What’s up Rosie-chan? Why did you ask to meet me here, of all places? I didn’t think you liked it here?" Aoi says, leaning on a railing. They’re in an amusement park, it’s a Saturday morning, and the sun is shining brightly.
"Yeah, but… You do. That’s what’s important today." Rose says and smiles at Aoi.
"It is? Where’s Lily, by the way? I thought you were joined at the hip nowadays or something. There’s nary a time when you aren’t together."
"Eh…" Rose says and smiles awkwardly, "She’s doing a school project with Tarutaru. She’ll be here in a couple of hours, when it’s lunchtime. We’ll go eat together, and if everything goes well, maybe we’ll go somewhere else too."
"If everything goes well?" Aoi asks and raises her eyebrow.
"Yeah… Aoi, I—" Rose starts and draws a deep breath. "You’ve been my friend for years now - the only one until Lily - who accepted me as I were and did not shy away. And it was not just because we both are Naturals, no, it’s just the way you work. You accept everyone just as they are… everyone but yourself, Aoi." Rose says and takes Aoi’s hands into hers.
"Rosie-chan…?" Aoi stutters out with a confused expression.
"Shh… Aoi. I know you sometimes struggle inside. And I don’t claim to know all your problems, but I’ve seen the way you look at me and Lily, especially…" Rose says and blushes suddenly, "especially after our duet on the stage."
"No, I don—" Aoi tries to interfere, but Rose shakes her head at her and raises her finger. Aoi lets the sentence drop.
"You, do… you do. But here’s the thing - it’s ok. It’s not a bad thing. That.. that kind of thing isn’t your thing, and I understand it, Lily understands it. Enoka does too, or at least she accepts it’s not your cup of tea. Don’t squirm, Aoi. I’ve known for a while that it’s not you being Natural why you stay away from relationships or why you don’t get close to other people. It’s because… because you’d like to have someone who’s like you. And you’re scared nobody is."
"Like me?" Aoi blurts out, "Aren’t we both Naturals?"
"Aoi, it’s not about that. Not at all. Ugh, I’m gonna blush like hell and this is going to get even more awkward, but I’ll do this for you, Aoi. I care about you, Lily cares about you," Rose says with her cheeks beginning to turn red. "I like it when Lily touches me. I love to touch her. Everywhere. I love it when we spend time together under the sheets. My heart beats so fast when she undresses and I think I’ll explode when she kisses me… down there." Rose’s face is red and almost steaming. "But you don’t, Aoi. And get this - nobody forces you to. It’s alright. You don’t have to. It’s no different from Enoka being head over heels for that Warlock, or me loving Lily instead of some guy. It’s just how you’re built, you can’t help it, nor does anyone require you do. Your heart yearns for someone to Love, but your body doesn’t. And it’s ok, Aoi. It’s ok. You need to accept it yourself."
Aoi opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Her eyes well up, and her lip quivers. Rose pulls her closer and hugs her tightly. "Nothing on this earth will make me not be your friend, Aoi. Nothing that you’re capable of, at least. I’ll disintegrate anyone who tries to hurt Lily, but that’s not you. Nothing you say can make me not love you as a friend, Aoi. Not anymore. Not after Lily accepted me."
Tears fall down Aoi’s cheeks, and she sobs lightly. "I… I always thought there was something wrong in me, but… but I when I say you, I thought it meant it’s because we’re Naturals, that we have to be like this, and that you felt the same way.. But then Lily came and broke down your walls and drew you out of your hiding places and you bloomed like a flower. And then… ," Aoi sniffles on "then I saw you after that day and how you glowed, and how you looked at her and how you two touch each other. And I felt alien, different… It felt like back when I was a teen, that there’s something wrong with me, because I didn’t want… didn’t want anything like… that."
"Aoi," Rose says and puts her palm on Aoi’s chest, slightly below her chin. "Here, Aoi. Accept it here. I’ll show you the way." Rose says and her eyes glow brightly pink, and the gem on her chest flares up. Her wrists and neck fills with swirling designs. Aoi gasps, her eyes flaring up so pale blue it’s almost white. Her whole face gets covered in rune-like symbols and her hair glows brightly blue.
"Rosie…!" Aoi almost shouts, but Rose keeps holding her hand and keeps her other hand on Aoi’s chest.
"Aoi, I love you just the way you are, we all accept you as you. You don’t need to be anything else. Just be ‘Aoi’. It’s enough. You’ll find your soulmate someday, someone who is like you, but you need to accept yourself first. Here, can you see? Where that… yeah, right there, the wall-like… yeah, that. That’s you, you’re doing that. On the other side is freedom and acceptance. No, don’t. Don’t break the wall, you need to.. yeah, exactly. You need to accept the wall is there, don’t… Alright, brace for it…"
There’s a bright blue flash, like a massive lightning, the whole area is filled with blue light and Aoi almost hangs in the air, glowing brightly. Her whole body is filled with rune-like tattoos and her hair is glowing like an exhaust from a jet engine. Her eyes glow so brightly it shows through her eyelids. The amusement park is almost empty, but the few people that are there run in panic as they notice the bright blue light.
In less than half a minute, the glow dims suddenly, and Aoi drops to her knees. Rose tries to support her as best as she can. She smiles gently at Aoi and the new, tiny bright blue glow on Aoi’s chest, just above her shirt’s neckline.
ns 15.158.61.46da2
