Inbox: Deer Country

[givetheslip]

"...what am I supposed to say to—"

text | voice | video | Omen

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[unphase]

[Tinya giggles co-conspiratorially at the nose wrinkle and wrinkle she own in turn]

Not one bit. What can I say, I was always born to be bad.

[givetheslip]

[The giggles are indeed contagious, though if anyone asked Maria would protest that and say that it was laughter, not giggles.]

Heavens, that must be quite a boon, to know your destiny so early.

[unphase]

[Maria's secret is safe with Tinya]

It has been. Destined to be a disappointment to my mother, but she was disappointing to me, too. We're best off when there's a galaxy between us. [and she chuckles] Sometimes even that's not enough!

[givetheslip]

[She's still smiling as she listens, though it's a bit sadder now.]

I wouldn't have guessed we had so much in common when we first talked.

[unphase]

[as is Tinya's]

Nor I. Perhaps it was fate that we'd meet?

[givetheslip]

[She shakes her head.]

No, I don't believe in fate. We make our own futures. But I can recognize a fortunate opportunity when I see one.

[unphase]

I wish I could believe that I did make my own future. Sometimes I feel like the multiverse's chewtoy! [she says with an attempt at a laugh]

[givetheslip]

That's the good thing about the future. Until you're dead, it's always there. Which means there's always another chance to make it yours.

[unphase]

That's what I'm trying to do. Try to establish myself as my own person again instead of carrying the weight of my mother's and my team's expectations. Especially my team's. [she sighs] I think I'm far too changed to fit in there again.

I feel like we can probably wind this down to a fadeout c: lovely thread

[givetheslip]

Maybe so.

[Maria imagines the same would apply to her and the Templars, should she wish to go back. Which she doesn't.]

That just means you need to find a place where you do fit. Or make one for yourself.

cool, cool, works for me! Glad you liked it!

[unphase]

I've never been good at fitting into the slots of others. I'd rather make my own.

[givetheslip]

Here's to that.

[She raises her tea in a mock toast — no, actually, quite a sincere one.]

To both of us forging our own paths.

[unphase]

[and Tinya's is absolutely serious]

Cheers! [and she tapped her teacup with Maria's carefully]