Hi, Miss Friday! [ Fio's head perks up, beaming in the middle of the arduous task of dragging over this chair. No, do not help her. If she needed help, she would have asked earlier! ] I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd come visit you.
[ Huff, puff! Okay, she's finally at the desk. If she sits down, she still has to look up... it would've been better if she were able to find a stool. Oh well. She sets her tote down in the chair and starts rummaging through it. ]
[ Gets up on her knees on top of the chair and starts putting out blank pieces of drawing paper on the guest services desk slowly turning it... into her own work desk. As she does, she can't help but peer over, to check Friday's collection of gifts. ]
[ Her chipper mood from earlier is gradually dampening. ]
Um... you didn't answer my question...
[ And the other question from last time wasn't answered either. She keeps peeking over, trying to check if maybe the drawing is hidden among the papers that Friday has! Trying very hard not to look concerned. Or disappointed, because... she worked hard on that drawing. Probably the most effort she put into her art. It was special. ]
You still have that picture, right? The one with Sparkles.
[ That means...! ] So you do know! You know Sparkles! [ Fio perks up, looking as if she's about ready to start bouncing up and down in her chair. But her smile falters after a moment. The way Friday is speaking so quietly is worrying. ]
Things make more... what? Is something the matter?
[ Fio can't see any visible expression but the sound of desperation in Friday's voice is starting to make her nervous. She fidgets in place for a bit. ]
...I saw this in my dreams. Sparkles said I could do whatever I wanted, so I took away those stupid cuffs 'cause they were hurting. And then we went to the island... and then to my favorite place back home.
[ There's no way she'd be able to see that place again while awake on the ship. And she was already taken from the end of her lifetime... ]
[VISIBLY RELIEVED, to the point where she needs a moment to compose herself.]
... Now, Miss Fio, I'm gonna have to ask you a really, really big favor, okay? And that's that you can't tell anybody else anything about this! Okay? It's really important!
[ Flinches! She almost sinks down into her chair. Sighing, her shoulders sag. ]
I don't get it. How can worse things happen if I tell anyone about it? ...Sparkles is my friend. We watched a... stop-motion movie together... we didn't finish watching, but it was fun. And we played hide-and-seek. We talked lots too. I wanna tell people about the nice things!
[ That slam startles Fio enough that she shrinks back, falls into her chair. She lets out a small whimper. Wow, the first time she's ever been afraid of Friday! ]
...I-I did a bad thing? How is that bad? I wanted to give it a name 'cause I wanted to be friends. [ Then in a smaller voice, but... using that name again: ] I wanted Sparkles to feel better... and it had a terrible Master...
[this is the first time Friday's been afraid of Friday.
her palms on the desk seem to be the only things actually keeping her upright, and when she speaks, it's back down to a whisper, as if hardly even to herself.]
[ Just going to sit in this chair, tucking her legs in. Debating whether she wants to get back up on her knees. Too shaken to look up at Friday, despite the lack of a face... ]
Too late for what? [ A pause. ] ...We were friends, but it wasn't ever really happy. I really wish I could've made it feel happy.
[ She doesn't see an issue with her wish out loud, especially one that desires for someone to be happy. For a moment, she seems defeated, sulking in a ball in her chair. After a moment, she murmurs: ]
...So it's on the ship somewhere, right?
[ Sleeping, somewhere? Then Fio gets back up on her knees, shakily pulling herself up by clutching the edge of the desk. ]
Where's my friend, Miss Friday? Everyone... should get a chance at happiness, you think that too, right? It shouldn't be too late to make it happy.
[ Make her- what? ...Fio's far too interested in Sparkles' whereabouts that she doesn't ask about that unfinished sentence. But there's also a pang of guilt, as she can hear Friday's pain. ]
...
[ Finally, she drops her voice into a whisper. ]
I said I know how to keep secrets. Can you please tell me where? Just this one thing. Is that okay? And I... I won't ask any more questions... or talk about- [ Sparkles. ] my... friend anymore.
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You're up pretty late!
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[ Huff, puff! Okay, she's finally at the desk. If she sits down, she still has to look up... it would've been better if she were able to find a stool. Oh well. She sets her tote down in the chair and starts rummaging through it. ]
And I brought lots of paper to pass the time.
[ And lots of things to ask about! ]
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[the collection that, notably, lacks any Sparkles-related materials. weird.]
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...Where'd you put the drawing from last time?
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...
Miss Friday?
[ ...Her question was heard, right? Right? She doesn't have to repeat it, does she? ]
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Um... you didn't answer my question...
[ And the other question from last time wasn't answered either. She keeps peeking over, trying to check if maybe the drawing is hidden among the papers that Friday has! Trying very hard not to look concerned. Or disappointed, because... she worked hard on that drawing. Probably the most effort she put into her art. It was special. ]
You still have that picture, right? The one with Sparkles.
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and then, in a voice barely above a whisper:]
... Oh. You. You gave it a. Name. That... Things make more... Ohh, dear...
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Things make more... what? Is something the matter?
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When you, um... In the picture, the... [pause] You weren't awake, right? You didn't see this on the ship?
[she might sound. mildly desperate. it's fine.]
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[ Fio can't see any visible expression but the sound of desperation in Friday's voice is starting to make her nervous. She fidgets in place for a bit. ]
...I saw this in my dreams. Sparkles said I could do whatever I wanted, so I took away those stupid cuffs 'cause they were hurting. And then we went to the island... and then to my favorite place back home.
[ There's no way she'd be able to see that place again while awake on the ship. And she was already taken from the end of her lifetime... ]
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... Now, Miss Fio, I'm gonna have to ask you a really, really big favor, okay? And that's that you can't tell anybody else anything about this! Okay? It's really important!
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[ But wouldn't it be nicer if more people knew about her shadow friend with the fiery eyes? Then Sparkles can exist in others' memories! ]
But why? I wanted to tell more people about it...
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[oh wait that sounded. loud. pull it back. hangs wringing harder.]
Well, it's just that, um... Some things are, uh... meant to... stay asleep... And if you wake them up... Bad things...
[pause]
Worse things can happen...
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I don't get it. How can worse things happen if I tell anyone about it? ...Sparkles is my friend. We watched a... stop-motion movie together... we didn't finish watching, but it was fun. And we played hide-and-seek. We talked lots too. I wanna tell people about the nice things!
[ Not like... the bloody room or anything. ]
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It already got enough power from you giving it a name; you have to stop using it!
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[ That slam startles Fio enough that she shrinks back, falls into her chair. She lets out a small whimper. Wow, the first time she's ever been afraid of Friday! ]
...I-I did a bad thing? How is that bad? I wanted to give it a name 'cause I wanted to be friends. [ Then in a smaller voice, but... using that name again: ] I wanted Sparkles to feel better... and it had a terrible Master...
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her palms on the desk seem to be the only things actually keeping her upright, and when she speaks, it's back down to a whisper, as if hardly even to herself.]
... I wish it wasn't too late for that...
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Too late for what? [ A pause. ] ...We were friends, but it wasn't ever really happy. I really wish I could've made it feel happy.
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[the sound of a shaky inhale of breath.]
Well! Gosh, we really should be more careful about making wishes out loud like that, though! You never know who might be listening!
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...So it's on the ship somewhere, right?
[ Sleeping, somewhere? Then Fio gets back up on her knees, shakily pulling herself up by clutching the edge of the desk. ]
Where's my friend, Miss Friday? Everyone... should get a chance at happiness, you think that too, right? It shouldn't be too late to make it happy.
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[she turns away suddenly, her back to her.]
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...
[ Finally, she drops her voice into a whisper. ]
I said I know how to keep secrets. Can you please tell me where? Just this one thing. Is that okay? And I... I won't ask any more questions... or talk about- [ Sparkles. ] my... friend anymore.
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... It's... nothing. That's all it is. It's nothing. Nothing at all.
[...]
I have to. [she has vanished.]
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