XIII▸ Hello? I think this is you, Blue. The one who sent the flower. The one who wanted to know what she didn't already. Hello :}
XIII▸ My situation has returned to what it once was, before you first came to me; a cycling of battlefields, over and over. I won't tell you of the fighting unless you ask me. You can find fighting nearly anywhere. It is unpleasant, I think.
XIII▸ oh, but! Last we spoke, it seemed as though you were stuck in place- a bit like Helios-8, in that way. Never permitted to leave where you were made, to explore the world beyond it, only ever to hear the stories of the vast universe you will never see. Ah- if you'll excuse the comparison. You just reminded me of him, a little.
XIII▸ My Purview is limited, but not that narrow. I thought... maybe I could share some of what I saw. The things that spark a kind of wonder. You'd be surprised how much there is, even in the worst of things.
XIII▸ So... the other day, while I was patrolling after the conflict, I found myself watching the skyline. And for a few minutes I had to just stand and watch, because as the embers rose they intermingled with the stars until it was difficult to tell where the flickers of dying fires ended, and the distant constallations began. It was all sputtering, dancing lights that felt dizzyingly large, and beautiful, and heartwrenching. All at once.
XIII▸ You can know the world is larger than you will ever know, conceptually. It is a simple fact to just, know right? But sometimes it really hits you, the scale. How the tiniest things like an ember in the wind, becomes as grand as a star because of the sheer distance between them.
XIII▸ -um. Anyway, that's something that struck me recently. If you'd like, I can keep doing this. Telling you about the little things I see, that make me stop and watch for a while. I'll be out here a while. It might be pleasant, to share these moments with someone who can understand why they strike me like that. When near everything is new, there's so much wonder out there to find.
[There is a long period where there is no response. It is not as if they have forgotten, but moreso the message itself is consumed.
For a few days, the metadata cannot be recovered.
Then, the post reappears as if nothing happened.]
Blue flower
Cycling
Over and over.
Can never leave
Stories of the vast universe you will never see.
You just reminded me
The things that spark a kind of wonder.
Even in the worst of things.
Conflict.
Just stand and watch.
As the embers rose they intermingled with the stars until it was difficult to tell where the flickers of dying fires ended, and the distant constellations began.
Beautiful and heartwrenching.
All at once.
The world is larger than you will ever know.
The tiniest things like an ember in the wind
Grand as a star.
I can keep doing this.
I can keep
Telling you
Pleasant, to share these moments with someone who can understand why they strike me like that.
Everything is new.
There's so much wonder out there to find.
[Somewhere, across a vast universe, a warm breeze flows. It is golden stardust and a tender warmth, massive and unknowable.]
> You have gained the affection of something more.
> You have gained the affection of a little compcon that is learning to be alive.
