#perhaps forever

It’s about the little things, man.

Our paths just happened to converge there, in the scariest place in Sky, as is so often the case with myself and others. Why would this run be any different? We trekked up the mountain as strangers, watching each other’s backs, it was only polite.

We crossed the threshold into Stormlock together. We went separate ways for this first stretch of statues, each of us connecting the dots into different constellations across the barren castle floor. I usually take pride in guiding others on my personal path, but you were set on yours, I wasn’t about to convince you to take mine.

We reconverged at the second phase, where the rock rain gets harder to predict, harder to dodge. I knew - and I knew you did too - that we’d have to work together to push further into the storm, to keep each other kindled. We gained inch by inch, and when one of us was knocked prone by a loose stone, the other always rushed to aid. We relied on each other heavily in these moments before death, I figured we were in this together, to the end.

I didn’t know you. I didn’t really plan to. I can’t even remember what your outfit looked like at the time anymore. All I recall is that you had significantly fewer wings than I did.

So it came as no surprise to me that you would fall first.

I still had well over 11 wedges’ worth left on me and plenty more ground to cover. I knew I wouldn’t die before you had the opportunity to skip to the next part by yourself and leave me behind.

I still had 9 wedges left and was crawling when you skipped ahead. Your little blue soul vanished, and I was alone. I mean, you did what you had to, and then you moved on. Isn’t that what we’re all doing in the place where we die?

Two agonizing minutes of crawling and writhing and lungs full of stones and reaching desperately for the last of the statues felt like an hour. You’re halfway up to Orbit by now, I thought. No point waiting on an old salt like me, right?

After I finally fell and went through the motions of the cutscenes, had my light restored, I rode the light up and out of the Eye and to those first steps of Eden’s heavenly ruins.

And you were standing there, waiting for me.

You waited the four or five minutes to pass into the next area, and then the three minutes more for me to rejoin you on the other side so that we might fly up together.

Why would you do such a thing for me? What other sky child would wait so long for me??

We flew to Orbit together. We crossed back into Life together. We landed at Home together. And then we blew kisses and went separate ways. Never added each other as friends.

I didn’t know you. I still don’t. Now I never will.

But I’ll never forget you either. Not after how you touched me so that day.

I think that’s what love is about. I think that’s what Sky is about.

It’s about the little things.

~