Catch-All for Milla

[specialdog]

Comments

[specialdog]

What do you mean?

[tothemaxwell]

How do you think we should proceed, Akane?

How can I better service our partnership? I feel much of my understanding of you has been accidental, or due to a curse, rather than from you directly.

[specialdog]

That's fine, isn't it? We're partners by chance, after all.

[tothemaxwell]

Is that how you'd prefer it to remain?

[specialdog]

... I trust you to always do what you think is right.

[ That's a vague answer, but what she means is: that means you aren't the type of person who makes a good ally. ]

[tothemaxwell]

You believe correctly.

And you'd prefer me to do otherwise?

[specialdog]

There are going to be times when things aren't how they look. We're not the sort of partners where I can expect you to agree with me.

[tothemaxwell]

[...]

What would you have me do?

[specialdog]

Nothing. It's fine for you to carry on how you are.

[tothemaxwell]

[...]

Akane.

I do wish I was able to do more to support you, even through our incompatibility.

[specialdog]

Too bad. I'm not stupid enough to expect you to go against your own morals for someone like me.

You can't always get what you want.

[tothemaxwell]

[Milla blinks, before giving Akane a long, indecipherable look—and nods, slowly.]

Yes.

That is definitely so.

[Akane took the words right out of her mouth.]

[specialdog]

[ . . . ]

Milla, have you gotten any messages from the dead?

[tothemaxwell]

Of a kind.

Were you interested in speaking about this core's apparent goal?

[specialdog]

Yeah, I suppose so. What have you heard?

[tothemaxwell]

That, excepting a case where we are able to find another pathway, then only one of us will be able to make it through this experience.

And that person alone will have the power to rebuild, or change the universe, to their own specifications.

[specialdog]

And what do you think the best thing to do is, knowing that?

[tothemaxwell]

Find another pathway.

[naturally.]

[specialdog]

And how is that going? Do you have even one single lead on how to do that?

[tothemaxwell]

You asked me what I thought was best, Akane.

[specialdog]

And now I'm asking you the next question. How are you planning to actually do it?

You won't change anything without a real plan.

[tothemaxwell]

Correct. But you cannot forge a new path by ignoring the possibility out-of-hand.

What do you think is best?

[specialdog]

I think it's better to actually do something instead of just letting time pass by in the hopes of some miracle third-option coming out of nowhere.

[tothemaxwell]

I am not hoping for an option out of nowhere.

Both possibilities require work, one more than the other, if indeed it exists at all. But I am not dismissing either. Rather, I am working towards effective solutions for both.

What are your plans, Akane?

[specialdog]

My only plans are to keep trying to survive.

And that's going to get harder when everyone's made up their mind about me no matter what I do.