The Slums

[Aiden]

Carin

'I'm Carin. People call me a goddess. I want to help Tsumiko, so I took her nightmare away. Who are you?'

It was really just that simple. Tsumiko existed, and suffered. That was reason enough to help her for Carin, who pushed through the resistance despite the presence's attempt to stop her. And then, Carin smiled and wiped the bit of rice off her face.

"Mmm, more then?" She pulled another bowl up from under the table, giggling.

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

After the girl gave Tsumiko another bowl of rice, and only after, Carin found the air solidify even further around her, completely restricting her movements.

"Do you know how many people have come to try to kill us, to kill her? There's no way to know you're not trying to lure her into your trap!"

The girl's speech pattern reached a cresendo, booming throughout Carin's very being.

"B-bevause of people like you, people get hurt!" It sounded angry, lost, terrified, and lonely. The air suddenly seemed to be loosening up as well for some reason.

[Aiden]

Carin

Tsumiko's mind was powerful, for certain. But Carin was a goddess, and a mortal mind could only exert so much pressure against her in a vision of her own making. She returned her hands to her lap, sitting there comfortably, and conceded to the presence's intent anyway.

This pain, it was something Carin lived with every moment of every day. It was part of what gave rise to her in the first place.

People like me?

"Have as much as you like, Tsumiko."

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

"Thanks..." Tsumiko muttered sheepishly, looking away from Carin as she took the bowl, stuffing her face with that one as well.

All she could hear was a loud, ambient murmer.

[Aiden]

Carin

Isolation is never the path to happiness. Everyone wants someone else to care about them.

The goddess giggled, smiling and placing her elbow on the table so she could rest her chin on her palm. "You're welcome. Enjoy this dream while you're here, for once. It will stay as long as you like."

But there was something else here too; someone else who needed help.

'I want to help people. I want to help you. But only if you'll let me. Say the word, and I'll go away.'

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

Tsumiko murmered an assenting noise through her eating, simply continuing to shovel food into her mouth, into what seemed like a bottomless pit of hunger.

All Carin got from the other was silence, as the air returned to normal.

[Aiden]

Carin

Well, I'm here whenever you want to talk. All you need to do is ask for me.

Carin watched as Tsumiko ate, content in the outcome for now. She could only help those who let her... even if it hurt to let let them suffer alone. She watched, and waited, and let herself drown in the feeling of helplessness as the depths of this girl's strange heart remained closed.

Until finally Carin asked, "Why did you help Samantha?"

[SINIB]

Carin

Well, I'm here whenever you want to talk. All you need to do is ask for me.

Carin watched as Tsumiko ate, content in the outcome for now. She could only help those who let her... even if it hurt to let let them suffer alone. She watched, and waited, and let herself drown in the feeling of helplessness as the depths of this girl's strange heart remained closed.

Until finally Carin asked, "Why did you help Samantha?"

Tsumiko

Tsumiko didn't even slow down, finishing another bowl before putting it down and turning to look at Carin.

"Because that's what a hero does, isn't it?"

She stuck her hand out, asking for more.

[Aiden]

Carin

"... a hero, huh?" Carin sounded wistful as she thought about it, her face flushing as the feeling ran through her. "But why be a hero, when you have so many problems of your own to solve? What drives you?"

She sounded excited now, leaning over a bit more as she handed Tsumiko another bowl.

[SINIB]

Carin

"... a hero, huh?" Carin sounded wistful as she thought about it, her face flushing as the feeling ran through her. "But why be a hero, when you have so many problems of your own to solve? What drives you?"

She sounded excited now, leaning over a bit more as she handed Tsumiko another bowl.

Tsumiko

"..." Tsumiko seemed to shrink away as Carin asked that question. She seemed to shrink inside of herself, taking the bowl quietly, moaning a little before eating.

[Aiden]

Carin

Ah, that wasn't a question Tsumiko was comfortable with. Carin nodded in understanding, and folded her hands on the table with a smile. "I wish I had the time to learn how to cook properly. Remaining in physical form is a luxury I cannot spare for long."

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

"I could teach you." Tsumiko muttered quietly as she laid on the ground, sulking.

She wondered why she was a hero, really. Guilt? Genuine belief? Something else entirely?

The girl had no idea why she did what she did, acted as she did.

And that terrified her. She wondered if she was even real.

[Aiden]

Carin

"I would like that!" Carin giggled in excitement, scooting over under the kotatsu to sit closer to Tsumiko. "A good person like you... you definitely have a lot to teach."

The young goddess smiled down at her. "Thank you again for helping."

[SINIB]

Carin

"I would like that!" Carin giggled in excitement, scooting over under the kotatsu to sit closer to Tsumiko. "A good person like you... you definitely have a lot to teach."

The young goddess smiled down at her. "Thank you again for helping."

Tsumiko

Tsumiko smiled weakly, as if she were extraordinarily tired. Tired of everything. Tired of living in this god forsaken place.

"Yeah..."

[Aiden]

Carin

Time to escalate, while she still had this gloomy girl in the dream! Carin reached down to take her hand, and giggled as she tried her best to move them both to the kitchen. "No better time to learn than now, ne?"

Oh, but how was she going to reach the counters...?

When next Tsumiko blinked, she was looking at an older Carin than before. Taller, more filled out. One much closer to her own physical age.

Smiling.