Inner Strength (OPEN)

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Really?!"

Why hadn't she noticed?

She suddenly gasps.

"Aw. You're so nice....you don't want to hurt anyone..."

[Caelan Xander]

"Of course not. My Ma and Pa drilled it into my head that because I'm bigger than everyone that means I can hurt them really easy. So I need to be careful or I could hurt someone on accident."

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Oh. My mom and dad hit me and said I was a waste of supplies."

She doesn't mean to make it awkward she's just sharing about her parents cause that's how you socialize good, right?! You like...share what you have on a topic?

"Heheheh...I guess being really strong can be hard too..."

Darn. She thought it just fixed everything but not if you might hurt someone without trying to.

[Caelan Xander]

He nodded at her words, he knew a few families like that.

"It's really hard. Especially when you live a life with so little. When it's a struggle to have enough to eat or drink. Not everyone handles it the same, I've seen families kill each other, sell off their children to slavery, and all starve together trying to weather the storms. There is often no easy answer, but I do think there is a right one. And I'm sorry your parents were so harsh to you. It is unfair to place that burden on a child. For what it's worth, I don't think you are a waste at all."

[Stigma Wyatt]

She sways a little and blushes shyly.

"Heh...heheheh..."

Yes. Feed her sympathy and compliments...she doesn't actually realize how hard she fishes for it.

"It's okaaaay...it's nice here...you're nice..."

[Caelan Xander]

"Thank you for the compliment. And I agree, it is nice here."

[Stigma Wyatt]

She nods and nods.

"Yes! I like looking at what people here do. It's so nice. It's not stealing or killing." she says dreamily.

"Everyone can just be themselves! And not look over their shoulder as much! Like when I accidentally opened the wrong dorm door! No one even looked at me they just kept bouncing around and screaming like I wasn't even watching!"

[Caelan Xander]

"Wait what?"

He blinked.

"Was everyone okay?"

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Y-yes. I think so. They seemed happy."

As far as she could tell. Oh gosh..she hopes she didn't leave them and they may have been in danger??

After a momentary look of fear, she smiles again.

"H-hey. What was it like where you were?"

Just to compare.

[Caelan Xander]

"Really hot and tough. I grew up in a desert. We all had to work hard to get enough food and water to get by, and those that were not strong enough generally died."

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Desert?" she tilts her head.

"I think I know what that is...it's got a lot of sand, right?"

Strangely enough, Caelan's land sounded a lot like the Dirt Pile.

[Caelan Xander]

"Yeah, and it's really hot. Water is scarce."

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Hm...do you ever want to go back and bring water?"

Not that it'd be easy to get enough for a whole desert, but, she wondered if he felt the same way she did about helping her people.

[Caelan Xander]

"Sometimes. But it would only be a solution for a day. The problem is the people who would horde resources and keep them from those who need them. The greedy who lord over those weaker and less fortunate than themselves."

[Stigma Wyatt]

Her eyes shift away awkwardly, and she presses her lips together...totally obvious in the fact she guiltily thought of someone fitting that description.

Cough.

"Why don't they leave a place like that?"

Not realizing the same question applies to her own people...