People are exhausting.
And Arthur is extremely so.
People always tend to have something broken in them, and they decide to make it someone else's problem.
I don't like people, I might like myself even less than that.
And while all people seem like a waste of oxygen, this kid doesn't seem all that bad. Not when she decided to give a stranger like me a tour of Riveton. I have been in Riveton for less than three days. I thought I would find something familiar, and yet I felt nothing for this land.
I don't know where I am from. I know I am from Aldoria, but what region of Aldoria?
I wondered where my parents used to live, I wondered how Aldoria looked before the Great War.
I stopped myself. Tried not to think because I was broken too, just like this kid was.
I knew that she wasn't showing me around just out of the goodness of her heart, no one ever does. But it felt nice to believe that, to lie to myself that someone cared, even if it was a kid I met just a day ago.
The sun rose, and for just a moment, I wondered if Arthur would succeed. Will this mission of his be successful?
I buried that thought along with the rest.
I had gotten out.
I am never going back to Nalzora.
It's odd how I was finally in my motherland, yet it didn't feel like home. Nalzora's streets weren't home, but they at least had felt familiar.
I wonder how Arthur feels. Did he feel like Nalzora was home, even though he had spent his childhood in Aldoria?
Arthur and I are from two worlds apart, and yet it feels like we share our wounds.
Were we born just to be broken?
To forever fight, with others and ourselves?
Will we ever be at peace?
No, we won't. The borders are enough evidence.
Aldoria and Nalzora will never stop fighting. The Great War might be over, but there is no peace.
There will always be war.
But I want to believe, believe that we will achieve peace.
I want to continue believing in Arthur and his cause.
Because what's the point of living if you stop believing?
What is the point of winning if we lose everything in the war?
Aldoria won, yet my family was gone. My parents were just two more bodies in the pile.
On the walk back to the kid's home, I wondered if Nyx was the kid's causality of the war. Will that purple-haired kid be next? How many more people will lose their lives till we reach peace?
Will this kid achieve the revenge she hopes for or will she burn away in the flames.
"How long have you been out of the country?" I turned my head towards her.
"Mmm" I hum, "A while", I say.
I catch her roll her eyes in a playful manner, "so specific".
I shrug, carrying on right beside her.
"It's been a while since I have gotten to do this."
I raise a single eyebrow, "walk around?"
She bursts out in laughter, "No no, I meant relaxing and just having fun."
The mood turns a bit somber, "haven't been able to do much recently..."
"It's life." I say, grief always finds a way to take over everything.
"ya...", she steals glances at me hesitantly.
whatever she plans to say, she deciedes to keep it to herself.
the walk back to her apartment is silent and yet not awkward.
I stop outside, bound to stand guard. She looks back at me and then into her apartment. she once again looks at me, confused.
"Are you gonna just wait outside?"
I stare at her. Out loud I say "yes". What part of babysitting duty does this kid not understand?
"oh" she says looking awkward.
"We- I don't have a guest room but you could use the couch if you want."
"I don't need it", I couldn't fall asleep even if I wanted to besides my job is to ensure she is safe, a bit counter productive if i am unconcious.
She stares at me as if I had said something incredibly ridiculous.
"wow, was this what I was like? I suddenly deeply understand Bella and Nick a lot more."
I don't understand what she meant but I felt annoyed nevertheless.
"Just sit on the couch ok? maybe drink some tea or watch some tv to pass the time."
I raise and eyebrow questingly at her. she ignores me and walks into the house.
I sigh and follow her in. I really don't get paid enough for this.
she seems to look more tired under the artificial lightiging. Like her soul is barely holding on to this body, "Use the kitchen however you please, just clean up any mess you make".
Before i could stop myself I bite out, "I'm not Arthur."
The kid snorts, "Has anyone ever told you that you are hillarious."
I stare blankly at her, "No." That would require talking to someone that's not Arthur.
"well, I am off to bed, see you in a few hours." with that the bedroom door shuts.
I flop onto the couch unsure of what I am doing. Worst. Job. Ever.