vivenieta | [005][Audio + Translated Text]

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avó

[005][Audio + Translated Text]

Porque tu és pó e ao pó hás de voltar.^*

[Nieta sounds unusually subdued.

She can be found, for most of the evening, in front of an altar in one of the small alcoves off the chapel's main gallery. She's lit some candles, and although there are both ashes and olive oil on the altar in front of her, she's done nothing with them. She's just watching.]

[[*For you are dust and to dust shall you return.

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...what?

From... dirt you have come and to dirt you will go again.

It is from a religious book from my home.

I understood what you said.

*Well, the words at least.*

I just don't know why you'd say something weird like that. Its a religious thing? Some sort of ritual?

*Sadly his knowledge of religion is limited to frogs and slime.*

Yes, something like that.

If you use the calendar of Earth then today would be a holy day for some of my family.

The words were something they would say to us. Actually, I do not know why.

[Joe takes a moment before he speaks up.]

Nieta. Want some company?

Oh. So you don't know what it means.

Yes I do. It is about life and death. It means that time here is... Short. But I do not know why they say it today especially. I think it is traditional?

You are still here.

Yes, please. I am in the chapel.

'Course I am.

[His voice doesn't quite carry the same pep as usual.]

Be right there.

[A few minutes later, Joe steps into the chapel and stops by the door. It's not a place he's been for some time. Not since his brother left.]

Oh. Its like a holiday? That's the word, right?

Are you alright, there?

[Speaking in tongues is not normal okay.]

Holy day.

[She tries to stress the different pronunciation, but gives up midway. It probably doesn't make a difference anyway.]

Yes, is similar to a holiday.

Before, there would be dancers and parties in the street, but today was quiet.

You do not have religious days like this where you are from?

[And she notices. But she waits to reply until she hears the chapel door. She looks up from her alcove to make sure that it is him.]

You have been quiet.

I thought maybe you had left too.

[She hadn't, really. It would have been a Big Thing if he had.]

Yes. I am...

[Word. Word... Oh forget it.]

[Portuguese]

Reflecting. It is just a bad mood.

I don't understand whatever you're saying.

[It sounds like gibberish!]

But you don't exactly sound alright.

[. . .

On another day this probably would have been funny.

But today? It is a little bit...

Okay, Nieta is annoyed.]

It is Português. My first language? I am fine.

*He doesn't really pick up on the difference, anyway.*

Not really. I mean we had some special days but I don't think they were religious. Barely anyone had any sort of religion.

*Except the crazy clowns.*

I understand.

That is sad.

It is easier sometimes when things are difficult to have something to believe.

[Or someone.]

If you say so.

*He wouldn't know, since he never really believed in anything. Well, anything good.*

I am sorry, Nieta.

[Joe's not a religious man, but his Ma brought him up to know the basics. He marks himself with the cross, hand moving from forehead to chest, shoulder to shoulder, and moves to sit nearby.]

I've had a bit on my mind as of late.

[Not for the first time, Joe wonders if this is punishment of some kind; bringing people into his life to care about only to take them away without warning. It's thoughts like that that make him never want to leave Nieta, just in case there's something he could do, but he doesn't. Protective as he is, Joe wouldn't crush her freedom by constantly lurking over her shoulder.]

M'not leavin' without you, anyway.

Missing someone?

Aren't you also?

Yeah. And?

Please, you didn't do anything.

[She just always forgets the first rule: Do not get attached.

She's doing it right now.]

Then it should not be a surprise.

Who was it?

Bryn.

[And Zack and Tom and Cecilia and so many others.]

You knew her?

[Impulse has her reaching up to take his hand. But as she does, she catches sight of the inscribed bangle sliding up her forearm. Her smile becomes forced. The moment is broken and she immediately retreats behind a joke.]

Oh? You are sure that you will not meet a pretty blond girl of your dreams and run away with her?

Ah.

Not well. In passing.

Then do not worry. I am sure that she will be fine.

You would know best, wouldn't you? You lot are the ones that snatch them.

[He smiles a little, but it's just as forced as hers. Joe shakes his head and meets her eyes.]

Pretty sure we've run down that path before. You know who I care most about, Ni.

[After a pause, he offers his hand, leaving it up to Nieta whether she takes it or not.]

And you know I'll wait forever.

Perhaps not, my condolences are there.

[Not getting attached is hard. It's easier for Rem than most, but it's hard.]

Would you like me to bring you something to eat? Or a drink, perhaps?

Always you think we are the zoo keepers.

[And not part of the zoo.]

[In a moment, her crooked grin returned.]

Yes I do, and I think that Duran will be glad when he hears that you will wait.

[And still grinning, she took his hand and pulled herself to her feet.]

[Yes - no-...]

Please.

Some jam. And some toast too, if you would like to.

Aren't you?

I will be there shortly.

[And it's not much later that he finds Nieta in the chapel, a plate of toast in one hand and a couple different types of jam in the other. He could have three hands, but... Nieta didn't need strange sights right now. Not unless he wanted them.]

Nieta?

Do I look like one?

On this end, you sure do.

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[005][Audio + Translated Text]

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[audio] PRETEND THIS IS THE RIGHT LANGUAGE K

[audio] IS PORTUGUESE :D

[audio] YES THAT

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[audio] WOW WRONG COMMENT THERE

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[audio] I WAS HELLA CONFUSED

[audio] IT IS MY MISDIRECTION AT WORK!

[audio] /still loling

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[audio] All the way to Honolulu? :B

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[audio] and all the way back :3

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