[video]

[moonlightglory]

[Video start: Faith's face. She's apparently in her room, and looks about as serious as she always does.]

Good evening. I have a very important announcement to make, so please pay close attention.

The best, in fact the only good man in the universe is now here at this very station. Allow me to introduce you to him.

[The camera swings around as Faith walks across her room to point at something. It's... an aquarium. Coming gradually into focus is a small, blue fish.]

Everyone, meet Walnut. Walnut has only kindness in his heart. He will never do or say anything to hurt you, and he will keep every promise and do everything in his power to make the world a better place.

It is very important to me that you appreciate this fish. Appreciate him. Appreciate Walnut.

...I'm gonna need to find a source of fish food.

Comments

[moonlightglory]

In recent years, Walnut has arguably been there for me more often than my parents.

[daughterofthemark]

You're most fortunate to have such a good friend!

...though perhaps your parents could stand to "step up their game," as it were.

[moonlightglory]

It's not really their fault, I guess. I basically didn't have any contact with them between the ages of twelve and eighteen.

[daughterofthemark]

[Oh no, Faith...]

Well, why not? Why did they not reach out to you?

[moonlightglory]

[...]

...You know Maddie, right? How much has she told you about our situation?

[daughterofthemark]

I mostly only know her as someone I play Cards Against Humanity with--we've spoken little about ourselves to each other. It was some time before I even realized she was blind.

[But this is doing her a worry.]

[moonlightglory]

Damn. I dunno if a stupid post about my pet fish is the place to get into the whole story but, uh...

OK, so I'm a mage, which means my job was to fight monsters. Shortly after my powers awakened, I was relocated and given a cover story about a new school to feed to my parents, supposedly because that way I could fight under a secret identity and protect them from retaliation.

Like most of the things people told me I had to do as a mage, the explanation was total bullshit.

-> private

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna belatedly realizes maybe this doesn't need to be a public conversation.]

So... they never knew where you truly were?

[moonlightglory]

Yeah, pretty much. I'm back in contact with them now, but it's kind of awkward.

[daughterofthemark]

I suppose it would be. They've missed so many years of your growth.

[moonlightglory]

Honestly, I don't know how much growth they missed. While all the normal kids were learning how to interact with other people like a human being, I was just fighting for my life while getting more and more mad at the world.

[daughterofthemark]

I think you interact with people well enough.

[Coming from Arianna, that means almost nothing!]

You cannot have remained the same for six years of your life.

[moonlightglory]

Glad to have at least one positive review, I guess. [Especially if it's a cute girl.]

[daughterofthemark]

I'm certain the others here feel the same way.