LD   Welcome.

LD   Take a seat, I'll be with you shortly.

You make a show of rolling your eyes before sitting down. Who is she to order you around? You're the one doing her a favor by finally dropping by.

YN   Hmph.

YN   I assumed any visitor would take priority over your reading.

YN   But I don't blame you. It must be quite dull.

YN   Waiting for someone to validate your witless psychoanalysis, that is.

Lydia, in turn, makes a show of dragging her eyes through the page, then finally shutting the tome and placing it delicately aside. She bats her eyelashes at you and assumes an irritatingly cordial customer service tone.

LD   Your kindness is ever so appreciated.

LD   Now, what can I do for you, esteemed patient?

The deeper your frown, the more her smile lifts her cheeks.

YN   You know I despise it when you put on a show.

LD   Ah, but you also despise it when our interactions lack effusive praise.

LD   Quite a conundrum.

YN   Cease your taunting.

YN   Proceed in a decent manner at once.

LD   What are your terms?

LD   I am but a lowly commoner, you see.

LD   I know not of this 'decency' of the upper class.

LD   All I am capable of is writhing in my own filth.

LD   Oh, and prostrating before those such as yourself. Silly me.

YN   Lydia.

LD   Yes, Your Highness?

YN   You are absolutely insufferable.

YN   If you keep this up, I will be forced to slay you by my hand.

LD   Hmm. Very well.

LD   I will reduce myself to a more amenable state, per your whims.

She leans back against the chair, her hands clasped in her lap.

LD   Hello, Yuna.

LD   What brings you to my dull, witless little booth?

LD   ...

LD   Was that better?

She's lucky you don't have your sword with you at the moment.

YN   I wish you a life with nothing but pain.

Threats seem to amuse her more than anything; that one causes her to chuckle behind her hand.

LD   Ha ha. Eloquent.

LD   It's not as if I would be able to tell the difference, anyhow.

YN   Don't say strange things.

LD   Right. This isn't about me, is it?

LD   Clearly, something is on your mind - enough to resort to such drastic measures.

You exhale and cross your legs.

YN   A preemptive note:

YN   I doubt you can assist with anything truly meaningful.

YN   But your role is to lend an ear, so I expect you to do so.

YN   Understand?

LD   Mmm. Orders.

LD   The love language of the ego. How could I refuse?

You narrow your eyes. Nevertheless, you proceed.

YN   There has been aimlessness.

YN   Ever since... you know.

YN   All that.

LD   There's too much going on in your special life for me to narrow down.

YN   My academy circle, Lydia.

LD   Ah.

LD   The social implosion, you mean.

You groan and lean back in your chair. It's a most undignified gesture, but she always manages to wrestle them out of you.

YN   Gods above, Lydia. Could you be more tactless?

LD   I'm just describing what I saw.

LD   And, considering the fallout, an explosive metaphor is more than apt, wouldn't you say?

YN   Hmph.

You straighten up once more.

YN   It wasn't like I couldn't see it coming.

YN   I was... prepared for something like this.

YN   But everything is too unstructured, now.

YN   There is no hierarchy. No organization between social circles.

YN   I don't even know how to speak with those I considered close companions.

She gasps and dramatically clutches her chest.

LD   You wound me.

YN   Normal companions, Lydia.

YN   The bond we have truly ascends what I would call conventional.

LD   Ooh. You flatter me as well.

You could do without the faux-fliratious remarks. Or maybe the way she speaks is inherently suggestive, since she has that smooth tone and piercing gaze. Like she's already convinced you're madly in love with her, and she's just drawing the confession out. Just wielding that control over people seems to sate her.

You certainly fault her for it, but you can understand on some level. It must be why you keep finding yourself drawn to her, even so far as to visiting this childish... wait, when did your thoughts stray so far? Damn it. Damn her.

YN   Don't you have anything useful to say, yet?

LD   I was doing my part. Lending an ear, as some would say.

LD   But, if you must know, I always thought you'd come out of this whole mess unscathed.

YN   How so?

LD   Well, you weren't the Alpha. Your kingdom didn't come crumbling down.

LD   And you were neither the Beta. You didn't lose your sole purpose.

LD   You were a third-in-command, at best.

LD   Hmm. The Gamma? Is that a thing?

You put an end to her rambling with a pointed look.

LD   Nevertheless...

LD   You weren't even involved in the issue, were you?

YN   ...

LD   Of course you weren't.

LD   If I heard correctly, it was about a boy, after all.

YN   No.

YN   Well, yes. The boy was definitely a... major factor.

YN   But those two... had something else building up over time.

YN   The consequences were as deserved as they were unfortunate.

Speaking on the matter has become easier over time. Superfluous elements such as bitterness and sadness are hardly evident in your demeanor, now.

LD   I'm sorry to hear that.

YN   It's more an inconvenience than a tragedy.

LD   That may be. However,

LD   I don't see why anything has to change.

LD   You've only ever seen people as those below and those above yourself.

LD   Just because you're without a group doesn't mean you can't continue to do so.

YN   ...

She's right. As much belonging as you may have felt, you hit a ceiling. You could have never truly ascended there. Not with those two, and their inane interpersonal drama.

YN   You know, I half-expected you to say something else.

LD   Such as?

YN   Like, 'Maybe this is an opportunity to start over!'

YN   Amir said as much.

LD   Hmm. Ha ha.

LD   I never claim to know what's best.

LD   But I always know what's possible.

If she says something ominous and cryptic one more time, you're propelling her out the window.

LD   So, is that all you'd like to consult me about?

YN   ...

YN   I suppose... for now.

Her face lights up with what you consider an embarrassing amount of glee. Then, before you blink, it's gone. As if you aren't already familiar with her genuine smile, which reaches her eyes in a completely different way.

It's a shame. Sincerity is a nice look on her.

LD   Another time, then.

LD   I look forward to it.

LD   After all - We haven't even touched on all your other issues.

LD   Like how you're starting to wear more gothic clothing - a show of rebellion against your m-

YN   Just give me my bill, already.

YN   Ugh. How Felix can stand to do these weekly is beyond me.

LD   Oh, we've been making great progress.

LD   I've seen him cry at least eight times.

YN   You're a sick person.