>>5273590With one finger pressed to your Commling yet again, you open a call to Sam’s FuzzBuzz scarf to tell her the news. After a single vibration the line connects, and you’re greeted with a pair of syllables barked into your ear.
“Update?” Sam demands, toeing the line between urgency and her casual dickishness.
“We found her, so how do you want to play this?” You ask, allowing the girl on the other end to mull over the question before she gives you a hesitant response.
“…I just needed to know her name.” She begins, her tone of voice uncharacteristically withdrawn.
“You can ask her yourself, Sam.” You counter, pacing around the ring of Joyous before you. “It’s clear this girl means something to you beyond just that.”
“Goddamnit Shu, I…” She starts to protest before you put a foot down with nothing but a calm, level tone.
“Sam? You were desperate to find this girl for reasons that are important to you. You thought she was dead. She isn’t. You have a chance to do…whatever it is that you wanted, now. So are you really going to stand there and tell me you’re willing to let her slip by again?”
A beat.
“Fine. Fuck it, fine.” Sam finally curses under her breath. “Where is she now?”
“Wherever you want to meet her.” You reply, simply.
“That rust bucket town near where you’ve got your batcave. Is…that cool?”
“I’ll have the Joyous escort her there.” You relent, giving an affirmative nod to Amara as she joins hands with her clones once more. “Want me to give you two the whole time alone, or do you mind if I say ‘hello’ after you’ve had a turn?”
“Sure, it’s whatever. You found her, so you make that call. I won’t be long.” Sam replies, and the line goes dead once more.
She’s…never easy to deal with, but you had at least hoped that doing her a favor would do something to soften her thorny facade. Trying to shake off the bad taste that lingers in your mouth, you turn to your little one, still firmly ensconced in her little ritual.
“Thanks again, sweetie. You did an amazing job.” You smile down at her, taking a knee. “You want to go down and introduce ourselves after she’s done? It’s only fair you meet her in person, since you’re the one that tracked her down.”
“Maybe! But…” Amara trails off, her two-tone gaze holding yours as she tilts her head curiously to one side. “…you look busy. Like there’s something else you need? What is it? I can help!”
…You didn’t think giving up the power to see into people’s minds would leave you looking like an open book, but here you are.
“Yes, sweetie. There is one more thing…think I could pop in and say hello to your newest Dream Daughter for a second?”
Amara beams; “Oh, yeah! Everybody loves her, and I’m sure you will, too!”
A jack, a jump, a dream.
Here you go again.
(Continued)
