Sea of Stars

Chapter 2

Eventually, I awoke, realising that Leonid was shaking me.

"Did you fall asleep?" he asked.

"I... yes," I answered nervously.

"Huh. I'm on break right now. I want to know where you're from, and how you got here. Perhaps some background information as well, since we'll be spending so much time with each other. It helps to know your boundaries."

I thought for a moment.

"Well... I got into a lot of drama with friends, and then... one of my friends started... harassing me, claiming that I ruined his life. And, I don't know, maybe I did. But anyway, one day, he pushed me into a wall, and then... I sort of... clipped through it. Then, I passed out. And when I awoke, I was here. My world would label it a phenomenon called no-clipping. It's not like this hasn't ever happened to someone in my world, I just think I'm the first person to no-clip here of all places."

"I see now what you meant by 'for the most part' when I asked you if you were quiet. Once you're given a topic you're familiar with to speak about, you just go on and on. Kind of like me," He said, his tone mostly monotonous, but I could pick up little bits of... fondness, within. He wore a very slight smile.

"Y-yeah," I said, sheepishly.

"Hm. Think about one thing that makes you uncomfortable. I'm going to see if I can guess it."

"Okay..."

I thought of the sound of velcro separating. I hate that sound.

He closed his eyes, seemingly trying to concentrate.

"Velcro. The sounds of velcro."

"I was right. I've seen you before, I know who you are. I had a feeling that your abilities went beyond being able to re-write fates and guide the stars. I figured you could read minds."

"I can, though it takes a lot of concentration," Leonid said.

I grinned.

"Tell me, what do you think about the stars? When you see them, what runs through your mind?"

"Just... sometimes, I wish I could disappear amongst them. I wish to become one with them, they don't have a mind of their own, so they can't hurt. I wish the pain that I feel from certain relationships and interactions could become nothing," I said.

"Hm... Sometimes, pain is inevitable. You have to hurt to grow. It's how we all learn. Secluding ourselves from the world won't solve all of our problems, it didn't even solve all of mine. I'm destined to spend all my years alone, and though I don't usually worry about it, I know that it will bother me when I grow older, I'm still human, whether or not I want to be."

I paused for a moment to think about it.

"I guess... humans do have to remain social with each other. I mean, experiments actually prove that they go insane after too little social interaction..."

" I know it's hypocritical of me to say this to you, but pain is necessary. We can't hide away. We have to face it. I know that it hurts, but it's how we grow. It's how we learn and become stronger. It's how we build a resistance against the pain."

"I understand..."

"Hm. Break time's over. I have to get back to work."

I nod, and face forward to the stars.

The stars move with his pen-strokes. He has control over them. It's incredible.

"Are you hungry? I don't ever eat unless I really want to just... taste. But you're not like me. You can get hungry, you can get sleepy. So... having said that, are you hungry?"

I thought for a moment.

I was pretty hungry. I hadn't eaten in about a day.

"I think so," I said.

"Alright. Next break time, I'll make something for you."

"Okay."

And so with that, the stomach pains became much more apparent, so I tried to fall asleep.

I had done so successfully.