I Collect Red Stars

Character dump: Reznov

(August- year 2)
When the natural one arrived at the meet, she began her normal routine. Set up, take stock of friendly faces, find her people, patrol the perimeter, and look out. At step three there was a small hitch. Her people didn't seem to be around. She surveyed the camp but the only red star in sight was a stranger that she wanted no part of. She walked inside hoping maybe they were perhaps there, but the only person who seemed to notice her in the building was a Vegasian who sidled up beside her and gestured to the new face outside.
"Could you get that guy for me? Bring him over here."
The natural one sighed and obliged, walking back out to the red.
"Someone in here wants you, follow me." She instructed boredly. The red star complied and introduced himself as Reznov, and the two walked back toward the main building.
"Hey Hedge." Hawthorne's voice called her attention, and they paused. Hawthorne eyed hedge and her company thoughtfully. "You know, you're just collecting them at this point." She commented, before laughing and continuing, ignoring the little protest that the purple natural one provided. Hedge sighed deeply and continued on her mission, delivering the damned red.

***
Liberty had asked to play catch with the log Hedge was carrying, it was a good way to beef up, they had reasoned. And so a circle of five people tossing a hunk of wood back and forth came to be. Sometime during the game Hedge heard a name she wasn't expecting to, and froze dead.
"Vasily..?" She had just turned around and spotted him when the log they had been playing with connected with her leg, sending a shooting pain up it. She gasped in pain and picked up the log, tossing it at one of her companions, supplying an utterance of "be right back.." and running over to her friend, breaking into a grin. "Vasily!" She shouted, nearly barreling the marksman over in her attack-hug. "Where have you been! I have been looking for you for months I thought-"
Her friend returned the hug -kind of- by draping an arm over her shoulder then lazily dropping it.
"Oh, Hedge good to see you." Was his only comment as he immediately turned and walked off toward something apparently more interesting to him. ..Reznov. Hedge watched him, mouth open in shock, before clenching her teeth indignantly, returning to the game, getting the log, and hurling it at the two redstars with all her might. Luckily for them she has terrible aim.

***
As night fell the natural one looked to the sky with delight. This was a special night. This meet had fallen during the time the stars were moving, an important time of introspection for anyone of the Nattlig tribe. The natural one may not be among her people anymore but their customs still stayed with her. Perhaps this time could mend the apparent rift between her and her first real friend since leaving her tribe. Clearly they needed some time, considering how little he seemed to care earlier. She approached him carefully, casting a sidelong glance at his new companion.
"Vasily? Tonight is special to me, the stars are moving. I was hoping to watch them..." the offer was clear in her tone, apparently not clear enough.
"Do what you have to do. So, Reznov," the red dismissed her and walked over to the other male, continuing his own conversation.
"...with you.." she added softly, lowering her gaze. It appeared not. She shot an unnoticed glare at the new red, then sighed and turned away, walking to the soft grass and laying out a blanket to lay on. As she was setting up, Murdoc, the King's Court accensorite walked past. Hedge recalled an earlier conversation turned sour with him, on the subject of red stars and being faithless, and decided not to waste this time, and instead to smooth things over with him.
"Murdoc?" She asked hesitantly, getting his attention. "Would you like to watch the stars with me?" Murdoc considered the offer and nodded.
"Sure." He walked over and laid on her blanket with her. Gazing at the stars, they talked for hours. About their lives, their pasts, beliefs, philosophies and hopes... they talked until the stars faded in the morning light. This was what this night was for. She stopped him just before he left and pulled a flower from her belt, gifting it to him with a few words of explanation. They parted ways and as she walked up the steps to her cabin, Vasily surprised her.
"Hedge? I'd like to have that talk now."
Hedge glanced at the steadily lightening horizon, then at her friend. sleep isn't that important. She nodded and smiled warmly at her friend.
"Alright. Let's talk."

***
Several hours later, a breeze had picked up and the talk had long gone downhill. Hedge had moved the conversation onto the trails to scrounge as they spoke as soon as the sun was high enough to see by, but the change of scene had not changed the direction of the conversation. Vasily couldn't hold his frustration any longer, and spoke sharply.
"Who is Stroya." The question hung in the air, as the natural one suddenly found her shoes very interesting. The silence spoke volumes. "Who. Is. She."
"... what happened when I died." She spoke gently.
"You forgot about me." He sounded wounded.
"What made me forget about you."
"You lost your memory."
"And when I lost my memory, who showed up?"
"Stroya. That doesn't answer-"
"Think about it."
The red star did. After a pause, he spoke again.
"What are you saying?" He got no reply. "Hedge... are you saying... are you saying Stroya is you?" More silence met him. "Shes you- why didn't you tell me?" His voice sounded pained, on the border of anger and anguish. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath, waiting for a reply.
"She WAS me. She isn't me- Maybe- maybe I don't like to talk about it. Maybe I don't like to think about it. Maybe I'd like to pretend it isn't true-" the natural one walked faster, searching the bushes less gently than usual.
"But why..?"
"Because I'm not her... she... she's naive and dumb and.. and brash..." the natural one spotted something and crouched down to dig it up, her back to Vasily to hide her face. "She is reckless and... and confident.. and she can be happy and she hasn't had to.. to go through what I have and... and she doesn't care.. she hits my friends... she ruins everything-" a tear rolled down her cheek and the two remained speechless for a bit.
"Hedge.." Vasily tried to say something but couldn't find the words. Hedge stood and shook her head.
"I got it. Let's go, please. Pretend this conversation never happened..."
Vasily went quiet and nodded stonily. "Fine. I understand." It was clear to him what she meant. First she said she didn't care about the other wraiths, Now this. She didn't want to be in his commune and she didn't want to share her problems. She was not a red star.
***