Purple

Twenty-Three

Dedicated to __markmelon__

Ruby knocked on the stained glass sliding door. "Clancy?" She called for him.

"Come in!"

She walked in and slid the door behind her. She looked around, examining the place the best that she could this time. Last time was just a look-over. This time, she had a good reason and a good amount of time.

He stood far behind her, looking at her, seeing the sight right in front of him. He stayed still for a few seconds before saying, "Hey," and setting his jacket on the chair not too far from him.

She turned around to face him. "Hi. Mike didn't give me a work assignment and said to come and see you, so..."

"You do have a work assignment."

"Well, what is it?"

"You're gonna work with me," he told her with a smile. "Please." Kindly, he directed her to sit on the floor. "There's something I need to show you." He sat on the floor in front of her.

They sat in front of each other, face-to-face. He looked into her eyes as she looked into his. His turned orange before hers did the same.

"I was one of the first survivors. They used me as their test monkey," he explained as visions occurred in their heads. "Trying to find a cure that didn't exist. My father didn't care. He sanctioned it. When the doctors came up empty-handed, my father just said I was cured. But, I knew I wasn't cured. He wouldn't listen. I lost my family. I lost everything."

Their eyes returned to their usual colors.

She couldn't help but look at him and feel bad. A sad look rested on her face, tears set on the rims of her bottom eyelids. "But if he knows we can't be fixed-"

"He'll never stop trying to fix us," he told her in a serious tone.

"Why?"

"Because he's afraid of us."

"Maybe he has a reason to be."

He leaned in closer as he spoke, "Never be ashamed of who you are, Ruby. Now, I know how scary it is...to not be able to touch someone. To never be able to go home. But I can show you how to use your strengths the way they're meant to be used. How to control them. Otherwise, they control you."

"And I won't hurt anyone?"

"Not unless you want to."

She was quiet for a moment as she thought about everything. Does she want him to teach her? Does she want to be taught anything? Luce taught her a few things, but so much could be done in such a short amount of time, especially being on the road constantly.

When she made up her mind, she said, "Teach me."

He tilted his head a bit. "Has Luce taught you anything about being an Orange? She does have Orange abilities as well, you know."