1st Aria [ Broadcast Mind ]

[bloodyaria]

[WARNING: Vague mentions of physical and emotional abuse.]

“I like your voice.”

It’s new, a bird’s song that you have never heard sung before. It’s sweet, compared to that man’s voice that visits you with pain and cold cruelty. Warm, like the little ray of sunshine that falls on the dirty stone floor stained with blood in front of you. Curled up in the corner, beneath the simple wool blanket to keep you warm, you speak, “Thank you, and I like yours.”

Words that you’ve learned over the course of forever, during the times those men come and take your blood, cut into flesh, watch and touch and test you.

“My name’s Saya! What’s yours?”

“Saya.” You like that name. “I am...” You grip the blanket covering your thin body tighter. A name. What is a name?

She seems unsure. You should be able to answer, shouldn’t you. “Tell me what your name is.”

“Name...?” What is a name? Why don’t you have one? It has never been a question before. To the man that comes here, you are just a thing, unworthy of being called by anything. You’ve never cared before. Never wanted to know anything, never cared to try. Why? What was the point?

But now, as this bird speaks to you from outside the window, you want to know. What is a name? Why don’t you have one? Why does it matter? What is a name for?

“You don’t have a name?” She sounds as if it’s strange, not to have a name. Strange to be who you are, whoever that is, without someone calling her something. But you don’t know. What is a name? “Then we’ll just have to find you one!”

Something inside you clicks and your head lifts. You stopped caring long ago about anything and everything. There is no escape, no freedom from that man. You stopped trying, because there is no use in doing what cannot be done. But now... now, you want a name. You want to be called something, to matter enough to have just one thing that is your own. And you want to hear this bird sing it, to hear just what it is like to be called something by someone else. You just want to be more than whatever you are.

You want to be something to Saya.

You turn to the hole above you, this small little thing that lets just a few thin rays of sunshine inside, that gives you the view of the world beyond it. You can’t see the bird from here, but you don’t care. You’ve never cared what lies out there, cared what walks around, but now... now Saya has given you a reason.

“Um... let’s see,” she says quietly, and yet you hear her.

And it begins. Your lips part and you begin to sing, a song that feels natural and makes you feel just one step above the dirt on the ground all around you. You want to show Saya what you can be, to share with her this voice that is just your own, this voice that awful man can’t take.

“I know! Your name will be Diva. Diva the princess, with the beautiful singing voice!”

Diva... a princess, with a beautiful singing voice. What is a princess? What is a Diva?

“Diva. I’m... Diva?”

“That’s right, Diva! Now we can become friends!”

You don’t understand it. This sudden want that fills you up. This want to talk to someone, to be ‘friends’ with another being. You want her to say it again, to call you something, to be something. What is this inside you? Are you broken?

No, it feels nice. You don’t feel so numb anymore.

Your fingers take the blue rose you are so fond of, that you had been twirling before she showed up. She gave you a name so you want to give her something, too.

You drop it out of the window, hoping the bird will catch it.

Stay with me. I want to be... friends.

Saya... and Diva.

Comments

[Video]

[path_of_sword]

[So this is a glimpse of the strange girl's past? The Forge intrudes again, but once it's done, it can't be ignored.

....

...at the very least he should make her aware.]


...Diva.

[Video]

[bloodyaria]

[She smiles when that voice and face appear to her.]

Hajime! You came to talk to me.

[Video]

[path_of_sword]

...I just thought to inform you about your Forge.

Given you did not seem very inclined about reading the informational pamphlet, I do not know how aware you are of this device's capabilities, or rather what it can- and in this such case, has done.

[Video]

[bloodyaria]

My forge?

What about it?

[It's ugly and she wants a blue one, maybe with a blue rose on it, but...]

I couldn't read that stupid thing.

[It was boring.]

[Video]

[path_of_sword]

[Of course. He manages not to sigh, however.]

On occasion, it will show its owner's memories, just as clearly as how you and I speak now.

[Video]

[bloodyaria]

[Give her a minute. She's been talking to others, about their dreams, their nightmares and memories. She just thought she was better, above it. It couldn't possibly happen to her. No way.]

... I hate it here, Hajime.

[Those spirits are dampened, clouded out. If she could break this thing and make it erase everything, she would.

But without it, she might not find anyone else. She'd be alone in this cage and she won't go back to that ever again.]

[earnedmystripes]

[...Wow, this--

...

There's almost a physical ache from seeing it, from feeling the emptiness and the loneliness and the longing, the realization that this woman might never have known what it is to be loved.

And it's a little frightening, in a certain way, because Kotetsu has never met such a person, never even begun to imagine such a thing. Even Fai and Yuui had each other, but this woman...

Kotetsu is a little awkward speaking up, because he doesn't know this woman, and he always feels intrusive having seen these things, but. It's important. He has to say something.]

Y-you...you can make lots of friends, here. Nobody's gonna hurt you, or lock you up anywhere.

[...]

I'm Kotetsu. It's, um--probably not the best way to meet, but still. It's. Nice to meet you, Diva.

[bloodyaria]

Kotetsu...

[Diva's angry. Angry at this thing, at this person who talks to her about something he doesn't understand. She's angry at Saya for hating her and angry that this one memory, this one thing has held her so tightly since it was made.

She loves her name, so very much. It fits her, and her big sister gave it to her. It was the first time she was someone, not something.

She lets the name settle, frowning quietly.]

You want to be my friend?

[earnedmystripes]

I--

[That wasn't quite what he'd had in mind when he'd spoken up, but it wasn't that he didn't want to be her friend, either. Only that Anatole was a fresh start, that people wouldn't treat her like a thing and toss her aside. That she could be whoever she wanted, in Anatole.]


Sure. That...I'd like that.

[bloodyaria]

[He doesn't sound like he wants to be, but the thing about Diva is that she doesn't care. As long as she has what she wants, nothing else matters. She can make people love her, so there is no problem, right?

She smiles pleasantly, seemingly satisfied.]

Will you protect me, Kotetsu?

[earnedmystripes]

Of course.

[There's absolutely no hesitation in this, however, as much as the request to be friends was unexpected.]

Protecting people's what I do.

[bloodyaria]

[That's not what she wants to hear.]

I don't want you to protect everyone.

[She wants sole protection. She wants to be the most important thing in people's lives, so it feels like she has something.

Even if each person she drags to her is disposable.]

[Video]

[littledove]

[She doesn't understand. It hurts. The things this girl has been through. Why was she kept in such a place? And to never have a name or understand...

She wipes a few tears from her eyes.]

Diva is a beautiful name. I love it.

[Video]

[bloodyaria]

[Stop looking she wants to shout, because that is her memory, her thing. It's supposed to be just hers and she doesn't like all these people seeing it.

But she doesn't. Not because of some newfound self-restraint, but because her name is just that special, and Diva doesn't turn down a compliment.]

Thank you. I like it, too.

[Despite everything, she really does love her name.

But...]

Why do you look like that?

[Unhappy. She hasn't yelled at her or threatened her yet.]

Video

[swordofthehawk]

Diva.

[Casca finally has her name.]

[She might have had sympathy for her, too, but for their past interactions...]

Why were you locked up.

Video

[bloodyaria]

Diva.

[A confirmation.

Diva shrugs, holding back bitterness and keeping a look of superiority on her face.]

That crazy old geezer left me in there since I was born. How should I know why he did it?

[Other than not being human, for being different...]

Video

[swordofthehawk]

He never told you even once?

[Still no sympathy...at least, not exactly. That anyone should be locked up from birth and treated that way, though...]

Video

[bloodyaria]

He didn't talk to me. He thought he was better than me, just because he was human.

[Or that's what she's been brought up to believe. Amshel isn't necessarily the best influence.]

Video

[swordofthehawk]

Is that why you're like...this?

[Unbearable?]

Video

[bloodyaria]

Like what?

[She is completely innocent.]

You mean fun?

Video

[flarestars]

Your voice is remarkable.

Tell me you escaped that little prison where the darkness could not appreciate such song?

Video

[bloodyaria]

[The first compliment on her voice, her pride and joy.

This man is second only to Solomon, right now.]

I did.

[She escaped and the bloodbath began.]

And that man who locked me away paid for it.

Video

[flarestars]

As he should have. It is cruel to cage creatures of beauty.

Video

[bloodyaria]

[She giggles at that. You charmer.]

Maybe I'll sing for you one day.

Video

[flarestars]

You would find me a most attentive audience.