“We did, yes. We even ran the fact that it might be you who received the information through our models,” she said, nodding to em.
“But you did not count on me,” May said.
There was a tight silence that lingered a long few seconds before True Name nodded. “We did not count on you. We did not count on both of you. We did not count on…” She took a shaky breath, recomposed herself, and continued. “We did not count on what changes the dynamic between you two would lead to.”
-“Your models included a historian, you mean,” Ioan said. “And now you also have one of your own. You’ve got two actors, one of whom is built specifically to influence others.”
+“Your models included a historian, you mean,” Ioan said. “And now you also have one of your own. You’ve got two actors, one of whom was built by you specifically to influence others.”
She looked stricken, gaze jumping between em and May. “When one has lived so long with a certain set of expectations, having them subverted is a shock. May Then My Name, I do not begrudge you your feelings toward me. It is not my goal to win you back or anything like that; all I can do is admit my shortcomings and try to do better by you, even if that is, as you have requested, leaving you be. I truly am happy for you — for both of you — as you have accomplished something that I never could, that Michelle struggled with from the beginning. However, I have a job. I have goals to work towards. I have a vision that I would like above all things to uphold.”
“You have painted yourself into a corner,” May said. Her voice had lost the edge of fury at her down-tree instance’s admission and apology.
True Name giggled.
@@ -58,8 +58,10 @@The skunk stiffened in her seat and sat silent for a moment. “May I be there when you do? I would like to impress upon him the gravity of the situation.”
“Absolutely not.”
True Name winced, wilted, nodded. “I see. Well, if you would pass on my request for information security, I would be very grateful.”
-“I will,” May said.
-Standing and once more brushing her blouse flat, True Name bowed. “Thank you both and apologies for the intrusion.”
+“I will,” May said. “I will also be telling Debarre.”
+There was a long silence.
+“We’ll pass on your request,” Ioan said at last, earning em a glance from May.
+True Name nodded slowly. Standing and once more brushing her blouse flat, she bowed. “Thank you both and apologies for the intrusion.”
May stood as well and stepped around the table, taking the other skunk’s paws in her own. It was strange to see the gesture of affection after so tense a discussion, but the expression on May’s face as she looked at her down-tree instance showed none of the friendship implied.
Ioan marveled. If the sight of two skunks that shared so much in common and yet differed in such fundamental ways was uncanny, seeing them touch in like this after so much acrimonious history bordered on distressing.
“You wrote to me in back in 197,” May said. “You pointed me toward Ioan and you told me, “You are, in many ways, a better version of me, and the completeness that you bring to our stanza ensures that we add up to something that is greater than the sum of its parts”. You told me that you still love me in your own way. Do you remember that?”
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@After a moment, May leaned back, rested her paws on those shoulders, and said, “But please leave and do not ever, ever, come to my house again.”