foolishmortals | If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme...

[ Another week, another horrible sight to see. Another child dead.

Last week, Kim had spent the majority of her time crying in her room. This week, she- ...okay, she definitely cries, but she refuses to do so alone. An hour or so after the trial, notes are slipped under everyone's doors, written in her neat, curvy handwriting. ]

If you don't want to be alone right now, come to the dining room. We will have food. Don't shoulder this on your own.
- Kimberly, Lekmet, Marco, Rocket

[ There's an extra note on Beast's: ]

Please bring the mirror. I think everyone would benefit from talking to those we've lost again.

[ This is becoming painfully routine. Around the dining room, there are signs set up - courtesy of Rocket - that say NO DUCKS ALLOWED. In the dining room itself, there's a variety of foods set up. Various soups, vegetables, chicken nuggets- basically just things so people have something to eat, if they need it. Some simple sandwiches. Thank Lekmet. Marco's provided a rainbow cake. ...And also courtesy of Rocket, there's...booze.

Sorry, Mr. Arrow. ]

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Back home, I was... doing alright, for a while. Fighting crime, saving the day, all that good stuff.

Then I lost someone.

I didn't... know how to handle it. I'd lost people and squirrels before but this time it suddenly seemed so especially pointless. There was no one specific I could blame or fight. So I thought, maybe its my fault. Maybe I need to be doing more. If I could save the world, I could protect all my friends from harm forever. All I had to do was... topple some governments. Upset the status quo. Put someone like myself in charge.

Now, I'm not saying you're on the road to supervillainy because, seriously, you're good at heroics. But because you're so good... that feeling you could be doing more isn't gonna go away. And I think you're gonna want to keep sacrificing parts of yourself to do more. And that's a messy road.

Does that make sense?

[ There is a lot in there to unpack but Kim listens to all of it. Her eyes go slightly wide, but she holds her tongue, holds it so tight that when Allene asks her a question she's speechless. After a few long moments, she finds it. All the things to say, and she picks: ]

That's why I quit. [ It sounds like she's vaguely surprised by this. ] Because I didn't want to sacrifice any more of myself. But...I still want to help people.

[She sighs and smiles, a little.]

You're smarter than most, Kim. And still good. Even when people like you hang up the cape, you still want to step in when someone's in danger. That's a good thing. But its... hard.

You're the last person I need to tell that though.

Thanks. I don't think I'm that- but...thanks.

[ She looks down, shy. After a moment: ]

You... You really tried to...?

Miiiistakes were made. I'm better now, promise.

[ She digests this...and then nods. ]

As long as you don't do it again? ...My boy- um, my ex-boyfriend went through a period where he was...kind of brainwashed, so...I get that it's complicated sometimes.

...Yeah that sounds about right.

[....you know what. Kim's good. She's gonna start moving away from subtle to outright confession.]

My sister's the real hero. She stopped me when she had to and kept talking to me and trying to help me after everything blew over.

[ "A period" she says like tommy hasn't been brainwashed multiple times pls just leave his head alone s2g- ]

Your...sister? You've never mentioned a sister before.

[Tommy is a brainwashed disaster.]

Yeah, my twin. She's pretty cool. We were a superhero team for a while. Before the, uh.... you know.

[ tbh this place is actually keeping kim from her own brainwashed disaster hot minute so you know, silver lining? ]

You've...got a twin. What's her superhero name? Is she squirrel-themed too?

[...Okay. Let's do this.]

Well, more like she's got a twin. She's, uh, Squirrel Girl too. First, even.

...Oh. So you...became Squirrel Girl...after her, or...

[ No, that doesn't make any sense, what's... ]

Well. Its. Possible. That there was a. Duplication machine.

And its. Possible. She fell in.

And... then there was two Squirrel Girls!

....Ta-da!

[ ....... ]

Oh! You're a clone! [ shhhHHHH she wasnt all that loud but she makes an effort to speak softer- ] Tommy had that happen to him too. Why didn't you just say so?

[Oh my god she makes various QUIET PLEASE motions, looking around nervously]

Well, you know, when you're a clone that tried to take over the world, that doesn't exactly sound endearing.

...O-okay, yeah, when you put it that way, I get it...

[ ...something suddenly clicks with her, though- ]

Ohmygosh, was this what Jyn was asking advice about? Oh- oh, duh.

...Jyn talked about me?

...Was it nice things?

Ummm, in a way...? She asked a guy that she knew in the past, who took his twin brother's identity and evaded some crimes with it, all assault and like...no murder, or anything, and she asked if I'd be able to forgive someone who did that.

Obviously, that's you, instead.

I mean... Yeah, there was some assault and kidnapping involved. That sounds about right.

I, uh, told her around Sunday or so. For. Reasons.

Well, she talked to me on Monday so that...lines up.

[ ... ]

It was yes, by the way. The answer. That he- you- could be forgiven.

Oh.

....Thanks.

Guess it was good advice, so...you're welcome. I didn't really do much, though. Just shared what I thought.

I still appreciate it. I don't know if I would have given the same advice if someone asked me.

If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme...

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