"Why She Matters to Me"
By: Eliyora
Even though I'm meditating in my room, I can hear all the way from downstairs the commotion that Nee-chan is causing. She just loves creating mayhem. It's funny to her to make people angry. From the sound of it, she's angered more than half of the team this time. I'm not even going to go see what happened. It doesn't matter, because someone will come complaining to me in a few minutes. It happens just about every time. I can hear footsteps outside of my room now, just as I thought I would. This time, it's Chiro that's come calling. This is rare. Chiro finds her funny. I wonder what she did this time.
"Antauri! Please, I'm begging you, do something about Eliyora!!" Chiro pleads.
"What did she do this time?" I ask calmly.
"She swiped a vital circuit for the long-range scanners! She gave it right back, but her pranks are getting out of control! What if Skeleton King had chosen that moment to attack?! I don't think we can take this much longer! Please!" Chiro implores.
I just shake my head. "You're the ones who are encouraging her. You're giving her exactly what she wants."
Now he looks confused. "What do you mean?" he asks.
"Let me ask you something. Have you ever noticed that she never even tries her little jokes on me?"
He thinks for a moments. "Now that you mention it, she never does. I always figured it's because she likes you so much."
I have to laugh a little. "Actually, Chiro, Nee-chan plays jokes on people she likes only. I'm possibly the only exception, and only because I figured out why she plays them."
"Why's that?" Chiro asks.
"Because she's a glutton for attention," I explain. "She loves to see everyone's reactions. She doesn't play jokes on me because I don't react anymore. If I were to speak to her about her pranks, they would only worsen."
Chiro rolls his eyes. "You mean, she's just being a brat."
"In a manner of speaking," I agree.
"Jeez. I wish we'd known that sooner." He turns to look directly at me. "She couldn't be more your opposite if she were evil. Why does she matter to you so much?" he complains before leaving my room.
I smile. It's not the first time that I've been asked that. Eliyora is one of the most important people in the universe to me. She is almost as important as Chiro. The team does not comprehend why, though not for lack of trying. Gibson even asked me one time if I really had feelings for her, as she's not my actual sister. While I do love Eliyora, I don't love her in that manner, and I told him as much.
It is... difficult to explain. Everyone sees me as the strong one, the one who does not break down, the solid wall. I want to be this for them. It's important to have someone like that, a person they can lean on when they feel weak or vulnerable, a person they can go to when they feel confused. I truly do want to be this for them, which is why I can never tell them why it is Eliyora is, and will forever be, my Nee-chan.
My solid wall, my strong person, the one I can go to when I feel vulnerable or confused, is Eliyora. She's the only one I will let see that side of me, the side that is not strong, the side that feels afraid and unsure, the side of me that cries. I can go to her when I need to talk to someone, when I need to vent my anger, or if I just need a comforting presence. Eliyora is one of only two people who has ever seen me shed a tear, the other being a traitor.
If the rest of the team were to learn of this, they would be confused. It is not that they would be surprised that I ever feel that way. I'm certain that they know. No, what would confuse them is that I go to her with this. Eliyora has never shown that side of herself to them. They've seen her as a warrior, as a friend, and most obviously, the immature prankster. They would not believe that those faces are to hide her mature, rather maternal self.
That is not to say she never makes me angry. Oh no, quite the opposite. I actually told a little white lie to Chiro a few minutes ago. She plays jokes on me all the time, each one she plays forces a reaction out of me. She just doesn't play them in front of others, because it would mean showing someone else how to get under my skin. She prides herself on being the only one able to do that. She does everything she can do make me angry, and she typically succeeds. At times like that, I have to question my own fondness of her, but then something occurs that reminds me.
On one level I would like to explain to the team why she matters to me so, but at the same time, I know I never will. It's incredibly selfish of me, but I like being the only one she shows her sensitive side to. This may be the only thing I will ever be immature about, but Eliyora is my Nee-chan, and I plan on keeping it that way. I will never share with anyone why she matters to me.