"Hey, why are you so down?"
"I thought I was just hanging around?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Well, I just feel myself being perpetually glum; It's my reality."
"Ugh, I think I just had some bad memories come up when you said that."
"Sorry."
"No, It's fine. Anyways…I saw your performance tonight…it was spectacular!"
"Really?"
"Yes, you actually have talent, unlike my sister, Luan. Maybe you could teach her your routine so that she'd be better at telling jokes."
"Wow, do you hate this "Luan?" Because that sounded really spiteful."
"No, I was just merely offering up a suggestion, I didn't think it would sound mean."
"Right…"
"Say, I was so enamored with your routine that I didn't catch your name. What is it?"
"It's Cosette."
"Really? Were you named from the same character in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables?"
"No. This would be just a coincidence. Now it's my turn to ask, what's your name, stranger?"
"It's Lincoln."
"Well Lincoln, it's nice to meet you."
"Likewise. Now what do you want to do?"
"How about a trivia game? Can you recognize which story this quote is from? "To owe life to a malefactor...to be, in spite of himself, on a level with a fugitive from justice...to betray society in order to be true to his own conscience; That all these absurdities... should accumulate on himself—this is what prostrated him.""
"I'm not sure…is it Les Mis?"
"Correct."
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"You know…there's a delta inside the creator's brain. The Cerebrospinal Delta. It connects from the back of the brain and into the spinal cord."
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"If you know what happens next in Les Misérables, then just give me a Seine."
"A sine? How would I do that, and how would I know what happens next, just from a random quotation in the book?"
"You're right…never mind then. Let's just enjoy the sparks flying around the basal ganglia. It's almost like gazing at the stars for us, even though it's just a discharge from a far-away neuron."
"Yeah, it's very mesmerizing…"
"If I could begin to be, half of what you think of me, I could do about anything, I could even learn how to love. When I see the way you act, wondering when I'm coming back. I could do about anything, I could even learn how to love like you. Like you…love like you. I always thought I might be bad. Now I'm sure that it's true, 'cause I think you're so good and I'm nothing like you. Look at you go, I just adore you, I wish that I knew, what makes you think I'm so special? If I could begin to do, something that does right by you, I would do about anything, I would even learn how to love. When I see the way you look, shaken by how long it took, I could do about anything, I could even learn how to love like you. Love like you…Love me like you…"
"That song sounds like something from Steven Universe."
"What makes you so happy, is it because of me, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even feel your love. I deserve a firm, hard smack, all because I cause you flak, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even perceive love like you. Spite you, loathe like you. I always knew I was bad. Now it's true, 'cause I think your so good and I'm nothing like you. Look at you go, I just abhor you, I wish that I knew, what makes you think I'm so special? If I could begin to do, something that does right by you, I wouldn't do anything, I wouldn't even learn how to love. When I see how much you've changed, I'd say target acquired, sights within range, I wouldn't do anything, I wouldn't even learn how to love like you. LOVE like you…LOVE me like you…"
"Uh…Cosette? Are you feeling okay?"
"Yes. Singing always helps take my mind off of things. It relaxes me."
"Ok…how about this then?"
"I can hear the gentle pitter-patter of rain outside and as plain as I can hear your refrain. Through the vitriolic humor, sensing your disdain. I know that it's hard to accept yourself but put those emotions on the shelf. What about the ones who love you? Cosette, you should be able to see it through. Ducking and hiding from your feelings through the alleyways and ells but even our creator loves all neurons, despite being somewhere else."
"Claiming that I'm not stable, hah! What do you think this is, some sort of storybook fable? As you can hear from my dulcet refrain, I'm perfectly sane. Even with a 0.08 amperage, I'm still giving you a shrug colder than Anchorage. But look, you live in Royal Woods, right? Fix problems there first, then solve my lack of light. Surely there are more important ones than me…father, mother, sisters with glee? If you had 10, there shouldn't be any mediocrity. Come on, Lincoln, is there a way for you to prove me wrong?"
"Not only are you an amazing comedienne, you're a great singer as well?"
"Well, one of my sisters is a musician and she does produce some amazing music samples but no, I sing on my accord. So, to answer your question, I consider myself at least quasi-decent at singing."
"Well, you could sing better than I ever could…"
"Aw, don't doubt yourself Lincoln, I'm sure that you'll get better. If not, maybe someone could teach you."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Hey, since you seem to know quite a bit about books, can you tell me why you find them interesting in the first place? I mean, I've visited the library but I just don't see what makes them such page turners."
"Well, that's because the library is a naturally boring place. When I read a book, I get engrossed by the worlds the authors craft. It is a sort of escapism to me, trying to forget the harsh reality we live in."
"Wow."
"Yeah."
"I just have one last thing to ask you…"
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"Do you feel better?"
"Yes, I do."