10/02/16

Last time I made it pretty clear that Elma is #1 in my book of everything, there are other X characters I thoroughly enjoy. #2 and 3 goes to Alexa and Mia respectively, great characters.

Mia getting 1 affinity mission is a huge crime, she deserves like 10, she is that great and Alexa, I just love her attitude, so "go get em!" and energetic. She's just so awesome. Both of them joined my party unexpectedly (especially Mia) and while Mia was in the post game, Alexa was my 1st thought when I needed a 4th for anything.

I've also added a banner featuring Elma, Alexa and Mia to the top of every single one of my online pages, it's great! Unrelated but RWBY 4 character short tomorrow, that's great too!

Anyway the idea for this story also came to me at the same time as "Do I Know Me?" at one point I wanted to fuse them into one but was unsure how to do that and then decided they were better separate. Again, hope you enjoy!

"Hey Elma."

Hearing her name, she turned from her work "Yes, Kruse?"

Putting a hand behind his head he tried to form his next sentence. After a while he took a deep breath and tried again.

"Would you mind…accompanying me somewhere?"

Elma tilted her head and chuckled "Do you think that I would mind? We've been on countless missions together."

"Yeah…it's just that this…isn't a mission. I just want to…go out somewhere."

Kruse was definitely acting strange, at least as far as Elma knew. He could be loud, but he was always friendly. He could be cautious but this was different. Smiling she approached him "Alright. Besides it sounds like you're heading out of New LA and going alone isn't the best option regardless of how skilled one is."

"Thanks. This means a lot…"

Elma nodded and the two left the barracks. Getting into their Skells they drove out into Primordia. On the way Elma thought to herself about Kruse's behavior. He rarely if ever acted like this.

"I wonder what it is he wants to do…"

After a while, Kruse's Skell came to a stop and he jumped out with Elma following shortly after. She immediately recognized their surroundings and things made much more sense. Given where they were, there was only one place Kruse could possibly want to go to.

"Starfall Basin."

Kruse looked at her and nodded. The two walked the short distance to the wide opening and before them stood the Lifepod that Elma found Kruse in all those months ago. Given everything though it felt like it's been years.

Elma stood back as Kruse got closer and touched the Lifepod.

"Everything started here for me. My life began here. Strange to think of it that way but it's true. Whatever life I had before waking here on Mira…I've long forgotten…and it doesn't look like I'll be remembering it any time soon. If ever."

"We don't know that Kruse."

Kruse shrugged "I've accepted it. You said so yourself, no one else has had the issues with their memory that I have. Everything came back to everyone else fairly quickly. I still have no idea what kind of person I was. Why I was on the White Whale? Did I have any family on Earth? Did anyone else make it off Earth? I don't know."

Kruse turned to Elma and pointed at the scar on his cheek "Hell, I'll never even know where this came from. There could be a long, interesting story or even a short simple one…and I'll never be able to tell it."

Elma approached Kruse and spoke softly "Has the absence of your memory always been on your mind? Since the beginning?"

Kruse shrugged at that "Maybe? More so in the beginning actually. As time went on and I formed more memories, met more people, got used to Mira. I thought of it less. But every so often-"

"Like those nights you go out to look over Primordia?"

Kruse chuckled "Yeah. I just think about it…I figure, maybe something will come to me."

Elma sighed "Nothing ever did…Kruse I-"

"Elma. Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong and it's not like you were unaware of anything that was going on. You had a lot of things on your own mind. Probably still do. There was more to be concerned with as opposed to wondering if I was a farmer a banker or…something."

Elma smiled "I suppose so."

She then walked over to the Lifepod, running her hand over it she spoke "I do wish there was something we could do. I know I've said before that there are some memories I'd like to forget…terrible things that have happened in my life but…I feel holding onto them. Remembering them. Keeping them close…it's how I came to be who I am."

She then looked at Kruse "But with you, it's different. You came to be from your lack of a past. And you became the person you are now, here."

Kruse nodded "I'd like to think I'm a good person. Nice guy. Y'know, not to give myself any undue credit. But I've done good things here on Mira. Yet I can't help but think. Was I always the kind of person I am now? I know in the long run it wouldn't matter if I was an asshole or something before but…the thought of it just intrigues me. I don't know…"

Kruse sat down in the grass, Elma following shortly after as he continued "Honestly, the thing that bothers me the most is family. I'd give anything to know if I had a family, who they were, where they went. Where I was born, raised. What their names were, what happened to them…"

Chuckling Kruse looked at Elma "Sorry for dragging you out here to my pity party. I just…"

"Needed someone to talk to?"

At his silence Elma spoke "Kruse. I'm grateful for the person that you are."

Hearing that, Kruse felt his face flush "As you said, you have indeed done a lot for everyone…you've done a lot for me as well. Even early on there were times that…I felt that you knew."

Kruse shook his head "I wouldn't give myself that much credit. What I did know was that there were times where you visibly had the weight of the world on your shoulders. That you were holding in so much and doing so much for everyone. At the time I felt indebted to you for finding me so I felt the only logical thing to do, was help you. I didn't know if I was accomplishing anything at first. But that day…"

Kruse chuckled before looking at Elma again "That day. I was eating breakfast when you came out of your room and joined me. I took one look at you and…you're always so composed. Not a hair out of place, but that day."

A smile came to Elma's face "I remember. I stood up well past 5 before I went to bed just to wake up at 8…"

"It showed in every way you carried yourself. It was the first time I saw you look so worn out and honestly…so human."

Elma's eyes widened at that "I've said before that I always saw you as more. You always seemed so perfect. You constantly told me that wasn't the case and I finally got it when I saw you that morning."

Elma sighed "Then you followed me around all day and did everything for me…I felt so blessed to have someone so selfless at my side. I'm sure without you I would've fallen over and started sleeping in the middle of the Administrative District."

"And if you did, I would've let you and made sure no one disturbed you. You really needed it."

"I suppose I did."

As the pair started laughing, the colors of the sky changed to orange hues. The sun was setting and the Basin around them became even more beautiful and calming.

"Kruse, thank you for inviting me out here. I feel that…I also needed this."

As Elma sat looking at the trees, Kruse watched her, a very evident smile on her face. She was so calm.

"That's it."

She turned to him as he gestured towards her "That's what I wanted to see. After all this time. The weight is gone."

Elma let out a huge breath "I do feel lighter than ever…"

Kruse stood and held his hand out, helping Elma up. The pair looked at the Lifepod once more.

"You know. I may have lost my memories…but I've replaced them all with some that I believe are just as good if not better."

Kruse turned to Elma who looked at him "Waking up on Mira, starting my life anew. I recall it all fondly but out of everything, the absolute best part about all of this is that my first memory…is you."

The short silence that followed felt like it lasted for ages. Bringing a hand to the back of his head and looking away Kruse couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly "I am so sorry. That was the worst possible thing to say…Elma I-"

Kruse was cut off by feeling something touch his hand, he looked down to see Elma pushing her hand against his, he looked up at her, seeing her smile he smiled and took her hand in his own.

As they walked out of Starfall Basin she spoke "As bad as you feel about what you said…just know that it was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."