I Believe ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Autumn.

The multicolored leaves softy blanket the paths leading to our location in the city park.

Peaceful.

"……"
I let loose a small sigh; Raven was getting restless. A rare occurrence.

We can't have everything can we?

A date.
I

dare not call it that, for fear for my reproductive organs.

Yet… A date.

"I often like Philosophical discussions."

And Damm, I had let her choose the topic.

"You do?"

"Yes… Particularly Earth Philosophy."

"Why?"
"

It's different than in Azarath."
"

Hmmm?"

"Yes… In Azarath, we believe in the sanctity of all life."

That's cool, I guess."

She sends me a cool side glance. The kind that says 'you know nothing about me'.

In other words, sexy.

"Azarath is now a Burning Wasteland." She drones. "And everyone is dead."

"….How?"

"You don't want to know."

"Yes I do."

"You won't like to… know everything about me."

"I would." I put a hand on her shoulder.

I was asking for it.

"No, you won't, Romeo. And you're pathetic at romancing to boot."

I hurriedly withdraw the hand. But she said the magic word. Romancing. The thrill of the hunt took me.

"Where was I?"

"Philosophy."
"

Yeah… I love philosophical debates."

"Yeah…"
'

Not that I expect much from you' said the look.

I grin and stare at her breasts.

Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm interested by one of the Branches, in particular."

"Which one?"
'

You so totally out of your depth.'

I size her up. C cup, probably.

Those eyes were furious.

"Nihilism."

"Nihilism?"

"Yes, interesting, isn't it?"

Some amount of academic interest gripped me. After all, I wasn't totally illiterate in these things.

"Interesting? Weird is more like it."

"You don't understand it; few people do."

"What's there to understand? It's like an excuse for suicide."

"You're more likely to die from choking on turkey than philosophical induced suicide."

'Hmmm… and you would have photocopied documents proving that into your memory?"

"But, of course."

"……"

"……."

She pulled her cloak over herself, obstructing my view.

Damm.

"So… what is Nihilism?"

"It's a belief that there are no higher moral ground does not exist; Truth does not exist. Hence, no action is preferable to another."

"Truth does not exist?"

"Truth does not exist."

"…. Well, Raven, if truth does not exist; won't telling 'Truth does not exist' be a lie?"

"Yes…. Interesting, no?"

"……"

"Don't find it palatable?"

"Not really."

"Think about it. The renaissance was the golden age of Philosophy. And the entirety of it can be summed up in Fredrick Bulwark's famous Statement: 'God is Dead.'"

"…… Is god dead?"
"

Do you think he is?"

"Never thought about him."
"

He is dead."
"……"

"……"

"Do you think so?"
"

I don't think anything."
"

Hmmmm… so why do you find Nihilism so interesting?"

"It's just… well… we live a dangerous life."

"We do?"

'Moron'

"Yeah. Think about it, can you dodge bullets forever?"

"I don't think so; we never were down and out. No one can take us out."

Her eyes darkened ever so slightly.

"We are all going to die, die, die. Horribly."

"Why?"

"Because I'm here."
"

Am I supposed to pry?"

"……"

"……"
I open my mouth.

I close it.

She was… interesting.

"So… you find Nihilism interesting?"

"Yes."
"

And we're going to die, die, die?"

"Yes."
"

That's ominous."

"……."
"……"

"……"
"……"

"Raven?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you believe?"
"……"
"……"
"……"
"……"
"Good question…… good question."

I lean in and put an arm around her shoulders.

"……What are you doing?"

"Romancing you."

"……Why do I bother with you?"
"

Love."
"

Dream on."
"

Birds of a feather, Flock together."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………