"And so, that's how I feel. I just don't know what to make of it."
Sol frowned thoughtfully, leaning back into his chair and kicking his legs up onto the table.
"Well, let's not beat around the bush- eventually, you're going to have to tell her how you feel, let those feelings out," he replied. "Keeping them locked inside is just going to tear you apart. But if you don't feel like you can do it now, you need to find some supportive friends. People that love and care about you, no matter who you are."
"And where am I supposed to get those?" asked Honey.
"We're surrounded by them. There's tons of people here. You can't tell me that there's nobody you've met that likes you for who you are."
"Well, there's Mikasa, but… I don't know if there's anybody else. And I don't want to get too close too fast."
"You really don't think anybody else here could appreciate you?"
"I'm kind of… abrasive."
"Okay, tell you what, Honey. I hardly know you. But now, I know a lot about you. Stick around with me for a bit, and I'll help you find somebody else."
"Would you, Mr. Badguy? Really?"
"Really. I promise."
The martial artists couldn't believe the words that had come out of Goku's mouth.
"You're… kidding, right?" asked Ryu.
"AW, MAN! There's no way yo' tellin' the truth!" exclaimed Captain Falcon.
"No, it's as true as it can be. I couldn't beat her. I let myself get so wrapped up in how strong I was that I made proving that my first priority," said the Saiyan. "It's okay to want to improve yourself, but if you let that consume you, you'll never really learn anything. So from now on, I don't care if I win. I'll fight somebody strong if they come to me."
A dark-haired man in a blue suit floated down beside him. "I'm glad you learned your lesson, Goku. Strength without humility really isn't strength at all."
"Yeah, thanks, Superman! I'm sorry I didn't learn that from you."
"It's all right. Some people don't learn the first time they're told- like children. And I think that childish stubbornness is a thing everyone has, even later on in life. It's knowing how to apply it correctly that leads to maturity."
"Mmm-hmm. I may be really strong, but there's always new things out there to master."
"Wow. Couldn't have said it better myself," remarked Chuck.
Goku's smile widened. "So now that we're done with that, who's up for some sparring?"
Suddenly, the other martial artists were gone.
"Oh, wow… do they know Instant Transmission, too?"
"My liege, I have failed you yet again," wailed Dio, throwing himself prostrate. "I beg for your mercy."
"Failed? Mercy?" repeated the Master of Games. "What makes you think that you failed?"
"I… ah… didn't collect the coins, my liege?"
"That's right, you did not. You sat around on your lazy bum and set up bounties to exact revenge for your petty grudges. But neither Team Mockingjay nor my accursed brother won. You served your purpose."
"Oh… um... of course," said the vampire, picking himself up off the floor.
"Woo-hoo! We're the best!" cheered Filia.
"Hooray," grunted Mr. Everdeen.
"Mostly, I think I'm letting your incompetence go because of her," said the kingly figure, pointing at Filia. "She reminds me of my daughter."
"You have a daughter, my liege?" asked Dio.
"Oh, yes. She's a terrible sport, though. I don't think you'd like her."
"That does remind me, my liege. Would it be possible to add some new blood to the team, again? We could use a numbers advantage."
"A numbers advantage… I do believe I know just the thing."
"Okay, rolling," said Mikasa, dropping the dice onto their mat.
"You're going to miss," sneered Alucard.
"Sixteen," announced the scout.
Twilight hopped up from her seat in elation. "That's a critical hit! You've done it!"
"I never miss," replied Katniss, who was a superior ranger.
"The dragon falls from the sky, dead," read Adam. "The entire party collects ten experience points."
"Aw, yeah! Now I can cast Haste!" cackled Ryuko.
Katniss turned back to Holly, who was watching quietly. "How was that, Holly? Am I a good elven ranger?"
"I think you'll pass. Even if you don't have the elven thing going."
They laughed, but inside, Holly could do anything but. Once again, she was saddled with the girl's secrets- but this time, they were secrets she did not even know. If her father had told the truth, then he could have very well saved Katniss' world far better than she did. He was selfish, sure, and unaware of his daughter's story; yet his motivations were not too different from any other father. And if Holly told Katniss any of this, there was no telling what would happen. Would she forgive him? Would she give up? Would she reject the future he had died for? Even here, in the Grand Combat, Holly was policing the intersections between lives. It was tiring work, but noble. Every day, she wished she was better at it.
A soft sound indicated someone slumping into the seat next to her. Holly had not expected to see her own face again, especially so soon.
"Poppy?! What do you want?" she whispered, not wanting to throw her team into a panic.
"I want to offer you an apology. It seems as though you were right. You found a way to work around impossible odds with sheer defiance. I must applaud that."
"Don't tell me you want to be friends now, after nearly getting everyone on my team killed."
"No. I think friendship is a thing which I may never understand. But I want to say that I appreciate what you did. It was… inspiring. I wish to warn you, Holly. From now on, you will not be the only ones fighting this paradox."
With that, she disappeared.
"No, it still doesn't work. Just doesn't have a ring to it."