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“You know there's a story about a soldier who went on a rampage after his lover died? Apparently he killed the greatest hero in the world because of his rage. Isn't it weird? Getting so angry about your lover dying that you just... lose your mind?”
“What's your point, Goshe?” Cairngorm snapped.
“Oh, no point, hehe.” Goshe took a drag of their cigarette and blew rings into the still blackness of the universe. The smoke rings dissipated almost instantly, leaving no indication of its existence outside of Goshe's burning cigarette. “Apparently it was a popular story eons ago. The boys a couple of moons away still recite its lines at the poetry bar. Fascinating, don't you think?”
“And you came up all the way to my private balcony to tell me about some stupid fucking story?” Cairngorm sneered. “Typical.”
“I just think it's nice,” Goshe countered airily. “Stories that can surpass even the species that created them.”
Cairngorm couldn't help but guffaw. “They're just words – useless.”
“There's not much use for anything.” Goshe finished their cigarette and then crushed the butt between their fingers. It crumbled to bits and evaporated into the darkness. “Do you wanna what happened to the soldier? The one that killed the hero?”
“Do I have a choice?”
Goshe chuckled and stared at the vast darkness that surrounded them. “The boys said that the soldier died, and that the hero's brother killed him in the end. It wasn't anything spectacular... the soldier just died.”
“How nice,” Cairngorm deadpanned.
“Do you ever wonder what that feels like? Just... vanishing? Forever? You know, the soldier killed a lot of people, and they died and didn't come back, but neither did the soldier's lover, so it's like... what's the point? Regardless, it ends. How fascinating is that? That everything just ends one day. You get to love, you get to hate, you get to rage, and then one day, it all ends! Can you imagine how busy those creatures were?”
“Do you even get what death is?” Cairngorm hissed with disgust.
“No, but it's fascinating! Like... poof! You're just gone one day, but everything you've ever done has a consequence, and your story then gets to live on.... forever, I think? Do you think this counts as forever? Us gems learning about a story created by an extinct species?”
“It doesn't matter, because we know there's more to it. And plus, it's just a story. Those ancient creatures were probably prayed away as soon as they died. They don't know my Prince's pain. They'd never understand.”
“I think they would,” Goshe mused with a smile. “You know, the hero reminds me of Phos-senpai.”
Cairngorm would have dropped their drink if they had one in their hands. “What?”
“Dia told me the story a few hundred years ago. I was curious about the sleeping gem, and one day Dia just sat me down and told me everything they knew. It was... a story. I didn't really have an opinion at the time, but I thought about it when I heard about the hero. It's so eerie, how similar they are.”
“You give that thing too much credit.” Cairngorm sneered.
“Really? I thought they were pretty similar. Soldier turned traitor, then shattered, then tossed away, but never really forgotten. The way Dia told it, seemed like Senpai did it all for that gem, but not even the Prince can bring back something so weak. That counts as 'death,' don't you think?”
“I don't care.”
“I suppose you don't, but I think it's fun to think about it. I wonder what will happen next! I wonder if the hero's brother will kill Senpai. Do you think so? I heard on the grapevine that the ice floes were Sensei's brother. I wonder if he'll rise from the sea and kill Phos-senpai for killing Sensei. How ironic would that be?”
“No one cares about that thing enough to want to kill it, Goshe. Forget about it. My Prince will finish what he needs to finish so he can finally be at peace. That thing is irrelevant at this point.”
“Hmm, I don't think so. The plan's just too clean at the moment. Feels like there's something that's amiss. I'm not interested in participating, but it's... a lot more interesting than I'd imagined it.”
“Maybe you should go back to your boys and keep imagining. It's what you're good at, isn't it?”
Goshe turned their gaze to the Princess of the Lunarians, eyes glistening with mirth. “Who do you think you were in the story, Cairngorm?”
Cairngorm swiveled around and struck Goshe across the face. Goshe's head snapped but didn't crack. Before they could gather themselves, Cairngorm grasped the lapel of their hoodie and brought their face close, so close that they nearly bumped noses.
“It's Princess to you.”
Goshe couldn't help the smile that cracked on their face. The wider the smile, the fiercer the grip, and Goshe watched as hatred erupted in Cairngorm's eyes.
“Sorry, Princess,” Goshe squeaked abruptly. “I was just curious about your opinion. Stories... they're fun to hear and to tell, but I guess you're not really a fan.”
Cairngorm somehow inched closer. “Don't ever speak to me about that thing ever again. I won't hear it... not from you.”
Goshe nodded, the smile still etched onto their lips. “That's understandable. How about I see myself out now?”
“How about you do.” Cairngorm finished coldly before releasing their collar and pushing them away. They turned their gaze back to the black vastness, where in the distance, a meteor passed by.
The smile slid off Goshe's face the moment Cairngorm turned their back. “Hey, Princess?” Goshe called softly. “If you ever wanna learn more about the story, pick up one of the Prince's books. I'm sure he has a copy. I don't remember the name of the story, unfortunately, but I just remembered the soldier's...”
Cairngorm didn't answer.
“Achilles - I think it's a pretty name,” Goshe shrugged, walking away. “I'll tell Senpai all about it when they get back. I think they'll like it. Oh man, I wonder how it feels to be that angry and all because of love. Couldn't be me, Princess, it just couldn't...”