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"So yeah, that's basically what the veil did.", Drifter said.
Anastase blinked, chopsticks in her hands even when she did not plan on eating anything. She did not visit the Drifter, or Ana, as she chose to be called, often. This was mostly because Anastase had been working relentlessly to fix the System after the Ballas conflict, the power vacuum he had left behind far too severe. She supposed it was very like him, to leave behind mistakes for others to fix. Anastase had been occupying herself with so much, it felt like she was being stretched thin at certain times. Thankfully, unlike before, she had people she could go to. She had Umbra and Lotus, she had the folks over in Fortuna as well as Ordis, and now she had Ana. Anastase knew it was basically talking to herself, and she did find herself put off by Ana's more...interesting personality, but something was better than nothing, as they said.
"The food here hasn't gotten any better.", she blankly stated as she poked a cube of what was supposed to be watermelon.
Nothing in the Void had flavor, they might as well be eating and drinking cardboard. Ana chuckled.
"Hey, I survived this long.", she commented, "Wouldn't kill you to give it a shot."
Anastase squinted her eyes at her counterpart and ultimately chose to circle back to the topic they were discussing beforehand.
"So, it wasn't clear-cut mind control?", Anastase asked.
Ana shook her head, "Nah, more like a...consider it drugs for the memories."
"There are actual drugs that do that-"
"You get what I mean.", Ana interrupted, "It altered your thoughts, softened the blow of reality."
Over the period of knowing Ana, it had become abundantly clear to Anastase how different they were. Their battle movements and frevor were pretty much the same, albeit Anastase's were more practiced. When they were supposed to sit down and relax, Anastase was always rigid, while Ana draped herself over furniture in a manner one could only see in children who were bored in family events. Anastase chose to ignore all the things she didn't like about Ana and being an older version of herself, not very happy with what it could be implying for her own character. Still, she found herself asking:
"What did you see?"
Ana seemed to tense at the question, ever so slightly. Anastase could tell she had put down the cup so the slight shaking would not be as visible as the Drifter tried to play it cool.
"Eh-heh...what?", Ana asked.
Anastase decided that if she couldn't eat, she'd spend her time taking apart and stabbing the square foods with her chopsticks.
"You said the veil gave you visions that would pacify you and make you more willing to worship Ballas, and you're me, by technicality, so what did you see?"
Anastase found herself splitting her attention between the food on the table and Ana, her lips parted just enough for her teeth to be visible and her eyes staring at the table with a bottomless expression. Ultimately, she closed her eyes, for maybe a minute before going back to her usual demeanor and body language.
"Eh, not important.", she said, which made Anastase groan.
"Oh, come on!", Anastase retorted as she gave up on the food destruction and threw her arms up in the air, "You never tell me anything, it's all cryptic shit! Just like any other important person I try and talk to."
Ana snorted, "You mad, ki-?"
Anastase fixed her older self a stare before she could finish, Ana's smile vanishing in realization.
"...Right, must have...I'm sorry."
Anastase waved a dismissive hand at this, "It's fine, you spend too much time in Duviri."
Ana didn't argue, as she had waited to speak briefly with Ballas in the Void before going back to Duviri, where she would at least have something to do.
"But yeah,", Ana continued, "not important, anyway."
"...Did you believe it? What you saw?", Anastase asked.
Ana stared forward, her expression empty.
-----
Anastase fought for balance as one of the younger kids ran past her.
"Hey, be careful!", she called out as the kid joined the rest of her giggling friends.
Anastase was on babysitting duty, her parents too busy with their duties. The scars on her face might have stayed, but those in her heart hadn't. Ever since they were rescued from the Zariman, life felt like it had truly turned around for her, for all of them. Anastase and the others were in Lua now, in a space so comfortable and luxurious, Anastase could feel like this was a dream come true. They had gone from simple space suits to draped in white and gold, helping fight a cause they were certain was right.
"Mmn?"
Anastase turned to Rell, who was sitting on a bench next to her.
"Yeah, I'm fine.", she replied. Anastase dug through her pockets and pulled out a card with a tired face on it, "Just, feeling like this right now."
Rell slowly nodded, turning back to playing with his Donda. Anastase smiled, happy to see her friend doing well. She knew the loss of his mom was not easy for him, and his taking to the Warframes being slower than the rest of them, but Father had made it all possible, through his love and patience.
It was then that the Rhino frame came into view, Alicia stepping out of it.
"Hey man, you alright?", she asked.
"Yeah.", Anastase replied, "Just making sure these animals don't get themselves hurt.", she joked as she gestured towards the kids.
Rell hummed a small laugh behind his closed lips while Alicia rolled her eyes.
"Hey, why don't you go and check on dad real quick?", Alicia asked, "I'll take babysitting duty from you."
Anastase agreed, and allowed the other girl to take this duty off her hands, wishing goodbye to Rell before departing.
She passed through the decorated halls of their Lua home, marble columns and golden railings complimenting the decorative walls and floors. Golden murals on the walls were telling the story of the Zariman Children, of their victory against the Sentients, and ending with the peace they had brought upon the system. Anastase stopped a few paces from her father's office door to look up at the murals decorating the walls, finding herself oddly...content.
Taking in a breath, Anastase knocked on the door.
"Who goes there?", a voice came from the inside.
"Father, it's me, Anastase.", she replied, "May I come in?"
"Of course, child."
Anastase walked inside her father's office, which much like the rest of their home, spared no expense on the details. Gold and stark white, the furniture holding a curve to them as well, bringing out the cool metal which shone in the white light. She noticed that it was only her father in the office.
"Is mother busy elsewhere?", she decided to ask.
"Indeed she is.", her father responded, "As fate would have it, Volt is not the greatest fit for leadership."
Anastase found herself flustered.
"Oh, father, I hardly do any better.", she said.
Her father stood from his desk chair, Anastase finding herself standing at attention as he walked around his desk to be closer to her. He breathed out a short laugh.
"Oh, my child.", he spoke with soft amusement, "You still are so formal with me."
Anastase relaxed her posture just a bit and allowed a smile on her face.
"A force of habit, sorry."
Her father nodded in understanding, but Anastase could see he looked tired.
"I came to check on you.", she said, "Are you sure you can keep working?"
"Nonsense, my child.", he replied as he placed his larger hand on the desk, "We both have our share of duties, mine only happen to take up more time than yours."
"I know, but sometimes it feels like you're taking on more workload than anyone in the Seven.", Anastase expressed, "Me and the others are getting a little...worried."
Her father sighed, but turned to look at Anastase, who looked up at him in return.
"My child, my dear child.", he spoke, "When we first found you and your Tenno in the Zariman, me and your mother worked diligently to give you a new chance at life, but it was not our efforts alone that have brought peace upon the system. You have worked hard yourselves, breaking every expectation with nothing less than your determination. You have told me what you had to do to save them, so you should understand these circumstances above anyone else."
Anastase nodded, but her head was now lowered and her eyes turned to her father's hand on the desk. Her attention was diverted, however, when her father had placed his hand under her chin to lift her head up, making her look at his gentle face again.
"You remember our many komi games, do you not?", he asked.
Anastase nodded.
"So you remember the conversations we had during those games.", her father continued, "Running away from duty and responsibilities is, in simple terms, stupid."
"And we are not stupid.", Anastase finished for him.
"And we are not stupid.", Ballas repeated with a smile.
Anastase moved to hug her father, who returned the action. Anastase felt his hand in her hair.
"My child...so beautiful to behold."
A third presence had joined their embrace, and the two were met with Margulis' gentle smile.
"My love.", she addressed Ballas, who looked at her in awe as she planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Come now, you two. The others are waiting for us."
----------
"No.", Ana replied.
Anastase finally relented and went to take a swig of the mystery liquid from the cup in front of her. Ana went to do the same, but realized her cup had been empty for a while. Her smile had faded somewhere during her train of thought.
"...But part of me wanted to...", she shamefully admitted.
Anastase moved to look up at her, only for the child to be pulled back to reality, and Ana back in Duviri, rain puring from its dark skies as sadness overwhelmed her.