Title: what one would call “happiness”
Rating: G
Fandom: GrimGrimoire
Relationship: Amoretta Virgine & Tahlea
Wordcount: 665
Short summary: The next time Lillet makes a trip to the Tower of Silver Star magic school, Amoretta makes sure to come along so she can talk to her “sister”, Tahlea.
“Do you venture outside of the laboratory much? Outside of the academy?”
“No to both questions. I am normally here and it’s fine.”
“You are okay with this life?”
“Yes.”
When Lillet had to make another trip to the Tower of Silver Star magic school, this time Amoretta would not let Lillet go alone. Of course Amoretta hates any time she must be separated from Lillet, but more importantly, she just wanted to see the place again, especially after learning that her creator had made another homunculus, a “sister” of sorts. Amoretta wanted to know if her “sister” Tahlea was actually content to stay at the academy, in that laboratory, or if there was something Amoretta could do for her if she wasn’t…
“So would this be me, if I had been happy to stay here…?”
Amoretta couldn’t contain her surprise completely at finding that her “sister” Tahlea, who has a similar face and wears a similar outfit to that Amoretta herself used to wear, is happy to be here. Happy to be in the laboratory. Happy to stay in the academy. Happy to work at her former master’s side.
“I can’t say. We may look pretty similar but we are very different on the inside. I don’t know if I’m ‘happy’ the same way you are ‘happy’. But I am not want of anything in particular living here.”
Amoretta senses no lies falling from Tahlea’s lips. Actually, even if Tahlea says they are very different inside, there is a bluntness to Tahlea’s speech that feels reminiscent to hers. Perhaps being homunculi born already with a fully mature body and a full-fledged ability to speak but not with the life experience of a human of that “age” going from infant to adult, they don’t know how to hold back. Well, Lillet doesn’t force Amoretta to hold back but over the years Amoretta has learned to be less blunt in certain situations. To make things easier when the two of them go out publicly and have to entertain royalty, patrons, and other high-class persons. Otherwise…
“You are content,” Amoretta concludes. She feels no need to hold back with Tahlea. “Perhaps I could have lived like that, if I didn’t need to be sustained by love. Or if Lillet’s love was more of the familial type.” She laughs. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Tahlea shrugs. “I wouldn’t trade it either. I feel, even if I do not know you or Lillet well, that you two have a relationship that can’t be easily replaced.”
“Yes. Lillet has told me a few things…” Amoretta trails off when she realizes there might be a lot to explain and even if Tahlea is a “sister” in a way, she’s also a “stranger” too. She’s not sure how much she wants to reveal that is private, that is…special. She eventually decides to be a little vague. “I think, even though I do not myself have all the memories that Lillet has, somewhere in my soul, I think I just…know about them anyway.”
Tahlea nods. “That is certainly an interesting thought. Although I confess I’m not sure I’m particularly interested in understanding it.”
Amoretta raises an eyebrow, wondering if Tahlea truly knows what Amoretta is talking about. But likely it’s not interesting to her because it has to do with love. It makes Amoretta laugh.
“You really are like our creator. You are surely a good complement to him.”
Tahlea doesn’t say anything in response, but Amoretta thinks she sees a hint of a smile. Perhaps Tahlea is unsure if her master would feel the same way about being a good “complement” but it is clear to Amoretta that Tahlea wants to be a good complement to him. And if she seems happy enough to stay here, then… Amoretta has nothing to worry about.
(And if she is a little excited to tell Lillet all about this when they meet up later, well… Only Lillet needs to know, right?)