Diamond inhaled sharply as she awoke. The room was devoid of light, save for a dim glow reflected from the ceiling.

"Where am I...?"

A familiar voice jogged her memory back to reality.

"You must've been tired."

"Sunset..."

Diamond cleared her eyes. Once she could see again, she realized Sunset was playing something.

"I messaged your parents a while ago. I told them you were staying at a friend's place. They didn't press much further beyond that."

"Figures..." the child replied hoarsely.

"Sounds like you have a rocky relationship with your folks."

"Sometimes I wonder why I was born in the first place. They're not particularly family-oriented people."

"I'm sure they're trying."

"You don't know them very well. Think textbook aristocratic snobs. Where do you think my cruel streak came from?"

"You were just a kid lashing out. I'd hardly call it cruelty."

"Maybe not compared to what we talked about earlier, but still..."

"That's just typical sadism stuff. I seriously doubt you enjoy the suffering of innocent people."

"Not really, no."

Diamond stretched, cracking her joints before leaping next to Sunset.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Good. Mattress is a bit firmer than I'm used to, but I like it."

"It's good for posture support."

"You're strange, you know that?"

"I know."

"So...What are you playing?"

"Final Fantasy 7."

"I've never seen a game like this before."

"You mean the series, or...?"

"In general."

"You've never played an RPG?"

"Video games aren't my usual thing."

"I guess that makes sense given your upbringing. Wanna give it a whirl? I'm pretty strong at this point, so you shouldn't have to worry about dying."

"Sure."

Sunset taught Diamond about the game's progression system and how materia worked. An hour passed by in the blink of an eye. Diamond's stomach began to growl.

"I'm getting kind of hungry again."

"Come on. I'll fix you something."

When they reached the kitchen, Sunset opened the refrigerator.

"I've got some leftover chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. That work?"

"Sounds good."

"Comin' right up."

Diamond waited patiently for the food to reheat. In the meantime, she spoke more about her home life.

"Most of the time, when we eat together, we just talk about the same stuff. It's the same thing every day."

"So you don't feel close to either of them."

"Pretty much."

"Have you tried talking to them about it?"

"What would I say?"

"I'll admit, it's not easy to tell your folks you're going through an existential crisis. I never spoke to mine about it, but my circumstances are a bit different."

"What should I do?"

"Try saying something like 'I'm feeling sad because I don't know why I'm here, and I want us to spend more time together'."

"Will that really work?"

"No parent likes hearing their kid is going through a rough time. The trick for any situation is using it to your advantage. Because we're aware we could go at any time for any reason, we can do some incredible things many people would be scared shitless of."

"What do you mean?"

"How should I put this...Imagine you were faced with a serial killer, but you'd long since come to terms with your own mortality. Facing them directly instead of running or screaming would really fuck with their head. The fear is what motivates those kind of people. Take that away and you strip them of their power."

"Huh. I never thought of it that way."

"You can see examples of this in comics like Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. He says himself he finds no satisfaction in killing those who aren't afraid of death."

"What about you?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you feel the way you do?"

"I guess...Because I feel alienated, like I have no place."

"You have people who care about you too, though."

"That's true, but I'm the awkward one of the bunch. The most I can contribute is a few dirty jokes for a cheap laugh. It's hard to find joy when there's not much to laugh about."

"Damn..."

Diamond covered her mouth. Sunset chuckled.

"No need to hold back on my account."

The microwave beeped.

"Food's ready."

Diamond and Sunset ate in silence. When they finished, Sunset was the first to speak.

"I want to show you something."

They threw their paper plates away and washed the silverware. Diamond followed her friend back to the bedroom. The bulb revealed how basic and bare-bones it was. There was only a bed, a TV, and a computer desk. Sunset reached under the frame. She pulled out a medieval sword with a golden handle.

"You like swords?" Diamond asked in surprise.

"Everybody's been into guns since action movies got big. I prefer something a bit more skill savvy. Melee weapons have one major advantage over firearms."

"What's that?"

"No reloading. Run out of bullets, you're pretty much screwed. Break a blade, it still cuts."

"Now I get the dark alley joke my dad always tells."

"I practice a little every day. If you want, I can teach you a few techniques later."

"Sounds kind of cool."

"Stick with me and I'll help make your day-to-day a bit more interesting."

Diamond gave a weak smile, but it was genuine nonetheless. She was beginning to grow curious. What secrets could the unhinged corners of her mind unlock? Sunset returned the weapon to its hiding place. She turned around to face the younger girl.

"Wanna watch a movie before we hit the hay?"

"Yeah...I'd like that."

Author's Note