DRAGMANTICAR: A Valentine's Day Exalted Datequest

...why are you dressed up like this? Is she seriously asking that question. Does she not know where you are?

Does she not know what you had to do to get in here?

A little anger rises up in your gorge. You're here because of her! If Six had just told you, or even given you a way to contact her, or even just left a message, you wouldn't have had to go galavanting halfway across the Bless-

...no, it won't do to get angry at Six. She's her own person, she didn't exactly need to tell you any of what she was planning. But was your family bond so weak that it meant nothing to her? Did she think so poorly of her own flesh and blood twin? You're angry because you're hurt. She hurt you with her lack of consideration.

"Counterpoint," you say, calming your anger and striking it off. You're not here to pick a fight. But you do want to get answers. "Did you think you'd get away with leaving me behind without a single word of explanation, or even a goodbye?"

Six blinks, reels back a little, stunned. You've never given her much backtalk before, except on the important issues. But this is an important issue to you. It's dear to your heart.

"Did I need to?" Six counters, recovering quickly. She's never been at a big loss for words, and pushes back with force of personality. "I don't need to tell you about everything I do."

"You don't need to tell me anything you do at all. That doesn't mean I don't care," you shoot back with a level tone that belies the serious weight you're putting to the issue. In fact, it's so cool that you're almost surprised at yourself. "You're my sister. I care for you. I want to be involved in your life. In your decisions. I thought you felt the same way."

"That's just it!" Six bursts out, the fire to your ice. "'You're my sister.' Have you ever once, considered me as something other than just your sister?"

"....I don't follow."

You don't follow. It seems like an immutable fact for you. Six is, and will always be your most beloved twin sister.

"Maybe, for once, I want to see what it's like if I wasn't your sister," Six blurts out angrily. It shocks you. Just hearing those words feel like you got a big gaping ragged hole ripped out of your chest. It shocks Six too, by the look of things. But she pushes through. "Is that all I am?"

"...do ...do you not want to be my sister?" You ask in a hoarse tone. You- you can't-

"No! That's not it! I love you, Five," Six hastily clarifies, face full of anguish. "It's just that I wonder sometimes if I wasn't your sister... If we weren't twins... Would you... would you, in that case... would you..."

...oh. Oh, that's what it is. You step forward, and wrap Six up in a big hug. You seem to actually have caught her off guard for once, she doesn't resist, but instead just leans into it. She better appreciate this. You don't give serious hugs like this often.

"Six," you say to the side of her head. "Even if you weren't my sister, I'd love you. You're my best friend. There's no one else in my life as close as you. Even if we weren't twins, there's no doubt we'd become the best of buds. I can't imagine being Five without Six."

"...yeah..." Six replies into your shoulder. "You're my... best friend, too. I really... I really love you, Five."

You hold her tight, just a few more seconds. After your most recent growth spurt you're just a tiny bit taller than her. it feels strange, finally being taller than Six. As you try to end the hug, Six clings on to you. "Can we stay like this, just for a few more seconds?"

...she must really have missed you. "Sure," you reply easily. Just a few more seconds. You give her about half a minute more, and then pull away again.

Six clings tighter again. You sigh. "Six, this is way more than a few more seconds."

"A few, few more seconds," Six muffles out again. Ugh. Now you're reminded why you don't give hugs like these often. Six gets way too clingy when you actually do these. "Just stay still for a little longer. I haven't seen you for like, a month!"

"Six. C'mon." You sigh. "We have things to do."

"Mhmm."

Nope. Still nothing. Well, there's one surefire method you've learned for this.

"People are watching." And just like that, Six jumps off of you. She can't stand being seen to be 'uncool'. She hastily leaps off, and straights herself out, coughing, and scanning around. Mother Ajah waves to you two off in distance. Yeah, she's probably been waiting long enough. You decide to head in. You tap Six on the arm, nod in the direction of Mother Ajah, and the two of you begin to stroll back.

"Yeah... so, anyway," Six changes the topic. "How did you even get here?"

"I found the letter in your room," you say. "You just left it laying about. You seriously need to clean your room more."

"Hey, hey, we agreed that was your job!" Six replies. "We even arm wrestled on it! I won, remember. Besides I can't remember where you always put the broom."

...you don't need the broom to clean your room. The floor is covered by a carpet. "Do you even kn-"

"Anyway, how did you get here?" Six continues on. "Beitton isn't exactly a school with low standards. I mean, I had to like ask around for Aunt Lira, and I spent like two whole weeks doing favors for her to get her to use her favors to get me in."

"Two whole weeks? Where did you get that time?"

"You remember when I told you I was going to learn dance, and went off for lessons? I didn't actually take dance," Six grins. That liar! You seriously offered to be her practice partner when you heard she was finally taking up dance. "How did you get in?"

"I just asked One."

"....really? Really?" Six gives you an incredulous look. "What'd she ask for it? There's no way she did it for free, right?"

"Nothing, actually. Well... actually, she asked for a favor." An unspecified favor. Suddenly, you're feeling way less confident you got the better end of the exchange.

"And you... accepted?" Six raises an eyebrow. "You- you- did you think this out?"

"Er-" No, actually not at all. You kind of just sort of fixated on the fact that Six was going off to school without telling you anything. "Kind of- not really?"

"Hah!" Six laughs at your misfortune. Worst best friend. "You didn't think at all, did you? Not at all."

"Hey!" You bristle. "If you had just told me what was going on, I wouldn't have had to resort to such drastic measures! But you didn't tell me anything, and I couldn't get in touch, so this was the only way!"

Six only grins rakishly. Dumb fire aspect. "Are you staying then?"

Are you staying? That's a good question. You got what you wanted to do primarily done. You don't really have a major motivation driving you to stay, anymore. But, there are a lot of lesser reasons. You take a second to think about it. "I mean, I might as well. I already burned a favor with One getting in, and if I quit now, they're going to know something's up. So, yeah. I'm here to stay, I guess."

"Then wanna stay with me?" Six throws the offer out. "I mean, who else can you room with?"

VOTE OR YOU LOSE RELATIONSHIP POINTS FOR THE OCEAN ROUTE

[ ] ...as much as you hate to admit it to her, Six is right. You don't really have any other choices.
[ ] Check out some of the other rooms first. Six can't know she's right or else her ego will inflate!
[ ] A write in option that no one will pick because voters can't come up with original votes