After some rest Aalish lifts himself into a cross-legged position opposite of Ovia.
He builds up his courage to start a conversation after the silent 10-minute rest they had.
''Hey, Ovia.''
She looks at him while lying on the ground.
''Hm?''
''Want to continue our talk from before?'' He asks with a light voice and a smile on his face.
Her look from before averts away from him and goes towards the sky. for a brief second, there's a pause between Alishes question and her answer.
But that silent second is consumed by a single simple word.
''Sure.'' She looks at him with a small but genuinely happy smile.
''Want to start where we left off?'' She asks while putting herself into a position in which she is hugging her knees while still looking suitable for a conversation.
''Yes, but I would rather ask you some questions is that okay?''
''That's okay'' she responds with an excited smile.
''So, the first question I want to ask is; How can you manipulate your Ectoplasma so well? How do you do it?'' Aalish asks in a formal-like but exciting way.
She looks at him with confusion as he's waiting for an answer.
''Hey, Aalish.'' She calls out with a soft but serious voice.
''Yes, Ovia?'' He responds with happiness, without a second to lose.
''I think I told you before, but what the hell is Ectoplasma manipulation?'' She responds with a concerned voice.
''Oh yeah, I forgot, well it's like- You know the feeling of some kind of tubes like veins in your body when you are about to use some kind of Ectoplasma ability?'' He asks while looking at her.
''Yeah'' she answers knowing what's he talking about.
''When you are to activate that ability or attack; in a second you feel something flowing through those tubes. The thing that's flowing through does tubes is called Ectoplasma and the tubes are called veins or veins of the soul.'' He tries to explain it in the simplest way he can.
''Veins of the soul?'' Confused she asks.
''Yeah, veins of the soul. They are not your real veins. But they are called that way because they look similar to them. So, it goes something like this; Your soul creates Ectoplasma in your body, so you are like a vessel for Ectoplasma, but to use Ectoplasma the amount your body produces called the lesser source isn't enough, that's why we take it from a larger source. The larger source is Just the world around us producing Ectoplasma for itself but there's no harm in taking it since there's too much of it. Also, everyone is taking it unconsciously since the day they were born.'' He explains in no shame and a lot of pride of the knowledge he has but still keeps the explanation serious.
''Ugh, That's too much information.'' She says with a disgusted but not mean look on her face.
''Yeah, but then you won't be able to understand what I'm trying to say!'' He says in an effort to try to make her feel bad and listen on.
''Mh, but I don't…'' She says with teary eyes while looking irritated.
''Well back onto the topic. Just when you are about to use an ability, you feel Ectoplasma going through your veins. And in that millisecond, you have to know and control the amount you are going to let out. That's what's called Ectoplasma manipulation.'' He tells her while waving his hands around.
''Okay, I get that part about Ectoplasma manipulation.'' She says while doubting herself.
'' Okay now I can finally ask you; how do you do that? Can you teach me how to do it?'' He says with a questioned and worried face.
''Aalish, I'm sorry to disappoint you again, but for me, it just works naturally. I can't even explain to you how I do it since even I don't know how it works, it just somehow works. I don't know how I do it but I do know how I feel.''
!?
''For me, it feels like I am making a path for a river to take, for example, if I want the medium amount the river is medium width and length. I just control the source of water with the river and the path to make the outcome of amount small, medium, big.'' Answering him calming and trying to express the flow that she feels.
He looks at her confused.
''You feel all that? I only feel like a spark or an explosion.''
''Hmm, maybe it's just me.'' She says while putting herself back into a lying position.
What else could I ask her? There are a lot of things that don't add up. I don't want to be rude but how can I ask her why is she here. It could be the same reason as mine, but she's strong, probably even stronger than me. Well, the only way I can find out is just by asking.
He puts himself in a laying position as well opposite of her.
''Ovia.''
He sounds like he wants to ask another question.
''What is it?'' She answers with anticipation in her voice knowing that he is about to question her something.
'' I know it may sound weird and badly thought out, but can I ask you a question that you have all right not to answer.'' He utters in a soft-like serious way of not meaning any harm.
A serious question? Or a weird one?
''Sure, I don't mind.'' She says while looking at the now grey sky covered with clouds from before.
Is it about to rain?
''It's a simple yet specific question. What are you doing here? Like in a sense of what's your purpose of being here?'' he asks with keeping the tone from before.
''What am I doing here huh?'' She says while thinking and remembering the answer.
''Yes.''
''It's so that I can meet someone again, someone who took care of me after I was cast into the unknown.'' She answers with a sad but still remembering the voice.
''He said that I can search for him when I get strong enough to stand for myself without anyone's help.''
Yes, exactly like that he wanted me to stand with my own two legs, to eat with my own hands, and to fight for myself. Being lost in the land of the unknown he was willing to take care of me, a hopeless child with no benefit. The first act of kindness was handed down to me after the endless pain of disgrace and abandonment.
'' You don't have a name? Hmm, well how about Ovia? A quiet and simple being with a deep inner desire that's also a beautiful drawing. What do you think of it?''
''Hmm, Hmm''
?
''Are you even listening? Don't just nod your head, it's rude not to talk to someone who's asking you questions you know. Huh, I guess that chocolate cake's that good huh''
''Yes, it is!''
''AHAHAHAHA, seeing you smile gets me every time''
Even after parting ways, he was still the same.
''I don't want you to leave dad! I want to go with you!!''
''Come on now Ovia what did we say about crying?
''But you will disappear as everyone did back then, where are you all going?!''
''Listen Ovia, For the first step, if you don't want people to disappear stop crying get strong and the only way is to find them, right? ''
''Even if I disappear now, you will be able to find me, won't you? After all, you are my daughter and I am your dad, so find me again once more as you did back then.''
He said with a smile on his face walking out the door that was in front of him leaving me behind.
The feeling of emptiness hit and made me realize that he's gone.
I ran, ran and ran but I knew, I knew deep in myself that I won't see him again.
The memory fades just as it starts to rain again.
The cold raindrops fall onto her face just seconds after the warm tears.
I can't cry.
Not anymore,
I will find him.
So that I could enjoy some more sweets with him again.