We May Have All Come on Different Ships, But We're in the Same Boat Now (ZAY)

[Gar]

"Miss Ni," the Zeltron corrected her apologetically, wincing a little as she said it, "Ok! New plan! Let's find aaaalllll the available meals here and put one of each on the counter!" She giggled and flitted about the area, rummaging through the cabinets and setting items on the counter top, adding, "I'm sure Bugsie won't mind!"

[Akirapryde]

Zay quickly rushed to Ni's side. "Yes, Miss Ni," she saidnwitj genuine remorse in her voice. She quickly started to help at out the dishes. Within a few moments one of each dish was laid out across the counter. But Zay wasn't finished. She made sure that each dish was in prefect order with the last one. She focused on the counters to make sure that they were clean for the presentation. She took a step back and carefully went over her work. Ni noticed zay's left eye twitching as she scanned the counter. Without a word, Zay moved forward and swapped two dishes around. Satisfied with her work she turned to Ni, "you were right. This is fun, Miss Ni"

Ni could sense the anxiety just below the surface of Zay's 'happiness'

[Gar]

Ni bit her lip nervously and took a moment to think, a little concerned about the clone's reaction. Her eyes flashed with a new idea.

"No worries, Miss Zay, this is just a game!" She said playfully, "And this game, like all games, has rules. Number one!" She held up a finger and smiled, "There is no such thing as a wrong answer or action! No matter what you say or do, you will always be right!" Her second finger came out. "Number two! Your feelings and thoughts while playing this game are the most important thing. My ideas don't matter." Her third finger joined the other two, "Number three! The reward is your own honest satisfaction and punishment does not exist!"

Ni pondered over these rules, wondering if they would be enough. She approached her friend and stood by her, facing the table full of food. "Miss Zay, there is no wrong answer," she assured her, gesturing to the table, "And even if there was, I'd never hurt you. You are free to choose without fearing my opinion. It's more important to me that you are happy."

[Akirapryde]

The anxiety still held fast as Zay made every attempt to conceal it, "Yes, Miss Ni. I understand these rules." She scanned the assortment of dishes and picked one. She made sure that the plate looked prefect before walking it over to the table. She set the dish down and returned to the counter. She picked up place settings and a glass. She returned to the table and made the setting on par with some of the fanciest parties Ni has attended. She filled the glass with a fruity liquid. Before she was done, she double checked the place setting to ensure it was prefect before moving to the other side of the table. "Your meal is ready Miss Ni," she softly said while patiently waiting with her head lowered.

[Gar]

Ni sighed with dismay. She suddenly wondered how she ever thought she could help Zay. She knew she was good at diversions, and she discovered that she could even make some waves in politics, but this was too complicated. Gaddy would know exactly what to do, she was sure of it, but he was flying in a tin can outside the ship. Ni slumped down against the wall and held her head in her hands. She felt a heaviness in her chest.

[Akirapryde]

Zay watched Ni slump down against the wall. Dread filled her heart as she stood there watching. She moved slowly and cautiously towards Ni. She was fearful that a beating was close at hand. Tears filled her eyes, as she reached out. "Please!" She whimpered as she dropped to her knees."Please, Miss Ni!" she pleaded trying to control her anxiety and sadness. She dropped her head in shame as she knew she had done wrong. "you....you promised....." She pleaded. "You promised no wrong answers."

[Gar]

Ni looked up at the clone, a pained expression on her face. "No, Zay, you did nothing wrong," she said wearily, "I'm the one that is wrong. It seems I'm only making things worse...I'm so sorry..."

She leaned forward and sat on her knees in front of Zay, gently pulling her into a hug. "I don't know how to help you..." She confessed tearfully, "This breakfast game was meant to help you learn how to make choices for yourself, to make a dish for you, personally, a dish that only you would enjoy..."

Ni pulled away and hugged her arms over her chest. "I'm no good at this...I'm sorry...I'm not wise like Gaddy Daddy..."

[Akirapryde]

Zay smiled softly as she moved Ni so she could look in to Ni's eye. "Ni, I choose to serve you." She paused a moment hoping that speaking in such a way wouldn't make things worse. "It is so unbelievably hard to do these things you do so easily. But when you said no wrong answers and you wanted me to be happy. I wanted to do something of my own. Something I knew how to do. And to show you how grateful I am for you."

She looked down, "please don't be mad at yourself. It was my fault." The pain in her voice reflected the pain in her heart. "I am sorry."

[Gar]

The Zeltron could only study the clone's face sadly as she replied with a tinge of despair in her voice, "Just a moment ago you felt, you acted, as if I might beat you..." She grimaced and shook her head, "Almost all of your actions toward me have been rooted in fear...I dont know how to help you understand...or maybe it's me that needs to understand..." she thought about this, then commented pensively, "Gaddy would probably say I need to be patient..." Ni frowned, "Then again, he says that a lot..."

Ni sighed and leaned back against the wall again, holding her head; confused, frustrated, and ashamed at herself for reacting this way. "I don't blame you, Zay. It is not your fault. You barely know me and everything you've been through has taught you to be this way to survive..." She sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. "I guess I really am just being impatient... I want everything to be better right now, this very instant..." She smiles in spite of herself, "but that isn't realistic, is it? And now you tried to do something nice for me, using all the rules I set in the game, and I spoiled it..." She bit her lower lip and swallowed back the tears, repeating softly, "I'm sorry, Zay..."

[Akirapryde]

Zay moved next to Ni and joined her against the wall, "I did," said with a trembling voice. "And even in this moment, part of me fears expects and even rationalizes a beating from you." She looked down at her hand and saw the sweat that was a sign of the nervousness. "Fear has always been part of my life."

She folded her arms across her knees and rested her head on her arms. She gazed across the kitchen as if looking across time and space itself. "For as long as I have been alive, I have never known a day free from fear. Fear of making mistakes which led to beatings. Fear of being beating simply because he could." Ni noticed something in that statement. It wasn't completely true. Though she also realized Zag might not have realized she wasn't being completely forthcoming.

Zay turned and glanced at Ni, "can you imagine living a life where your sole survival everyday depends on the mood of just one person. Fear becomes a close friend at that point."

She sighed and went back to gazing across the kitchen, "fear and acceptance kept me alive."