“It’s the end of the world, as we know it, and I feel -”

“Like death because I’m stuck working with a bunch of fools, lets get going.”

“My gender is eyeshadow and five o’clock stubble.”

“You’re so… Inadequate.”

“Ok, so, I’m gonna need you to do me a solid here, and shut the fuck up.”

“I’m sorry, okay, that you don’t like me. But I will never apologize that the bits of myself that survived are unpalatable to anyone. I grew up cold and angry and inexpressive, and I grew up. Not a lot of people who lived the life I did get to say that.”

“You have a purpose in this world,” the golden goddex promised. “You need only follow my guidance.”

“I do have a purpose,” retorted the hero unchosen, the goddex’s sword firmly in xir grasp. “You, however, have none. Begone.”

“When they no longer need you, they’ll toss you away,” murmured the shadows in xir ear. “That’s what they do with tools that no longer serve their purpose. And that’s all you’ll ever be to them.”

Xe scoffed. “You think I don’t know that? You’d do the same, given the chance.”

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“Ask for help then?”

“The ability to seek assistance was never written into my programming.”

“What are you even doing? Nobody wants this.”

“Well, I suppose I’m in luck, because nobody is exactly the audience this is catered toward.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with you.” Xir mouth was unbearably close to eir ear, xir voice warm and rich. Ey resisted the desire to melt into that voice and lose eirself.

“I know that,” ey replied instead. “In my head, I understand it. But you have to understand, it’s hard to feel that. After everything, my first reaction right now is to run from it.”

“That’s ridiculous. You could do something with this? Why aren’t you doing something with this?”

“I’m afraid of screwing it up.”