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Tensions had been high the night that Caedus and Commodore Lyndin had showed up at the edge of town, announcing their plans of draining asteroids and of creating powerful weapons to destroy Metallia.

Cybele hadn't bought into it, at least not at the time. Her dissent had been immediate and scathing, perhaps edging into overly harsh. Being overly harsh had never concerned Cybele before. It had been her job back when she was in the Negaverse to be a cold, calculated hunter. Even after she'd gotten out, a bit of that attitude had carried over, especially when she was dealing with people she distrusted.

Generally, she softened around friends. That night had been the first time she'd said something harsh in front of someone she cared about, and when she'd seen the look that Albireo had given her after her speech, she realized quickly that it was something she was going to have to be careful of, because she never wanted anyone giving her that look again.

She also knew that she needed to make it up to the other woman somehow, and to talk things over in a situation where they each had more time to think about their words and what had happens.

So Cybele found a quiet spot in a park bench in the city, two milkshakes placed beside her, and she gave Albireo a text with her location and the offer to talk.

Cybele gave a smile when the other senshi showed up and seemed to be in a good mood. It was a bit strained, perhaps, but not overly so. She truly was happy to see her friend.

She offered over one of the milkshakes. “It’s caramel apple,” she said. “It’s apparently a seasonal specialty, so I just had to try it, and it turns out it’s delicious.”

She’d spent most of last fall in Negaspace, as far as she could remember. It was so nice that this time around she was able to go to local cafes and experience their specials.

Her smile did fade when Albireo asked what was up. She hesitated a full second before she said, “I wanted to apologize.”

She swallowed, not touching her own drink yet. “At the meeting the other night, I snapped before I had all the information. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

When Cybele felt Albireo's hand in hers, the relief was palpable. A fleeting smile even flicked across her face, although it did not last when the topic shifted to the Negaverse. Of course she knew about the way they were hunting her.

Of course she worried about the things they might be saying to Albireo.

"Are they trying to pull their victim-blaming on you, too?" she asked, unable to keep all the disgust from her voice. None of it was directed at the other woman, though, and she ran a thumb across her friend's knuckles, soft, but protective. "I've been getting a bit of it."

She arched her back, lifted her chin, and affected a self-assured smile, playing the part of some General or other. "Oh, of course it isn't our fault you were miserable," she said, her voice coming out a bit higher-pitched. "Never mind about the memories, or about the being isolated, or the Chaos destroying your will to live. You should have pulled yourself up by the bootstraps, gotten a hobby."

With that, Cybele sighed and collapsed back against the bench, finally taking a sip of her own drink. "I hate them," she said. "I know what you mean. I want them gone."

That did not mean that she trusted Lyndin to do it, but she understood why so many of the others were so quick to want to try his plan.

If the people weren't pulling their guilt tripping on Albireo, then that was something. It was still far from ideal. Nothing that involved the Negaverse was ideal, but Cybele's protective grip on her friend's hand loosened slightly.

"It would be a miracle if the Negaverse was destroyed," Cybele agreed, although her tone was more doubtful than anything else. "It would be a bigger miracle if most of the agents were saved. I know there are good people who ended up in the Negaverse. I saw that even though I had a particularly bad time of it. I'd like to give them a second chance, like we were given."

Geocronite came to mind. Faustite, as well, for some reason.

"I think that's where I start to get worried. If Lyndin pulls off this miracle, think about how much we'll owe this man who we know nothing about."

Cybele took a long sip of her milkshake and tried to just focus on the refreshing coolness for a few seconds to keep herself from getting wound up again.

"He seems more polite to me than nice." She sighed softly. "Of course, I could be wrong. It could be fine, but I don't know, and I don't like debt."

Cybele understood the wanting. She really did. In the brief moments when she allowed herself to think about it, she wanted Metallia destroyed so badly that it made her chest ache.

It was just that wanting didn't always mean much when it came to the way that things worked out in reality.

Cybele had come here to apologize, though, not to dwell on all that. After taking another sip of her milkshake, she changed the subject slightly.

"If it does that," she said, "If it sort of softens Metallia's hold on them, without actually purifying them on the spot, it's going to be up to people like you to bring them the rest of the way."

She was still carrying tension in her shoulderblades, but she did her best to smile despite that.

"I think that's a situation where you'd shine. Perhaps you can teach me to help, as well. Right now I have trouble knowing what to say to any of them who aren't already wanting out."

It was easier, a lot of the time, to fall back into the habit of being a living weapon.

The thoughts came swirling in, despite Cybele's best efforts. She'd tried to pull the conversation away from Lyndin, and debts, but she'd still ended up obsessing a bit about the war, about how she wasn't good enough.

Then Albireo looped an arm around her, and just for a moment, all those thoughts stopped.

Cybele didn't often seek out physical touch, but just this once, she allowed herself to lean in a little closer to the embrace. She didn't try to think of more warnings to spew, or more things that could, perhaps, go wrong.

She didn't try to think of anything articulate to say at all.

She took a sip of her milkshake and she sat snuggled close to Albireo.

"All right," was all she whispered. "All right."

And this moment, at least, was all right.