rewriter | w2 curfew: half the game is already here.

[Kyoko's here with a whole bunch of folktale books, ranging from European to Japanese. The emotions here are just at a constant, calm hum.

She seems... fine!]

[peeks at kyoko's books]

[She's in the middle of reading Tsuru no Ongaeshi (The Crane Wife).]

[makes a mental note to borrow that from the library when kyoko is done with it...]

[You could've just asked her to read it out loud.

She would have.]

[if it seems like it will take her a while to finish she might...]

[ It's not a long story. Since she's right there- ]

Would you like to read it?

Hehe. If you're done with it, I would. Did you enjoy it?

[ It's hers for now. ]

I did. I'll wait until you're finished before we talk about it more.

[well, she reads through it!

...and looks kind of sad when she gets to the end. oh. :( ]

[ Kyoko's emotions are still at the calm hum. ]

Would you want a different ending?

...I'm not sure. A happier ending might be nice, but... would it be realistic?

For some people this is about the husband not respecting his wife. For others, the Crane is literally giving away parts of herself in order to improve their living conditions.

I've never been in love. I don't know what's realistic. Humans are all so different. Maybe if it was someone else it would play out differently.

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[folktales...? which ones?]

[Tsuru no Ongaeshi, Bancho Sarayashiki, and King Arthur.]

[she's snooping...]

She was a bird all along. I see.

She was.

What do you think of the story?

I don't really know much about love yet, so it's hard to judge, but...

It feels like it shouldn't turn out that way. It's not a good ending.

[The calm hum is still there, but on top of it is a static crackle of interest.]

How would you want it to end? The crane willing to stay?

I guess - she can't keep hurting herself for him, and he can't keep letting her, but if he wants her to stop then why can't they?

Hmm... Sometimes there are people who don't value themselves as much as they should. Sometimes there are people who can't stand watching their loved ones go through that.

Perhaps they were never a good fit for each other because their relationship was built on nothing more than a favor, and not an affinity.

[this is blowing her mind.]

But they love each other...!

[The soft static fuzz of curiosity.]

Do they? What makes it love?

Because...

[whoa...]

Kyoko, wow! So they didn't after all?

It's up to the reader to decide if they love each other or not.

Personally, I don't think so.