Geminid A short human-looking man with a goattee stands behind a counter in a small purple-clad chamber. He's got rich, fine clothing on and he's got a friendly smirk on his face. He says, "Welcome to Tony's, ma'am. Please, take off your shoes and sit down." There's a door behind him.

Tilluel "Hello Tony." she does as he asks

Geminid "And what's your name, miss?"

Tilluel (hee!)

• Tilluel pauses slightly. "I go by Charity Babbling."

Geminid "Nice name, Miss Babbling. How are you today?"

Geminid "I'm Tony."

Tilluel "It's nice to meet you."

Geminid "So, tell me, Charity, what's your worth?"

Tilluel "I've never really measured it before. But I'm the opposite nexus of the Corrupter and a Friend of Nature. I think that elevates my importance in some ways if not my worth."

Tilluel she frowns slightly

Geminid "That sounds like tricky stuff. Tell me about being a nexus."

Tilluel "I am connected to many people, working with and against the Corrupter and I. Before, she was a lone connector without an equal, opposite on the other side. At least that's how I understand it. Sometime, probably soon, we will meet and resolve this back and forth."

Tilluel "One of us will triumph and the other will fall."

Geminid "Tell me about the people you are connected to?"

Tilluel "Well some of them are here." she looks around. "Well, they came in before and after me."

Tilluel She describes the experience on the bridges and the people she can remember

Geminid He listens, "Interesting. So, tell me, of all those, who is the most improtant to you?"

• Tilluel thinks a moment. "There are many who are important to me and for some their importance is growing. But my sister, she's the most important to me. She's my family and has been with me my entire life."

Geminid "That's interesting. Family's important, it's true. Why is she so important to you?"

Tilluel "She's the last thing I have of everything we lost."

Geminid "And what did you lose?"

Tilluel "My family, my home, my other half."

Tilluel "My society as well as my place in it, I suppose."

Geminid "Your community. Carried with it your sense of being, right?"

• Tilluel tilts her head slightly, thinking and then nods. "Yes. I'm very different now. I'm not the same person."

Geminid "That's interesting. You've lost soul and identity with community. I've got one more question for you."

Geminid "What would you give for the chance to pick your pick of all the treasures in the world?"

Tilluel "Of course."

Tilluel "To be whole again would be the greatest thing. But I've already lost everything. I'm not sure there is much left to give."

Tilluel "Perhaps I should not have come."

Tilluel she moves to stand again.

Tilluel "Thank you for your time, and your insight. You've made me think a great deal about what I desire."

Geminid Wait, is she saying she'd offer 'to be whole again'?

Tilluel no, she's saying that's what she wants, and she doesn't have anything left to give in exchange

Geminid "It's not what you have to give, it's what you'd be willing to give if you had it."

Tilluel "It was my life, I'd live through horrors to have it back again. I've already done that. I would give anything I have to get everything I lost back."

Geminid "I think you've misunderstood. I'm not offering you what you've lost. I don't have that. No one does. Beyond that door is an unfathomable, nigh infinite number of material items of varying value. I like to call it all the treasures of the world."

Tilluel "I don't want them."

Tilluel "That's what I'm saying."

Geminid "So you're saying you wouldn't give anything?"

Tilluel "Not unless you can give me my life back, no. I'm sorry I wasted your time."

Geminid "Interesting. Your response shows that you value identity and community over material possessions, but also that you don't believe material possessions can ever help you in, well, anything I guess. The door

Geminid 's right there."

Geminid He points to the way you came in.

Tilluel "Thank you."

Geminid You leave?

Tilluel yes