<img src="https://i.imgur.com/rHTynSe.png" width="500" height="500"
This is a twine for (color: red + white)[RAINBOW JAM] (color: green)[2019!]
Attention. This twine has slight mentions about parental abuse and slight mentions of sex. While nothing really happens related to that you should still be aware if those topics bother you.
Any away, if you are ready then click start and if you are already reading it then click load!
(link-goto: "Start!","Casa")
(link-goto: "Load game!","Load game.")(save-game:"gamesave")
“(colour: red)[Prin, prin, PPPPRRRRIIIINNNN!]”
(link: "v")[
A phone rings and vibrates through the floor of some home in Rio de Janeiro, it dances and dances in the floor, bound by it’s charger cable until a girl in the nearby bed sits down on it and just turns it down. Time to wake up on the cold summer morning.
(link: "v")[
The coldest summer in the history of the country, in a city where the temperature would be around 40 degrees celcius, we are having in a good day, 15 degrees, 10 in a bad day. The nights get around four, five. No snow, only cold and sudden rains. Thirthy lands slides, since the start of all of this, flash floods, the ocean as violent as it could ever be, no one knows the reason.
Maybe this is natures revenge on the whole amazon thing. Maybe nature just wants brazil gone, let’s hope Rio gets taken out at least.
(link: "v")[
Rio de janeiro, brazil. Just a shit stain of a city in the middle of a worth for nothing state with the same name, in the middle of a good for nothing country. Rio sucks, it’s always been badly run, crime runs rampart, religious people rule the fucking place, sexual tourism, freaking well off people think that everyone that has less money than then should just stop livng, this place is a dump, but it’s Sláine’s home as bad as it is. And she can’t not love it, sure it would be great to have it being a good place to live, but what to do? She lost her shot of moving out of here, for now at least, so she gotta live in here, what to do, right?
Rio sucks, anyway here’s (color: green)[Sláine.]
(link: "v")[
(color: green)[Sláine Soar], nineteen years old. Graduated from Ensino Médio last year, did her Enem the same year and got in on her subject of choice on her college of choice. Granted, she didn’t got for the first semester of the year but for the second, however we both know that has it’s advantages, namely, six months of vacation! Still, going to college is still too far away, six months away, so all she has to do now is to relax.
So, she gets off from her bed and heads straight for the bathroom, as she goes the way she notices that her parents aren’t home, her dad might have left for… Well, she doesn’t know what he does, he went to do whatever he does. Her mom probably went to work, who really knows.
After a quick wash and a brushing of her teeth, Sláine stares at the girl in the mirror.
(link: "v")[
(color: green)[“You are one ugly freak.”]
(link: "v")[
It’s been… a month. Thirty days and some hours. It’s been a month since she started what is known as hormone therapy so she could go from “male to female” as her doctor said. Well, some circles would say she was always female, she was just assigned male at birth, she likes this line of thought. As Sláine looks at herself she wonders if there should’ve been any changes, it’s been enough time for a it to start right taking effect, right? She did saw online that it takes months to start to take effect but how much? That’s all she needs to know.
Maybe the treatment won’t affect her really. Maybe she’s one of those cases where no matter what she’ll always looks like a man.
Sláine opens the medicine cabinet and takes one of her father’s razors, after a little bit she doesn’t have any visible facial hair.
(link: "v")[
Yeah, she feels a little better now. Still hating what she sees but a little bit less.
Good enough she thinks.
(link: "v")[
After leaving the bathroom she heads to the kitchen to fix something to eat. Some bread and cheese is good enough, too bad there’s nothing to drink… Oh well, water it is. And before she forgets she goes back to her room and grabs her medicine, better take now than to forget it.
Getting used to take medicine everyday was a little difficult for Sláine, she would forget sometimes but never miss a day, she would just take it on some, weird times.
Hmmm.
(link: "v")[
From what she sees she has only enough for… well today and tomorrow. She does have some money to buy more medicine so there’s that. Maybe she could go today and just take a stroll, maybe go tomorrow. Let’s eat and take the medicine first.
Four pills of spironolactone – which are given to her for free by the SUS - and two of estradiol valerate – now that costs 10 bucks. Take it all up and ingest it. There, one day closer to be a girl.
Now what to do about the medicine? And before she could think Sláine’s phone starts to ring from her bedroom, the familiar ring of someone sending her a message from what’s app.
(link: "v")[
Damn, she hates and loves this app. Hates cause after it became big it became a almost essential part of Brazilian life, at least in the big cities. A free message app, people started using it for almost everything, you can even use it to order food! It’s a cool little thing, the problem is how people use it. Prime example? Family groups. Many families make groups in the app so they can chat, it’s great for sharing news or just to hear from a relative that is either travelling or just lives far, not really, instead this groups quickly become hubs for fights and a good reminder on why you don’t like most of your family. Maybe this is Sláine’s preconceptions talking over but from what she knows of her family who thought it was a good idea to make that group? She sure didn’t. Now she wonders if the new message is from one of her aunts about one of her cousins. Oh!
It’s not. It’s from her friend (color: red + white)[Lulu]. Well, her name is Lucita but come on, (color: red + white)[Lulu] is much cuter. What does she want?
(color: red + white)[You awake?]
(link: "Type your message.")[
(color: green)[Yeah. What up?]
(link: "...")[
(color: red + white)[Can you come over?.]
(link: "v")[
That’s Not unusual, every once in a while, she sends a sudden message like that after something happened. Maybe it’s at night, maybe it’s early morning, but it’s always like that. Still, they could use as an opportunity to talk about college. Lulu and Sláine did pass for the same college, they’ll study different subjects but they did pass for the same college, so why not talk about it now?
Lulu is the only person in her personal life that Sláine has come out off and they are friends since Enisno Fundamental, since they were eight it’s been a little more than a decade since they’ve know each other. What happened today? She hopes Lulu is okay, or at least safe-ish or something close to that.
(link: "One new message.")[
(color: red + white)[Can you come over? It’s nothing serious, I just wanted to talk with you and hang out.]
(link: "v")[
Well, this is reassuring. Still could Sláine go? Well, on one hand, yeah she could but on the other hand she should go and buy her medicine today. She doesn’t know how much time she would spend at Lulu’s place and she doesn’t want to be there in a hurry. Still, does she even wants to go? Today could be one of those off days, y’know and she just wants to be alone and do her thing. Maybe even play some games, take a stroll around, watch anime. Or she just wants to spend today with her friend. But what about the medicine? She could do that today or tomorrow… What to do?
Buying the medicine will take time and so will go to Lulu’s house, so what?
(link-goto: "Go to Lulu’s house.", "Lulu's house.")
(link-goto: "Go buy your medicine.", "Buy medicine.")]]]]]]]]]]]]]]](save-game:"gamesave")
Why do today what you can do tomorrow? That’s what your grandfather would always say and he was right! Granted he was drunk that had nothing left to his name and then he joined the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God… Now that’s a fate worse than death.
(link: "v")[
Sláine shivers when she thinks about it. Still, her grandfather was right. Why do today what she can do tomorrow? She could wake up early tomorrow then head to the clinic grab her medicine, then buy the rest of it. Simple and easy. Now let’s go for Lulu’s house. But before that Sláine needs to change and so she does.
(link: "v")[
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/aD7k6yp.png" width="250" height="500"
Nothing beats the old combo of hoodie, surfer trunks and flip flops.
(link: "v")[
Now to Lulu’s house! After getting out of her apartment building all Sláine needs is to walk really, it’s a good half a hour till Lulu’s but the bus would take more time, so why not walk?
Just a good old walk through the neighbourhood till we get there.
(link: "v")[
Sláine’s neighbourhood is… well, for the lack of a better word let’s use the term “almost middle class”. You know what the middle class is right? Good. Now think of people that are on the cusp of being considered that but just can’t nor will never be, it’s a weird thing. There’s residential buildings, there’s business of many types and you can even see some conveniences that the middle class has access too, but that’s it. It’s always an almost and never a reality.
(link: "v")[
Does it matter? In a way, no, still. Sláine has nothing against the place, she even likes it, the problem is the people, she just doesn’t like most people here, maybe Lulu is the only exception. So, let’s take a look at the two main types of people that live here.
Beginning from the top you have, the “traditional Brazilian family”, composed of a mom, a dad and up to two kids. They are usually Christians, vote on the right, hate “leftists”(anyone that they don’t like) and love seeing people from the favelas being killed(for then, anyone in a favela is a criminal, not exceptions.) Anything else? Let’s see. The father either works in business or is a active in the military, has a mistress young enough to be his daughter, the wife usually has an affair too and if the kids are gay, well… They won’t have a mom and dad to come back too after coming out. That’s Sláine’s family.
Then we have the religious type. You know, the ones that live and die by the words of god, not all of them just the ones their pastor say are valid. They hate everything they think it goes against the “laws of god”, even if it doesn’t make sense and they’ll do anything for god if their pastor says it, even if doesn’t make sense. They dress all the same, they talk all the same, they are all the same person in a way. They would be sad people if they weren’t so sure that god loves them.
Then we have the rest, the people that have actual lives and things to get worried about, like Lulu.
(link: "v")[
Hmm, maybe that’s why she dislikes the people in here. Who knows? Anyway…
(link: "v")[
Here we are. A small vila, a good thirty minutes walking from Sláine’s house. She buzzes the number 9 and waits.
(link: "Hope she listened to it.")[
(color: red + white)[Hello?]
(color: green)[It's me.] – The door then quickly opens with a buzz, Sláine takes it as the cue to coming, as it’s custom.
(link: "v")[
Lulu’s vila is small, only nine houses and not big houses at that. They are cosy though, so maybe that’s a positive thing. And even before Sláine gets there the front door opens and there’s Lulu.
It feels good to have someone you like welcome you home.
(link: "v")[
They hug and… hug for a while. After releasing each other, they enter the house, and as if the house was hers she just plops down on the couch like a sack of somewhat old potatoes and gazes at Lulu.
(link: "v")[
(color: green)[Sup.] – Lulu sits on the floor next the sofa and smiles at Sláine.
(color: red + white)[Hey.] – Lulu’s smile and voice are soft, and delicate. She is delicate, like a little porcelain doll, but that’s only her appearance, to Sláine, Lulu is like the ocean. Beautiful, welcoming but also powerful and something that can’t be treated lightly.
(color: green)[You good?] – Please say yes, thinks Sláine.
(link: "...")[
(color: red + white)[… No. I don’t want to be alone.] – Sláine’s smile disappears after that. Why can’t Lulu be happy? She thinks.
(color: green)[Your dad or your brother?] – She really doesn’t remember their names; she does hates them.
(color: red + white)[Both. They are traveling for work, could…] - Tears start to form on Lulu’s eyes, Sláine moves and wipes the tears off then.
(link: "...")[
(color: green)[I’ll stay as long as you want, just let me go grab my shit later.] – She sits normally on the couch and Lulu sits near her.
(color: red + white)[Of course.] – With that said, Lulu appears more relaxed now. As she is found to be when Sláine is near her.
(color: green)[Do you want to talk about it?] – She never does, but Sláine still tries, she never forces herself on her issues, the last thing she wants is to make her uncomfortable. It does work sometimes and there has been changes, slight as they are. Lulu inviting her is proof of that, how she call her when she’s sad and wants to hear Sláine’s voice, how clingy she is sometimes. It’s a process.
(link: "v")[
(color: red + white)[I want to talk but not about it.] – See? Told you. This doesn’t discourage Sláine, she’ll do her best to make her happy and that’s it.
(color: green)[A’ight. You told me that you had to throw out that old mattress I used right? It’s cool, I can sleep on the floor next to you.] – Changing the subject, just to talk about whatever.
(color: red + white)[You… Could sleep with me.] – The way that Lulu said that so casually leaves Sláine in a loss for words.
(link: "Like... as in...")[
(color: red + white)[On my bed.] – Ah, makes sense.
(color: green)[That’s cool.] – Sláine is not that cool.
Anyway. Seeing the time, it’s almost noon. Maybe Lulu will want something to eat? Maybe she already did eat?
(link: "No pain is asking, right?")[
(color: green)[Hey, Lulu, you hungry?] – She nods and smiles. Sláine knows that type of smile, it’s the “I want your cooking” smile.
(color: red + white)[There’s not much on the fridge, I think we only have minced meat.] – Sláine gets up from the couch and heads to the door.
(color: green)[Then let’s go to the market.] – She takes her wallet from her pocket and… Well, she has thirty bucks, she could try to do something right? She’ll have too!
(color: green)[A’ight. Do you want to come with me?] – (color: red + white)[I do. We can pass by your house to get your things.] – She is right, they could do that.
(link: "v")[
The two then exit the house, then the vila and head first to Sláine’s house. Unsurprisingly, the walk feels faster with the both talking through it. And you know what? Both Sláine and Lulu like this, they talk all the time, most of the time through messaging but face to face like this makes the both of them feel… Warm.
Soon, they get to Sláine’s house. It’s a modest place, now Sláine’s room is… different. She has nothing, just like Lulu, only for different reasons. All she has is a box with her clothes, her bed, a backpack and her phone. And the meds too, but those are hidden from her family for a reason.
(link: "v")[
(color: green)[How long your dad and your brother staying away?]
(color: red + white)[Four days. You don’t need to stay if you don’t want to.]
(color: green)[Not staying with you? You high?]
(link: "Aren't we all in a way?")[
Slaine packs some clothes, her meds and her tooth brush on her backpack and they are ready to go.
(color: red + white)[Sláine, why is your room so… empty?] – Lulu’s voice tone is a combination of curiosity and worry.
(color: green)[Me parents have the habit of wrecking me stuff when they get pissy, so, I just stopped having things. Fuck, I didn’t had a door when I was sixteen cause me mom got angry or some shit.] – Sláine gets out of her room pretty fast and waits for Lulu at the door, although when she arrives, she notices one thing. Her father’s wallet, and it’s full of money.
(link: "Achado não é roubado quem perdeu foi relaxado.")[
Sláine takes all the money and shoves it on her pocket, Lulu sees this with a disapproving look while Sláine shrugs.
Now to the market! After a quick count of the cash Sláine has now five hundred and thirty bucks. Why her father was walking with that amount of cash on him? She doesn’t care honestly, what she does care about is what she can do with that money. If she’s smart she can make this be enough for not only the next four days but also for the rest of the month for her, right?
She could do some interesting things with the money, but now it’s time to go to the market.
(link: "v")[
And before Sláine could really think of what she could do with the money she founds herself in front of the market. As the two of them go thought the aisles, and through the numerous items for sale, Sláine thinks on what to do.
If she’s staying there for four days, why not make four different meals? Yeah, that would be fun, wouldn’t it? Sláine decides to do that.
But what to make? She must be conscious of the money.
(link: "v")[
They wander through the aisles a little more, make notes.
(link: "v")[
The pasta in general is pretty cheap, so are the eggs and vegetables. This is promising.
Curry powder? She could always try to make curry. And people do say that it tastes better the next day.
But what about meat? Meat is always good and Sláine is a big fan of it, Lulu not so much, so maybe nothing with too much of it. Still, the chicken is pretty cheap too, suspicious, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Chicken, pasta, vegetables, eggs. There’s enough, right? Pretty much. All she needs is to get the rest of the curry stuff to make it, also some rice and she’ll be good.
(link: "v")[
After going through a line and paying for the stuff, Sláine and Lulu are back at Lulu’s and making lunch!
(link: "v")[
Well, Sláine is the one making lunch, Lulu can’t cook very well, but she’s giving moral support, which is just as important. Sláine is making… well she’s trying to make fettucine with bolognese, but.. She’s making pasta, she’s trying with what she has. Still, as she is trying to make bolognese sauce, someone hugs her from behind and rests their head on her shoulder, that’s Lulu.
(link: "v")[
This form of… intimacy is not uncommon for them both. They hug and cuddle a lot from time to time, they even hold hands sometimes, still, to Sláine this is… embarrassing. She doesn’t mind the affection, she actually likes it but she just can’t handle it.
People touching Sláine usually makes her think of someone wanting to hurt her, even if Lulu never did that.
(link: "v")[
(color: red + white)[Are you upset?] – Lulu wonders, her voice is very soft right now.
(link: "Kinda? Not really.")[
(color: green)[Nah, the sauce is just not turning out like I wanted.] – Sláine still smiles however. – (color: green)[It’s still going to turnout tasty.] – She turns her head to look at Lulu. She looks so cute, and her hugging Sláine is nothing bad either. Sláine really wants to kiss Lulu right now but refrains from. Not a big kiss mind you, just a kiss on the lips you know? Just a “I want to show my affection really quick” kiss.
She just… She just wanted to show Lulu that she likes her, but the girl has more to worry right now. Anyway, lunch is ready.
(link: "v")[
The two sit on the dinner table eating what could be said as generic pasta, but still really good pasta. But if some Italian chef was here, they would probably be pissed off at Sláine.
(link: "Like, really angry.")[
(color: green)[Hey, Lulu. Do you want to live together?] – She says between bites.
(color: red + white)[Hmm?]
(link: "v")[
(color: green)[When we start college, we could go on to have our own place right? If I get a job and stuff I could rent out a small place then, sure I doubt I would be able too but we could try right?] – Renting is expensive, Sláine knows that and the chances for her to even get a job aren’t that high either. This is more of a pipe dream and she knows it. Still, this might cheer her up. She notices that Lulu barely touched her food, but even so she’s staring at the plate, she then looks at Sláine.
(color: red + white)[You mean it?]
(color: green)[If I get a place, yeah. Can’t promise any luxuries but if I can, we can live together.]
(link: "v")[
Live together. Lulu focus on those words as Sláine goes on talking about something.
It’s been a while since she thought about it, she has feelings for Sláine. She doesn’t understand these feelings but she has them.
(link: "v")[
Lulu never had interest in men, she liked and preferred the companion ship of girls and that’s it, then she learned to fear men, an irrational fear? Not really considering everything. Then she met Sláine, granted when they met everyone still thought that she was a boy but, to Lulu there was something different in her. She was at the time, quiet and even too shy to a fault but she was still the same kind and caring Sláine she knows till today.
Then she came out as trans and with that many feelings and thoughts filled Lulu’s head. They were fifteen at time, just starting Ensino Médio, too much was happening at the time but that was what Lulu could only focus at the time. She was… happy, she felt safer, she wanted to be Sláine’s girlfriend. Then she realized, two things.
(link: "v")[
First of all. She only thought on being her girlfriend once Sláine came out as trans. Why that? She doesn’t know.
Second of all. Wasn’t it wrong for her to be happy at the time? Sláine was feeling so bad at the time, wrecked with worry and fear that the thought of being happy was like she didn’t care for her. That’s fucked.
Lulu doesn’t understand it. Does she like girls? Or does she only likes Sláine?
Maybe Sláine would be better without her. Without some girl, too weak to stand up for herself to abuse of her goodwill. Maybe Sláine just pities her. Maybe she…
Lulu can’t focus on her thoughts anymore as someone shakes her arm. Sláine is shaking her arm.
(link: "Yo.")[
(color: green)[Yo. Earth to Lulu. You ‘kay?] – Lulu was so enthralled in her thoughts she forgot she finished eating and that Sláine was ready to clean the dishes.
(color: red + white)[Yeah… I am.] – Sláine is not convinced and to be fair Lulu knows that wasn’t the best lie.
(color: green)[‘kay. So… After I’m done with the dishes.] – (color: red + white)[I’ll help you with those, it’s the least I could do.] – (color: green)[Sure. After we done with those do you want to do something? We could stay in, we could play something or watch something? Or we take a walk and find something stupid to do? Hell, we could just take a nap.]
(link: "v")[
Lulu knows what Sláine wants to do. Let her busy so can’t focus on the bad thoughts, this is… good. This has happened before and it does work. But she doesn’t want to do this, not now at least. She wants to stay focused, she wants to think of this whole situation with Sláine and come to a conclusion. However, at the same time, she just want to spend time with her, with no worries and no bad feelings.
(link: "v")[
(color: red + white)[Let’s stay in. It’s cold, and I’m not feeling like doing anything really.] – Lulu gets up from her seat and takes her dishes to the kitchen sink. Sláine nod and they go wash the dishes.
After the dishes are done, all Lulu can muster is to yawn. You know that was a good meal. Sure it was just pasta but it was good. Sláine made eggs to go with it, there was minced meat, it was a good meal. So good that Lulu had seconds without noticing and now she has a full belly and with that comes sleep.
(link: "v")[
Honestly, taking a nap would do her good. After another yawn she notices a hand over her shoulder, Sláine’s.
(link: "She really wants to hold her hand now.")[
(color: green)[Sleepy?] – Lulu nods. –(color: green) [Yeah, me too. I’m going to crash on your couch if you don’t mind.]
(color: red + white)[Why don’t you sleep on my bed?]
(color: green)[Well, I was thinking you would sleep there, and, does your bed have enough space for the both of us?] – Lulu nods, it’s not a particularly spacious bed but it does have some space for them, they’ll just have to get close. Still, why do this? Lulu doesn’t know, she just knows that she wants to be near Sláine, and her on the other hand is so simple minded that she won’t see that as some ulterior motive.
Sláine shrugs and they head for Lulu’s bedroom.
(link: "v")[
The bedroom is a simple bedroom. A desk with a laptop, a bed and a closet. Nothing fancy, just the essentials without much personality.
This wasn’t always the case, Lulu’s room used to be full of book on plants and she had a couple of the window, some posters throw around, a typical teenager’s room but things changed.
(link: "v")[
Sláine wonders if things would be like this if Lulu’s mother was still around. Well, at least Lulu wouldn’t be her dad’s punching bag.
Lulu’s mom… What was her name again? Sláine can’t remember it, still. That woman had it tough with Lulu’s dad, the bastard would do even worse he does with Lulu. He never hit her, not from what she knows, he would just use words. He would diminish her, make her feel like crap, verbal abuse as they call it. Then one day, when Lulu and her brother went to school and Lulu’s dad was out working, she just packed and disappeared. She left a note saying why and saying sorry to Lulu and her brother, she just couldn’t take it anymore.
She could’ve at least taken Lulu with her. Sure, that would’ve left Sláine with no friends and stuff but hell, Lulu’s happiness is more important.
Between you and me. If Lulu wasn’t there for Sláine… Well let’s just say Sláine would be a very different girl.
(link: "v")[
Lulu lays down on bed and Sláine uses the opportunity to charge her cell phone.
(color: green)[Hey, wanna listen to something?] – They both have difficulty sleeping, unless they are listening to something, music, white noise, anything.
(color: red + white)[Sure. Can I pick one of my playlists?] – Sláine shrugs. – (color: green)[Sure.] – Then she starts to look for Lulu’s phone.
(color: green)[Gonna be honest with you, feels like we’re a married couple.] – In a way it does, at least for Lulu as well.
(link: "There she goes again with those comments.")[
(color: red + white)[Do you see yourself with, someone in the future?] – Lulu stares at Sláine as she questions her. The other girl looks up then down while she ponders.
(color: green)[Ah, you know how it is Lulu. I would love to have a wife, partner whatever I call it. Have someone in me bed when I wake up early as hell and kiss her on the forehead while she is still asleep and no need to say any other words as we have this understanding where words aren’t really necessary anymore. Then I would get home tired as all hell after working hard proving a salary for my boss and then she would get home just after I did and I would receive her with a huge smile on me face. I want that, but I doubt I would get it.] – Sláine smiles at Lulu and handles her the cell phone.
(link: "That was... a lot.")[
Lulu takes it and her heart starts to… she doesn’t even know what she’s doing, it’s like she lost something she wanted but she didn’t knew it was right there. She’s suffering and she wants what Sláine said, she wants to be that for Sláine. How? She doesn’t know. Why it has to be so hard? Can’t she just like her?
Why did she felt so happy when Sláine came out to her as trans? Why did she cry with happiness after that? Why feel jealousy of Sláine’s hypothetical wife? What’s wrong with Lulu?
There’s nothing wrong, you know that and I know that, only Lulu doesn’t know that. Lulu had a thing for Sláine since they were fifteen, then she felt much more into her after she came out as a girl, then now with her commenting on having a wife she desperately wants to be with Sláine. Only Lulu hadn’t realized that.
As she puts her cell phone nearby on her desk, tears start to roll through her face. As if by an instant Sláine is right in front of her asking what happened.
(link: "Sláine clean the tears from her face.")[
(color: green)[Lulu! What’s wrong? Did something happen? Are you in pain?!] – Lulu shakes her head and lands her head on Sláine’s chest, who embraces her in response.
(color: green)[It’s okay, it’s going to be okay.] – Sláine can feel the warm from Lulu’s tears on her chest, what happened to her? Eventually she stops crying and part away from Sláine.
(color: green)[Lulu…] - Sláine calls her but the other girl doesn’t respond, she just looks at her, confusion in her eyes and many other things in her head.
(link: "v")[
(color: green)[What’s happening Lulu? Why were you crying?] – Sláine is more than worried, but there’s nothing she can do.
(color: red + white)[I… I’m a bad friend.] – Lulu’s voice is hoarse.
(color: green)[What? You are a great friend! What’s making you say this?] – Sláine set’s her up to face Lulu, she’s till holding her gently.
(color: red + white)[I… I like you, Sláine.] – This is really hard for Lulu to say.
(color: green)[I like you too Lulu.] – Sláine’s response is almost automatic, as if it was a reflex.
(color: red + white)[No! Not like that! I like you Sláine! I liked you before you came out but I was afraid of you cause I thought you were a boy and I knew you would hurt me but when you said you were a girl I was so happy even if that made you sad, I wanted to be with you forever, I like you even more than before and I… I!] – Lulu grabs Sláine’s head and…
(link: "V")[
Their lips met. They were kissing and for some seconds everything was perfect, everything was fine. Lulu’s lips were soft and warm just like she always was. It’s an almost chaste kiss. Everything was great. They parted away and started to catch their breath. Only now they noticed that Lulu’s cell was still playing some playlist during all of this. They are staring at each other. Lulu looks as she feels, guilty. Guilty of not knowing what she’s feeling for Sláine, guilty for kissing her like that, guilty for liking it. She can’t look at Sláine anymore, she looks down, until a hand lands on her cheek. Sláine’s hand.
(link: "v")[
They stare at each other for a little awhile, they approach and Sláine smiles then returns the kiss. Their sadness and tension were all being washed away and replaced by happiness and relief. This felt so right! They felt so right! Hands were going places, they were closer and closer in a warm embrace, until they were carrying off to do more.
(link: "...")[
Hours pass, Lulu’s eyes open and she finds her head on Sláine’s lap, they’re still on Lulu’s bedroom. It looks like a mess to be fair.
(color: red + white)[We… did that, didn’t we.] – She’s a little sleepy still, but wake enough to remember what they did. She notices she’s wearing nothing and all she has is a blanket protecting her from the abnormal cold of summer.
(color: green)[Yep, that we did.] – Sláine has been awake for a while and is wearing her hoodie and trunks combo back, she’s still caressing Lulu’s head.
(color: green)[Are we together now? As in… girlfriends?] – Sláine is still trying to understand how things became like that but she’s too happy to really think about it. As she pounders and questions Lulu sits down and holds Sláine’s hand, she gives her a long gaze and a smile before giving her a kiss.
(color: red + white)[I would like too.]
And so, they are.
The End.]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]](save-game:"gamesave")
Why not do all today? That’s the most practical thing to right? Yeah. That’s what gramma would do! The most practical thing, and that’s why she ran away and left her family behind and stole all the money! That was practical… Hmm, that quite explains why Sláine’s dad is such an asshole, still, fuck him.
That took a turn to the dark. Still can’t blame her, husband was a church idiot, sons were all assholes and grandchildren? She didn’t any at the time. So who cares? Sláine sure doesn’t.
(link: "v")[
So here’s the plan. She’ll go to the clinic take some of the meds, then go to the pharmacy to buy the rest of the meds. All she needs first is to get the paper the doctor gave her then send a message to Lulu saying she’ll be there later.
(link: "Write your message here.")[
(color: green)[Lulu. I need to get my meds first, then I’ll go to your place kay?]
(link: "...")[
(color: red + white)[Ok. Can you stay here for more than a day?]
(link: "Write your message here.")[
(color: green)[Sure. How long?]
(link: "...")[
(color: red + white)[4 days.]
(link: "Write your message here.")[
(color: green)[K.]
(link: "...")[
(color: red + white)[Thank you Sláine, sorry for always being on your way.]
(link: "Write your message here.")[
(color: green)[You are never in my way, I love being with you.]
(link: "That was a little too much. Nah, not really.")[
With that done now all she needs to do it to get her things ready, and get her money, but before that Sláine needs to change and so she does.
(link: "v")[
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/MMt8NsL.png" width="250" height="500"
Nothing beats the old combo of tank top, jeans and flip flops. Sure it’s cold but who cares? Now it’s time to go!
(link: "v")[
Sláine gets her trusty backpack, and as soon as she reaches the door she notices one thing. Her father’s wallet, and there’s a ton of cash inside! Before she goes to grab the cash she thinks on the implications of that. Would she really steal from her father? What type of person does that? And why do that?
(color: green)[I will, I do that and cause I need cash.] – It’s hard to fight against this logic so she does it! Five hundred bucks, nice! Now to the clinic!
(link: "Remember kids! Stealing is uncool!")[
But before that Slaine takes the bus, then she’ll go walking to the clinic, a good half an hour on this trip.
Just a good old bus trip through the hood.
(link: "v")[
Sláine’s neighbourhood is… well, for the lack of a better word let’s use the term “almost middle class”. You know what the middle class is right? Good. Now think of people that are on the cusp of being considered that but just can’t nor will never be, it’s a weird thing. There’s residential buildings, there’s business of many types and you can even see some conveniences that the middle class has access too, but that’s it. It’s always an almost and never a reality.
Does it matter? In a way, no, still. Sláine has nothing against the place, she even likes it, the problem is the people, she just doesn’t like most people here, maybe Lulu is the only exception. So, let’s take a look at the two main types of people that live here.
Beginning from the top you have, the “traditional Brazilian family”, composed of a mom, a dad and up to two kids. They are usually Christians, vote on the right, hate “leftists”(anyone that they don’t like) and love seeing people from the favelas being killed(for then, anyone in a favela is a criminal, not exceptions.) Anything else? Let’s see. The father either works in business or is a active in the military, has a mistress young enough to be his daughter, the wife usually has an affair too and if the kids are gay, well… They won’t have a mom and dad to come back too after coming out. That’s Sláine’s family.
Then we have the religious type. You know, the ones that live and die by the words of god, not all of them just the ones their pastor say are valid. They hate everything they think it goes against the “laws of god”, even if it doesn’t make sense and they’ll do anything for god if their pastor says it, even if doesn’t make sense. They dress all the same, they talk all the same, they are all the same person in a way. They would be sad people if they weren’t so sure that god loves them.
Then we have the rest, the people that have actual lives and things to get worried about, like Lulu.
(link: "v")[
Hmm, maybe that’s why she dislikes the people in here. Who knows? Anyway…
(link: "v")[
Here’s the clinica da familia! The family clinic! Understaffed, needing urgent repairs and with a grotesque lack of organization! This place is dump, but a good dump in a sense. Free consults with the doctors after months of waiting, free meds when they have them and some other services too when they have those.
Now, brazil, as bad as it is has it’s advantages. A good one, for Sláine at least, is that she could start her HRT without having to deal with cis person deciding if she was trans enough.
(link: "Waitting for valiadtion from cis people is a fate worse than death.")[
Granted if she had she would lie through her teeth and do anything necessary to start the process but still, it’s nice not having to deal with bullshit.
And after a quick walk she finds herself in the pharmacy line, now just wait. Maybe she should call Lulu, yeah that would be for the best.
(link: "She'll pick up... I guess.")[
(color: green)[Yo Lulu.]
(color: red + white)[Sláine…] - Her voice is hoarse, was she crying?
(color: green)[You ‘kay?] – Of course not.
(color: red + white)[Not really… I’m. I don’t know…] - She definitely was crying.
(color: green)[It's okay. Do you want to talk?] – She’ll definitely say no, but maybe?
(link: "...")[
(color: red + white)[Not on the phone not.] – Yeah, that was bound to happen, still make sure she’s okay.
(color: green)[Sure, I’m be there soon okay? I have me stuff with me and I’m the line on the clinic, after I’ll go to the pharmacy and then I’ll go there, ‘kay?] – Sláine’s voice is almost soft.
(color: red + white)[Okay. Thanks Sláine, I’m always bothering you when I’m like this and] – (color: green)[You are not a bother, I love hanging out with you, I’ll be there any time you need, I’ll be there soon, ‘kay?]
(color: red + white)[Okay.] – She ends the call. Lulu likes talking through the phone for some reason, well less like talking and more like listening to people’s voices, that’s comforting for Lulu in a way.
(link: "v")[
Still, she ends up taking some time on the line and finally it’s her turn.
After some change of words with the counter man he handles her this month’s supply of spiro. Now to go to the other pharmacy.
The one where money is spent and requires more walking.
(link: "v")[
The estradiol valerate she takes is cheap, that is for sure, while other med she could be taking are on the price range of forty bucks, the one she buys is ten to eleven. And recently Sláine found a pharmacy that sells it for nine. The question is to get there, which Is a little far from, well everything in the neighbourhood.
But she gets there.
(link: "v")[
And now for the world slowest marathon. First of all, get in line for a pharmacist to ask what you want. Second, say what you want, in this case estradiol valerate, then wait as the pharmacist looks for the damn thing. Third, answer their damn questions of “Why you buying this?”. Fourth, enter in line to buy your goddam six boxes of meds. Fifth have some blond lady offer to pay for your stuff.
What this isn’t normal. The fuck?
(link: "Mas que porra?")[
I said I’ll buy it.
(color: green)[I noticed that but why?] – Sláine is, understandably, confused.
Cause you seem like a nice kid. – Oh she knows where this is going.
(color: green)[You wanna fight?] – The blond woman shakes her head.
Nah kid. I just think you are nice kid, can I pay for your stuff? – This makes no sense, but why not?
(color: green)[Sure!] – the woman pays for her stuff and Sláine’s. She then handles Sláine her meds.
(link: "That was thing...")[
Hey did you see the thing behind the store? – The lady says it as she puts her credit card on her wallet.
(color: green)[What?] – Sláine just finished putting her meds on her backpack.
The thing, there’s a weird animal behind the store.
(color: green)[Cool, how can I get there?] – There’s an alley next to the store, just use it.
And so Sláine does it, she says bey to the lady and goes to see what’s the deal.
(link: "v")[
She sees what’s the deal, she sees the aftermath of some confrontation with something or some people and that thing… The creature.
The creature was… absurd. An amalgam of flesh and plants that doesn’t really makes sense but it was clear to Sláine that it was in pain, blood or whatever that liquid it’s leaking is, was coming out of what could only be a wound. Sláine could see the creature’s bones from the opening of the wound, even organs in a way. It was squirming, it couldn’t stop moving even if couldn’t get up and actually move. That was a sad sight. An horror of the flesh, something that any sane person who sees it would fear but now, it’s a pathetic thing.
Sláine gets near it and sits on the ground in front of it’s… face.
The creature looks at her with one of it’s many eyes, the rest were all occupied not being able to stop looking at everything at the same time.
Sláine doesn’t know what to say, maybe the creature will understand what she says, maybe not. Sláine thinks of what to say…
(link: "...")[
(color: green)[Hey, champ. Can you understand what I say?] – And as Sláine says it she lands a hand on the creature’s “face” and starts to caress it, the creature in return starts to cry from it’s many eyes.
(color: green)[It must be hurting right? Can you tell me what hurt you?] – The creature let’s out a low sound, like an engine that it’s underwater. Sláine doesn’t get it, until.
A huge claw sprouts from its belly and hits the ground near Sláine. She looks at it in shock then holds it on her own hand. Well… She holds it as best as she can with that hand being twice her size.
The creature’s breathing is getting slower and so is it’s movements, it’s eyes all look at Sláine and they seem having difficult being open. Both it and Sláine understand what’s happening.
(link: "v")[
The creature is dying.
What can she do? Nothing. There’s nothing to be done and with the size of the wound on the creature it’s almost impossible to close it. Imagine, if you will, that your back was completely thorn open, your organs exposed and your bones cracked.
Just by imagining this makes your heart skip a beat doesn’t it? Still, to Sláine this is a tragic thing. It’s as if an animal, a big animal was dying in front of them, and that’s what this creature is, an animal. A horrific one but a animal still, and with each breath the creature get’s closer and closer to death.
(link: "...")[
(color: green)[Hmmm… My name is Sláine. Sláine Soar. Hmm. I’ll just stay here until…] - She can’t bring herself to finish the sentence, so she just ends it there. She’ll stay. The creature stares at her, maybe it knows what she said, maybe it doesn’t.
An hour pass, the creature’s breathing gets slower and slower, it has stopped moving and most of it’s eyes are closed, only a few are still open and all of them are staring at Sláine.
(link: "The time is near...")[
(color: green)[Getting tired huh buddy?] – Sláine smiles at the creature, it doesn’t respond, it just breaths and it closes it’s eyes, it’s leaves turn from green to orange and it stops.
It just stops.
Sláine stays in place for a minute before she gets up and lands a hand on it before going. As her hand touches the creature it starts to change, it starts to turn into dandelions and they go with the wind. And with it, they are gone… well, most of it. Some of the dandelions are on Sláine’s hand and they are moving, one of them is even trying to get her attention. Sláine brings her hand closer to her face and the dandelions stop. They start to make random gibberish sounds, as if they were talking to her on some language she just doesn’t get it. Which would be most languages cause Sláine only knows Brazilian Portuguese and basic “video game english”.
(link: "Jeez... At least some spanish would do good.")[
(color: green)[Hmmm… No problem?] – The dandelions are probably thanking her, probably. They respond positively and jump down from Sláine’s hands and into her shadow where they disappear. That’s a thing, thinks Sláine as she turns around to go on her own way.
But before she could even take a couple of steps a tree grows out of her shadow, a tree made out of flesh and bones with fruits growing from it, Sláine looks at it and after a good five minutes…
(link: "Huh.")[
(color: green)[Cool.] – Says Sláine. After she says it she notices two things about the tree.
One. The fruits on it? They are moving. Which is freaky.
Second. Sláine doesn’t have a shadow anymore. Which isn’t a normal thing.
Sláine then starts to test many things.
First of all, she sees how long she can walk with the tree there. Turns out she can go around normally, she just doesn’t have a shadow.
Then she tests if the tree can respond to her. It doesn’t.
After it she tests if she can make the tree go away. It’s been difficult.
(link: "You would think that would be the easy part right?")[
(color: green)[Ahhh! Come on! I get a cool tree and I can’t make it go away on a whim?! That’s fucked!] – She slams her foot on the ground and with it the tree disappears and Sláine’s shadow reappears.
(color: green)[Okay…] - She proceeds to slam her foot on the ground again and the tree reappears right where her shadow was and her shadow disappears giving space to the tree.
After testing it for a couple of times Sláine thinks she got a good grasp on this. Now to the last test, the fruits.
The fruits not only are moving on the own, despite being stuck on the tree branches, so she picks one up and the fruit starts to shake, a lot, until, like an egg a creature comes out from the fruit, it reminds her of the creature she was with earlier, like a miniature one. It drops from her hand into the ground and “sits”, as if it was waiting for orders. Sláine look around and sees a pile of trash and she orders the creature to go there. It does. She orders it to come back. And it does. Then she orders the creature to attack the trash.
And it does… by exploding. But there was no actual explosion, it was more of a detonation of force, it had the impact and the aftermath of a explosion but it wasn’t one.
Still, it was for all intents a detonation of sorts, it had the force, the impact and the aftermath of a explosion.
And that made Sláine happy for some reason.
(link: "v")[
Also, she noticed that the branch she took the fruit off, grew more fruits, three to be exact and that not all fruits are the same. Some are orange, some are green, one is even yellow. She’ll test this…
(link: "Wait.")[
(color: green)[OH FUCK, LULU!] – Sláine totally forgot that she would go to Lulu’s house after buying her meds! She makes the tree go away and just start to run like a mad woman.
Soon she arrives at Lulu’s vila and then her house. She looks a little upset. Yeah she’s definitely having a bad day.
(link: "...")[
(color: green)[Look! I know I said I would be quick but I have a reason! I’ll show it to you!] – Sláine doesn’t know if the tree can be seen by Lulu, but going from all the anime she watched there is a ton of reason for why not but nothing truly says why that should be the case. So she slams her foot on the ground on the hopes it works.
And the tree just pops on existence behind Sláine, Lulu falls in the ground.
(color: red + white)[What?!]
(color: green)[So that’s why I’m late.] – Lulu is still not understanding what’s happening.
(color: green)[Okay, I’ll explain, but before that.] – She picks Lulu up, like a bride and enters her house. She puts Lulu on the couch and makes the tree go away.
(link: "v")[
(color: green)[So, I went to buy me meds, which I did. Then some blond lady on suit got near me and said, “Hey, did you see the weird thing on that back alley?” So I went to see it. And there was this huge ass thing that was like a bear and a tree at the same time but that thing, actyally let’s call it Leeroy! So Leeroy was there hurt like hell with bio slime coming out of him, clearly in pain so I… Just stayed there. Until he passed…]
(color: red + white)[Why?]
(color: green)[… I didn’t want it to be alone.]
(color: red + white)[Oh, Sláine.]
(color: green)[Then I found out that now I have a magical tree that grows fruit that becomes monsters that explode.]
(color: red + white)[What?]
(color: green)[What, what?]
(color: red + white)[You know… I believe you. Just… let’s eat something, I’m starving over here.]
(color: green)[Good thing I stole cash from me dad!]
Sláine met a monster END.]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]](if: $Saves contains "gamesave")[(load-game:"gamesave")]
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