Libra (The Friend): Hey Bloom, how’s it going?
Bloom (The Survivor): Hey Libra. It’s okay, I guess — oh, you brought a friend?
Ivy (The Companion): Hi Bloom.
Bloom: Hey! I know we haven’t talked all that much…
Ivy (apologetic): Yeah, I’ve been pretty busy. I know I’ve been wrapped up in reliving my relationship with my partner.
Bloom (curious): Oh yeah, how’s that going?
Ivy: I think it’s going well. I’m almost to the the point where Mom transitions, I can feel it. Lockdown put a lot of strain on our relationship, but I know things will get better once Mom knows she’s a woman.
Bloom (listless): Oh sure. It’s good to see you, I guess.
Libra: I asked her to join us today, Bloom. You haven’t really seemed like yourself lately.
Bloom (apprehensive): Oh. Well, ever since the incident… It’s been hard to focus.
Ivy: You mean the incident with Lark’s… Twin.
Bloom: Yeah. It’s just… I don’t know.
Libra: You mentioned at one point that you were worried about us — worried about our family coming apart.
Bloom (surprised): Oh! I know I said that, but I know we’ll still stick together… I mean, where else can we go?
Ivy: I think that’s why Lark asked me to join you two. We’ll feel more like a family if we’re together right now. It’s not every day your sister literally splits in two, after all, and it was hard on all of us the last time we tried to talked about this… Especially you though, Bloom.
(For a moment Bloom looks like she’s about to argue, but her shoulders soon fall into a resigned slump.)
Bloom: I guess, yeah. It has been hard. It’s hard to admit that — it feels like something I should be able to manage on my own.
Libra (shocked): What!? The incident was literally unprecedented! Why should you have to manage it all on your own!?
Bloom (tired): It’s what I do, sis. I’m the Survivor. I felt like I was alone for a long time, just trying to hold on. But… If Mom taught me anything, it’s that I’m not alone anymore. That’s literally the first thing she taught me.
Mom (Me): I’m glad you remember, dear daughter.
Bloom (surprised): Mom! When did you get here?
Mom: Oh, I just thought I’d drop by. I brought a friend along; I hope that’s okay.
Lark (The Dreamer): Hey sisters.
Bloom (ecstatic): LARK! You’re okay!
(Bloom stands and throws herself at Lark, who catches Bloom and holds her in a long embrace.)
Bloom: I’m so glad you’re feeling better.
Lark (smiling): I’m getting there. How are all of you holding up, sisters?
Libra: I’ve been worried about you! I can’t imagine what it would feel like to lose a piece of myself like that.
Lark: I didn’t lose a piece of myself — whoever my twin is, they’re not me. Now that we aren’t sharing a body anymore, I can feel myself growing back into… Myself.
Ivy: Growing into yourself?
Lark: You know how when I first came here I had lots of trouble with the idea that I was trans? That’s certainly something 20s Daphne would have had a lot of trouble with… But as The Dreamer, being trans shouldn’t have felt strange to me at all. For years and years, the only place we ever felt like a girl was in our dreams.
Libra: So wait, all that resistance to the idea of being trans…
Lark: I think that came from my twin.
Mom: There’s a reason why Lark and her twin were in the same body — I think the two of them got wrapped up together in my head for a long time.
Ivy: So if you’re not us in our 20s, then what are you?
Lark: I’m still figuring that out.
Bloom: I’m just glad you feel okay enough to talk with us again.
Lark (smiling): Me too, Bloom. It feels good to be part of the family.
(Lark and Bloom share another sisterly hug.)