Aquila dropped a children's book onto the Color Cafe counter as nov settled onto a stool, and before Swatch had a response, started rambling. "Hey! Did you know that we live in a galaxy called the milky way? Isn't that weird, calling it the milky way? It's not actually made of milk it's-"

"It's hello, Aquila. And that's nice, but please use your time wisely. You cannot guarantee a life here if you spend all your time obsessed with lighteners."

Aquila gritted luna teeth, "Of course. Of course that's your response."

Swatch sighed and set down the cup they'd been washing, "I'm sorry, but the amount of time you fixate on planets and stars has caused you to lack behind. It's starting to worry me and many others."

Aquila groaned, putting her head in her arms, "Yada, yada. Isn't our purpose to serve lighteners or something? Shouldn't I know a bit about their world?"

"You don't know a "bit". You should find a hobby that'll benefit Queen and yourself. How about practicing cello again, you liked that?"

"No! That was boring and so much work," Aquila groaned again, "and the instructor yelled at me for putting a sticker on the cello. It's my cello! Why can't I put a sticker on it?"

"It'd affect the sound, string instruments are very sensitive,"

Aquila shot up, "HOW-!" lun took a breath, fiddling with some pins on lunas suit, "Not the point, not the point! It bored me! It was stressful! I hated it."

"Okay, well how about-"

"You never understand!"

Swatch sighed again and rubbed their eyes, pushing up their glasses for a second, "Okay, explain."

Aquila opened and closed her mouth, once, twice, again and again.

"I don't...know..."

"Okay, so there should be no-"

"NO! No, no, I don't know what's wrong with me! I can't, I can't-" nov started messing with novas pins more furiously, staring at it, breathing shaky, "I can't do anything anyone wants me to! I-I just want to sit alone a-and learn about galaxies and stuff, but apparently that's wrong and-"

Swatch grew concerned, reaching out a wing but thinking better of it, "M-"

"But I could if I could just split my interests, but I find everything boring, except for those galax-"

"Aquila-"

The pin popped off her suit. Aquila stared at it on the floor, going limp. All the energy, worry, gone.

"Are you okay?"

Aquila shook her head. Lun looked back up, scanning the counter. Before Swatch could grab lun, lun already had grabbed the glass they set down, shattering it against a wall. Customers jumped and stared at her. She buried herself in her arms and tucked her knees to her chest, muttering various insults.

Swatch sighed, once again. Out of frustration, worry, maybe a mix? They didn't know.

"Apologies dear masters! Please don't mind the mess!" A snap and the swatchlings nearby immediately went over to clean up the glass and make sure no one got hurt. Swatch leaned down to Aquila, whispering, "I think we should step out."

"Why, so you can yell at me?"

"That'd be quite rude. You're upset and I highly doubt you want others giving you awkward glances right now."

Aquila didn't respond right away, but got off the stool, brushing at novas face to get some stained tears off. Lun reached out lun wing, which Swatch took. They led her outside the cafe, into a hall with no one else. Aquila sniffled and wiped her face a couple more times.

Swatch let go of novas wing, turning toward nova and kneeling down to be eye level.

"I apologise."

"Huh?"

"I upset you. You were obviously uncomfortable and annoyed with the conversation, but I kept pushing. There is no excuse for that. I am very, very, sorry. I would like to help you with finding a role you can enjoy, actually help, not pester. But if it is bothering you right now, then I will help only when you want."

Aquila froze, then very slowly stated, "I don't think you can"

"Pardon?"

"You guys were just made for your roles, but I don't like anything you guys do. It's like I'm dysfunctional and- and sometimes I wonder if maybe-"

A very long pause.

"Maybe what?"

"No, what do you care about me? Y-you just made me cry and throw a glass and- and I shouldn't just dump all my feelings onto you because you don't CARE!"

Swatch tried to interrupt but was quickly shut down, "I'm not sad I-I'm angry! I'm angry at you! I wanna- I wanna break that glass on you! I-"

"Aquila-"

"SHUT UP! Shut up! I- I hate the way everyone here talks too! You're all so fancy, disgusting! And- and why can't I properly do my job if I don't like it? I- I could do it just fine!"

"Aquila I-"

"AND MAYBE YOU SHOULD JUST SCRAP MY CODE."

Everything was agonizingly silent. Swatch was frozen and Aquila was doing her best to force words out.

"That's um- that's what I wonder about sometimes."

"I'm...sorry."

Aquila kicked at the carpeted floor, "Yeah, because you don't know what else to say."

"I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like that."

Aquila sighed. "I think I want us to stop talking now."

"Okay," Swatch stood up, "if that's what you want."

Aquila started walking back to her room.

"You left your book at the-"

"Just...put it back later..." She turned the corner.

"-And your pin."