=== Lapis & Rosado ===
--- C ---


[Lapis]
You know what, Rosado? You're quite cute.
I've always thought so.
[Rosado]
Aw, I'm so flattered! Thank you!
[Lapis]
The fact that you're so consistently adorable...
Well, I admire that. What's your secret?
[Rosado]
Hmm... Not sure I've got one.
[Rosado]
I guess I just try to be my best self. I think about
who I am inside, and...I bring it out.
[Lapis]
Yeah?
[Rosado]
Sure. Appearances matter, but true beauty
is what's inside.
[Rosado]
Even the most fashionable ensemble is useless
if you don't feel it. You've gotta believe in you.
[Lapis]
Hm... So that's why I'm not cute. There's
something wrong with what's inside me.
[Rosado]
What? Lapis, you're gorgeous.
[Lapis]
No! I'm not confident at all. Really, there's a lot
that I'm self-conscious about.
[Lapis]
Like the fact that I eat grass and shrubs, or that
I'm so dang strong...
[Rosado]
I didn't catch all that, but I can tell by your
face it's serious. This really matters to you.
[Rosado]
Whatever it is, why don't we talk it over?
I'll gladly lend you an ear.
[Lapis]
Really? How kind! I appreciate that.
[Rosado]
And I appreciate you. Come find me anytime.
--- B ---


[Lapis]
Hey, Rosado. Can I ask you something? It's
about what we discussed the other day.
[Rosado]
Sure, sure!
[Lapis]
You said the secret to cuteness is confidence.
Well...how did you find your confidence?
[Rosado]
Hmm, I dunno. I think it must have come from
how I was raised.
[Lapis]
I see.
[Rosado]
I was born in a village near the Lake of Mystery.
Some people call it the village of the fair folk.
[Rosado]
It's a place of wonder. Beauty beyond the silly
expectations that come with stuff like gender.
[Lapis]
Wow! I've never heard of such a place.
[Rosado]
Everyone accepts everyone there. However you
see and present yourself, you're beautiful.
[Rosado]
That was my normal, growing up. It was a big
shock when I left─seeing how different I was!
[Rosado]
But I realized I love being different. And I want
everyone to know being different is amazing.
[Lapis]
You're saying being different...is good?
[Rosado]
Not just good─amazing! Your differences are
what make you unique. What make you...you!
[Rosado]
In a way, being apart from my home village has
made me even more confident in who I am.
[Lapis]
Huh... So your uniqueness became a source of
confidence. I like that.
[Rosado]
Me too! And if it helps you at all, that makes me
even happier.
[Lapis]
Thanks. Everything you've said has resonated
with me. Let's chat again soon, all right?
[Rosado]
Of course! Anytime!
--- A ---


[Lapis]
Rosado, I want to thank you for sharing with me
the other day. The truth is...I'm different too.
[Rosado]
Tell me all about it! I wanna know everything
unique about you.
[Lapis]
Well... My family is, um...poor. Very poor.
It's always made me feel like an outsider.
[Lapis]
Just being poor would be one thing. But I also
like wild plant life, and I'm scary strong.
[Lapis]
I end up kind of...fixating on my weirdnesses.
That makes it hard to feel confident.
[Rosado]
None of this sounds bad to me! You know tons
about plants, you're super strong... That's great!
[Lapis]
When you put it that way, they almost do sound
like positives, but...
[Rosado]
Still hard to talk about sometimes though,
isn't it?
[Lapis]
Yeah.
[Rosado]
If it'll help...I'll give you an embarrassing truth
of my own. I've always admired you, Lapis.
[Lapis]
Wait a second... You? Admired me?
[Rosado]
Yup. Even from the time we were enemies,
back at the Grand Crossing.
[Rosado]
You were swinging that huge sword around.
You were so powerful. So stylish!
[Rosado]
I remember thinking how jealous I was. How I
could never do something like that.
[Lapis]
R-really?
[Rosado]
Really. How did you get so strong, anyway?
Is it all from your training?
[Lapis]
No. It's because I fought off a lot of bears back
in my hometown.
[Rosado]
Bears! Well, I guess we can say your strength
goes all the way back to where you came from.
[Lapis]
Yeah... Yeah! I guess you're right!
[Lapis]
Thank you, Rosado. Hearing you say all that,
I'm feeling much more confident.
[Lapis]
One day I'll be able to say with pride, "I am who
I am because of my hometown!"
[Lapis]
Maybe not, uh...anytime soon. But someday.
[Rosado]
I think that's a wonderful goal.
[Rosado]
When the time comes, you can announce it
with a flourish of that huge sword!
[Lapis]
Of course. I'll get an even bigger sword, so you
can't possibly miss it.
--- S ---