Sigma laughed at her reaction to his birthyear - but his smile slowly fell as Eponine recalled the Arena. He did not mean to upset her and had intended for his story to distract her from the cruel realities of the Games, and was unfortunately failing.
"I know, Eponine. It was like that in some places at home, as well," he softly admits with disappointment. He does not bother to answer her question about the horses and moves on, for fear she might conjure up more bad memories.
Dr. Klim takes a long swig of his second can before continuing. "I studied Genetics. I fear a comprehensive explanation may overwhelm you, but it's the study of... the 'code'... the 'essence' of what makes us what we are. Why certain traits are passed on from parent to child, how our body operates, why diseases occur." Satisfied with his in-a-nutshell summary, he moves on.
"...But that also meant that there were those who studied how to create disease. When I was a little older than you are now, a devastating contagion was released by those with a cruel religious agenda. ...A genocide, Eponine." Sigma closed his eyes. "It was a quick end to everything. My parents did not make it. I took shelter, and was one of the few left alive - in the entire world." Because of his gift. His curse that let him see it all, even live whole lifetimes in the future, before it ever happened. Because he was one of the few that could have done something about it, and failed. Now it was Sigma's turn to finish his second can.
His vision swims as the can leaves his lips, he rubs his eyes to sober up. The good Doctor sighs deeply as he draws into the annals of his memories he had shut away. "...But there was another who survived with me," he reminds himself wistfully. Reaching for another can, Sigma grasps it with two fingers and swirls the full container around playfully without taking a drink. His cheeks are red with drunkeness or love. "...Her name was Diana." Sigma says her name slowly, tasting the sound, as if the bearer of that name were more precious than jewels or more important than an Empress. In that moment Sigma seemed to glow with adoration, and it may very well have been true for him that there was no other in the universe - in any universe - who had ever loved as much as he still loved that girl.
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"I know, Eponine. It was like that in some places at home, as well," he softly admits with disappointment. He does not bother to answer her question about the horses and moves on, for fear she might conjure up more bad memories.
Dr. Klim takes a long swig of his second can before continuing. "I studied Genetics. I fear a comprehensive explanation may overwhelm you, but it's the study of... the 'code'... the 'essence' of what makes us what we are. Why certain traits are passed on from parent to child, how our body operates, why diseases occur." Satisfied with his in-a-nutshell summary, he moves on.
"...But that also meant that there were those who studied how to create disease. When I was a little older than you are now, a devastating contagion was released by those with a cruel religious agenda. ...A genocide, Eponine." Sigma closed his eyes. "It was a quick end to everything. My parents did not make it. I took shelter, and was one of the few left alive - in the entire world." Because of his gift. His curse that let him see it all, even live whole lifetimes in the future, before it ever happened. Because he was one of the few that could have done something about it, and failed. Now it was Sigma's turn to finish his second can.
His vision swims as the can leaves his lips, he rubs his eyes to sober up. The good Doctor sighs deeply as he draws into the annals of his memories he had shut away. "...But there was another who survived with me," he reminds himself wistfully. Reaching for another can, Sigma grasps it with two fingers and swirls the full container around playfully without taking a drink. His cheeks are red with drunkeness or love. "...Her name was Diana." Sigma says her name slowly, tasting the sound, as if the bearer of that name were more precious than jewels or more important than an Empress. In that moment Sigma seemed to glow with adoration, and it may very well have been true for him that there was no other in the universe - in any universe - who had ever loved as much as he still loved that girl.