"I don't like it," Ruby decided at last. She couldn't help but feel as if she were being very ungrateful. There had probably been a much kinder way to say that. After all, it was very kind of Robert to teach her about his craft so carefully.
"Well, that's alright. Art isn't for everyone. I just thought that you might like to see how I work. Either way, you still did a very nice job," said Robert. Ruby glanced down at her little painting and then back at Robert's. Had she really done a good job? It looked pretty enough. But it didn't look alive in the way that Robert's painting did. The face that he had painted was full of texture and seemed to glow with a welcoming smile that made Ruby want to smile back. Her painting looked just like it. But it didn't feel the same.
Hands shaking, Ruby set down her paint brush. Instantly, relief filled her. She hadn't realized how nervous she had been about messing something up until now. Well, she hadn't really messed it up. But Ruby still wasn't happy with her work. Robert spent hours and hours each day painting. He seemed to enjoy it more than anything else in the world. Naturally Ruby had been excited to give painting a try. But now she understood that sitting still for three hours straight with your eyes glued to a canvas wasn't for her. Most things that Robert seemed to enjoy Ruby either hated or simply wasn't capable of doing.
"Why do you do this exactly? Is it because you like how the picture looks?" Ruby asked suddenly.
"Well, that's part of it. But that's not the only thing I enjoy about it. There's just something magical about seeing an image that lives in your imagination transform into something that you can see and hold." Ruby desperately wanted to understand the words that were coming out of Robert's mouth. Why couldn't she love art the way that humans did?
"I don't understand that. Maybe art is a human thing and that's why I don't enjoy it."
"I mean, there are humans who don't like or understand art. It's not for everyone and not liking art doesn't make you less of a person."
"But... I don't know. There are so many things that people understand that I don't. There are so many things that they get to experience that I don't. What if I am less than a full person?"
"Is a child less than a full person because they aren't capable of what adults can do? What about someone who is disabled, are they less of a person?"
"No. Of course not."
"Do you see what I'm saying?"
"I guess. But what are people? At what point does someone become a person?" asked Ruby. Robert didn't answer right away. He glanced from the painting to Ruby and back again.
"I don't think it is our place to decide something like that. I feel as if we have a duty to treat every living thing that we come into contact with with a certain level of respect and kindness. After all, it doesn't cause us any harm to show a little kindness. Well... most of the time at least," Robert laughed. Ruby smiled.
"Thank you. I didn't have a lot of fun, but I appreciate you teaching me." It was always nice to get to spend more time with Robert. Ruby's favorite days were these long summer evenings that they spent together. If only moments like these could last forever and ever.
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Ruby's eyes opened. She was lying in darkness once more. Right, Robert was gone. Why couldn't she just stay in her dreamland with Robert? Why couldn't she just travel back in time to when he had still been alive? With a sigh, Ruby forced herself to sit up. The day had only just begun, but already Ruby felt a deep weariness. What pleasant or unpleasant surprises were waiting for her? Change and surprise were clearly the only things that Ruby would consistently experience while she was here.
She dragged herself down the stairs and into the main hall. How could life here be so terrifying and yet also so dull? Now Ruby could understand Mia's constant boredom. This level of routine was dull without being the least bit comforting. But Ruby was delighted to see that Mia was back to her old and energetic self. Her eyes were sparkling, and her smile had returned.
"Hello there, Ruby! Are you excited to get to use your rewards today? How many rewards did you get? Were they good rewards? I'm a little bit sad that I didn't get any rewards. But I guess that only a few dolls matched Mary's list perfectly. Did you have some kind of special way of winning? Did you just guess or think about your answers really carefully?" Mia went on. Ruby just stood there smiling, enjoying Mia's ramblings. She watched as the words tumbled out of Mia's mouth faster than light. This was the little ray of sunshine that Ruby had worried she would never get to see again.
"Alright, alright. You're doing it again, Mia," Ivy called.
"What? Oh, suffocating people with words!" said Mia.
"Honestly, I really don't mind," Ruby laughed.
"Don't listen to her, Mia," Ivy said, patting Mia's head. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yup!" Mia cheered.
"Well, that's good at least." Ivy pulled the squirming Mia into a hug. "There aren't any new supplies. Are you ready to go, Ruby?" asked Ivy.
"Ready as I'll ever be," muttered Ruby. Perhaps there was a way for her to get used to living like this. But there was also a part of her that didn't want to get used to it. Maybe this would be a day like yesterday. Maybe things would get a little bit easier for her now. The dolls gathered together and headed out into the streets, just like they did every single morning. There was less fear in the air today. As they walked some of the dolls talked softly and happily. The streets were still covered with sheets of paper that had been scattered this way and that.
Ruby had kept her list. She didn't really know why. There was always a chance that it could come in handy for something. Mia skipped along, holding on tightly to Ivy's hand. Hopefully, this game wouldn't be too hard on the poor girl. Blossom came over and stood by Ruby as soon as she caught sight of her. Ruby couldn't help but smile. It felt good to be part of a group. This time, she could really help them. She could use her powers and her new strength to protect them.
"Hooray! So good to see all of you again!" Mary began. Was she talking to the dolls or to the crowd? She was probably talking to both. "For this round we will be using the pens once again! Please collect some nearby paper." Ruby hadn't been expecting her to say that. Were they going to do the same thing all over again?
"Hm, how strange," Blossom whispered.
"Booooring!" Mia moaned.
"Please list a number, a name, a letter, a color and a word!" Mary went on.
"Maybe the crowd really enjoyed yesterday's game after all," Ruby whispered to Blossom. Blossom didn't answer. Ruby wrote down her answers quickly.
Number 15
Color Gold
Name Oren
Letter A
Word Fear
"Thank you! Now, just like yesterday, your pen will glow if our answers match!" Mary announced. "But... things will be a little bit different this time!" Mary giggled. The frown on Blossom's face deepened.
"I don't like this," she muttered. If Ruby had a stomach, it would be twisting itself into knots. A silence had spread across the crowd. Mary's 'but things will be different this time!' combined with the giggling wasn't super comforting.
"Alright! Here we go!" Mary called out. A cry of joy rose up from one of the dolls who was standing next to Ruby. Ruby glanced over at her. She was holding up her glowing pen with a look of delight on her face. Within the blink of an eye, that doll shattered into a million little pieces.