[@KoL]

[color=#a2a8ff]"Nonsense! If you don't feel comfortable calling me Lexy, then call me Lexy-chan!"[/color] Leagsaidh waved away the girl's concerns about being rude, [color=#a2a8ff]"In all honesty, I'm happy with pretty much any nickname you decide to give me. Within reason, of course."[/color] She chuckled warmly at her own joke before continuing with a smile [color=#a2a8ff]"I won't insist on much, Miss Touka-chan. As long as you feel comfortable, I really don't mind."[/color]

Leagsaidh noted the the surprise in the girl's face when she called her pretty, but kept schtum until she discovered the reason. Touka removed the eyepatch that Leagsaidh was only now noticing and showed her a glass eye. She went on to describe how she was a cancer patient, how her mother fell before it and that she seemed to be expecting the same. All the while, Leagsaidh sat and listened with polite remorse - that is, up until Touka said that the Japanese didn't like irregular people of their own culture. Her mentioning she was an illegitimate child only irked her more.

[color=#a2a8ff]"That's not fair."[/color] she hissed quietly [color=#a2a8ff]"It wasn't your fault, it wasn't your mother's -  why are you the one being ostracised? Well, Touka-chan, it's their loss. I personally can't see the slightest fault in you. I'd rather be friends with you than with someone so backwater and ignorant as to judge a person based on appearance."[/color]

[color=#a2a8ff]"And don't let being 'illegitimate' upset you,"[/color] she said the word whilst making bunny ears with her fingers, [color=#a2a8ff]" There have been many great people who were illegitimate children - Alexander Hamilton, Marilyn Monroe, Frederick Douglass - heck, even Pope Clement VII was born out of wedlock. You don't choose who you were born to, so it wouldn't be fair to judge you on that."[/color]

Leagsaidh laughed merrily when Touka mention Dublin and its colleges, glad they were on more cheerful topics  [color=#a2a8ff]"Which one are you after? Trinity? UCD? NUI? There are that many, I don't know where to start. Still, it's nice to see you were considering coming to the Emerald Isle. Just be careful of religion over there - a lot of people are rather zealous. Oh, and don't talk about the UK either, because that will unleash chaos."[/color]

Her jaw hit the floor when Touka mention the Bible, however. Oh boy. Nothing could prepare Touka for the rant she was about to receive.
[color=#a2a8ff]"You read the Bible? You're a Christian? Touka-chan, you Japanese beauty, where have you been all this time!? I look out at the temples and shrines and mikos and sometimes I forget I'm not the only Christian in Japan. You might just have made my entire day. Nothing can bother me now!"[/color] The last line was tempting fate, perhaps, but for a few minutes, Leagsaidh felt untouchable. A Japanese Christian! And to think that she almost never noticed her! Right now, she didn't know what was stopping her from sweeping Touka up in a giant hug and singing her praises. Somehow, she managed to keep talking without squealing like a fangirl.

[color=#a2a8ff]"I agree completely. Saint Paul was one of the best biblical authors. The writing, the passion, the morality - my favourite scriptures outside the Four Gospels. But I always felt a little alienated from the stories outside of the life of Jesus. I think everyone has to look at Jesus rather than what his disciples say. Yeah, sure, they're just trying to spread the word of God, but they might end up twisting it or making mistakes. That's the problem with the Church - it's looking at all these other things rather than Jesus. For heaven's sake, they still use the Old Testament! And they get so [i]intolerant[/i]. Jesus came to help Sinners, did he not? So why are we so vicious in persecuting those who sin? Jesus never judged them and since he was the Son of God, that must mean God didn't judge them either. And if you think about it, it's never actually a person's fault when they do something wrong. They've either been raised to believe certain things or they have a mental issue. Neither of which can be helped. When things get desperate, we all do bad things, don't we? God made each and every one of us - he knows us. So surely He would know that we don't actually want to do bad things if we can help it. And don't get me started on all these restrictions and bans the Vatican keeps putting on people. For instance, not letting gay people marry - how is that fair? Sometimes we like men, sometimes we like women. We can't help who we fall in love with. Love a person, not a gender, that's what I always say. And then the Church says 'Oh, but they can't have children if they're both the same gender' but why does that matter? Because marriage is only for people to have kids? That's a laugh - plenty of people get married and never have kids. And it's not like they wouldn't if they could, you know? And then the say that it said gay people are wrong in the Old Testament but that's the [i]Old[/i] Testament for a reason. It's outdated. Did Jesus not say 'Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love'? He didn't say 'But only if it's a man and a woman' or anything like that. He said everyone who loves - well, if two gay people love each other, why should there be a problem?" [/color]

Leagsaidh paused and shot a sly glance at Touka [color=#a2a8ff]"Sorry. I didn't mean to talk your ear off. I just get a little passionate about the Bible. You must think I'm Sapphic or something and I've been jilted by the Church."[/color] She giggled happily, pleased that she had made a friend.