[ It is the life they choose. It hurts. It hurts every stupid day, even on the good days, when she actually believes she might have a shot, because she'll see something or think of something and suddenly she'll be that scared, frightened, worthless little girl all over again and she doesn't know if it'll ever change, if she'll ever manage to be anything else. The alternative is to just give up, though. She already did that once and she doesn't think she wants to do it again. Not now. Not yet. She hasn't burned out a second time. ]

I'm never going to be friends with Ikari, if that's what you mean.

[ Her tone is flat. ]

Not like there's that many people "my age" around, right? [ Her look is a touch withering. ]

I have Shepard. And Seviilla.

[ Neither of which are anywhere close to her age. ]

...and maybe Aloy and Annie. [ Who are closer, but still older. ]