Avgust: Look! A sea swallow!
Avgust holds a half-crumpled paper plane over his head, imitating a bird in flight.
All those unsent letters, just the same as any other waste paper—the building materials for folding birds and frogs.
Pasono: That's not right. You shouldn't fold it this way.
Pasono: Use these math papers to make dotted frogs—the ones that can jump if you flick them.
Avgust: But we already have so many frogs.
Pyotr: No fighting!
Pasono: I wasn't! I'm just saying he used the wrong paper.
Nina: It's ok, Pasono, we still have lots of paper.
Nina: These seem nice. They aren't too crumply.
Nina: Comrade Avgust, use this.
Avgust: Thank you, Comrade Nina! I think this sea swallow will do just fine.
Avgust: It's a little crumpled and looks a bit dirty, but these battle scars are like medals for a hero, just like the one that saved our town.
Avgust: I want to show it to Vila.
Avgust: Vila—
Before his friends could answer, Avgust is in a full sprint toward the adults on the other end of the corridor.
Noticing his coming, Vila opens her arms, but her duty as a teacher overrides her welcome.
Vila: Don't run in the corridor, Comrade Avgust.
Vila: What's wrong?
Avgust: Look! This is my sea swallow!
Avgust: It has been in many battles and flown for a long, long way. It's very tired and wants some rest.
Avgust: So, I want it to rest here with you.
The crumpled paper plane lands in Vila's palm.
Vila: Oh, thank you, Comrade Avgust.
Vila: It will be treated the way a heroic sea swallow deserves, I promise.
Avgust: Ok!
Vila: What do you think? Perhaps it might like to rest in this notebook?
Vila: Just like this. Sleep tight, little hero.
Vila: Since you're here, Comrade Avgust. I must confirm with you: are you all prepared to go to the SPDM?
Avgust: I don't understand. What do we need to prepare?
Vila: You must have all the things you want to take with you and study your schedule so you will know where to go.
Vila: Maybe Nina would like to know what the classroom there is like.
Avgust: I have my friends, and that's all I need.
Avgust: That's what Pasono said too.
Vila: Very well.
Vila: You're all brave little comrades. You will protect yourselves and each other, won't you?
Name Day: Ms. Vila, I assure you SPDM is one of the safest places in the world.
Name Day: You don't have to worry.
Vila: The children will need to learn how to protect themselves sooner or later.
Vila: I'm only a teacher. I can't protect them forever.
Avgust: Vila, aren't you coming with us?
Avgust: Oh, but you're a Rusalka, so are you returning to the sea?
Surprise jumps across Vila's face.
Vila: What? No, never.
Avgust: But will I be able to see you again if you turned into foam?
Avgust: How could foam be turned back into Vila again?
Vila: No, no, Avgust, I won't—won't turn into foam!
Avgust: But you said the "eternal soul" is just another name. You said you don't have it, and the princess didn't have it either.
Avgust: Pasono said the Rusalka princess turned into foam when she went to the sea.
Avgust: So, then you will—
Vila: I will not, Avgust.
Vila: The "eternal soul" is nothing. It's only a name, something that could be given to anything. It doesn't have substance; you can't touch it or catch it.
Vila: How can something you can't even touch turn me into foam? I haven't before, and I won't now.
Vila: Anyway, I won't be going back to the sea.
Avgust: Then what is it? You said it can be everything, but also nothing?
Vila bends down, looking into Avgust's confused eyes.
Vila: I had the same thought at the beginning. That it could be anything I believed it to be, but maybe it didn't even exist at all.
Vila: I saw how barriers were broken and hate driven out from that town. That's why I thought "our Rayashki" was "eternal" and the people were all good "souls."
Vila: But now, I understand that's not true.
Avgust: What is true?
Vila: You are.
Avgust: Me? Am I the "eternal soul"?
Vila: No. Not you alone, but "all of you." You are the next generation of Rayashki, the survival of our people and our dreams, a future that will not be altered or reversed.
Vila: As long as we have you, those who sacrificed themselves will never truly die, and ...
Vila: The "eternal soul" will continue to exist for us and for them.
Vila: So, for me, the "eternal soul" is nothing and everything.
Name Day: Sounds a little like my arcane skill. Remember that sofa? It returned to a simple toy in only a few moments.
Name Day: It's just a small trick, I'm afraid, far from "eternal."
Vila: Thanks for the example, Mr. Name Day.
Name Day: Well, I can see that little Avgust is still very confused.
Vila: Perhaps I made it too complicated.
Vila: Did you understand what I mean, Comrade Avgust?
Avgust doesn't reply immediately. With him, it is never easy to tell whether he's fallen back into his own little world.
Or if he's piecing together something brilliant.
Avgust: But ...
Avgust: But if I can see it, how can it be nothing?
Vila: What do you mean, Avgust?
Vila: I don't think anyone has ever seen a soul.
Avgust: But I saw yours. It's golden, like the sun!
Vila turns to the direction Avgust showing her.
The morning sun has climbed high, spilling into the open corridor and stretching the silhouette of Vila's body.
Golden light surrounds her, outlining her shadow with a splash of warm yellow, a projection on a sparkling sea.
Vila: Ah ...
Then at the edge of her shadow, a familiar face.
Windsong: Found her!
Windsong: You're here, Ms. Vila!
Windsong: Oh, little Avgust is here too, and a gentleman that I'm afraid I don't know.
Windsong: Hello to you too!
Name Day: Oh, hello. You must be Ms. Windsong.
Windsong: Yes, that's right. I've come to prepare a lecture for the Far East branch.
Avgust: Windsong!
Vila: Haha ...
Vila: It is good to see you too, Ms. Windsong.
Vila: I'm certain the children will be happy that they can attend one of your lectures before they go to SPDM.
Vila: Now, let's go join the children.
Vila: Like we used to do.
