foolishwren | 97. [Action for Goldenrod/Private Text]

97. [Action for Goldenrod/Private Text]

[Locked to Ironhide, Minnie Mouse, Otacon, and Dale Cooper]

I don't know if it'll fix anything at this point, because I said some pretty horrendous things to all of you, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry.

I'll understand if you're still mad. None of you need to reply to this.

[Action for Goldenrod]

_{[It's probably not surprising that there's been radio silence from Heather on the 'Gear for awhile, considering... well, everything. Even if she hadn't had her 'Gear confiscated as part of the 'grounding', she hadn't exactly been in a chatty mood.]

[But even if she's bound to the city, she's not bound to the hotel room, and considering that she's sort of in the doghouse at the moment, she's not too interested in staying cooped up with the people who are rightfully upset with her.]

[So she can be found wandering the streets of Goldenrod City with Cujo padding along at her side, window-shopping or occasionally lounging on a bench-- minus the firepowers that blew the metaphorical Diglett-hole into a volcanic mountain a few weeks ago, but unfortunately still with the unattractive aftereffects of the whole ordeal: smoky black hair, patches of scorched-looking skin, and a permanent burnt-toast smell following her around.]}

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_{[A quiet chuff of a laugh.]}

No, I'm not hurt...

_{[In truth, she's sort of LUCKY she hadn't been hurt, because while Claudia may not have been willing to lay a hand on her, her Vulpix sure had.]}

... I couldn't do it.

_{[It's okay, Ironhide. Because right now, Heather's at almost as much of a loss as you are.]

[Killing Claudia hadn't worked. Now she doesn't know what to do.]

[She nods, forgetting for a moment that she's not on video.]

[Always more to it.]}

When I say I forgot, I really mean it. Literally forgot. For years.

Dunno how it works for ... you guys, but when humans go through something really bad... sometimes they just blur it all out. To keep themselves safe, you know. The memories just... go away, into some place in the back of their head where they don't have to think about 'em, and sometimes it's so deep that they just...

Well.

I didn't remember.

I'd just pushed it all away so that I could pretend none of it ever happened, and I guess I was real good at pretending...

_{[There was also the fact that she'd LITERALLY been in a new body, but well, it's the same principal.]}

... And... and then she found me.

I'd find them anyway.

He still thinks he's just losing them then?

... Yeah... that's.... that's great...

_{[Heather could not possibly sound MORE enthusiastic about her starter's new buddy, naturally.]

[Cujo is positively spasming with happiness, of course, and he promptly leaps up to put his paws on the Machamp's chest (or... well... would if he could REACH that high, anyway. So probably more like his abs) and pant happily upwards. NEW FRIEND NEW FRIEND.]}

We... do not have that capability.

[Which makes for a lot of fun memories roaming around in their processors. Every sight of the war-torn planet, every casualty, every atrocity Megatron ever committed... all of it stays.]

[No matter how much they might want otherwise.]

Your kind is lucky, that way, kid.

[Silence.]

Before you came here?

YES okay?



that's what happened

_{[Except there was even more to it than that, but Carmen's pretty much put two and two together so perfectly that Heather doesn't really wanna put more puzzle pieces in the pile.]

[Because she's pretty sure Carmen'd put those together, too.]}

[Ah. An apology. One he didn't hope for, given the recent silence on both ends, and that he certainly could have lived without, but now that it's been said, it becomes rather obvious it was exactly what was necessary for Crow to forget there was some wall between them in the first place. Still, the duelist folds his arms in an attempt to actually look irritated, which almost works -- now if he could just stop looking so goddamn happy...]

You better be! What the hell was that?! I never expected you to go that far! I thought I was gonna lose it!

[To be honest, he kind of did, but never mind that -- he doesn't seem angry anymore, after all. And besides, he's always been willing to forgive others a lot of things, often far worse than what she's done, provided they recognize they'd made a mistake. Which is why he waves his hand dismissively with a smile.]

... Eh, whatever. Most important is that you're back now!

And you thought that confronting that person, alone, when he'd already demonstrated a willingness to kill, you somehow reached the conclusion that consciously putting yourself in a situation like that was a good idea?!

This morning he accused Cujo of eating 'em.

_{[Which, TO BE FAIR, was not a entirely baseless accusation.]}

Yeah... lucky.

_{[It's true. It's an invaluable coping mechanism, and it's maybe one of the reasons that humankind is so incredibly resilient. But all the same... maybe if she hadn't forgotten, she wouldn't have let her guard so far down. Maybe she'd have been more grateful to her father, knowing the truth that she'd been ignorant to for so long. Maybe he wouldn't have died that night.]}

A year.

Everything caught up with me a year before I came here.

That probably wouldn't be healthy.

I'm hoping he'll give them up sooner or later.

[Because the war will not end.]

_{[She lets out a weak chuckle, herself. Because yeah, uh, she still feels really bad about it.]}

If it makes any difference, I was... really hoping you'd just lend me one and ask questions later.

_{[She'd been desperate.]

[She leans back after taking a deep swig of the soda.]}

... Anyway, I won't do it again. Lesson learned...

carmen i already did the same damn thing in a place way more dangerous than here three years ago I'm not a damn child and it's way more complicated than that



and she wouldn't have hurt me

not the way you're thinking

And you think any of that helps your case?

You should've known better. You're too smart not to know better.

Don't think you're entitled to lecture me on the consequences of hurting someone else and then escape responsibility for it when it's your turn.

_{[There's a long pause.]}

that's not even remotely the same thing

Whatever it was you set out to do, do you really think it's something your father would want his daughter to do in his name? On his behalf?

Y'know, maybe I would've if you hadn't looked like you were about to set an entire city on fire -- and we both know that wasn't impossible in your condition back then.

[Which is to say he was worried she could get hurt or worse on her little escapade and-- does Heather even realize how he would feel if something happened to her and he had helped her in that?]

... That's good.

[Really good. It calms him down a great deal, knowing that she won't be disappearing like that again...]

Not that you could. [Well, doesn't that last line sound overly smug...] None of my birds will be taking ya anywhere without my personal consent anymore.

Good luck with that... he's pretty stubborn. ... Y'know. In his own ... ridiculously nonconfrontational way.

We will see.

it wasn't just for Dad

[He does as well, hands seeking out his pockets as he balances idly on the balls of his feet. The silence continues for a few more moments, punctured by nothing but the wind, before he spoke again]

... d'you remember the conversation we had the first time you told me about her?

Does that make any difference?

_{[She does, but she'd rather her friends feel bad than get caught in the crossfire of a feud that goes back two lifetimes. ... Or find out about her past like that...]}

Pretty sure they won't even let me TOUCH them anymore.

_{[That's said wryly.]}

... Anyway, it was personal.

I know I was being a shithole but I do stand by what I said before.

It's not something I wanted any of you to see.

Ever.

I guess we will.

_{[... And then she lapses back into silence, idly tugging on her fingers and staring off at the people passing up and down the sidewalks.]}

Never know how lucky you are, until you no longer have the ability.

[He's not... really trying to lecture her. Just make a comment. Because, really, it goes both ways. Not a day goes by he doesn't miss his old size, his strength, or even the familiar creak of his frame.]

[He grunts.]

And that was when it happened...?

[He doesn't want to say, "OH HEY WAS THAT WHEN YOUR DAD DIED?" Ironhide has that much tact, at least.]

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97. [Action for Goldenrod/Private Text]

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