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.]}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_{[How is she doing...?]

[... Man, she has no idea how she's doing. How's she supposed to be doing?]

[She rolls her shoulders up in a shrug and it's not even one of those moody attitude-laden shrugs teenagers so often deploy at times like these. She genuinely doesn't know what to say...]}

That's what I thought.

[He has no idea how he's doing either. Ah well.]

You asked me about my mother once. I never told you about the time she grounded me for a month did I?

[:/ Yes your father got in trouble sometimes.]

_{[Harry Mason? IN TROUBLE?]

[She looks back over at him and shakes her head.]}

... No...

[It happened from time to time.]

Well it was when I was ten. My best friend at the time was my next door neighbor, a boy my age named Jack. That October we managed to go see the new horror movie that had been released. Night of the living dead.

[Smiles and shakes his head.]

It was terrifying, but we loved it. After that we decided to play a prank on Jack's older sister Rosemary. We saved up our money till one day at the end of October, my mother was at work, and I was over at Jacks house. It was just a bit after dark and the three of us were the only ones at his house. Rosemary used to be in charge of us a lot when our parents were working late, or busy.

So it was night and we were supposed to be watching a movie on the tv while she was doing her homework and keeping an eye on us. But she spent most of the time talking to her friend on the phone so it was easy to sneak away from her. We just left the tv on and snuck down to the basement.

Like I said, we'd saved up some money and stolen some stuff from the pantries in our homes. So we set everything up. And then Jack screamed and we pushed a can on the ground so it smashed open. Rosemary came down the stairs and found what looked like a murder scene.

The tomato juice and paint covered the floor and then we moved slowly to our feet moaning like zombies. Fake injuries on us.

.... unfortunately we apparently did too good a job because she screamed and ran screaming out of the house for someone to call an ambulance.

[Yeah....rubs the back of his neck.]

Eventually my mother and his parents got home and found us being held by some police officers, covered in paint and tomato juice and the basement nearly painted red. I don't think I've ever seen my mother so angry. And to make it better, the entire neighborhood had heard the commotion and was outside to see what was going on. So we got to be yelled at in front of all of them and the police.

We ended up grounded for well over a month for that. ...we even missed Halloween. Which I think was the worst part. Though we also had to spend hours cleaning the basement of Jack's house. I don't think it ever all came out....

_{[Heather listens to the tale unfold, fingers laced together in her lap. She doesn't particularly want to smile-- she's admitted her wrongdoings and all, but there's still a certain stubbornness, a desire to not give any of them the satisfaction of proving more of their points right-- but her mouth starts to twitch upwards all the same.]}

... Wow, Dad... and to think you were mad at me for egging someone's house that one time...

[He smiles and puts his hands up.]

Alright I admit it. Your dad was a troublemaker as a kid.

Actually you wouldn't believe how much trouble you can get in for trying to spend the night in the library. I didn't think they'd be that angry actually. Apparently they thought I was going to try and steal stuff until the librarian vouched for me just wanting to read.

_{[Her face tugs into a reluctant smile. She can't help it.]}

You tried to stay in the library all night?

Gosh, Dad, you make me look like a kid from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.

See this is why I never told you this story.

But yes. I thought I could just spend the night there reading.

Also Jack bet me fifty cents that I couldn't.

N'here I thought you were a perfect role model. Guess the apple didn't fall too far from the tree after all. _{[Except that Heather had wound up being more the 'drink and party' rebel than the 'defy the law to read' sort.]}

Not far at all. I'm just lucky there was no one around to tell you these stories when you were younger.

That reminds me. Has Henry figured out what's happened to his cigarettes yet?

_{[A muffled laugh as she leans forward, elbows on her knees and hands clasped between.]}

No... I told him he ought to find a better hiding place, but he didn't listen...

I'd find them anyway.

He still thinks he's just losing them then?

This morning he accused Cujo of eating 'em.

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

That probably wouldn't be healthy.

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

[Because the war will not end.]

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

We will see.

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.]}

[He leans back on the bench, watching the people walk by as well. Silent.]

_{[A long period of quiet passes before Heather speaks up again.]

[When she does, it's in a sigh.]}

... She said I was lying, Dad.

...Lying?

[That gets him to glance over.]

About what?

About what Dahlia did to me.

.....That's-

[Okay a small moment because emotions and that came out sharper then he'd intended. Okay calmer now.]

...

That's ridiculous.

_{[Heather shakes her head glumly.]}

Not to her...

Dahlia had her wrapped around her little finger.

... The bitch...

[He sighs, and then moves his arm to pull her closer for a hug.]

Come here.

_{[She returns the action, scooting a little closer to him and leaning into his arms.]}

... That was what pushed me over the edge. I... obviously the biggest thing was the fact that she took you away, but... denying everything...

The abuse...

_{[Her voice kinks up a little on that word in disgust. It feels weak to use it in regards to herself, like she's some kind of sniveling victim. But there was no other word for what Alessa had gone through her entire life. Even at its tamest, it had been the sort of thing that was supposed to result in the kid getting taken away by social services.]

[Except that had never happened.]}

I-- ... Alessa never told her about it. Didn't wanna scare her. ... And then I finally did and when she told me I was lying, I just...