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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_{[She pauses, frowning slightly.]}

... Kaito, I know a long time ago, I told you about... you know, some of the stuff from back home.

... How much did I tell you?

_{[It had been so long ago... Not even six months after they'd both first arrived in Johto. Back then, he was one of the only ones she'd ever opened up to about her past. But since then, she's told bits and pieces to other friends, wherever it might be relevant.]

[It's hard to even keep track of who knows what...]}

[It had been a long time ago... but it was still something difficult for Kaito to forget]

... your dad. Claudia. The cult that you had to deal with while you were in Silent Hill... what their ultimate goal was.

It feels like a lot already.

_{[She nods slowly, taking that in. Their ultimate goal...]

[So he knows, at least, that the world itself had been in danger that night. That's a relief. ... It always feels weird to talk about that part. Weird to think about it, even. To think about how close things came to ending.]}

... Did I tell you that Claudia and I were once best friends?

[He glances up at her again, not masking his surprise]

I-- no.

Back when we were really little.

... We were practically sisters.

[He falls silent after that, turning his gaze back towards the city skyline. Like sisters...

That must have made things so much worse.

But saying that aloud would be rubbing salt into the wound, so he stays silent, waiting for her to continue]

_{[Yeah. It had.]

[She's silent for awhile, just looking down past the railing and at the tiny people trailing up and down the sidewalk far below.]}

... She was made into what she was. I'm not saying that means she didn't have a choice... it's no excuse. Nothing could excuse her. She's a monster and I hate her.

But she still had an ice cube's chance in hell of turning out any other way than she did. She didn't have what I had. She had the exact opposite of what I had.

And I...

... Well.

I've got my own issues. None of which really have to do whether what either of us did was right or wrong.

_{[She looks back up at Kaito.]}

So... telling me that I'm better than she is...

S'a bit of an oversimplification.

N'it doesn't really make me feel better.

[He's quiet when she is, and quiet when she talks, but he doesn't look away from her as she does. Someone who was made into what they were... someone who didn't have a way out. It was a factor he hadn't known earlier, and one that shed a whole lot of light on a situation he only had a marginal understanding of before.

When she's done, he nods, a small, weak-yet-understanding smile forming on his lips]

... I can understand why it wouldn't.

Yeah.

... And-- ... I know why it's the first conclusion you'd jump to. 'Cause for you, that's... that's what it's all about, right? For you, that's all you got sometimes. Right?

... But it wasn't like that for me.

I wish it was.

... But it wasn't.

That's...

[He turns away from her again, towards the horizon, nodding as he does so]

... yeah. It's all I have sometimes. [He gives his head a shake]

But it's not always about me and how I frame the world around me.

_{[This time, she's the one who reaches over to lay a hand on his shoulder.]}

I know that's not what you were thinking when you said that stuff to me. I just... you know. I didn't wanna sound like a dick. 'Cause I understand why you said it.

[nudges her gently, pulling up a smile as he does so]

You didn't. [a beat] Well, you were kind of a jerk back when we were arguing about it, but that's all water under the bridge by now.

_{[Her own mouth curls a little in response.]}

Yeah... if nothing else, I at least realize I can be a total asshole sometimes, right?

_{[She trails off, hesitating for a moment, then finally reaches over to return the arm-around-the-shoulders gesture.]}

I couldn't do it in the end, anyway. ... Kill her, I mean. ... I wanted to. STILL want to. But...

Heh. I think we can all be, under the right circumstances.

[His arm slides around her waist in return]

I know. And that is what matters the most, anyway.

_{[Even if it was in reply to her own gesture, that catches her by surprise. He can probably feel her jolt slightly, taking in a sharp, quiet breath of surprise-- even though she remains looking outwards off the rooftop rather than turning to give him a weird look or something (though that could be because her expression had become one of 8I WHOA WAT and she didn't necessarily want that to show).]

[After a second or so though, she relaxes slightly and inclines her head against Kaito's shoulder briefly. MINI-HEADBUTT OF AGREEMENT because what am words.]}

Yeah... I guess it is.

[It was the surprised jolt that made him suddenly aware of the braveness of his action (and how close she was now that she had his shoulders and he had her waist), and he glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes when she stiffened. For a moment, for fear of maybe crossing some kind of line, he debated pulling away... but then she relaxed, and he allowed his are to rest without movement]

I know it is.

[He paused, taking a moment to revel in the... well, moment, before he piped in again cheerfully]

Is that crazy woman who used to yell at you all the time still working here?

_{[Now that they've both entered a mutual state of Acting Totally Normal, Heather allows herself a bit of a smile.]}

Not sure. I honestly hadn't checked.

Probably.

According to her, she'd been working there since before anybody ELSE working there was born, so I doubt she'd stop any time soon.

[He pulls up another quirky, and slightly devious, grin. That very same one that indicates he is up to something]

We should pay her a friendly, prank-filled visit.

_{[Ohhh yeah, that's a look she's familiar with. It's one she missed almost more than anything else during his absence from Johto.]

[But although she looks up to return the smile, it's faint, and a little rueful. Not the same collaborative, mischief-hungry grin she normally wears in response to his scheming looks.]}

Eh...

Could be fun.

_{[She turns her attention back down to the rail, scraping at a patch of rust with one finger.]} ... But I think I've gotten myself into enough trouble lately.

_{[... WELLP. THAT'S IT. SATAN'S GOING SLEDDING DOWN IN HELL RIGHT ABOUT NOW.]}

[SURE DOES FEEL SUPER COLD UNDERNEATH HIS FEET ALL OF A SUDDEN. But despite the fact that he's shooting her a somewhat incredulous look, there's a bit of understanding lacing it as well. She had had a rough few months]

Should I take that as a rain check for a time when you aren't grounded?

_{[WATCH OUT FOR DEMONS THROWING SNOWBALLS.]

[But no, seriously, rough is a pretty good way to describe it all.]}

Yeah.

Sounds like a plan.

_{[Right now, she doesn't really feel like pranking ANYBODY... but that can't last forever, she knows.]}

... Sorry. I haven't exactly been much fun to be around lately.

Who said anything about lack of fun?

[For that statement, he nudges her]

In my humble and absolutely unquestionably correct opinion, you're always pretty fun.

So, getting bitched out, watching me storm off a billion times, and listening to Dad and I scream at each other and then give each other the silent treatment for a few days is fun, huh?

_{[SHE HAS A FEELING IT WAS PROBABLY ACTUALLY PRETTY AWKWARD AT BEST.]}

[Another nudge]

Oi, I was giving you a compliment. You could've just taken it.

_{[A half-laugh, and she takes the liberty of leaning her head on his arm a little.]}

I know, I know.

I'm just being dumb.

_{[YOU KNOW SHE HAS THIS THING ABOUT COMPLIMENTS, KAITO.]}

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97. [Action for Goldenrod/Private Text]

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