foolishwren | 015, Action

_{[So aside from a few fleeting times she's run into somebody in town or popped up on the 'Gear's network to sass someone, Heather's been a little scarce lately-- ever since the aftermath of her drinking escapades with a certain clone and dweebish scientist. Where's she been? Not far, just... not really around anybody. Why? Well, she sure hasn't been talking about it, whatever it is-- though it wouldn't be too hard to imagine that she'd want to keep her head down after likely incurring the wrath of owners of kicked-over trashcans and whoever'd had to deal with the mess made after Liquid took out a line of lawnchairs while trying to flip over them.]

[But today, instead of being off by herself in the woods or wherever it is she's been staying, she's sitting off out on the water, legs dangling off that long wooden boardwalk that lead to Sprout Tower. Boots and bag are discarded, sitting off to the side in a jumble. Her Pokemon aren't out-- apparently company is not on her chosen menu today.]

[She's not wearing her usual array of cheeky grins or pissed-off-teenager expressions today, either. In fact, her face is somber .... almost blank as she stares down at the water while pondweeds wrap around her ankles and the occasional curious Goldeen ventures up to investigate her toes.]

[Should anyone actually decide to approach the brooding blond kid (although she couldn't be called this much longer-- her black roots are starting to show through OH NOES), the reception they'll get... depends.]}

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...for what it's worth, I don't think it was your fault.

_{[She smiled.]}

You don't know what happened.

... But thanks anyway. I do know it wasn't my fault. _{[That knowledge would never remove the guilt-- or the 'everything would be different if I'd only--' nature of everything that had happened that night-- but it was still important. No matter how hard the guilt got to deal with, she had that fact to remind her to keep going.]}

No, I don't. But I'm sure you wouldn't do anything like that on purpose.

And neither would you.

_{[OHOHOHO LOOK WHAT SHE DID THERE. She's turning your logic against you, Otacon. WHAT NOW?!]}

!

[WELL PLAYED, WORTHY ADVERSARY]

I-I--!

_[BEAM.]

~~[OH GOD PRINCESS HEART NOT THE EYE LASERS]~~

I-I guess....okay.

_{[HEZZAH BEEMU.]}

_{[Grinning, she finally withdrew from the hug and gave Otacon a hearty clap on the back.]}

So. No hate for you on my end. We cool?

Y...yeah. [He smiled at that, a little awkwardly.]

I'm sure I don't need to say this, but don't tell anyone, okay? Especially not Liquid.

_{[She held up a hand.]}

Girlscout's honor. I'm not much of a gossip these days. It's safe with me.

I knew I could trust you.

S'what friends are for, right?

I like to think so.

Geez, it's kind of weird...I never really had many friends before I showed up here.

... Neither did I.

_{[It felt weird saying that, having once been a stupid carefree teen with hordes of other stupid carefree teens to go do stupid carefree teen things with. But when it all came down to it, after the world almost ended and she'd been forced to grow up, the only one left had been someone she hadn't even known until he inadvertently started it all in the first place.]}

... It is kinda weird.

Yeah--I mean, Snake's the only friend I ever really had. Then I get stuck here with you, Liquid, Rise, Roxas...It's a little crazy.

_{[When he put it like that, the whole idea of being uprooted and stuck here by some unknown force for unknown reasons, which was something that usually left a deep knot of resentment in Heather's chest, seemed a little less bitter to swallow. She had made friends here. Good friends, too. Not the kind she'd once had, with whom plenty of meaningless 'Love ya, babe's and more than a few drinks and cigarettes had been exchanged. Real friends.]}

Yeah... Y'know, I could get used to this.

I think I could too. Besides, I could use a vacation from home for a while.

There wasn't much back there for me anyway.

... I kinda worry about Douglas, though. ... He was my only friend. _{[And she'd been his.]} ... Sorta wonder if maybe he'll show up.

Maybe. You never really know.

After hearing Dad's voice again, I guess I really can't discount anything as impossible.

_{[Not to mention James. Meeting another survivor from that town, even if he wasn't connected to the cult or to her or her father's past, had been a huge shock. But not an unpleasant one, as it turned out. ... Speaking of...]}

He's not the only one from... my part of town either. ... There's another guy, too. Gonna head back to Cherrygrove in a couple of days to help him out, actually.

Y-you are? Guess I'll have to deal with Snake and Liquid on my own--think I can handle it, though. Maybe.

_{[... Shit, that was right. Snake was on his way here.]}

I won't be gone for long. I'm only going halfway-- we're gonna meet in the middle so he doesn't have to go by himself the whole way. _{[Because James was going to get chased up a tree by Rattatas if he tried.]} You sure you'll be okay? _{[She remembered the night Liquid had tried to run off into the floor all too well.]}

It's okay, do whatever you have to. Dealing with them isn't your responsibility.

[Otacon smiled, adjusting his glasses.]

I'll be fine. Snake won't let anything happen to me, and I'll stop them from fighting no matter what it takes.

_{[No, it wasn't, but now that she knew Otacon and Liquid-- considered them friends-- she felt like she should. But she'd also made a promise to James.]}

All right... if you're sure. But I want you to give me a call if anything goes down and you need my help, all right? ... I wouldn't want Liquid to do something retarded.

Don't worry. [Smiling, he playfully ruffled her hair.] Liquid does a lot of stupid things. But as long as I can keep them at a safe distance, everything's going to be fine. I know one of them listens to me, at least.

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