paradisa | Log...Final

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Log...Final

[York's voice is a bit more hesitant and subdued than usual. This has been coming for a while, but it's still not exactly easy for him to say.]

Hey there, everyone. I just--wanted to let you all know that it's time someone went and checked out that spot on the map marked New York and, well, I couldn't think of anyone better to do it than me. Carolina's going with me, of course.

The thing is, I'm not planning on coming back.

We'll be taking the car that the Spartans made. The sleds are for everyone--they're in the garage out back of the castle. Bet most of you didn't even know we had a garage, huh?

So, uh. I guess this is goodbye, castle.

[Wash and South]

The hangar and the second Danger Room are up to you guys now. The teleporter on the roof of the hangar is keyed to the Danger Room, and it's located at three degrees north of due west in the mountains, about 50 kilos out from the castle. Keys are on top of the fridge in the hangar.

[/Wash and South]

[Friends]

[If you think you're on this filter, you probably are.]

I'll be checking in with Dr. Brewer in Fairfield from time to time, so if you really need to get a message to me, just leave it with him. Or if any of you ever want to join me out there, well, there'll always be room.

[There's a long pause.]

You guys are the only thing that's made it worthwhile to stay. I'm not leaving because of any of you, or anything you did or didn't do or could have done. It's me. I've been here almost five years now, and--it's just too much. Maybe I'll be back some day, but if you all go home before we meet again, I just want you all to know that each and every one of you is special. Not because the castle chose you or because you have some special power or because you're important in your own world. It's because you're my friends, and there's nothing more important than that. Nothing the castle does can take that away.

Not to sound cheesy or anything, but I thought you all should know that. And, well.

Goodbye.

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[Carolina's finishing tucking the last of her things into her pack as York finishes his entry and she pads out from the guest room she'd been staying in when they were back at the Castle. She watches him for a silent motion before shouldering it in a simple motion.]

They'll be alright. [She doesn't exactly sound the most confident, but it's not like she's been had much confidence to spare these days. Month after month of battling depression had been rough on her self-esteem.

Him choosing to take her with him despite that is what she needs right now. Him trusting her to have his back.]

Jesus I hate that word.

Can we just call it 'see you later' instead? I don't do goodbyes so well.

Take care of Carolina, she needs it more than she'll ever admit, except maybe to you.

Don't know if you're going to see this, but if you do? I promise I'll take care of things back here and keep an eye on South. Someone has to. Just keep yourselves alive out there, all right?

Thanks for everything. I owe you, York. And take care, Boss.

Goodbye and good luck.

[His armor's packed away and Delta's safe in his Tamagotchi. First order of business is going to be visiting Flora and figuring out how to get some real power out there. Hell if York's going to let his best friend stay in a little digital pet for the rest of his life.

He finishes rolling up the last of his possessions that he's going to take with him--a beautiful, vibrant painting of a New York City that never was given to him by a former resident--and slings his own pack over his back. The rest is already outside and ready to go.]

Well, or they'll have a nervous breakdown. But I think being all right is probably more likely. God knows I've had enough people leave on me without even a goodbye before.

Well, I know I'll see you later, even if it's only for about a minute before I die. But as for everyone else, well. I don't know that, so....

I will. As much as I can.

I will. And if you ever feel like you've had enough, we'll be waiting out here for you.

You've been a better friend than I deserved, you know.

I know I need not say, but take care, my friends. Galo Anor erin râd gîn; may the sun shine upon your path.

[Carolina takes a deep breath as she looks around the room. It's not like it had been her room or what they'd had before, but it's still somehow sad to be leaving the Castle semi-permanently. Something feels somehow final about what they're doing. There's a lot of memories inside the Castle itself, memories that she wouldn't have had if she'd never come here. The Castle had gotten them together, after all, one December two years ago.

And, she reminds herself, it had just as easily torn them apart on multiple occasions. Leaving it would be for the best for both of them.

She leans against the doorway to his bedroom, a half-smile quirking the corners of her lips.] They know how to reach us.

If you need us, you know how to reach us, Wash. [She's probably more sad that he has to shoulder their work than to say officially say goodbye.] But don't say goodbye. We're just not here right now.

We will. Thanks. I--that means a lot to me. To both of us, really.

...You're probably the only person I don't have to tell that your patience will be rewarded, huh? I know you'll see him again. ["Him" being obviously the extremely good-looking guy she's married to.]

You, uh ... you sure about this?

[She's trying to sound strong and she's trying not to let on just how hard she's taking this, but considering all the loss she's suffered recently there's no way to hide it.]

And hell, we know how to reach them if things get really dire.

[At least out there they'd feel like they were actually in control of their own lives for once. It would be hard--he's used to unlimited food and hot water--but it would be worth it. His time in Fairfield recently had driven that home.

And, frankly, he really did want to see what that spot on the map was. If anything was still there.]

I'm sure. I've been thinking about it for months, South. I--

Look, I know this isn't easy and you've lost a lot, but we're not leaving you. It's this place. it's just that I've had enough, you know? It's time to try something new. Try living my life on my own for once.

[Nodding, she settles the pack on her back better, more to have something to do than any real need to adjust it.]

Hopefully we won't need to. [She gestures with her head for the door.] Ready to go?

We are. [She tries to think of something, anything to say, but to be honest Carolina hadn't been there for South recently. Hadn't been there for her since arriving back in Paradisa back in April.

She sucks in a breath.] Take care of yourself, South.

'Course you're leaving me, everyone's leaving - North left --

[She never was able to handle stuff like this very well. She cuts herself off and takes and deep breath.] I'm going to end up in this goddamned placed with a bunch of elf-hippies who will probably blow up the microwave every other week.

[And partly that's because she sure as hell ain't going on a long-ass camping excursion with them.]

[She bites her lip hard and doesn't reply for the longest time. She keeps expecting to hear something about try harder but when it doesn't come, she deflates slightly.] Yeah. Fine. You guys, uh ... you too.

Ready as I'll ever be.

[And he'll lead her down to the car. At least it'll be a lot easier to get away now that they have wheels.]

[York has to snort a little at the microwave comment, because they both know it's true.]

Could always become a microwave repair technician. I hear there's a lot of demand for it.

Yeah, but I don't think I have the ass crack for that kind of work.

[Humor to hide the hurt, but it's half-hearted.]

[As they settle into the jeep, she finally says,] Thanks, by the way.

[For taking her with him, for trusting her when she couldn't trust herself, for trying long after anyone would have stopped trying.]

[She's not sure what else there is to say, not sure what she could say to possibly make up for months of damage she'd dished out on South. There's no apology that she can think of that could do that.]

I'm glad you're trying. You're... [The amount of pride she has to swallow to say this is ungodly.] You're doing better at it than I am.

Well, you know, if you get too tired of it, you can always head out here. We're not the only ones who've set out over the past few weeks.

The castle's never going to stop taking people away. That's just what it does--above and beyond everything else, it takes away the people I care about. Well, I'm not going to let it do that anymore, and this is the only way I know how. I know it's not fair to your or Wash or anyone else, but--it's never going to get any better for me, and if I stay there, I'm just going to keep getting hurt until nothing is left. I don't want to let that happen. I can't.

This is the only choice I have left.

[And at this point she gets some of that. But the simple acknoweldge that she was trying, that she was at least making an effort, goes a long way.]

[She forces a nervos chuckle.] Well, you know. Anything for North.

[Since it was never for her sake she was trying.]

Any time.

[Yeah, it had been a real pain in the ass sometimes, but York wasn't really the type to just give up, not while there was still hope.

And hey, it had mostly worked, hadn't it?]

Edited 2013-10-31 02:14 (UTC)

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Log...Final

[Action]

York

York and Carolina

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Tex

Wash

Master York and Master Delta

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Wash

Lady Galadriel

Freelancers

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Freelancers

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Freelancers

no subject

no subject

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no subject

no subject

South

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Carolina

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