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[ofhope]

[Father Nightroad | Private]

I blame you.

I blame you I blame you I blame you I—

[ There's a crash, and a roar, but no one hears. ]

I BLAME YOU!

[ A man (a boy) falls to his knees, but no one sees. ]

ABEL!

You... You wanted this! You started this! What did you do?!

[ A decision is made, but no one knows. ]

I didn't want this.

[/Private]

[Colette Brunel]

[ But someone, at least one, should know. It doesn't matter where she is right now... Unless it's in the Dead Zone, it won't be far enough. ]

Get out.

[/Colette Brunel]

Comments

[ofhope]

What hasn't happened?

[ He looks away again, but over at the record player this time. A glance and a flicker, and suddenly it's stopped. The silence lingers, though only for a minute or two, before he continues. ]

Too much...is always happening.

[selfless]

[she makes a 'hmm' noise at the response]

It's true, there is always a lot...

[But it's still a vague answer from him. She musters her courage to simply ask it outright] You sound really upset. Do you want to talk about it?

[ofhope]

Why would I be upset? My sister is here.

[ He doesn't look at her, once again resting his cheek against his arm. ]

She's upset, though. You didn't even greet her. She's the one who insisted you deserved the warning.

[selfless]

Joshua... [she bites on her lower lip for a moment, and then moves her face so that it's closer to his eye line. A year ago, she probably wouldn't have said anything, but she promised herself- no more lying]

It's just the two of us here. [she doesn't say it in a an accusing way. It's just an effort to pull him back into the moment]

[ofhope]

[ His eyes narrow considerably once she manages to catch his gaze, and his tone drops half an octave. ]

Say hello to Rosette, if you didn't come here to die.

[selfless]

[A brief pause...]

... Hello, Rosette. [there's a distinct twinge of sadness as she says it]

[ofhope]

[ There's another stretch of silence, enough time for someone to respond, before Joshua smiles again. ]

Why did you come here? This is the opposite of what we told you to do. You should be honored to be spared.

[selfless]

I was worried about you. [she knows that's a vague statement, but she hopes he understands what she means]

I wasn't sure if you were alone or not... And if you were, I didn't want you to be alone.

[ofhope]

[ His smile widens as he looks to her; stares right through her. Empty. ]

I'm not alone. I'll never have to be alone again.

[selfless]

[That gaze causes a pain in her chest. She didn't do it before, but... It's at least worth trying.]

Joshua... Please tell me what happened.

[as she says it softly, she'll reach a hand forward. It's an attempt to hold his]

[ofhope]

[ He doesn't pull away, but he doesn't react otherwise, either. ]

Hm, what do you mean? You mean stopping everyone?

It's only because I don't need them anymore. Now my sister is here, so...

[selfless]

[That's disconcerting to say the least. She'll continue to hold his hand, even though he doesn't react. What should she do? "Your sister isn't here, please don't" is what she wants to say... But considering his love for her, and whatever happened to make him reach this point... It seems like a cruel thing to say.

Maybe she can say it in another way? Somehow? She looks away from him, back up at the couch, before her gaze settles on him again.]

I don't see your sister here.

[ofhope]

[ He 'hm's at that, not seeming to think it that surprising. ]

It must be the castle's magic... That's fine with me. She doesn't need anyone else.

[ A pause, as he glances to the side. ]

She thinks you're here because you want to protect your friends. That's a waste of time, you know.

[selfless]

It's partly that. [she tilts her head slightly]

But that's not the only reason. I really meant what I said... I'm worried about you too.

[ofhope]

Liar. You're good at that.

[ He pulls away and stands up, a book falling off the armrest as he brushes against it to head for the library's door. ]

Nobody here has ever really cared. They, you, always had plenty of other friends. And, so, I don't care, either. Friends are replaceable, unlike family.

[ A little frown, to himself. ]

You don't have to prove yourself to family. You won't ever be rejected. There are no strings attached.

[selfless]

I'm not lying.

[ah, when she gets up so suddenly she stumbles to stand up as well, and she's pretty... graceless on the way up. However, she quickly regains her balance and clasps her hands in front of her chest]

People... can care about many people. Just because you care for two, or three, or more-- You can still care about all of them.

[and family.... the definition of family is so unique and different for everyone, so she doesn't respond to that thought. Not yet]

[ofhope]

[ He pauses at the doorway, glancing over his shoulder. ]

...No. They're unreliable. All of them. All of you. Scared and fleeing at the smallest bump in the road.

[ Joshua walks again, out into the halls, his voice echoing as he murmurs mostly to himself. No cares if she follows or not, if she stays there or not. He had given her a warning, and she ignored it. ]

If they're so afraid, then this will be merciful. Nobody will feel anything.

[selfless]

[and of course she follows. She knows she's not reaching him if anything, she's afraid she's making this worse, but she has to keep trying. If she doesn't... then it makes her every inch the hypocrite he's accusing her of being]

Doing something like this won't do any good. It won't be mercy... and it won't make you happy either.

People can be unreliable and scared sometimes, no one is perfect... But that doesn't mean it's right to be angry at everyone.

[ofhope]

[ A scoff, his fingers absently trailing along the wallpaper. Every inch he touches is frozen as he passes, though it's hard to tell when the appearance is the same.

He's abusing it, far too much. What he's planning, really, will probably end up freezing him, too.

It's better. ]

Anger? They aren't worth that kind of passion. If anything, this is me forgiving them, and giving them what they deserve. The only one I'm angry at isn't here. He would get far worse.

[selfless]

[she glances over at the wall as it freezes, but she quickly turns her attention back to Joshua]

It's not forgiveness, it's cruel. To force people to be frozen... no one deserves that.

[ofhope]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

[selfless]

[Her response is quiet, because she knows he'll hear it... and it's a sad question]

Would you want to be frozen like that?

[ofhope]

[ He slows, near the foyer; quiet, and staring straight again. There's no point in answering something like that, because the result of his actions will speak for themselves (though there would be no-one to hear). ]

Aion said to be careful with it, because I'll lose control eventually, and it will consume me, too.

[ He expects it (craves it?), but at the same time, is unsure. And if it doesn't happen, he'll be fine. Truly alone, with nobody else to blame for it. ]

But Pandaemonium isn't here. I'm safe from her cries.

[selfless]

[no... she shakes her head, even though he isn't looking at her to see it]

Then you shouldn't take a chance like that! If it did go out of control like that... T-That would be really horrible.

[it sounds dumb, even in her own ears, but she's worried. Eloquent arguments don't come flowing out at times like this]

[ofhope]

Better than this. Better than here.

[ Again, for everyone else. Since admitting that for himself out loud would also be admitting that Rosette isn't here, which he's not going to do. ]