091214ErisioLily

 -- gardeningCatastrophe [GC] began pestering galliardTartarologist [GT] at 22:24 --

 [10:25] GT: Lily is sitting up against the wall of Slim Pickins' house. Her shoulders are shaking almost imperceptibly. She's wearing the scarf the Condesce gave her again for some reason.

 [10:26] GC: "Lily! Are you ok?" Erisio walks over, kneeling next to her

 [10:27] GT: She jumps at his voice, stifling a scream. "J-jesus, don't - OK, that's you, right, Erisio?" She gropes around in Erisio's direction. "I think you're over here."

 [10:28] GC: "O-Oh, sorry..." He takes her hand and guides it to his shoulder. "Yeah yeah, I*m right here. What*s wrong?"

 [10:30] GT: "Heh." She begins chuckling, which grows in volume and intensity until she's laughing hysterically to the point where you can't tell if she's laughing or crying. Finally, she stops abruptly, and turns to him with a dead aura. "Where the fuck do I START?"

 [10:30] GC: "Uh.. Do you wanna hug?"

 [10:31] GT: "Please," she chokes.

 [10:31] GC: He hugs her tight

 [10:32] GC: "There there, your bro*s here now"

 [10:32] GT: For some reason, this makes her laugh again, this time with a decidedly bitter tinge. "N-not for long."

 [10:33] GC: "Now you shush, I*ll always be around for you, if not in body, than in mind. So don*t ever think you*ll be alone"

 [10:36] GT: "I've always been alone. It's probably better for everyone that that's the case." She seems to shrink in on herself. "Acenia's right. I'm just a dumb, stubborn bitch."

 [10:38] GC: "Hey now! Acenia is smart yeah, and she*s right about a lot of things, but on that one, she is wrong. You are so much more Lily Mavico, and don*t you forget it"

 [10:39] GT: "No," she says simply. "I'm not. And if I am, I'm not gonna be soon."

 [10:39] GC: "What on earth or alternia are you talking about?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:40] GT: "I can't say."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:43] GC: "Uhh ok then. I get it, secrets are secrets. I respect that. But what ever it is, is total malarky."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:43] GT: "No, I can't." She stops, her voice choking slightly. "I CANNOT SAY, ERISIO."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:45] GC: "Look, it doesn*t matter. It doesn*t matter what you can and can*t say. You know why? Because I can already see that something hurt you. Mentally or physically, i don*t know. But what I do know is that it is my duty to protect you because I*m your older brother. I love you, and I*m not gonna let you marinate in your despair."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:47] GT: She remains silent for a minute, then leans in, hugging him again and sobbing profusely.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:51] GC: "There you go, cry it out..." he gently pets the back of her head.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:53] GT: Eventually she lets go, sitting up straight again. Her scarf is stained slightly red around where her eyes would be. "Th-thank you." She smiles. "You're a good brother."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:58] GT: "I think." She hesitates. "I think I can show you this. It's kinda hard to hide." She reaches up and unties the scarf from around her eyes, revealing a set of fresh bandages that are also stained curiously red around the eyes. "Just...just don't freak out. Please."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [10:59] GC: "Oh uh... yeah sure"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:01] GT: She unwraps the bandages from around her head to reveal...two clean, empty sockets where her eyes used to be. What you assume to be tear ducts are still dripping slightly having nothing to close them, the water mixing with the blood.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:02] GT: "Shit went down," she says, grinning weakly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:02] GC: "O-Oh"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:03] GC: Erisio gulps slightly, covering his mouth

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:03] GC: "Does it hurt?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:04] GT: "I." She shudders. "Yeah. A whole fucking lot."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:05] GC: "Hmm, I bet I could figure out a numbing agent or a painkiller if I had the proper tools, but I might have to get acey to help. I-If you would like that"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:06] GT: "Yeah. Acenia'd be good." She sighs. "Imma need to talk with her anyways ab-b-bout - about things."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:12] GC: "Hmm, ok." He takes out a small napkin. "You*re uh... leaking. I*ll get it for you." He gently dabs up some of the blood and tears

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:12] GT: She bites her lip hard enough to draw blood, but does not scream.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:13] GC: "Ah! I*m sorry, did I do it wrong?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:14] GT: "No, it's a fffffucking gaping wound in the middle of my face, of course it's gonna hurt."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:15] GC: "Ok, maybe you should put your bandages back on, would you like some help?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:16] GT: "Yeah. Yeah, that'd be good." She holds the bandages out.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:16] GC: Erisio reties the bandages, then the scarf

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:16] GC: "YOu look like you came out of a fashion magazine!"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:17] GC: He sounds completely genuine

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:17] GC: you wonder if he*s ever seen an actual fashion magazine

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:17] GT: She grins. "Absolutely ~fabulous~."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:28] GC: "So look, other than physical pain, how are you feeling?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:29] GT: She chuckles again in that slightly unhinged manner. "Well, I was begging Thiago to kill me earlier, so, y'know." She shrugs. "Just dandy."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:35] GC: He frowns so hard. Super frown. "Aww, but Lily... if Thiago kills you, who*s gonna be best botany buds with me?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:35] GT: "I dunno. Acenia? She's good with plants."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:37] GC: "You were supposed to say no one because you*re irreplacable"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:38] GT: "I'm pretty fucking replaceable, Erisio." She takes on a singsong tone. "Or, wait, I'm sorry, I'm not even worth being REPLACED! Just molded into a perfect, obedient SERVANT." She scowls.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:40] GC: "Wh-Wha?!"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:41] GT: "Don't worry about it. You'll probably see soon enough."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:41] GC: "No no, you*d be totally worth replacing- wait no! You can*t be replaced!"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:43] GT: "Eheh. Thanks, Erisio. I get what you're trying to say."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:43] GC: "Lily, you*re great! And fine the way you are! A-And stop talking like soon I*ll never get to see you again!" You can*t see him, but he definitely sounds like he*s on the verge of tears

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:45] GT: "Oh, Erisio, c'mon. I'm not going anywhere, promise. Lily Mavico is here to stay." She turns aside and mutters, "I hope," under her breath.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:49] GC: He doesn*t know what she said under her breath, but she said something. "N-no. No exceptions. No maybes, and definitely no unsures. You are here to stay. Promise."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:49] GT: "I can..." She smiles weakly. "I can try my darndest!"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:52] GC: "And I*ll try my darndest to protect you! I*m pretty strong y*know, totally protector quality"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:53] GT: She smiles. "Definitely. M-Mavicos gotta stick together, right?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:54] GC: "Yeah, and you know, I bet when the veterans arrive, Doir will be there, and he*ll be totally siked to see his daughter"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [11:55] GT: "...Yeah," she says wetly. "Yeah."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:06] GC: "You know, I bet we could have a family picnic or something, but you know what has to happen first?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:07] GC: "You have to stick around"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:09] GT: "Erisio, I...I'm always gonna be here. I can promise that. I just..." She sighs. "I dunno if I'M gonna be here." She smiles. "But I'm sure as Hell gonna try."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:18] GC: "I know there are things you can*t say, but is it possible for you to tell me what you mean by the emphasis on *I*m*?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:19] GT: She opens her mouth, and immediately closes it, making a truly unnerving retching noise. "Nope," she gasps.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:19] GC: "Ok then..."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:19] GC: He sighs and hugs her again

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:19] GT: She leans into it, relaxing slightly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:25] GC: "Do you want to just... sit here? Shoot the breeze, enjoy each other*s company?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:26] GT: She smiles. "That'd be nice."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:27] GC: He leans back against the wall, guiding Lily to go the same. "Cool"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> [12:27] GC: ((Fade to Black))

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;"> -- galliardTartarologist [GT] ceased pestering gardeningCatastrophe [GC] at 00:28 --