A second murder shook the town of Cartesio. Clarisse's ambush plan ended with Katsuki Bakugou's death. Now what?
Nothing to be done other than continuing their life and watch what happens. After two weeks, after the deaths they have seen, it's hard to think there's a way out. The only option is to wait for the right chance to turn the tables and see a weak point in the Sergeant's plans -- and hopefully not see any murders.
The townspeople's attitude towards the tourists soured even more. The destruction of the church was much worse than anything they had seen so far, and they ran out of patience. People who in the past were nice and wanted nothing more than to make the tourists happy now aren't afraid of saying to their faces what's what. Random pedestrians shout at the visitors, telling them to stop being criminals. Although there are a few who have more patience than the rest, general opinion is clear:
The tourists are nuisances, to say the least.
In the lobby of the motel there's a few more brochures, and
the maps have been updated once again.
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cartesio) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
cartesianism2018-10-21 10:51 am
hi i'm sorry did you want an entire novel? no? too bad
I... I do understand why you think it's horrible. Least, I think I do. And I know you were right, back in the courtroom, when you said Rean wouldn't be happy with it, either. I know he'd be just as mad at me. So would Jusis n' everyone else.
So that's why I said I get it if you hate me, 'cause even I know it wasn't a good thing.
But no matter what, way I see it, she was gonna die anyway. And even if it's terrible, giving Sarge what he wants for right now gets me closer to what I want... without havin' to hurt anyone that wasn't already gonna die. ...and, after what she did... after who she did it to... I know what I did isn't justice, but I don't know what would've been, either.
[She pauses, her hand on the curb gripping the edge of it so hard her knuckles go white.]
...He deserved to live. Not her.
[She swallows hard, burying how her voice wavers, biting back how her eyes mist up. She has cried over this, just like how she cried over Nine, but that's been saved for her motel room, out of sight of anyone else.
Bakugou wouldn't have liked the idea of her crying over this, she doesn't think, and certainly not publicly. He, like Natalie, bristled at affection... but it seemed more like his definition of it being "weird" was just letting anyone else know. Even now, she wants to protect that.
...She'll focus on the other part of it, then, and keep this one secret – this one precious memory – close to her heart.]
...Gramps always says that "the ends justify the means." And... I dunno. Maybe it's not true. I'm startin' to think there's a whole lotta things I don't really agree with Gramps on... but for this, Rean is important.
If I make everyone I care about— [And it's at this point she looks up, glancing over at Natalie,] everyone I love hate me, but it gets Rean back where he belongs and to the people he loves... to me, that's worth it. He's everything to us.
You don't have to agree with or understand any of that, but that's how I feel.
You're right that it was horrible. But if it works, then... I really can't regret it.
I'm sorry.
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I already get it. You don't have to keep explaining why and telling me it's fine if I hate you over and over again. I already told you I don't, but here's the thing, okay? It's not without having to hurt anyone who wasn't going to die. After how Oda reacted, you really think he was fine?
[Her arms cross over her, fingers digging into the opposite limb as she continues.]
And stop telling me you're sorry when you just said you don't regret it. I don't want you to lie to me.
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...but, see, that's what I don't get.
He offered, too. He did it last time. His problem – his n' Dazai's – seems to be that it was me offering. And that's why I asked if you were gonna hold it over anyone else.
'Cause I say I get it, I know it's bad, and then you turn it around with "well, you hurt us." [She's not dumb enough to think for a second that Natalie's not just deflecting onto Oda, here. She has a point, but that's between Millium and Oda, not Natalie and Millium.] How?
Just 'cause it's me?
[She doesn't sound angry, just... sad and confused.]
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[She balks at saying trusted you, but - we’ll, here’s the root of it.]
I seriously expected better.
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[And here's the root of it, indeed.]
I know you didn't believe any of the stuff in the guestbook, but has any of it been wrong up 'til now?
I'm a spy. The things Gramps has me help out with, I gotta do way worse things than this to way nicer people. [And they have to live with it. Not that Millium knows, but that might be a crueler fate than death, in some cases.] And that kind of stuff, aside from just doin' what I'm told, I don't even have a reason for.
[She frowns deeply.]
I like you, too, Natalie. I like you a lot. But I think you kinda pretended there was a better person here than there ever really was.
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Oh, right. Of course. Of course this is, it’s my own fault that I’m upset. You didn’t do anything at all to cause it, it’s just because I’m an idiot for...
[She cuts off abruptly, before she stands up.]
Fuck you.
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But the problem is, Millium doesn't. What she does have is half-formed and confused, at best.
She was not made for this. She bows her head, hiding her face behind her bangs and staring down at her legs.]
...I tried telling you, back in the kitchen building. I don't understand this kinda stuff.
I don't have the same kinds of feelings you have. I don't get this. Up until a couple months ago, I thought I was just weird and broken when my chest hurt until Rean told me that's what being sad was like.
[She sounds smaller than ever. She doesn't like talking about this. She didn't like bringing it up to Rean, but Rean always had a way of prying things out of everyone that they would rather keep to themselves.]
I did the thing, right? And I'm the one who can't understand it. So it's my fault, not yours...
[But knowing that doesn't make her understand it, and it doesn't fix things. She doesn't know if she can fix things.
Maybe it's just better to cut her losses here, even though it makes her chest tight and her stomach sick.]
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All the same, she still sounds irritated... But she isn't walking away.]
...So, what, you want like - a play by play on why I'm upset?
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I don't know. I just know that I don't understand, and if I keep not understanding, no matter what happens from here I'm just gonna keep hurting you.
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[She rakes a hand through her hair, taking a seat back on the curb with a sigh.]
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[Millium sighs, too, quiet for a long moment as she tries to think of what she should be asking.]
I guess...
What do you want me to do so I can just talk to you again like we did before?
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[She drums her nails against her leg again.]
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[She looks over at Natalie.]
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...I just want you to promise me you aren't going to do anything like that again.
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I can promise that.
[After all, she has no need to play that game with the Sergeant anymore – or any of his games, really. She has back the one thing she wanted.]
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Oh. ...Okay.
[Another beat, and then:]
Well, that's... good.
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[The tiniest smile.]
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[There’s not quite a smile in response, but she certainly sounds relieved.]
Then - I guess I’ll talk to you later, yeah?
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Enjoy the cookie.