tearmeanewone | neuf + action/audio

[Action - Backdated to the 18th]

[It had been an emotionally charged week for Elizabeth, but in the end she was grateful for it. She had the opportunity to see old friends, be honest with Booker and Rosalind and Robert, and see Gai one last time. It was strange, she felt almost at peace about returning and continuing on the path she knew she had to walk. When her younger self was returned, she would be happy in Elizabeth's stead, and safe from the unraveling that was about to occur.]

[After writing a few notes, Elizabeth methodically removes her more modern-looking clothes and changes into one of the many outfits hanging in her closet. Heavy winter jacket for the chill, gloves, scarf, boots... And she removes her makeup and brushes the curl out of her hair. For all intents and purposes, aside from a distinctly cold cast to her gaze, she looks like she always did in Luceti.]

[She contemplates saying goodbye in person, but there isn't time. She didn't want a scene, and if the effects of the experiment were reversed when she was in the middle of crying on Booker's shoulder, things would be hard to explain. So she leaves the house quietly and walks into the forest. She walks a good distance in, then sits down to wait. Her eyes drift shut and she appears to fall asleep against a tree trunk...]

[A few hours later, Elizabeth comes stumbling out of the forest, half-frozen and looking confused and scared. The last thing she remembers is being kidnapped by droids, and now she's freezing to death in a forest and she can't remember anything between now and then. She hurries through the village, repeatedly blowing into her hands to try and warm them as she heads home. Everyone must have been worried sick about her.]

[Audio]

I looked back at my journal, and I realized that my fight with the droids was recorded. I'm sorry, that must have been a real shock for some of you.

But I'm back now--I don't remember what happened, but I think I have all of my limbs attached where they're supposed to go and as far as I can tell there's nothing strange about my behavior (though let me know if there is something I'm not seeing, of course...).

I don't know, do people sometimes come back from being kidnapped without anything strange having happened to them?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ah, Shu. Elizabeth smiles fondly at the journal, a little exasperated by Shu's predictability, but it was a little cute in a way.]

Of course Shu. Where do you want to talk?

Anywhere but here. [He's trying his best not to sound so pathetic over the journal. It's hard.]

Are you home?

I am, but if you want your privacy my house isn't the place to be at all.

Then how about at the cherry blossom tree?

[That seemed like a good enough place.]

~~[Well that's a loaded location.]~~

Sure. I'll see you in a few minutes.

[She makes herself look presentable, puts her journal under her arm, and heads to the agreed spot.]

[He just needs a place to talk. The journals didn't seem right.]

Take care.

[Shu closes the journal and arrives at the same location. Witnessing Gai's brutality left him feeling insecure. If he sees Elizabeth he's going to run towards her. ]

[Elizabeth spots Shu, frowning slightly as she watches the young man run to her.] Shu, what's wrong?

It's Gai!

[He's really going to start shaking her at this moment. Shu can't calm down. ]

After you left he--[Went on a mission and beheaded a bunch of shift hunters? How is Shu going to tell her that? Shu stops himself from continuing that thought.]

Um, are you doing well?

[He should really check up on her well being first.]

Me? Forget about me, what about Gai? [Elizabeth had seen him, first thing, when she had returned. But he'd been silent about what had happened during her absence, leading Elizabeth to think something strange was going on. Was it Gai? Was he sicker?]

As soon as you went missing we went together on a mission.

[Not sicker. Though, that would be bad news too.]

The way he acted was...different. [Putting it lightly.] I couldn't even believe I was looking at Gai. [Shu's really concerned for Gai.]

I thought he'd changed.

[Elizabeth takes this news rather well, actually. Gai hadn't mentioned a mission, but she wasn't surprised. Of course he would go fight when she wasn't around to keep him grounded in Luceti. And of course he hadn't told her because something had happened. She folds one of her hands around her elbow and looks down at the ground.]

I'm sorry. I tried to fight them off, but they had technology that made it impossible. The siphons.

You don't have to apologize. I'm the one who should have been stronger.

[That's enough self blaming. Elizabeth has heard enough of this before. ]

Did Gai tell you anything? [Just to make sure...]

[Considering Elizabeth had been completely alone, she isn't exactly sure what Shu is proposing he should have been stronger doing... But yes, more importantly--]

No, he didn't mention a mission.

I see then. [Then Shu probably shouldn't tell her everything. Even though that's what he wanted to do...if it was Gai's choice to stay quiet then Shu will respect that.]

He probably...didn't want you to worry. That sounds like Gai.

Worry about what? [Elizabeth is starting to sound annoyed and angry that Shu brought this up and is now refusing to talk about it. There is clearly something for her to worry about, and Shu saying that Gai didn't want her to worry isn't going to make her carry on as though nothing had been said.]

Listen Shu, you have two choices here: either you tell me what's going on, what happened while I was gone-- or, I go to Gai directly and make him tell me. And believe me, I have my ways of making him talk. It's your call.

[Shu stares at her in disbelief. Elizabeth was serious. ]

He took out the Shift Hunters so brutally. I worked with him in Funeral Parlor before, but he was never like that.

I was so scared. [Somehow talking about it calms him down.

[Elizabeth exhales heavily, clearly relieved by the news. It was natural, of course. Elizabeth would have done the same maybe.]

He was worried about me. That's the only outlet he had, probably.

[Shu holds his face.]

Did he really have to do that? [He has to keep tabs on Gai and make sure he doesn't get into fights like that again.]

That specifically? Probably not... [She crosses her arms and frowns. Creating the image in her head, Elizabeth can see why Gai hadn't said much about what had happened when she was gone. If it was upsetting Shu this much, it was probably at least a little upsetting to someone normal.]

But he's different than you. When he feels helpless, he fights. When you feel helpless... you cry. [Which had its merits! ...sometimes...]

I don't want to fight anyone. [He's hurt enough people by reaching into their chests and pulling out their hearts.]

Violence isn't an answer.

He would have gone crazy just sitting back and waiting. He would have taken it out on someone and regretted it later. Gai may not have made the smartest choice, but it was better than just sitting and waiting. He can't sit and wait, he's physically incapable of it.

Then what? You think it's okay for him to keep doing this?

[Shu's asking that because he just wants to hear Elizabeth's thoughts.]

[Okay to take out his frustration and anger on people in Luceti? No, never. But on a readily available target...?]

I hope he never has to do it again.

[She hopes she's never absent again. As much as she's happy Gai loves her enough to go berserk when she's gone, Gai is only human. He could always be overwhelmed in battle, injured maybe. And Elizabeth wouldn't be there to treat his wounds and protect him while he recovered.]

[Shu walks over to Elizabeth and pats her on the shoulder. He wasn't the only one who thought Gai shouldn't have done that. It must have been difficult for her too.]

neuf + action/audio

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action, december 18th

action, december 18th

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action, december 18th

action, december 18th

action, december 18th

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action, december 18th

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