{Animus}

[adstring_npc]

[ there is a static hum on everyone's PCD, as the screen goes black. it starts to whisper, before ghostly voices seep through the communication lines ]


thicker than water
and harder to _clean

but true ties are on the inside
which makes them messy to ^connect
the spots we tried some didn't fit

do not forget

we tried to believe

Comments

[buntails.livejournal.com]

[It goes so far beyond Horst. It goes back a thousand years - more. It goes back to every hateful thing believed about her that has been so far from the truth - the Moon Kingdom that was never planning to take over Earth, the future queen who never wanted to reject the descendants of Nemesis, the mother who never hated or neglected her daughter but only wanted to teach her to grow up and stand on her own - and every time she's had to wonder if it's true.

She feels like she shouldn't be around people. And it doesn't help that she's felt out of sorts somewhat anyway, with so many friends forgetting her - six of them in two weeks - and so many coming and going. Trying to hold it together for Rei and Zack has been hard now that the one forgetting is Cloud.]

I'm sorry Horst.

[And she doesn't even know why.]

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[And as much as his soul protests, Horst cares about her, and it hurts him that he hurt her.

His voice softens, and he sounds defeated, helpless.]

It's not your fault. You didn't even go all the way into the City....

[buntails.livejournal.com]

Horst... [Her voice comes out calm, but very quiet.]

Please at least tell me what happened. I haven't heard anything about this.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[He starts to, but this is too public. Honestly, anywhere is too public anymore.]

Not here.

[buntails.livejournal.com]

Where? I'll come anywhere.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

You choose. It's only fair. I shouldn't have snapped at you.

[buntails.livejournal.com]

It's alright. But I don't know where we should meet.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

Down by the lake?

[buntails.livejournal.com]

Sure. I'll come there right now.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

All right. I'll find you.

[flameandpassion]

[Now you've gone and done it, Horst.

You've made Usagi upset. And now, you're guilting her.

Which means you've pissed Rei off.]

Shut up.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

Stay out of it, for fuck's sake just shut up for once, Rei.

[flameandpassion]

You're a special sort of sleaze, aren't you? Yelling at her for something that doesn't even concern you and now you have the nerve to guilt her about it? Whatever vendetta you have, it doesn't concern her, so keep your mouth shut.

She's twice the person you will ever be and I have had to up to here with people treating her like that.

Don't speak to her in that tone again.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

Why are you still talking?

You know if you stopped coddling her and let her sort out her own relationships on her own, you'd save yourself a hell of a lot of stress. Besides which she's much, much better at it than you are. Do her a favor and back off.

[flameandpassion]

[Her tone is now icy cold, because if there is anything Rei knows, it's how well Usagi can take care of herself. But Adstringendum has not been kind to them, to Usagi, and Rei is sick and tired of people treating her so disrespectfully.

Someone has to stick up for her. Someone has to defend her when she simply won't defend herself. And that's her job.]

Maybe if people stopped treating her like a punching bag, I wouldn't have to put people in their place.

She isn't someone to be yelled at whenever you're feeling stressed off. Gain some respect.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

You're one to talk about respect.

[flameandpassion]

I give respect to those that earn it.

[You had respect. And then you stooped to the level of treating Usagi like dirt simply because you could, simply because she, out of all people, will always, always, always forgive.]

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[Of course the reality is more complicated than that, and he is even as he yells at Rei in the process of begging Usagi's forgiveness--had been before Rei even stepped in. But he won't admit that now.]

What a convenient answer.

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Horst. Don't.

[He may not remember shit, but you will not talk to his girlfriend like that, dude.]

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[He's this close, this close to snapping at Cloud too.

But he doesn't. Some of the anger seems to clear away.]

Cloud.

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

Leave her alone.

[His tone isn't as harsh as it usually is, because he knows why you're doing this, Horst. He knows. He also knows that he's on your side, for some unfathomable reason.]

You can find out what you need to know without Usagi.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

[He flinches, looks away] No, I can't. There's nothing left to find out.

[flameandpassion]

Do you really think I should respect people who haven't proved anything to me? I don't ask for respect unless I've earned it, but Usagi has earned every ounce of respect she deserves in Adstringendum. No one gives it to her.

[Except the senshi and the people brought along on the Inner City escapade. Even Hitsugaya, the most reluctant to trust out of any of them, was willing to give Usagi the chance to prove herself. Everyone else just yells at her, tells her what she thinks is impossible, shoves her aside, or manipulates her into whatever information they see fit.

And Hino Rei refuses to stand by and allow that to happen to her princess.]

There's a reason you weren't brought along on the Inner City. Consider that the next time you bring it up to Usagi or to anyone else again.

[ahandsomedevil.livejournal.com]

I didn't ask to be brought along, Rei! I didn't ask for you to take my fate into your clumsy hands, either! If you had asked, I wouldn't have gone!

And if you think I don't respect Usagi, stop deluding yourself. She's the only one of your little group that I do have any admiration for.

[flameandpassion]

So, let me get this straight.

[She holds up her fingers to tick them off.]

You didn't want to go yourself, but you're perfectly happy with having other people go for you so you can have the information anyway.

You admire Usagi out of all of us, but you still feel the need to make her feel like a terrible person over something that doesn't concern her.

You think my hands are clumsy, when I spent months upon months helping to plan this so no one would get hurt and no one would die, within the City or outside of it.

[She looks at him, with hard eyes.]

Did I miss anything or do you want to add to it?