[ 25 ]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[the sound of Billy's front door closing, and a short sigh]

...Well.
I guess it lasted longer than I thought it would, at least.

[fridge door sound, hiss and pop of a can opening]

--Speaking of things that last longer than I thought it would...are we ever going back to the Castle?
Not that I'm eager to or anything, of course.

It's just that... well.

[staring forlornly at where a certain mad-scientist laboratory should be]

...Anyone else end up somewhere that is juuuust different enough from home to be really unsettling?

Comments

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

I can see that, since that's your whole...y'know...deal.

[turns back towards his lovely glass of water]

...They're not bad.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[After finishing her beer, Jilly had switched to water as well. Other than the kids, they're probably two of the only people in the castle who would go to an Irish pub and not get drunk.]

[smiles into her drink as she casts a sideways glance in his direction] Mmhmm...

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[after a few minutes, his water is finished and he's watching the band, foot moving with the music. Had to admit, at least silently, that getting out made him feel a little better. His wounds from his beating were just bruises now, and he was almost feeling something related to normal]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[leaning back against the bar as she sips at her water]

I wish we had something like this at the castle. I know there are a few performers... but no live bands. At least, not that I've heard of.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[still watching the band] You'd think there would be, with how bored people get.

But...no one seems to be able to work together there, I guess. Even to form a band.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

I guess it comes from having so many different personalities trapped in one place. But it would certainly make things easier. [and maybe a bit safer, too...]

[her mood takes a more somber turn, though she doesn't look away from the stage] Did you hear about that boy? Joshua?

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well...that's a magical little Castle for you.

[glances over]

No. [lie.]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

Oh. [glances at him, troubled] One of the castle residents. He...

Someone killed him yesterday.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[eyebrows up in surprise]

Killed him here?

Who is he?

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[nods] It was causing a lot of chaos on the journals... He was just a kid.

[hesitates] He was at my show on Sunday. [the little bastard]

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

You know anything about him? Are why someone would kill him?

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

Not much.

[presses her lips together for a moment] Except... he's manipulative, and smart. He definitely liked mind games.

I don't know why someone killed him... but I can see why he might not have been liked.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[mostly to himself] Hmm. I wonder what he could do.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[arching an eyebrow, confused] What he could do?

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[glances over] Oh. You know, how everyone had their powers taken away from them.

Somebody obviously jumped at the opportunity.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

Oh... [troubled look] I suppose that makes sense.

[brow furrowing]... But if that's the case, it's only going to cause more trouble. Assuming that, eventually, we'll be back at the castle... the people they're attacking are going to end up retaliating.

[thinking of Legato] If they keep this up, a lot of innocent people will end up hurt

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they are.

[eats an icecube out of his empty glass]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

Maybe they mean well [though she sounds doubtful] but this isn't the right way to go about it. Eye for an eye never works.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[glances over again]

What else is there?

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[....blink? He gets a surprised half smile at that] Letting things go? Moving on with your life?

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Oh, right. Because everyone is pleasant and understanding like that.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

[arching an eyebrow] It doesn't take being pleasant... and I don't think there is a way to understand half of what the hell people do.

[shaking her head, looking back at the stage] It's more... not letting someone else control your life any more.

Eye for an eye... eventually, everyone is blind.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

Letting the world push you around, that's how you let someone else control your life.

You have to fight back.

[Billy is such upbeat company. eating more ice cubes.]

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

You're right. I'm not disagreeing. Not really. But there are other ways to fight back besides violence. Certainly besides killing.

[pause... her jaw tightening a bit, eyes distant with some memory] I'm not saying let it continue. Turning the other cheek just tells them they can hit you again.

...but this retaliation. It only escalates.

[need-to-rule-it.livejournal.com]

[at least most of those things reassured him a little and took some of the argument out of him]

Eventually there's a winner.