Gleam
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Post by Gleam on Aug 25, 2012 4:43:32 GMT -8
Jacob gave Creda an amused look and slid the weapon back into its holster. "Point acknowledged." he replied, "Though it was my intention in the first place. Only a fool uses a weapon he has not checked for flaws, or carries loaded in a civilian environment."
He stood and nodded towards the back. "Use one of the beds with patient curtains - in fact, draw them all, it is an edge we can use. And pick up a scalpel. Should you find yourself in close quarters again, it will be far more effective than just biting your opponent again."
Jacob took a breath, smoothed out his expression, and stepped to the front desk of the infirmary, leafing through the incident report binder, then started to fill out the latest two entries - Gabrielle and Creda. "Fortune favor us all."
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Post by SarahSyna on Aug 25, 2012 7:03:30 GMT -8
“Good idea, Jake.” Gabrielle nodded then laughed weakly. “Hey, if I have to, I can probably get Creda to stab me up a bit more to make it look really fucking convincing. Rust seems to trust girls more when they go all wounded gazelle.”
She didn’t get a full blast of Creda’s glare, but she was aware of it.
She grabbed a few scalpels and Kikime’s scissors and left them beside Creda, then pulled the curtains around the other girl most of the way shut, so that she could shut them herself when needed. She went around to the other beds, swishing the curtains shut like Jacob had asked.
She paused before shutting the curtain around the kid with the injured shoulder. “Make sure you take care of him, yeah?” she said over her to shoulder. “Also, could you give me advice on what to say? Can you give me that binder or your notes if you have any? I think I might have a better chance if I can go ‘Seriously, look at this, it’s a fucking pattern. The bitches live together and are crazy’.”
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Creda Shields
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Post by Creda Shields on Aug 25, 2012 7:22:15 GMT -8
Rust seems to trust girls more when they go all wounded gazelle... Mental note archived.
Creda just nodded as Gabrielle prepared them all for the upcoming meeting. She didn't know if she would be able to use her wings, but she was still formidable in close combat. Gingerly, she tried to rise from the bed, not clad in the greatest attire for a battle, but it would suffice. Her back and shoulder still aching, Creda began to lightly stretch out, preparing herself for what could be a bad situation for all involved.
The curtain closed around her and Creda just listened to Gabrielle and Jacob converse. She held her pendant close as she closed her eyes.
Jesus, I will arise; Jesus do thou accompany me; Jesus, do thou lock my heart into thine, And let my body and my soul Be commended unto thee. The Lord is crucified. May God guard and protect my senses So that misfortunes may not overcome me. In the name of God the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
She opened her eyes.
She was ready.
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Gleam
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Post by Gleam on Aug 25, 2012 7:49:46 GMT -8
Jacob nodded and rose, bringing the infirmary register to Gabrielle. "I do not think you will have much trouble persuading him, should he come here." he answered. "Focus on the number of people hurt, the pattern of their injuries, and the repeated encounters with Kikime. If Secernia starts to argue, or opens her mouth for anything but a meaningless platitude, I will shoot her. I am not taking chances."
He pressed the notebook into Gabrielle's hands, and offered a wry smile. "I will take care of the rest, no matter what happens. The boy will recover."
Because, after all, he'd outlive any of them. Regardless of ill fate or fortune.
He returned to the desk and sat down.
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Post by SarahSyna on Aug 25, 2012 10:35:55 GMT -8
Gabrielle put the binder beside Creda as well, for the time being. Then she took hold of Creda’s trolley bed and wheeled it away, careful not to bump it. Last thing they needed was for Creda to fall off and get hurt.
Once they were safely hidden in the back, Gabrielle took back the binder and tucked it under her arm. She leant against the wall, fidgeting with her crucifix.
“Alright. Time to wait, I guess.” She said, more to herself than anyone else.
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Post by JDGreat on Aug 25, 2012 12:43:56 GMT -8
-A Few Minutes Later-
Well, that had been an odd phonecall.
Rusty Kekise, standing outside the Infirmary just looked at his phone as if expecting a text from Gabrielle to further explain why she sounded close to tears.
Really needed a friend? Last time I checked, she was extremely awkward with me due to what happened after the party...
Shrugging, the Brit pocketed his phone and looked back at the red head who had accompanied him.
"Thanks for tagging along, Cerny." he grinned slightly. "You didn't have to, y'know. Just wish I knew what was up with her. Gabrielle's normally fine but she sounded really put out over the phone, even during that crappy joke of hers."
He paused, then shrugged again.
"Meh, better late than never."
Walking around the corner, he stopped stock still. The door had been completely knocked out of it's frame.
"...what the hell...?" Rust whispered, slowly inching towards the door frame. "What the hell's gone on here?"
His head peeked round the corner, AA on the verge of being summoned, indicated by light blue wisps of energy around his right shoulder.
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Post by Secernia on Aug 25, 2012 13:04:10 GMT -8
Secernia had offered Rust a lift to the Infirmary to see Gabrielle, saying that she hoped she could help in whatever way she could. She had to keep an eye on the boy after all, and be as friendly and hospitable as possible. He was getting closer to remembering, so giving a false facade became all the more important. When he did remember, she wanted him to have reason to doubt. This was a perfect opportunity to show herself as honest and trustworthy. Not that she was.
She smiled at the boy, giving a slightly concerned look in her eyes, "No, if she needs help you should be there for her. I understand that, and I hope to be friends with her too in whatever way I can... I mean, I don't know her personally yet, but, she's agreed to help me with a pretty big favor..." She looked to Rust softly. How she really was growing to despise the boy even more.
When seeing the opened door, all broken in like that, she felt herself growing in concern. She remembered at the tea party that some Italian vampire who walks in the daylight had escaped from Kikime having been brutally scared down the hands. Could she possibly find her here? Not to mention that other religious type with a long hime cut. These figures were described to her. Oh how she hated loose ends.
Secernia tensed up more the closer they came to the door. Her face showed concern when she glanced back to Rust, "... I have a bad feeling about this Rust..." She said, knowing that they would continue on into the infirmary.
Secernia wondered if this was just her own nerves getting at her or if things were about to get dangerous. She didn't like having witnesses. She preferred one on one confrontations. Much cleaner. But she would do what she had to if it came to that.
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Gleam
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Post by Gleam on Aug 25, 2012 13:14:58 GMT -8
Jacob glanced up from the desk and nodded as Rust peeked around the corner. "Rust!" he called. "Gabrielle found some kid wounded on the beach. I checked the infirmary records - there is a pattern of assault already."
He waved Rust in, turning back to the records he was inspecting. "I think the boy that crashed Ace's party may have made more than a few stops around the island before he finally made it there that night."
A little misdirection never hurt.
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Creda Shields
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Post by Creda Shields on Aug 25, 2012 13:19:19 GMT -8
Creda stiffened slightly with tension as she heard the male and female voice coming down the corridor. The male sounded fairly happy go lucky, but the female was... shy? Nervous? Something like that, Creda couldn't afford to peek out to grab a look at their features. She would just have to assume for now. And wait.
Jacob's cover story seemed to come from his lips smoothly. Clearly, there must have been an altercation at some party that Creda was not privy to.
Wait...was that the awful racket from a few days ago? The one from next door?
Reminding herself to have words later, the raven haired girl rolled her shoulders, clasped both her hands together and began to rotate her wrists in circles, freeing up the joints some.
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Post by SarahSyna on Aug 25, 2012 14:01:54 GMT -8
Gabrielle waited close to the door, so that she could hear them. She identified Rust’s voice straight away, and assumed the girl to be Secernia. She’d used the spare time to get rid of the rest of the blood on her face and was now checking through the binder, flipping through the pages quietly.
Come on, Jacob. Send Rust in.
Fuck.
She’d have to do it herself.
“Rust?” Gabrielle called out in a shaking voice, not all of the quivering fake. “I-is that you? P-please come h-here. I... I... I can’t h-handle anyone else r-right now.”
Was that enough? No. Secernia might be suspicious, might insist on accompanying him.
Rust seems to trust girls more when they go all wounded gazelle. What the fuck else could she do? Except...?
Oh God. The things she did for this guy.
Gabrielle squeezed her eyes shut and thought of... that.
“Rust, please.” she called out again, her voice choking up with tears.“R-Rags d-did s-something.”
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Post by JDGreat on Aug 25, 2012 14:10:47 GMT -8
"You and me both, Cerny..." Rust muttered, before Jacob basically invited him in. "Wait, Jacob? What the hell are you doing here? I thought you'd still be cleaning up after the part..."
The complaint died on his lips when he heard that Rags may have done something to someone else.
"Oh Jesus... What the hell did he do, mate?" he asked concerned, flashing Secernia a quick look and wandering into the room. "Is the kid okay?"
If Rust's face looked concerned beforehand, when Gabrielle finally spoke up? He bit his bottom lip, looking increasingly worried.
What the hell happened? he wondered for the second time that day. Looking at the redhead glasses wearer, he shot her a look of apology.
"This'll only take a minute, okay? It alright with you if I just check this out?"
Without waiting for an answer, he began to walk forwards. Then Gabrielle mentioned Rags herself...
It was like the temperature dropped about ten degrees. His eyes went flint like and the AA sparked to life a few times.
"...what...did he do?..." he spat, anger welling up.
Hold up. Cerny's here. She's terrified of the AA. 10, 9, 8, 7...
Nope, he couldn't do it. Stomping forward, he whipped the curtain cover open and marched in.
"Gabrielle, details. Now."
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Post by Secernia on Aug 25, 2012 14:57:24 GMT -8
Secernia came into the Infirmary after Rust, and saw Jacob at the desk. He greeted Rust but not her, "Hello there, Jacob... What's going on?" She listened to his rough explanation of the situation. Whenever he mentioned that there were accident reports and a pattern of assault, she furrowed her eyebrows and looked concerned.
The boy at the party? Wasn't that the party she was invited to by Rust? She thought back to it, wondering what would have led them to the conclusion that some random kid had anything to do with herself and Kikime's work. Well, she thought, the majority of campus major injuries had to do with them... Unless.. Was it possible that her and her bestie had some competition to deal with? Some random kid called Rags, probably some first year...
She stared at Jacob curiously, "You're working here now? What happened to the Nurse?" She had had a good connection with that nurse, a lovely relationship. She had her wrapped around her fingers, her own personal putty to mold how she liked.
"Is the patient alright?" She wondered aloud, glancing to Rust as though concerned. She didn't know if it was Kikime's work or if it really was that other kid. As long as she wasn't under suspicion... Was she not?
She blinked, considering this. They had the medical records... She kept her guard.
Then she heard a voice she presumed to be Gabrielle by the reaction from Rust. The sound of pain in the girl's voice sent shivers down her back and she had to refrain from smiling at the sound. She bit her lip, "It's fine Rust, really." She tried a smile, "Don't worry, I'll be here waiting when you get back." She promised, nodding and allowing him to go.
She walked forward to the desk with Jacob after Rust had left the room. "Who's this Rags person anyway, do you have any more details, Jacob?" She wondered innocently, sounding concerned. "... Is she going to be okay?" She added quietly, glancing to the curtain where Gabrielle was and Rust had gone.
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Gleam
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Post by Gleam on Aug 25, 2012 15:08:14 GMT -8
Jacob glanced up at Secernia and smiled faintly. "Hello, Secernia. I apologize, I am rather - intent - at the moment."
He leaned back into the chair. "I do not honestly know where the actual Nurse is, as she is absent and not prone to answering calls or texts. I have done my best to care for the patient, both of them will eventually recover. As for the suspect - his alias is Rags, an old acquaintance of my roommate. He crashed the party that she threw earlier with a pistol. I saw fit to remove him after he verbally abused several people and threatened them."
Jacob's lips purse. "There was not a way to directly get him off the island, so I left him in the forest, unconscious. If he recovered I don't doubt that he's rather angry. He is a blonde-haired teenager wearing ragged clothing, a ballcap, and with the suits of cards tattooed on his left knuckles. Should you spot him, find a way to the rest of us and let us know."
Jacob glanced back at the curtain and shrugged. "Up to her. Physically, yes, I suppose."
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Post by SarahSyna on Aug 25, 2012 15:24:45 GMT -8
Gabrielle shied away from the open curtain, moving back to make sure Secernia wouldn’t see her. She didn’t know if Kikime had told Secernia about her or given her a description, but she wasn’t going to take chances.
She gave Rust a weak smile, knowing that at least she looked like a victim. “H-hi.” She said, limply and quietly as she could. She looked down at the floor away from him and hugged herself, fingers clutching at the ragged sleeves of her sliced clothing.
“Th-thanks for c-coming.” She mumbled, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. Oh God, she really did look the part. Crying like a little bitch and all.
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Post by JDGreat on Aug 25, 2012 15:30:55 GMT -8
Any rage built up disappeared seeing Gabrielle. Clothing sliced up, the normally talkative girl (at least to him) saying hardly anything, looking at the floor, crying.
Oh my God...
"Hey, hey..." Rust gently walked over, before freezing entirely, remembering what he should be doing. He stopped, holding his hands up to show they were empty and not getting any closer to Gabrielle in case she got distressed. "Shh, shh, it's okay, Gabrielle..."
Part of him was thankful Secernia wasn't seeing this. If her own issues with his uncontrollable AA were bad, learning there was a guy who beat women up WITHOUT apologising later would probably send the poor girl over the edge. Hell, she was still fairly awkward with him, sometimes.
"Gabrielle? You wanted a word, right?"
I can see why she pulled the crappy joke...she just wanted to pretend like everything was normal...
"Well, I'm here now, right? You can tell me..."
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Post by Secernia on Aug 25, 2012 16:02:52 GMT -8
Secernia nodded to Jacob, "No, don't apologize, I understand." She said gently at him saying that he was preoccupied. She took in the description of rags and considered what possible actions she might take on the information. She decided after a moment not to go after the boy, "I will let you know if I find him." She said firmly, pursing her lips with nervously as the verdict of Gabrielle came.
"Poor girl... No one deserves that..." She said in a soft voice, pulling a face as though she was remembering something. She wondered curiously what it was the Gabrielle was going to tell him. Probably about the horrors that this rags boy apparently unleashed upon her.
She acted as a person naturally would in the situation. She turned herself towards the curtain and just watched the fabric, as though concerned, waiting, expecting something. It was like a drama unfurling before her. Someone watching TV. It was a natural human reaction.
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Gleam
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Post by Gleam on Aug 25, 2012 16:14:46 GMT -8
Jacob nodded seriously. "I have not had an encounter with him since the party, but since he had an altercation with Rust beforehand, I believe he might be hunting down everyone present at the time of the party. There was another girl, a small, black-headed one. Sidra, I believe? She was right beside me at Rags's exit."
He bit his lip, but glanced up at her. "If you could use your teleportation and get her here so we can make sure she is safe, I would be grateful. Gabrielle was - seriously wounded. A girl with Sidra's constitution probably would not survive at all."
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Post by SarahSyna on Aug 25, 2012 21:09:33 GMT -8
Gabrielle stared at Rust, more than a little bewildered at just how fucking nice he was being. She shook a little, becoming genuinely upset.
He was the only real friend she had besides her sister, the only real friend she had on the damn island and she was lying straight to his fucking face about something that she knew he took so fucking seriously, being supportive far beyond what she had expected.
She was going to start crying, actually crying if he didn’t stop because he wasn’t going to believe her. He wouldn’t believe her and that meant he was going to die because either Secernia would kill him or Creda would and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
“J-just g-give me a m-minute.” she asked, wiping at her cheeks with her sleeve and trying to calm her shit. She could do this. She could. She had to.
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Post by JDGreat on Aug 25, 2012 21:44:01 GMT -8
"Alright, take your time." Rust nodded, pulling up a nearby chair. Inwardly, his thoughts turned over and over, wondering what the actual hell had happened. He'd asked that question more time in the past half an hour than his entire stint on the island.
whohurtalorawhohurtalorawhohurtalorawhohurtalorawhohurtalora
The mechanic flinched when Gabrielle wasn't looking. His head was acting way too weirdly. He had to go see the councillor or the nurse or something after all this. But first, Gabrielle.
"Hey, you want a glass of water or anything?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going. "Can fetch one if you want."
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Post by Secernia on Aug 26, 2012 2:36:58 GMT -8
Secernia blinked at Jacob's request. "I don't know this Sidra. Small with black hair? It doesn't ring any bells..." She immediately thought of the similarity to Alora, but knew that it wasn't the same person. Kikime wouldn't have allowed the girl to go without her, and they would have known if Kikime had gone.
"Perhaps you can show me where to find her, Jacob?" She moved to put her hand on his shoulder, " I really appreciate you helping Rust's friend... Not to mention all the other victims from Rags' attacks..." Her smile grew slightly on her face, "It's rare to find such a genuinely good person."
A hint of something might have been detected in her voice, but she tried her best to cover it. Perhaps sarcasm or a dash of vindictiveness, it wasn't entirely clear. She pulled her hand back and her smile dropped a bit, "If you take me to where I can find her and point her out to me, we can teleport back straight away..." She offered simply.
"I think Rust and Gabrielle need some time alone anyways..." She suggested. And perhaps so do we... She added inwardly.
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Gleam
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Post by Gleam on Aug 26, 2012 5:21:19 GMT -8
Jacob nodded and rose. "That would be safer." He replied, and turned back to Gabrielle and Rust. "I am going with Secernia to find Sidra." he called. "Rust, you are in charge here. For as much as that counts, anyways. Try not to leave unless it is vital."
He closed the infirmary records and slid around the desk. "Come along, then." Jacob said. "Sidra is very short with pale skin, has a tendency to glow in direct starlight, and has a frail constitution. I will not see this Rags boy complete his predations with a murder."
He pushed ope the infirmary door and held it wide for Secernia as he strode through. "The problem is that I do not know where she would be. She lives in dorm number three. That would probably be the first place to check. After that . . . I have little inkling."
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Post by SarahSyna on Aug 26, 2012 5:36:11 GMT -8
Gabrielle was quiet, listening to the conversation and almost a bit annoyed at Rusty for interrupting. She almost smiled when she heard Jacob leave Rust in charge, taking Secernia with him, but she waited for the fading footsteps before she actually felt triumphant.
Jacob had done it. She was gone. So was he actually. Kind of dangerous for the guy to be alone with Secernia, since his only actually offensive power was Gun. Although, well, he technically couldn’t be in danger, which raised some interesting philosophical conundrums.
Gabrielle shook her head. Couldn’t afford to start thinking about that shit. Right. It was now or never.
Gabrielle steadied herself, wiped away the last few tears, readjusted her clothes as best she could.
“Okay.” She said abruptly. ”Can you listen to me for just a few minutes? This is important, the most important I’ll probably ever say to you. Don’t lose it. Just listen.”
She took a deep breath and began.
“Look, do you remember when we met in the cafe? When you told me about meeting Alora and Kikime and about how you were so mad about not being able to help that you accidentally hit Secernia afterwards? You mentioned that you were having false memories, do you remember that? That you didn’t just hit Secernia, she insulted your mother first. That Kikime threatened you with scissors. You said that you remembered overreacting and freaking out, but there were different memories creeping in, like dreams, where you were in the right. You told me that yourself.”
She flipped open the binder to the entries Jacob had shown her.
“Look at this, please. Jacob pieced it together. Kids keep getting hurt here. It’s always knives, or some kind of blade. And the people after don’t say anything about it. Their memories get all fucked up, but they pretty much always become devoted to... to Kikime and” her eyes flicked to him. She took a breath and plunged on. “Secernia.”
Gabrielle pushed the binder into his hands. “Look for yourself. Jacob took notes and everything. Someone here in Solstice can fuck with minds, with memories. And those two are the ones involved in damn near every little accident and incident that takes place. Either one or the other finds the person, or they visit them later. And the people never talk about what happened.
“It’s not Kikime, we’re pretty certain about that. She can summon demons and fuck with emotions and do telekinesis but she can’t do mind shit like that. I’ve met her and trust me, in a situation like that she’d have done it to me. But Secernia... Every incident she’s involved in points to people getting their minds fucked with, whether she found them or visited after. And they do know each other. I don’t know if you already, but they’re roommates. And... and....”
Gabrielle lifted up the bed-curtain a little, just enough to reach under it and pulled out Kikime’s scissors by the blades. She held them up for Rust to see.
“These look familiar?” she asked. “I took them from Kikime.”
She looked him in the eyes.
“I know how this sounds. But, Rust, I wouldn’t lie about this. I wouldn’t make this up.”
She clutched her crucifix in her right hand, gripping hard enough for the knuckle to go white. “I swear to God and on my mother’s grave that I never have and never will do that to you.”
Please, please believe me.
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Post by JDGreat on Aug 26, 2012 6:04:33 GMT -8
Rust just stared after the entire speech. What could he say to that? Was there anything he COULD say to that?
He was DATING Secernia! She couldn't possibly be pulling any of this stuff off! He looked over the files that Gabrielle presented and listened to her evidence but he just had an open jaw and the beginnings of a headache. What the hell was going on?
Gabrielle was swearing on everything she held dear, everything, that Secernia was some kind of psycho. Kikime too. A little overbearing but...
“IthinkyoushouldleaveWalkoutthedoorboy. Anddon'tever comenearmyAlo-chanagain ItwouldbeashameifIhad tomessupthathandsomefaceforsuchasillyreason.”[/i]
"GAH!" Rust's hands flashed to his head, clutching it as memories and dreams and reality and fantasy all combined into one, his head a maelstrom.
"Why don't you tYou're very selfishell me what haYour mother never got to read that letter, did she.ppened? Maybe I could help fix whatever is frustrata spoiled selfish childing you so much."
Sinking to a crouch, Rust cried out again, his head pounding away like a sledgehammer to the inside of his skull.
Just like your father, aren't you. Smacking redheads into the dirt. He must be so proud, I mean... You haven't been doing horribly... today that is.Ahaha, you will not know what happiness is. You won't remember by the end of this year...
Something snapped.
He didn't know what was going on anymore. There seemed to be two sets of memories...what was right? What was wrong?
Ohgodohgodohgod...
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Post by SarahSyna on Aug 26, 2012 6:14:22 GMT -8
Gabrielle’s expression grew more and more worried as Rust was obviously disbelieving at first. Then it suddenly changed to horrified as he started to scream and clutch his head. She tossed Kikime’s scissors to the floor and dropped to her knees beside Rust. She put her arms around him gingerly, in case he lashed out in confusion, then held him close and started to stroke his hair very gently. Fuck her own feelings on the matter, she couldn't just let him be on the floor, alone and crying.
“Shhh, Rust, it’s okay.” She murmured, “It’s not your fault. You... You’re going to be fine.”
There wasn’t really anything she could say or do now; she wasn’t even sure what had just happened. She just had to really fucking hope he drew the right conclusions.
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Creda Shields
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Post by Creda Shields on Aug 26, 2012 6:20:15 GMT -8
Creda had heard enough.
Flinging the curtain to the side, she marched right into the spot where Rust and Gabrielle were, the screaming from the boy obviously showing major distress. She came across the scene and her eyes gave a flat serious look.
Slowly, she walked behind Rust and positioned her body, standing over him with a fist drawn back.
One hit to the side of his temple. Right there. And he would be knocked out.
Giving Gabrielle a look that spoke volumes, she held herself in place, just waiting for Rust to lash out and hurt her friend somehow.
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