[Video]

[demiurgos_girl]

[Elaine is still spirit walking, not yet quite ready to risk going back into her body.]

Mm. [She clears her throat, and forces herself to look straight at the camera.] I don't usually get that scared or desperate. [This is important to her; she's only twelve, after all, and the opinion of her peers and friends matters a lot. Like any kid and teen, she cares very much about what people think of her.] I think it wasn't just the atmosphere of the place, but maybe the Mansion actually got into our heads and fed us fear.

There was a time I was kidnapped for a few hours, before I came here. And I could have sworn that I would die of fear. I was so scared. And then I realized that it wasn't my fear that I was feeling, but my captor's. I guess it was strong enough that I could read his head without meaning to. And during the event, being around all that fear, I... just couldn't take it. [I just wasn't strong enough. What was Lucifer thinking, giving me this power... I don't know what to do with it, don't know how to live with it.]

[I wish he was here...]

Ganta? Could we have that talk now?

Comments

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

Maybe. [She shuffles her feet anxiously, turning solid for the moment to push around the soil at her feet.] I'm not... as strong as I thought I was. And it's hard to accept.

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

You mean your power? Or your...your will?

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

My will. [Lucifer was known for that. Strongest willpower in the universe... No. Second strongest.] I can't believe I would let people down like that.

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

People make mistakes. [It probably isn't much consolation, but it's true.]

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

[She gives a halfhearted smile which falls short of actually looking happy.] I guess so.

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

[He finally sits down next to her, taking his hands out of his pockets to rest his elbows on his knees.] I don't really know what else to say. Except I'm not mad at you or anything over it. I get why you did it. [He smiles over at her, and it's his most genuine smile so far.]

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

[That turns her smile genuine as well. Knowing that at least one of her friends isn't angry for what she was about to do makes her happier.] Thank you.

[She wants to put off the next part of the conversation, so she's quiet for a while.]

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

[He's quiet as well. He's got a lot on his mind and isn't sure what, if any of it he wants to bother her with. So he sits and looks at the grass and the bushes and the trees, and swings his feet with his toes just grazing the ground. Because benches generally aren't made for people who are under five feet tall. orz

After a couple minutes, he looks over at her again.] Did you have anything else on your mind?

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

[As her twelve year old self, she's at least the same height as him. Probably shorter.] Yes. Your collar. It's gone. [She looks at him inquisitively.

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

[He avoids meeting her gaze and rubs his neck again, self-consciously this time.] Oh...yeah. I uh found someone to take it off for me.

[It's a pretty thin attempt at hiding who did it, since she had obviously been monitoring his conversation with the Major when they discussed it.]

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

[She sighs, but she's not angry.] The Major, you mean?

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

[He grimaces slightly and nods.] Yeah. I didn't let him keep it, but he got a good look at it anyway.

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

[Elaine can honestly say that she doesnt care so much about the collar, right now.] ...And you've been sick ever since? [Her eyes narrow in worry. She holds a hand up to his forehead, feeling.] You're really cold.

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

[He lets her feel his forehead and sighs a little. He'd rather not admit to his own screw up here, but if anyone's going to know, Elaine is the ideal person. He knows he can trust her, at least.] My Branch of Sin is different.

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

[She takes her hand away, still worried.] Different how?

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

The bullets freeze on contact.

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

They freeze? No wonder you're so cold... This isn't going to mess you up or anything, right? How have you been feeling?

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

No, I think I'm okay. Other than just being cold, I don't feel any different.

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

...The moment you feel strange, and I really mean the moment that you do, tell me, okay? Or tell someone else. [She takes hold of Ganta's arm again, just to drive the point home.] The last time you were here in Wonderland, he did something to you. It was when I had just arrived, so I didn't know you and I was very distraught, so I don't know exactly what it was. But you might want to ask around about what he did to you back then.

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

[He frowns slightly.] ...Ivanova-san said something about my blood being acid.

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

Acid? That damn Major...

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

I...really don't know how that would work. But something about brownies and not eating things that are sitting around.

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

Mm. Just be careful. To be honest, I'm surprised he didn't do anything more to you. I'm glad he didn't, though.

[rookie-deadman.livejournal.com]

Aoyagi-san told me he did terrible things. I... [He pauses and looks at the ground, grim-faced for a moment.]

I thought I could handle it. Because of what was happening at home.

[demiurgos-girl.livejournal.com]

The Major doesn't do direct attacks. He gets you from the side, when you're not looking. Subtly.

[She smiles at him, however.] As long as it isn't causing too much of an inconvenience, then it's fine. And as long as you're still feeling mostly okay. It's not like I have any right to get upset at you because of it, anyway.