kickingcatcher | 3rd kick: voice/action for house 11

[When Crys arrives back at the house late at night, she pretty much looks like a wreck. She just looks plain exhausted, and her left arm is in a sling. The rest of her is spotted with a few bruises and small scrapes, but nothing too horrible aside from her arm. As she walks up to the house, she notices the... weird ice wall? And stares in disbelief before walking in. Why she didn't notice it sooner, we may never know. Anyway, walking back into the house now. Mega walks with her for support as Crys closes the door. Unconsciously, she speaks to nothing.]

I'm home...

[Except everyone is asleep. Whoops. Mega nudges her gently with her head, and Crys pats her back. Letting out a tired sigh, she'll just walk to the kitchen and get some water or something. And sits down with her good hand covering her face.]

[Voice]

[Much later in the day on the 24th, and at a more reasonable time than midnight, she opens up the journal and pauses for a bit. She sounds a little tired, taking a deep breath before speaking.]

Has being here changed anyone?

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For better or worse?

Maah, that probably depends who you ask, doesn't it, Crystal-chan?

... I guess that's true. [She hesitates a moment.] How was it in your case?

[With a smile plastered on his face, he totally says all of the following with a straight face an an upbeat tone] Well, let's see! I gained a partner, I had myself a whirlwind romance, killed some people, got the rug ripped out under me, confronted my home life through different eyes, aged a few years... come to think of it, throw in the gun show and I've made some decent strides!

[... okay can you just give her a few minutes? Because that... takes a lot of thought. And "sorry" seems pretty stupid right now.]

Th-that's... I'm, um...

[Speechless, for one thing.]

[And now in a much flatter tone:] The wheel of fate doesn't stop turning just because we're removed from our world, Crystal-chan. Choices confront people every day, and even if you try to pick the same one every time, that's not possible to do eternally. Or even something I at least would want to do eternally.

[Which is part of why he now goes to pet Linda]

I know. [This is said first. She's not completely naive.] I've had to face some tough decisions back home. But nothing like that. And always picking the same way... that's not doing anything. You don't grow or learn or move on. But there are some choices I've been having to make that I never imagined I would have to.

[...Pffthahaha. He snorts at that. Mostly because he's still upset his friend is missing]

Misfortunes in Luceti are prone to striking each other like billiard balls.

[Her voice gets a little quieter.] That's one thing I'm learning all too quickly.

Saaaah. The advantage of that is, of course, that rarely will anyone be suffering truly "alone." [Or so it would be charming to think, wouldn't it?]

I guess that can be true in some cases. [But it sure isn't for her.]

No, in every case. Things don't happen in a vacuum.

Wait, do you mean that when we don't suffer "alone", you mean someone else is suffering, too? Or that we have someone to help us to the suffering?

Both, isn't it? If someone's compelled to help, they've got enough sympathy to be harmed by your own suffering... Maaah, but that could be optimistic, they might jut be egotists.