maskormenace | 003

[ Cassandra's voice sounds nearly gone. And it sounds close- this is on the mental link, not her communicator. The communicator's smashed. (Many things are smashed, but this is voice, not video, thankfully.) She hasn't bothered to get a new one yet. ]

So if you were one of those shitheads who kept whining about how "oh, those Gods, they ruin everything", you're in fucking luck, because now three of them are gone. So if you had some sort of hang-up on Baphomet setting shit on fire, or Persephone and that flooding issue which, by the way, was her saving your asses, or with Dionysus- I, I don't know-

[ There's a brief pause. This hurts. She shouldn't be talking about it, and not in public. But she's already too far in. ]

You can just keep it all to your fucking self. It doesn't matter anymore. What a great time it is for you.

And- if you had some sort of problem with Rex, who knows what the hell that would be, and he doesn't come back- then you'd better keep that to yourself, too. Before I fucking rip your fucking mouth off.

[ There's quiet, for just a bit too long. Then, softly: ] What am I doing.

[ The feed cuts off. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That is always where you went wrong. You're so blinded by your anger, and blinded by how much you hate me, that you can't bear to look close enough.

It's a shame, really, that you let your emotions get the better of you like that.

[ She takes a deep, sucking breath. Fuck this. Fuck him. ]

If I was blind, I'd be giving you yet another fucking chance. Honestly? Knowing just how awful you are is enlightening. It's nice to not have any doubt. Gives me some peace of mind.

Not that I ever thought you weren't a fucking scumbag.

[ She's trying to titillate him; she knows he's got insecurities. She'd love to see him as uncomfortable as she always is around him. ]

Hey now, you were the one that came to me, remember?

Time after time, you work with me, in one guise or another.

[ His posturing can't stand when his reputation is at stake, sadly. ]

You never once questioned me -- the real me, now did you?

[ There's a short pause. ]

That- none of that matters anymore. All of this is you posturing over useless crap doesn't mean anything now that everyone knows who you are.

[ But, no, it does matter to her- it's the reason she's been filled with guilt and shame and fear for the last two months. But she needs to deny it, desperately. ]

By the way- the real you? Are you getting abstract or are you forgetting I was seeing your true self, with the mask on, all the goddamn time?

[ His laugh is delighted. ]

Truly, you compliment me? Even now? That's precisely what I am.

But... "true self" is such a weighted term, isn't it? Most would consider what my mother gave me, not... who I've become.

If you're just going to trap me in an etymological debate so you can drag this on, I'm not falling for it.

One last time. Do you have a point, here? Because it's starting to seem like you've run out of ideas.

Well, that's up to you to figure out. When have I ever ignored an opportunity to obfuscate?

Good luck finding out, though. You should know I never run out of ideas.

[ She knows what he's implying, there- that she'll have to deal with him again soon enough. But she's not going to let it stop her. ]

That literally just sounds like your way of pretending you didn't run out of ideas. So I'll do you a favor and end this before it becomes even more obvious.

[ And she shuts off the feed. ]

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