★ 002 | audio

[vacationer]

[Since her hotel hostage adventure had gone south, Lourdes has been laying low - not out of a desire to look repentant (she isn't, and she sees no reason why she should pretend that she is), but because she's been sulking. Her powers are gone, which is both horrible and a relief, and she's on probation, which she considers a joke.

But what she's most upset about is that it hadn't worked. She's not at all surprised that she'd been caught, and she'd always figured that it would happen eventually - but before that, when she'd been in the hotel with everybody, it hadn't done anything to make her happy, which had been her main goal in the first place. It hadn't been like Hearst Castle, or even the Horizon. It had been meaningless, just like everything else in the world.

She waits a while before turning to the network. She hasn't actually been planning to address this in any way - not to explain herself, and certainly not to apologize. But one evening when she's sitting around in her apartment, angrily glaring at the tattoo on her wrist, she fires it up and says something on a whim.]

It was for their own good.

[She has no idea how far news of the takeover has spread, or if most of the people who hear this will even know what she's talking about. That's okay. She doesn't care.]

Comments

[restingstitchface]

I don't particularily care to tell you if you cannot figure it out. In fact, I believe you wish to know who I am because you yourself are not immune to loneliness. Otherwise you wouldn't ask such a question. Am I wrong?

[vacationer]

maybe i should ask what you are instead.

[restingstitchface]

I'd be interested in knowing the circumstances that precluded this address, first.

What did you do?

[vacationer]

you're not someone i want to tell.

go ask other people, i'm sure someone else will spill the beans.

[restingstitchface]

I will be asking them, yes.

But at this moment I'm questioning you.

Of course. If you're frightened of sharing your misnomer with me, I'll understand.

[And then he'll point and laugh. From prison.]

[vacationer]

i'm not frightened.

[She definitely is, but you never tell people when you're scared of them.

[restingstitchface]

Pride. The need to appear strong. A disdain for weakness. I understand that, too, but there's no need to hide your frailty from me. Perhaps you should tell me what you did.

Get it off your chest.

[Put up or shut up.

Oh, and type properly before he has an apoplexy or something. Kids today!]

[vacationer]

[At least she's too 1990s to know textspeak. Little victories.]

if i was frail, you're the last person i'd tell. seriously, i did hear about what you did.

[restingstitchface]

Good for you.

[Bonus points if she links that to her own words: it was for their own good.]

I simply offered people my assistance. I did it for their own good as well.

[And to revel in their pain. That's the real reason, really. That and because he wanted to see the results. SCIENCE.]

[vacationer]

with fear gas?

[restingstitchface]

[No. He handed out children's dolls. Duh.]

Yes.

You didn't fail to miss the news, clearly.

[vacationer]

i told you i hadn't.

but you did it for you too, right? i know i did.

[restingstitchface]

Of course. I see no need to lie about it. It was important for my work.

Do you have a problem with my work?

[There's nothing he fears about being open, here. Plus he's already been sentenced.]

[vacationer]

it sounds terrible.

but i've seen worse.

[restingstitchface]

[Everyone's a critic. :| ]

Oh? Tell me more.

[vacationer]

No.

[restingstitchface]

Telling me will provide you with many advantages, by no means least it shall prove you're not as weak and frightened as you feel you are.

[vacationer]

if you think i'm interested in being your ally, you're really wrong.

[restingstitchface]

[Ahahahahaha. Nope.]

I'm simply curious.

Since when have I given the opposite impression? Truly, that statement only proves there's a subconscious need to deny your weakness for human companionship, again.

[vacationer]

then what advantages were you talking about?

[restingstitchface]

I might say it shall bring you peace, or lighten your burden, but I don't care about that. It might prove to these judgmental people that you are not completely irredeemable. If that is the impression you care you give.

Though, if you don't care about the crimes you've committed, what's the problem?

[vacationer]

There isn't one.

[restingstitchface]

Necessity or pleasure, then.

Or were your deeds back home born of neither of those?

[vacationer]

Both.

[restingstitchface]

Both, yes.

It sounds like you've lived a rather fascinating life.