9th Unison Attack - Really? - Voice

[clumsyblonde]

[Backdated to just a little while after Guy's post.]

Why didn't you tell me? You all knew so....so why? [And give her a proper answer instead of just "we didn't want you to worry". It may be why, but she won't accept it. Not after all the times they got mad at her for hiding things. Sorry Zelda, you're lumped in since you were there and awake and put her in your house to help protect her and Sheena.]

Why...? [There's a whine from Caramel and the sounds of a chair being pushed back. A couple of footsteps, then nothing.]

Comments

Voice - Private

[strength_of_tomorrow]

I thought that Lloyd would prefer privacy on the issue.

[At least Kratos isn't being a terrible hypocrite in this particular instance. He'd been well aware of all the particulars of Colette's angelic transformation, and he'd never breathed a word to the rest of the party. He'd even helped her hide it sometimes, though he's not sure she noticed him doing it.]

Voice - Private

[clumsyblonde]

[She's really tempted to ask how it was private if almost everyone else in the bubble knew about it but bites her tongue instead, taking another deep breath before replying.]

So you didn't tell me because you thought Lloyd would like me not to know or be the one to tell me? But...he never told me. I found out from someone else. [And he knew her enough to guess she asked the names of the people.]

Voice - Private

[strength_of_tomorrow]

...I see. I thought he would prefer telling you himself.

[It seems that he overestimated Lloyd's recovery in this case, though. Strange, Lloyd's never been one for keeping secrets. Of course, he'd found out as "Noishe" just how shaken he still was about all of this.]

Voice - Private

[clumsyblonde]

[All this conversation has done so far is made her even angrier at Lloyd for trying to protect by not telling her about it... Like he got angry at her because she didn't want him to worry.]

So...you just wanted Lloyd to be able to tell me in his own time?

Voice - Private

[strength_of_tomorrow]

[Ah... he has a feeling that he's made things worse here.]

I believe he would have told you. He is... still coming to terms with it himself.

[Since her conversation with Guy was filtered, Kratos has no idea how much Colette knows.]

Voice - Private

[clumsyblonde]

[Worse for Lloyd...? Yeah. Worse for himself? Not at all!]

But...you must have known, all of you, that it couldn't have stayed hidden forever. People talk about things like that...

Voice - Private

[strength_of_tomorrow]

That is certainly true.

[His voice softens slightly.]

I think that everyone has been trying to not think about it, as well. Please do not judge him too harshly, Colette.

Voice - Private

[clumsyblonde]

I don't want to yell at him or be angry with him...but it feels like he's doing what he got mad at me for during the journey or close to it.

[And that hurts. If this is how Lloyd felt, she can understand why he was so mad. But that doesn't change what how she feels right now. Maybe she is angry that they didn't tell her, but she's mostly just hurt.]

Voice

[chosen_gigolo]

[Ah crap. He'd known Colette would find out sooner or later, he'd just hoped Lloyd would have been the one to tell her. Truth is he couldn't bring himself to do it. Colette is...

...

Colette stands for everything Zelos couldn't manage. To keep that positive outlook on life in the face of all the evidence of life being a terrible thing. Maybe that's because she grew up with Lloyd, or maybe she's just that amazing on her own, but either way Zelos can never bring himself to dampen that smile of hers on purpose.]

Sorry angel-hunny, it just kinda... worked out that way. It's over and done with y'know? So I just didn't think it was a big deal anymore!

[He'll keep his voice the usual vaguely amused uncaring tone, he'll stay cool and sound like a jerk, because even after everything they'd been through, Zelos Wilder still knows he's nothing if not a complete and utter coward.]

I told everyone not to worry you.

Voice - Filtered 1/2

[clumsyblonde]

[Zelos...told them not to tell her? But...even though he's saying something she said herself when it came to telling Lloyd about something that hasn't happened for him yet, she can't help but get mad. His tone and....she really hopes he's lying or putting on a fake tone. He can't be that...he isn't really like that! He just...he can't be-- he isn't-- none of them could ever sound that...that unaffected when it comes to something hurting Lloyd. Not after all they've been through.]

But this is Lloyd! And...even though I said that before, about how we shouldn't tell Lloyd about some things that happened between his time and ours because it had already happened for us, this is different! It happened while I was here, even if I was asleep. I think I'd understand if I had arrived after it had happened, but...I didn't find out from any of you! I only found out when Guy asked if we thought the killer got what he deserved that there even was a killer! And...

Voice - Filtered 2/2

[clumsyblonde]

[And not telling her and finding out from someone else worried her more, about how bad it was.]

And Lloyd wasn't killed so...so I wouldn't be that worried if you'd told me since then it wouldn't feel like something terrible had happened that you were trying to protect me from!

[After everything that's happened, surely he knows her well enough to know that...]

Voice

[chosen_gigolo]

[Getting yelled at by someone like Colette isn't an experience Zelos particularly enjoys, even if he deserves it. He has to keep silently telling himself it's for everyone's good; he'd rather she be mad at him than the rest of the group.

Even so, it hurts.]

What, like you aren't now? Look, there wasn't anything to gain by telling you now. There's nothing you could have done, not really. The guy's blind and under house arrest for Martel knows how long, Lloyd's safe and sound, so there's nothing much to discuss. I didn't want you to be mad and not be able to do anything.

[His tone wavers. Just a hint, just a little bit that maybe this isn't the whole truth, that if he had his way Riffael's head would be on display right over the welcome center, that she, Lloyd, and Sheena would stay where he could protect them at all times, that he feels just as helpless and trapped and lost as any of them. Only a hint. Never a full reveal.]

...just don't be mad at Lloyd. He's had a bit of a hard time adjusting. I thought it'd be better not to tell you but you know how he'll take that on himself. 'S my fault.

Voice

[clumsyblonde]

[Sorry, lost what I started and then disappeared and then motivation disappeared.

He has a point about that...Maybe she wouldn't be acting like this if she had known, if she'd been told, but she doesn't know. What she thinks would have happened doesn't change how she is acting.]

I...I don't think I'd be mad...And I think I could hide being worried, even right now I'm more hurt than angry. I...guess we'll never know but... I remember how you guys acted when you found out what I was hiding so...So I didn't think you'd do the same thing...

And I don't want to be mad at Lloyd... [She got the yelling out on Zelos anyway--And since the guy's already been punished, she doesn't want him to suffer anymore even though what he's done was terrible.]

Voice; private

[chosen_gigolo]

[Mission accomplished, then. But something about what she's said niggles at him though, about hiding. That she would hide, still, even after everything. He knows he'd do that himself, but Colette...

He puts a private filter on the conversation.]

You'd hide that from him? It's tough y'know.

[He's not accusing, not at all, just a little wondering.]

Voice; private

[clumsyblonde]

[She laughs, but it sounds weak.]

Well...yeah. He'd know I'm worried anyway, but if I'm helping him deal with what happened, I'd stop being worried after a bit [She thinks] so I don't think I'd have much to hide for long.

Voice; private

[chosen_gigolo]

That's.. surprisingly calculating. Do you always think like that?

[Because, if she does... maybe they're not all that different. She's still leagues of a better person than he is, but at least he wouldn't have to feel like he's handling porcelain when he speaks with her.]

Voice; private

[clumsyblonde]

Not all the time....but I think like that a lot.

[At least about hiding things, or what would make her friends worry. She started doing this when she was little so she'd be able to have fun with Lloyd and Genis, and so they wouldn't worry about her...]

I mean, I was hiding what the journey meant from Lloyd and Genis for years before it started.

[Did Zelos...really not know?]

[Voice]

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd flinches. He has a feeling he knows what this is about.]

Colette...

[What does he say? What can he say? He knows he should have said something, but how was he supposed to bring something like that up?]

[Voice]

[clumsyblonde]

Lloyd...

[She's not going to make this easier for you, Lloyd. She's going to wait for you to speak first.]

[Voice]

[redcladidealist]

[Dammit, he still doesn't know what to say. He shifts uncomfortably, the silence heavy and awkward.]

I... I'm sorry. I didn't know how to bring it up.

[Voice]

[clumsyblonde]

[Well, at least he's apologized! Kratos was...Kratos, and Zelos said sorry but he didn't really sound like he meant it...]

Couldn't you just have...written it down or something? I...just wanted to be told before now... [Just wanted to be told by one of them, really.]

[Voice]

[redcladidealist]

You mean like you did?

[The moment he says the words, he wishes he could take them back. That's not fair to her, and he knows it, and it doesn't change the fact that he should have told her. He winces, looking away from the starfish, even though she can't see his face.]

...sorry.

[Voice] 1/2

[clumsyblonde]

[She flinches, biting her lip. Why'd he...he did say sorry but still...She'd thought she'd not be angry anymore after yelling at Zelos but, well...]

That's...that's why I'm mad! You got mad at me, and then you do the same thing? Would you have told me if you'd died while I was asleep or would I have had to find that out from someone else too? Someone who isn't even from our world... [That's the thing that hurts most.]

[Voice]

[clumsyblonde]

[She takes a deep breath to calm herself and continues.]

I just...I thought you'd tell me if something happened.

[Voice]

[redcladidealist]

[Every word of Colette's accusations only makes him feel more guilty, and her questions make him shrink even further into his couch? Would he have said anything sooner if it had been worse? Or would that have only made it harder? To walk up to his friend and tell her that he couldn't protect himself, to tell her that because she'd been sleeping, she'd missed something bad that had happened, missed any chance to help. How can he say that to her and make it not sound like an accusation, a failure on her part? That was what had held him back this long. It wasn't her fault.

He's silent for several long moments. It's hard to say anything, hard to speak above a whisper.]

...it hurt...