38. Delusions

[corrinesbell]

I could kill him.

...I don't like what's going on any more than the next person. This is probably the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Using and manipulating each other when what we should be doing is trying to work together to get rid of the real problem. 

Maybe I'm still delusional.

...

Hey. Where's Genis? He was staying here while he was sick. ...Lloyd, did he go home?

---

Stay here in the house, okay? We can try to work out some way to help, but don't go by yourself.

Comments

[kid-in-red.livejournal.com]

Sheena, I was just about to ask you about him. He said he was gonna cook dinner, but when I came back in I couldn't find him.

[corrinesbell]

Sorry, I've been really out of it. I don't remember him leaving, but that doesn't mean much.

...You don't think...the Malnosso got him? Does the kitchen look like...?

[kid-in-red.livejournal.com]

There's nothing. No sign of anything happening. But the stove's on... If it were me it'd be one thing but Genis never forgets to turn it off.

[corrinesbell]

And you turned it off, right?

...They might have him, then. I mean...they took Albert and he didn't have time to warn anyone, either.

[kid-in-red.livejournal.com]

[suspicious pause before reply]

Yeah, of course!

I.... dammit.

[corrinesbell]

We can't be sure. Maybe he just went somewhere. He's been sick, too, and with Raine... ...I could see him forgetting about the stove.

[hope-of-pandora.livejournal.com]

Okay...

What happened, Miss Sheena?

[corrinesbell]

Good.

That idiot Koizumi is holding the sick people in the clinic hostage. I've been hearing stuff about monsters in the forest, too.

[hope-of-pandora.livejournal.com]

Th-that's horrible.

[corrinesbell]

Yeah, I know.

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

You kill him.

I. Kill. You.

[corrinesbell]

...Arietta? What happened to you?

I'm not gonna kill anybody.

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

Protect. Family. Stupid move. But.

Fine. Happened?

[corrinesbell]

I don't want anyone to get hurt. That'd be stupid.

Well, the last time I saw you, you couldn't talk...

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

Ion. Teach.

Trust.

[corrinesbell]

Trust what?

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

Him.

[corrinesbell]

Trust Ion? If he's teaching you to talk again, yeah, I probably do.

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

No.

It--

....

Father.

This. For... Ka--

I think.

[corrinesbell]

Father? You mean Itsuki?

...You think he's doing this for Karen?

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

Hn.

I think.

He acts. Irr- ... rat-- strange. For her.

[corrinesbell]

Yeah, he does.

But the Malnosso took Karen. None of this has anything to do with her.

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

Return. Forest. Threat here.

[corrinesbell]

So he's threatening other, defenseless people? He could have just asked the patrols to start looking for her, or told everyone about the threat out there and what it could do. People would have gone after it. Trust me.

[totamethewild.livejournal.com]

Too strong. Band people for reason.

No. Force people. Can't trust alone.

Smart. But. Stupid. Father.

[mywariswon.livejournal.com]

...While I agree with your sentiment, Miss Sheena, I feel the need to point out something [the's a pause here, followed by a hacking cough]

I question if, prior to this incident, there truly was unity to the forces in Luceti. As far as my observational ability serves, there are only people working in their self-interests, be it for them or their associates, leaving the saving of individuals... [There's a pause again, and another cough, and his voice is much quieter now] To random acts of charity or sympathy... the vast majority of which I believe can be attested to yourself or an individual named Lenalee the Exorcist. I must say... t does not seem unified. Even the cohesive units -- the Exorcists, Sir Silverberg's Patrols, the Noah... they are flimsy at best, with nothing in the way of proper command structure...

[He sighs, but the sigh quickly turns into another cough] I do not mean to say that the situation was hopeless... nor that it was entirely negative, but I implore you to notice several flaws in the pattern. Those that are pledged to heal the sick move out for personal issues at the slightest or provocation... those who are in the patrols function on the whole as individual soldiers, with almost nothing in the way of cohesive movements... the vast majority of the population is content to eat their captor's food, drink their captor's drink, and use their facilities... [There's more coughing, and his voice grows even weaker now, to little more than a whisper -- clearly, his voice is going]

Miss Sheena... you and mi'lady Raine, Dark... many others have helped me immensely, or offered to. There are good people here, and more than that there i talent. There is so much power and talent and ingenuity here that I am frankly envious of the respect that Sir Silverberg commands... but captivity, to be frank, makes men into sheep... I apologize for sounding so rude but... I cannot... stay quiet...

[corrinesbell]

I didn't say we used to be unified. I just said we should be.

And as stupid and psycho as Itsuki's acting, being unified against him isn't the right way to go.

[voiced]

[mywariswon.livejournal.com]

...Can you be so certain it is not? Uniting the people under a common enemy that they can defeat... It almost seems that he is playing into the hands of Sir Silverberg for the future...

[voiced]

[corrinesbell]

Damn stupid way of doing it.

Nothing you say is gonna make me think any better of him. Quit trying.

[voiced] // 1/2

[mywariswon.livejournal.com]

Mi'lady... [There's a large fit of coughing here, followed by the sound of some liquid being shot out of a person's mouth.]

[voiced] // 2/2

[mywariswon.livejournal.com]

[And he continues a minute or so later -- his voice is clearly strained, but it is louder, more commanding] I am not and never would care about your opinion of Itsuki Koizumi, or Ceasar Silverberg, or every frankly myself. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions of any given individual. I am merely stating some fact... facts which you, who are so adamant about the defeat of the Malnosso, as well as the necessity of unity in relation to it, frankly should be concerned with.

[He pauses, and then continues, this time a bit less strong, as if he's hesitant to be this honest] After all, unity or true might does not come at the actions of on hero or heroine. If anything, it demands the cooperation of a large unit.