WEEK 6 - LOBELIA

[foundationmods]

Six weeks.

They had been here for that long, and still...the game was continuing.
Yet, it felt like they were finally about to reach the end of it...
Just a little longer. 🗈

Still, things were just the same as they had been the past few weeks.

The goats and servants were still around, and so too were the witches.
Yet, it felt like this week would be the week they would finally get all the pieces to the puzzle.
But...could they solve it?

Only time would tell.

MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

CALENDAR | LOCATIONS | PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS | NIRRTI PC POST | WATANUKI PC POST

Comments

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard wants to tell Shadow that he tried to walk away, that Natsuno is the one who cornered him in the first place just to throw insults and warped opinions at him. But he's tired. He's so damned tired. He walks around Natsuno and the small crater the jinrou left in the garden-- Terios likely on his heels, of course-- and leaves without a word.]

[chaoscontrol]

[Shadow will jump down and follow Erhard. As he passes Natsuno, he tells him pointedly to not follow right now. Once they're a good enough distance away, he'll speak]

Doctor, I know you tried to leave the situation, and Koide pursued. That was the correct choice.

[sotoshini]

[ There's a fair amount of silence after everything that's said, though Natsuno doesn't avoid looking at Shadow any. Erhard gets no attention at all as he leaves, like he's an insignificant speck of dirt that gets taken away by the wind. It takes a while for Natsuno to speak up but he eventually does. ]

Sorry. [ Not for everything here, just for one thing in particular. But Shadow is free to take that however he wants. And then he's flying off to get some air for a while and eventually something else. ]

[chaoscontrol]

[you're learning, young padawan]

[sotoshini]

[ Actually he's not sorry about Erhard at all.

He's sorry about the using thing, because man does he get that. Everything else though? Would do again A+++++ ]

[chaoscontrol]

[it's a start.....]

[cryosurgeon]

... I cared about him. Yes, I used his bite as an escape, but I wanted to give him strength. I didn't criticize him when he was spending so much time with someone as dangerous as Anon. For him to corner me like that and say those things....

[He's shaking. He reaches for his stress toy and squeezes it in his left hand, though it leaves his right still clenching jerkily.]

It's no different from the few memories I have, the ones of my parents calling me a monster. I don't need him to tell me what I am, I know it. I walked out as fast as I could after I killed Anon because I couldn't believe what I did. It wasn't supposed to be like that, but I lost control. And he'll stand there and insult me for feeling regret instead of being cold like him....

[chaoscontrol]

He was in the wrong there. Even if what he says has merit, one should not continue to bother when the other tries to disengage. [Shadow sighs, and Terios whines at Erhard] I'll talk to him about it. It's kind of my fault, anyway. He's worried about me because I'm tired from protecting you, so he took it out on you. But that was my choice.

[cryosurgeon]

It's not as if people are eager to approach me anyway after what I did to Anon.

[If Erhard could climb out of his own body and run from it for the same reason, he would. Just who or what has he become?]

He called me a martyr for love. Is it really such a bad thing, if my own life is worthless compared to the person I lost?

[Even if he could run from his body, he can't run from what remains of his memory. His parents' voices haunt him constantly these days, along with the sight of Sherlock's bloody, still face.]

[chaoscontrol]

[Shadow jabs Erhard in the back with a finger] You must stop saying things like that. You aren't worthless.

[cryosurgeon]

....

[Arguing is pointless, no one ever listens to him. They just tell him he's wrong, he doesn't understand, his feelings are warped or invalid or just confused. But they wanted him to have them, and now that he does they're wrong?

He has such a headache.]

Shadow, if... if something does happen to me, don't blame yourself. I just want you to remember one thing, okay?

[He crouches down and, after a moment's hesitation, hugs the hedgehog.]

You really are the closest thing I've ever had to a real father. Thank you.

[chaoscontrol]

[Dammit, Erhard, that isn't what he meant at all...]

I-- [he gets cut off because he sees what Erhard is about to do. He could move, easily. Get away. But he lets the man hug him] Doct.... Erhard... [Shadow is taken off guard not only by the physical affection, but by what Erhard tells him. Like a father? ... Him?

He sort of stands there awkwardly, unsure of how to react or what to do. Then he carefully wraps his arms around Erhard, too]

I... I won't... blame myself. Erhard. I... don't know what to say....

[cryosurgeon]

You don't have to say anything. I'm just glad you're here.

[Erhard doesn't linger in the hug for very long, since neither of them are very physically affectionate people. When he straightens up, his eyes are a bit damp.]

You didn't have to worry about me all these weeks, but you did. You've tried to help me without stomping me into the ground mentally. That's more than my biological parents or Professor Sartre ever did. So even if everyone else hates me by the time this is all said and done, knowing you care is more than enough.

[chaoscontrol]

[Shadow's eyes may be a bit damp as well, and he quickly paws at them, wiping away whatever is there with the heels of his hands]

... Erhard. I'm.... [Sorry that no one else has ever treated you this way. Sorry that some weird little inhuman science experiment had to the first to show you respect. Sorry that no one else here besides maybe Sherlock had showed him decency]

...

You're welcome. I'm glad I could... I'm glad I could help.

[cryosurgeon]

[Well, Ann and Takumi have been really nice to him? And Kurama helped him with that panic attack. So it hasn't been all bad. Except he set a lot of those bridges on fire with his little post-trial anatomy lesson.

He still offers Shadow a slightly watery but genuine smile.]

You always have. Even when you yelled at me, it just took me longer to see it then.