> Paloma: Go get that girl! Maybe is better than no, right?

-- absoluteAltitude [AA] began trolling nitroMerc [NM] at 11:13 --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  opens the front door, stepping out. The fear from Solena's chucklevoodoos is replaced by a different type of fear, now -- but she presses on, stepping out into the sand and calling out to the troll on the beach. --
AA: <\ Cucali! />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  is stubbornly ignoring her. Paloma? She doesn't hear any mossblood, nope! --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  takes another step forward, and another. --
AA: <\ Don't ignore me! Cucali! />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  still doesn't turn around. --
NM: Whaaaaaaaat?! Can't y☼u see I'm busy?
AA: <\ We, we have to talk! />
NM: Well, we're talkin', aren't we??
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  steps up in front of Cucali. She's careful not to do so until after she throws any bombs she might have in her hand, though. --
AA: <\ Something happened, and, and we can't just ignore it. />
NM: Yeah?
NM: I think I can.
AA: <\ Stop that! I KNOW you care! And - and I know I can't guarantee anything for you, okay?! I know I won't live as long as you, either! But that doesn't mean you can't be happy, Cucali! />
AA: <\ Just for a while! />
NM: I d☼n't need y☼u t☼ be happy!!
AA: <\ YOU could be happy! />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  sharply looks up. --
NM: I AM happy already! Fuck y☼u f☼r thinkin' ☼therwise!
AA: <\ Cut it out, Cucali! I, I know you feel something! />
-- nitroMerc [NM] is now an idle chum! --
NM: Cut what ☼ut?? I'm n☼t d☼ing anythin'!
AA: <\ You, you were just a few minutes ago! And I can't forget that! />
NM: ☼kay! Sure! I'll admit it, we were b☼th m☼r☼ns sl☼bberin' ☼ver each ☼thers' faces!
NM: There, that's ☼ut!
AA: <\ Neither of us were being moronic, Cucali! />
NM: ☼☼☼☼h, let me amend that statement then!!
NM: I was bein' m☼r☼nic f☼r lettin' y☼u sm☼☼sh y☼ur face all ☼ver mine!
NM: I sh☼uld've thr☼wn y☼u ☼ut ☼f the hive the m☼ment shit went d☼wn, but n☼☼☼☼☼!!! See, idi☼cy at its finest!
AA: <\ It's, it's okay to feel that way, okay?! />
NM: N☼t f☼r me!!!
AA: <\ Yes, for you! />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  gets to her feet. --
NM: St☼p tryin' t☼ tell me h☼w t☼ feel! This damn thing w☼n't w☼rk at all, an' that it!!!! I'm screamin' it in y☼ur face, dumbass!!
AA: <\ Why won't you just try?! Why won't you even TRY?! />
NM: What's the fuckin' p☼int in it? I d☼n't need a matesprit!! I g☼t a m☼irail! I g☼t en☼ugh pity!
NM: I d☼n't need this!
AA: <\ But I think you want it! />
NM: Wh☼ are y☼u t☼ tell me h☼w I feel?!
NM: I d☼n't want y☼u!!
AA: <\ Then why did you kiss me?! />
NM: I-- that kiss was just s☼me stupid impulse!! It d☼esn't mean anythin'! I'm n☼t lettin' it mean anything!
AA: <\ It does mean something, Cucali! />
NM: Well, I'm n☼t lettin' this g☼ aaaaaaaanywhere!!
AA: <\ Why are you so shy about this?! And I, I thought I was wary! />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  flushes at that. --
NM: I'm n☼t fuckin' shy!!
NM: When the hell have I been shy?!
AA: <\ Right now! Right darn now! You don't want to face up to things, or even let them out of your control, so you're not allowing anything any freedom to move and grow! />
NM: Fuck y☼u!!
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  wavers a little, but she regains her strength, staring Cucali down. --
-- nitroMerc [NM]  glowers, raising her hand as though she might hit her, but she just turns around and tries to leave. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  reaches out for her. --
AA: <\ Cucali, we, we can work this out. />
NM: N☼. N☼ we can't! Didn't I just tell y☼u that, m☼r☼n?!
AA: <\ I, I'm not going away you know! />
AA: <\ You'll have to face up to things eventually! />
NM: I can kick y☼u ☼utta my hive, back ☼ut where the Watcher is!! I'll d☼ it!
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  is silent for a moment, biting at her lip. --
AA: <\ I... />
NM: What??
AA: <\ ... I just want you to be happy. />
NM: I d☼n't need y☼u ☼r y☼ur g☼ddamn pity ☼r anythin' resemblin' a redr☼m t☼ be happy!
NM: I've always been happy by myself.
NM: I d☼n't need any☼ne.
AA: <\ I, I know you don't need anyone, but... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  continues, quietly, --
AA: <\ ... what if someone needed you? />
NM: Then t☼☼ fuckin' bad f☼r them, because I'm n☼t helpin' them ☼ut.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  sighs, shaking her head and looking away. --
AA: <\ Do you want me to go? />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  folds her arms across her chest, as if to shield herself. --
NM: I d☼n't give a fuck.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  examines the sand as if it were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. --
AA: <\ Do you really not care? />
NM: ... I d☼n't fuckin' kn☼w.
NM: What the hell d☼ y☼u think?
AA: <\ ... I think you do care. />
NM: ...
-- nitroMerc [NM]  is too busy trying not to look at Paloma to think up an answer. --
AA: <\ I, I think a red relationship would be nice. And I don't think you're as opposed to it as you say you are, either! />
NM: I'm the w☼rst fuckin' ch☼ice f☼r a red relati☼nship.
NM: It w☼uldn't be niiiiice, like y☼ur c☼zy little r☼mances!
NM: It'd be fuckin' terrible, that's what it w☼uld be!!
-- absoluteAltitude's [AA'S]  expression softens. --
AA: <\ Real life, it isn't like fantasy. I know that. />
NM: I have a hard time believin' that!
AA: <\ And, and even with your flaws, I still pity you. I pity you even more because of them, in fact. />
AA: <\ I know it wouldn't be perfect, but... I want to work with you on it despite that. />
NM: Y☼u're a huge dumbass.
AA: <\ I, I don't care. />
NM: And y☼u always care ab☼ut the wr☼ng shit ☼n t☼p ☼f that.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  stares Cucali down - --
AA: <\ You're not the wrong thing to care about. />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  leans close to her. --
NM: ☼☼☼☼h! A wise ☼l' tr☼ll are we n☼w?? Y☼u're an expert ☼n what's a l☼st cause and what's n☼t, huh???
AA: <\ I don't know about that, but, but I know you're not a lost cause! />
AA: <\ Or... or that's what I hope. I really hope. />
NM: Well, let me tell y☼u s☼methin'. This matespritship's ☼nly g☼nna end in tears, and y☼u're g☼nna be s☼ s☼rry later ☼n.
AA: <\ No, I won't be. I won't be sorry, because we would have tried. />
AA: <\ And that's the most important thing. />
NM: And what if y☼u wind up dead, then??
NM: What then, scumbl☼☼d?
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  gulps, but she doesn't look away. --
AA: <\ I'm willing to take that risk. />
NM: ...
NM: I'll think ab☼ut it.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  smiles. --
AA: <\ Okay. />
-- nitroMerc [NM]  turns around to go back inside. --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  follows her in, quietly. --
-- nitroMerc [NM] gave up trolling absoluteAltitude [AA] at 13:08 --