> Paloma: Get comforted by Amaloc. Oh god, Ranigi's dead...

-- vicariousVisionary [VV] began trolling absoluteAltitude [AA] at 10:11 --
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  enters the room --
VV: palle pall?
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  is sitting at her desk, hugging herself with her arms. She looks up when she hears him. --
AA: <\ Ama... Amaloc... />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  hobblerushes over and hugs her --
VV: i've beenn so worried.
VV: pallomma, what did he do to you?
AA: <\ I'm sorry... Ama... />
VV: you have nnothinng to be sorry for.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  hugs him back, and then guides him to a second chair next to her with a few gestures. --
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  sits, clearly tired --
AA: <\ He... he cut off my hand, but... but I deserved it, Ama. />
VV: you didnn't.
-- vicariousVisionary's [VV'S]  voice is stronger than normal --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  shakes her head, reaching for Amaloc's hand with her only remaining one. --
VV: you didnn't deserve anny of this painn.
VV: the onnlly onne who deserved annythinng was rannigi.
AA: <\ No... Ama... />
AA: <\ It was... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  breathes in a shuddering breath. --
VV: go onn
AA: <\ ... can I... really admit it, even to you...? />
VV: admmit what?
VV: you cann tellll mme annythinng, pall.
AA: <\ You'd... there'd be no pity in your diamond left for me... />
AA: <\ ... if you knew what I was... />
VV: that's immpossiblle.
VV: i'llll stannd by you as llonng as i llive.
-- absoluteAltitude's [AA'S]  voice is cold as she goes on. --
AA: <\ ... then just to you... />
AA: <\ ... I was testing a hypothesis. />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  listens intently --
AA: <\ Would I drag others down for something I clearly deserved? Would I bring someone else into the cyclone of revenge and pain which centres around me? />
AA: <\ Even though I invited it? Even though I trapped him? />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  the room is starting to shake just the tiniest bit --
AA: <\ I knew what he'd do. />
AA: <\ I know all my friends. />
AA: <\ And now all that remains is to see what will happen to him. />
AA: <\ Am I the scorpion, Amaloc? />
VV: nno.
VV: you're the onnlly personn inn mmy llife who has nnever hurt mme.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  laughs, brokenly, shaking her head. --
AA: <\ But I have! />
VV: you havenn't.
AA: <\ The stress I've brought on you has reduced your lifespan by so long that I... I can't bear to think of it! />
VV: LLISTENN.
VV: you hellp others sellfllesslly, thenn they bllamme their crimmes onn you.
VV: annd you bellieve themm.
VV: because you're too kinnd nnot to.
VV: you didnn't deserve anny of this, pallomma.
VV: you deserved happinness, annd you stillll do.
VV: i wannt you to prommise mme sommethinng.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  sniffs, looking up at him. --
AA: <\ Yes? />
VV: nnever seek out punnishmmennt againn.
VV: nno mmatter how mmuch you thinnk you deserve it, donn't llet sommeonne hurt you.
AA: <\ ... I... />
VV: okay?
AA: <\ But, I... />
AA: <\ ... okay. />
VV: you didnn't deserve anny of this.
VV: cirrinn used you, sollenna tortured you,
VV: you're the victimm, nnot the villllainn.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  whispers, hoarsely, --
AA: <\ That's... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  shakes her head. --
AA: <\ ... no. I... I guess... you're right. />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  puts a hand on her shoulder --
VV: you cann't bllamme yoursellf for the cruellty of others.
VV: you didnn't deserve what cirrinn did.
VV: you didnn't deserve what sollenna did.
VV: annd you sure as HELLLL didnn't deserve what rannigi did.
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  paps --
VV: you're a kinnd trollll inn a cruell worlld.
VV: annd you bllamme yoursellf for far too mmuch.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  lets him pap her, closing her eyes. Tears leak from them, again. --
AA: <\ Then at least let me be sorry for worrying you... />
VV: okay.
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  hugs --
VV: i wonn't llet annyonne hurt you llike that againn.
VV: nnot whille i'mm llivinng.
AA: <\ But I'm causing you so much stress... />
AA: <\ Will, will you really be okay? />
VV: i'mm finne.
VV: as llonng as i hellp you, i'mm happy.
AA: <\ Ama... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  leans over to rest her head against his chest, sighing. --
VV: it'llll be okay, palle pall.
AA: <\ O, okay... />
VV: nno mmatter what, i've got your back.
AA: <\ Thank you... I don't... I mean, I only wish I could defend you as much as you defend me. />
VV: you've donne a llot for mme.
VV: you've gottenn mme to stop starvinng, connvinnced mme to try for rommannce, cared for mme whenn i was hurt,
VV: i mmight nnot be allive right nnow if nnot for you.
AA: <\ But I... I'm... I've been causing you so much worry. />
VV: before you, i had nnothinng to care about.
VV: i was goinng through the mmotionns, waitinng to die.
VV: i'llll take the worry over that.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  hugs Amaloc tighter - though not too tightly. --
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  pats her head --
AA: <\ You're wonderful, Ama... I wish I didn't cause you worry while giving you those good things... />
VV: llife is harsh.
VV: there willll allways be reasonns to worry.
VV: i'mm gllad to have sommeonne i care ennough about to worry for.
AA: <\ ... I'm glad I have someone like you. />
VV: i'mm gllad to have you.
AA: <\ I'm glad to have you, too... />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  shooshpaps --
VV: the cyclle's over nnow.
AA: <\ Maybe, maybe everything will be okay. Maybe I can convince everyone to leave Ranigi alone... maybe I won't be... />
VV: oh...
VV: rannigi wonn't be ann issue.
AA: <\ What, what do you mean? />
VV: i gave himm justice.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  looks up at Amaloc, honest fear on her face. --
AA: <\ What, what do you mean? />
AA: <\ Amaloc, please... what do you mean? />
VV: he hurt you, pallomma.
VV: i donn't llet that sllide.
AA: <\ But... you... what did you do? />
VV: he's dead.
AA: <\ ... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  can be felt stiffening up, a sob wrenching its way through her throat. --
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  shooshpaps --
AA: <\ Oh god... then I really did... />
VV: you did nnothinng.
VV: he hurt you.
VV: i gave himm what he deserved.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  laughs, and the sound is hollow and bleak. --
AA: <\ I see... />
VV: what kinnd of mmoiraill woulld i be if i just llet somme sellf-righteous mmonnster hurt you?
AA: <\ It's just as they said... />
VV: who said what?
AA: <\ ... another Watcher. />
VV: what did that THINNG tellll you?
AA: <\ ... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  murmurs, weakly: --
AA: <\ ... the truth... />
VV: what do you mmeann?
VV: what did he say?
AA: <\ ... it said... that I tore my friends apart from the inside, moved them about like pawns. />
VV: that's nnot truth.
VV: you knnow it's a llie.
VV: donn't bellieve those mmonnsters.
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  the room is starting to shake again --
AA: <\ A, Ama... />
VV: so the watchers started allll this.
VV: againn.
VV: i'llll mmake sure to get ann apollogy fromm themm.
VV: i shoulld have pllennty of timme for that whille i'mm killllinng themm.
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  hugs Amaloc tightly. --
AA: <\ We, we all want them dead. />
VV: nnever bellieve themm againn, okay?
VV: whatever they say.
VV: they just wannt to hurt us.
VV: annd they'llll say annythinng to do that.
AA: <\ ... what have I done...? />
VV: you were hurt.
VV: that's allll.
AA: <\ I, I can't just be an innocent in this... not after what I've done...! />
VV: you did nnothinng wronng.
AA: <\ But I... />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  is patting her head --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  sighs, scooching her chair right up against Amaloc's so she can properly lean against him. --
VV: you shared your worries with rannigi, annd he used it as ann excuse to torture sommeonne.
VV: that's nnot justice, that's a sadist tryinng to get off.
AA: <\ But I knew what he'd do. />
VV: you were upset annd nnot thinnkinng cllearlly.
VV: i shoulld have beenn there for you.
AA: <\ No, it's my fault for not turning to you... />
VV: it's okay, pall.
VV: we llive annd llearnn.
VV: the watcher had mmessed with your head, you cann't be bllammed for beinng upset.
VV: you thought you woulld hurt mme, you were tryinng to protect mme.
AA: <\ I... I guess so... />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  paps --
VV: remmemmber, pallomma, i'llll allways pity you.
VV: nno mmatter what you nneed, i'llll be there.
AA: <\ Thank you, Amaloc... />
AA: <\ I, I don't think I could ever stop pitying you. />
VV: thannks, palle pall.
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  rests his chin on her head --
VV: you donn't have to worry about hurtinng mme.
VV: nnothinng coulld be worse thann seeinng you hurt againn.
VV: so to speak.
AA: <\ I... I'll try not to get hurt. />
VV: i willll too.
VV: nnow i knnow how you fellt after that thinng with soll.
VV: i wonn't put you through that againn.
AA: <\ You're too good to me... />
VV: that's immpossiblle.
VV: you deserve the best.
AA: <\ And, so do you... />
VV: llucky i have you, thenn.
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  paps --
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  laughs. The sound is weak, but at least it's not so hollow. --
AA: <\ I, I only hope I can do right by you... />
VV: you've cared mmore thann i knnew anny trollll coulld.
VV: you've nnever donne mme wronng.
AA: <\ Then, then let me do right by you now... you, you need to rest, Ama. />
VV: you're right, pall.
VV: i'llll be downnstairs if you nneed mme, okay?
AA: <\ Okay... />
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  pats her head --
VV: you shoulld probablly rest too, palle pall.
VV: you've had a hellll of a week.
AA: <\ I, I won't be straining myself, that's for sure... />
VV: great.
VV: see you llater, okay?
AA: <\ Yeah... />
-- absoluteAltitude [AA]  gives Amaloc one last hug before straightening up away from him. --
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  wearily stands, giving her a smile --
VV: thannks for stickinng with mme.
AA: <\ Thank you for standing by me, too... />
VV: gllad to do it.
VV: good day, pallomma.
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  hobbles towards the door --
-- vicariousVisionary [VV]  absconds --
-- vicariousVisionary [VV] gave up trolling absoluteAltitude [AA] at 11:55 --