screwthatnoise

Standing a short distance away is a figure in a red, hooded cloak. She looks unamused, and her mouth is a firm, straight line. Until she speaks, of course, sounding as cold as she did.

"I'm bothered."

She looks over the tree.

"You shouldn't have taken that limb down. But..."

She looks back at them.

"As long as you promise to leave, and as long as you leave this tree be, I may allow you to keep your lives."

. . . what is it?

[. . . reaches to touch it, keeping his eyes on her]

When you touch the tree, a sudden urge to put yourself in immense pain pulses through you.

The cloaked figure smiles softly; fondly, really.

"It's the one thing that belongs in this garden of hopes."

It looks sick -- it sounds sick. You want it to kill her hopes, don't you?

[reacting possibly not as desired with an immediate loud expression of NOPE]

That's not a hope!

The figure's smile disappears, her expression now grim.

"Wrong. Wrong, wrong wrong. Both of you are wrong. This is the only thing the dead side of Hail managed to grow. This is her last hope."

The figure turns its head to look at the expansive garden, but looks at nothing in particular, as if ignoring every bit of it.

Edited 2013-07-30 19:16 (UTC)

And why is she dead?!

What're you talking about?! There's all this other stuff right there!

"She is dead because she did something that this heart should never allow."

The figure glances back at them.

"And you are the fool. There is nothing out here to see but this tree."

Are you blind?!

You're either blind, or something's stopping you from seeing.

[takes a step towards the Echo]

She stays where she stands, swishing a knife from her sleeve.

"I'm not blind. Hail doesn't deserve anything. Nobody in this heart can realize that... so I had to do them all favors. I refuse to let anyone get ahead of themselves."

She glances at Janta, who turns its head away.

"This tree... It's the only thing she deserves."

Who the hell cares what she deserves? Stop it!

*stepping forward as well, though not reaching for his weapons yet*

[isn't going for his weapons either, though he takes another couple of steps.]

Why do you believe that?

She isn't going anywhere.

"Because this is her life. She doesn't deserve anything. Her happiness fails her. Relying on hopes and dreams... failure. The only thing she can put her hopes into is eternal slumber. Because dying at her own hands is the only way she will finally rest and be at peace with herself. But even so, Hail thought she could have more... I had to remind her."

...that's bullshit. Who says hurting and dying is the only way to be happy? That's not happiness for anyone. Maybe living isn't peaceful, but there's a hell of a lot more you can do with it, and a hell of a lot more paths you can take!

Once you die, there's nothing. No more chances to find happiness at all!

"It doesn't matter. She still doesn't deserve it. If you can give me a reason why, I'll consider... but. I have decided to kill you for bothering me."

She says that in a stained voice, then lurches forward, aiming to thrust her knife in Lloyd's side.

*um no though?! making a move to help intercept that, with his own knives*

We're bothering you for not letting you choke off her hopes and dreams!? Give me a break!

[hasn't drawn his swords yet, but dodges hard to one side; reaches to grab the Echo's knife-holding wrist while Mithos is distracting her instead]

Intercepted! She's trying to push Mithos back, though, digging her foot into the grassy ground the best she can.

And Lloyd grabs for her hand, but instead he grabs nothing—and instead, he suddenly feels intense pain in that hand, as though every nerve were revolting.

*strains against her a moment, then heaves forward to try and throw her back -- though whatever Lloyd's reaction is might distract him a bit on the rebound*

[HISSES AND YANKS HIS HAND BACK, WHAT EVEN]

You—

She gets sent back, stumbling—and she quickly, deliberately, tries to create a distance between herself and them.

"Annoying..."

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