sirenspull | Another accidental video - re-entry with a new canon point

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Another accidental video - re-entry with a new canon point

[Dirty fingers brush over the NV screen when it switches on, leaving bloody streaks across the screen. The whole video is vibrating; as the fingers move, a view of the Newcomer apartments from the baseball diamond is clearly visible. Whoever is holding the NV is clearly a newcomer and clearly in some kind of trouble.

After a minute, there's a shallow gasp and a moan; the voice is high pitched, obviously a girl's. The NV falls, and goes black; it's camera down in the dirt. But it lasts only a minute. The owner of the voice goes to pick up her NV, gasping in agony as her hand curls around the device. It's obvious why; there's a hole shot clean through her palm and out of the back of her hand.]

Marius? Marius, where are you?

[The voice has a heavy French accent when she speaks, and just for a minute, Eponine's face comes into view. It's dirty and tear stained. Her hair is a mess, greasy and tangled but that is the least of Eponine's concerns. She's forced herself into a sitting position, and one hand she presses to her chest, - a chest which is bleeding profusely. She gasps again, and sinks down onto the ground and out of sight of her NV.Without anything to support her weight, she can't keep herself upright any more. She knows she's dying, and tears wet her cheeks. She feels sick and dizzy and the world - wherever she is, fades in and out. She needs to see him before she dies. Her breathing is getting more and more shallow. She has to ask his forgiveness.]

Mariussss...

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...Ask you to what?

[His mouth has suddenly gone dry. That was t the deal. Eponine wasn't supposed to have to do anything.]

Wh-what's my doing? What are you talking about?

[She twists her mouth, scowling, though really, she's more worried about what to say to him.]

I can't tell you, Yosuke, what he asks of me. It was part of our own deal; I have said too much already, and you cannot tell him what you know of this, or we will both be in trouble, and I do not want to do what I think he will make me do to you if he knows of this. What deal did you make with Jesse? Tell me or I will ask him.

[He might not fear jail... but perhaps he'll feel differently about Jesse]

That son of a bitch.

[He tugs at his hair again, furious to realize that just as he'd suspected, Jesse had screwed everything up.]

I'm not scared of him. And you shouldn't be either. He doesn't have any powers, you know. He can't even use them. All he can do is steal them. Did he tell you that?

...What am I saying? It's not like you care. You probably think that's a great idea, right? Never mind that it leaves people completely defenseless in a fucked up place like this. Never mind that people could die, or go insa-

[And there it is. The connection he never made, but he should have. Jesse steals powers. People have been turning up in the news all of this time, powerless. Some of them really did go insane. And he's known about it all along, he just didn't realize that he knew.

His eyes go wide, wider than they should be able to, and he stumbles backwards into the nearest chair.]

No...

[She stares at him whilst he figures it out. Her glare is defiant.]

Is that what you think of me? That I do not care if people are left... Well, perhaps you are right.

[She watches him too, as he sinks down] DON'T YOU DARE SAY A WORD, YOSUKE, or he'll make me wipe your mind. Do you want to forget who you are, and I and Lisbeth and Nill and your other friends? Say anything and I swear, you will not remember anything and your powers will be gone.

[She runs a hand through her hair] You told him I was a prostitute, didn't you? He had this planned when he spoke to me. Well, I hope you are happy now, Yosuke. I am a criminal and you... you can never tell.

You're supposed to be free...he said you wouldn't have to...oh my god.

[Yosuke claps a hand over his mouth, pale and shaken and dazed. It's obvious he's not used to being lied to. He really thought that someone might help him save his friend from a life of misery.

How stupid is he? And for her to say that, is she still...?

No. No, it's all wrong. It's even worse. And she has the power to erase his memory? Shit. He can't- she can't. Everything good in his life is here. He can't forget it all. He'll drown. And Nill... They both know Nill is special to him. What if-

No...]

...People lie, M'sieur. As I lied to Marius, so Jesse has lied to you. And I will have to lie to you both now.

I am free, M'sieur - Jesse pays me a lot of money. It is at your house, in fact. I will earn a lot of money. And then, when I am rich, I can stop. But you should not have made this deal. I will make it right, M'sieur, but do not interfere with my life again.

[She sounds a lot older than sixteen; she sounds exhausted.]

He gave me a power I can show you too; I can make it rain now.

I keep telling you, it's not just your life anymore once you start making friends. They're going to-

[Except that just then, the rest of what she said sinks in.]

...Wait, what?! Haven't you heard of a bank?

[Inexplicably, Yosuke is yanking his hair again.]

Banks do not look at people like me. They would throw me out as soon as I stepped in... Yosuke, what is wrong now?

[Eponine's getting tired of his dramatics now. For goodness sake, she's nearly died today, had to deal with the loss of her most dear love... and now her friend has screwed over her life and is having dramatics about her hiding money. She needs a break. Yosuke was supposed to come and feed her ice cream, not make everything more complicated than ever.]

...Nothing. Nothing, everything is fine.

[Except that it was all a lie. And now Eponine works for a crazy, dangerous freak. And she's broke. And dead, as soon as she gets home.

For a moment he almost thinks he's going to be sick right there on the floor. But it isn't nausea...it's guilt. And it's way worse than a simple stomach bug. None of this is going away in 48 hours.]

I...I have to leave.

LEAVE?

[Eponine jerks right up again, and hisses with the pain. She tries to reach out to grab Yosuke's hand, to make him stay. Why is he leaving? What is he doing? He can't leave her all alone.]

Yosuke, don't leave. Please. I'm sorry. Yosuke, I'm sorry, okay? Please don't leave me here by myself. I am sorry I was cross with you. I promise I'll make it better - but please, please don't leave me here. Let me come home with you. Please don't leave me here.

[It's too much. After being abandoned over and over in France, and being shot, this final abandonment is just too much for her to bear, and she ends up crying again.]

Hey...hey, don't-damn it. Don't cry. You know I can't-

[It works, of course. He's a sucker for a damsel in distress, after all, as Eponine must have noticed many times over. Instead of leaving, he climbs up onto the bed too, touching her face and making soothing sounds and pressing his forehead to hers. Truth be told, he's as desperate for the comfort as she is, just like always.]

You're going to hate me.

[She's surprised at the close contact; she doesn't realy understand why Yosuke's touching her - but she smiles through her tears. It's so lovely to be touched in such a gentle manner.]

I am cross with you sometimes... but I can never hate you. What's wrong?

[If she'd asked him, he wouldn't have been able to explain anyway. Sometimes people had touched his face when he was upset to soothe him, but they certainly hadn't climbed into his hospital bed looking for mutual comfort. It was pathetic, actually. But there wasn't a single thing in his life left that hadn't been broken. And here was something breaking on top of a break. Here was something shattering even while the two of them tried desperately to glue it together.]

You will...I...you...ugh!

[He sat back, and scrubbed at his face again, miserably. His voice comes out as pathetic as he feels this time. Weak and hoarse and defeated.]

I know somewhere else you can sleep, don't worry...

Somewhere else?

[Another tear trickles down her cheek]

You do not want me any more? M'sieur?

[Back to the formal title. Just in case.]

It's not that.

[He pulls his knees up under his chin, and glances away so she won't see the horrified look on his face. Dragging dead deer carcasses around isn't a pleasant memory, but it's worse than that. The bar and his apartment are trashed. Turned completely inside out, destroyed. There's no way Eponine's savings made it through all of that.]

I can't stay there, either.

...Why?

[She's not even thinking about her money; it's only a few hundred dollars. Not much in the grand scheme of things, but everything to her. But she would still rather have Yosuke.]

Has something happened, Yosuke? You must tell me, you know.

[He slumps over, burying his face in his knees. He might have to say it, but he's not ready to look her in the eyes at the same time.]

It's gone. Someone broke in while we were away. The bar is empty, the kitchen is destroyed, and the apartment is...everything is gone. And smashed. We don't have anything now.

Gone.

[It takes a minute for that to sink in, to remember what she had had there. Gone. Everything gone. His home. His living - her things; the new dresses she had bought. The champagne and chocolates. The shoes and the coats and the hat and the books. All gone. Her money. All gone.]

I have nothing?

[Her face is blank. She's shocked. She has no money. She's got no home. But... she has friends? Yes?]

But you're okay, Yosuke? They did not hurt you? That is something, is it not? We can fix your home and your shop. I can earn money. It would be worse if you were dead.

I am, though. I'm so dead. If Fai-sama comes back and sees what I've done to his place... And you and Nill have to move again, and Creed-San doesn't live at his house anymore. I don't know where he is! Who moves away and forgets to tell their so-uh, babysitter?

[He uncurls just enough to glance up, clearly furious and close to tears himself.]

How can you say it's okay? You...you're shot. And still enslaved to someone! And now you're going to have to live with Keigo. I mean, he's a good guy but he's going to perv all over you when I'm not around to kick his ass.

Nothing is okay. In fact, every time I think this place can't get worse somehow it manages! It's not fair!

No...

[She, in contrast toYosuke, adopts a quiet tone.]

No, life is not fair, is it? I am - not enslaved to Monsieur Jesse - he GAVE me a choice, Yosuke. I am not 'enslaved' to him. But to Hattie? I suppose I shall be working for her again. And M'sieur Gold. And M'sieur Xellos - though he at least pays a bit.

[She shakes her head.] Yosuke, I should be dead, twice. I should be sleeping now. And yet - here I am, alive and hurt with nothing. Not a home, not clothes, not even a friend who is not cross with me. You know I do not say it, but -

[Eponine takes a breath, and looks away from Yosuke.]

i hate me. What I've done. Who I am. I should wear a gown and a bonnet and be taught the Bible by nuns and given dolls and food and ribbon for my hair. And yet I have rags and no shoes and I steal and thieve and beg and sell myself because I am first made to by Papa. Is it fair? Is it fair that Cosette has everything, and I have to beg a coin from her? Is it fair she gets presents every day when I have not had a present since I was eight? Is it fair that Marius loves her simply for being beautiful, whilst he does not see me when I help him always?

[She's silent for a minute, before she adds in a dead voice]

i am sorry. That was inappropriate. You have lost a lot. And I have too. And perhaps we do not want to keep fighting; Yosuke, I'm TIRED. But there is another unfair thing. We must fight on anyway. We will do it together. It is still a shelter; we can sleep there. And I will go to Afterglow and ask... And you must get a job. We will have money fast.

[She's still avoiding his eyes. Back to Afterglow or the street corner? She wishes she was dead.]

No, you won't! Why would you do that? The-you don't need to. You don't. The apartment is free because I'm a greeter, and I can bring you things to eat from the bakery. We can both get a job someplace nice. A store somewhere. A bookstore! You can put the books on the shelves and I can run the till or work in the cafe. You don't have to do any of that stuff anymore.

[Whether they're upset with each other or not, Yosuke is sincere in his intent to help her. Practically pleading, in fact. The first try sent do badly, but maybe if they had talked about it instead? Either way, he clearly can't shut up.]

Just don't treat yourself like that. I know it doesn't mean much coming from me instead of that guy, but you are beautiful, alright? You should let someone take care of you instead.

"Because I enjoy it. Why do you think, Yosuke?" Eponine snaps, but then she sighs. "Because we need money and we need it quickly. And I suppose I will have a job for every other hour. And Afterglow pays well, if they'll have me back. I will have to ask Monsieur Jack... And Jesse - I could ask Monsieur for the money, perhaps?"

She laughs. "I would like to work in a book shop - learn how to read properly. I CAN read - but I never practise, really, and it takes me time. But I do not think I can have a respectable job. Who would give me one? AGI have scared people from me, and I have police records..."

She beams though. "Do you really think I'm beautiful? I think you are blind - but I do not care. You are the first to say that to me. I don't care if you lie even to make me happy. I think you are handsome - and the nicest person I have met in Port and in France. And you talk to me. Do not worry, Monsieur Yosuke. I will make this better for me. I will make your heart light as you make mine so."

"The-NO! What the hell? What do you need all this money for anyway? You know the hospital has to take a payment plan, right? There's no need for that. You can...you can work in the bakery. It in a garden. I know a guy who said he needed a gardener. I asked him about you before and he was interested! There's a whole mansion there. You could be happy there."

He's getting upset again, upset that she's going to make the wrong choices and really will all be for nothing. Jesse hadn't asked for anything yet besides Eponine's name, apparently so he could suck her into a web of criminal activities. But the point was, unless he came calling for that favor they had nothing to worry about from that end.

And there was a choice of places for Eponine to stay, a few ways they could make sure she was fed and paid and looked after. Why would she throw that all away for quick money? Yeah, so that was that. He squared his shoulders, looking her in the eye now as he made his argument.

"Stop calling me a liar every time I say something nice to you. It's really uncouth, you know. But if you want to make my heart feel lights, it's easy. Stop hurting yourself and other people. Didn't you learn anything when that wolf bit you?"

"BECAUSE. Because I am FED UP, Yosuke. I am tired of owing people money and favours and - and if I do it for six months, every night, then I can pay every debt I owe. I can pay this bill and pay off Monsieur Gold and find myself a proper house and a proper job."

Eponine is despairing. She doesn't know how to communicate her true feelings. She doesn't even know what they are, really. She's spent so many years fighting back feelings that she finds it difficult now to even acknowledge them. But in truth, it boils down to her own self-hate. She doesn't know how to act around decent people in a decent job on the right side of society. She doesn't believe she has any place there.

Yosuke's telling-off catches her off-guard though. A liar? No, not a liar... just.... for so long she's heard that she's ugly and useless and worthless and worse that it's difficult for her to accept a compliment now. She hates herself so much she just can't see any beauty in herself at all. Eponine casts her eyes away from him, until he asks the question. Then she looks up.

"Yes. Yes, I learned not to rely on anybody else. I do not need anything from any body. I am better off alone. I am SICK of my life being harder because of other people. I let Ella give me a house, and she has the power to make me go. I let Jesse give me a job, and I am to be a criminal. I let M'sieur Gold give me money and I am still in his debt. I let Hattie give me a dress and I end up doing everything she orders of me for free. YOU give me a house and I am left with NOTHING. I am FED UP, Yosuke, with being who I am. And if six months of letting men - women - whoever, do as they wish, then it is a SMALL price for the rest of my life. I can be happy then. I can have a house and stop working for Jesse and perhaps have a bookshop. It is only six months."

And Marius, even now, will never love her. So why should she try to be a lady? Six months more and then her new life as a respectable person can begin.

"That wasn't my fault!"

He pulls his knees up to his chin, though, clearly feeling more guilty about it than he wants to acknowledge.

"I'll...I'll pay you back! Then you won't have to do that sort of thing. I don't need to be in school anyway, and with the Cat's Eye...you know. There's no one who can make me go. I'm 17 now, I'm of age."

Another accidental video - re-entry with a new canon point

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