asgardeventide | VIDEO. #001 / DAY371

-- fucking around, damnit!

[ Yes, Joel is not happy. In fact, he's turning on the bracelet because he isn't happy. It's a video and Joel looks about ready to go out and do something a lot of people might regret, considering he's put the bracelet down and he has a smaller sized shotgun in his hand.

Meanwhile.

Tess is there off to the side. She understands where he's coming from, she said it herself that if anyone fucks with one of theirs--they will wreak havoc. In this case, they're both ready to do just that. It's like Robert all over again only this time Joel's the one out for blood, not her.

Leaning against a low table with her arms crossed over her chest she tilts her head, watching on, noticing the changes in him. Tess is ready to argue with him over the network, argue that they should shit out first like who this guy is, what he's capable of, the damage he could cause in return, but what good will that do? That will just show this bastard Voldemort that they aren't serious. That they're weak.

She can be heard sighing off-camera, rubbing her fingers into her temple as he carries on. ]

I ain't messin' around here. You listen and you listen good.

[ He leans close to the camera, eyes dark and expression hard, hand tightening around the gun. ]

Voldemort, right? Yeah, you listen to me. You come near my girl again and I will give you another goddamn taste. [ Remember how a gun felt, Voldemort? Expect a repeat. ] And I'll keep doin' it until you get the message, you hear? And if that ain't enough of a warning...

[ Joel disappears from view and when he pops up again he might be holding a knife now. Oops? ]

I'll write it on your skin.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

How? How did any of this happened?! What's going on?

Remember the mirror thing? This guy decided he was going to hurt me, but I fought back.

[Talking about it like this actually helps. She won. Fuck that guy.]

He's having a hard time letting it go.

[This is... something else that Alice doesn't seem to stomach well. Pyro, little Alice, Rapunzel, and now Ellie? Alice looks as if she's about to honestly burst into tears, instead, Alice seems to lose her temper that fraction of a moment, as if to shout to the top of her lungs for Asgard to stop.

To just stop it.

There's too much suffering as it is, why should children be roped into it?]

...No! No! Wait a moment! Regardless if he's nothing more than a sore loser, nothing should be done! There has been enough as it is, another act against another isn't going to solve anything! That's enough!

Hey, woah, don't worry. Nobody's gonna go after him.

[At the moment, Alice is a little too frazzled.]

Please don't out Ellie like this! She's too young to be dealing with this nonsense!

Alice.

[She says it firmly, not a snap, but still very steady. Focus here, girl, focus, we can't afford to fall apart. Life and death.]

Breathe.

I'm fine. I killed him once, if he tries to come after me again, we already know that I can get the drop on him.

Joel and Tess have my back. We're good.

[A rational part of Alice knows this. A very small rational part at that. Somehow, it's just not obtainable for her, because all Alice wants is to ensure nothing happens again.]

You kill him again and he'll return once more. What about after that? And after that? How many times?

And he can't kill me either. I plan to be way too much trouble for him to keep trying.

[After a moment, Alice switches this to private to talk to her without her guardian. She can understand where he comes from, but it doesn't erase the concern for Ellie.]

Please. Promise me that none of you will go after him. You're far too young to be dealing with these things. Regardless of what you've endured.

You're still too young.

I can't promise for them. Joel's a stubborn fuck.

I'm not gonna hunt the guy down. All I want is for him to leave me. The hell. Alone.

They won't if they know if it is in your best interest, Ellie.

[Okay, Alice, is finally calming down. But her nerves are still pretty fried as it is.]

Right now, it is. He's got one more chance not to fuck up.

[Her expression turns to something akin of pleading at her.]

He does care for you, Ellie, that much is clear. Eventually after that anger wears off, he'll come to his senses. You just need the patience and faith to make it so.

Yeah, I know.

[The stubborn old guy.]

Problem is, I care about him too, and I don't want him to- get hurt like I did, either.

There must be a better way, something to prevent that sort of madness from transpiring again.

I hope so, but fuck it.

What do you mean?

[No, really, what does that mean.]

I mean that I hope this turns out... okay. I hope everybody's gonna be safe.

But no matter what happens, it's going to suck. And we'll have to do it anyway, so there's no point in freaking out about it. We'll just deal with it.

And hopefully one that doesn't result in either one of you hurt or threatened. With a level head.

I hope so.

[She doesn't sound all that confident of it.]

[Alice can hear it in her voice. The pleading expression returns to her face.]

Ellie...

It's okay, Alice.

[And suddenly, Joel comes out of her mouth.]

We're good.

VIDEO. #001 / DAY371

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