Twenty-Fifth (Fading) Spark! [audio]

[empyreanistic]

--the war.

[It's Alfred's voice, trailing off like he's been forced. For a moment, all that can be heard is sobbing, ragged breaths, not crying but certainly full of pain. There's the horrible scrape of fingernails on metal, scrabbling--]

OKAY?! Are you happy?! I fucking-- I give up. I-I lost, I can't save everyone, I can barely save myself, I'm a

Comments

[adashofrain]

A-America! Are you okay?

[empyreanistic]

Sure. Yeah. [Meaning no, no he really isn't. But Dash doesn't need to know that] You okay? Did you get one of these?

[adashofrain]

Yeah... but I'm okay... ish.

What did they do to you?

[empyreanistic]

....pulled out my arms. From their sockets. Broke my legs, almost broke my spine 'cept I gave up, before that. [Because Alfred couldn't deal with being paralyzed]

[adashofrain]

G-good. What did you have t-to do?!

[empyreanistic]

...tell 'em I was useless. "Admit it," is what they said but... yeah. Yeah. Just-- it's stupid.

[adashofrain]

But you-- you're not useless!

[empyreanistic]

Yeah, well. Tell that to Val and all the people I couldn't help save.

[adashofrain]

But-- she had you locked up! You couldn't help.

[empyreanistic]

I don't care! I should have found a way, Dash, okay?

[adashofrain]

Well-- fine! But you didn't! It's not like anyone's blaming you.

[empyreanistic]

You know what? Maybe they should be. It's better than everyone being "oh, America, are you okay, it doesn't even matter that I lost my hand."

[adashofrain]

Yeah but-- it's not like it's your job to stop Val! We're all trying, you can't do it alone!